Summer 2020 TRF Trail Magazine

The Members’ Magazine of the Trail Riders Fellowship Summer 2020

Sicily

British Library Reference: 007244108

The Eternal Crossroads Food, fire and frolics on this Mediterranean island

TRF Raffle Don’t miss out – It could be your last chance to win!

Suzuki TS250ER Restoration An owner goes to great lengths to recapture his youth

Salisbury to Bristol A round trip undertaken as restrictions are relaxed

USED & ABUSED The KTM Freeride 250F and Beta XTrainer 300 come under scrutiny

Surveys: Lockdown Exit and Trail Readership results Travel: Portugal or the Isle of Man, take your pick Specials: Designed in a pub, built in a shed TRF’s 50th Birthday ride: Mario saddles up Products: The mighty Rabaconda tyre changer

Stay Alert. Control The Virus. Save Lives: www.trf.org.uk/COVID

EDITORIAL

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elcome to the New Normal, whatever that is.

Unsurprisingly, given the Government’s fluidity on the subject, a lot of the details are unclear. In this issue, the Chair’s Report and the Lockdown Exit Survey results try to interpret circumstances as they relate to the TRF. The other survey you’ve responded to over the last couple of months is the Trail Survey and you can see the results on page 12. They will help us to make the content better tailored to the readership.

You will also notice that there’s been a redesign of the magazine – that wasn’t as a result of survey responses but just a move to keep Trail fresh, so hope you like it.

Being able to get out on the trails again has improved my mental and physical health no end. The weird part about it is that we’ve gone straight from the depths of winter to summer with no transition period. My local trails have gone from wet clay and super-slippery chalk to rock hard ruts, hidden by long grass. Either way you can end up on your arse when you least expect it. Plus I’ve had more than my fair share of punctures. I ripped the valve out of three front tubes (eventually fitted a security bolt and put the rim in a vice to press back the flat spot, so far so good). Then had a catastrophic deflation event in the rear tyre when I managed to run over a blackthorn (prunus spinosa) branch and punctured the tyre and tube in five places. It was probably getting its own back in recompense for my stealing its fruit for years to make my renowned sloe vodka.

The tyres in question are Michelin Mediums on which my CCM C-XR230 has covered 1,200+ miles and I will be reviewing them for ‘Tested’ in the Autumn issue. I can also testify to their run-flat capabilities: the front, approx

50 miles on tarmac at normal road speeds; the rear, about 0.5 of a mile.

Needless to say, the Michelins will now be pensioned off. Replacing them will be a Kenda Equilibrium rear and Trackmaster front.

I will also be replacing my bike as the CCM celebrates its 12th birthday in October. Its replacement will be a Fantic 250 Casa and no, I haven’t conspired to win the Raffle (see page 14). I will be taking ownership of the bike that I rode in last year’s Wessex Wanderers event, in Sport Adventure’s tour of the Dordogne and in various local LDTs. Getting back to this issue, as there are no TRF events on which to report, to cheer you up we have no less than three holiday destination trail rides for you: Portugal (page 62), Sicily (page 18) and the Isle of Man (page 48).

I hope you enjoy this redesigned issue.

All its feature content has been contributed by members and that’s the way it should be – Trail is for you and about you. if you have any ideas for articles but aren’t sure how to proceed, just email me and we can talk it through. Happy Trails.

Rick Kemp rick@trf.org.uk

Trail is published quarterly and is designed and produced by Rick Kemp Media Services, for the Trail Riders Fellowship.

The TRF is registered in England & Wales No.05884933Registered Office, 218 The Strand, London WC2R 1AT. British Library Reference:007244108 All advertising enquiries should be sent to charlie@trf.org.uk The views expressed by individual members in Trail are not necessarily those of the Trail Riders Fellowship.

Trail Summer 2020 01

CONTENTS British Library Ref No: 007244108 Contacts: Trail Magazine Editor: Rick Kemp Editor@trf.org.uk TRF Membership Team: Membership@TRF.org.uk T: 07958 316295 TRF Membership: Allen House Wetmore Road Burton upon Trent DE14 1TR Submit a Rights of Road notice: ROR@TRF.org.uk Submit an event: calendar@TRF.org.uk Published by: The TRF Board of Directors Directors@trf.org.uk TRF contacts can be found at: https://trail.trf.org.uk/contact-the-trf/

04 DIRECTORS’ REPORTS

exit 10 lockdown survey results

12

trail readership survey results

14

TRF RAffle

Another chance to win either a 125 or 250 Fantic Casa and all in a good cause

02 Trail Summer 2020

18

What the ‘new normal’ will mean for countryside access.

The Coalition of Motorcycle Organisations (CoMOrg).

Membership process.

Interpretation of coronavirus restrictions by local authorities and the police

the eternal 18 sicily: crossroads Culture, history, geology and of course trail riding

28 birthday ride The TRF’s 50th celebration – our Chair ventures forth

48

Manx malarkey

A crew from Devon take on the Isle of Man – see who wins

built 56 shed winners We don’t all just ride trail bikes, Martin Jarvis builds his own tarmac teasers

62 day tripper It’s always good to try before you buy, even if you have to fly to Portugal

& 68 used abused An in-depth look at a couple of popular mounts: The KTM Freeride 250F and Beta’s XTrainer 300

79 tested SUMMER 2020 / Issue #12

32

breaking out

Two Bristolians team up for a lockdown loosening loop to Salisbury and back

42

Mellow yellow

We wrestle with a Rabaconda

of 80 friends the trf Companies offering exclusive discounts to members

A Suzuki TS250 ER gets a better-than-new restoration

68 Trail Summer 2020 03

Directors’REPORTS

TRF Chair, Mario Costa-Sa, mario@trf.org.uk, on the role of membership surveys in guiding policy and the future of the AGM

T

he era of the ‘new normal’ is arriving.

One of the positive effects of this challenging time is that the general population has spent less time on work and retail therapy and more on appreciating their entitlement to enjoy the countryside and outdoor green exercise.

Another important ‘new normal’ was the milestone reached by the UK in generating more power from renewables as opposed to fossil fuel. With high power electric bikes available, the future access possibilities of a trail e-bike with a 1000W motor is interesting to many.

We all learnt from COVID-19 the benefits of community support and the importance of being kind. This has fuelled demand to join large organised communities, a benefit of the TRF, and we will be developing this area in our forthcoming plans. Group riding is back on, and from last month’s survey it appears that approximately half of the membership will have returned to riding.

As a member-driven organisation, the role of surveys in guiding policy is never underestimated. The last issue of Trail launched a readership survey of the magazine and the membership has spoken clearly about their preferences regarding content. My personal role in Trail has been acting as Publisher on behalf of the Board of Directors, ensuring we have a market for our work. Right from the beginning Rick Kemp, not the Directors, has always retained full editorial control. Rick has written separately about the changes to be made to Trail magazine, which I am pleased to support.

The outcome of the survey may mean that our “Management & Strategy” activities, which are of understandable interest to a smaller audience, will find a new, separate home.

The following issues were raised by members – with quick replies added to save you wondering: Q. Why work with the police?

A. Building influence, doing the ‘Right Thing’,

access, TRF professional services and training.

Q. What are we doing about NERC? A. TRF works to defend NERC 2,3,4,5. House of Lords report, building influence, TRF legal services, access in the ‘new normal’ that lies ahead.

I have taken the survey, and its focus on riding, as a large vote of confidence in the current Board of Directors. Having voted in the Board, our membership feels informed and confident in the ability of the Directors and TRF Group Officers to manage the TRF. The challenge remains: how do we inspire and ensure the succession of Officers and Directors to lead the TRF, whilst informing those members who simply want a deeper understanding of these issues without further commitment? In addition, providing information openly keeps the conspiracy theorists at bay.

Rather than cut back on organisational and management Q&A, or abridge members’ concerns and Directors’ responses to tabloid levels of debate, an electronic edition of a Trail supplement may be the answer. Free from the constraints of print and postage costs, members interested in understanding these issues will be able to access unfettered thought in this important area.

Meanwhile, in this issue, we have chosen to answer the membership query as to why the TRF has included guidance on COVID-19. The survey has been invaluable in understanding the needs of the TRF membership during the pandemic, with all its associated uncertainty.

There is a separate article in this month’s Trail providing survey results on these issues and underpinning our position that lockdown exit guidance regarding motorcycle riding is of interest to the membership (see p.10 and 11).

The Coalition of Motorcycle Organisations (CoMOrg) has been instrumental in getting the individual clubs together to come up with guidance for the latest announcement on group riding. I was more than proud to have Kent TRF member James Sanderson, founder

THE ’NEW NORMAL’ WILL INVOLVE MORE PEOPLE APPRECIATING THE OUTDOORS AND THE COUNTRYSIDE

04 Trail Summer 2020

Pic: J Bentman

of Biker Down, join the Coalition, which will provide the guidance that will be used by hundreds of thousands of bikers in the forthcoming weeks. James has more to give to trail and adventure bikers in the future, so watch this space. In addition, it has become clear to me that bringing large motorcycle groups together to work on key issues is what motorcyclists want. In time I feel that the Coalition will prove to be one of the more unexpected positive outcomes of the ‘new normal’ and the TRF is right at the heart of it.

Re-thinking the next TRF AGM The next survey at www.trf.org.uk/agm is about the AGM and how we manage member engagement in the running of the TRF. The TRF Annual General Meeting (AGM), due to be held at the ABR Festival, is unable to proceed as planned due to the postponement of the ABR event until 2021. Instead, we are considering alternatives that maintain social distancing and allow the maximum number of members to attend, whilst allowing for Companies Act requirements for AGMs, and those without access to broadband to participate.

Is the role of the annual AGM still relevant?

It is no longer a requirement for a company of the size of the TRF to hold an annual AGM. The TRF chooses to hold one, and includes it in our Articles, to facilitate member engagement and democracy within the TRF. This decision was made at a time when the Board was much smaller than at present, and internal communications were much reduced.

The Board has since increased from three to eight. Groups now communicate effectively through monthly newsletters and social media, and a dedicated Director is responsible for TRF Groups. The reintroduction of Trail and Scheduled Service emails allows for communication with TRF members and the wider trail riding community. Members now communicate directly with the TRF Board through thousands of phone calls, emails and social media posts. There will still be a business requirement to call for a General Meeting occasionlly, for instance, changes to

the Articles. The question is: should it be annual, or simply as and when required?

Our current policy Our policy in recent years on holding AGMs at an existing TRF riding event has increased the number of TRF members attending and voting at AGMs. The requirement of having a relatively high quorum was put in place to ensure a clear mandate for resolutions made that will bind the TRF. This comes at a human cost, which is a great deal of engagement, planning and stress put upon the TRF volunteer Board Members and Group Officers who arrange the event.

The Board’s view of the current arrangement is that it has greatly lowered the risk of the AGM becoming non-quorate (invalid) and proved to be much more cost-effective and enjoyable for participants than other more formal meeting room or conference events.

The AGM held last year at the Wessex Wanderer, and chaired by Wiltshire TRF (WTRF), set the bar high, with a great meeting, high quality of debate from 97 registered members and resolutions passed quickly and efficiently as a result. All who attended will remember the fantastic food arranged by the WTRF team.

Moving forward We are interested in receiving members’ feedback on AGMs for the future and look forward to invitations from our 40 groups to hold smaller regional meetings at venues around the country.

With more members now familiar with video conferencing, would this be an option preferred by TRF members? We have not included electronic voting at AGMs as the Board cannot find a way to make this work within the requirements of the Companies Act. The nearest we can offer is non-binding member surveys and electronic polls, to guide those who are unable to participate in person at a General Meeting.

Please let us have your thoughts on member participation in the running of the TRF and AGMs by visiting www.trf.org.uk/agm and completing the AGM survey.

Thank you.

Trail Summer 2020 05

Directors’REPORTS

Andrew Byatt, Director – Groups Communication and Member Records, groups@trf.org.uk, explains membership categories

T

here are quite a lot of instances where a member moves to a new house, for example, or changes their email address, and does not notify the TRF. This inevitably causes mail to be returned, or important email communications do not arrive.

We thought it would be useful to remind members of the different types of membership that are available to them and how to check that all the details the TRF holds are accurate and up to date.

We will shortly be sending an email to all members confirming the membership and personal details we hold on file for you, so you can check this is correct and let us know if amendments are required.

You can also check now that your personal information is correct (see instructions below), making any changes necessary, including proper case details (town/city and post codes should be in capital letters according to Royal Mail recommendations), to ensure that correspondence is accurately addressed.

The information you will see online is exactly what was entered at the joining process.

We are also planning to summarise this information in future emails and letters that we send to you, so you are advised of it periodically as well.

06 Trail Summer 2020

Membership types Single membership: A one-off annual payment, currently £56.50 Joint membership: A one-off annual payment for two members residing at the same address, currently £82.50 Both of these membership types will need to be paid each year online if you want to retain your membership. Ideally these should be paid via Credit or Debit card (cheque/cash is not recommended).

Single-recurring: An annual automatic renewing subscription, currently £52.00 Joint-recurring: An annual automatic renewing subscription, for two members residing at the same address, currently £78.00 The recurring membership subscriptions are collected via

STRIPE (Debit/Credit card) or Direct Debit via GoCardless or SMART Debit. If you wish to cancel your recurring payment at any time up to 14 days prior to renewal, please contact the membership team, membership@trf.org.uk, with your written request. Changes requested after this date may not be actioned in time and you may be charged for the renewal.

Life membership: A one-off payment, currently £565 Life-25 years: Awarded to members who have had 25 years’ unbroken membership, no charge Honorary: Free “Life Membership” awarded by the Directors to deserving members

Updating your personal information and renewals

Road-book Enduro Tours in France DATES FOR 2020

2/3/4 Sept 23/24/25 Sept 21/22/23 Oct 4/5/6 Nov 18/19/20 Nov

Issoire Pyrenees Massif du Morvan Dordogne Normandie

For up-to-date information about tours and availability call or e-mail the numbers below.

Please access your membership information here, https://trail.trf.org.uk/members/my-profile/, and check that all the information is correct; if not, please make any necessary changes. You can also add any additional Groups you would like to join.

Renewals can be completed here: https://trail.trf.org.uk/members/renew/, where you can also check your address and email details and make any changes necessary.

This screen will also advise you of your membership type and when it is due to expire.

If it states you have “recurring membership”, you DO NOT need to renew as renewal payments will take place automatically.

We hope this is a useful reminder and appreciate your help in checking, and updating as necessary, your own information, so the TRF can communicate with you by the most efficient and cost-effective method.

As an additional benefit of correctly addressed post, the TRF receives Royal Mail’s MailSort discounts for perfectly addressed mail and therefore it is in all members’ interests to maintain this as accurately as possible.

Log in to Trail If you want to log in to Trail, or register and/or change your registered email address, please do so here: https://trail.trf.org.uk/wplogin.php?redirect_to=/

Trail Summer 2020 07

All trips are priced at £560 (payable to ABTA bonded and ATOL protected UK travel agency S&N Pickford).

Price includes 3 days riding, 2 nights half-board accommodation, loan of road book and road book reader, support vehicle and driver, an opener and sweeper and a classy T-shirt. Please don’t hesitate to contact us if you would like any further information.

Chris Evans, Sport Adventure Tel: 0033 662 487190 chris.evans@sport-adventure.com www.sport-adventure.com

Directors’REPORTS

Technical Director John Vannuffel, john.v@trf.org.uk, explains infection prevention – how the TRF is halting the spread of anti-public-access disease

T

rail riders can be proud of our community’s achievements during lockdown. We adhered to the legislation. Many did not trail ride at all.

Those that undertook a limited amount of trail riding did so in full accordance with both guidance and legislation for just and proper reasons, such as travel to work, assisting vulnerable persons, or short journeys for exercise.

As lockdown eases, our positive ride reports show solo or pairs of trail riders respectfully enjoying the countryside whilst maintaining social distancing. TRF’s purpose is to support and protect such trail riding activity, and to ensure that our positive contribution to the well-being of society and the countryside continues in harmony with the easing of lockdown.

Trail riding interests suffer where trail riding is misunderstood, misrepresented, or not considered. This has occurred during the lockdown. The acute problem is one of lockdown guidance (and the interpretation of that guidance) departing from lockdown law to the detriment of motorcycle and other forms of public access.

TRF intervention is regularly required to protect the public interest. Two recent instances occurred in Bedfordshire and North Yorkshire.

Bedfordshire green road network Bedfordshire Borough Council effectively closed the green road network to all forms of mechanically propelled traffic (including mobility scooters, agricultural traffic, and use for access to premises) as well as horse-drawn vehicles for the reason that such traffic was considered “non-essential” and that the closure would support government advice to avoid non-essential travel. TRF successfully challenged the closures, having obtained Counsel’s opinion that included the following: Trail riding for the purposes of exercise was not excluded from the scope of being a “reasonable excuse” for a person to leave the place where they live, for the purposes of coronavirus lockdown legislation Restricting mechanically propelled vehicles

08 Trail Summer 2020

(MPVs) and horse-drawn vehicles, but not restricting pedal cycles, pedestrians and equestrians, was irrational where the aim is to prevent “non-essential travel”. One could argue that non-motorised use is equally as non-essential as trail riding. Further, it is a false distinction to maintain that non-motorised users should be entitled to use these routes for exercise or recreational purposes, where, for example, motorcyclists are not Bedford Borough Council responded to TRF’s challenge by re-opening the roads, and otherwise by refraining from extending the closures.

North Yorkshire Police announcement The pace of evolving coronavirus legislation has been relatively swift. Guidance has not always matched the pace of legislative changes. The guidance has not always been lawful or consistent with the legislation.

As one might imagine, the lack of clarity has been especially testing for police forces.

In such circumstances there is a considerable risk of lawful and responsible trail riders being deterred from the desirable activity of trail riding. There is also a risk of fines being improperly issued, or of trail riders being stopped unnecessarily – either by the police or by members of the public who have been misinformed as to the propriety of trail riding.

An announcement by a North Yorkshire Police (NYP) Inspector gave cause for concern. The following statement was circulated on NYP social media and local newspapers: “Many motorcyclists genuinely seem to think they are legally covered to just go for a ride out. Under the current regulations this is simply not the case” “We know that the majority of riders don’t want to cause any harm or upset to local communities, but they need to realise that if they break the law as it stands the police will have to take action” The statement rapidly circulated on trail riding social media and, in some instances, was relied upon to assert opinions that trail riding was prohibited by the lockdown

legislation and that NYP would fine trail riders going for a trail ride.

TRF engaged the services of Andrew Dalton of White Dalton Motorcycle Solicitors to write to NYP with a view to providing evidence to show that trail riding (and motorcycling on tarmac) is a form of exercise, and that “rideouts” (including trail rides) were not prohibited by either legislation or guidance. Clarification was sought as to whether NYP maintained that ride-outs were unlawful.

NYP responded to clarify that it was possible to lawfully go for a ride-out (or trail ride) with a “reasonable excuse” and that the inspectors’ assertion did not reflect the legislative position.

NYP also explained their position was that it is undesirable for large groups of individuals to congregate in villages.

TRF agrees that this is undesirable and that is reflected in our support for the Covid Riding guidance produced by VMCC, TRF, MAG and BMF. TRF is grateful to Andrew Dalton, TRF member and Senior Partner at White Dalton Motorcycle Solicitors, for producing a useful guide to riding in accordance with the coronavirus lockdown legislation: https://www.whitedalton.co.uk/motorbikeblog/2020/05/can-i-ride-my-motorcycle-during-the-coronavirus-lockdown/

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CRF250L bikes.

Trail Summer 2020 09

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LockdownEXIT SURVEY

TRF Chair, Mario Costa-Sa, mario@trf.org.uk, interprets the results and what they mean for trail riding

D

uring my time with the TRF, there are few issues that have proved to be as complex or divisive as managing the TRF’s policy on COVID-19.

In addition to keeping members entertained over lockdown, we have had to focus on areas of health, security and access in an uncharted environment where risk to our reputation as well as health was high.

Whilst the Prime Minister may be able to speak to the public about what will happen, the TRF has to wait until the legislation is available, and even then consult with other experts over our interpretation, before we can make recommendations to trail riders.

Although the Directors were assured that the TRF membership understood the Board’s position on COVID, we have been sufficiently moved by the requests of a few members who feel we have been too soft, and a similar number who feel we have been too hard.

One member’s complaint that I think I can firmly reject is that the TRF avoided taking a position on COVID because it was ’ political’.

Q: When are you planning to resume trail riding for leisure & exercise?

Now, as soon as I can Later in a few weeks Later in a few months No plans for the foreseeable future Other

10 Trail Summer 2020

Humanitarian yes, political no.

In addition to taking the middle ground as being ‘about right’, we also reached out by surveying our membership, and their views came back loud and clear: TRF members want the TRF to provide guidance on trail riding during COVID lockdown exit Most of our members will be riding within weeks rather than months Members approve the TRF’s work with other motorcycle organisations in areas of interest (CoMOrg)

TRF members want: Information on lawful, socially-distanced riding in order to make a choice Guidance on how to deal with a police stop The TRF to influence Government policy on lockdown exit Joint campaigns with other large motorcycle groups Defence of TRF members who are wrongly prosecuted whilst following guidelines

Q: Did you read and understand the Coalition of Motocycling Groups (VMCC, BMF, MAG, TRF) white paper?

Yes No Partially

Q: Should the TRF do more campaigning with the VMCC, MAG and the BMF? Yes we are stronger together No, we should not be campaigning together Other Archived Members don’t want the TRF to voluntarily curtail lawful trail riding until lockdown exit has passed.

As a direct result of the COVID situation, the TRF became a founder member of the Coalition of Motorcycle Organisations together with the VMCC, BMF, MAG and IAM RoadSmart, and is now joined by the ACU and TOMCC. This gives a wider input to our interpretation of guidance and extends our

Q: Do you feel the TRF should continue to campaign for trail riders to enjoy the same liberties as equestrians or cyclists whilst following social distancing guidelines?

Yes No Maybe influence with the Government and the authorities.

We will proceed with our COVID lockdown exit plans on the basis of keeping members fully informed about anything that affects trail riding, politics or not.

Please find the latest COVID lockdown exit information here: www.trf.org.uk/covid

Q: How proactive do you feel the TRF should be about supporting members to trail ride lawfully and comply with government guidelines during lockdown exit?

Providing information on lawful socially distant riding Guidance on how to deal with a police stop Influencing Government policy on lockdown exit Campaigning with other motorcycle groups Defending TRF members who are wrongly prosecuted Curtail all TRF activities until lockdown has passed

Trail Summer 2020 11

p i h s r e b SURVEY m Me

Editor Rick Kemp, rick@trf.org.uk, presents the findings

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rail magazine is the TRF’s members’ magazine and should, therefore, reflect members’ interests, activities and, to some extent, aspirations. What better way to achieve this balance of content than by surveying the readership? Many thanks to those of you who spared the time to take part.

The basic premise of Trail has been, like the BBC, to entertain, inform and educate.

However, picking through the survey results, ‘inform’ was pretty low on the list of desirable attributes of the publication. As a result (see elsewhere in this issue), plans are being considered to communicate specific TRF-related information in a different format.

Trail doesn’t pay for contributions as the TRF is a voluntary organisation. As you know, part of the membership fee goes towards the production, print and postage of the magazine. Being able to keep those costs down relies on the ability of the publication to attract advertising revenue and in order to do that it has to be a desirable product in its own right, which according to the survey you

12 Trail Summer 2020

believe it is. Additionally, its appeal to potential advertisers lies in the fact that it is the only title currently in print devoted to trail riding.

The membership includes writers and journalists, some of whom occasionally

Q4: Which articles would you like to see more or less of in Trail?

Bike Tests 2nd hand bike reviews Workshop jobs and tips Product testing (clothing and accessories Favourite local rides TRF events Countryside conservation and RoR issues Safety training First Aid training Training (TRF/ACU) Directors’Reports and activities Photos of Mario :-) Member Profiles Unsung Heroes Riding by County/Group

Q9: Have you read the online versions of Trail magazine Yes No Didin’t realise there was an option I would only read it if it was the only option I wouldn’t read it even if it was the only option Other

contribute to Trail and that’s great, but as the writer Dr Samuel Johnson famously said, ‘No man but a blockhead ever wrote except for money’. The majority of event write-ups and some bike tests are sent in by members who are non-professional writers and who do not expect to be paid for their efforts. Please feel free to send in anything you feel would be of interest to other members. However, the survey revealed that there was a degree of uncertainty as to how to send articles into Trail.

Please send texts to rick@trf.org.uk; photos can be sent via wetransfer.com (the largest files possible, as generally photos on social media are too small to be used for print).

Q8:What do you do with the magazine once you have read it?

Keep it and file it Keep it then bin it Recycle it Give it to a friend Leave it in a Barbers/Waiting room Other Archived Definitely. As you can see from Q4, the most popular category was ‘workshop jobs and tips’ followed by ‘favourite local rides’. In third spot came second-hand bike reviews, so expect to see more of those categories in the future.

Sadly, in a resounding last place, came ‘photos of Mario’ :-) It never does to get complacent in this game, particularly with publications that represent a diverse audience – we hear you.

Survey highlights Q2: What do you like?

A: “Just being in touch and seeing how we’re all doing. I can see from the mag that TRF members are modernising going forward and it’s heart-warming to see the input of others for the pastime I love” Q5: Any opportunities for improvement?

A: “I’m happy with the fabulous efforts of members, and thank all involved” Q6: Would you recommend the TRF Trail magazine to other trail riders?

A: “Yes” was the positive response given by 74.1% of the respondents (the highest percentage in the survey) Will Trail be changing direction as a result of this survey?

Q6:Would you recommend TRF Trail magazine to other trail riders?

Yes No Maybe Other

Trail Summer 2020 13

T R F RAFFLE

There is still time to buy tickets to win a brand new Fantic 125 or 250 Casa. Go to www.trf.org.uk/raffle to buy your ticket securely

W

ith the postponement of the AGM at the ABR Festival, we will be making new arrangements for the draw of the TRF Raffle. The plan is to have the draw at a later TRF event this Summer and in the event that this is not possible it will be held virtually, for example by videoconference.

Thank you for your understanding at this challenging time. Tickets remain on sale at www.trf.org.uk/raffle which is the best way to buy your ticket securely Each electronic purchase will have a ticket printed to ensure full traceability of the winner to the purchaser. Also there are no multiple ticket stubs that need filling out or worries about handwriting being illegible. We do get around 5% of entries completed in the old print-and-post way that have errors for instance: Sending the ticket and not the stub, Sending both the ticket and its stub, and

14 Trail Summer 2020

forgetting to include the payment. All of these are avoided by buying online. Finally, it is currently not easy for TRF volunteers to go to the bank with cheques. All of this can be avoided by entering electronically.

If you are using the paper tickets sent in Winter Trail, the cheque payee is the Trail Riders Fellowship (although the bank seems to accept TRF) and the membership postal address is TRF, Allen House, Wetmore Rd, Burton upon Trent DE14 1TR Run by volunteers and with minimal administration costs, the TRF believes it has amongst the highest prize to pay-out ratio of any comparable raffle. Whichever way you choose to enter, one of the tickets will win the star prize of the brand new Fantic Casa with a choice of 250 or 125 engines. See the website for full Terms and Conditions

For the latest details go to: trail.trf.org.uk/groups/ Stay Alert. Control the Virus. Save Lives: www.trf.org.uk/COVID

26 40 38

5 29 19

10

43 22

25

15

6 28 9

20 24

30 45 42

23 13 34 33

2

12

1

4

21 35

8 7

27

44 39

31

3

41

16

14 32 37

36 11 18

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TRF Groups LIST

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22

Bristol Bristol (Central) Cambridge Cornwall Cumbria & Craven Derbyshire & South Yorkshire Devon Dorset East Midlands East Yorkshire Essex Gloucestershire Herefordshire Hertfordshire High Peak & Potteries Isle of Wight Kent (East Kent) Kent (West Kent & South East London) Lancashire Lincolnshire Loddon Vale Manchester

23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45

Mid-Wales Norfolk North Wales Northumbria Oxford Peak District Ribble Valley Shropshire Somerset South London & Surrey South Wales South West Wales Southern Suolk Sussex Teeside & North Yorkshire TRF Enduro Club Tynewear Teeside West Anglia West Midlands West Yorkshire Wiltshire Worcestershire

18 Trail Summer 2020

Sicily

THE ETERNAL CROSSROADS Jim Cairnduff and fellow Wiltshire TRF member Liz Jones, managed to get away before the lockdown trap snapped shut. Sicily, known as The Eternal Crossroads of the Mediterranean, has a lot going for it: Greek temples, Baroque churches, a live volcano, fantastic food and it’s trails aren’t bad either

R

Trail Summer 2020 19

iding in Sicily was always going to be interesting; the place is a bit crazy. There is always an undercurrent of tension. Is this guy okay? Is he Mafia? Will you survive the drive, let alone the ride? We meet Carlo and his mate Gaetano over coffee and biscuits at the family villa, nestled in the flatlands between Mount Etna and the coast.

Typically with bike people, we all talk longer than expected – they were good guys and easy to chat with.

They were ‘boys’ though, and you could tell they were eager to get on with things and start riding. Of course, this needed to be done properly, especially as I had Liz with me. And these being Italians, she was showered with attention and was kitted up with much fuss and flurrey in order to get it all just right. My stuff, by contrast, was placed on a box. “That’s yours, Jim”, and I was left to it. We’d already checked out the bikes: two you’d say were in pretty good condition and two were clearly a bit the worse for wear. Surprisingly, we got the

SICILY – THE ETERNAL CROSSROADS

latter, a two-stroke 250 for me and a fourstroke 350 for Liz. After a little tuition from our ‘pilots’, we were off.

Leaving the compound we headed straight out onto a tarmac road, if you could call it that, with more holes and dirt sections than actual tarmac, which proved to be a good introduction to what we were heading for. I’m not a fan of two-strokes, I’ve never liked that hunting thing they do, and being only 1km from base, I wasn’t expecting the farting about that this particular bike was doing. I was just thinking that the carb might have dislodged as I power-blipped over some of the mounds, when the thing came to a dead stop. No fuel.

The boys were very embarrassed, flicking it onto reserve, and after some furious kicking they got it to fire. I have to highlight at this

20 Trail Summer 2020

stage that I would have been happy to do it myself but when you’ve paid good money, why not let them do it? And it led to one of those weird things that can happen on holiday. We were fuelling in a garage like any other on the continent, but over the pump you could see Mount Etna, smoking in the background. I thought it was cool, but then the thought of Pompeii popped into my head.

We then wound our way up into the hills through some delightful villages, criss-crossing between them along back lanes with short sections of lumpy whoops, which would have been fun if you could have seen through the dust. Without realising quite how it happened, there we were in a wide open, stone river bed, which I guess runs big time during snow melt but was just a trickle on the day. Gaetano and

I just opened the bikes up and headed upstream, which was both fun and hair-raising at the same time due to the odd unseen rocks that protruded every now and then, some 75 to 100mm above the surface. They were impossible to see, so you never knew if you were going to go left, right or skyward, skyward being a bit of fun but the other, not so!

Stopping for a chocolate bar and drink, I checked out the exit ramp from the river bed and was surprised to see a short but particularly gnarly section of steep uphill, with big round boulders sticking up everywhere and no straight track through. This was going to be challenging. I quietly suggested that it was probably a bit more adventurous than the trail ride we had requested, that I was happy to have a go but it would be better if they took the bike up for Liz. In actual fact I rode both bikes up to test myself, although I think the intention might have been to test us both anyway, as no sooner had I made it, they suggested Gaetano should take Liz through some pretty villages while Carlo would show me some of the ‘better’ stuff and we’d meet up in ten minutes.

Well, the ‘better’ stuff was just that. I don’t sweat a lot when I’m riding, being pretty lazy.

And I guess I’m lucky enough to be able to pick good lines, certainly never thinking of

Trail Summer 2020 21

SICILY – THE ETERNAL CROSSROADS

22 Trail Summer 2020

myself as skilled, but on this occasion I exceeded even my own low expectations.

I found myself on a seriously steep section of inward cambered hairpin bend, stuck behind the run leader who’d got it wrong and who was now spraying rocks back at me from only a bike’s length in front of me, and also from a bike’s length above me. I ducked down, so the rocks would hit my helmet rather than my face, and realised just how crazy some of us trail riders actually are. If I’d got it wrong, and if I’d had to get started again and had perhaps rolled back, it was a hell of a drop to the canyon below, which was only just off being shear. Getting away and around that bend (which I did) wasn’t exactly any relief, as it meant that you were now that much higher up too.

To make matters worse, I could hear the others pootling through the villages below, knowing all the while that it was flatter, cooler, less stressful down there, while I was lathered in copious amounts of sweat, which was now running into my eyes and stinging like hell.

The swearing and cursing was atrocious, another ten minutes of this and I’d be toast.

Trail Summer 2020 23

SICILY – THE ETERNAL CROSSROADS

24 Trail Summer 2020

food was truly memorable. It was that Sicilian thing again, and we’d go somewhere more friendly next time.

The rest of the day was spent rolling around smoother trails, which allowed us to get our breath back and just enjoy the scenery, which was superb. Cutting through little farmyards that belong to another time, the terrain changed quickly from very open to closed cool forest in an instant, and at every second bend there were those breathtaking views of Mount Etna, which was never far away, with us riding in the foothills.

Descending out of the mountains the temperature started to drop quickly and while it was lovely on one side of the hill in the sunshine, it was proper shivering on the other.

Thankfully most of the return journey was by road, which ended at a pebble beach, a real beach not a river bed, and the boys wanted me to ride it. I’ve ridden sand many times and I’m okay with just opening up the throttle and

And it did take ten minutes, and I was toast, but then the trail popped out into a gorgeous olive grove – and there were the others. So we just turned right and rode onto a railway bridge, with a gorge and river below us. As you do in Sicily, I guess.

And then the story-telling starts, doesn’t it?

You grab a swig of water, chew a few jelly babies and pronounce “God, that was good”, as you take in the gorge below and you all start ranting about just how brilliant a place this is to ride, how it’s got rivers, canyons, gorges, hills, descents and railway lines.

But you were screaming anything but that just five seconds ago!

Lunch was interesting to say the least. We arrived a bit late at a lovely-looking café, which backed onto the side of the hill, and seemed warm and inviting. Inside it was rather different. The meal was delicious but Mamma was not happy about us being late and let us know it, which was sad because her

Trail Summer 2020 25

SICILY – THE ETERNAL CROSSROADS

leaning back, but 20mm-round pebbles is quite another thing. The front just wanted to squirrel around and the beach went on for miles. Gaetano was by now riding at about 80kmh with the bike going everywhere, holding the throttle open with one hand – and then he faced backwards to film me!

So there I was, going much faster than I would have liked in an attempt to look and feel really cool, with Gaetano alongside me, trying to get me to look into the camera. I’m now trying to be reverse cool by making out I’m not interested (I’m actually holding on for

26 Trail Summer 2020

grim death). When I got home and had time to digest this cracking piece of film, I could see what a fraud I was – I can see my eyes and I can see the fear, but when I look back and ask myself, “Would I do it again?”, I’d answer “Yes” in an instant.

Liz Smith has been a member of the Wiltshire TRF since 2015 starting as a scorecard collector at the Nunney Horse Trials. Liz has been active in the development and growth of a vibrant women’s section within the Wilts TRF, who meet regularly for coffee, planning and ride outs.

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BIRTHDAY Ride

After weeks of heavy rain, it was clear that the planned group ride to celebrate the 50th birthday of the TRF, along the small section of The Ridgeway still open to motor vehicles, was inappropriate and would have to be postponed. Nevertheless, it would have been equally inappropriate not to mark the day at all. That task fell, appropriately enough, to TRF and Herts Group Chair Mario Costa-Sa, who marked the occasion on a single, sympathetically-ridden trail bike, following TRF least-impact guidance

R

ecreating the first TRF ride-out of 1950, I followed the route that loosely links Dunstable Downs with The Ridgeway trail at Ivinghoe, through countryside sliced across by prehistoric drover roads that illustrate the rich history of this part of southern England. It turned out to be a

28 Trail Summer 2020

beautiful, sunny day, although the ground was still sodden, as I headed out from Dunstable Downs, the high point of the Chiltern AONB and a regular meeting point for TRF ride-outs – and only 30 miles from London’s Marble Arch.

Crossing over a bypassed road through Whipsnade Common, and passing Whipsnade

Zoo, I kept an eye out for larger animals – including the occasional elephant – near Bison Hill.

On a larger Adventure bike, I would normally head out via the Great Train Robbers’ Bridge near Mentmore. However, for this ride I stuck close to the original route and headed off towards the Iron Age hill fort of Ivinghoe Beacon, the start of The Ridgeway and close to the cross-over point with the Icknield Way. Ivinghoe Beacon is a popular film location, and made a recent appearance in the BBC’s Killing Eve; many scenes from the first few episodes were shot in this area.

The byway to Bridgewater Monument, a towering granite column built in memory of the ‘Canal Duke’, is possibly Britain’s busiest BOAT and competes with a partial TRO. A handy and well-used cafe is available to refresh trail riders in the area. Toms Hill is a

Trail Summer 2020 29 21

jewel in the crown of Herts TRF. A gated byway then leads into an unblemished sheep field and out towards Tring and beyond. Red kites are widely visible in the mid and southern Chilterns, especially between October and April. From Wendover and Princes Risborough in Buckinghamshire, south past High Wycombe and into south Oxfordshire, there are many places where there’s a good chance you’ll see them.

From Toms Hill it is a five-minute ride to The Valiant Trooper pub, the focus of our celebrations earlier this year on 18 January.

The Valiant Trooper is the right pub in the wrong place. The village of Aldbury is a picture-postcard Hertfordshire hamlet with two pubs; and it’s The Greyhound that occupies the prime site, opposite the pond and village stocks. The Greyhound is an upmarket eatery painted in Farrow & Ball colours, and in addition to excellent beers from the award-winning Chiltern Brewery, it serves a superb 21-day aged steak.

By contrast, The Valiant Trooper has distinctly rough edges and stands at the end of the village where the ‘chocolate box’ cottage count is starting to dwindle. At the same time, it’s every bit as stooped and bent as all the other ancient Aldbury buildings. Made up of three old gingerbread cottages and a barn at

30 Trail Summer 2020

the back, the pub is held up by pillars so blackened and misshapen it looks as though there’s just been a fire. The floor is of bare boards, the walls are of whitewashed stone and the beer is served from a little raised bar the size of a Punch and Judy theatre. A fine choice of local brews, including Tring Ridgeway, are on offer as well as the trail rider’s staple – scotch eggs.

Trail riders visiting the area have a choice of rides: Herts TRF rides from Dunstable Downs take in Aldbury and follow the route as far as Chesham Oxford TRF’s Chiltern Challenge then takes over and extends the ride into Princes Risborough and the new BOATS at Missenden You can read more about the first ride here: https://issuu.com/trftrail/docs/trailannual2018issuu/34 https://www.zsl.org/zsl-whipsnadezoo/exhibits/elephants https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ivinghoe_B eacon

BREAKING Out

Who else but a couple of Bristolians would go in search of Novichok in the time of COVID? As the lockdown loosens, Mike Wain teamed up with Chris Barrable to knock off a 180-mile loop from Bristol to Salisbury and back

M

32 Trail Summer 2020

y instant reaction on hearing that COVID restrictions were being eased, that we were allowed to meet one person from outside our home, and go wherever we liked for recreational purposes, was to get straight onto the Group websites and forums to find someone who fancied a ride. I struck gold with the first one, a post from Chris Barrable on the Bristol TRF forum looking for a riding partner on the following Wednesday.

I banged in a day’s leave and got in touch.

When the all-TRF email came out, I read the whole thing and was pleased to find it confirmed my view, but added loads of really excellent and professional advice. I duly printed out the ream of suggested defences against anyone who might disagree with what we were doing, inserted it into the disaster pack, tended to the leaking fork seals with some plastic triangles cut from some acetate food packaging, and put in wheels with dry weather tyres.

I waited for Chris at the petrol station near the infamous Tog Hill dogging site. Both Bristol TRF groups regularly meet there (the petrol station, that is) as it is ideal for filling up before starting a run up the Fosse Way. The locality invariably triggers some doggingrelated banter while waiting for the last rider to turn up, but not this time. All I got was a concerned motorist offering to help me, in the belief that I must have broken down …

Luckily Chris arrived promptly at 9.30 a.m. and we engaged our minds in the more pertinent matter of where to go. His initial

Above: While waiting at Tog Hill, a concerned motorist offered help, believing I had broken down...

Above: Quick stop in Devizes Main pic: Pewsey Downs

I WAITED FOR CHRIS AT THE PETROL STATION NEAR THE INFAMOUS TOG HILL DOGGING SITE...

Trail Summer 2020 33

BREAKING OUT

plan was to diverge immediately from the Fosse Way and go in a more WSW direction, via a couple of rarely used lanes and quite a lot of scenic roadwork, towards Devizes and then on to Salisbury Plain. Somehow this morphed into the idea of visiting Salisbury to see how citizens of the UK’s most CBRN (Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear) warfare-experienced city were coping with yet another deadly threat. Would they all be walking around in hazmat suits?

Could we learn anything from them? At this stage I was not really expecting to get that far, let alone find out the answers to any such questions.

34 Trail Summer 2020

I knew the first lane as we occasionally divert and ride it before the Fosse Way, but the second one was new to me and I completely messed up the large step in the middle of it.

Then again, and a third time, before finally walking the bike up, muttering some pathetic excuses about having got too used to the power delivery of the electric mountain bike on which I’d been keeping fit for the last couple of months. To be fair, it does have a quite scary torque delivery from nothing in comparison to a TTR250. Oh, there I go again with the excuses …

A long, but scenic, period on tarmac came next, SW to Heddington and entering the

This pic: The two interescting lanes at Devizes Cross Below left: Fish spotting at East Kennet Below: The dust would become an issue later on...

Right: Two of my attempts to ride the stepped lane

more people than you would normally expect at a weekend, but they all seemed perfectly happy to see us. Later in the day the dust became quite an issue and impaired my vision of the ground, particularly where it formed big single ruts. Follow Chris’s line, I said to myself, keep the power on, trust the suspension and react when he does.

From there we took the Morgan’s Hill lane and rode on past Silbury Hill before taking in the very last part of the Ridgeway down into East Kennet, where we sat on the bridge looking for fish and chatting to passing horse riders. Then it was south over the Pewsey Downs (where there were so many

Devizes Cross, two intersecting lanes that would surely be green motorways, if such things existed. The weather was perfect, the skies were clear and it was not too hot, but having had no rain for weeks previously I quickly realised what the main features of the ride would be – for Chris the glorious sunshine and spring flowers, for me the taste of dust. Usually, if you stay far enough back, the wind will drift the dust off to the side but on this particular day there was no wind and the dust just hung over the trails – we had to slow much earlier than normal for other lane users to avoid coating them in it, which they did seem to appreciate. In this area there were

Trail Summer 2020 35

BREAKING OUT

Above: Pausing on Boscombe Down This pic: Ancient? Long barrow at All Cannings Right: All but deserted Salisbury High Street

parascenders they looked in danger of breaking the two-metre rule in the air, let alone on the ground) to Alton Barnes, where we stopped to take pictures in front of the White Horse before continuing to do the same at the All Cannings long barrow. I failed Chris’s quiz question there. Q: Which century was the long barrow built in? Answer is at the end of the article.

Next we did a bit of roadwork up to the eastern Salisbury Plain via Wedhampton.

During the full lockdown we had heard that the Plain was being zealously policed by the ‘Go-home Brigade’, which may explain why it was completely deserted. However, the barriers were not in place, so rather than

36 Trail Summer 2020

take the boring circular route we took the road right across the middle to the target tanks. Twenty-seven old tanks have been battered by artillery trainees for many years and are now in a very sorry state. It is far too dangerous to go near them – the sticker on Chris’s Honda suddenly took on a whole new relevance.

We carried on past Larkhill and Durrington to Bulford for fuel, then on past Boscombe Down, where we saw the first sign of military activity as a Hawk took off. We stopped for a late lunch on a deserted lane, as per the guidance, before finally rolling into Salisbury at around 3.00 p.m. As far as we could tell, the residents’ response to the crisis appeared

Twenty-seven old tanks used for target practice, see https://www.google.com/maps/@51.2444291,-1.894176,185m/data=!3m1!1e3 to understand why you should definitely stay away from this area!

ended up riding a long lane somewhere near Shaftesbury twice, after a really helpful lady told us only one of the lanes out was legal (the one we had arrived on). In retrospect, I think she had just assumed that we would not want to ride on the normal tarmac road. Then Chris found several lanes that did not appear to have been ridden for at least a year, rather than just a couple months of COVID lockdown. With the bikes parting handlebarheight flowering plants to each side and straddling huge tractor ruts beneath, it was all very idyllic to look at but extremely slow to ride. Over Mere Down there were more parascenders but the going was a lot faster.

We stopped in Frome for more petrol and

Trail Summer 2020 37

to have been to go to the beach as there was nobody about and hardly any parked cars either!

Having got so far it seemed rude not to partake of the Drover’s Road, then down past the race course and Chiselbury Camp to Cranbourne Chase. At this point the realisation that it was getting quite late and we were a long way from home started to sink in. Knowing that our bikes would turn into COVID pumpkins if we were not safely home by midnight, Chris started trying to plan a fairly direct route back home, but still with as little tarmac as possible. As a backstop, both our bikes are fitted with good LED lights.

At first the plan did not go too well and we

BREAKING OUT

A brief stop at Alton Barnes for a pic in front of the White Horse

A quick diversion down the Drover’s Road

The final stop at Queen Charlton

then on into the Wellow Loop. On a normal day’s ride out from Bristol doing the Bath route, this is as far as we get. We rode the usual lanes but took a more direct route back to Queen Charlton, where we decided to declare the ride over and miss out the normal finale of Stony Lane down to Keynsham.

When I got home it was still light and I had completed just over 180 miles in about 12 hours. Everyone we met was friendly, even downright helpful. We did not see any groups of any type that looked as though

38 Trail Summer 2020

they might be breaking the restrictions, nor did we have any problem complying with the motorcycling coalition guidance ourselves.

It was an epic ride and my legs were still aching four days later. I have had the option of reducing to a four-day week for some time now and based on this mid-week ride I decided to go for it. The forms are in, and regular Wednesday rides beckon!

A: The 21st century, 2014 to be precise. But why? Surely they have enough neolithic ones?

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MELLOW Yellow Like many of us, Steve Corbett fancied recreating a bike he’d had in his youth. However, unlike many of us, he’s actually done it and the results are stunning

Steve’s original Suzuki TS250ER, swapped with a friend for a DR125S

I

grew up in a small town in Devon.

Chudleigh had a population of only 2,500 in the 1970s, so it had more of a village feel. I had a weekend/summer job at the nearby Happy Eater on Haldon Hill and saved up to buy my first bike for my 16th birthday. It was a six-month-old Suzuki TS50ER, which I bought from a friend, Neil, who also lived in the town.

When I was 17 and had another year’s savings behind me I went out and bought a new Suzuki DR125S. Shortly after that, Neil asked me to swap my DR for his TS250ER as he hadn’t passed his

42 Trail Summer 2020

test. The law was about change, and learners would only be allowed to ride a bike up to 125cc,12hp. I was pleased with this and had the bike for a few years, commuting to college until I went to the dark side and bought a car.

And that was it, apart from a brief spell with a Yamaha RD350LC, until 2001 when I bought a Suzuki DRZ400S. I was still living in South Devon, so I was spoilt for great lanes to ride.

I joined the TRF in 2006. I had moved to Cambridgeshire and was looking for some riding pals to show me around the area. It was a great decision. We ventured into the very muddy Fens, Thetford Forest, up to

Steve’s first bike, a Suzuki TS50ER

knowledge or confidence to even change the oil on my bike. After talking to other members, particularly Paul Clark and Clive Brown, I now have a go at most servicing jobs. I had a particularly stubborn intermittent electrical fault on my Husaberg FE570. Twelve months later, and after two KTM dealers had taken a look at it with their diagnostic tools, I was riding with Paul and Clive in the Peak District when this fault raised its ugly head again.

They had a little play with it and suggested I tried a new coil. I did, and it never gave me a problem again. So much for main dealers.

Being a member of the TRF also gives you

Hunstanton, down to Hertfordshire and over to Bedfordshire and Northants. We regularly go up to the Peak District, which I’ve got to know quite well, and lead small groups of TRF members. As a group we’ve been to the Lake District, the Yorkshire Dales, the North Yorkshire Moors, Kent, Wales, Wiltshire and Devon.

I still think Devon is God’s trail-riding heaven. Rob Drake of Devon TRF, also a Chudleigh lad, and Liz did a sterling job of showing us round on our early visits. A lot of us take Rob’s advice and put trials tyres on for the Devon trip now.

Before I joined the TRF, I didn’t have the

Trail Summer 2020 43

MELLOW YELLOW

the opportunity to share experiences and pick up tips, such as what tools to carry, what gear to wear, tyre choice, etc. Two things I always have on my bike, which I wouldn’t have gone for without the recommendations of other members, are mousses and a Rekluse clutch.

In 2015, for my 50th birthday, I broadened my horizons and entered the adventure bike world. I decided that instead of loading the trail bike up and driving to the Peak District, in the warmer months I would make the trip up there part of the riding experience. It worked a treat and I’ve since taken adventure bike trips to the Lakes, Shropshire, Yorkshire Dales and North Yorkshire Moors.

The bikes I have at the moment are a BMW R1250GSA, a KTM500EXC Six Days and a 1983 Suzuki TS250ER, which I have restored. I saw the request for member contributions in the Spring edition of Trail and thought I’d put together some images and a description of the old smoker.

As I’ve said, I had a Suzuki TS250ER back in 1982 when I was at college. I’d fancied getting another one for while, so when I saw one on eBay in 2015, which looked to be

44 Trail Summer 2020

The bright yellow paintwork positively glows in the sunshine

mechanically sound, I thought I’d take a look.

The engine had been stripped and re-bored, which was ideal as it wasn’t something I could have tackled. It seemed a good runner with 12 months MoT, it was generally tidy and had only one previous owner.

I hadn’t intended doing anything major with it, but after a few weeks, before I’d even had chance to ride it, I noticed a few things that weren’t quite original. Things such as the speedo needle. I remembered mine being orange. This one was yellow and the dial had a white rim around it. I found out later that this was off a TS185ER. The kick start and gear lever weren’t correct for the bike, there were some scratches on the plastics and holes that I hadn’t noticed, rusty bolts, incorrect wire routing, bits missing such as the rear grab rail, the headlight rim wasn’t chrome etc, etc…

I started taking bits off. This led to the “I might as well take this off and paint it while I’m here” scenario, which carried on until I was left with the frame, engine, gearbox and oil reservoir. In fact everything came off and went back on repainted, powder-coated, metal-polished or re-chromed. The wiring

The TS in final build-up phase

An original speedo was finally tracked down in Australia!

The few chrome parts were re-plated. Shiny...

The seat was a little problematic but the final result is spot-on

Trail Summer 2020 45

MELLOW YELLOW

Pretty much perfect in every detail, takes you back to the eighties!

loom was pretty good. I only changed a few connectors and terminals as a precaution.

The emphasis for me was on originality.

I wanted it to end up as it would have been when it left the factory. I used old photos my parents had of me on my TS250ER when I was at college, reports from old magazines, Suzuki parts fiche, the owner’s manual, Haynes’s Manual and so on.

Anything that wasn’t as it should be I replaced. I was pleasantly surprised how many of the screws, nuts, bolts, pins, springs and cable clamps could still be bought NOS (New Old Stock) from Fowlers of Bristol.

The handlebars are NOS. Getting these was a real bonus as it meant I had a reference for the colour of the paint. Like most ERs the handlebars, swinging arm, steering stems and rear brake torque arm had been repainted in silver or aluminium. The correct colour is Suzuki Champagne Gold – Paint Code 08C – but I couldn’t find this anywhere, so I had some made up to match the handlebars and resprayed the other bits to keep it authentic.

I had to be very patient getting a good speedo. Eventually one popped up on eBay Australia.

A dealer was having a sort out and found two on his shelf. I knew how rare they were, so I bought them both. Once I confirmed that they both worked, I sold the second one on.

I had the yellow paint done at my local

46 Trail Summer 2020

bodyshop. The plastics were good except for some holes in the headlamp surround and front mudguard. I suspect back in the day this was for a tax disc holder and mudflap.

There wasn’t too much chrome to do. I had the grab rail, exhaust heat sink, shock absorber springs, washers and adjusters re-chromed.

The headlight surround is a NOS from France and the speedo guide is also NOS, but I can’t remember where it came from.

When I bought the bike, it had a new replica seat. It looked the part but was made of plastic and was too short. It didn’t line up with the latch. So I fashioned a work-around as I couldn’t find a decent genuine one. I eventually got one from Oregon, USA, and took it to Phil at PK Classics in Cannock for a full refurbishment. He did a bit of welding on the seat pan and powder-coated it in black.

Then he fitted a new foam and finally a new vinyl cover. The result is fantastic. It finished the bike off perfectly.

The tyres are new IRC GP-1 Trail tyres, as fitted at the factory.

It took about four years to complete, although I worked on it mainly in winter evenings. It was a good little straightforward job that I could dip in and out of when I was at a loose end. Thank goodness for the internet, because I don’t think it would have been possible to find all the parts I needed without it.

Manx MALARKEY

After the feature in the Summer 1999 edition of Trail about riding on the Isle of Man, which included a discussion with the IoM’s ACU Rights of Way Officer Julian Wood, Dr Sean Comber, Emeritus Chair of Devon TRF thought he’d share what it is actually like to go and visit

B

eing an island only 32 miles long and 14 miles wide, in the IoM you are never far away from a network of green lanes (there are 45 designated lanes, some of which are up to nine miles long). In the summer of 2018, IoM Stuart (Honda XR400), Simon (Serow), Pete (PE250) and I (TTR325) made the pilgrimage. With great contacts Stuart snagged us a big Merc van and cheap Fast Kat tickets from Liverpool to Douglas. Loading

48 Trail Summer 2020

the bikes and the journey itself were hasslefree – under three hours via the Mersey estuary, wind farms and the north-west coast.

We were soon driving round the TT track from Douglas, the capital and main port, to Kirk Michael, not to be mistaken for Kirk Douglas…

We were lucky to be able to take advantage of another of Stuart’s contacts, Tony East, as we stayed at an actual bike museum, the ARE. Such is the IoM, they are bike mad!

Bikes and racing, I realised, seeps into

Views like this one are common on the Isle of Man

pretty much everyone’s lives on the island. We settled into our comfy rooms on the first and second floors and within minutes of putting the hot milk on for coco, we went straight into the main part of the museum, munching on Hobnobs and perusing mostly pre-1965 Triumphs, BSAs, Vellocettes, Nortons, Vincents, Matchlesses and one of Tony’s favourites: Greeves. A rotary Norton and a Hesketh added a shot of exotica to the more work-a-day bikes of the era. As tiredness overcame us, after over 12 hours of travelling, we hit the wooden hill.

Day One: We were lucky to arrive in the middle of a heat wave, with clear blue, cloudless skies. The first day’s riding was superb. After a relaxed breakfast, being regaled by Tony with his fascinating knowledge of bike history, we were up and away in the early morning heat, trying to wear as little as possible whilst still having some protection. The IoM green lanes

are well spread out and well signposted.

Therefore it was no surprise to be able to ride out of the ARE Museum gate, across the road and immediately head uphill on a lane at Cooil Dharry, an open rocky and stone track that rises from near sea level to around 400ft in altitude. I found that a lot – it is a hilly island, peaking at a shade over 2,000ft at Snaefell, and there are many climbs up from the sea to the hills, passing through farm lanes, pastures with ripe hay being baled (never was the saying ‘make hay while the sun shines’ more relevant) and onto open moorland.

The going is quite stony, often through open countryside with stunning views and lots of grey metamorphic slatey ground with slab-like steps in places, which are very slippery in the wet but offer unlimited grip in the dry. Thankfully we were in the latter category after an exceedingly dry May and early June. The going was therefore not technical but hard on the arms and shoulders as we constantly battled to keep the bikes on track and avoid hitting small boulders, which could either pitch us off or tear a tube. On the shoulder of Shieau Curn, we paused to look back eastward towards Northern Ireland.

We worked our way around Slieau Dhoo, ‘slieau’ meaning mountain in Manx Gaelic, and headed down to the road overlooking Sulby Reservoir, then back onto another well signposted lane up through a coniferous plantation, again over loose shale, towards Ravensdale. We dropped back down to the TT course at the famous humpbacked Ballaugh Bridge, the scene of many high-speed crashes and sadly fatalities over the years. Stuart gave us a running commentary about the famous circuit whenever we paused to rehydrate.

We dropped off the mountain and along the swooping lanes used by the Manx Rally, evidenced by sump scrapings after any undulations, then down back to the TT course near Bungalow, where we again stopped for water. We could see the Snaefell Electric Mountain Railway, which connects the village of Laxey to the summit. We tootled down the byway to Glenroy, then continued on tarmac towards the world-famous Laxey Wheel. On the way up the valley we paused for a photo of the old mine drainage pump, built in 1854.

It is the largest working waterwheel in the world, designed by Robert Casement. With a camera full of memories we rode into Old Laxey for lunch and parked up in front of the Laxey Ice Cream Company. We munched on sandwiches and delicious cake to restore our energy. Then we walked out along the pier to gaze into crystal clear azure water in the harbour and out to the end of the breakwater for a few more photo opportunities.

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MANX MALARKEY

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Ballakillingan plantation and out onto the open moorland. At Park-ne-Earkan, however, Pete rolled to a halt as the rear tyre of his PE250 was flat as a pancake. We propped the PE up on large bits of slate and, working methodically, Pete and I removed the wheel, loosened the two security bolts and used the levers to pop the tyre off the rim, with sweat trickling down our brows. We almost got back to Kirk Michael before the tube punctured again, but not quite. So we got the van and lugged the PE back to try and sort out the puncture problem.

Day Two: We tracked south to the Calf of Man, but Pete’s puncture malaise continued.

In the end, after the third time of quickly stripping the PE down thanks to the QD rear wheel, we decided it must be the rim lock catching the tube and so Pete left it out and we never had another issue.

Relaxed lanes in amongst hedgerows full of fragrant wild flowers took us into the harbour town of Peel for lunch. The sunshine had brought out the tourists, mostly retired folk or younger people who did not have children as it was still term-time. We occupied a shelter on the prom and picked up fish, chips, cups of tea and ice creams. Fully refreshed, and having aired our sweaty clothing to a certain degree, we kicked off south to the very pretty

We kicked off north, back up the lanes towards Ramsey, the second largest town on the island after Douglas. It is home to one of the biggest Manx harbours and has a prominent, derelict pier called the Queen’s Pier. It was formerly one of the main points of communication with Scotland. Ramsey has also been a route for several invasions by Vikings and Scots. Before we reached the town, we were presented with one of the most technical lanes on the island. It was so extreme that until recently you were only allowed to ride it downhill. You don’t see that on the mainland, a common sense approach to trail bike riding/green lane use. No TROs, just a practical solution. Stuart was a bit circumspect as, when on his own, he’d fallen in this lane and had broken his foot. In the dry conditions we bumbled down the rocky slabs, steep but rideable and less scary than riding up, and we all rolled over the rock without drama and down into Ramsey.

Suitably hydrated we headed inland, pushing our bikes over the newly refurbished TT-course road, out of the town past Parliament Square and onto the Millennium Way, which was established in 1979 to celebrate 1,000 years of the Manx Parliament, Tynwald. Stuart had highlighted the Millennium Way as a spectacular lane and we climbed out of Churchtown, past the

Posing with the bikes

Pete spoiling the view...

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PICTURE-POSTCARD WHITEWASH COTTAGE IN NIARBYL, LOOKING OUT TOWARDS THE IRISH SEA

Glen Maye and up a narrow green lane beside a sparkling stream with a heather-clad hillside, very reminiscent of Exmoor I thought. It was nice to be in and around woodland and water as a lot of the lanes are at higher altitude above the tree line. We paused at a water splash to take a few photos of the tumbling brook with spruce trees dotted in and around old gnarly oaks, flies buzzing around our heads and all manner of butterflies fluttering on the light breeze between the hedges.

We ended up at the top of Glen Rushen Plantation and rode down to Niarbyl, a pretty fishing hamlet with a traditional thatched fishing cottage currently being refurbished.

I walked around the corner to take a snap of another picture-postcard whitewashed cottage looking out across the Irish Sea.

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A truly magnificent view. Although it was tempting to stay, we had lanes to ride and so set off straight onto a green lane up to Cronk ny Arrey Laa. This is the infamous Devil’s Staircase. Stuart had been terrifying Simon with tales of slippery steps and slabs, although in this baking dry weather we would not be short of grip. Running down the narrow tarmac road gave us a view of the Staircase, a grey malevolent scar in the landscape snaking up the hillside at an alarming angle, 1:3 by the look of it.

At the bottom, Stuart opened the gate and I said I’d go up first to video the shenanigans of the others as they attempted the climb. This obviously assumed I would get up without drama, but I was confident – the TTR climbs like a Serow on steroids and scampered up

Niarbyl and its coastline is one of the prettiest places on the Isle of Man

without missing a beat. I stopped as the gradient flattened out and whipped out my camera to catch the others climbing. Simon took it steady, allowing his Serow to find its own way up, a bit like a trekking pony familiar with a route and confident in its own ability to climb. Pete was next up, the PE trailing a plume of blue smoke as the front wheel pawed the air, leaping form rock to rock, always tracking true. He passed me and carried on to the top. Lastly, Stuart manhandled the XR4 up, using every ounce of torque to climb the rock.

A pleasant strip of tarmac around the sweeping contours of a ledge on the side of Cronk ny Arrey Laa brought us to a lovely lane, one of Stuart’s favourites, which starts as a grassy, slightly rutted track across the purple heather moorland. You did, however, have to be mindful of concentrating too much on the views and not looking where your front wheel was facing. Both Stuart and Pete took a dive into the soft pillowy heather, as their front wheels went in one direction and their bodies in another. We rounded the corner to encounter one of the most staggering views I’ve ever had the pleasure to enjoy. The land fell away before us down towards the narrow isthmus of Port Erin and Port St Mary and then onto the Calf of Man at the far south-western extremity of the island. We took loads of photos and drank in the view. Owing to time creeping ever onwards, we cruised back to base on the tarmac, around a bit of the Southern 100 bike circuit.

Pete’s puncture number 3

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Day Three: Colin, the local from Manxtrax, took us out on his new WR250, and blew our minds with yet more lanes and, having the landowner’s permission, took us onto private land and up a mountain. The climb was something like the Widowmaker, seemingly vertical at over 750ft. I got up thanks to the torquey big bore 325 TTR. I noticed Simon had wandered well off course on the Serow and was rapidly slowing down, eventually dropping the bike and letting it slide to a stop on a grass tuft. Once down, the steepness means it is hard to right the bike on your own, so, being the Good Samaritan, Stuart rode across towards him but ran out of puff and dropped the XR just short of him. In the meantime, Pete had two failed attempts at the climb, coming up the way I did, whilst Colin glided up on the WR, and then dropped back down to give Pete’s PE a shove. Pete then crested the ridge without any more dramas.

Stuart helped Simon to get going and then arc-ed around the contour before heading skywards and this time passed me in a slow and steady ascent. Stuart, however, was still wrestling with the XR. Trying to turn it around it fell back on top of him, so he ducked and let it cartwheel over, breaking the clutch lever and mirror. Yes, the hill really was that steep!

He regrouped and, sweating profusely, eventually kicked the blasted XR400 into life.

Having enough residual lever to operate the clutch, he got the bike underway and

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A perfect sunset over Peel harbour

reached the summit. Simon and I took in the unbelievable view down the U-shaped glacial valley north towards Ramsey. On achieving the climb Stuart was exhausted but euphoric.

Coming down was almost as scary, trying to ensure the rear end did not swap with the front end!

It was a stunning day and well worth hiring a guide to allow us to sit back and enjoy the scenery. We had a lovely evening in Peel, ate an excellent meal in The Creek and watched the Vikings take over the town, celebrating their heritage. Well, any excuse for folk to party in the street. On Sunday we were left with a relaxed morning, riding Stuart’s Triumph Bonneville out of the ARE Museum, chatting with Tony and looking more closely at his bikes. Then we were off on the ferry for an afternoon departure. A great island, great lanes, great food and beer, and they’re all bike mad – what more could you ask for?

About the Author Dr Sean Comber is the author of Health Benefits of Trail Riding, a report submitted to the House of Lords.

His work is used by TRF members as evidence that trail riding is exercise and he has been asked to do similar work by other leading motorcycle organisations.

Portugal Top2Bottom Dates throughout the year Rally of Sardinia, Vintage & Modern Enduro 2020 Dates TBC HAT, Sestriere Adventourfest, Group tours with official Guides, 500km around the mountains of the Via Lattea, June 27th & 28th 2020 Sardinia Grand Tour, On Road/Off Road Rally over 145kg, July 2nd to 5th 2020 Hampshire & The Devils Punchbowl July 18th & 19th 2020 Monmouth to Rhayader, Wales August 6th & 7th 2020 The Greece Rally Veria 2X20, FIM Europe Cross Country Rally, August 23rd to 29th 2020 Gibraltar Race, The Eastern Descent, Estonia to Greece, Rally for all abilities, Bikes over 145kg or Pre 2000, September 1st to 16th 2020 HAT Hardalpitour, Sanremo/Sestriere Bikes over 145kg, September 4th to 6th 2020 Hampshire & The Devils Punchbowl September 5th & 6th 2020 Italian Lakes & Mountains Marathon Road/Adventure Bikes, Sept 2020 dates TBC Isle of Man, October 2nd to 5th 2020 Hellas Rally Raid, October 11th to 17th 2020 Portugal Top2Bottom, Guided Trail Riding 2020 Dates TBC Gatescarth & The Lakes, 3 Day Adventure November 5th to 9th 2020 Thetford Forest & Hunstanton November 14th & 15th 2020 The Mud Run, Herts, Essex & Cambs December 27th & 28th 2020

Shed Built

WINNERS

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Long-term TRF member Martin Jarvis has a passion for circuit racing (on tarmac) but likes to keep fit during the off season by trail riding, currently on a KTM 500 EXC 6 Days. He’s also pretty keen on building his own bikes from scratch, including a race-winning Supermono and his current road bike project

D

to change jobs and relocate to Hampshire.

So needless to say the RWR2 was put on hold indefinitely.

After moving and finally getting my shed built at my new place, I decided that the new job was not working for me and shortly after my insurance payout for the accident landed on my doorstep. So with a big cheesy grin I handed in my notice and at the end of 2013, rented out my house through an agency and went traveling. https://new.horizonsunlimited.com/tstories/redwineracing/to-americaand-beyond

esigned in the pub and made in a shed, the project started back in 2009 when I designed and made my very first bike the RWR1 (Red Wine Racing). My brief to myself was to fabricate and create as much as I could at home with nothing but the tools I had, all the turning and even some of the milling was done on my little Chinese lathe.

Testing was done at the first meeting of the year on race day practice and qualifying. I raced the RWR1 successfully in the British Supermono series, finishing the championship 4th overall and winning the very last race of the championship after crashing the day before.

I finished racing at the end of 2011 and decided to build another bike, not for racing just for something to do. I chose a Suzuki LS650 as it was very cheap with low mileage but also because the engine was an aircooled single cylinder engine with nice lines.

Shortly after starting this project my life turned upside down. In 2012 I got divorced, I was taken out by a lane changer when riding my bike on the M25 and I then decided

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Jump forward to Friday the 13th of March 2020 and I get made redundant. After a couple of weeks of feeling angry and sorry for myself, especially as I could not make use of the two months gardening leave and go travelling anywhere I decided to resurrect the RWR2 project, or should I name it the C19?

The engine was buried at the back of my garage along with all the boxes of bits. The chassis was hanging from the garage roof and although I had oiled it up it was starting to rust. Some of the stuff is still in my dad’s old workshop as I never got round to completely emptying that when I moved. Going to have to wait for the lockdown to end before I can go and see what I have or don’t have.

Also, as I had recently rebuilt my race bike ready to ride again this year, I had emptied my shed of anything unnecessary and crammed it in to the garage. It took me a while to sift through everything but it was good to tidy the garage and the shed, the van is full of crap to take to the tip but the tip is closed.

The race bike is now back in the living room until racing resumes, probably next year. Once everything was in the shed, I rang around for some Argon gas for my Tig welder, luckily Motor Parts Direct was still open and had gas.

The brief for my road bike build is the same as it was for my race bike. The only difference is that buying anything that I don’t have will take ages to arrive if at all, and no chance of rummaging around a breakers yard for things like pedals and foot rests etc.

I decided I was not completely happy with

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my chassis so far. The front engine mount was just not right so I cut it off and and started again. Also the swing arm was not complete and needed bracing. These were my first two tasks. Once these were finished I started on the rear sub-frame. I did not have enough of the BS4 T45 tubing, a seamless carbon based tube, very strong and light, left to make the sub-frame. It is also not very easy to bend unless you have a draw bender, which I don’t, so the chassis is made out of straight tubes.

I did have some cold drawn mild steel. My cheap bender works okay on the smaller tubes used for the sub-frame and swing-arm braces and also on the mild steel.

For the rest of the bike everything used was going to have to be found somewhere in my collection of bike bits and parts or fabricated from whatever materials I could get my hands on. Things like lights would have to be ordered.

I had two sets of forks and had originally used a set of Kawasaki forks. I decided not to use these in favour of a pair of Triumph Street Triple forks, which are a much better fit although they are not adjustable. I also had some KTM bits left over from the race bike build. A set of spoked wheels, rear brake caliper and master cylinder and a pair of bars.

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I found an old Buell 6-pot front brake caliper that I managed to adapt. The rear shock is my race bike spare. I found some adjustable rear foot rests I bought for a bike ages ago and took them off when I sold it.

I fabricated the hangers and welded them on to the chassis, I had no rear brake pedals anywhere so fabricated one out of some 30mm x 5mm flat mild-steel bar.

For chain adjustment I decided I did not want a conventional moving rear wheel and have made an adjuster that sits below and behind the front sprocket. As the rear wheel rises and the pitch between the wheels

60 Trail Summer 2020

lengthens this keeps the chain almost in constant tension, there is a spring to account for the rest. I set this up using an old knackered chain to get the max and a new chain to get the minimum lengths.

I spent ages fabricating an aluminium battery box and then decided I didn’t like it and made another that sits below the swinging arm behind the engine. Not so practical for going through water but looks are everything.

While waiting for the lights to arrive I have been busy finishing off all the little details like coil mounts, choke and exhaust brackets, all

the fiddly little bits. I made a side stand bracket but could not bolt it up tight as I did not have any bolts the correct length and had to wait until some arrived before I could finish welding it up. The seat base, number plate mount, lights and the side stand are now finished.

I have been trying to make what is called a buck (unsuccessfully) to help me fabricate the fuel tank out of bits of wood lying around, maybe this will have to wait until after the lockdown. This will be the second fuel tank I have ever made and believe me it is not easy and will be one of the last things I make, it will probably require a bit of filler here and there.

I have been practising my metal forming on some scrap bits of aluminium in preparation of making the rear hugger. But before I got stuck in I had to make a suitable hammer and a wooden anvil / former. The hammer was easy although it is a bit heavy, I formed a lump of metal with the angle grinder and welded it to a tube. But the wooden former, where was I going to find a tree stump?

Well I cut down part of my apple tree, ground out a dish and as if by magic my apple tree doubles up as the perfect anvil.

I am going to have a go at making the exhaust using the cut and weld method as my pipe bender is not big enough but like many other parts to this project I am waiting on stuff to arrive before completion can be in sight. made_in_the_shed_mc

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Day

TRIPPER In a try-before-you-buy experience David Blackhurst, TRF Viewranger Routes Project Leader, flew to Portugal to spend a day with Intrepid Trails and a Sherco 300SEF to see if they were compatible – him and the bike that is‌

H

ave you ever got wet and cold when out on the trails?

Of course you have. Have you ever wondered what it might be like to escape the cold winter weather and go trail riding in warmer climes? I know I have. A few weeks ago I decided to take an emergency holiday.

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I could have gone anywhere. I knew that I wanted to escape the cold, damp, drizzly weather of the UK in February, but where to go?

I had been toying with the idea of treating myself to a brand new bike later in the year and, after a bit of reading and researching, I decided that perhaps the

Steven had offered to pick me up outside my hotel a little after 9.00 a.m. and we then drove up to his base just outside the town.

insurance company happy).

A nice touch was the option to take in one short trail almost immediately. This gave me the chance to get a feel for the bike. Steven then asked if I wanted to adjust the handlebar and levers. A tweak made all the difference and rendered the ergonomics of the bike pretty much spot on. Although I consider myself a reasonably competent rider, I’m not a racer and am quite happy to go at my own speed, especially on a borrowed bike. When I mentioned this, Steven immediately put my mind at rest, saying, “That’s cool, it’s your day, we’ll just go at your pace”.

The trails were literally right on his doorstep.

Oh, and what trails they were! I was amazed at the diverse mix of terrrains it was possible to ride in just a few hours. Before we stopped for lunch we had already ridden soft dry sand, wet sand and clay-type mud, then picked up the pace on gravel and stony trails. There were some spectacular views as we climbed high up into the mountains near Quiaios, picking our way through forested tight single tracks, and then some brilliant gnarly climbs

best ‘fit’ for my ability and riding style was the Sherco 300SEF four-stroke. I remembered meeting Steven Hughes from Intrepid Trails at the ExCeL show, when on a break from volunteering on the TRF stand, back in 2018. I had to pick somewhere to go, and remembered that Steven runs a fleet of Shercos for his trail riding company in Portugal (https://www.intrepidtrails.com). Portugal? Early spring? Yes, I thought, chances were good that the weather in Portugal would be better than the UK. So that was that, two birds with one stone.

Emergency holiday and a proper test ride of my new bike of choice. Win-win!

After a couple messages back and forth we agreed a day when Steven was free to take me out and I booked my flights to fit in with the (rather last-minute) dates that were available. I’d never been to Portugal before, and so had no idea what to expect, but after the usual trauma of dealing with airport security staff on power trips, forcing holidaymakers to throw away half their toiletries because they won’t fit into a 20 x 20cm plastic bag etc. etc., [insert face-palm emoji here] the rest of the trip was most enjoyable.

Within a few minutes of touching down on the tarmac, I had exited the airport and was bathed in warm sunshine. In spite of being only a few days into March it was already T-shirt weather. I took the train from Lisbon up to Figueira de Foz, which was very pleasant indeed. Everything was clean and efficient, and it cost less than £40 return with only £6 extra to travel first class. I couldn’t help wondering why the same distance in the UK would cost three or four times as much. Also, the main train station in Lisbon is a quite spectacular piece of architecture.

Travelling in March, before the tourism season kicked in, Figueira de Foz was quiet but for my emergency holiday it was just what I wanted. After a few days’ relaxation I felt refreshed, recharged and ready for my ride out. As arranged, Steven had offered to pick me up outside my hotel a little after 9.00 a.m. and we then drove up to his base just outside the town. A few days earlier Steven had asked for my sizes in helmet and riding gear (all of which was included in the €199 price of the day’s ride out: bike, kit, fuel, three-course lunch, photos and go-pro footage.

All the riding gear was laid out and waiting for me when we arrived. I quickly got changed and outside was a very clean 2018 Sherco 300SEF Factory, arguably one of the best mid-size four-stroke enduro offerings available today. We’d had chance to chat a bit about riding experience en route to Steven’s base, so when it came to instructions for the bike it was all quite quick (but I suspect necessary to cover himself and keep his

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DAY TRIPPER

All the riding gear was laid out and waiting for me when we arrived. I quickly got changed and waiting for me was a very clean 2018 Sherco 300SEF Factory and technical descents too, but never once did I feel pushed to ride faster than I was comfortable with.

On some sections I set the pace; on others, Steven would ride off ahead and wait at the next turn/junction to make sure that I didn’t miss a turn. Without it being discussed beforehand, there was a clear menu of hand signals coming from my guide up front to warn me of any particularly tricky obstacles, of anybody else on the trails, or to slow down because we were about to make a turn.

On the day we rode there were a fair few puddles about, and the biggest benefit of having a guide who knows the trails like his own back garden is that he knows exactly where the deep ones are. I think it would have been very easy to come a cropper and ride straight through what looked like a little splash only to discover that it was actually 60cm (2ft) deep! (As Steven explained, that’s exactly what happened when his advice was ignored/forgotten last week by a group on their own bikes.)

The little Sherco performed brilliantly.

It was everything I had been led to believe it would be from reading articles and chatting with owners in forums. The bike felt light and very easy to ride; the suspension set-up felt great immediately, so I didn’t fiddle with it. It just seemed to track exactly where I wanted it to go, regardless of the terrain. But perhaps the thing I liked best was the map switch.

This facilitates high/low power modes for the fuel-injected 300cc engine. Low power was

64 Trail Summer 2020

quite sufficient at first and easily as much as my current ride (WR250F). I left it in low power mode for most of the morning until I’d got a feel for the bike (I was also very conscious of the fact that it was not my motorcycle.) After a couple of hours in the saddle, up on the pegs and over all sorts of terrain, I was growing in confidence, so I flipped the switch and it transformed the bike.

I couldn’t believe the difference it made. At the flick of a switch I had about 20% more power to play with. More power and torque right through the rev range; still smooth and grunty throughout, just more of it. The bike was still very easy to ride, and ride fast, but without the hindrance of a 450cc monster that tried to wheelie or rip your arms off as soon as you twisted the throttle.

Where does this bike fit in terms of the power hierarchy? Pretty much exactly where you might expect it to. That 50cc extra capacity seems to make all the difference; more of everything I love about my current 250, with just enough added punch, but without being intimidating to ride. The big ‘grin factor’ came when feeling brave and holding that gear for just a few seconds longer – the engine just revs and pulls with a satisfying surge of power, no matter which gear you’re in.

Lunch came in the form of three courses at a local restaurant, right on the beach, and the food was excellent. After lunch we topped up with petrol and within a few minutes we were on the trails again, climbing high up

into the hills above Figueira de Foz to take advantage of the spectacular views. The riding in the afternoon was more of the same great mix: tight, twisty and technical one moment, fast and flowing the next.

I’m not sure whether the pace in the afternoon was dictated by Steven riding a bit slower as a result of having a full stomach, or me riding faster with a new-found confidence, having got to grips with what the little Sherco was capable of when using the ‘brave’ setting on the map switch. I just remember that I ‘felt’ faster than in the morning, in spite of my own full stomach. None of the trails were repeated and when chatting with Steven I got the impression that you could easily ride here for a couple of weeks without ever crossing a path you had ridden before.

What a refreshing change from the restrictions we all face when riding in the UK, and the sometimes ignorant, irate walkers.

Everybody we passed, whether on the road or the trail, was full of smiles and waves. As a result, I got the impression that Steven is both well known and well liked in the town and that trail riding as a hobby is looked upon more favourably by the locals than it is in most places in the UK. Every time we stopped for a breather, a gulp of water or pee break, Steven was full of stories, bits of local history or amusing anecdotes gathered over the years he has lived in the area. He is quite a character – down-to-earth but very upbeat, full of energy and positivity. We had a good rapport and shared jokes, which just made the whole experience that bit more enjoyable. Swapping

stories about bikes, travel or adventures, he was just as interested in me as I was to hear about his adventures, such as taking part in the Baja race back in 2000, with his father.

The day then drew to an close and we headed back to base. I was amazed how little road work there had been. Yes, there were a few bits of connecting tarmac but I think the longest we spent on the black was about ten minutes down the coast road on the way to lunch. On arrival back at base, I was awarded with my complementary T-shirt: been there, done that, got the T-shirt. Awesome.

Steven offered me the use of their hostel’s (currently vacant) private guest room shower to freshen up before dropping me off at the train station. My only regret was not making the trip a few days instead of just the one, but what we squeezed into a single day of riding made for probably one of the best days of ‘playing out on bikes’ that I have ever had.

In summary, if you’re thinking about a trail riding holiday, or even just a holiday where you can sneak off to play on bikes for a day, maybe while the other half pampers herself at the spa, Intrepid Trails is a great option. Will I be back? Absolutely, and I’ll bring friends!

P.S. Portugal is amazingly good value for money when it comes to food and eating out. I spent a week there in total; I tried all sorts of different things to eat and everything was good. I was almost dumbstruck the first time I went out for lunch and the bill was less than €5.

I had wandered out of the hotel for a stroll

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MY ONLY REGRET WAS NOT MAKING THE TRIP A FEW DAYS INSTEAD OF JUST THE ONE

around lunchtime and found a little café nearby. Armed with my phrasebook and in very clumsy Portuguese, I ordered coffee and then resorted to pointing at what looked good

to eat. The lady behind the counter said “English?” I laughed and replied sheepishly in the affirmative, but I was secretly very relieved not to have to resort to using Google Translate to be understood.

Almost everybody speaks English anyway, the lady told me, and seemed to be happy to practise hers. However, everyone I interacted with seemed to appreciate that I was at least trying to speak their language – just good manners when visiting a foreign land, I think.

As a result, in just a few days I’d picked up enough to cover the basic, most important words and phrases: “yes”, “no”, “please”, “thank you”, and obviously, “beer”!

The 2019 Sherco 300SEF Factory

David Blackhurst manages the TRF Routes project featured in Winter 2018 Trail www.issuu.com/trftrail

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BETA XTrainer TRF MEMBERS BIKES FOR SALE Beta XTrainer 300 Enduro/Trail bike 2016, 60 hours. 1,500 miles.

Owned from new. Recent MoT. Dual USB for Satnav or phone. Mousses fitted to front & rear wheels. Oil changes have been done regularly, with the Beta approved oil. The bike is very clean and starts on the button.

Fully registered for the road with V5. Original user manual & two keys are present. On sale at £3,850.

Beta XTrainer UK Facebook Group run by TRF Member Martin Himpson provides excellent member support for the XTrainer

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he above TRF members bike was recently sold via an ebay ad to a TRF member near Newcastle.

There is another Beta XT coming up for sale shortly.

Contact Marketing@trf.org.uk and we will put you directly in touch with the owner in Hertfordshire TRF. In some off-road circles the Beta XTrainer and KTM Freeride are frowned upon because they’re considered to be Hybrids of enduro and trials machines. But surely that makes them ideal trail bikes?

This is TRF member Julian Challis’s review of a similar bike to the one advertised. Julian has been a motorcycle journal-

68 Trail Summer 2020

ist for over fifteen years, covering motocross, enduro, trail and adventure riding. He is the bike tester for Adventure Bike Rider magazine and as a freelance motorcycle travel writer he contributes articles to magazines across the world. He’s been a TRF member for more than a decade, taking his trail riding across the UK, Europe and as far as Mongolia, Morocco and America. He is also the secretary of Bristol TRF and a regular on the trails and byways of the South West.

The article was originally produced for Ride Expeditions which runs guided motorcycle adventures in locations across

the world from Colombia to Cambodia. If you want to ride Royal Enfields through the Himalayas, BMWs across the South African wilderness, or Yamahas through the jungles of Vietnam and Laos then Ride Expeditions can make it happen. Go to www.rideexpeditions.com to check out the tours.

THE TEST BIKE So what would happen if you took a perfectly good enduro bike and put it on an extreme diet? Well, chances are you’d come up with something not dissimilar to the Beta XTrainer, a slimmed down, pared back and thoroughly well thought out enduro bike. But what you wouldn’t expect is for it to be able to match the performance and poise of the full-size machines and even beat them at their own game. That would be too much to ask wouldn’t it?

We borrowed a 2016 model that was being regularly used by an experienced trail rider.

Beta has updated the XTrainer but the changes are relatively minimal and for the purposes of the test, we wanted a bike that had had a thorough shakedown and had the wrinkles ironed out, rather than a boxfresh demo bike that we’d be reticent to give a thorough beasting on the trails.

The bike was largely stock except that the carburation had been tweaked to ensure that the jets and needle height got the best out of the engine.

The suspension had been pre-load adjusted to suit the weight of the rder. Basic stuff but these two aspects of set up are often ignored …

At first glance the Beta doesn’t look that much different to a normal enduro bike.

It’s got a profile not dissimilar to its bigger siblings within the

FROWNED UPON BY SOME BECAUSE THEY’RE A HYBRID OF AN ENDURO AND A TRIALS BIKE. BUT SURELY THAT MAKES THEM IDEAL TRAIL BIKES?

reported to give a far wider and more flexible range than it’s bigger brother. The gearbox is the same six-speed unit though and the 36mm Keihin carb from the enduro version is retained, but when it’s paired with that weird hybrid exhaust that looks like a mix between a four-stroke header and twostroke expansion chamber, the result is something that is far more than the sum of the parts.

Beta might have originally seen this bike as an entry-level trail or enduro machine with a relatively narrow appeal, but the reality is that the XTrainer is a near perfect combination of engine, frame and running gear that is winning fans from all off-road sectors from extreme enduro and long distance trials to backwoods thrashing and trail riding. Honda might have thought that it was going to

range, so initially it’s hard to say what the USP of this bike might be. But then you start to look at the detail. The machine is altogether slimmer, shorter and more compact than it Initially seems, but Beta has done it so well you hardly notice the difference.

The motor is the same unit from the 300RR enduro machine, but it’s been substantially reworked, retuned and

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There are two warning lights on the clocks – one to say you are low on oil and one to tell you it’s all gone and you need to stop! re-invent off- road riding with tits 4Ride, but Beta is the one that might just have achieved it with the XTrainer …

HOW DOES IT ADD UP? Well the first thing is that the frame is 10% smaller than the enduro version. This might not sound much, and it only translates to 3cm in the overall seat height, but it’s enough to make the bike vastly more manoeuvrable and manageable out on the trail, whether going fast or slow. Along with the smaller size, Beta has taken away a substantial amount of weight so that the XTrainer comes in at 98.8kg dry, compared to the stock 300’s 104kg. Again it doesn’t seem much, but it feels like they’ve shed 20kg. Weird.

The motor is the 293 cc unit with a square 72mm bore and stroke, which delivers a modest

70 Trail Summer 2020

11.3:1 compression ratio. The bike retains a power valve, unlike KTM’s similar Freeride 250 that comes without the technology and is arguably the worse for the omission.

Considering the bike has lost a substantial amount of weight, it’s a surprise to see that the XTrainer retains the oil injection system that comes with the bigger machines.

There’s an oil tank under the seat – which removes with a fantastic one button operation – so it’s just fill it up with a maximum of 6.5 litres of the good stuff and forget carting around those little bottles.

We’re saying this like it’s new technology but in reality a vast amount of stokers used to have this way back in the day – back to the future Beta! But whatever the vintage of the systems, at the pumps it’s a

godsend to be able to just fill and go like a thumper.

Beta is a tad vague as to how many tanks of petrol you’d get through per tank of oil, but owners and previous tests suggest up to six at the top end. Either way, there are two warning lights on the clocks – one to say you are low on oil and one to tell you it’s all gone and you need to stop!

Talking of fuel, the designers have managed to maintain a

decent size tank on the XTrainer, with a good 8.5 litres in there before you run dry.

OK it’s still around a litre down on the likes of the EXC’s but it’s not too far off to be a pain.

Honda please take note for future 4Rides.

The XTrainer does not have a kick-start, which would not necessarily be our choice when you are out on the trails, so starting is on the button only. More on this later. Oddly for a small two-strike, the XTrainer has a radiator fan on the right side to keep the compact motor good and cool.

A V-force reed block handles the induction side of the process, again an industry norm.

The strange front pipe connects through to a stylish

FMF end can, so you don’t even need to buy a replacement in the first week of ownership. The rest of the figures are again not far off the enduro standards – the wheelbase is 1468 mm, ground clearance a respectable 320mm and the footpegs a good 391mm from the ground.

So, as regards the rest of the bike, there is not that much more you need to know.

The deltabox frame is a steel perimeter design created especially for this model, with the petrol tank sitting low between the rails over the engine. The airbox is accessed through a quick access side panel on the left side – nice touch Beta.

SUSPENDERS AND BOOTS

guard and oversize bars in a comfortably upright bend.

There are no hand guards as standard but this is being picky – just about everything else you need is there.

BETTER THAN A KTM?

The 43mm forks are made by Olle – a relative unknown in this market combination running soft enduro tyres. The front brake comprises a 260mm Galfer rotor grabbed by a Nissin caliper, whereas the rear is a 240mm item from the same suppliers.

Keeping to the practical and required kit as stock, the XTrainer runs a large and wellmade plastic baseplate / sump

OK so lets qualify this test.

At Ride Expeditions we are massive fans of the KTM EXC250 – in our view it’s pretty close to being the best enduro machine ever made. Clear enough how much we like it?

So for another bike to come anywhere close to that already high bar it has to be pretty damn good right? Yet from the moment you sit on the Beta there’s a distinct feeling that this may be a close contender.

Push the electric start button and the engine springs to life instantly with none of the hesitancy and inconsistency that plagues the pre-2017 KTM two-strokes.

Setting off onto the slow and technical stuff straight away, the balance and controllability of the XTrainer is immediately

The 43mm forks are made by Olle – a relative unknown in this market, and run a system that separates the springing and damping functions between the two legs – much as the SFF (Separate Fork Function) units developed by Showa a few years back. The spring is in the right leg and the damping is in the left, which might sound odd if you’ve not come across this before, but once riding it’s soon forgotten – the forks work just fine. There is adjustment for spring pre-load and rebound, but somewhat bizarrely, not compression damping.

At the rear, it’s another Olle unit with the usual adjustments for compression and rebound damping at the top and bottom of the units. Like the forks, although soft, they perform well. The shock attaches to the aluminium swingarm through the usual linkage arrangement.

Both ends have just under 270mm of travel, so a little less than a usual enduro machine.

Wheels are the usual 21/18in

The motor is the same unit from the 300RR enduro machine, but it’s been substantially reworked, retuned and reported

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The deltabox frame is a steel perimeter design created especially for this model

obvious. We’d even go on to say that it was better at the slow stuff than the Montesa 4Ride that we tested recently.

Now this might not be the case for a real trials bunny, but for an enduro / trail rider the dimensions of the XTrainer are so similar to a normal off-roader but without the weight and with a deliciously compliant motor and super smooth hydraulic clutch, that it’s easier to get to terms with than the tiny trials dimensions of the Montesa.

Through the trees, over logs, over collapsed walls the Beta

72 Trail Summer 2020

displays mountain-goat levels of sure footedness. Even at a virtual standstill the bike would pick up easily, despatch whatever obstacle you had selected and gone on to the next one.

The Beta is substantially better than an EXC on this type of terrain – period. The success is down to the super smooth torque that the motor delivers through that odd pipe. Whatever is in there does the job well and the Beta pipe man deserves a massive pay rise for his efforts.

The fact that Beta initially aimed this at beginners shows

that they had underestimated what a gem they had made.

Yes it’s great for a newbie that doesn’t want great gobs of power as they get to grips with off-road riding, but experienced riders are equally not impressed if the bike is going to launch into the distance when you are trickling through the tight stuff. Whatever your speed or competence, the easy power and almost unstallable engine will handle the terrain well So if the XTrainer is so good as the slow stuff, it follows that it’s going to fall down on the faster going. No bike can handle both and come out with the plaudits surely? That pipe’s going to strangle all the life out of the motor like a noose on a condemned man, right?

But it’s evident that no one at Beta was told this. The XTrainer transitions seamlessly from feet-up tomfoolery to flat-out blasting without missing a beat. When the trails open up, a twist of the wrist will have the 300cc two-stroke lighting up the trails like Blackpool seafront. If you were worried about there not being enough power then you were worrying unnecessarily – this thing rocks.

Through the trees, over logs, over collapsed walls the Beta displays mountain goat levels of sure footedness. Even at a virtual standstill the bike would pick up easily, despatch whatever obstacle you had selected and gone on to the next one.

The Beta is substantially better than an EXC on this type of terrain – period.

OK if you were to straight drag race against a full-fat 300 or if you are a hero-level enduro rider, the Beta would lose out, but in reality when is this ever a consideration on the trail? When it’s a choice of

control over power, we’ll take the control every time.

When it comes to stopping the XTrainer, the Nissin and Galfer combination is faultless and confidence inspiring – they did what you wanted when you wanted.

is it all good?

With all this praise for the Beta, there have to be some glitches?

Well, to be honest we are scratching around here, but we’ll try. The expansion chamber sits quite wide and further back than a conventional system, so going hot into corners or leaning forward on steep uphill will have your boots touching it. That said the owner had not noticed this at all. The fuel tank is smaller than the competition, so on a long day away from fuel stations you might want to take a one litre fuel bomb with you to match the other two strokes capacity and range.

And as for the forks – we’d like to see some compression damping adjustment, especially when you start increasing the speed you need that flexibility (You can buy Beta Factory BPS K9 FORK KIT # 036460010 000 and you get adjustable compression damping).

Being developed from an enduro machine, the XTrainer can come up short on the really tight stuff compared to more trials-dimensioned machines like the KTM Freeride. This is all about the steering angles and turning circle, but the fact that the Beta does everything else so much better and more enjoyably than the Freeride, we can forgive it.

ownership proposition The only other downside we can identify is that unless you’ve ridden one of these

you will not know how good they are. Consequently residual values and resale may not be as easy as the -equivalent KTM, Husky or indeed a full-size Beta.

The XTrainer scores a good four on comfort thanks to pleasing ergonomics, open cockpit and dinky proportions.

The firm seat loses a point after a long ride Beta has been beavering

away on its bikes to bring the build quality to the level the market expects. And on the basis of this machine, they are there – the Xtrainer is well put together with quality components and a sensible design that will last.

On price the fact that the XTrainer is substantially cheaper than the 300RR but has most of the refinements of the bigger machine, this bike is a total bargain. It’s full marks on appearance too. We like the look of the Betas across the board as they look unique to the brand – you can’t mistake them for anything else. The XTrainer looks great from any angle and the combination of bare metal and painted components just works.

We were not expecting to be impressed with the Beta, but it’s hugely enjoyable when a bike can totally turn that opinion on it’s head. You might be getting the impression that we liked the XTrainer by now.

You’d be right.

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FREERIDE 250F Living with a KTM Freeride 250 4t – Wilts TRF member Jim Cairnduff discovers that as an ownership proposition, there’s quite a bit you need to be prepared to overlook

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he Freeride has been with us for quite a few years now, in various guises from the early ‘E’ ride to the 350 4t and the 250 2t. Always slightly flawed.

History tells us that 30 minutes of battery on the ‘E’ was just not enough, and although punters loved riding it, it didn’t sell well and you’d find really old models in the showroom years later. The 350 4t had very low ratio 1st, 2nd and 3rd gears, with riders always complaining about the big gap between 3rd and 4th gears. This seemed to be the reason why it struggled to do anything more than 50 miles to a tankful, often leaving its riders stranded.

Then the 250 2t arrived, to a great fanfare. This was the bike everyone apparently wanted, and it possibly could have been just that, but it was continually let down by weak starter motors, more often than not at the very start of a ride or competition, leaving many

74 Trail Summer 2020

Pictures: Jim Cairnduff & KTM Press Center owners furious. It seemed to die an embarrassing death to the point that you can still find new ones for sale years later.

Then in 2018 KTM, having thankfully never given up on the concept, came out with the new and present 250 4t. This was a bit of a revelation as The rear brake is the same as fitted to the 85s in the KTM/Husky range, with a larger rider aboard, it struggles...

although it didn’t look like it, it had undergone a massive change, having now been fitted with a de-tuned and therefore less stressed and less excitable EXCF250 motor.

Not having the high revving capability of its racier cousin,

this also meant it would be more economical and so it has proven.

SO WHAT OF IT – IS IT ANY GOOD? Let’s start with the bad stuff, and there’s plenty of it, but don’t let that stop you reading because there is plenty of good stuff too. It’s a piece of flawed genius, and as a result it has its problems.

Let’s start with the rear brake, which is taken directly off the smaller 85s in the KTM/Husky range, where I’m sure it works perfectly well but it is designed to stop younger, slighter kids.

Most TRF riders eat a fair amount of cake, are rather bigger, and do require a bit more stopping power, something the rear is sadly

lacking – it is just about the worst brake I’ve ever had on a bike. In fact it’s abnormal.

It will be slightly better than nothing as you ride away in the morning, then an hour later it will start to work really well, before sometimes fading away again later in the afternoon.

I’ve had it suggested that changing to an EXCF caliper might be an improvement but that’s an expense I don’t want and shouldn’t have to incur in this day and age. Genuine Brembo pads have helped slightly but you have to ride around the issue.

With so little room around the cooling fan, mud gets packed around the radiator, which takes forever to clean and requires all plastics to be removed. A job in itself!

Overheating has been a hot topic with these bikes and – wait for it – it’s because it has a fan. What? Yes, a brilliant pun that I glimpsed as I wrote it, and you did read the fan bit right. The rad is very well protected behind much plastic and is not easy to wash out.

I’ve learnt to take off the side covers so as to get to it

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Two sizes of fastener to remove the rad vents. Really?

properly, but this also includes the removal of the rad vents.

Typically this requires two sizes of socket, another flawed design issue, but take a look at the amount of plastic at the base of and around the fan, which just holds loads of mud.

It was a revelation the first time the bike was washed after removal of all the above plastic, with an estimated 20% of the rad being clogged – it took several minutes for the water to run clean.

Moving to the air filter we find a housing that does not quite fit the filter it is built for.

The filter loses a significant part of its cleaning capability where it comes into contact with the top of the housing. It’s small enough as it is, in order to keep noise down, which is something it does well, but again it’s flawed. And again, the pin at the top designed to guide the filter into place can actually catch and guide it to the wrong side, tilting the filter at its base.

Removal of the casing before

76 Trail Summer 2020

filter cleaning requires much care, as water can be forced up through the base of the fuel tank and with it mud and small stone deposits, which can easily drop straight down into the fuel body. So cleaning can make your bike dirty!

That’s a lot of whinging, but sadly there’s another really annoying issue and it’s in relation to the battery (which is fine), but the case is a design shambles with the holder incredibly difficult to get into place properly. It is hampered by the positive wire having absolutely no play at all in its length. Just another 5mm would have done it, but I guess corporate meanness dictated that 5mm is some incredible cost saving. There are two slots at the front that you can’t reach due to space constraints and a slide-in thing at the top that is hampered by the lack of play in Above right: Water can be forced up through the base of the fuel tank and with it mud and small stone deposits, which can easily drop straight down into the fuel body This pic: The air filter doesn’t fit the housing it’s built for

the cable. When you finally line the three up and get them in, if you let off the pressure in any way, the two front ones pop out. I can’t tell you the expletives that were used – I’m Australian, and they have been a bit fruity on a few occasions.

What the hell, then, is good about this bike?

Well, like any flawed genius, it has one amazing trait – it is brilliant to ride. The suspension for your 80kg rider is perfect straight out of the box. The engine is quiet, it pulls strongly (having good power to weight) and is economical, giving 63 miles before the indicator lights up and will run to 87 miles before its empty. These bikes

Just try and get the battery cover back into place without swearing!

WELL, LIKE ANY FLAWED GENIUS IT HAS ONE AMAZING TRAIT, IT’S BRILLIANT TO RIDE!

weigh 98kg juiced up and you can lift it off the ground with one hand. The front brake is a stonker and works really well being a 4-piston brute, onefinger operation being more than enough.

One of the clever things designed into this smallerthan-usual bike is the slow steering, which means it tracks confidently in ruts, something that normally isn’t possible with shorter, quicker-steering bikes. While I’m on about it, I took out an extra link when the chain was replaced, something I wouldn’t recommend, and it was a mistake on my part.

It reduces the wheelbase by almost 20mm and makes the handling twitchier. Should have referred to the manual rather than doing it by eye.

In the Wiltshire/Somerset area we have a lot of water and a hell of a lot of it can be deep. I have on a number of occasions managed to ride hard enough through it to find

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This has required a stop, removal of the air filter for a good squeeze and then on with the ride. Nothing serious, but the filter can suck in water at times and has required a change of riding habits.

There couldn’t possibly be any more faults though, could there? Well, yes. Unless you are a riding God, the standard tyres are ordinary: the rear is okay for the summer, the front good for nothing. I replaced both for Michelin enduro mediums with mousses that just transformed the bike, this being a cost I was prepared to live with and it’s paid off in spades. And stickers anywhere on the bike tear apart willingly at the very sight of a jet wash, even if you try to be gentle.

So to explain to members

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what the bike is like I’ll put it into football terms, something I never thought I’d use in a bike review. I’m sure you all know about Eric Cantona [at least you might remember the poster, ‘66 was a great year for English football. Eric was born’, Ed.] who is, at times, prone to

unintelligible ramblings, even karate kicks, but was also a footballing genius. The Freeride 250F is like that. It’s infuriating to work on, having little space anywhere; it takes up loads of time cleaning the filter (because it’s so small), adjusting the rear brake exactly as per the manual (because it won’t work at all otherwise) and the chain has to be just right or it makes the throttle seem jerky in an off-and-on kind of way. But if you nurture it, it just gives so much back.

I love the bike mostly, though sometimes I hate it, with everything squashed into such a small package. But would I recommend it? Hell, yes, but like a football coach, you’ll need to keep on top of it.

It may even become the iconic trail bike of its time.

TESTED Rabaconda Tyre Changer (Gen 4) £259.00 – £369.99 www.endurotyres.com

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ne of my least favourite jobs has been changing tyres or repairing punctures and to be honest despite having levers and spare inner tubes I have gravitated to popping down to the local tyre centre to get my bike tyres done.

During the early part of this year before COVID-19 kicked off I was doing quite a bit of trail riding and decided I wanted to use mousses.

I was planning to have another go at the Welsh 2 Day – I wanted to be sure I was not going to have punctures during my training and the event. I also wanted to be able to think that I could fix them myself as well as cracking my life long “tyre-change phobia”!

I started to look into the best ways to do mousse changes as well as tyre change/puncture repairs driven by my off-road interests and I came across the Rabaconda tyre/mousse

changing tool.

This is a portable tyre tool (weighs 18.5 kg in portable bag, 28x10x8inches) which can be assembled in minutes that makes tyre changing a joy as opposed to a slog.

Mainly designed for off-road spoked wheels, the wheel is held securely about the rim and through the centre of the wheel hub at knee level. The ‘arms’ can be adjusted to the diameter of the wheel ranging from 16 to 21 inches. A strong and well-

engineered lever arrangement helps break the bead in seconds, effortlessly allowing levers to be placed strategically about the rim before levering the tyre off. The Rabaconda is pretty much faultless in its design and construction and in terms of use you can find which technique works for you. There are some excellent videos on line e.g. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v =n43kcL-1P5k. It’s worth watching more than one to get the fuller picture.

So far, I have used it to fit mousses to my off-road bike, to repair a puncture via inner tube replacement and the replacement of a 17-inch tubeless sports bike tyre on alloy rims. For the sports tyre I taped plumbers foam insulation material to prevent the marking of painted alloy wheels.

I also used Motion Pro rim protectors which to date have

worked really well along with five Rabaconda 15-inch levers and good old squirt of Windex.

I now have no more excuses for not getting on with all my own bike tyre changes, and those of my mates with this brilliant piece of kit which will easily cope with all tyre/tube/mousse applications.

Definition: Rabaconda is a mythical or possibly even a prehistoric snake-kinda-creature that breeds near off-road trails on every human inhabited continent.

The Stig EKTRF

www.cambrianway.com Tel: 01550 750274 email: info@cambrianway.com

Friends OF THE TRF

The following businesses are offering discounts to TRF members

58% Discount Suzuki GB bikes.suzuki.co.uk/owners/acu-licence-holders/ On parts for ACU licence holders 38% Discount John Banks Renault on Traffic Vans 25% Discount EBC Brakes Direct www.ebcbrakesdirect.com Brake and clutch components 20% Discount Custom Lids www.customlids.co.uk Discounts available on all motorcycle clothing Flexiplates visit: www.flexiplates.co.uk Quote code TRF15 Herbert & Ellison Discount on seat refurbishment www.herbertellisonupholstery.co.uk/ 15% Discount Cotswold Outdoor www.cotswoldoutdoor.com Cycle Surgery www.cyclesurgery.com Gear 4 Motorcycles www.gear4motorcycles.co.uk WM Moto (Carlisle) www.wmmoto.co.uk Available on parts and selected clothing Adventure Spec Motoz low-impact trail tyres www.adventure-spec.com J&S Oxford www.jsaccessories.co.uk Bikestop www.bikestop Off-road clothing discount MotoKing www.motoking.co.uk

Viewranger www.viewranger.com Discount on digital maps code: TRF2017 10% Discount Fantic CCM Gas Gas EC Spares www.hainesmc.co.uk Quote code TRF2020 with membership number on an e-mail after placing your order online Rally Raid Products www.rally-raidproducts.co.uk Discount available on all custom Rally parts Midwest Racing www.midwestracing.co.uk Available on parts, accessories and clothing Premier Bikes www.premierbikes.com KTM franchise with discount applying to parts and clothing Endurotek www.endurotek.co.uk Parts and accessories Manchester Xtreme www.manchesterxtreme.com Please quote your TRF membership number PC Advanced Motorcycle Training http://www.cbtanddas.co.uk Bolt Bikes www.boltbikes.co.uk Gerbing www.gerbing.eu Discount code is TRF10 EDZ www.edzdirect.com Base-layer clothing Discount code is TRFC_10 Bike Revival www.bike-revival.co.uk Shock Absorber specialist J&S Oxford www.jsaccessories.co.uk

MX Zone www.mxzone.co.uk IAM www.iamroadsmart.com Rewire Security Tracking, cameras, CCTV, alarms www.rewiresecurity.co.uk Dirtbikebitz Bike parts, riding gear and helmets www.dirtbikebitz.com Opie Oils & Service Parts https://www.opieoils.co.uk// Nomad ADV Lightweight travel & rally gear www.nomad-adv.com Fowlers of Bristol http://www.fowlers.co.uk Smith & Allen Lubricants https://www.smithandallan.com Transylvania Trails http://www.transylvaniatrails.com Bikefix Discount on servicing and repairs www.facebook.com/Bikefixyeovil Dirtbike Express https://www.dirtbikexpress.co.uk Fraser’s of Gloucester 5% on spare parts www.frasersmotorcycles.co.uk Various Discounts Centre Trail, France www.centre-trail.com 15 Euro cash back on booking Enduro Tyres www.endurotyres.com Special rates Trail Rides Wales www.trailrides-wales.com Free guides for members on selected days Bike Seal bikeseal.co.uk Catalan Adventure 10% off accommodation and 50% off bike hire

Check the website for up-to-date information on discounts offered at www.trail.trf.org.uk/members/benefits/

80 Trail Summer 2020

FOR THE TRAIL • • • • • • • • •

Arrow Exhaust System CNC Triple Clamps 43mm Olle` Forks 250 4T EFI Motor Mitas Tyres RRP: £4899 50mm Lowering Kit Available Progressive Drop Link Suspension 104 Kg – Lightweight Cro-mo Steel Frame

FOR THE LEARNER • 41mm Forks • Mitas Tyres • 2 Specifications - Casa or Performance • Exhaust System; - Casa by Arrow - Performance by Big One • 125cc 4T Yamaha Motor • 50mm Lowering Kit Available • Progressive Drop Link Suspension • 96Kg – Lightweight Cro-Mo Steel Frame • Triple Clamps; Casa CNC – Performance Alloy • RRP: Casa £4899 / Performance £4399 • L Plate Legal. Can Be Ridden on AM Licence with CBT 50cc 2T Version Available RRP from £3399 Get more details, find dealers see the full model range at:

fanticmotoruk.com