THE ULTIMATE COMBINATION
Versatile, powerful and proven by some of the most respected off-road champions in the world, like seven-time GNCC XC1 Pro Champion Kailub Russell, the KTM 350 XC-F combines competition-crushing power inside of a nimble, all-terrain chassis for the ultimate READY TO RACE weapon.
Photo:
S. Cudby
The Big Picture
AND GAM DONNER PARTY
Donner Ski Ranch is my favorite Trials venue of all time. Here’s a shot of Cody Webb riding a GASGAS, while his father and minder Kip watches on during the 2010 season.
PHOTO BY SHAN MOORE
The Big Picture
AND GAM
CLASSIC
It’s a photographer’s dream come true when the best photo you come away with on a particular day also happens to be of the rider who won the race. Such was the case with this photo of Russell Bobbitt winning the Wyoming round of the 2011 AMA National Enduro Series.
PHOTO BY SHAN MOORE
The Big Picture
AND GAM
WALLY WORLD
There are enough wild stories going around about Wild Wally Palmer to write a book. Here’s a shot of Wally at a National Enduro during the 2000’s doing his version of the “Flying W”.
BY SHAN MOORE
PHOTO
The Big Picture
AND G
TRIALS GOLD
Here are a couple of photos that will always mean a lot to me. Both taken at Donner Ski Ranch during the early 2000’s, the left one is Canada’s Ryon Bell, while the right one is Geoff Aaron exacuting a perfect floater turn.
PHOTOS BY SHAN MOORE
CHAMPIONS RIDE KENDA.
Kenda welcomes Cody Webb and FactoryONE Sherco to the Kenda team.
Looking forward to an exciting 2020 race season with Webb and the entire the powerhouse FactoryONE Sherco team.
THE LOOP
News and Culture From The World Of Trials, Offroad and Extreme Racing Published 2020
Schedule Canceled... Possibly To Be Rescheduled For Fall
After a lengthy discussion on an orgainzers conference call on April 16, Brad Baumert, the “Chief Enthusiast Officer” of the North American Trials Council, released the following statement:
Dear MotoTrials Enthusiast,
After careful consideration and consultation with the council regarding the current and future issues facing our country, communities, and individuals the North American Trials Council has made the difficult decision to cancel all currently published MotoTrials National events, East/West Youth Nationals, and our TDN efforts for 2020.
The NATC will look to alternatives for scheduling an abbreviated series in the Fall if possible. A decision on future competitions for 2020 will be made by or before August 1, when more is known about our nations recovery, availability of having mass gatherings, available venues and dates.
We felt this was the best way to proceed during such an unprecedented global crisis because of increased and overwhelming concerns about the COVID-19 virus. We are very disappointed that we are unable to execute our published series for our riders, sponsors, volunteers, supporters, organizers, and fans. However, we feel it is the right decision based on the information currently available.
Our team will be reaching out directly to riders, teams, sponsors, and organizers with information about the impact of the published season cancellation and possible abbreviated fall schedule..
We thank everyone in advance for your support of this difficult decision. And no matter what happens through the rest of the year we look forward to producing a successful complete series in 2021.
Brad Baumert Chief Enthusiast Officer
North American Trials Council
(Keep an eye on www.mototrials.com)
Beta Motorcycles Shipped To Your Front Door
Beta USA recognizes the challenges of purchasing a new motorcycle during the Coronavirus outbreak so they are offering for a limited time a program that allows customers to have their new Beta BYOB (Build Your Own Beta) sent directly to their home or business ready to ride.
Customers can log onto www.betausa.com and choose the model he or she wishes to purchase through the BYOB program, add accessories to his or her liking, then choose their Beta dealer of choice, and leave a refundable deposit $500.00 plus destination charges. The dealer reaches out to the customer to finalize the payment or financing as well as the final price. After payment has been completed, the new BYOB Beta is sent out via FedEx or Reddaway trucking to their home or business. These Direct Delivery BYOB bikes are fully assembled, test ridden, and ready to rip! All of the BYOB accessories will be installed at the Beta USA headquarters. BYOB’s ordered after April 16th are eligible for the program. Crates will be unloaded via a lift gate and can be disassembled in minutes. A set of Beta tie down straps are included as well with every unit.
For all stock Beta bike purchases, customers are urged to contact their local Beta dealer to arrange pick up or delivery.
New Beta BYOB Delivered to Your Door!
This is a limited offer and some models may not be available as stock is selling out quickly. Log onto www.betausa.com today and see if the model you desire is available. www.betausa.com. n
Although the locations are yet to be determined, since they depend on which states ease up the COVID travel restrictions, the Kenda AMA Full Gas Sprint Enduro Series has released dates for the remainder of its 2020 schedule. The dates are:
• May 23-24 TBA
• July 18-19 TBA
• August 8-9 TBA
• August 29-30 TBA
• September 5-6 TBA
• October 17-18 TBA
SUBSCRIBE!
IT’S FREE!
ENDURO ENGINEERING TECH TIP
2-STROKE PIPE GUARD INSTALL
Sherco USA puts together a winning combination of original and aftermarket parts to bring riders the highest level of performance. No need to make upgrades after you bring your bike home, it’s race ready right out of the box.
KYB suspension, a full Akrapovic exhaust system, Galfer rotors and pads, Excel rims, AXP skidplates... the list goes on. Sherco’s attention to detail is unmatched when it comes to putting together a race-winning machine straight from the factory. This year is no exception with high-performance upgrades throughout the range. Visit us online to find a local dealer to see for yourself.
NO NEED
FULL AKRAPOVIC EXHAUST *4-Strokes
SELLA DELLA VALLE SEAT
D Mario Roman RIDING SCHOOL
AUGUST 17th, 2020 Training Center, Sequatchie, TN
2 of the World ’ s best hard enduro PROs!!! Sherco Factory rider, Mario Roman, and half with FactoryONE bo�led water.
SMAGE RIDING TECHNIQUE PAT
FOR THE NEXT YEAR, 11-TIME US MOTOTRIALS CHAMPION PAT SMAGE WILL BE BRINGING US MONTHLY RIDING TIPS DESIGNED TO MAKE YOU A BETTER RIDER. AND WHO DOESN’T WANT TO BE A BETTER RIDER? WHETHER YOU’RE A TRIALS RIDER OR AN OFFROAD ENTHUSIAST, WE’RE CERTAIN YOU’LL BENEFIT FROM PAT’S TIPS, SO SIT BACK AND TAKE IT ALL IN. BE SAFE AND DON’T FORGET TO PRACTICE WITH A BUDDY!
PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT
Coppersmith Aero/Hybrid Fork Kit
Coppersmith Racing
Sug. Retail: $895
Website: coppersmithracing.com
Email: thom@coppersmithracing.com
Coppersmith Racing, known mostly for their Ohlins suspension components and valving/set-up as well as their offroad race team, has a new hybrid system to bring new levels of performance, without losing the stock spring rate adjustability, for riders with WP AER forks. The Coppersmith Racing exclusive kit includes a modified Ohlins TTX22 fork spring cartridge (with coil spring) that replaces the stock WP damping internals in the damping fork leg. The kit is designed to combine the control, feel, and front wheel traction of a conventional spring fork with the lightweight and rider-adjustable advantages of an air fork.
Coppersmith also offers DLC and Titanium Carbo/Nitride coatings as an option to further slick up your front suspension feel.
EE Aluminum Open Ended Moto Roost Deflector Kits
Max Sug. Retail: $49.95
Part number: 53-1020
Fitment: Sherco 125-500 (2016-2020)
Website: www.enduroeng.com
Enduro Engineering is offering the new Aluminum
Open Ended Moto Roost Deflector Kits for Sherco.The kit requires EVO 2 Plastic Roost Deflectors, with 7 colors to choose from.
It’s the strongest open ended Moto Roost Deflectors on the market.
Mounts directly to the brake and clutch lever perches and does not take up any extra space on the handlebars
Pocket on composite arm allows deflector to flex on impact or crash
Sold as a pair.
The FX and TX cross-country model range offers purpose-built motorcycles with ultra-modern components like electric start to get the rider off the line faster and a Map Select switch to put the power to the ground. Performance-focused innovations were implemented to ensure power accessibility and agility to stay ahead of the competition.
Photo: F. Lackner
2020 HUSQVARNA TE300i
For 2020, the new Husqvarna TE 300i features a host of new developments which enhance its performance. With electronic fuel injection, smooth power delivery and impressive torque and power, the TE 300i retains the traits it’s become renowned for. However, with advancements to the frame and bodywork, it offers an even more controllable and thrilling ride. Here’s a quick look:
ENGINE
The 300 cc 2-stroke engine in the TE 300i is the flagship of the Husqvarna Motorcycles enduro range. Featuring precisely positioned shaft arrangements for optimal mass centralisation, a counter balancer shaft reducing vibration, a twinvalve controlled power valve and electronic fuel injection, it is the benchmark when it comes to enduro performance.
CYLINDER
The 72 mm bore cylinder in the TE 300i features a twin valve-controlled power valve system which delivers smooth and controlled power throughout the RPM range. Exhaust port timing has been improved with the combination of an optimised, adjustable power valve drive. The cylinder also features two inlet positions at the rear of the cylinder where a pair of fuel injectors are mounted. This ensures efficient combustion resulting in reduced fuel consumption and emissions.
CRANKCASES
Designed for minimal weight, the die-cast crankcases on the TE 250i engine feature a thin-wall design. To centralise mass, the shaft arrangement has been precisely positioned to harness oscillating masses at the ideal centre of gravity. The counter balancer shaft is also specifically integrated, making for a compact design. Additionally, a new water pump casing improves cooling by optimising the flow of coolant.
EXHAUST
Tailored specifically for each model using an innovative 3D design process, the header pipe on the TE 300i offers further improvements in geometry and performance. This allows for improved ground clearance, while a corrugated surface makes the header pipe resistant to impact out on the trail. The muffler also features a new aluminium mounting bracket, new internals and less dense packing material for improved noise damping and weight saving. n
2020 KTM 390 ADVENTURE
KTM North America, Inc. recently announced details of the highly-anticipated KTM 390 ADVENTURE, the next step in KTM’s incredibly versatile ADVENTURE lineup. As an introduction to the world of light offroading and wider adventure touring, this motorcycle is a pure class-leader, combining the most powerful single in the segment with unmatched technology.
The new KTM 390 ADVENTURE has harnessed the attributes and DNA from the popular and highly rated KTM 790 ADVENTURE, as well as the development information gleaned from nearly two decades of Dakar Rally success. A light, agile and confidence-inspiring entry model for riders looking to discover the world of adventure riding, this motorcycle offers added versatility for touring and light offroading. Using elements of the KTM 390 DUKE as a base, the KTM 390 ADVENTURE offers proximity to the feeling and performance found at the root of the all-conquering KTM 450 RALLY but with efficiency and comfort as part of the package.
A state-of-the-art, liquid cooled, single-cylinder, four-stroke 373.2 cc engine powers this agile machine perfectly into KTM’s world of ADVENTURE. The engine is equipped with an electric starter and achieves impressive peak power with incredibly punchy torque. Twin overhead camshafts, four valves and electronic fuel injection are integral to the KTM 390 ADVENTURE’s outstanding power and together with a balancer shaft, deliver an incredibly smooth ride for all-day touring. Next-level rider aids include lean-angle-sensitive Motorcycle Traction Control (MTC) paired with a class-leading PASC slipper clutch to keep the power to ground while pushing limits on or off the asphalt.
The low-maintenance, high-performance engine is housed in a flex and weight optimized chassis fitted with premium, adjustable WP APEX suspension offering 170 mm of travel in the front and 177 mm in the rear. Bringing this machine to a stop is easy with the BYBRE brake calipers, two-channel ABS system administered by BOSCH software and the standard OFFROAD ABS mode. Its versatile ergonomics, smooth power delivery and innovative technology all come together in a comfortable, lightweight package built for those wanting to fit more adventure into their daily lives.
FEATURES
ENGINE
• Class-leading power-to-weight ratio
• PASC slipper clutch
• Ride-by-Wire system
• State-of-the-art engine management with EFI system
• Oversized radiator
ELECTRONICS
• Lean-angle-sensitive Motorcycle Traction Control (MTC)
• Cornering ABS
• OFFROAD ABS
• TFT Display
• KTM MY RIDE
SUSPENSION
• Fully-adjustable WP APEX front fork
• Adjustable WP APEX shock absorber
CHASSIS
• Steel trellis frame
• Signature die-cast swingarm
• Cutting-edge BYBRE brakes
• Standard engine guards
• Robust cast wheels with CONTINENTAL TKC 70 tires
ERGONOMICS
• Minimal, slim bodywork
• Two-piece seat
• Tapered aluminum handlebars with offroad bend
• Low, accessible seat height
• Offroad footpegs with rubber inserts
The 2020 KTM 390 ADVENTURE is slated to arrive in North American KTM dealerships in May. For more information on the 2020 model lineup and to view a complete list of KTM dealerships, please visit www.ktm.com/us/. n
MIKE LAFFERTY
KTM’s New 790 Adventure
TALKS ABOUT Adventure R Rally
Eight-time National Enduro Champion Mike Lafferty has spent as much time as anyone racing and riding KTM’s recent Adventure series. For 2020, KTM has introduced its most hardcore Adventure bike – the limited edition KTM 790 Adventure R Rally. Restricted to just 500 units worldwide, the third and newest member of the KTM 790 Adventure family is positioned as the most travel capable rally bike.
On The Pegs recently talked to Mike about the 790 R Rally and about riding Adventure bikes in general in off-road settings. Here’s Mike:
We’re just coming out with a new 790 Adventure R Rally. There’s only 500 of those made. They’ve got pro component suspension and it’s taller. It’s got 120 millimeters of travel. So it’s still 465 pounds, but compared to 500 pounds, 497 or something like a 1090 Adventure is, it still is a parallel twin motor but it’s so nimble and the suspension has lifted it up to where… It’s just if you give something more travel, it’s going to handle the holes so much better. But you still got to respect it. So the difference in riding that versus my dirt bike per se, is that we used to go from a 500 XCW or a 350 to a 1090. That’s huge. Well now this 790 has bridged that gap a lot more and it feels way closer. So there’s not many changes in the way I ride it. You just got to really respect it. You got to remember that you get so excited with the way this thing handles, it corners, it hits bumps, it hit big G-outs, but you’ve still got to remember it’s 465 pounds. So when something goes a little haywire, it’s really hard to bring back. You’ll never bring it back, as far as it getting kicked out of control or wanting to do something. So it’s not a big difference in the way I ride it. The electronics have so much to do now, even on the 790 where there’s traction control. There’s different throttle responses. There’s street, there’s sport, there’s off-road. So those characteristics come into play for me and really opened my eyes up. So if I’m riding in the dirt, of course I want the traction control off, and I want it in off-road mode to where if I’m on the street and it’s dry I can ride it in the street response throttle mode with the ABS
on. Then if it’s pouring down rain and I got to run back home or run somewhere and it’s raining and the roads are wet, you can still run the ABS and then run the throttle even less in off-road mode when that happens.
The traction control works off a sensor on the wheel. So, that stuff really opened my eyes. Like I said, my whole background is dirt bike and then I switched to the Adventure. I still want to be able to take it places when I race my 1090 at national. I raced the 790 this past year at the Ohio enduro. I still have to remember the weight, but other than that, it’s really close. It’s a lot closer than what people think.
As far as riding in tight woods or an enduro, you have to set up in-between some tight trees, for sure. Not only the width of it… The turning radius varies slightly, but the width of the bike at the bottom where the skid plate is, the gas tanks and stuff like that, the skid plate instead of being probably twelve inches wide, you’re talking twenty-four inches wide at the bottom. So the gas tank comes off of that. So that’s where I notice the ruts at the enduro and turning. It’ll stay into the rut, but if you lean it over a lot you have a lot more tendency of rubbing the ground with the foot pegs and both sides of the motor cases.
Standing up on that bike, you can stand up through some trials. Sitting forward or back, you just got to remember, like my weight isn’t going to do a lot to help the way it rides and so forth. It’s not big changes there. It needs more of a respect of the motor of having so much horsepower in the dirt, is the hard thing with all the weight. Are you really going to pay attention to sliding your butt back to get more traction? No, because this thing’s got so much horsepower, as long as you have a decent tire it’ll find traction no matter what, because it’s got an ungodly amount of horsepower.
When it has the pro components in the Rally setup with longer travel, you can finesse and use a little bit more of the travel, like pushing down on the front end before a log to pull up as you give it gas. You can do that more. The bike has so much weight where if you just hit the front brake it’ll dive because of all the weight that’s on the bike. Then you just give it gas, rather than worrying about a 200-pound bike that you can push down on because you’re 200 pounds and you can feel that. This, you got to use the weight to work with you, I guess you’d say. So 460 pounds, you’re coming up on a flat surface and you want to go over a log, you can tap the front brake. All that 465 pounds is going to dive. Then you give it gas as the front end starts to come back from the suspension, then you start giving it gas. So you more finesse with the weight of the bike than you would manhandling it like you would a dirt bike.
With the pro components in the Rally version, they stay up and they don’t dive.
The standard version isn’t made to do that. So that’s the hard part, and we’re trying to cross that bridge. If you’re trying to ride a standard one and I give opinion to someone, like they love their bike, there’s a happy medium of where you want to take it and where you want to go. It’ll do all the trails. That’s what my thing is. A 1090 is 500 pounds. You go exploring on that 500-pound bike, it falls over, you don’t want to have to be stuck somewhere downhill with it and have to lift it up. So you have to be respectful. So a lot of guys see a trail and they’re by themselves and they’re on a big 1090 or 1290 Adventure, they don’t go down. The 790 being 465, it’s only a handful of pounds lighter, but it feels so much lighter, and the way it’s down low you can go explore on that bike. That’s what I like, especially on the east coast where there’s more single track type stuff that’s not big roads like in Colorado that you can go 200 miles. Here you can do on the east coast 80 or 90 miles of single track. You can ride all the single track you want on a 790. That’s what I like. And explore, and if you have an issue, it’s not a huge undertaking to try and lift it up when you’re by yourself. You could go ride it all over, where when you ride a 1090 bike, “Man, I’d be afraid to get this thing stuck,” is the first thing you would say. But a 790 you’d be like, “Okay, I can do this.” The problem is too we’re coming to find that just because I like the taller ride in the Rally, doesn’t mean everybody can touch the ground on it. Our 790 standard, we have an S model 2 which is just street, is low to the ground because it has street wheels. On our Adventure standard R the seat height is super low. So a lot of guys a little older wouldn’t want a tall one with the better suspension just because he can’t touch the ground. So there’s a height restriction there too. When you’re a big guy and you’re tall and you can do it, no problem. But you get someone else that’s like, “I like it. I understand what you’re talking about, but it’s too tall in general.” So our standard still can do what you want it to do. It just depends on what your application is.
Another thing is, you don’t want to put your feet down a lot on these bikes. That’s my thing when you ride it. On dirt bikes you dab a lot and so forth, but if you have bags, have luggage, you can get your foot caught behind a lot of that stuff and you can hurt yourself. Even with that bike being so big, you’re going to have to take a fall and not try and stick your leg out to catch it. A lot of dirt bike stuff you go and ride and you go into a turn and you can run your foot on the ground a little bit, you’re feeling the bike coming down and you can push off of it with a dirt bike. On an adventure bike you’re not going to do that. Like I said, that’s the point of where I say respect the weight because you can’t manhandle it like you can a dirt bike. You got to let it do what it’s going to do. n
5 KEy WINS
There’s been a lot of cool history in American Observed Trials since the series was officially hatched by the North American Trials Council in 1972. That first championship, held in Michigan, was won by Jerry Young. In the 47 years since the championship started, there have only been 12 different champions. With the current suspension of events due to the COVID Virus, we will be looking back at some of these champions and the their stories. For this series, we’ll be talking to a few champions and asking them to talk about five key wins that either defined their careers or were key in their ultimate success.
First up is 1984, 1985 and 1986 Champ Scott Head.
Photos from the Len Weed Collection
1First Amateur class win
I started trials in the fall of 1976 on a RL250 Suzuki. Back then, in So. Cal., there were 4 classes – Beginner, Novice, Amateur and Expert. You could self-promote out of beginner but after that you had to earn transfer points to move up. I rode 3 events in Beginner class, winning two, before moving up to Novice. At the time I was not taking the sport too seriously and it seemed like it took forever to earn my transfer points out of Novice. In reality it was only about a year but I never won a Novice event before moving up to Amateur. I rode a couple of Amateur events finishing mid pack. Then at Reche Canyon in Jan of 78, my third Amateur event, something just clicked (I’m sure moving to a 1978 Bultaco helped) and I won. It was a total shock and I suddenly realized that if I applied myself, I might get pretty good. It was a key win that set me on a path of focus and dedication. I won every Amateur event before transferring to Expert.
2
Sweeping the 1981 So Cal Weekend Triple HeaderStadium Trial, Schrieber Cup, El Trial de Espana
I had a high school buddy who raced motocross and we would compare weekend results on Monday mornings at school. I had steadily worked my way up to where I was getting 3rds behind Marland and Bernie. My buddy was getting some wins in local moto so he thought that gave him bragging rights. I would argue, to no avail, that because I was third behind a 5-time National Champ and a World Champ that I should have the bragging rights.
I like to joke that by the end of 1980 I could finally get an Expert win because Marland had quit and Bernie was staying in Europe most of the time. In 1980 I won the So Cal ATA Expert title and finished second to Marland in the US National series. That made me the guy to beat going into 1981 season. I was riding a Bultaco but I had signed a deal with Italjet and was waiting to get a bike. In January of ’81 the ATA sponsored a triple header
weekend that consisted of a stadium trial on Friday night, the Schrieber Cup on Saturday and El Trial de Espana on Sunday; each at a different location around southern California. It was a brutal weekend and I managed to win all three events. This gave me a lot of momentum and a mental edge for what I thought was going to a run at the 1981 national title. Instead I ended up in Europe but that is a different story…
3
First National Win, Colorado 1984
After a couple of years in Europe, where I had the experience of a lifetime but didn’t win a damn thing, I returned to the national series for a few rounds in 1983. In 1984 I decided to give the nationals a serious shot riding a 242 Montesa for Cosmopolitan Motors. In the early rounds back east, Don Sweet and Stan Bakgaard established themselves as front runners. I did OK but didn’t get any wins. Throughout my career I had struggled with ‘stupid five syndrome’; that unexplainable mental lapse that costs you needless points. When the series resumed in Colorado I got off to a good start and just told myself today was going to be my day – no stupid fives. It was touch and go a few times but I held it together and got the win. It felt amazing and I wanted more.
4
Key loss – Wyoming 1984
This loss was equal to any win with respect to the impact it had on my trials career. After winning Colorado the week before I went to Wyoming expecting to do it again. Instead I lost to Stan by one point. I still remember the section where I gave it up. It was a tricky, loose turn-and-climb out of a creek bed. On the last loop I lost concentration and took a 5. I stayed to watch Stan’s ride. He came around the turn like he was on rails and blasted out for a clean. I left Wyoming tied with Stan for the title lead. I thought about that one point loss all the way home (and for the rest of the summer) and vowed to do everything I could do to be at my best mentally and physically for the final 3 rounds in the Pacific Northwest.
SECoNd NaTIoNaL WIN, WaShINGToN 1984
AFTER THE lOSS IN WyOmINg I gOT A jOb AT DONNER SkI RANcH AND SpENT
THE SummER THERE. my DAIly ROuTINE WAS WORk, RIDE, TRAIN. EvERy DAy. I AlSO READ A cOuplE OF bOOkS ON mENTAl ImAgINg AND FOuND IT HElpED my RIDINg.
THE FINAl 3 ROuNDS OF THE SERIES WERE HElD ON cONSEcuTIvE DAyS IN THE pAcIFIc NORTHWEST. I FElT STRONg bOTH pHySIcAlly AND mENTAlly AND FElT REAlly SOlID ON THE bIkE. I WON THE FIRST DAy – THE START OF A SIxTEEN
STRAIgHT WIN STREAk. my WIN ON THE SEcOND DAy clINcHED my FIRST OF THREE cONSEcuTIvE cHAmpIONSHIpS. I HAD FINAlly FIguRED OuT my pERSONAl WINNINg FORmulA.
SCoTT hEad GRaCEd ThE CoVERS oF ThE 1985 aNd 1986 US WoRLd RoUNd PRoGRaM CoVERS (PhoToS By LEN WEEd).
ThaT TIME
ChaRLIE MULLIMS WoN ThE
aMa NaTIoNaL ENdURo
TITLE oN a PRIVaTEER yaMaha!
Some years are reletively uneventful when it comes to motorsports racing, and in fact, some are very predictable. However, 2010 will always be a special year in AMA National Enduro history for several reason.
Charlie Mullins won the title that year, which no one expected, not even Charlie, since his intention was to ride the first round of the Enduro series just as a warmup for the opening round of the GNCC series, which were both held at sandy venues.
Reason #2 for 2010 being an unusual year was that Charlie won the title, basically, as a privateer, with a large number of factory teams in the mix.
At the end of ’09, Suzuki was basically telling Charlie that he was “good to go on his ride for that year.” So, naturally, he didn’t search for another ride or reach out to anyone just because he was waiting on a contract from Suzuki. At the very last minute, however, (in fact it was at the Mini O’s over Thanksgiving) Mike Webb called and basically told Charlie that they weren’t going to be able to do anything for him and just told him “that was it.”
So, Charlie was kind of stuck going into December since all of the other teams had already signed riders so everything was kind of set for the year.
“At that point, my father-in-law and I tried to get some stuff I think at the time with JT Bennet and GEICO,” said Charlie. “We talked to them, but everything was
kind of locked up for them. Then we went to Randy Hawkins, and he was kind of already set with Paul Whibley.” Randy also had Thad Duvall on the team, so Whibley and Thad made up Am Pro Yamaha that year.
According to Keith Obermeyer, Randy reached out to Donnie Luce at Yamaha, and they were able to sell bikes to Charlie, through Obermeyer Yamaha, at a super low price. So, basically, Charlie bought his own bikes and was riding for contengency money that season.
“I ended up buying two bikes from Obermeyer,” said Charlie. “They were my GNCC and Enduro race bikes. Randy (Hawkins) had a leftover YZ450 that he gave me just to practice on. So I basically went through that whole year with three bikes. Then for the mechanic side of things, Dale Steagle, Randy’s old mechanic, he was kind of like my enduro mechanic. He would drive to the races. Then Daryl Raines, Jason’s dad, he would do my GNCC bike. So it was kind of like a team effort that Randy helped make happen. But my bikes would stay with him in South Carolina. They would prep the bikes. As far as the practice bikes, I would drive down to Randy’s every so often and Dale would do a top end and just kind of refresh my practice bike, just to make that work. So as far as actual expenses to go racing, I just had to buy the two bikes, but Yamaha or Obermeyer covered my parts. I was just basically on contingency only at the time. Thankfully I had a really good deal with Thor, Shoei and Scott that kind of carried me through. I actually ended up making really good money considering where I was starting out. It ended up being a pretty good year.”
The 2010 season was also when the National Enduro Series change from timekeeping to the No Restart format, which helped Charlie.
“I was up testing with Randy that winter, so it was just kind of fitting to race Sumter, since it was close. I remember that year Sumter was freezing cold. I think it was in the teens. I couldn’t even feel my clutch finger. I just remember it being so cold. I ended up winning that race but I didn’t win a single test. So I was happy, but bummed to win the race but not actually win a test.”
Charlie had only raced one other Enduro in his kife before that win, which was at Sumter, the previous year, and he finished second.
“I thought I had a pretty good shot at winning in 2010 because the year before, I just drove up from Florida; Me and Rachel, we just kind of went up. I just signed up in the pro class. They didn’t really have live scoring, instant scoring. I was on row… I think I was in the 40s. I was pretty far back, but it was still decent. Nobody really counted me. I ended up second in that race. I wasn’t too far behind Bobbitt, so I ended up second. That was the only enduro I ever really did. So going into 2010, given how well I did the year before, I figured I had a pretty decent shot at winning. I liked the Yamaha. It was good. I felt confident going into it.”
Still, Charlie had very little Enduro experience, which is very important.
“Sumter is tight, but I grew up riding tight woods in Ohio,” said Charlie. “I also felt my strong suit, I could read trail pretty well, not knowing where I was going. I could just read the terrain pretty well and kind of just had a knack for it. So I think that kind of helped, too. Just being able to read the trail and ride tight woods. I think it all kind of helped.”
That year was akso the year that Yamaha was pushing the WR for woods racing, so Whibley had to ride the WR.
“I think there were some teething issues he had with the WR,” said Chalie. “Thankfully, since I was privateer, I wasn’t forced to ride the WR. I was able to ride the YZ. It was a really good bike. I know for the enduros, we actually used the WR transmission rather than the YZ. So I kind of had I guess a little bit of the WR. I liked the six-speed transmission for the enduros because I could ride basically the whole test in second or third gear. I wouldn’t have to shift at all, so that was nice.”
The Cherokee National Enduro in Georgia was the next round and Charlie was in position to win that round, as well.
“I should have won it, but, basically I made an error that cost me the win,” said Charlie. “There was an observations check in the middle of the woods. I think it was test two or three, and there was an OB check but I wasn’t really paying atten-
tion. So I started the test and I came to that OB check, and then I assumed the test was over. I was just really trail riding in the middle of the test because I thought it was over. The pro on the row behind me caught up and he said, “What are you doing?” By that time it was kind of late. I think I lost four or five minutes. I won five of the six tests other than that. I knew that was Bobbitt’s home enduro too and I really wanted to beat him there. It was just kind of an amateur mistake on my part, mistaking an OB check for the final out check. I think after that, winning the five of the six tests and still ended up fourth, I was still in a good position.”
Then it was on to Florida for the Allgator, round three.
“That was pretty tough because we had the GNCC on Tuesday at the time and then the enduro on Thursday, and then another GNCC on Sunday. I ended up DNF’ing the enduro first test a few miles in. Something in the clutch internally broke. It was kind of a real freak mechanical issue. I know at the time Cory Buttrick was the biggest competition and he actually didn’t even race the enduro either just because he raced the GNCC on Tuesday. So that’s kind of what saved me in the points was him not racing as well. From there, it was not a long shot but I was still pretty decent in points.”
Hawkins felt like Charlie counld win the chamoionship, even with the DNF, and that’s when Charlie got to pit under the big tent, even though he was still a privateer.
“I think I won five in a row after that,” said Charlie. “Kind of went on a big winning streak and kind of got back up to the championship. I do remember my worst race that year was in Maine. I couldn’t have ridden any worse. I’m not really sure what the reason was, but I just really struggled with riding that terrain up in Maine. It was really tough.”
That Summer was a pretty good one for Charlie.
“It was just a really good year for me,” said Charlie. “I know in the GNCC I think I won three or four in a row as well. So I was kind of on a hot streak between the GNCC’s and enduros. I was just confident. It was kind of funny on the enduros. I was always confident going into them and just kind of knew where I stood with everybody. I knew if I did ride the tests to my ability nobody really could beat me. That’s kind of what I tried to just use that mentality when I raced them.”
It finally worked out well for Charlie, because he got race bonuses and Randy covered his expenses, which was a huge help. On top of that, he got race bonuses for top three, the enduros and GNCC’s. Then I got a championship bonus as well. So it was a nice, good chunk, the bonus from Yamaha.”
Charlie most likley changed the way the factory teams handled their riders that season, since Charlie was one of the first to ride two major series with so many races.
“I feel like I kind of changed the standard for riders as far as at the time the factories had one rider, or riders per series,” said Charlie. “They were contracted for one series and when I came in and was able to ride dual series I think it kind of changed the manufacturers mindset on the riders. I think it helped and hurt in some ways, because the guys that had enduro deals kind of struggled with GNCC. So I kind of think it helped and hurt some riders. Looking six years later, it’s kind of mandatory now. Everybody has to ride two series. I was kind of the one that started that.”
These days, Charlie is the trainer for the KTM riders.
“Basically my deal, I work for KTM, Aldon, and I get paid by KTM to train the factory riders,” said Charlie. “So Ben Kelley, Josh Toth, and then I’m working with Jesse Ansley. Then Kailub Russell is kind of a unique deal where I don’t train him. Basically my deal with Kailub, I go down in the winter and we do a six to eight week winter bootcamp. So from January to the first round of GNCC I’m down there with the guys - Ben, Josh, Jesse. So I have all four of them down there in the wintertime. Then they do their motos. We train, go to the gym. Just kind of standard bootcamp stuff. Then once Kailub goes back after Georgia to his house in North Carolina, I go back home to Pennsylvania. From there, I monitor the guys through the phone and online. They’ve got their training data. I do their sched-
ules and analyze their data and just kind of keep in touch with them on a daily basis on how they’re feeling. We just adjust the schedule if needed, depending on how they’re feeling. It just goes off the feedback. It’s kind of a tricky spot right now with the virus and everything. We don’t really know when we’re going racing. They’re still staying active. They’re doing what they can. I’m still in touch with that. At the first of the year, me and Rachel took over Moto Tees, so we’re running that business. We’ve been involved with this since we moved up here. Just kind of been managing and running that. Then we have our kids, so we’re busy with the kids. My bicycling, with the training and stuff like that I still am pretty heavily involved with training and bicycling on my own so I stay fairly busy for the most part on a day-to-day life. Everything has been kind of on hold since the whole virus thing. At work we’re just kind of shut down, waiting to hopefully go racing here soon. We’re doing what we can on our end to just make sure we get through it all. I think we’ll be okay. Hopefully we can get some answers here soon and know a direction. At this point, I don’t know if anybody really knows.”
At the end of the season, Charlie ended up winning the title over Cory Buttrick by 25 points.
“In the end, we got the championship, and that was all cool,” said Charlie. “Then I got my deal with KTM the next year. So when I got it, I would say, it was a little awkward towards the of the end season once I made that decision, because I pretty much had the KTM deal before I even won the enduro championship. So I know the last round it was in Indiana, the round that I locked up the championship. It was kind of an awkward, weird feeling I guess knowing what we accomplished, but I was leaving in a couple weeks. The contract was up. So that was kind of the bittersweet of it. In the end, I’m still happy with the choice I made with KTM. Right now, me and Randy, we’re friends. n
JaSoN
WHERE ARE THEY NOW R aINES
When I first started in this business - motojournalism - one of my first “assignements” for Cycle News was to drive to Lynnville, Illinois to cover National Hare Scrambles in 2003. I arrived on Saturday, excited and ready to go. I didn’t know anyone, not even the racers, and the first person I met was Jason Raines and his father Darrell. They made an impression on me, and as fate would have it, Jason wrapped up the championships at that race with a second place finish, and I never forgot that weekend.
With the uncertain times we are currently enduring, On The Pegs will be doing a few “throwback” stories until things get back to normal, whenever that’s goning to be. And the first person I thought of for a “Where are they Now” story was Jason, although Alan Randt suggested him, as well. Jason, who will be 42 in September is still associated with Yamaha, running the Yamaha Motocross and Off-Road Demo Program, plus running his own off-road team. During his racing career, he amassed six AMA National Hare Scrambles Championships, plus numerous GNCC and National Enduro wins.
Here’s my recent interview with Jason Raines.
Let’s talk about your racing career.
In total, I had six hare scramble championships. I won a few national enduros, and I think a dozen or more GNCC’s. But my thing was always the hare scrambles. I was close a number of times to doing both, but injuries were always my thing.
Total I think I had 40 AMA national wins.
What appealed to you in hare scrambles?
To me it was more because of where I grew up, western Washington. People obviously, when I first moved to the east cost were like, “You’re from the west coast. It must be desert.” They see all the pictures of California and all that. But I lived in western Washington and I grew up on single track, couldn’t get off the trail, couldn’t take any quick lines because there were stumps and underbrush. It’s very thick. That’s why hare scrambles to me it always seemed like I enjoyed them. They were fun. I felt like I didn’t have to try near as hard. It just came to me very naturally.
It seems as though Randy Hawkin’s new signee Mike Witkowski is sort of like a young Jason Raines. Tell me about your riding style. I feel that I was more a finesse, stand up a lot… When I was battling for GNCC wins, I was battling Mike Lafferty. Lafferty was a big guy. He would bulldog stuff. I was small and I was pretty little. Growing up in Washington, all the guys that I kind of looked up to, they stood up a lot. They didn’t rev the bike. Very smooth and fluid. When I first moved to the east coast I spent a lot of time with Shane Watts. I mimicked and followed and rode with him a lot. So I tried to be more of a line selection, go outside the rough stuff, inside-out in the grass tracks to miss all the holes and stuff. I wasn’t really strong. I was in excellent shape as far as cardio, but as far as a hammer, I was never a just go balls out type of rider.
Did you develop that smooth style because of how slippery it is up there in western Washington?
Possibly. Where I grew up riding, it obviously rained a lot. It was weird, though. I’ve never been a very good mud rider on the east coast because it depends on the type of mud. Washington is very slippery and hard pack and wet. There’s not a lot of stickiness like a John Penton where your tires ball up. But my track was kind of 50/50. It had 50% brown clay that you couldn’t break it up with a pickaxe. And then the other half of it was like river sand, so it was awesome winter riding. Me personally, I feel I got my riding style just from watching my prior generation that I looked up, like Jason Donners. He went to Six Days a number of times. I never really won much in Washington because there were so many good guys that were there. So they were all very smooth, calculated, stood up, and flowed really good. I think that’s where I tried to be like them. You’re always trying to be like the guys
you’re racing against that are beating you.
Were you always a Yamaha guy?
I’ve been Yamaha since 2000, but prior to that, actually growing up as a kid I always rode Kawasaki. Our local dealership in Washington helped me out and they were always Kawasaki. Then I went KTM for two years, ’97 and ’98. I would have stayed KTM. I was real happy with them, but honestly what happened was I decided in ’99 to move to the east coast and give GNCC a try. Well KTM had Watts and Lafferty. They wanted me to be a regional guy. “You stay in Washington. That’s where we need you,” they said. I told them that I needed to go east. My local dealership sold me a Kawasaki cheap and I loaded her up and came east.
I remember your dad, Darrell, really well and he wrenched for you. Did he move down too?
No he flew in for each one. He’d work all week. He’d fly out on a Friday, meet me at the track. Typically he show up to the track Saturday afternoon after I had bicycled the track. Back then we didn’t have e-bikes. It took four hours to bicycle or walk the track. So dad would meet me and we would go to the motel. We’d race on Sunday. He’d drive the rental car back to the airport and he’d be home Monday for work. That was in ’99, 2000, 2001 he did that. Once I got the ride with Randy Hawkins in ’02 and I started winning races and stuff like that, that’s when he kind of semi-retired and he moved back east to live with me. He was part of the group.
Tell me what kind of mentor Randy was to you?
It’s funny. Growing up as a kid and reading about him in the magazines, and my dad remembers the first time I ever saw him. We were at an ISDE qualifier back in ’95. Those guys were on an absolutely different pedestal. Just looking up to them. Me and Randy have a very weird relationship. In ’94 when everybody was qualifying for the Oklahoma ISDE, Randy was about three minutes behind me and I was fifteen years old. He would catch me every test. Well, one test I crashed my brains out. Had a concussion. Don’t remember a thing. When I woke up, guess who was there with me? Randy! At that time, we didn’t know each other. Then in ’99 at the Kentucky GNCC, I was doing pretty good but my bike got stuck in gear. I was trying to ride in third gear the whole track. I ended up hitting a bump under deceleration. I couldn’t shift, so when I hit the bump it just kicked me. I splattered myself on a tree. Same thing, big concussion. Randy lost the race. He sat there with me the entire time. That was before we even knew each other. Then when I signed on
with him in ‘02, that’s when I feel that the beginning part of my career, I feel that he was stepping out. He was kind of done. Say 2002, 2003. He was kind of on his way out. But with me coming down here, I stayed at his house. He’d wake me up every morning. We’d ride together. We’d train together. We’d eat lunch together. We’d work on bikes together. We were inseparable for a long time. He tells me, I think with Mike on the opposite end of things now, when you have somebody younger that’s pushing you, and I feel that I was that for Randy, he was able to win that last National Enduro championship in ’04. He’s been not only a great friend. Even today, we live probably about a mile away. We live close to each other. We see each other all the time. We’re still really good friends. During that time, even his wife Kathy back then, we’d go out to dinner and Kathy was with us. She’s like, “What are you guys doing? You’re together all the time. Can’t you just talk about something else than motorcycles?” It was fun. We traveled together. Randy had the motorhome and we’d go to the races together. You couldn’t have a better role model, whether you’re talking about his career, his life, his work ethic, business… He’s done a little bit of everything. I think any athlete no matter what they do, they’re going to do it. I’m not doing it half-assed. Randy’s a natural athlete. It pissed me off. We would play basketball for training or something, or we’d go jet skiing. He’s like, “It’s fine. You’ll be fine. You’ll be good.” He’d just jump on it and do it. It’d be no problem. Golf, all that stuff. He was a natural athlete, where for me I’ve only ever been able to ride dirt bikes. I can’t do golf. Jet skiing is a struggle. He was a good big brother. That’s what my dad always would say. He’s your big brother. Because I talked to him just like a big brother. Gave him crap all the time, and he’d give it right back. It was fun. We still have that relationship now.
Ten or twelve years ago I went to Japan for the JNCC with Cory Buttrick and Randy showed up. He’s like a national hero over there to those guys. It’s crazy. Absolutely.
What are some of your most memorable monents in you career?
I’d say probably one of the last championships I ever won. That one year, there was basically two championships within the championship, so you had east/west. I really liked it when it was a national championship just like the enduros used to be. You go to California, Oregon, Washington. You traveled the whole country. Once the economy went upside-down, then they started splitting it. The one year they had the east championship, they also had the west championship. They had the
showdown in Davis, Oklahoma. To me, that was the most memorable year because in both cases, the last hare scramble of the year… I missed a few rounds, so I had a very slim shot to win the championship. So it came down to the last round at Arizona. We did our last round in Arizona. It was me and Justin Williamson. Came down to the last race. Basically whoever won, won the championship. I was able to win. So then at the shootout, the overall title was open for anybody. Anybody could win it that year. Tony Joiner, being an Oklahoma guy. Tony was there and I’m like, crap. Tony can win the overall hare scramble championship. He’s a great rider, Oklahoma boy. So I ended up winning both that year. That would be probably one solid memory. Then obviously the first GNCC win, there were just so many years put into it. Once I won that first one, it kind of sparks your… That was very memorable for me, too.
What year did you actually retire from competitive, professional racing?
2009 was my last full year. I tell everybody this story, the reason I quit. It was one of the last GNCC’s that year up in northern North Carolina. I was running probably sixth or seventh in the pro class, XC1. Stew and Kailub caught me from XC2. At that point it was like to me, the writing was on the wall. The kids are coming. That’s just the way the sport works. You can’t beat Father Time.
Tell me about your Yamaha Demo program.
I guess the biggest part of my job is I do all the motorcycle, dirt bike, off-road demos for Yamaha now. So I drive around to different tracks and parks and trails. It’s all dealer-funded, so basically I have to have a dealer. If we’re going to do a demo wherever, I need to have a dealer that’s going to be there to support it not only financially, but also with staff. So we go wherever the dealer wants to go. The most popular place to do a demo is a moto track. That’s where you get the biggest numbers. We’ve done enduros over the years. Quite a few of those. It’s just hard for a dealer. The problem that I have when we go to a national enduro, is you get so many people that are spread out, or the local dealer wants to do an event for his local customers. So I do roughly 100 demos between east and west events a year doing that. Obviously this year it’s going to be a little different. For a while there, for three years I bought another truck and I did side-by-side ATV demos as well. But the motorcycle has always been the most successful, not only in sales. We created it from the ground up, honestly. So when I stopped racing, I talked to Donny Luce in racing. I said, why isn’t Yamaha doing any kind of demo program? KTM at that point was the only other OEM doing dirt demos. Donny said, “Man, I’d love to do
them. The liability is just too great.” So that’s when we got to talking about me being basically a sub-contractor. So I own the trucks and trailers and they supply the bikes and parts. That’s how it all kind of started in 2010. That’s when it all started. We took it slow. Most of the time in the beginning, I was still doing the riding schools hot and heavy so I would let the students test ride the bikes in-between lunch breaks and things like that. But then it started ramping up. Once Yamaha started seeing a few sales out of it, we started having more bikes and more events. That’s what’s just completely taken over. I personally don’t do any more riding schools. Emily, my wife, she does all the riding schools at our property here in South Carolina now.
Didn’t you sponsor some kids, or still do?
Yeah. We did the race team for a number of years. When we had Ricky Russell on the team we were very competitive and championship contenders. Then we had a few rough years where riders got hurt and just bad results. So now I don’t really do anything but Preston, my daughter, that’s kind of our race team is me and Preston. The races I can go to. For her, that’s kind of our race team until Yamaha wants to do a little more. Randy does so much with the race team. Our goal in the beginning was I didn’t want to compete with Randy, so our goal was my team was going to be the feeder for the Am-Pro Yamaha team. So like Brad Bakken. Brad rode for us for a number of years and he went to Randy. That was the ultimate goal. Ricky did the same thing. He went to Randy. So we were going to be the feeder, like Brody Johnson. Brody rode for us for a long time through the youth. Our ultimate goal was to get them ready for the Am-Pro Yamaha team. We had probably three bad years where the A guys weren’t finishing. They weren’t finishing the year and things like that. Even the last year I did it, I put a lot in it. We had a full-on tryout. We had 16 riders. We had eight on one day and eight on another. Full try-out. We did lap times. We did heart rates. We took them training. I wanted to make sure that those guys were serious about this. We had riders like Ryder Lafferty, Cody Barnes… We had motocross guys. We had everybody that we could. Even with that, of the two riders that performed the best on those days, I would have rather had Cody at this point. Cody has progressed. He’s a good kid. Like I said, I still do the race team but it’s just me and Preston. She’s doing all the GNCC’s, all the full gas local races. She’s full on. This year is her first year on the big bike full time. She’s 15. So she’s a little learning curve there with riding the morning race at a GNCC and all the people and lappers and bottle-necks. n
MINd GaMES Come See the Mental Side of Trials
By Mark Manniko
EDITORS NOTE: Like Ryan Young, Mark Manniko is very much a student of the sport of trials. And like Young, Mark was one of the most methodological riders on the circuit. During Mark’s heyday (as he is pictured above), he was a pure joy to watch due to his technical skills. He was often called the “King of the Splatter”, and he also coined the phrase “dig a hole”, when teaching others about exploding into a splatter.
After the 20 years I’ve been competing in trials, I have come to the conclusion that although trials takes a fair amount of muscle and physical finesse, trials is mostly a mental sport. I’m not talking about intelligence here. After all, how many brain surgeons do you see hitting the rocks every weekend? The mental side that I’m talking about is being able to ride at your best any time you want.
Trials is uniquely challenging mentally because it requires razor-sharp focus an average of 45 times over a period of four to eight hours. To pay attention to the mental side of trials is to perform or ride as close to your absolute best on a consistent basis. I like to call this your performance state of mind, or PSM for short. As you can imagine, top athletes share several characteristics of PSM including a positive state of mind and being relaxed, focused, energetic and confident.
I’d bet that most of you have had a brush with PSM -- when you cleaned a section that you thought was way out of your league and it seemed easy and relatively effortless. Even if you have not yet experienced PSM in your trials riding, you’ve likely experienced it somewhere else in your life.
The most common characteristic of PSM is having a positive attitude. Actually, the process begins before your engine is even running – when you walk the section. If while you’re looking over the sections you think “I hope I don’t hit that tree,” there’s a good chance that’s exactly what you’re going to do. This is the case because we tend to do whatever is on our mind, which is perhaps the single most revealing aspect of the human psyche.
On the other hand, there are many distractions that when not dealt with properly can lead to poor performance -- the weather, the sections, the observers and your competitors. In order to ride your best, you can’t let these distractions affect you. The most effective way to deal with these distractions is ask yourself “who is in control of my mind, the distractions or me?” If you answered “me,” you’re on the right track. Understand that controlling your thoughts is the first step towards achieving your PSM.
There are some athletes who use anger or pain to help them focus, both of which present many problems. Anger releases toxic chemicals that are harmful too the body, while pain has obvious drawbacks that we’ve all felt. To use any negative motivation is much to harmful and it quickly takes the fun out of competing. The motivation needs to be positive. Before some of my best rides, while I was preparing to ride a difficult section, my thoughts were “I’m going to
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be the first one up that rock,” or “I’m going to show these guys how this section is supposed to be ridden.”
There is a unique relationship between your mindset and your eyes. If you’ve been reading the articles about the eyes in this publication then you already have the background. The bottom line is that your state of mind changes your vision, which changes your timing and accuracy. Not all people are the same. Some need to be psyched up, while others need to relax in order to perform at their best.
A quick test to find out what you need requires a 10ft piece of string and three beads or something similar that can be attached to the string . Tie one end of the string to something at eye level, place the first bead about 1ft from the end you will be holding , the next in the middle, the last almost at the end of the string. Hold the string to the center of your nose tight enough so that the string is almost a straight line to the attached end. First look at the bead closest to you, you should see two strings meeting at the bead, if you only see one string you are not using both eyes and depth perception will be inaccurate. For most people the strings will meet at the first bead. Move your eyes to the middle bead, again you should see two strings meeting at the bead. This is usually where some inconsistencies start showing up. If the strings meet before the bead you will need to relax to have your timing perfect. If the strings meet after the bead then you need to be psyched up to have your timing perfect. Try this with the last bead also, whichever tendency you have will be magnified.
The majority of athletes need to be psyched-up to perform at their best. The problem for trials riders is that we must do this numerous times during the competition and overall focus must be maintained throughout the event. It’s impossible to remain focused for six to eight hours at the highest mental level. This demonstrates the importance of having an ability to turn your PSM on and off.
Now that you’ve remembered a time when you were using your PSM, I’ll provide you with some techniques that will help you turn it on and off at will. The first technique is visualization. When used properly, visualization enables you to ride the section in your mind before you ever put your bike in the sec-
tion. There are two methods of visualization. The first is to watch yourself riding perfectly through the section, as if you were watching a movie (third person). I believe the more effective visualization method is to actually feel yourself riding the section (in the first person), rather than taking the spectator’s view. While you’re visualizing, you should be as detailed as possible – watch your front wheel lift off the ground, feel your body moving, the more complete the better. You can practice this now by remembering a section from the last trial in which you competed. Ride this section in your mind until you have it right. Studies show that the body does not know the difference between the electrical impulses generated by the brain over actually doing the activity. Think of the advantages you’ll have once you’ve mastered this technique -- essentially, you get to ride the section perfectly before it counts. Of course this doesn’t take the place of actual practice but it’s amazing how much better you can become when you combine the two on a consistent basis.
When you are riding the sections it is important to let your body do what you just accomplished in your visualization. If you are thinking and talking yourself through the section, you are slowing your body’s performance. When you are riding on auto pilot you are in what athletes call the “Zone”. When you are in the “Zone” you are completely in your PSM.
Another powerful technique that helps to control your negative thinking and put you in your PSM is affirmations. The theory behind affirmations is that if you’ve told yourself you hate riding logs and have never been able to ride them, it becomes the truth. This commonly begins if you have a problem with certain techniques or terrain. Instead of deciding in advance that you can’t ride a certain obstacle just tell yourself that you do not know how yet and go about learning how. You can usually watch someone who is good at the technique, even a video, and use their ride as a guide for your visualization. Now you know how to ride it.
Affirmations are similar to visualization in that your subconscious is unable to determine the difference between a lie and the truth. If you choose your weakest technique and create a positive statement such as ”I love slippery roots” and repeat it to yourself somewhere around fifty times a day, you’ll begin to notice that you actually start to enjoy riding slippery roots within a couple of weeks. What you’re doing is reprogramming your mind with thoughts that will help you, instead of what may be hindering you. Again, affirmations aren’t going to replace practice but they will help eliminate weaknesses.
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After you’ve ridden a section it’s important to analyze what did and didn’t work. Repeat your visualization of the perfect ride, so that it’s the last thing you remember about the section. Then clear your mind completely and move on to the next section. Use the time between sections to relax, both mentally and physically. You will not perform at your best if you carry mental baggage from section to section.
Fear is a vital part of our psyche. The problem with fear occurs when we are unable to control it and it keeps us from performing at our best. Fear is so detrimental because it constricts the body and, for many people, generates thoughts of all of the bad things that could happen. Riders at all levels experience fear. The better riders have learned to control their fear and attack the obstacle with 100 percent confidence. As we learned earlier, we tend to do what is on our minds. I am not saying that you can point your bike at a 10-foot vertical wall and turn off your fear and make it, that’s stupidity. But, if something scares you that’s just above your comfort zone and you have the skills to attempt it, you have to turn your fear off and ride with 100 percent confidence.
Trials riders often neglect nutrition. The most important thing mentally and physically before and during competition is to keep your blood sugar levels at a high, consistent level. The first organ to suffer when the blood sugar level drops is the brain. The ultra-endurance athletes have found that the first sign of low blood sugar is a lack of concentration, not feeling tired. Because trials is such an intense mental sport, it’s essential to put nutrition on top of your list to remain at your best over the entire event.
There are many different theories about nutrition, but most athletes have found that it’s beneficial to have a diet that’s made up largely of complex carbohydrates. This also applies during the competition. If you just drink just water without consuming food, you’ll start running out of energy after about one hour. There are different ways of keeping your blood sugar level up. Some people prefer snacks of fruit or energy bars along with water. Other people use sport drinks with an occasional snack. It’s important to determine what works best for you. A note on sport drinks -- not many are designed for long dura-
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tion sports like trials. It is worth the extra time to find one that will work for the whole day. In any case, it’s critical to keep yourself hydrated during the entire competition. Begin the event hydrated and drink about 8oz every 15-20 minutes throughout the event. This is the most the body can use during intense physical activity. If you wait until you’re thirsty, it’s too late.
There is a wealth of knowledge about sports psychology and nutrition available in most bookstores. I have presented the techniques and methods I have found to work best for me, but everyone is different. I would encourage you to read up on this subject and supplement this with your own experimentation and research. Not only will you have a better time, you’ll begin to notice a significant improvement in your riding. n
LANE LEAVETT lANE’S STORy
Three-time US National Trials Champion Lane Leavitt talks about his Pro Trials career. (Photos from the Len Weed Collection)
I rode my very first Trial in the fall of 1969 on a Hodaka Ace 100, the kids I rode with were my High School pals, and we had some married Adult friends who we rode Enduros with. For some reason, we all decided we would go ride a Trial up in beautiful Marine County. Why we all began riding Trials and quit Enduros I don’t really remember, but I depended on my married adult friends to carry my Hodaka to any events we did, because I didn’t have a pick-up, all I had was my Hot Rod 1956 Chevy Bel-Air with a 4 speed Munci Tranny, and Tuck and Roll interior.
We all lived the movie American Graffiti lifestyle, we cruised the boulevard at night with my Car Club, The Coachmen of Pleasanton, and rode Motorcycles during the day. If you have any doubts of how wild our lifestyle was, ask Kurt Mayfield, who came and stayed with me the summer of 73, Kurt said to me recently, it was the best, the wildest and the greatest summer of his lifetime.
Why I decided to focus on Trials was I was not 18 yet, and I wanted to go MX racing but my folks refused to sign the release for me to race. Trials at that time did not require a release, so I decided to compete in Trials until I turned 18, then quit and go MX racing. The sport and the world has change so, very, very much, and not for the better in my opinion.
So I began trials training really hard, so hard in fact that in one year I went from a first time Trial rider, to the best rider in the nation in little over a year of hard training. I lived at home, and had an extremely good paying job building swimming pools that allowed me to purchase my first real trials machine, a brand new 1970 Montesa Cota 247, I choose the Cota, because its the bike that the World Champ was riding, Don Smith.
On this machine, I had my first solid Championship win, the Pacific Trials Championship in Gilroy California. This win made me Champion of NorCal, and gave me the confidence I needed to begin venturing out around the nation. By that time I had changed jobs and was working nights at General Motors Parts division in
Oakland, which allowed me to train all day, and work 8 hours at night. This combination of self funding, and the time and enthusiasm to train, was perfect for improving my performances.
Of course we all would show up first thing Wednesday morning at the motorcycle shop to get the latest copy of Cycle News Newspaper, it of course had all the results of the previous week, and advertised the upcoming events around the western US. One week I noticed that the Souther California Trials Association was promoting an event called the El Trial De Espana at Saddleback park in So Cal, and that the club was sending their best two riders to Spain for the World Round. I had to go, just to see how I staked up against the SoCal Rider.
I was all trained up, my bike was working well, so I loaded up my Hot Rod brand new Ford Supervan, with its custom wheels, which was totally tricked out for cruising, it was about the coolest hauler anybody could have in 1970. Then headed for Saddleback and El Trial # 1, remember this year is # 50, so that’s how long ago this was.
I traveled alone, nobody else was crazy enough to travel that far to ride a Trial but me, and I was a man on a mission. Which was to beat the two riders the SCTA were sending to Europe to represent the USA.
Arriving that night before the Trial, I slept in the driveway going up to the Motorcycle Park in my van, just me and my Motorcycle. Then the next day, I spanked the top two SoCal riders really good, making me the very first winner of the El Trial De Espana, that was December 1970. Fred Belair was thrilled, and was out of his mind happy a Montesa rider showed up out of nowhere and beat the OSSA and Bultaco rider who they were sending to Spain, I don’t believe I have ever seen Fred so happy ever.
Winning El Trial # 1 opened the doors of sponsorship for me. Montesa offered to trade my old bike for a new on for free. But Bultaco contacted my and literally rolled out the Red Carpet, by offering me free parts, 2 new motorcycles, and $250 for every trial I won, $150 for 2nd and $75 for 3rd, which was good money back in 1971, considering a new Corvette Stingray was under $4 Grand. Me switching to Bultaco crushed Fred Belair, and he never forgave me, but Bultaco just gave me an offer I could not refuse, and remember I really didn’t want to ride Trials, what I wanted was to go Racing, but this free bike and parts thing was awesome. I won almost every trial I rode, but I never collected the win money from Bultaco, because I felt guilty taking money for riding Trials, which I thought was fun, and I didn’t feel comfortable getting paid to play.
The next cool adventure riding Trials was in Colorado, The Great Victor Trial in
Leadville. The local Bultaco dealer wanted to show the Sherpa T’s he was selling could compete against the Montesa Cota, which was dominating all the events out there. Bultaco gave me a call, and asked me if I would be willing to fly out to Colorado to ride a Trial by the request of the local dealer? Fly to a Trial, Really! Nobody flys to a Trial, except maybe Mick Andrews or Sammy Miller, but hey, I will try, so I flew out, borrowed a bike and won that event also. I still didn’t collect any win money, I was still too guilty to give them a bill for riding a trail.
At that point in my Trials career, I figured that’s about all I could do on a Trials bike, I was ready for my next adventure in racing. So I decided to go car racing, so I stopped practicing and began to think of other things. Then the phone rings again, and it’s Bultaco once again. They ask if I was planning on going to El Trial #2, and I said no. They said, we think you should but they didn’t tell me exactly why. Turns out, Bultaco was providing a Free Trip to Spain for the 10th San Antonia Trial at the Bulto family ranch. So I went down and rode, winning the trial and a free trip to Spain from Bultaco, which was amazing. All the newspapers covered this story, including the Oakland Tribune which made Bultaco extremely happy, and me a hot property as a Trial rider, but I was still planning of quitting riding and going Sports Car racing, because there simply were NO professional Trials riders at that time, and to carry on riding trials seemed like a foolish return on my investment of time.
The the Phone rings once again, and Bultaco was on the line. They asked me if I was planning on going to Saddleback Park that weekend to ride against the Montesa Factory rider, Rob Edwards from Europe who they have sent for a promotional tour of the USA. I said no! And they requested me to go and represent Bultaco once again.
I had actually retired from Trials but I decided lets do this one more time. Then once again I had a good ride and would have beaten Rob Edwards at SaddleBack, but the organizers realizing I was going to win, simply because Rob was behind on time and didn’t have the time to finish his 3rd loop in time.
So the organizers, just abruptly dropped the 3rd loop just as I was racing in to collect my 3rd lap scorecard, which enabled Rob to finish on time, just beating my score.
Not bad for my last trial I thought! Almost beating the Factory rider from Europe, and I would have if the organizers had not pulled the “Fast One” on me. Tuesday afternoon I’m back at work at GM, and I get a call once again and its Bultaco on the line. They ask me to come down to the importer in San Jose, not far from my home in Pleasanton, they want to discuss something with me. So
I go down the the importer the next morning for the meeting, and the executives of Bultaco America bring me into the front office conference room and offer me a job riding trials, and my mission is to follow Rob Edwards across the USA and compete against him in all the promotional events he will do for the major USA trials clubs. Whoa, wait! That means I must quit my good paying job, pack my bags, bike, gear, tools and do something nobody had done before, ride trials events with all the major clubs all across the USA.
This was a scary decision, quitting my good paying job launching out into the unknown, then driving all the way across the USA and back all by myself. I took the leap of faith, and in the first Trial in Colorado, I beat Edwards, causing another insult via injury to the Montesa promotional department, where I was getting very unpopular. Being the very first person to ride with all the major US clubs was interesting. Nobody used the same rules, nobody used the same marking systems, so each new event was a game of mental chess to remember everything. That was really how my career as a Professional full Time Trials rider began, so it’s only fitting I tell how it all ended. I will let the AMA Magazine tell the story for me, this is what they wrote. Being a Pro Trial Rider is NOT fun, it’s actually one of the Hardest Jobs I have ever held, and I’ve had some tough ones. So when you see riders like Toni Bou, or Raga, don’t envy them, the pressure up top is almost unbearable. But winning events in Trials was not the Biggest Thrills of my Trials career, it was meeting my Wife Debbie Evans, the cute little Yamaha Factory rider, who has made me the best wife imaginable. Then how it all lead me into my career in Hollywood, which is really both Debbie’s and my calling, the Motion Picture and TV Action industry, which is where both of us have really left our mark in this world. n
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USA DEALERS
Dirt Riders West///Mike Carlton///602.370.7546///Phoenix, AZ
Lewisport USA///Adrian & Mandy Lewis///209.785.6878///Copperopolis, CA
Balance Trials Supply///Bill Haskell///720.207.7715///Arvada, CO
Trial Store USA ///Alex Niederer///941.404.0757///Bradenton, FL
Aloha Trials///Clayton Oshita///808.822.2706///Kapaa, HI
Hawaii Rides ///Sam Bird///808.621.6686///Wahiawa, HI
Jack’s Cycles ///Stuart Preston///207.337.1274///South Berwick, ME
Mossy Rock Trials///Dan Larson///406.930.0227///Big Timber, MT
Competition Wheels///James McKenzie///704.906.3238///Concord, NC
HVC Cycle///Brad Obidowski///402.817.4795///Lincoln, NE
Miller Ranch Trials///Aaron & Andy Miller///607.765.8362///Corning, NY
Adroit Engineering ///Jon Rentschler ///440.668.3207///Chardon, OH
Gran Prix Cycle///Gary & Robyn Byers///541.926.3139///Albany, OR
Trials Training Cntr. Charlie or Carey///423.942.8688///Sequatchie, TN
Frank’s Motorbikes///Frank Kergil///425.603.9000///Bellevue, WA
ALIENAUTOPSY
KIRK MAYFIELD’S
‘74
FACTORY REPLICA
A GEARHEAD’S LOOK AT SOME OF THE TRICKEST BIKES IN OFF-ROAD
KIRK MAYFIELD WAS PART OF THE ‘73/’74 US FACTORY YAMAHA TRIALS TEAM. HERE’S A LOOK AT THE 1974 FACTORY TY YAMAHA TRIALS REPLICA HE IS CURRENTLY BUILDING. (PHOTOS COURTESY MAYFIELD)
EDITORS NOTE: HERE IS KIRK MAYFIELD TALKING ABOUT BEING CHOSEN FOR THE 1974 YAMAHA FACTORY TRIALS TEAM AND ABOUT THE FACTORY BIKE HE RODE. HE ALSO FILLS US IN ON THE “REPLICA” HE IS CURRENTLY BUIDLING. LOOK FOR A FULL STORY ON MAYFIELD’S CAREER IN NEXT MONTH’S ISSUE.
WE WILL NOW TURN IT OVER TO KIRK:
I received a call from Yamaha. They were putting together a Trials Team and were looking for the best rider available in the 4 regions of the country. They chose Don Sweet from the Northeast, Bob Hopkins from the North, Joe Guglielmelli from the West Coast and Me from the South-Central region. We all had different riding styles and different approaches to setting up our scooters. I altered the top shock mount position. It was moved forward and down like what the later Yamaha Majesty uses, and for that matter Yamaha and several other manufacturers eventually used. I guess I had happened on something that really worked before it became the norm.
We also had what was touted as being a “fuel Injection” system. The system had two distinct parts. One was the section that received fuel from the tank and dispensed it to the engine. It was what a lot of people call a “pumper carburetor”. It had no float bowl. The second section housed a “D” shaped slide with an adjustable needle and a hose connection below the needle. The main body had three
KIRK MAYFIELD’s ‘74 TY BEFORE THE “BUILD”.
fittings that had hoses on them, two screws and a button. The largest hose was hooked to the fuel tank. One took an impulse from the transfer port in the cylinder on one side of the bellows. On the other side of the bellows was another fitting that supplied fuel to the bottom of the needle. The main body had two screws for adjusting fuel volume to the needle. There were no jets, per se. One would be adjusted so the engine would be crisp off the bottom. Once that was dialed in, you held it wide open and adjusted the other screw to get max revs. There were rubber boots that covered the area where the screws and hose fittings were. There was also a button. This was depressed several times to start the engine. It acted like a choke. It was velvet smooth and super strong down low and revved to the moon!!! Mick Andrews told me that it was never produced due to its high cost. Mick still has a few sets, so I am told… I rode for Yamaha International, the Importer in the USA, in 73-74.
I got the bug again recently after a 30 year hiatus. This time it got started with a want to ride again and a call to my old friend Lane Leavitt from California, USA, while sitting in the parking lot of a Lowe’s Home improvement center one Sunday morning. I told him that I had the bug to start riding again and he immediately suggested that I ditch the idea of a modern bike and return to my roots and get a Yamaha Twin Shock like I had in the 70’s. He and I started scouring the web for a good scooter to start with. I had one located in Western Colorado, but never could come to terms on a purchase with the owner. I ended up driving 12 hours one-way to Tennessee to look at another. It looked a lot better than what it really was but I didn’t know it at the time. I ended up buying it and within 2 hours after reaching home, I had it disassembled down to the bare frame. I thought I was getting a respectable motorcycle to start with. But, the more parts I took off of it the more I uncovered the dirty secret it had hidden! I started my laundry list of what I needed to make it right again. The list was immense. I contacted Bob Ginder at B&J Racing in Dickson, Tennessee and gave him my list and Credit Card Number. He and other suppliers around the globe helped in procuring the ever-lengthening list of spares. Suppliers from Canada, The United States, Spain, Japan, England, Scotland, Taiwan and the Netherlands have assisted in helping build a scooter that blows away my Factory Yamaha I had in the 70’s. I have replaced Front & Rear Rims, Stainless Spokes, Wheel Bearings and seals, Brake Shoes, Domino Throttle Assembly, Boysen Two Stage Reeds and Reed Block Spacer, All New Cables, 520 Chain Conversion, MSR Shift Lever, 76-77 Seat & Brackets, Front & Rear Fenders, Modified Clutch Assembly, Electronic Ignition , Alloy Skid Plate , New Domino Lever Assemblies, Fork Seals and Wipers, Footpeg Lowering Kit, 26mm OKO Carbeuretor with an elongated bore, UNI Air Filter, Stainless Head Pipe, WES Exhaust System , Alloy Shock Mount
Kit, Alloy Front Spindle, Alloy Rear Spindle, Alloy Swing Arm Spindle, Front and Rear Alloy Inner Wheel, All Stainless Steel fasteners, Alloy Swinging Arm, Frame Shock Mount Mods, Frame Welding Clean Up, I polished the outside of Fork Springs, polish Inside of Fork Tubes, Endless Polishing and assembly. Still left to do is cylinder and head work. I can count the bits and pieces on one hand without running out of fingers that haven’t been modified, and or, replaced outright! Canada, The United States, Spain, Japan, England, Scotland, Taiwan and the Netherlands! I have searched websites for many answers that I needed. I asked questions from perfect strangers who were always willing to help! And I have met some old souls around the planet that share the same passion for the sport as I do. It turned out just as I had intended. I wanted to make it superior in every way to the Factory Yamaha I rode as a kid in the 70’s. And needless to say, it is a joy to ride. Hope you enjoy the photos, and feel free to ask questions. I will gladly help, like others did for me...
Some will think I have bastardized the scooter. Some will think I didn’t take it far enough by not building a complete one-off frame, etc.!!! I understand both views. And will not criticize either. But I still sit and stare in amazement at what I have. I had two TY 250’s gifted to me at 18 by Yamaha, built my own at 64. Wish they would have let us ride what I just built, back then! n
gOOD OlD TImES blOg COMPETITION MAGICIAN
by kENNETH OlAuSSON
pHOTOS: HuSqvARNA
In Husqvarna’s Golden Era of motocross, Bror Jaurén was the primary person responsible for handling the factory’s tactics in their quest for success. Working as competition manager for the racing department, Jaurén’s leadership led to 14 motocross world championship titles from six different riders during his 33 years at Husqvarna. I met him in the late 70s.
Talking to Jaurén, you hardly noticed him as being an influential man. He was quiet and reserved without big words or gestures. Bror had an eye for talent scouting and there was nothing wrong with his intellect or plans for future laurels. His calm manners often helped him make the correct decisions under difficult circumstances, for example when negotiating deals with factory riders. In 1953, Bror Jaurén came to the Husqvarna motorcycle company when sales took off as
the two-wheeler became popular. However, he then already had experience with the company. After the war, he had ridden the company’s new 118cc two-stroke machine in some races. But Bror Jaurén’s everyday work was in Husqvarna’s sewing machine division from 1946. While there, he carried on with his studies and eventually graduated with a technical engineer’s degree.
“My first task in the motorcycle division was to establish routines for the factory’s competition agenda. It was first limited to enduro events such as the famous ‘Novemberkasan’, but later also included scrambling,” Jaurén remembered when I interviewed him during the late 70s. Bror was always accommodating to press people and never refrained from publicity.
In August 1955, manager Bror Jaurén met with race rookie Bengt-Olov Wessman, when they both were attending an enduro event in Stockholm. Bengt brought a Silverpilen to race and Jaurén also had a Silver Arrow, which was raced by an unknown rider. “I told Jaurén about my machine and complained about the front forks’ rubber, which was too soft to give any good suspension,” said Wessman. Jaurén promised to get improved parts that would enhance the front sus-
pension. A few weeks later, the Husqvarna engineer Ruben Helmin brought new rubber, but said, “If you’re going to race with this machine, you have to blame yourself. The Silver Arrow is not made for racing.” Consequently, in the middle of the 50s, people at Husqvarna did not realize what potential they had in the Silverpilen to be a competitive racer.
“Our first title came in 1959 when Rolf Tibblin won the European championship (later world championship as of 1962) with our 250cc machine,” said Jaurén. “It was a proud moment. Then we had constant success for more than 20 years until Hakan Carlqvist won the 250 world title in 1979. Between these two remarkable achievements, there were another twelve titles from riders like the Swedes Bill Nilsson, Torsten Hallman, Bengt Aberg and the Finn Heikki Mikkola who all won several titles, as did Tibblin.”
Husqvarna’s success resulted in good sales. In 1961, 10,500cc four-strokes were made in the factory workshop, intended for sale. They immediately caught the eye of customers. The first 250cc mx replicas came in 1962 when the factory churned out 10 machines. Then, in 1963, a further 100 replicas were manufactured for sale. A little over 60% of these 250s went to domestic riders, while 40% of this batch mostly went to Finland and Norway. Bror Jaurén was an emotional man. It happened that he would support a rider with spare parts because he liked him, rather than considering his talent. Jaurén’s favourite machine over his mx
career was no doubt the 500cc four stroke in the beginning of the 60s.
“It was a wonderful masterpiece of engineering,” marvelled Bror. “And also, a winning concept as we captured three world titles with Bill Nilsson and Rolf Tibblin.” The bike was state of the art and he kept one factory 500 for the Husqvarna museum, where it still can be observed today.
In the old Golden Era, most riders were also skilful mechanics and understood well the technical side of the sport. There was a tremendous will to conquer and win at a time when money only played a supporting role.
“Unfortunately, in the modern days, this fact has changed,” said Jaurén. The riders wouldn’t go near their machines when they didn’t race and suddenly contracts, money and fame became time’s ruling order. He was formally elected Sales & Competition Manager in 1961, a position Bror held until 1971.
“Contract figures weren’t nearly as steep as they are in modern days,” Jaurén told me. “Riders weren’t well paid and only a few had the benefit from our factory support then. You had to have one hell of a talent in order for me to take out the cheque book.”
In the 70s, Husqvarna developed a light-frame for motocross constructed from aluminium. It broke at the Swiss 250cc GP with much negative publicity after Jaurén had rejected an American-made frame of titanium, which was banned by a FIM technical committee where Jaurén also was a member. “Not so much to brag about,” were his shy comments.
After 33 years in the saddle at Husqvarna, Bror J decided to call it a day in 1979 and he withdrew from the paddock at the age of 61. “Things started to get complicated with the involvement of the Swedish conglomerate Electrolux and the future for motorcycles was uncertain.” Bror Jaurén proved to be right yet another time as the company was sold to the Italians eight years after he left for retirement.
“Any regrets?” I asked him.
“Oh, yes,” Jaurén stated. “I’d give anything to undo the fact that we let the Japanese technicians come close to our machines. Without scruples, they photographed every detail there was to copy. So, some years later, the big factories overtook the dominance in the motocross field. But we didn’t understand that at the time of the Japanese arrival in motocross. Try taking a shot at their factory bikes today and you’ll see what happens!”
Otherwise, there is not much that Bror Jaurén missed at Husqvarna in his three decades. Unfortunately, Bror Jaurén passed away in 1985 at the young age of 69 years. n
• A versatile trials or trail bike (with the addition of a removable seat)
• The T-18 Dragonfly is an adult electric trials bike featuring a real hydraulic clutch
• A 5 speed gearbox provides the best match of engine power to terrain requirements
• M4 39mm Aluminum AIR FORKS
• Special Ohlins shock direct to swing arm (Linkless suspension)
• 3 hr quick change battery
• Weighs in at 132 pounds
TRIALS TRAINING CENTER TRIALS TRAINING CENTER
2020 Schedule
February 23: CTC Fun Trial
(Following STRA Banquet on February 22)
March 28-29: Bicycle Event
April 4-5: Trials Training Days
April 18-19: Spring Splash Trial (STRA)
May 30-32: Southern 4WD Meet and Greet
June 29-July 1: Family Camp
July 2-4: East Coast Youth Nationals & Women’s Open
July 3: TDN Fundraiser Gate Trial
July 5-9: Invitational Teen Camp
August 14-16: 10th Annual Kenda TKO
September TBA: ITSA Vintage Trial National
October 17-18: 28th Annual 58K Fall Trial (STRA)
November 8: Bicycle Event
December 6: Toy Trial - CTC Winter Series Round 1
