Spring 2020 TRF Trail Magazine

The Members’ Magazine of the Trail Riders Fellowship Spring 2020

Pay ‘n’ Play Day Surrey TRF gets down and dirty

Riding the Plain On an AJS Tempest Scrambler, we join a customer ride-out on Salisbury Plain

Having it Large BMW’s Off-Road Skills team swaps Wales for Portugal

Moors and Coast event A scary weekend in Whitby

SWM RS125R

We get a leg over this little Italian job

Coronavirus: The official TRF position Reader Survey: Have your say online Old Maps: How green roads were hidden March Hare LDT: A day out on a TRS XTrack Youth Training: TRF engages with DVSA Mod 1

Stay at home. Protect the NHS. Save Lives: www.trf.org.uk/COVID

THE TRF TEAM TRF Chair & Marketing Director: Mario Costa-Sa mario@trf.org.uk 07721 480000 After 4pm please unless urgent Membership Director: Dave Carling dave.c@trf.org.uk 07586 325260 Group Communications Director: Andrew Byatt andrew.b@trf.org.uk Financial Director: Michel Sabatier finance@trf.org.uk 07801 187304 Police Liaison & TRF Governance Director: Stuart Bosworth stuart.b@trf.org.uk Heritage Director: Steve Neville steve.n@trf.org.uk Safety & Northern Area Director: Doug Cartwright doug.c@trf.org.uk Technical Director: John Vannuffel john.v@trf.org.uk 07730 796215 Training Director: Chris Barrable chris.b@trf.org.uk Director: Carla McKenzie carla.m@trf.org.uk TRF Membership PO Box 4829 Shrewsbury SY1 9LP Membership Secretary: Helen John helen@trf.org.uk IT: Adrian Allen web@trf.org.uk Equestrian & Events Liaison: equestrian@trf.org.uk TRF Learning Platform: learning@trf.org.uk Press: pr@trf.org.uk Advertising: Charlie Harris charlie@trf.org.uk 07768 855019 Editorial: Rick Kemp rick@trf.org.uk 07941 233777

Editorial Well We just slipped under the wire with this issue, trail riding was still allowed, even encouraged back then. I’m sure that the last few weeks have been pretty strange for everyone, though perhaps in different ways. self-isolation becomes lockdown and going out becomes a criminal offence so lots of people are at home with time on their hands. the other side of the coin is the health service in crisis with people working till they drop. strange times.

Putting together the summer issue of trail will mean relying on the membership even more for contributions so feel free to contact me or your Group chair with any articles and photographs. In this issue you can see the categories in the online the Reader survey.

Please use some of your time to complete the survey so that trail can better reflect the views and activities of the membership. Also in Directors’ Reports there’s an update on how the membership process is being streamlined which should benefit us all. ensuring that the next generation of tRF members is catered for, the spring issue features two A1 license category 125s from Ajs and sWM plus there’s a piece on the tRF DVsA Mod 1 off-road training which throws up some interesting anomalies in the uK motorcycle testing regime. Of course getting young bums on seats isn’t just desirable for the tRF, it’s the holy grail for the whole uK motorcycle industry.

Most of you will know that the Adventure Bike Rider Festival has had to be cancelled and with it the tRF’s 50th anniversary celebrations. However, don’t despair because there are plans to move the whole thing onward 12 months, check the websites for details.

On the subject of 50th anniversaries, the current edition of Classic trial is revisiting the scottish six Days trial of 1970 and it includes a photo of trail’s Charlie Harris aboard a Montesa Cota 247. Charlie recalls that when the bike arrived it was virtually a road bike with a big tank and seat and the bike was modified and rebuilt in a first-floor room of an edinburgh hotel. Despite this inauspicious start to the event Charlie was credited with finishing in 18th place.

Back to the here and now, I hope you enjoy the spring issue and if we all keep our heads down we might be riding again in time for the summer issue. stay safe.

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.05884933 Registered Office, 218 The Strand, London WC2R 1AT. 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.

CONTENTS

SPRING 2020 Issue #11

Stay at home. Protect the NHS. Save Lives: www.trf.org.uk/COVID

DIRECTORS’ REPORTS The Members’ Magazine of the Trail Riders Fellowship 03 Directors’ Reports: What to do about Coronavirus, changes in membership, new support for Group Officers 09 Technical Report: John Vannuffel highlights the great green-road swindle 12 Membership Survey: The TRF may have got its voice back but does Trail strike the right notes?

20 Groups Map: Find your nearest Group 22 A Quick Leg Over A… RS 125R: Does it sink or SWM? 34 Having it Large: Andrew Byatt hones his BMW Off-Road Skills in Portugal 42 Weekend Warrior: It’s not just the Army carrying out manoeuvres on Salisbury Plain. We join an AJS Tempest Scrambler ride-out 52 March Hare LDT: TRF stalwart Trudi spends a day with a TRS 300 XTrack 58 Mudlarking About: Surrey TRF’s Pay ’n’ Play day down in the woods 62 Tested: In this issue it’s Adventure Spec’s Mini Fairing and the Scorpion ADX-1 flip-front Adventure helmet 66 Blood and Sand: The Crash Test Dummy’s take on the Moors and Coast event

FIRST AND FOREMOST, we hope all our members and their families are keeping safe at what is an incredibly difficult time for the global community. There is no precedent, best practice or instruction manual to deal with the corona pandemic.

Advice and information from government and other experts is evolving at such a pace it would be both wrong, and potentially conflicting, for any organisation especially the TRF to provide definitive advice at any one time. It is more important than ever for members to continue to act responsibly and consider how their actions can protect themselves and their community from harm by following Government advice.

Stay at home. Protect the NHS. Save Lives

Protection against fake news The TRF page unashamedly focusses on Government advice and reputable news sources including the BBC and Countryside user groups. Whilst we love to hear members passing onto the TRF communications team COVID-19 virus advice from Dave, the latest virus expert on Facebook, it isn’t something the TRF can confidently put out to an audience of 20k trail riders.

Fake news has become a feature of modern life and Coronavirus has given the fakers a great opportunity to spread misinformation.

The TRF Coronavirus Bulletin Board has links to reputable sites to assist members in checking the facts behind some of the posts.

The TRF Code of Conduct advises:

Cover main pic: Flatout Media, inset pics: SWM & Andrew Byatt This pic: Flatout Media

Endeavour at all times to be a good ambassador for motorcycling For many of us this will mean temporarily stopping riding and taking up alternative forms of exercise. We can of course use the time at home to maintain and improve our machines.

Rest assured that the TRF Directors and Group Officers will be ensuring you are kept up to date with relevant information at this challenging time.

For this reason, the TRF has decided to create a Bulletin Board approach where it can share ongoing advice, both from the TRF and from other organisations from

Spring 2020 Trail 03

https://www.gov.uk/coronavirus

where it feels members would benefit from their perspective.

Pic by: J Bentman

72 Friends of the TRF: Companies that support the TRF by offering member discounts

TRF Chair, Mario Costa-Sa mario@trf.org.uk explains the Fellowship’s position on Coronavirus

Stay at home. Protect the NHS. Save Lives:www.trf.org.uk/COVID

Organisational readiness and the TRFs ability to cope Bill Gates, co-founder of Microsoft is widely credited as seeing this crisis coming as early as 2014/2015. Predicting it as a far higher threat and impact than war he promoted readiness action five years ago.

Whilst many organisations have faced considerable challenges with a switch to remote working from home and downsizing operations as a result, this has not been an issue for the TRF. We are naturally a resilient organisation, staffed by volunteers, working flexibly from home in spare time or at work during breaks. We have no computers or systems other than our own and critical information is stored safely yet accessibly in the cloud. Eighty percent of board meetings are carried out byconference call or Zoom video conference.

As such, even with a drop in events over the next few months the TRF is well placed organisationally to divert our attentions to pastoral support of members at home, and pick up where we left off when group riding re-commences.

Our printers are ready and Trail magazine will continue to be delivered over for the foreseeable future.

Did we do enough to prepare for the crisis?

In addition to our organisational readiness, we have extended our influence through TRF Members supporting the community. TRF has transformed from defending our entitlement against the wider community and government, to integrating with the community and demonstrating our value to public benefit; at individual level through First Aid training, at group level with practical support and co-working with Emergency Services as well as charitable and conservation work. Also at organisational level though demonstrating the health and economic benefits of trail riding and the role of trail riders in the community.

Trail Riders value the Emergency services more than most. The Air Ambulance

04 Trail Spring 2020

regularly features at the top of our list of favoured charities and we are proud to work in support of the Police.

If you know of anyone organising civil response schemes please send them the link to the TRF work with the Emergency Services to promote responsible trail riding which has the TRF’s proposal for the use of dualpurpose motorcycles (trail motorcycles) in Disaster Response.

As with any activity, we are genuinely interested in understanding what we could do better in the future. Even better if you can join the TRF volunteers to help directly in the area you want to improve.

Useful links to the TRF and Coronavirus are here www.trf.org.uk/COVID

TRF Raffle www.trf.wildapricot.org/TRF-RAFFLE/ The TRF raffle was launched at Motorcycle Live and many thanks to Clements Moto for supplying a 2020 Fantic Casa.

The winner can choose a 125 or 250cc version. We are looking for a TRF National Raffle Manager to: Procure interesting bikes Manage the raffle Look at new raffle & lottery products Please contact: marketing@trf.org.uk

The new TRF 50th An

niversary membership card

Stay at home. Protect the NHS. Save Lives: www.trf.org.uk/COVID

Changes in TRF Membership Circumstances have conspired to hinder the membership process going into the new decade. Fortunately we’ve managed to turn things round

An apology

became unable to take on the more involved aspects of the role.

TRF Membership operations have worked smoothly for many years, but this winter it went wrong, and we are communicating personally to all members who may have been affected to apologise and explain the situation.

Situation Recovered

The Background TRF has doubled in size over the last few years, and as a result, the tasks have multiplied in number and complexity, yet TRF Membership continued to be primarily administered by one person.

The “handover” plans for Sharon stepping down, following her five years of support, started over six months ago with a co-working handover to an incoming membership secretary carried out over a three-month period. The handover went successfully for 95% of the operations but unfortunately, 5% of the tasks involved have proved to be excessively demanding, including the reconciliation of four different systems which members use to make payments and the manual recording of their contributions on a central database.

Regrettably, these few small database related issues had a rather unexpected impact which affected some members.

In addition, over the Christmas period the incoming membership secretary suffered the sad loss of both parents in quick succession and understandably

06 Trail Spring 2020

We are please to say that the situation has now recovered. Following some hard work

by Dave Carling – TRF’s new Membership Director and Andrew Byatt, who has taken on a new role in Database operations we have fixed the issue.

A Membership “hotline” has been set up and will be answered by Dave Carling, Director.

The Hotline phone number is: 07958316295 If Dave is not available to answer your call when you phone, please leave a message and he will return your call as soon as possible. We will be looking for additional volunteers to help take the calls once we have set up a second support hotline.

Member self-help Members can check their membership and make changes to their address and groups directly on www.trail.trf.org.uk https://trail.trf.org.uk/members/my-profile/ You do need to be registered into Trail to access these pages.

Moving forwards We have been planning a revision of the membership system for some time. This incident has been an opportunity to bring this forward and learn some lessons.

We are looking at; Improved member to member visibility and contactability Empowering groups to access the membership system effectively increasing our membership managers from 1 to 40+.

Automating the manual processes that have let us down.

Improving communications within the TRF

In conclusion Sharon has stepped down from her five-year tenure as TRF Membership Secretary and the Directors on behalf of the membership would like to thank her for the support she has provided to us all over these years, there is no doubt she will be missed. We are sure too, you would wish us to pass on your condolences to the incoming secretary who sadly lost both of her parents over Christmas.

Membership records etc. are now up to date, and are expected to be maintained going forward. As to be expected, with the level of activity we have, there are a few queries that need to be addressed.

A full-scale review of all emails sent by the membership system and the associated payment systems has, and is continuing to assist in making the joining and renewal process as smooth as possible for all concerned.

Membership pack dispatch is also up to date, but it should be accepted, that with the high number of membership reconciliations per month, that it can sometimes take up to three weeks for the membership packs to arrive at their destination, so if you need to check a member’s current status, please do so online via the membership enquiry system. https://trail.trf.org.uk/members/m y-profile/ We are now up to date and in a better position than ever to process TRF membership.

Spring 2020 Trail 07

Road-book Enduro Tours in France DATES FOR 2020

22/23/24 April 13/14/15 May 27/28/29 May 10/11/12 June 2/3/4 Sept 23/24/25 Sept 21/22/23 Oct 4/5/6 Nov 18/19/20 Nov

Dordogne Pyrenees Issoire Lozerien Bis Issoire Pyrenees Massif du Morvan Dordogne Normandie

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

Stay at home. Protect the NHS. Save Lives: www.trf.org.uk/COVID

DIRECTORS’ REPORTS Group Communications Director, Andrew Byatt, andrew.b@trf.org.uk, discovers that there is life with a bus pass

08 Trail Spring 2020

they can welcome them to the Group if they wish.

I have lots of plans for the future and hope that these changes will benefit all members of the TRF, I would only ask that you help the Group Officers by making any changes necessary to your membership details directly via the website either here if you want to renew, or here if you just need to update your personal details or add Andrew Byatt an additional Group to your choice.

These simple changes do not need to be directed to the Group Officers as they will be advised via the Group Membership of your details anyway.

I hope you enjoy all the benefits that being a member of the TRF has to offer, the Group Officers are there to support you, but why not step up and join their team, speaking from experience as Membership Secretary for Wiltshire TRF it is one of the most rewarding experiences I have had since joining the TRF six years ago.

Most Groups need more help to provide the best experience for the membership, and we know there are certain areas of the Country that are not served by a local Group at all and we are working hard to rectify this situation.

In the immortal words of John F Kennedy “Ask not what your Country (Group) can do for you, instead ask what you can do for your Country (Group)“ So, if you want to help, either by joining the local support team or have a desire to set up your own Group in your area, please get in touch we will do all we can to help.

Thank you

The man himself, Hubert Egerton on the fro nt wheel-drive Wern er

Technical Report Mapping the Roads from Technical Director John Vannuffel.

How Green Roads were gradually hidden from the public IN OCTOBER 1901, Tatler magazine reported that Hubert Egerton had completed the first Lands’ End to John O’Groats trip by motorcycle, noting that many motorcyclists had tried before and failed.

The 1901 feat was a triumph of navigation as much as motorcycling.

Mr Egerton would likely have ridden from Norwich to the starting point at Lands’ End. The rider had to take a route having regard to gradient, as the motorcycles of the time were not always capable of climbing steep hills – or effectively braking on the descents.

From 1897, Gall and Inglis published a Contour Road Book, that provided details as to gradients on roads, this was intended to be used in conjunction with Gall and Inglis maps. A popular motoring and cycling maps were the Gall and Inglis strip maps, that covered the Lands’ End to John O’Groats route in three sections. Following the strip map was much like following the line on a modern day satnav – the information similarly confined to the depicted route and immediate surrounding area.

Between the late 1800s and the establishment of trail riding as a popular pastime pre-WW1, the pioneering motorcyclist enjoyed the introduction of maps specifically catered for the full exploration of the network of minor highways. In addition to the maps, the British trail rider enjoyed the worlds’ first motorcycling magazine The Motor Cycle, launched in 1903. It featured an abundance of readers’ letters and articles that discussed roads and celebrated the exploration of new roads, often with direct reference to commercially available motoring maps.

Popular motorcycling maps included Bartholomew’s and Autocar Maps, together with the Michelin Guides. Bartholomew’s in particular marked its motoring maps (especially 1902) to show the passability of roads. Many of the recommended roads are present day green roads.

The public facing mapping of roads, encouraged the exploration and use of the public carriageway network. Beyond the maps, the motoring and wider media worked hand in hand with the mapping, celebrating

Spring 2020 Trail 09

THE FIRST FEW months of this year have gone by in a blur of activity. But I still managed to get a week off riding in the glorious Portuguese hills on a BMW (see article later in the magazine).

I am pleased to be associated with such a great bunch of hard-working fellow Directors, all of whom spend a considerableamount of time supporting TRF members in various ways, many of them also trying to do a full-time job, something I am pleased I don’t have to do, now that I’m an OAP. My responsibility is supporting the other unpaid volunteers that work at the Group Officer levels in the organisation. This involves helping look after new members, arranging ride outs, dealing with RoR issues, organising events and so much more besides, and they might even get a chance to ride now and again, which is of course the very reason all of us joined the TRF. I am pleased to say that the various initiatives I have been able to introduce have been well received, so thank you to the Group Officers for supporting me in my quest to make the information available to help run the Groups.

One of the additional pieces of information that will soon be available to them is the ability to check the whole TRF list of member names and chosen Groups to be sure that any membership is still current. This will allow them to easily add (or reject) requests to join Facebook groups or ride outs, both of which are benefits of being a paid-up TRF member.

I will also be providing them soon with a fortnightly list of all new joining members so

Stay at home. Protect the NHS. Save Lives: www.trf.org.uk/COVID

the revival of the countryside (especially the roadside inn) by the public benefit of motoring.

Road numbering and classification was introduced in the 1920s, and this was conveyed to the motoring public by Ministry of Transport road maps, published by Ordnance Survey. Those maps showed many green roads in the same manner as the rest of the road network. A and B roads were shown with their respective numbers.

Green roads continued to be shown as roads on Ordnance Survey and other public facing road maps. Green roads were managed at one status – public carriageway (either an Unclassified County Road (UCR), repairable at public expense, or as a ration tenurae road (RT), repairable at private expense – RT green roads are rare).

Motoring organisations (such as the RAC and AA) had substantial influence over public mapping and the depiction of green and other roads. They published their own maps and also endorsed others, influencing the content (e.g. Bartholomew’s).

The National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act 1949 introduced the classification of Road Used as Public Path (the “RUPP”) and the Definitive Map (that has never been definitive). RUPP classification was used on a public facing map to show that a road had rights for pedestrians and equestrians, but that rights for vehicles were open to question. The RUPP classification was then liberally applied to established green roads, the effect of which was the diluting of their status and reputation as public carriageways (as the new RUPP classification provided scope to infer that status was in question). Further, the Definitive Map was systematically used to under-record green roads as bridlepath or footpath, and so present them as illegal for motorcycle use.

The Ordnance Survey (OS) mapping was used to publicise the recorded RUPPs, bridlepaths and footpaths, with the effect that from the 1950s the OS maps in common use were used to mislead the public as to the

10 Trail Spring 2020

status of green roads and lawfulness of motorcycle use on the same.

By the late 1960s the problem had been escalated, in no small part due to pressure groups seeking to ban motorcycles from using RUPPs and beyond.

Government tasked a committee to investigate and report. This resulted in the recommendation of the Gosling Report that RUPPs be removed from the public facing maps, with green roads all being managed under the one status of UCR. That recommendation was conducive to trail-riding interests and would have returned public facing mapping to the one status depiction for green roads, that was enjoyed prior to 1950.

But Government departed from that recommendation and made legislation (The Countryside Act 1968) to introduce a third classification – the The Byway Open to All Traffic (BOAT). The TRF was formed in 1970 in response to the Countryside Act 1968. Trail riders foresaw the confusion and detriment that would arise from having three classifications (UCR, RUPP, BOAT) shown on public facing maps.

A fourth classification was introduced in the 1990s, the ORPA – Other Route with Public Access. This was used to show some UCR’.

The UCRs that were not shown as ORPA were left white on the OS maps, and became known as White Roads, a fifth classification.

Trail riding entered the Noughties with the status of green roads deliberately confused and diluted with no less than five classifications shown on the public facing maps.

The Government’s solution was to invent a sixth classification (in 2000), the Restricted Byway – this would be used to show that public rights for non-motorised traffic existed, but that motorcycle use was illegal. The deliberate use of public facing mapping to confuse and dilute the status and reputation of green roads was a significant factor that led to the creation of the Restricted Byway classification and ultimately the NERC Act in 2006, which extinguished motorcycle access to established green roads. The mechanism

of the NERC act was focused on public facing mapping, where it showed a green road at a diluted and confused classification.

The green road network was best protected pre-1949, when public facing mapping simply showed the roads at the one status. NERC reduced the number of classifications of green roads shown on public facing maps, but four different classifications are still shown. This still allows those opposed to trail riding plenty of scope to confuse and mislead the public as to the status and reputation of green roads. The public facing mapping today is as much as a threat to trail riding as it was in 1970, when the TRF was formed.

The public facing mapping was not simply a reflection of the decline of motorcycle access, it was also the primary weapon to attack trail riding interests.

Today’s circumstances offer greater opportunity in respect of public facing mapping, than were offered in 1970. Public facing mapping is now firmly in the online realm, where there is substantially greater opportunity for the TRF to own the best public facing green road map for England and Wales. Just as the AA and RAC had substantial influence over the pre-1949 maps, the TRF could have ownership of today’s public facing green road map and use that to our advantage.

In its 50 years of existence TRF has never enjoyed the benefit and influence associated with producing and owning a public facing green road map, to address the very matter for which TRF was established in 1970 – legislation intended to cause detriment to public access with the use of maps.

As members will be aware over the past year and a half an incredible amount of work has been undertaken by a team looking to set a gold standard for the mapping of green roads open to motorcycles. The new TRF Green Road Map for Trail Riding will provide a tool to unify the classification of green roads, create a robust record for the future access and provide members with a useful tool to better enjoy responsible trail riding in England and Wales. Group officers will be sharing more information of the tool with members over the next few weeks.

Spring 2020 Trail 11

Come to where the action is...

Come to Catalonia!

On trails...

On tarmac...

Our rural, Our rural, off-grid of f-g rid F Finca inca is is the the p perfect erfect b ase ffrom rom w hich to to e xplore tthis his base which explore b eautif ul area area of of Spain Spain ior ior ttrails rails or or beautiful rroads, oads, ffrom rom the the m ountains tto o the the sea. sea. mountains R ide d own o ly o ver a nd explore explore the t he Ride down orr ffly over and rroads oads a nd trails trails u sing o ur n ew H on d a and using our new Honda C RF250L ttrail rail b ikes.

CRF250L bikes.

www.catalanadventure.co.uk w ww.catala nadventure .co.uk

Stay at home. Protect the NHS. Save Lives: www.trf.org.uk/COVID

TRF Membership Survey The last membership survey in 2018 showed us how important Trail magazine was to TRF members. In the words of the Director, Carla McKenzie, carla.m@trf.org.uk, “The TRF has got its voice back” AS WE CONTINUE to move forward we need to understand the value to members of the Trail Magazine content and how distribution, in print and digitally will progress the TRF’s message and grow our influence in future.

Content We remain committed to building on Trail Magazine making it bigger and better though changing the focus on content.

What would you like to see more or less of?

Bike Tests Second-hand bike reviews Workshop jobs and tips Product testing (clothing and accessories) TRF events Countryside conservation and RoR issues Training Directors’ Reports and activities Member profiles Unsung Heroes Riding by County/Group Photos of Mario :-) You can see and vote for your preferences on the mix in the survey.

Distribution / Print We remain committed to sending Trail Magazine in print. Now we have a quality product, we want to build on this by getting Trail on the major public magazine stands, perhaps not quarterly, maybe in an annual format.

We also want to understand what you do with the magazine after you have finished reading it. Do you pass it on and recycle by giving to a friend, leaving it the barber’s shop or waiting room, or is it simply sent to the recycle bin?

12 Trail Spring 2020

Postage The sending out of Trail by post is a big job that we are still getting to grips with.

We have introduced new tracing technology and wraps on this Spring 2020 issue to avert the known issues with the Winter 2019 distribution. It would be good to have your feedback.

Digital

In addition to print and post, we have offered freely a digital version accessible through https://issuu.com/trftrail We need to understand how much this is used and valued by our existing members and the wider Trail Riding community.

The next generation may or may not be attracted by a print magazine, and we need to understand what works for them and how we can best reuse the content of Trail in a digital format.

We are asking for just a few moments of your time to make sure we hear your opinions and suggestions so that Trail magazine can best serve your interests.

Your participation in this survey is greatly appreciated.

By answering these questions, you’re helping us gain a clear understanding of what you expect to see in these pages and form the aims and objectives for Trail Magazine. This, in turn, will help us produce a magazine that is a true reflection of members interests and concerns of the wider Trail Riding community.

Thank you for your time and support in completing this survey.

http://trf.org.uk/trailmag

Stay at home. Protect the NHS. Save Lives: www.trf.org.uk/COVID

What the TRF offered

TRF DVSA Mod 1 Off-Road training THE NEW CHAIR of the TRF’s largest Group does not have a full motorcycle licence. Now, 17, Joshua Costa-Sa has been riding for nine years, gaining his CBT at 16 and earning one year’s motorcycle No Claims Bonus (NCB).

Despite this progress and the additional encouragement of Herts Group officers, there seems little prospect of him taking his full motorcycle test.

The issue is that there is little incentive for anyone before age 19 to earn a full licence or even to improve their skills through formal training. Despite any promises, insurance is no cheaper and young riders are still limited to riding 125cc machines until 19 years old.

As a parent, my attempts to do the right thing and insist that Joshua takes his motorcycle test before letting him ride solo on the public road have been met with scorn.

14 Trail Spring 2020

By contrast, he was ready for his tractor test at 16, and his car test at 17, both within a few weeks of his birthday and as a result, he has won freedom from parental control on four wheels, not two.

Yes, of course, he will continue to ride a motorcycle and even lead TRF runs with L-plates. Having said that, it will be simply for leisure purposes in Group rides, with absolutely no interest in, and even good reason not to take, a motorcycle test for the next two years.

What kids want They want fun learning that is not just challenging but enjoyable. Any training on a trail bike is fun for our kids. The challenge is how to we carry this fun and excitement into the learning and testing structure of the DVSA framework.

As DVSA approved trainers go, the highlyexperienced Márinho Rebelo does not get much cooler. Márinho is a multi-linguist and a registered instructor with Britain’s largest driving school RED. He spends his time training both car drivers and motorcycle riders for their test in NW London including the pizza delivery riders on extended CBT training. Márinho is also a committed TRF member and keen to freely donate his time into teaching youngsters to ride and drive correctly.

The next step, following CBT and spending time on the road, is the Mod 1 test. This is a test away from the public road on a course created on a large tarmaced and enclosed surface. We decided the way forward was to make preparation for this next step fun.

Using a few flat traffic cones sourced from eBay for £20 you can easily set up in a suitable field, the course used by the DVSA to conduct the Mod 1 test and practice the Mod 1 test module as much as you would like.

Within minutes the young riders had

Motorcycle Manoeuvring Left Circuit 1 Stands & Manual Handling 2 Slalom 3 Figure of eight 4 Slow ride 5 U-Turn 6 Cornering 7 Controlled stop 8 30 kph / 19 mph circuit ride 9 50 kph / 32 mph emergency brake 10 30 kph / 19 mph circuit ride 11 50 kph / 32 mph avoidance Mopeds For all mopeds speed requirements Are 30 kph / 19 mph

Diagram for illustrative purposes only.

mastered the standard manoeuvers on their trail bikes made even more difficult by a slippery grass surface, and requiring far greater degrees of throttle and brake control then they would do on a paved test surface.

As if that wasn’t difficult enough we then took out a Kawasaki ER6 650 with road tyres to show them how much their skills had improved to be able to ride an unsuitable bike on a slippery grass surface and still successfully complete the DVSA practice test.

We look forward to showing you the completion of the actual Mod 1 test in a future edition of Trail later this year, once we find a willing 19 year old.

Spring 2020 Trail 15

Stay at home. Protect the NHS. Save Lives: www.trf.org.uk/COVID

A list of TRF accredited trainers is available here www.Trf.org.uk/training Márinho Rebelo can be contacted on 07753100408 Module One test overview The Module One test (MOD 1), takes place at a DVSA Multi-Purpose Test Centre (MPTC) which in motorcycle training language, is also referred to as a Motorcycle Manoeuvring Area (MMA).

Unlike our practice field, this Module One test area is completely level and has a high-grip tarmac surface, which gives excellent tyre adhesion in both dry and wet conditions.

About the Mod 1 The test area is 40 x 120 metres and is laid out with a standard configuration of cones that mark out the various slow control and circuit-based exercises. The Module One test takes about 20 minutes to complete and is assessed by a Driving and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) examiner. The test includes

16 Trail Spring 2020

the following slow-control and riding the circuit exercises.

Slow-control exercises Parking-up Manual handling and stands Slalom and figure-of-eight Slow-control ride U-turn Riding-the-circuit exercises Controlled stop Emergency stop Avoidance exercise Speed requirements During the cornering aspect of all three riding-the-circuit exercises, candidates should ride at a controlled speed of 19 mph (30 km/h), however, this is not measured.

For the emergency stop and avoidance exercises, a speed camera is used, with the following speeds required: 19 mph (30 km/h) on a moped 32 mph (50 km/h) on a motorcycle (any engine size)

Stay at home. Protect the NHS. Save Lives: www.trf.org.uk/COVID

where it is safe and responsible to ride.

The land is ideal for our main purpose of helping riders of any age who are new to off-road motorcycles, the venue provides four interconnecting fields which have a combined area of 50 acres. The terrain is gentle so great for the novice and even includes a stream crossing. The fields can be easily configured into riding areas or even open plan for riders to get used to riding off road and practicing new skills.

How was the land found?

The Only Way is Essex THE TRF REACHED a new milestone following the Directors resolution to approve the lease of 50 acres of land in Braintree Essex. The land is intended to host events that further promote sustainable and responsible approaches to provision of motorcycle access particularly for new and young riders.

The project is led by TRF Officer and ACU Club Coach Paul Lonergan who explained to Trail that the TRF project aims to make provision for the responsible use of motorcycles off-road including introducing new TRF members and TRF member’s children, as well as helping reduce the illegal use of motor vehicles and providing benefit to TRF members.

18 Trail Spring 2020

Wayne Gold, a TRF member and property developer, knew of this land lying dormant, the landlords had recently been unable to achieve planning permission and were looking for alternative uses to prevent the land going fallow. They had discussed the land being used by various clubs including 4x4 and Clay Shooting groups. Wayne was instrumental in creating the opportunity for the TRF to be offered first refusal on the use of land.

Why do the TRF want to lease land?

The TRF have participated in off-road Anti-Social Behaviour (ASB) initiative for some time now. From this, the TRF understanding is that the issues faced in many areas are almost entirely occurring on open, accessible areas which are being unduly affected by illegal motoring. Though the TRF’s membership of the ACU we now have around 30 ACU Clerk of Course (CoC) and a growing number of ACU coaches qualified to provide basic off-road motorcycle instruction including to minors.

In order to further implement and deliver this initiative we needed access to land

When will the events take place?

As it’s a new project we are still finalising a lot of things, but we are running open dates for TRF members to come and ride the land. We will then aim to put together a calendar of dates from May onwards. However, the land is also available to any TRF members who want to create their own events and fun days.

The events will be promoted on the TRF page, www.trf.org.uk/events Paul Lonergan

Spring 2020 Trail 19

TRF Groups

For the latest details go to: trail.trf.org.uk/groups/ Stay at home. Protect the NHS. Save Lives: www.trf.org.uk/COVID

26

LIST

40

1 2 3 4 5 6

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

17

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

Stay at home. Protect the NHS. Save Lives: www.trf.org.uk/COVID

A Quick Leg Over a...

Pictures: sWm, Flatout media and roger Pitt

RS125R It could be described as the Comeback Kid, an sWm125 hasn’t been seen around for about 30 years. the new for 2020 rs 125r certainly looks the part, and Rick Kemp got the chance to check it out

22 trail Spring 2020

CurrentLy unDergOIng sOmethIng of a renaissance, sWm is distributed in the uK by three Cross motorcycles which is more used shifting significant quantities of road bikes. no bad thing for the brand though when compared to the more traditional specialist off-road distributor which usually flogs a few in the local area and hopes for the best. this new arrangement from sWm shows its intent to be taken more seriously. For 2020 there is a full range to choose from including super moto and Adventure bikes as well as enduro with 300 and 500 options. I have to admit that the last time I rode an sWm I was about an inch and a half taller, didn’t have grey hair, oh, and it was a trials bike. I can safely say I had no preconceptions about the

Spring 2020 trail 23

Stay at home. Protect the NHS. Save Lives: www.trf.org.uk/COVID

going on with the linked bakes.

Before making a trail excursion a change of tyres was needed. you might get away with the Anakees in the summer but in the sloppy gloop of the wettest winter on record something a little more fierce was called for. In Italy the bike is specced with Kenda tyres so I contacted uK distributor Cambrian tyres who suggested that a pair of trackmasters would be suitable for the local conditions.

It might sound like an odd thing to say but the rs125 is a very easy bike to ride. the controls are light and positive and an instinctive shift in body weight seems to have just the right result, there is virtually no learning curve with this bike. nothing you have to compensate for. I moved the

rs 125r when I arrived at three Cross motorcycles outside Wimborne in Dorset.

Funnily enough, it wasn’t the hi-viz paintwork that first caught my attention it was the size of the forks. the 41mm usD units are noting out of the ordinary on an off-road chassis but on a learner-legal 125 they are perhaps unexpected, certainly in my case.

As you continue to look around the rs 125, the frame design and tubing, square and round section, bolt-on subframe and, of course the motor you find that there’s more than a hint of husqvarna about this little sWm. hardly surprising as it’s made in the old husky factory near Varese, Italy see the history Boys piece later on. the rs 125 comes complete with pillion pegs, rubber inserts in the serrated footrests (stops the guccis getting scuffed when you’re hooning round the town square fountain) and michelin Anakee Wild tyres. three Cross had thoughtfully removed the pillion pegs and brackets, four bolts, and left the mirrors in place.

24 trail Spring 2020

Spring 2020 trail 25

the plan was to use the sWm for a few days as a road bike before taking to the trail. Being euro4 spec the brakes are linked which necessitates a lot of hydraulic hose; two sleeved, braided ones from the front floating caliper which eventually end up in the balance box over the swingarm pivot where they are joined by the rear bake hose. turning the ignition key on can involve pushing those brake hoses out of the way first. no matter, once you’re rolling the sWm feels like it looks, stable and well behaved. the Anakee tyres work well on the road and acquitted themselves pretty well in my local flood conditions in Kent. I did try stomping on the rear brake pedal to see if I could get the forks to move sot I deduce what was

Stay at home. Protect the NHS. Save Lives: www.trf.org.uk/COVID

SWM RS125R Engine: DOhC, 4-valve liquid-cooled, eFi single-cylinder (euro 4) Capacity: 124.7cc Power: 11Kw (14.7bhp) Gearbox: 6-speed Clutch: hydraulic wet multi-plate Starter: electric Fuel capacity: 7.5 litres Wheelbase: 1465mm Seat height: 950mm Dry Weight: 117Kg SRP: £3899.00

handlebars back slightly but that was it – we’ve all got different length limbs.

I didn’t change any suspension settings and noticed that the preload on the rear shock was cranked up and frequently made a ‘topping out’ noise, I weigh 80kg-ish. From that you might conclude that the rear end was at it’s highest setting quickening the steering but it didn’t feel that way. I decided to keep away from the north Downs, as I’ve done more damage to my own bike up there in the last couple of months than in the previous few years. Instead I took the sWm through the forestry and on to the romney marsh which spans Kent and east sussex.

In the forestry there were fallen branches and trees, deep puddles and slimy leaf litter. the marsh is like marmite to some riders and I don’t mean dark brown and sticky, personally I love it. It’s flat, it’s mostly open and there’s a good deal of water. there’s the

26 trail Spring 2020

royal military Canal and its path, some of which is byway, the canal runs from hythe through rye and then to the coast at Winchelsea. Additionally there are all the standard drainage ditches which are home to loads of water fowl including swans. the

Spring 2020 trail 27

marsh has something of a chequered history involving smuggling. Brandy from France was popular back in the day and even now some parts are less than squeaky clean. Don’t mention the ‘m’ word, witness small inflatable boats abandoned and bobbing on the tide.

Wrestling the trackmasters on was definitely a good idea. I know any new tyres with sharp edges on their blocks always feel good but the little sWm really felt planted on the first bit through the forestry running pressures of 16psi front and 12psi rear. now just under 15bhp isn’t a lot but the power delivery is relatively strong from low revs and the fuel injection provides a smooth delivery. riding over small logs was not a problem the bigger stuff was best approached with caution and anything over half a metre high you’d want to find a way round. going through deep mud was very impressive the smooth power delivery

Stay at home. Protect the NHS. Save Lives: www.trf.org.uk/COVID

28 trail Spring 2020

but as they’re mainly of blackthorn and they provide good puncture material low down and higher up you definitely need a visor if you don’t want to end up with tribal scarring.

Definitely an area where you need a bike that goes where you aim it and the sWm does exactly that. the marsh is also home to some narrow twisty tarmac and being flat and open, visibility is very good and it is possible to take liberties you wouldn’t normally contemplate.

Both sWm and Kenda acquitted themselves well though obviously the michelins would have probably hung on a bit longer. If this type of riding appeals then sWm also has the sm version of the 125.

Are there any downsides to the sWm rs125r? Just the one really, the steering lock stops are a bit restrictive. you can see why this is the case, they don’t want the fork tubes hitting the radiators. Fair enough, but they’ve

Spring 2020 trail 29

allowed the tyres to grip under most conditions. In the places that you’d be waiting for the front or the back to breakaway, nothing happened, the bike just tracked straight through. this made it relaxing to ride as did it’s manageable weight. On this softer terrain it was possible to lock the rear wheel without the front doing anything drastic, so steep descents weren’t a problem.

On the marsh it was wetter than you’d normally expect and all the ditches were pretty full. some of the unique terrain involves raised earth banks that form elevated byway. these were presumably for the benefit of people and livestock, in this case sheep. salt marsh lamb is a local delicacy available at the end of may and in June when it’s more mature. these byways pose additional challenges, one is the early bath if you get it wrong the other are the hedges, presumably planted as windbreaks

Stay at home. Protect the NHS. Save Lives: www.trf.org.uk/COVID

SWM Factory History

been a bit too cautious. It would be very tempting to get the angle grinder out. this is a great little bike whether you’re 17 or 70; it’s extremely ridable, controllable and predictable in its handling. that doesn’t

make it boring, at the end of the day it’s a product from a specialist off-road manufacturer with some serious heritage which is how come it does what it does without any sense of drama.

Kenda Tyres Kenda describe the trakmaster tyres that we used as a road-legal motocross tyre that offers a keenly priced alternative to the likes of the michelin tracker and metzeler mC360. the range includes 18 and 19-inch rear sizes, and the tall, aggressive knobs are designed to perform on anything from soft dirt through to fire roads. stiffened sidewalls also improve cornering performance and stability on the road.

30 trail Spring 2020

In the early seventies’ enduro events, Italian 4-stroke bikes started to struggle competing against the more powerful foreign 2-strokes. to face this emerging rivalry, two riders (and friends) with the same passion for offroad competitions decided to build their own motorcycle, establishing sWm, which stands for ‘speedy Working motors’.

In the rivolta d’Adda headquarters, three models were created; 50cc, 100cc, and 125cc, all with sachs engines. On their racing debut, they performed strongly, impressing fans with their technical features, such as an innovative rectangular sectioned fork and the modern design, characterised by the ‘Amaranth Chassis’.

In its international debut in spain in 1971, during a round of the european Championships, Pierluigi rottigni finished second in the 125cc class and giuseppe signorelli finished third in the 100cc class on sWm motorcycles. since that first appearance, sWm has stood for competitiveness that has allowed the factory to enjoy successes in off-road competitions lasting for well over a decade. more titles followed, including the Italian motocross 125 title that was won the following year by the Italian rider Afro rustignoli and the bronze medal in the european 125 endurance class by rottigni. these victories boosted the new Italian company. the awards for sWm continued with the six Days silver Vase, the european endurance and Kart titles, a trials World Championship and several trial and motocross national titles, with a sixth place in motocross 250 class in 1981. sWm started making rotax tL125 and tL320 trials bikes in 1977. rotax built a special trials version of their rotary valve motor, with development input from sammy miller and Charles Coutard. Acerbis made the plastic mouldings, and suspension was by marzocchi. these first trials machines were red and white.

sWm went in liquidation in 1984 and production ceased. Armstrong of Bolton, england, bought the rights to the sWm Xn tornado, a rotax engined enduro machine of 350cc or 506 cc. With CCm, Armstrong developed and marketed a military version, the Armstrong mt500, which was so successful harley-Davidson bought the manufacturing rights in 1986, and further developed the bike as the mt350e thirty years later, in 2014, engineer Ampelio macchi, (formerly with Cagiva, Aprilia and husqvarna), revived the sWm brand, with six new models displayed at eICmA in milan.

Funding came from China, via the shineray group. sWm took over the husqvarna factory, at Biandronno near Varese (closed when taken over by Ktm). sWm’s enduro models (including superDual) use husqvarnadesigned engines. sWm also supplies engines to AJP and CCm.

Spring 2020 trail 31

Stay at home. Protect the NHS. Save Lives: www.trf.org.uk/COVID

TRF Group Communications Director Andrew Byatt joined other UK Adventure Bike riders heading off to Southern Portugal to enjoy a week riding BMW’s latest Adventure models guided and taught by a team of instructors from BMW ORS School in Wales, led by Simon Pavey, Dakar Rider and long-term supporter of the TRF

Having it Large

34 Trail Spring 2020

Spring 2020 Trail 35

AS The DeMAnD has steadily grown over the years there are now three fully-booked weeks. Simon and his team appreciate the value the TRF gives to UK riders and every ORS course has a TRF joining leaflet included.

This year was no exception and three intrepid Big Bike lovers from Wiltshire TRF, Martyn Peters, Marcus Lynes and yours truly (Pops), left the wet and very windy UK shores in the eye of “Storm Dennis” giving us a very brief respite as we flew out of Bristol airport.

Once in Portugal we met up with many friends from previous events including several TRF members who, like us, love the challenge of riding large bikes off-road. The cost of the trip might not be within everyone’s budget, but bearing in mind these are brand new BMWs and that hotels, food, fuel etc are included, it still represents value. With the worry of damaging the bike not in your mind, you can concentrate totally on developing the skills (which are transferable to smaller bikes) in managing a big bike in some very challenging conditions.

Provided you don’t behave like an idiot, no damage is worried about, in fact to some degree it is expected as the instructors want you to push yourself outside your comfort zone to appreciate what the bikes are capable of.

As someone who is getting on a bit, 66 this year and apart for Gwyn, one of the instructors, nearly the oldest one there (at least compared to the two M’s I was

Stay at home. Protect the NHS. Save Lives: www.trf.org.uk/COVID

36 Trail Spring 2020

Anyone who has ever been to Portugal to ride “off-road” will be astounded by how many gravel roads etc. there are, provided you don’t ride on private land there are literally 100s and 100s of miles of tracks and trails, and river beds and, and, and, and, where do I stop?

Coffee laid on and off we go again till lunch, regular stops and constant reminders of keeping hydrated, our safety was always in the instructor minds, every time we stopped good advice was forthcoming to help us

improve our riding skills.

My first new lesson was, one finger on the brake has more control than two, (the BMW brakes are so good you never need more than two, most of the time one is more than enough) off-road you just have so much more control as hanging on to a 250kg bucking monster bike you need to hang on tight. I have always used two fingers on the clutch from my first Level 1 course five years ago. My discipline on my road bike too.

Some of the less experienced riders started

week, new tyres, no marks at all, fully fuelled and ready to hit the trails.

Groups of riders were soon decided based on skill level and we were off into the mountains that surround the resort town of Vilamoura led by an ORS instructor backed up by a sweeper. Drop off system utilised and then we were climbing up the loose tracks and trails.

Spring 2020 Trail 37

with who recently nicknamed me “Pops”, cheeky), I am slightly glad I wasn’t put into the level 4.5 group they were, level 2.5 was fine by me.

So, the flight from the UK was reasonably relaxed with the most glorious sunset I have ever seen visible through the aeroplane’s windows, we landed at Faro airport to be collected by the taxi that took us to the hotel. We were one of the last to arrive but immediately we re-acquainted ourselves with friends we had met on previous ORS trips. Briefing over, it was off to the bar.

Monday morning appeared bright and sunny and after a fantastic buffet breakfast (all meals apart from the evening ones are included in the trip cost) we exited the hotel to be given the keys of our bikes for the

Stay at home. Protect the NHS. Save Lives: www.trf.org.uk/COVID

to struggle on the loose uphill climbs, whilst the electronics are powerful, so is the engine and its really easy to spin out. Getting going again uphill on lose ground with a 136bhpplus bike is tricky. Momentum and looking way ahead are the keys. Giving plenty of space to the rider in front is essential, apart from the fact that it’s no fun eating dust for five days, spoils the taste of the delicious “free” Portuguese meals. home again after a fantastic first day and everybody is buzzing, recounting their adventures and the new friends they have made. Then it’s off to get a “Boot Beer” and then for a shower before heading down to the Beach Bar for some more of the amber

nectar. Alcohol is forbidden during the day and warnings given of having too much in the evening as you could still be over the limit the following day. have an accident in Portugal and as a matter of course you will be breathalysed so if you are, end of holiday and a whole lot of heartache.

That being said, everyone is pleased to see you, waving and smiling, toothy grins from the villages far off the beaten track, these bikes cost more than most would earn in a year but all they

38 Trail Spring 2020

Spring 2020 Trail 39

show is enthusiasm for their foreign visitors, its just a joy to ride there.

To be honest, the days that followed just got better and better, the riding of skills of everyone improved in leaps and bounds and fortunately no-one had any serious mishaps, no bikes or bodies damaged beyond repair.

The night from the Tapas Bar on the Thursday evening is always a highlight as 30 riders with their headlights on full beam cut a swath of dust along the trails back to the hotel. If you have never tried riding a 130bhp big bike on knobblies in the dark following your mates in the pitch black with nothing more than tail and headlights to mark the way boy, you haven’t lived.

Stay at home. Protect the NHS. Save Lives: www.trf.org.uk/COVID

Friday came round so quick, was it really nearly over, today was a bit shorter, return the bikes to the Garage, thank all instructors who have made the week so wonderful, everything works like clockwork but they have been at it for a while.

Back to the hotel for the last “boot beer” included in the course cost, then sit down for the final meal with all the other participants, stories swopped, and thanks given. Dates released for next year and most of us booked up again, plus the extra day. What will 2021 BMWs be like other than brand spanking new again.

Up early and back in the taxi, fly back to UK, what greets us, pouring rain. Oh well, only another 358 days or so to wait and we’ll be back in Portugal for more.

TTRAKMASTER TRAKMASTER RAKMASTER R OAD L E G A L MX M X T YRE ROAD LEGAL TYRE ROAD LEGAL MX TYRE

Highlights of the week: Riding with such great mates Learning new skills not falling off once on the whole trip (best ever highlight and a first) Booking again for next year

• TTrail il R Riding, idRiding, ing, Hare HaHare re & Hounds, H unds, Off-Road OffOff-Road -Road Training TraTraining ining – TTrakmaster kmaster does dodoes es it it all. aitllall. .

•raTrail &oHounds, –raTrakmaster high on varying • TTall ll aggressive agaggressive gressive ttread retread ad blocks bloblocks cks for forfor highigh h grip grgrip ip o non vavarying rying terrain. terterrain. rain.

•aTall extended • TTough ugh compound cocompound mpound for forfor exextended tended ttread retread ad llife ifelife aand nand d exceptional exexceptional ceptional vvalue. avalue. lue.

•oTough Road •R ad Legal.

LeLegal. gal.

•oRoad

40 Trail Spring 2020

CAMBRIAN CAMBRIAN T Y RTEYSR E S

SoleSole UK Importer UK Importer

KendaMotoUK KendaMotoUK

@Kenda_UK @Kenda_UK

kenda-moto.co.uk kenda-moto.co.uk

Stay at home. Protect the NHS. Save Lives: www.trf.org.uk/COVID

Weekend Warrior When Nick Brown of AJS Motorcycles asked us if we’d like to join a customer ride out on the latest 125 Tempest Scrambler on Salisbury Plain, we thought, ‘why not?’ How would an everyday commuter with off-road styling cues handle itself on the trail. How many learner-legal bikes are there that you can ride to college or work that are also fit for the trail on your days off?

Spring 2020 Trail 43

00 Trail Spring 2020 42

AS MeMberS Of a certain age will recall, AJS was a well-respected, off-road brand.

It was reborn in the mid-70s when the name, parts and manufacturing were bought by Nick’s father fluff. Nick joined the family firm in 1987 and began to look to the east for inspiration and came up with select range of small-capacity bikes and scooters.

The Tempest Scrambler 125 is part of the Heritage range which includes the Cadwell 125, the Cadwell Clubman 125 and the Tempest 125. You could describe it as an entry-level street scrambler and pretty much ‘on trend’ when it comes to twowheel fashion.

The specification includes a counterbalanced 4-stroke motor with a bore and stroke of 54mm with a 10:1 compression ratio. Power is compliant with CbT/A1 license requirements. Conveniences consist of electric start and combined braking on the disc/disc set up and green-road appeal is provided by the chunky 4.10-18 front and 4.60-17 rear tyres, braced handlebars and headlight grille and number plate. The Scrambler weighs in at 124kg and has a modest seat height of 780mm.

Stay at home. Protect the NHS. Save Lives: www.trf.org.uk/COVID

44 Trail Spring 2002

without spiked tyres. And speaking of tyres, the standard fitment are Kenda Dual Sport probably not intended for a soaking wet Salisbury Plain but at least they leave a light footprint.

On some of the better surfaced tracks the Scrambler was in its element bopping along at a respectable 30-40mph sloshing through some fairly substantial puddles. Turn on to the smaller, less frequented tracks and it was a rather different story. fortunately, the modest, 780mm seat height made it easy enough to have a dab if required. riding in a group with four other bikes means that not all the obstacles are static.

The first time that the lead rider went down and you ended up modifying the number-

So what did we get up to? Well, we set off in convoy including the camera vehicle with Nick leading from Allington near Salisbury and it didn’t take long before we were swinging off the tarmac and on to one of the various green roads that criss-cross the Plain. Also not all roads are open to the public, the military training area occupies 94,000 acres of the Plain some of which is given over to live firing exercises so it is advisable to take notice of the ample warning signage provided. riders from outside the southern and south eastern regions of england may not be familiar with riding on chalk. It’s pretty straight forward in the dry but when wet, traction can be on a par with an ice rink

Spring 2020 Trail 00 45

Stay at home. Protect the NHS. Save Lives: www.trf.org.uk/COVID

00 Trail Spring 2020 46

Progressively wound springs contribute to a controlled compression and there’s no boing, clunk, when the spring unloads. The swingarm on the Scrambler is a bit longer than on the standard Tempest.

In all, the chassis can handle anything the engine can throw at it. but there again, the 10hp chucked out by this learner-legal lump would be hard pressed to over-stress a kiddie’s cycle frame but that’s down to the law not AJS. However you can still scare yourself on the Scrambler as the 18-inch front wheel, despite being shod with a chunky-treaded tyre, can wash out with very little advance warning. Possibly lower tyre pressures might have helped but that has to be weighed up against the risk of compression punctures on the trail and

plate on the bike in front reminds you to leave more space.

It’s surprising the difference in riding attitude that serrated footrests and braced handlebars can make, you ‘feel’ that you’re on a trail bike. The Megaphone-style silencer emits a pleasing enough note and in general a seasoned trail rider wouldn’t feel too embarrassed to be seen on the Tempest Scrambler. The suspension is surprisingly competent, none of that bottoming and/or topping out usually associated with machinery being put to a use for which it was never intended. The twin-shock rear end geometry has the lower shock mount about as close to the wheel spindle as possible which allows a more acute angle on the unit given the bike’s modest wheelbase.

Spring 2020 Trail 47

Stay at home. Protect the NHS. Save Lives: www.trf.org.uk/COVID

48 Trail Spring 2020

Scramblers, one had managed to fit a hi-level exhaust and most were retro-attired in some way or the other. Apart from being close to where AJS is based, the venue was quite inspired because on that wet Saturday everyone else we saw on The Plain was involved in some sort of recreational activity. We’re used to horse riders, walkers, runners, cyclists but the sight of the full-family four by four from Granny to toddlers and pets all having a screamingly good time was a new one.

Of course there were also the more usual jacked-up range rovers with winches and iniet and exhaust stacks occupied by blokes dressed in camo with balaclavas. Or were they squaddies? being a weekend the military exercises may have been stood down as there was no crackle of small arms fire or the

riding on tarmac – life’s too short to keep adjusting them as you go along. Also there’s the linked braking issue whereby the application of rear brake employs a percentage of front brake at the same time. Short of spending a day under test conditions on different surfaces you wouldn’t know how much this contributed to you unexpectedly landing on your arse in the mud.

This aside, the Scrambler did everything expected of it. All the controls operated smoothly and predictably enough to forget about them. There were a couple of incidences where the rear brake pedal needed straightening after an off but nothing that Nick couldn’t handle with his trusty tool.

It was evident that the group of AJS owners we were riding with were well into their

Spring 2020 Trail 49

Stay at home. Protect the NHS. Save Lives: www.trf.org.uk/COVID

‘crump’ of heavier ordnance. The closest we came to an encounter was a visit to the tank shrine (see photo).

Older members will remember the bSA bantam which was the national workhorse for many years enabling affordable mass transport. Painted red, they delivered telegrams and packages for the Post Office and at weekends in bushman guise and other adaptations they took part in off-road competitions.

We’re not suggesting that the Tempest Scrambler is the modern day equivalent but you can kind of see where it’s coming from.

Many thanks to Nick Brown and AJS for having us along.

AJS Tempest Engine: 4-stroke, OHC, air-cooled, single cylinder (euro 4) Capacity: 124cc Power: 7.4kW (9.9hp) @ 9000 rpm Gearbox: 5-speed Starter: electric and kick Fuel capacity: 16 litres Wheelbase: 1370mm Seat height: 780mm Dry weight: 124kg Price: £2249.00 SrP

50 Trail Spring 2020

Spring 2020 Trail 51

Stay at home. Protect the NHS. Save Lives: www.trf.org.uk/COVID

March Hare

LDT

Trudi would like to share the fun she had riding a TRS300 XTrack in the Golden Valley Classic Motorcycle Club’s March Hare LDT. Read on

52 Trail Spring 2020

Having passengered an unreliable Matchless outfit in the nineties – once! – I have also ridden a Yamaha TT225 and DT175 several times. This year Steve Saunders, TRS distributor, kindly lent me the TRS XTrack which is basically the 300cc trials bike with an electric start, bigger tank and a seat. Although its been geared up, I never used first and rarely

THe LOnG DISTAnCe Trial was started in the eighties to keep classic bikes going in road trials, using green roads to make a lap of about 50 miles with approx 30 sections.

After loosing loads of lanes to neRC the club acquired the use of privately owned woods mainly in the Dursley Harry Potter area. The event caters for lots of different classes including trail bikes.

Spring 2020 Trail 53

Stay at home. Protect the NHS. Save Lives: www.trf.org.uk/COVID

54 Trail Spring 2020

avoid annoying the one resident who complained last year. The area is very sensitive, and anyone using the lane needs to be quiet and steady.

We were lucky having a calm sunny day to enjoy the fantastic riding provided by the many volunteers of the GVCMCC, cheers.

The non-inspection (nI) sections removed the worry of trying to remember where a section goes, Riding a proper trials bike made abrupt changes of direction easier even with the slightly extra weight and height of the tank and seat, also camera bag and hydration/tool pack that I was wearing.

A couple of sections were quite tricky with combinations of tight turns and short sharp drops that I would not have managed on my

Spring 2020 Trail 55

second gear, mainly third for sections and forth and fifth (top) on the going. Its so tractable, pulling from nothing in forth in the wet, muddy slop that is everywhere at the moment. Obviously the bike was brilliant in the sections, especially helpful as all but a handful were non-inspection but of a sportsman level difficulty.

The event is arrowed with a route card provided, mine was in my pocket. Ben my riding companion for the day had his in a reader, far more useful if an arrow has gone missing. Setting off two a minute with a short bit of track to the first section, which was sloppy gloopy and rutted. I ended up paddling through for the first of a few ‘threes’ I collected during the day. I cleaned the second section, a short wriggle around some trees, kindly observed by Georgina(Wessex Wanderer). There followed some annoyingly stray footwork here and there in the wooded sections and Breakheart Quarry. next was one of the original lanes that conveniently comes out at the pub in Waterley Bottom (Axe Lane) which has been used by cars from the early days of motorsport. We only used the top part of it to access private woods and

trail bike (CRF230F). I rode the standard route, for those with more skill, four of the sections had a harder option, these we were allowed to walk first.

I had two ‘fives’, one was a gloopy rutted slippery uphill section (17), where I fell off about two metres in, to the amusement of the queue of riders behind me. Ben who had struggled to the top with a partially blocked pilot jet was half way through a banana by the time I got to the top. The other (19), another nI, from using too high a gear (3rd).

I stalled in a grippy narrow naggery uphill stream bed, the bit you could see of the section was muddy. Argh! At the next woods I put a couple hundred cc of fuel in as it had long since disappeared from view in the clear tank and I was nervous of running out in a section. The next one I pleasingly kept my feet up and was told by the observer it was the first clean for some while. It had a short sharp drop followed by a tightish slippery turn, ideal for the XTrack.

56 Trail Spring 2020

After this, we rode some lovely tracks around Dursley not normally available to use.

I was now in need of feeding and the lunch stop was next with soup and some yummy coffee and walnut cake, all for a donation to charity. I also refuelled the TRS, which had gone further than the Mont Fourrides. The coaly wood sections had been scrubbed due to a water-logged field. The last few sections were part of the route on tracks closed by neRC, except section 28 the Special Test.

A timed blast up the field and through a section back to the start. Great fun and another clean.

We were back in the woods where we started and after the last section we seemed to have followed tracks from earlier and all ended up at a road (loads of riders), so we had to retrace our steps and got an extract blat along some great tracks before spotting our vans at the finish.

A brilliant ride round with great company on the perfect long-distance trials bike.

Stay at home. Protect the NHS. Save Lives: www.trf.org.uk/COVID

Mudlarking About It’s not every day that a fellow TRF member acquires some land and looks to open it up to TRF members for riding fun and practice, so when Luke Bull told us of his plans for his venue near Redhill, Surrey there was a great deal of excitement

58 Trail Spring 2020

On the day, arrival at the site was smooth and straightforward, marshals guiding us in and the usual catching up and friendly banter. As well as Surrey TRF, we had people along from Loddon Vale, Herts and Sussex

Left: Luke Bull, Surrey TRF and Steven Fidler Xsite Leisure Managing Director

Luke gOT TOgeTHeR with kev greening, our Surrey TRF events officer and announced a pay and play date on 7 March. Places were booked up in a flash, with many others left waiting on a reserve list.

TRF groups. Hand shakes had apparently been replaced by elbow bumps, but not everyone had realised. Luckily someone had some hand gel in their van. Or hang on, was it lube?

Once all kitted up, Luke gave a briefing and we were off! With all the rain, the riding conditions were challenging and it was incredibly slippery and muddy. The course took you through woodland and through multiple undulations with little streams and brooks, with easier and more challenging sections. The marshals were on hand at tricker parts to help haul you up slippery banks and as they did so they gave simple tips to help improve your riding. Being in the right gear, precise clutch control, body positioning, looking where you want to get to not where you want to fall off… all those skills being put to the test. Luke and the team adjusted the course as

Spring 2020 Trail 59

Stay at home. Protect the NHS. Save Lives: www.trf.org.uk/COVID

Feb 8th & 9th, Devils Punchbowl, Hampshire Mar 7th & 8th, Isle of Man Apr 4th & 5th, Wye Valley Apr 10th to the 12th, Gibraltar Race UK Prologue, 3 Days, 1350km ‘Sardinia Gran Tour’ On Road/ Off Road Rally over 145kg Dates TBC May 2nd & 3rd, Monmouth to Rhayader, Wales Portugal ‘Top2Bottom’, Dates throughout the year ‘HAT, Pavia to Sanremo’ 450km Classic & Discovery (Easy Going) Bikes over 145kg, Dates TBC ‘Rally of Sardinia’ Vintage & Modern Enduro, Dates TBC

the day went on and the lap times got quicker and quicker.

A burger van was on site for refreshments and a jet wash for removing the mud once done. And just like the trails, the site will no doubt be a completely different ride as the warmer seasons roll on.

With very few places locally where you can ride off road (and off the trail – trails being roads of course) it is great we have Luke’s entrepreneurial spirit and an effort to establish a new venue where we can all ride.

Current plans are to open every Saturday and the opportunity is there for TRF groups to run day sessions. For more information on the venue check out Xsite Leisure on Facebook or at xsiteleisure.co.uk. Steve Taylor

Jun 6th & 7th, Devils Punchbowl, Hampshire ‘HAT, Sestriere Adventourfest’ Group tours with Official Guides, 500km around the mountains of the Via Lattea’ Dates TBC July 18th & 19th, Devils Punchbowl, Hampshire Jun 19th to July 4th, GibraltAr Race, THE EASTERN DESCENT Estonia to Greece, Rally for all Abilities, Bikes over 145kg or Pre 2000 Aug 1st & 2nd, Monmouth to Rhayader, Wales Sep 5th & 6th, Devils Punchbowl ‘HAT, Hardalpitour ‘Extreme, Classic & Discovery‘ Bikes over 145kg, Sep Dates TBC ‘Italian Lakes & Mountains Marathon‘ Road/Adventure Bikes, Sept dates TBC Oct 2nd to 5th, Isle of Man Portugal ‘Top2Bottom’ Guided Trail Riding, Date TBC Nov 5th to 9th, Gatescarth & the Lakes, 3 Day Adventure Nov 14th & 15th, Thetford Forest & Hunstanton Dec 27th & 28th, The Mud Run, Herts, Essex & Cambs

60 Trail Spring 2020

Stay at home. Protect the NHS. Save Lives: www.trf.org.uk/COVID

Adventure Spec Mini Fairing on £34.00 - £118.99 SRP (Depending application) www.adventure-spec.com

OkAY MY 11-YEAR-OLD, trail nail CCM C-XR 230 might not be quite what Adventure Spec had in mind when it produced its Mini Fairing Universal. But, hey, if it fits… And it is designed to bolt to standard 22mm/7/8” or fat 28mm/1 1/8” bars providing a simple solution to what is becoming an ever-increasing problem – nav-tech bar clutter.

The Mini Fairing kit contains the necessary bracketry to support a mounting plate, GPS holder and front blade. Pre-driled locations are provided for a dual USB/cigarette socket and a Symtec Heated Grip switch.

I enjoy a good LDT, and luckily in the South East we have at least four clubs with the resources to organise events annually and these require a roadbook reader. Yes, you can ride with a map holder round your neck and people do but it’s never really appealed to me. My roadbook reader mounted to the the brace bar on the Renthals which was alright but by the end of an event it tended to swivel round with a mind of its own. Having it flatsurface mounted and more in the rider’s line of sight is a definite improvement.

At the risk of sounding like a Luddite, I’ve never been totally convinced by GPS on a

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

bike. I’ve sailed across the Atlantic using GPS, with a spare hand-held kept in the oven in case of a lightening strike. But most times when I’m out on the trail with other people using GPS it seems to involve a lot of stopping to recalculate position or, incredulously, going too fast for the GPS to keep up. Whatever, I find my Smartphone with gpx files and Google Maps works for me and I haven’t yet tried Viewranger and all that other stuff, I’m just waiting for TRF Green Road Mapping to be released.

So dual USB sockets keep the phone topped up with a spare, just in case, and I’m thinking about heated grips as they will help if you’re wearing lighter gloves (I use heated gloves on my road bike but they’re a bit clumpy for trail riding. Additionally, the mounting plate could be used to hold a mirror-mount phone holder bracket. I’ll let you know how I get on.

Sometimes the simple things can turn out to be the most enduring, the AS Mini Fairing could just be one of those. The front blade does afford some weather protection on the black top and, of course, it’s somewhere to put your TRF sticker.

Rick Kemp

62 Trail Spring 2020

Spring 2020 Trail 63

To advertise in Trail magazine contact: Charlie Harris T: 07768 855019 E: charlie@trf.org.uk or visit www.trf.org.uk/trade

Stay at home. Protect the NHS. Save Lives: www.trf.org.uk/COVID

9RPIEWL ]SYV %HZIRXYVI &MOI

Scorpion ADX-1 Battleflag £249.99 SRP www.bikerheadz.co.uk SCORPIOn’S ADX-1 is described as modular (flip front) Adventure Touring helmet. Beside its Adventure Touring role, the peak can be removed to create an aerodynamic touring helmet and it does, at first glance, look like a road helmet that’s had a peak plonked on top.

Fortunately, it’s a bit more than that.

Most full-face Adventure helmets are defined by a larger eye aperture and the ADX-1 is no exception, in fact, it offers extremely good vision peripherally and downwards and features an internal drop-down SpeedView sun visor. The main visor is Pinlock prepared and there’s a Pinlock Maxvision in the box.

Unlike on a regular full-face Adventure lid, the peak on a flip-front is less integral and that’s because there’s a lot more going on.

The chin bar and visor have to park under the peak and on the Scorpion system the front can be flipped with the visor in any position (not so on all flips) and the peak tilts to accommodate everything and the visor is automatically closed to the chin bar. Another benefit of having the peak raised off the crown of the helmet is airflow, the rocker-

64 Trail Spring 2020

ٍ​ٍ

LF ODQW XUH 0HG GYHQW OO\ G L 5D VHUW $ UR 5D H QGX F' (SL 7UDLO ( NHV U %L EVLWH IR :H 6HH IRU LQIR

IɖǼǼɵ nƺɮƺǼɀ ɀɖȵȵȒȸɎƺƳ ɎȒɖȸɀ ‫« ב‬ǣƳǣȇǕ IɖǼǼɵ ɀɖȵȵȒȸɎƺƳ xȒȸȒƬƬȒ ۭ ¨ȒȸɎɖǕƏǼ ‫« ב‬ǣƳǣȇǕ nƺɮƺǼɀ

ǣǣȇǔȒ۬ƫǣǕɀǸɵȸǣƳƺȸɀِƬȒȅ ȇǔȒ۬ƫǣǕɀǸɵȸǣƳƺȸɀِƬȒȅ action top vent isn’t suffocated by peak design. Airflow is also helped by two large exhaust vents.

The benefits of a flip-front on the trail are many especially if you’re a spectacle wearer.

You can drink, snack and chat without dropping you specs in the mud or having to replace a damp, cold helmet. On that front, the ADX-1 has a kwikWick ll lining intended to ‘keep you comfortable all day long’.

Comfortable may not necessarily mean dry, particularly if you’re riding in the rain but this is definitely a ‘comfortable’ helmet. Comfortable in the way it fits the head and generally in the way the interior climate is controlled.

Obviously these aspects are relative, if you’re averagely unfit and working hard there isn’t a helmet made that will prevent perspiration.

Having a mouth air vent is also handy when you’re breathing hard.

The chin bar release mechanism is very positive and easily thumb operated, likewise, the integral sun visor is thoughtfully placed for the clutch hand to operate just rear of the visor pivot. Scorpion’s Advanced LG polycarbonate shell comes in three sizes covering XS - 3XL and is available in a range of graphics and solid colours, a 5-year Warranty is offered.

Rick Kemp

ÁƺǼ‫ي‬ Á ƺǼ‫׎ ي‬ ‫גהא׏׎‬ ‫ד גהא׏‬ ‫חחדב׏ד‬ ‫ חחדב׏‬۴ ‫׎‬ ‫אהגו׎‬ ‫ו אהגו‬ ‫גווחאו‬ ‫גווחא‬

ɯɯɯِƫǣǕɀǸɵȸǣƳƺȸɀِƬȒȅ ɯɯ ɯɯِƫǣǕɀǸɵȸǣƳƺȸɀِƬȒȅ ȇƳȒɮƺȸ

ȇƳȒɮƺȸ ‫ ٮ‬RƏȅȵɀǝǣȸƺ RƏȅȵɀǝǣȸƺ

$PɈʫʖQɒ 7Uʋɵɗ 5LʏʖQɒ +ɼʙLGʋ\ɡ ʖɚ 6Sʋʖɚ

3 nights only £350 per person,- NON-RIDING NON-RIDING PARTNERS PARTNERS COME Andalusiais a magical Andalusia magical setting setting for a Dirt Bike Holiday Holiday in in Spain Spain and and our villa villa couldn’ couldn’tt be better placed. Nestling between olive groves and the Andalusian mountains (and just 40 minutes from Malaga) our stylishly, decorated country house has everything you need as a base for your holiday, extensive secluded gardens, excellent facilities, a full English breakfast before your off-road ride and a fabulous pool to help you relax after it.

Expert advice and tuition is available to make Group Discounts your experience even more enjoyable (our for 3+ riders! guides have 30 years off-road motorbike experience between them). All riding gear and equipment is supplied at no extra cost.

When it comes to dirt bike riding, Spain really has it all. You will ride awesome mountain passes, dense forest trails and stop for coffee in traditional whitewashed villages that seem frozen in time. There are over 1000 miles of trails to iÝ« Ài] > v Û>ÀÞ } ` vwVÕ Ì ið / i ` ÀÌ L i Ì ÕÀà are arranged based on the riders abilities. Expect to be thrilled before arriving at the local village for some well earned R&R in the evening.

Villanueva del Trabuco, Malaga, Spain, 29313 UK: 01442 234233 Bookings: 07453 260841 E: dirtbikeholidays@yahoo.com

www.dirtbikeholidays.com

Airport transfers/pick-ups/ drop-offs can be arranged

Stay at home. Protect the NHS. Save Lives: www.trf.org.uk/COVID

Blood and Sand

I ThInk IT was Elvis who once sang, “Failure to Prepare, is Preparing to Fail”. With this catchy ditty ringing in my ears, I persuaded John, my Bro in Law, to have a shake down ride out the weekend before the TRF Moors and Coast Event as preparation.This was really to test the reliability of Johns 30-yearold nail, er, honda XR250. Especially when he proudly announced he had managed to get it started on the first – “day”. I was concerned.

My CRF250L “Jane” (as in Jane Fonda, rhymes with honda :0) was, of course, perfect. We decided a whizz around the green lanes of Slaley Forest, would be sufficient prep. however, things did not quite go to plan.

What I had neglected to factor in was my riding ability, and the bad luck I experience every time I am due to do something important; I injure myself or have an accident. (If I didn’t have any bad luck, I would never have any luck at all!)

Spring 2020 Trail 67

66 Trail Spring 2020

A Scary Weekend In Whitby, at the TRF Moors and Coast Event. Part 3 of a 2-Part Series from the Crash Test Dummy Nick Grant

Stay at home. Protect the NHS. Save Lives: www.trf.org.uk/COVID

anywhere between £130 and £430 to fix, and a couple of weeks, if I got a proper man to do it. Oh Man. however, thanks to YouTube, I stumbled across a dude fixing bike radiators by gently hammering and twisting them all back into shape. I couldn’t believe it was possible! Well hell ,I have already broken it, so what’s the worst that could happen if I had a go?

I had nothing to lose.

Without even removing the rad from the pipey bits, I fashioned a brace of two planks of wood to squeeze the radiator flat again, bent all of the fixings back into position and OMG, it worked. I fixed it all, I am obviously – a genius. I should get a job, or some sort of Certificate. Game (back) on.

Saturday Group 6 Steady Away / Novice Remembering what Clint Eastwood said, “A man’s got to know his limitations” and I have plenty of them. John and I, well mainly I, elected to join this group.

Group Leader again, we had Big Al. he led us out on our last Dales Delight event in April, lovely chap, dead calm and relaxed and I was delighted to see him again. Richard was our designated kTM rider. There has to be one, it’s the TRF law. Very smart, friendly, engaging

Previous pre-event injuries (or stupidity) include falling off my WR250F and breaking my collar bone four days before a trip to new York, and another, whilst completely sozzled, wearing only my open toed sandals for protection, decided to use my hatchet to chop a log I was standing on. (Can you guess what happened next?) no. no. go on tell me…

First swing, I nearly remove two little piggies, the one that stayed at home, and one that went wee, wee, wee, all the way home. Who knew it was dangerous to do this? It didn’t say not to on the instruction manual. Ouch.

At A&E, I let out a silent scream so high pitched it could only be heard by the local dogs, as the Doctor peeled open my toes to give them a clean before stitching them back

68 Trail Spring 2020

and sounds exactly like my dentist especially with his helmet on. Consequently he must have thought I was a bit weird, as while he talked, I stood there open mouthed waiting to be probed.

Paul and Gwen, husby and Wife team (68 and 67 Years old) lovely couple showing us kids that age, and gender is no barrier to off-road biking. Riding a Beta 200, and a Gas Gas something or other, both in absolutely pristine condition. The bikes that is, and actually so were Paul and Gwen, well they were at the start. And Lastly – Stuart, our tail

together. With my bandage on, It looked like I had two big toes on one foot. This was five days before driving to France. Oh, how I laughed. The wife didn’t. Quoting “well you’ve really excelled yourself this time nick.”

Faced with the prospect of her behind the wheel for the next two weeks in France, we were both worried.

Anyway, back to the point, on our prep ride out, I fell off. Cross rutted. Bike goes right, I go left, and bike lands heavily on the radiator and shroud, bending both right back and completely out of shape.

I don’t believe it… I’ve done it again.

Mercifully and surprisingly, the radiator wasn’t leaking, and I was able to ride slowly home.

I now have four days to resolve my calamity.

What should have been a ride to fix John’s bike, broke mine…

The Tinterweb revealed that this could cost

Spring 2020 Trail 69

Stay at home. Protect the NHS. Save Lives: www.trf.org.uk/COVID

end Charley, cracked a couple of ribs, presumably preparing for this weekend in the same way that I usually do, by injuring myself, persevered through gritted teeth and pain, provided the essential role of sweeper.

Thanks Stu. Great to see my mate Bob “king of the Mountain” at this event again, although I was concerned that he had miss-read the instructions as he had turned up with his boat. Eh? Did he know something we didn’t – end of the world, or great flood? nope, nothing Biblical. Bob has had a bit of an off and had stopped riding until his broken neck heals. What broken neck? What a hero. If I had broken my neck, I would pack in bikes and take up knitting. Or even Morris Dancing... he just thought he would call in on

70 Trail Spring 2020

his way north to Sky to go harpooning the Scandawegians or something.

Lost? Who Me? – Yes Once again, the scenery in East Yorkshire was just amazing, Who knew? They should advertise it somewhere and it might become a tourist area. normally I am quite good at dead reckoning my whereabouts outside, but unlike my pigeons, I need the Sun to orientate, and on Sunday it was very overcast. Consequently, at one point I was that lost that I thought we were looking down at Morecambe Bay! I was only 150 miles off track. What a Spanner. Fortunately, and this is the whole point of these events, you don’t need to know where you are, or going, as our leader, Big Al was in charge.

Beacon Farm Campsite was our venue for

the weekend, and this was very agreeable indeed.

Included in our fee was an Evening Meal on the Friday, and as I am a meat-eating vegetarian, I had the Beef Stew. Mmm, lovely. Full English Breakfast from 6.30am, each morning, and Afternoon Teas from the Café, and with The Wilson Arms pub at the entrance to the site, meant that we had everything us hungry bikers needed. Indeed, it seemed a shame having to go out on our bikes, with these all-day eating opportunities so close at hand. Oink, Oink.

I never have a drink the night before a ride out, as it may well dull my already dull self, so after a couple of pints in The Wilsons Arms, we called it a day and retreated back to my Camper van.

I thought my accommodation was quite good, until I saw one of my neighbour’s.

Wasn’t so much a Motorhome, more like a Motortown. So big, we could have held the whole event inside. Must be nice.

Whitby, Full Moon, Oh no Dracula and his Ghoulies were out. Saturday night’s sleep was disturbed, not by memories of my riding, or Johns “chain saw” like snoring, or even my thunderous trumping, but by Drax (as he is called by his Mum) and his howling Ghouls.

I should have realised that this site was haunted as there was four “I Scream” vans parked at the entrance. (Can you see what I did there? Yes, Thanks Rolf. Oops not supposed to mention him nowadays – so I won’t) My Van and awning being rocked and shoved quite violently by Drax. 2am in the morning, peering, bleary eyed, out on to the awning to witness it being pushed almost flat to the ground by the ghoulish howling wind, but amazingly it survived the ordeal. I gave John the lower bunk in the van so that if Dracula did get in, he would have to drink all of Johns blood first, and by then he will hopefully have had his fill of John – I know I sometimes have – and not get to me. In any event my blood is so thin and anaemic, for a Vampire, it would be like having a Shandy.

Success and Fame beckons.

I am now officially the 55th top rider within 30 miles of Whitby that weekend. I would have been the 60th top rider, but fortunately five chums failed to turn up for the event, which automatically pushed me up the leader board. I was briefly 54th top rider for a minute or two, but Gwen overtook me, the minx, so I was last again in the bottom group.

Still I am looking forward to Gerry and Dick sending me my Certificate and Trophy. Must be in the post. I will add this to my collection of trophies, bringing the total up to – er, one.

I hope to double this after the hadrian Adventure in October.

Jason, Group Leader Day 2, encyclopaedic knowledge of the lanes in the area, and using no maps or satnav, we got lost. ha ha ha, no we didn’t just kidding, he knew his way around.

Sunday’s ride out was a lot more technical, but hugely enjoyable, with rivers, steep muddy banks, and long rocky trails to complete, great fun. Overall, the weekend was a tremendous success, brilliantly well organised, and at one of the best venues so far. It’s good having decent amenities and easy access to food for breakfast and tea, without all the hassle.

Many thanks to Gerry and Dick again, and off course our leaders and sweepers, for a great weekend.

Spring 2020 Trail 71

Stay at home. Protect the NHS. Save Lives: www.trf.org.uk/COVID

following businesses are offering Friends of the TRF The 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 Memory Maps www.memory-map.co.uk 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/

72 Trail Spring 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