Land's End Trial 2013

[ian640]

The Middle - Riding the Route

The key is to follow the route specified in the route book.

Fuel stops are specified in the route book.

When the route gets a little complicated, the club sometimes, but not always, posts little 'helper' signs - R, L or SO. The signs for the class O route have a circle round them. Don't follow the class O signs if you're not in class O.

There might also be signs saying 'Q' - meaning be quiet, and 'QQ' meaning be very quiet.

There's no need to ride at excessive speed and no need to break the speed limit. I once got a puncture, typically in the middle of the night somewhere on Exmoor with no street lighting. It took about an hour to fix it yet I still finished on time, without rushing.

Some of the sections are ridden in darkness, some in daylight.

Cars, bikes and three-wheelers make up the entry. The bikes go round first.

 

[ian640]

The Middle - The Observed Sections

You've ridden a few miles from the main start, usually on tarmac, and typically there'll be an obscure turning onto a track that leads to the first observed section.

The observed sections are typically trails, wide enough to get a car up, with a clearly marked start line and finish line. Some can be very long compared to the sections you might find in a typical Sunday morning club trial.

The objective is to ride the observed section without stopping and without footing. You may be required to stop riding an observed section for a re-start which we'll come onto shortly.

When you arrive at the section there'll probably be a small queue of a few competitors before you. Sometimes, for example if the section is difficult and there are a lot of failures, there might be a longer wait.

When it's your turn the start marshal will wave you to the start line and you should position yourself with the front wheel on the line. The marshal will then typically radio to the rest of the section crew that you're on the way and then indicate that you can attempt the section. Don't start until the marshal says so.

You then start your attempt and off you go. As you concentrate on not stopping and not footing you'll see other marshals on the side of the section making a note of your progress - or lack of it. There might be signs saying 'section continues' or similar. Finally you'll see a sign saying 'section ends' or similar and when you've passed this you're through, hopefully with a clean ride under your belt. For safety reasons you might be required to stop at the end of a section. On the other hand you mght be required to continue - for example if the section is in a 'PR-sensitive' area and the section ends next to someone's house. Instructions will be clearly specified in the route book.

It's worth noting that many a medal has been blown by competitors thinking that they have completed a section, and so stopping before reaching the section ends.

Following the route book, you then ride on to the next section, which might be a few yards away or may involve several miles of going on the tarmac.

 

[ian640]

The Middle - Re-Starts

Mainly to fine tune the severity of the observed sections, the club uses a concept known as the 're-start'. Many a medal-winning ride has been turned into a nice ride round by messing up one or more re-starts.

A re-start is typically a box marked out by 4 boards with the letter 'R' on them, positioned at some point in an observed section.

If you have to do the re-start, then the aim is typically to stop with at least one wheel in the box. The re-start marshal will then signal - usually with a flag, that you should continue, without rolling back. Techniques vary - my own is to hold the bike with the rear brake, and when it comes to wheel positioning, the rear wheel has priority.

Some sections will have no re-start box, some one re-start box, and to make things even more complicated, some have two re-start boxes.

If the section has no re-start box then it needs to be ridden as normal to avoid penalty - i.e. feet-up without stopping.

If the section has one re-start box, then you might be required to stop in it and re-start, but you might not. This depends on what class you're in - whether you have to stop and re-start will be specified in the route book. It's possible to have a section with a re-start box but you don't have to stop and re-start. A common error - resulting in a failure - is to stop and re-start when you're not supposed to.

If the section has two re-start boxes, then you might be required to stop and re-start in one or none of the boxes. Which one depends on your class, again specified in the route book. I've not yet encountered a section with two re-start boxes and had to stop in both to avoid penalty - again the route book will specify what to do.

 

[ian640]

More to come in the next couple of weeks or so....

 

[slow motion]

Restarts

If you have to do the re-start, then the aim is typically to stop with at least one wheel in the box. The re-start marshal will then signal - usually with a flag, that you should continue, without rolling back. Techniques vary - my own is to hold the bike with the rear brake, and when it comes to wheel positioning, the rear wheel has priority.

Hope you dont mind Ian if I add a bit of "help" on restarts.
If you do have to do a restart(depending on class, roadbook instruction etc)
having stopped with at least one wheel in the box, upon the signal from the marshal you must pull away without rolling backwards and with no "footing"after 3 yards after the exit line of the restart box. Check to see if this is still the case as I havent done MCC trials for a few years.
I always tried to stop with FRONT wheel just in the box, selecting the gear you need for pulling away prior to stopping, sitting well back on seat whilst pulling away(after the marshal has given sign to restart)
This technique gives you the whole box area plus 3 yards of footing to get away.
Hope this all makes sense and is of help
If it all goes wrong its nothing to do with me
Steve

 

[pinkytiff]

So I've just entered this on my HP2 - have been meaning to do it for some time, so New Year, new resolutions etc.

For those that don't know - it's a long distance trials event, run over night that finishes in Cornwall over Easter weekend. I believe it's about 240 miles... It's typically done by classic cars and bikes, although some less 'classic' than others

http://www.themotorcyclingclub.org.uk/events/landsend.htm

Anybody else done it before and have tips for me??

Anybody else fancy entering too??

Hi Mav, just caught up with this thread. Did it last year on my XC from Popham airfield, great fun but absolutely knackering. PM me for a chat if you like. Best mod I did was HID projector lights cos going up some of the trial sections in the pitch black is like being blindfolded otherwise!

It gets very cold at 3am, my heated vest was a godsend. I'd recommend you read learn and inwardly digest the regs for class C cos it gets very confusing otherwise, knowing which places you're expected to do the restarts can save a lot of grief and stops peeing off the marshals!

 

[Nickyboy]

Fantastic stuff

Really helpful info there Ian, thanks very much for taking the time and effort to do it

Yep, the XT engine is great for this sort of stuff..... I've gone from a couple of 640's over to it and love the soft torquey characteristics , it's far more relaxing to ride than the KTM. I'm in the process of swapping out the front end for some ttr/yz forks which should work well with the Wilbers rear shock.....

Must fit heated grips and remember heated jacket.

 

[Wreford Miles]

I entered 'O' but think I should be in 'C' I assume that's right fr me on my 1150

 

[Dansin]

I entered 'O' but think I should be in 'C' I assume that's right fr me on my 1150

C is the full event whereas O is a cut down route. I've changed to C.

 

[ian640]

Hope you dont mind Ian if I add a bit of "help" on restarts.

Of course not...

If you do have to do a restart(depending on class, roadbook instruction etc)
having stopped with at least one wheel in the box, upon the signal from the marshal you must pull away without rolling backwards and with no "footing"after 3 yards after the exit line of the restart box. Check to see if this is still the case as I havent done MCC trials for a few years.
I always tried to stop with FRONT wheel just in the box, selecting the gear you need for pulling away prior to stopping, sitting well back on seat whilst pulling away(after the marshal has given sign to restart)
This technique gives you the whole box area plus 3 yards of footing to get away.
Hope this all makes sense and is of help
If it all goes wrong its nothing to do with me
Steve

Good idea to get maximum length for footing space, though I always try to give the back wheel priority over the front when it comes to positioning as it's the driving wheel. Plus it's easier to move the position of the front wheel IMHO (at least on a trials bike - if you can hop the front wheel on a 650 you probably wouldn't be bothering to read this ).

 

[ian640]

Really helpful info there Ian, thanks very much for taking the time and effort to do it

Yep, the XT engine is great for this sort of stuff..... I've gone from a couple of 640's over to it and love the soft torquey characteristics , it's far more relaxing to ride than the KTM. I'm in the process of swapping out the front end for some ttr/yz forks which should work well with the Wilbers rear shock.....

Must fit heated grips and remember heated jacket.

I went from a Tenere to a 640 then another 640. I think the Tenere was best for MCC events, but the LC4 is great fun. XCh is great as well

 

[ian640]

I entered 'O' but think I should be in 'C' I assume that's right fr me on my 1150

I see a nice looking airhead in your avatar. If I had an oilhead and an airhead I'd pick the airhead, at least for class C. Unless the oilhead was an HP2 E then I'd have to toss a coin.

 

[Jaseone]

wise words

Evening all, good to here some opinions on road books & the use of. The wife is letting me do the Lands End on my old 1988 R100gs, bit of a heavy lump I know, but I've married her now! Hopefully sorted a few issues with the bike so its just me that that needs to get prepped now.
Ian thanks for the words of wisdom & experience, very helpfull. It's great to get an idea of what to expect. From someone who ain't clue.
Dan, that road book holder looks top banana mate. I recon with the right bit of paper inside that should get us all the way to North Africa! Be afraid Touratec, be very afraid!

See ya out there

Jase

 

[Wreford Miles]

I see a nice looking airhead in your avatar. If I had an oilhead and an airhead I'd pick the airhead, at least for class C. Unless the oilhead was an HP2 E then I'd have to toss a coin.

My Logic

Airhead - Great clutch, great low speed traction, headlight is poor,
1150 - Good condition TKC's, great clutch, not bad at low speed traction, good lights, heated grips, power for heated vest - the need to get home (300 miles sharp'ish)
There might be another option, tyre, noise and fuel range dependent

For now its the 1150

 

[Mav]

On 'the other option'... I have the same range issue!

 

[Gaz]

Ian/Pinkytiff
what tyres did you use when you did it on your XChs?

I've got a choice of Mitas CO2/C19, Pirelli MT21s or Metzeler Saharas.

I guess the Mitas are too aggressive, and the Metz too road-ish, so will opt for the MT21 which have a similar pattern to Michelin T63 (which are explicitly allowed).

cheers
G

 

[JohnnyBoxer]

Ian/Pinkytiff
what tyres did you use when you did it on your XChs?

I've got a choice of Mitas CO2/C19, Pirelli MT21s or Metzeler Saharas.

I guess the Mitas are too aggressive, and the Metz too road-ish, so will opt for the MT21 which have a similar pattern to Michelin T63 (which are explicitly allowed).

cheers
G

If you look at the regs Gaz, only T63 or TKC80's will be permitted for bikes over 600cc, for the awards

So MT21's won't be eligible for awards and you may or may not be able to start

The MCC are pretty strict on tyre choice, due to lane damage etc

 

[Gaz]

I've put a query into the clerk of the course about MT21s since they do fall within allowable parameters they state (mine have less than 10mm depth, no continual gap across whole width of tyre, fully road legal etc).

I might just go with the Saharas for a laugh

 

[Gaz]

If you look at the regs Gaz, only T63 or TKC80's will be permitted for bikes over 600cc, for the awards

Sorry JB, but that above does not follow from the regs

"In addition competitors in class C ONLY will be permitted to
use either Continental TKC 80 tyres or Michelin T63 tyres."

means that TKC and T63 are allowable exceptions, in addition to other makes not named that may fall within the regs.

 

[JohnnyBoxer]

Sorry JB, but that above does not follow from the regs

"In addition competitors in class C ONLY will be permitted to
use either Continental TKC 80 tyres or Michelin T63 tyres."

means that TKC and T63 are allowable exceptions, in addition to other makes not named that may fall within the regs.

I think the normal 'permitted' tyre is generally a proper trials tyre, like a Pirelli MT43 for MCC events and because bigger bikes over 600cc now participate then they have had to 'relax that Trials tyre rule, to include T63 and TKC tyres which carry a speed, weight and tubeless option suitable for bigger bikes

I think MT21 won't be eligible to qualify for the awards, should you be in the running for one

Best check with the MCC before the event though