Trials Riding

Observed trials come in two forms, traditionally an outside sport where the rider is confronted with a series of natural obstacles or sections that he/she must ride over without stopping or touching the ground with their feet. Penalties are awarded thus:- Stopping = 5 marks lost, touching the ground twice or more with either foot = 3 marks lost, one dab of either foot = will cost you 1 mark but if you "clean the section" you won't incur a penalty.

Obviously, the rider with the least penalty points is the winner. Should there be a tie-break situation, then the rider with the fewer "5s" will take the honors.

The other form of trial is held in an indoor areana where the rider must overcome man made obstacles. in recent years the sections have got tougher and more imaginative on the part of the course builder, the rider is often confronted with obstacles that would seem impossible to tackle, but it is a credit to today's young band of athletes who seem to defy gravity and balance, dance, hop and pirouette with their machines. The scoring is the same apart from the point of balancing the machine statically with both feet up whilst deciding on what line to take = 0 marks lost.

Timed trials is a combination between observed trials sections and motocross. The object of the sport is to thrash around a closed circuit for an hour, but taking on a number of observed sections that are situated around differant parts of the course ,here trials marking is applied. The winner is the rider that has completed the most laps with the fewest marks dropped on observation in the sections.