So. As winter is fast approaching, I've decided to turn the 999 and SRAD into track bikes, wanting to get my lad started in bikes (8 yrs old) and finding a local club with an awesome practice ground open 7 days a week I'm going to go back to my teenage roots and buy a Trials bike. Will be <£1000, single shock (HOW MUCH ARE TWIN SHOCK BIKES !!!!!!) bike to get me started so about year 2000. Anyone know what are good/bad bikes and what to look for?
Ever looked at Enduro? There are events that let kids run too.. I'm not sure if Enduroland still do them? BrickHill, Bedford maybe? Probably some more local to you. I haven't got into it properly yet, but I know people who are. There are locations all over the Country. , a Kids event. There are parts of enduro (hard enduro) like trials riding now, but events can have areas in woods, fields and bits of MX tracks so use a variety of skills. Some more serious are very full on. It's probably better to start on trials bike still I guess, if you wanted to do the serious enduro stuff. I am sure Graham Javis must have been a trials rider, but it's a combination of everything, border line stunt riding, bit of supermoto, very diverse < but not cheap to do it properly but for fun a older bike with diy maintenance should be ok. KTM seem to be pretty good enduro bikes, not sure about kids one... There is a KTM dealer at Hemel. Just a thought, sorry if too off topic.
I think I'll stick with Trials. Some Enduro required a license IIRC as it can be on road too. Went to Hemel KTM dealer today and it wasn't there! Its either moved or I have early onset Alzheimer's!
You shouldn't need a road licence for events kids can ride and these are non competitive, play days... Enduro as I've been introduced to it is hugely diverse which is why I bought another bike. I don't know anyone who is in a club, or doing green laning or those on/off road enduro type events. I'm sure that's a bit different. I do know 5 local guys who do technical enduro though. One met a few guys from this forum last year. He was in Poland last week doing hard enduro (like trials riding) and is doing a 4 hour endurance event next week. One of the road racers invited me to one too, he rides Wr450, his kid had a PW50 at that time. Has it? bit odd, apparently they had only moved to that one, from nearby, Wood Ln, Hemel Hempstead HP2 4TP??? I was only there several months ago when I bought a bike.. They never mentioned moving when it was on order. I use Loughborough for my parts now. Not sure I what I will do with my kid(S) regarding bike yets.. I have seen an electric Trails type bike at a shop near me. These ones....Seeming as we are heading towards zero emissions.
Trouble is finding somewhere to play/practice, especially for a child, outside competition. That's the beauty of this Trials club, I can take the boy to the practice ground how often and whenever I like. That's what I've been looking for.
if your on FB zona enduro is a good site, maybe more appropriate if your taking up track days?. if your sticking to trial i spotted a few around here when i was looking for a bike for the kid. theres a lot of trials going on around here, the bikes are starting from around 600 and looking pretty beat up. mostly BETA's
My son has an Oset 20Lite that he messes around on. There's a local-ish area he can use (Bumpy) and because its electric he uses it on the local forest trails and nobody complains. In fact, other parents stop me to ask what it is and comment that it's pretty cool (if it was petrol they would probably be calling the police). Battery lasts about 45-60 mins so plenty of time for him to tire himself out.
Not for a long time strictly tarmac now quite a few of the Manc lads do enduro regularly and have just started competing I'm sure you'll know one or two of them who you've probably got me mixed up with
