The Scene
THE SCENE
DEPARTMENTS
IVAN J. WAGAR
EARLY THIS year I devoted this column to observed trials, and the fact that it is our next boom sport in motorcycling. During my recent trip to Japan, I was pleasantly surprised to learn that the manufacturers are going ahead with trials development programs. At Kawasaki, agent 007 Sam Tanegashima, their “idea investigator,” told me that he had read my column just before leaving for Europe to deliver their latest motocross machines to Ollie Pettersen. While in Kawasaki’s European headquarters in Amsterdam to meet Ollie, Sam contacted the Dutch Kawasaki kingpin, Venk, who, as it turns out, is a top level trials rider in Holland.
After much discussion with Venk about what rider could be hired to develop a Kawasaki trials bike, it was decided to see if English Montesa rider Don Smith had a contract.. Venk, a personal friend of Smith’s, made the contact and, indeed, Smith did not have a written contract. Our 007 agent, after taking care of Ollie and making the arrangements for the Japanese engineer that will accompany Pettersen this year, flew to Daytona for the 200-mile classic. Then, on the return to Europe, he stopped in London to see Smith. Apparently Don was impressed with the progressive Kawasaki firm and Sam’s ability to negotiate and write a contract on the spot. He signed, and tore up the unsigned contract he had in his pocket from another Japanese firm.
One big problem that Sam has had with the trials project is in explaining to his people, even some of the Kawasaki people in this country, the difference between observed trials and ISDT (enduro) type events. And I will admit that there is considerable confusion, although the two are as different as motocross and roadracing. In observed trials, the whole point is to conquer almost impassable terrain, and marks are lost for footing, going out of bounds, or stopping in the section. Usually there is no time penalty involved, but there can be if there are a lot of riders, in which case you must finish the event within a time limit, but not on a time schedule. Sam is really up to speed on the whole scene because he visited some international events, including the British round of the..Ehropean Championship. Sam does his homework.
It is interesting that Don Smith was very keen on Kawasaki’s new big bore (450cc) two-stroke. Sam has sent Smith both 250 and 450cc engines to build machines around. But Smith, like Bultaco with their new 325cc Sherpa T, feels that sections are becoming so difficult that more displacement than the now-standard 250s is needed. Smith was quick to turn down the 350 Big Horn unit because of the width required for a rotary valve engine in a real trials machine.
Due to very restrictive import regulations, and lack of knowledge about trials, there are no trials bikes in Japan. To convince the engineers how different trials bikes are from the run of the milltrail machines, it was necessary for Sam to buy two of Spain’s latest and ship them to Akashi.
On a recent trip to the factory, Venk laid out a couple of sections on the ground where a new motorcycle engine plant is under construction. Cleaning the “hazards” quite easily, Venk turned one of the trialers over to a pair of Kawasaki motocross test riders who were in attendance. Both of these chaps had been in the sidelines sort of chuckling about how easy the whole thing looked. But both proceeded to crash all over the place when their time came to show their stuff. And that’s what trials is all about; it looks easy, but don’t be too quick to judge until you’ve tried it. The Yamaha trials program, apparently, is going along on schedule because they are not saying much. Sammy Miller told me in Spain at the beginning of the year that he had turned down a tremendous amount of money from Yamaha to develop a bike. The rumor then was that the famous Hamamatsu factory turned to French champion Christian Rahier. But there is no news at this time.
Suzuki now is very interested in building real trials iron, but again, there is not much talking going on about the project. I spent some considerable time with Honda people discussing trials. Unlike Kawasaki, and their 007 Sam, the engineers I talked to have not seen a trials, nor have they purchased trials machines to study.
The future of real trials in this country depends on clubs or organizing groups laying out the events for real trials machines. The American Motorcycle Association has fallen way behind the needs of trials riders by continuing to encourage the old Field Trials theme. Field trials are another form of prostitution of the word trials. Usually field trials are laid out on flat ground with twisty chalk marks all over the ground so that a properly balanced HarleyDavidson 74 can get through and even win.
A real trials requires a delicate combination of man and machine, and sections that demand the ultimate from both. There are many groups and organizations sponsoring and organizing trials, other than the AMA, and most interested people only need check with their local dealer for leads on events in the area.
area. A couple of years ago the American Trials Association was formed on the West Coast. There are about 10 clubs between San Diego and San.Francisco, with about 800 active members, and organized events every weekend. Under the guidance of perennial Bill Brokaw, there is considerable activity in Colorado, where some of the best events in the country are held. New England and Missouri are other hot beds for observed trials.
Apart from fully organized trials, the fastest booming thing in California is the half dozen buddies that get together on a small piece of land, maybe an acre behind a mountain cabin, and each lay out a section. Then the match, is on. Usually the guy that laid out his own section will have an advantage on that trap, but everything is equal on the others. These informal trials events are really great.
How are the Spanish manufacturers taking the potential Japanese invasion of their kingdom? Bultaco, as previously mentioned, will probably introduce the big 325 later this year, but it will be in addition to the current, highly successful Sherpa T. Ossa’s beautiful new Plonker, tested by CW in May 1972 issue, is a smash hit. A company spokesman tells me they are back-ordered more than 1000 units, and if the dealers had the machines in quanity, they could probably sell 5000 Plonkers. The fact that Mick Andrews has now won his third consecutive European Championship, although there are three remaining events still on the calendar, has had a great deal to do with the popularity of the MAR (Mick Andrews Replica). Mick’s machine is a standard bike except that he replaces the standard cylinder base gasket with one from a Pioneer, thereby gaining a slight increase in compression and power.
Montesa has taken a different tack than Bultaco. At the CYCLE WORLD Show in April, Montesa previewed a beautiful new 125 trialer. Virtually a scaled down version of the popular 250 Cota, the 125 is bound to be a hit with wives and younger riders.
Spain will continue to have the advantage of the flexibility offered by smaller production runs, compared to the Japanese factories. The Japanese, on the other hand, have tremendous engineering and financial reserves on which to draw. And providing all of the manufacturers approach trials with the sincerity of 007 Sam, we’ll be seeing some pretty sophisticated bog wheelers in the not too distant future.
