Classic competition - on a bike

[BMWChris]

HI guys - posted this in bikes without response so I thought I'd try it here

Hello,

I've spent the last year doing a variety of classic events in my mildly modified (mostly safety gear and a bit of tuning) 70's MG - a hillclimb, a sprint, a few rallies, autotests, trialling etc. The idea was to just have a go and not worry too much about being competitive. (This didn't quite work as it turned out the car and I were often competitive).

I chose events that didn’t need too much equipment – I could use the same competition license, suit and helmet for them all, for example – or too much skill.

In the garage I’ve got a mildly modified 70’s Yamaha XT500. I’d like to do something similar with it in the future. Being competitive isn't the aim, being eligible is.

Can you recommend events and clubs to join? I’m not too bothered about location. One I do fancy is classic trialling like the Lands End.

What do you recommend?

[srob]

I can't help specifically. I used to ride in twin-shock trials around East Anglia with a club called 'The Dabbers'. Pretty sure they're still going but are geared more to trials than enduro/motorcross. I seem to remember that some of the fella's used to ride in some kind of Sottish Six Days trial style of event. One used to use and ex-military Bombadier so similar to your bike.

I'll have a word with my brother when I next speak to him and see if he knows anything (he edits an old bike magazine). I suspect though that you may find your bike is kind of 'in between' in terms of age.

It might be worth posting the same question on something like: http://forums.dirtrider.com/index.html to see if anyone else has similar machines that they compete on.

Good luck, keep us posted and if I can turn anything up I'll let you know

[BMWChris]

thanks! will check them out. It doesn't need to be an off road type of event. I seem to remember watching some kind of semi competitive event around hay bales on tarmac that James May entered on his Guzzi. (It wasn't coverd by May, he just happened to be there).

[AC Motors]

May be worth contacting the Wymondham motorcyle club here http://harglo.co.uk/wym.html they used to do grass tracks Enduros etc, also check out the Eastern centre ACU - http://www.easternacu.org/ I do clubman trials myself which is very enjoyable and has a strong following, also not too expensive. Unfortunately you would have to have a change of bike for trials. Let me know if you need any more info, cheers, Andy.

[srob]

BMWChris said:

thanks! will check them out. It doesn't need to be an off road type of event. I seem to remember watching some kind of semi competitive event around hay bales on tarmac that James May entered on his Guzzi. (It wasn't coverd by May, he just happened to be there).

Maybe you were thinking of Thundersprint?

They do timetrials around what is essentially a carpark, but they get some very tasty bikes and some well known riders.

http://www.thundersprint.com/

Edited by srob on Monday 14th December 10:17