What are English Trials?  You better read up as there will be an English Trials Event in Redmond at the BMW MOA National Rally.

 (Photos: Stephen Burns)

 English Trials differ from the modern motorcycle trials event in that average riders and standard motorcycles are used on a course that contains obstacles of a type that could be encountered in everyday riding.  There are many descriptions of how English Trials came to be, but most of them have as common elements the idea of maneuvering whatever the normal vehicle is over/around/through things that exist in the regular course of getting from one place to another using that vehicle.

Consider not that long ago when horses were a common mode of conveyance.  In order to encourage development of riding skills, and discourage the rampant destruction of property commensurate with a lack thereof, competitions were held to display skills that focused on control and finesse rather than speed and aggressive riding.  We're not talking about "big air" type of riding here.

These competitions were an opportunity to display and gain recognition from riding skills that would allow maneuvering among houses, gardens, fences, walkways, etc.  By way of the competitive nature of the trials, young riders were provided with the motivation to develop the riding techniques that would help them avoid damage to property and possibly to themselves or other people.

Motorcycle English Trials

A motorcycle English Trials event implements this philosophy by using regular motorcycles on a course designed to present obstacles that simulate, or implement, challenges that could be encountered in every-day riding.  Typically six short stages are designed to test various abilities, and a seventh " tie-breaker" stage provides additional challenge in case the field of competitors has not separated by that time.

Differing from a "GS Offroad" event because dirt bikes or dual-sport bikes are not required to successfully compete.  The events are designed to require control and finesse and are usually run at very low speeds over short stages setup right within the larger rally location.  For example, at the 49er rally in Auburn the stages were within easy walking distance and provided entertainment for the observers without requiring them to leave the rally site.  Videos of the event show spectators close by at each of the stages cheering (or groaning) as the riders negotiated the obstacles.

Scoring is done by assigning points for various infractions, and the winner is the rider with the lowest total point score.  One point is assigned for each time a rider touches a foot to the ground (a dab), two points for stalling the engine, three points for falling.  A maximum of five points can be assigned for each stage, giving total scores ranging from zero to thirty.

Organizing a successful English Trials requires an interesting course, accessibility for the spectators, and a sufficient number of judges to allow the event to be conducted within an hour or two.  Prior knowledge of the number of participants, ten or fifty or hundreds, is critical to completing the event in a timely fashion.

Check your 2010 Rally Program in Redmond for all the details!