outlawtrials.com

Wow ! the change in the weather in our Valley is sure appreciated ! - Yesterday I was out in the shop putting the finishing touches to my 2021 Evo 300 SS which is now up for sale. - As our regular readers will recall, I picked this bike as my favorite for 2021 - ( And I do try all the models we sell)  - The main reason is because it’s so smooth and with the new bikes going up this year due to big time freight increases   - we don’t expect this bike to be available too long - it has less than 20 hours on it mainly due to the Forest Fires - so is a real bargain for somebody. ( Most folk who buy my demo models will attest to how they rate) - This bike has no scratches and is fitted with Boyeson reeds plus a spark arrestor. -  It also comes with a supply of Opti Oil ( as do all our bikes)  Call us if you are interested - but be quick - because you won’t find a better used Beta anywhere.

=========================================================>

You know, Motorcycle sport has such a variety of aspects, it’s no wonder that it’s so popular - unlike other sports, there are a wide variety of events   to choose from - Of course our focus for this blog is mainly Trials, - but there are so many others - Ice racing is one and popular to the hardy on the frozen lakes in Canada.

Back in 1976 while working for Yamaha - I spent time stripping a new XT 500 to use on the ice - ( another one of my “Great” ideas) - First thing  to remove was the huge exhaust system. which must have weighed a ton - but other than than all we did was stud up the tires and take it out to Chestermere Lake - where the Calgary club had a clubhouse. - - The XT certainly got some attention, and I did enjoy doing a few laps with feet up cornering !! but I never was one for the cold, and decided to put Gord Lalonde on the bike, for the upcoming races. - Gord was a real master at this type of racing, but while the 4T got great traction, it was no match for the 400cc Two strokes of that era.  - Good memories but sadly no Photographs. ( This was just posted on FB- think it is a shot from the famous “Numb bum race in Northern Alberta)

=============================================>

The answer to the Saturday quiz - Dave Bickers on a BSA Bantam ( rare pic)  - no correct answer!!
Here is another shot of Dave with his Dad filling up the Greeves - hope they remembered to put some oil in!! - I recall that the James we had back in the day, had a long metal tube attached to the filler cap, and you filled this with oil then dumped it into the gas tank !! very primitive - you then shook the bike to mix it!!!  ( I wonder how many of our readers remember doing that?)

another great shot of Bickers on a Matchless - as they say - “When men were men” - Thanks to Deryk Wylde for these old pics.

=====================================================>

Big win for British rider Sam Sutherland in the Dakar - and of course a big Advertising boost for Gas Gas (although we all know it’s a red KTM)

=========================================>

A nice pic of Emily just popped up on FB - not sure when it was taken - she is always smiling!!!

==================================================>

Answer to the quiz on Thursday - Luigi Taveri - the small built Swiss Road racer who we saw on a 125 MV in the 1957 Isle of Man  TT

( No correct answer)
Quiz for today. -

Who is this rider ?

==================================================>

I saw a post with someone asking about the best Water proof Trials boots ? The answer is of course “There are none” - unless you go back to the old days when we all wore Fireman’s Rubber boots. - We always suggest using a liberal coating of “Dubbin”  before you use your new boots - we have found this to be the best - Another person responded saying they just didn’t go out in the rain !!!  Well, I always say that if you didn’t want to ride either in the rain or mud - in the UK - you wouldn’t be riding much!!!

Here we see one of the very best “Mud- pluggers “- TRS Importer UK - Steve Saunders out having fun and showing the local lads that he can still ride a bit!!  - Saunders won the British Trials Championship 11 times, the Scottish 5 times and was runner up in the later FIM World Championship, ( When many thought he was screwed out of that title)   ( pic by Heath)

BTW we do have the Wulf rain gear in stock!!!
================================================>

The caption for this pic read - Happy Carla’s Day - no idea who took it or where and who the lady rider is - We do know that the bike is a Beta Factory !!!  - We have one of the 2022 Factory 200’s on order - the first year for this model - “You Snooze- You lose”

==============================================>

Yesterday -  I watched a Trial video from the UK on UTube - It was a Southern Experts event - obviously all on private ground, but the organizers did a good job of finding a limited selection of sections - old log piles, muddy gullies etc.  - The stars on the day were Alexz Wigg - Jack Dance and  Sam Connor ( still going strong) - they seemed to float through the slippery stuff, as the regular club riders floundered. - I was impressed by the one young lady rider Alicia Robinson - I know she has competed at the top level this past year and it shows. - Nice to see the gals getting out - we hope to have a class for them in our Okanagan Trials at some point soon!!!

Looking at the “Closed to Club” type of event on Private land - it reminded me of why I enjoyed the English/Welsh Trials so much, as they were always long distance - usually around 50 miles for a club Trial - which would take in everything from paved back roads   that linked up to farmers land and open moors.  - In other words, it was always about variety of sections. - The video I watched, while very good - was limited simply by what was available in the area.

Naturally, this is why any Trials that I organized in Canada - were set up in this fashion - although it soon became evident that many riders were out of their element in this format - both physically and mechanically !! -   ( I laughed when some would say that they thought they would enter the Scottish - most had no idea) -

I remember in 2002 at the Annual Outlaw Trial at Summerland , a West Coast rider approached me after the first loop and said -  “We have to go around again?” -  Yes I said IT”S ONLY 13 KM. - At the Scottish riders do 100 MILES per day for Six days. and at the old fashioned trials that were a part of my heritage - we usually rode our bikes to the event ( maybe 50 miles) - competed in the Trial - ( maybe 70 miles) then rode our bikes home again !!

I know a lot of you have heard this before, but I think it’s worth mentioning, because  a lot of what I see today at events, is not fun for the newbies.  I do think that our current organizers do their very best - but  I recall  a comment by my old buddy Adrian Brown (RIP) - He would look at some sections set up at various events in BC and say -”They’ve been watching too many videos Dive” -(pronounced in his Cockney accent.

Did you know that only 40% of Trials bikes sold since 1970 in Canada were used in Competition ?  When I told the Yamaha Factory people this in 1973 - they were astounded.  ( That was why they made the extra seat kit for the TY)
.And another Fun Fact -  Did you know that Outlaw supplied over 300 cross bar pads to the Gas Gas Factory in the early 90’s? - ( Of course they copied them and we didn’t make any money anyway)

Did you know that Outlaw Supplied World Champ Dougie Lampkin and his Dad Mart - with toolbelts and Back-packs?

We also supplied Mick Andrews and some other Brits with our Outlaw Products back in the day.

With the warmer weather, more people will be getting the “Itch” to get out - ( Even in the snow) - and without doubt, in spite of what I have said above - some of the best times you can have, is out riding with your buddies. - Over the years, I’ve been fortunate to help show a lot of new riders different off road trails in the Valley. - Hopefully I can still get out this year again.
===========================================>
Some interesting results from the 1970’s - the Glory Years for Yamaha and Stevie Baker ( an American but riding for Yamaha Canada)

==========================================>

Winter riding requires  a special kind of skill - and one we had no option but to practice in Alberta winters - But when I moved to BC - we had a lot of fun riding over at East Kelowna, and one of the bikes that I had in my stable for a while was a Rathmell Replica 350 Mont - this bike was in a class of it’s own climbing steep hills in the snow - pulling 3rd gear plus lots of torque. Fun times - this pic is of Steve Troupe out on his similar model in Ontario.

===============================================>

And just because!!!! This is for Andrew!!

===============================================>

Going to Baja ?   - Seems like not all roads are open.

==================================================>

Quiz - Who is this rider on the Trials bike ? Hint he rode a 125 MV in the TT.

Well the change in the weather yesterday transposed our driveway from a field of snow into a skating rink !!   Luckily I had salt on hand - also the rain might have helped

I took this pic early afternoon after doing some shoveling - the plow guy later cleared the rest.

==============================================>

I came across some of these old newsletters we used to send out back in the day, when Interlube helped a lot of riders with Optimol Oil.

===============================================>

Another Blast from the past posted by Dave Fair - Very few Magazines or Newspapers last long -  as the initial  enthusiasm wears thin and overall costs make things a losing money proposition. -  Now of course a lot of publications have gone electronic. - However having been in the printing industry from 1953- 1973 - I still like to see the printed word, and love the smell of the ink on my copies of Trial Mag UK that thankfully  is still surviving.

================================================>

DAKAR UPDATE !!!!!

Results (provisional): Dakar Rally 2022, stage 11
1. Kevin Benavides (KTM) 3:30:56
2. Sam Sunderland (GASGAS) 3:31:00
3. Joaquim Rodrigues (Hero) 3:33:22

Overall Provisional Classification (after stage 11)
1. Sam Sunderland (GASGAS) 37:04:05
2. Pablo Quintanilla (Honda) 37:10:57
3. Matthias Walkner (KTM) 37:11:20

===============================================>

Weather news - no snow overnight & rain forecast !!! plus we have at least a few days of above zero temperatures.!!!

========================================>

Something a little different - the famous George Brough on his record breaking machine.

===========================================>

Another old pic posted by Brenda Turple  - her Dad Glen is on the left with Rex on the right outside their first shop in Down Town Red Deer - I used to call on them for a lot of years at this location. - Glen had a list of all the local dealers who had gone broke listed on the back of the parts room door !!!

================================================>

With not much happening at the moment - we have been clicking onto UTube for video footage of the Dakar - As I’ve said before brilliant scenery and photography taken from low flying helicopters.  Here are the latest results.

1. Toby Price (KTM) 3:05:32
2. Luciano Benavides (Husqvarna) 3:07:41
3. Adrien Van Beveren (Yamaha) 3:09:07
19. Sam Sunderland (GASGAS) 3:16:50

Overall Provisional Classification (after stage 10)

1. Adrien Van Beveren (Yamaha) 33:27:06
2. Sam Sunderland (GASGAS) 33:33:05
3. Pablo Quintanilla (Honda) 33:31:21

=========================================>

Glad to say the weather has warmed up a bit this week - although it’s supposed to snow again today !! ( But none so far)
===================================================>
Best wishes today go to Beta Canada Parts Manager Cameron - who had triple heart bypass surgery yesterday.

====================================================>

Answer to the Monday Quiz - a young John Lampkin - Who is now the Beta UK Importer - Brett Clark was the first correct response -  Stan emailed from Mexico also with the correct answer, and of course Harlow got it right.
Bruce Baker and his wife are on route to hook up with Stan in Mexico  - his new TRS Xtrack is in that trailer along with big Husky.

===================================================>

Flashback  group shot from the days we had the Outlaw Trial  starting in the top field at Scotch Creek. I think that was 2016

========================================================>

Condolences to Bernie Schreiber who posted that his Father died yesterday at age 83

========================================================>

Another flashback showing Bob Clark riding a section at Ioco watched by Ted Blow.  Last I heard this area was still under quite a lot of snow but rain in the forecast.

===================================================>

Like a lot of other people - I have been checking out the Dakar Race - although I think they might still call it a “Rally” - They have a complete backlog on U Tube - showing how it has  progressed over the years, including the fateful Helicopter crash  by the guy who started it. - Plus daily reports on what has become a zillion dollar event. -

Results (provisional): Dakar Rally 2022, stage 7

1. Jose Ignacio Cornejo (Honda) 3:28:46
2. Kevin Benavides (KTM) 3:29:30
3. Joan Barreda (Honda) 3:31:37
28. Sam Sunderland (GASGAS) 3:54:41

Overall Provisional Classification (after stage 7)

1. Adrien Van Beveren (Yamaha) 23:45:02
2. Matthias Walkner (KTM) 23:50:14
3. Kevin Benavides (KTM) 23:50:25
4. Sam Sunderland (GASGAS) 23:50:40

=========================================>

Meanwhile over in the UK - buddy Heath sent this pic of Steve Saunders (TRS Importer UK)  washing his bike for him - Hmmm !!

Nice sections they have to practice in the wet mud.

=================================================>

QUIZ - Who is this rider on the SWM???

===============================================>

With just about everybody getting cabin  fever from all the snow -  Ross Rathbone has the answer for the winter blues - right in his backyard - - He sent me this pic from Saturday - Give him a call if you would like to brush up on your Stadium skills.

==============================================>

Here are the pics from Scotch Creek( Magna Bay) -   All but the top one of Katy were taken at - The Brown Memorial Trial

================================================>

In other news - We had a good chat with Jimmy Corkle  on Friday - He is doing OK in Elko, but staying  close to home or as he puts it “In Hibernation” Jim says his backyard old bike storage area is one big snow-drift.
At least with our landline now back working, we have been able to chat to people over the Holiday Season.  - With the temperatures improving this week - we have been able to dig out the path to our shop !!! And maybe the Snowmobile folk  will be able to get out for some Fun. - I do have memories of riding in the snow up on Vernon Mountain many years ago with Adrian - sliding down some of the steep gullies with snow up to the tank.  Wish we had pictures from back then.
================================================>

Memories of 2021 continued >>

Although we were still coping with Covid, by October, at least the Fires were under control, and we were able to hold a couple of events - the first being the Outlaw Trial in Revvy, ( Trial Master Florian Schott)  followed by the Brown Memorial at Magna Bay, ( Trial Master Ross Rathbone) - I attended both and took pics. - Here are some from Revvy.

Click on tomorrow for pics from the Magna Bay event. >>>

===========================================>

Memories of 2021 in pics. -

The Forest Fires in the Valley, were a huge cause for concern - we were on evacuation notice but this was rescinded - poor Roy and Kathy on the Westside were out of their home for a month, but luckily it did not get burned -  these are a few pics taken from our back deck - Then we had a rain shower !!!

=======================================================>

We had to share this pic of 93 year old Glen Turple out for his traditional New Years Day ride in a very cold Alberta - We used to chat with Glen quite a lot in the years when I was traveling., and calling on Turple Bros in Red Deer. - Glen had a brother Rex - who excelled in  MX and Flat-track racing - sadly Rex died too young of Cancer.

==========================================>
Toby Martyn  has resigned with TRS the bike that took him to a World Championship in 2021 plus the British Championship - Here is the very lanky lad with TRS UK Importer Steve Saunders.  Toby will advance to the Premier Class this year.

=======================================>