Big Bike Challenge
The LDT 2006
Last year we said:
'This year we are organising an LDT, which will run on the 19th of August, this is what joint organiser Marianne Walford says:
' We'll go for running the event on Saturday 19 th , and then people who want to can go trail riding and do Strata Florida on Sunday. There's a circular route from Strata Florida which goes over to Rhayader and back along beside the Claerwen Reservoir which takes about 4 to 5 hours. It includes a short stretch which isn't legal (I'll explain when I see you and can show you on the map) and one byway which will only be passable for multis if it has been exceptionally dry, but can be bypassed on tarmac. Or they can do Strata Florida and a bit beyond, and then come back the same way. '
The format of the event itself will be like a days trail riding in Wales, with a timed special stage thrown in, and marks deducted if you put your feet down! The route is reasonably easily rideable with a big trailie, we rode the course with an XRV650 and a GS1100 a few weeks back. However, if your bike is pristine there is potential for damage.'
Well, the event did run, and we had 9 entrants, which was about what we wanted, as it was a test to evaluate the practibility of this type of event. Here's how it went:
The event was graced by the presence of a couple of Big Trail Bike Club members in the form of George Gordon and his mate whose name has momentarily slipped my mind, anyway both of them on 80GS's (one I think ex-Mick DB?). 9 competitors in total, 3 BM's, Translap, TT600, KTM950S, HP2, and others I can't remember (Pat Keenan didn't arrive) and they all seemed to have a good time. The 7 sections (all 50 to 300 metres long) were dotted along a route of about 40 miles of Welsh lanes (plus another 40 miles or so of tarmac). The going was mostly gravel/rocky lanes with the odd rock slab in the way, with the occasional grassy lane thrown in. All soaking wet for some reason, can't understand it, what with the blazing sunshine and all.
I was using the KTM (again), still shod with the factory fitment Pirelli Scorpions. Now, I have always fitted proper knobblies before venturing off tarmac, but I thought, that Blezard and others seem to to get on alright with these trailwing type things, I'll just let them to about 12 psi, and I'm sure the extra footprint will give me loads of grip.
I was voted into leading the fast group, and managed fine for about 8-10 miles (well apart from laying it down a couple of times because I'm stupid) until exiting a wood with a bit of pace on (got to keep the guy on the HP2 happy) came over a slight crest in a flat rocky track with a few blades of grass poking out and the front tyre decided it just didn't have anything to cling to anymore.
Cue Big Crash.
After that I decided the best thing to do was to insert the brain and just ride slowly.
Hey presto, I managed to ride the entire rest of the day, including all of the sections, virtually clean. One slight laydown on a hideously steep grass covered down hill (oddly, soaking wet), allowable as George's mate had just gone past me, on his 80GS, as I crept down at 2 mph, shouting 'wouldn't fancy this on your tyres' and promptly fell on his arse.
So the lesson here is, dual sport tyre are actually pretty good but a) let them down b) ride slowly! The KTM was actually superb, really easy to ride, it would climb up all sorts of things, so easy to control with just a finger on clutch and brake. Recommended.
Sporting a few battle scars now though.
Later I dropped in on Paul Blezard at the parc ferme of the Welsh Baja Rally (in which he was competing, and which was local), and it was all most impressive. Incredible organisation, radio networked marshals, miles of tape, beer tent. There were only about 15 bikes and quads in total, but a quality entry featuring Patsy Quick, Clive Towns, Chris Pascoe (you won't know him but a fast rider who managed to finish a really wet Dyfi rally, 2 years ago, placed 7th ON A KTM 950!), Brian Eland, Derrick Edmunson's younger brother, and our very own Paul B.
The course was apparently fairly tough, but good, and the bikes and cars were kept well seperated on both days. More off road miles than it appeared on the regs, a 50 mile lap but run 3 times Saturday, 2 or 3 times Sunday (I'd buggered off by then).
Event pics: (the DRZ and the two up shot were marshals)