Big Bike Challenge
The Rallies
The PJM Rally
The Cambrian Rally
The Red Kite rally
The Ryedale Rally
The Northumbrian Rally
The Raiders Rally
The Coast to Coast Rally
The Dyfi Rally
The Reivers Raid
The Hafren Rally
Patrick James Memorial Rally
Run by the Diamonds MCC in an area of forest near Llanidloes this used to be known as the Winter rally, due to it's February date. It's now re-named in memory of a friend of the organisers who was killed competing in the Alto Turia rally, in Spain.
This is usually a good, interesting course running through a beautiful area. It has a real mix of terrain with lots of the obligatory fire roads but intermixed with climby bits, woody bits, some rutty sections and some mud about the place. There are a couple of bad climbs and descents, but the organisers are sensible, and let the big bikes and quads cut these out.
The going is certainly more difficult than something like the Cambrian, but has no really big stoppers, if you leave the climbs out. In fact it's a great weekend out and improves the off road riding skills no end.
This is what the organisers say:
This event is specifically designed for trail bikes but is also open to road legal enduro and long distance trials bikes, solo and sidecar, both two stroke and four stroke, and to road legal quads. The results are decided by a number of special tests, including observed trials sections. It is designed to be enjoyable for all abilities of rider, and will take about 3 hours on Saturday and 3 to 5 hours on Sunday depending on the severity of the weather conditions. The route is mainly made up of forest road interspersed with short bits of more technical going. The event will not be cancelled in the event of ice or light snow, so riders should be used to winter riding and possess appropriate warm clothing. It contains roadwork necessitating RAC Motor Sports Association authorisation.
| Club : | Diamonds MCC |
| Website | |
| Online Regs | |
| Contact : | Marianne Walford |
| Address : | Tynyrwtra, Llawr-y-glyn, Caersws, Powys, SY17 5RJ |
| Tel : | 01686 430522 |
click for story of the event in 2004
The Cambrian
Organised by the Welsh Trail Riders Association (WTRA Ltd), this is one of the rallies with the easiest going. The Cambrian is also one of the oldest, the first one taking place in 1993. It takes place in South Wales, in the vicinity of Llandovery. Traditionally it has used the Army Sennybridge ranges.
As well as being the oldest rally, the Cambrian has some of the easiest going. It is still reasonably testing, but there are no hugely difficult bits for big bikes. When held on the Sennybridge ranges some of the worst going was in one of the specials, which ran along one of the army's off road driving courses. This consisted of a series of puddles which started deep (possibly 1 1/2 – 2 feet at worst) and then were followed by a mile of so of shallow ones. The deep stuff is intimidating but OK if you take it steady, the shallow just slow you down.
However, beware if you are a novice. I had a chat with a guy whose first event had been the Cambrian and he said that he didn't realize that ‘off road' big trailies couldn't just go anywhere no matter what. Consequently he didn't slow down before he hit the deep puddles, the bike virtually stopped and the engine sucked up a load of water, bending all the valves. Expensive.
In 2004 however, for various reasons the Sennybridge ranges weren't available, so the event used several areas of forest. This necessitated a change in format, as these areas were a little dispersed. So the rally was held using a ‘roadbook' format.
This is more of a navigational challenge, as, rather than having all corners and junctions marked with tape and arrows, directions are issued on sheets of paper. It is then down to the rider to provide some form of holder. This can range from a simple map case to a box with electrically driven rollers, which displays the instructions on a long strip of paper.
Club : WRTA Website Online Regs Contact : Write or e-mail Mandy Bartlett Address : 14 Stratton Heights,
Cirencester,
Gloucs.
GL7 2RHTel : or ring Bob Jeffries on 01633 874610 (before 21.00hrs PLEASE This will be repeated in 2005, with an addition!
Red Kite Rally
This is what the organisers say:
A name and a date have now been finalised, the name of the event will be 'The Red Kite Rally' and the date will be Easter Sunday which was the traditional date of the Cambrian Rally. Some restrictions have been placed on where the route can go, but they are relatively minor and easily worked with. The event will start in Llandovery Town, hopefully at the Rugby Club, and will use some areas of the Eppynt Military Ranges not used by WTRA in the past. It is also likely that the event will use a combination of Road Book and Enduro type arrowed route to mark the course to help meet the requirements of the MOD.
Lieutenant Colonel (Retired) D R Birrell of the Defence School of Transport has also asked if both the Red Kite Rally and the Cambrian Rally could be included in the BAFMA Championship. By being part of the Armed Forces Motorcycling Championship the events will attract entries from Army, Royal Marine and Royal Air Force riders and will be classed as an Advanced Training function.
Club : WRTA Website Online Regs
Northumbrian Rally
NOT RUNNING THIS YEAR
I haven't competed in this rally but it takes place in Kielder forest, so the terrain should be similar to the Reivers Raid (see below). It's a two day rally, it was the UK's first road book rally and as such should be well organised.
This is what the organisers say:
This rally will be run by Seaton Delaval & District Motor Club in the Kielder forest. It will be a full two-day event with around 100 miles each day & based on the popular Cambrian rally format but will use road books. After a wet but successful event in 2003 the start will again be in the Kielder forest - full details will be announced with the final instructions but for those people who ventured North last year and rode the event they can expect an even longer course with even more challenging tracks!
Club : Seaton Delaval & District MC
Ryedale Rally
This is held in the Dalby Forest, so like most of the rallies, lovely scenery. This is a sort of medium tough rally. In some ways it's a bit of odd one because most of the going is reasonably easy, with lots of fire roads. However the organisers throw in a surprise in the form of a long, long wood section.
This is just hard work, as you have to follow a single rut between the trees for about a mile. This includes boggy patches with nice, hidden roots, and fallen branches to catch you out. When your front wheel has slid out for the third time on a camouflaged slimy fallen branch, it can get a bit depressing as you wrestle your bike back upright.
All good fun though, and it does have a motocross track bit.
This is what the organisers say:
A rally/raid event for big 4 strokes and trail bikes. No competition 2 strokes allowed. A new venue for this year - still under wraps. Designed for big trail bikes and gentlemen and lady riders, this event is an enjoyable day out in countryside otherwise closed to motorcycles. Please note this is not an enduro/race - if you want one of those, ride a true enduro or multi-lapper.
For 2006
This year it's going to be a two dayer, a lot more big bike friendly. Not so much of the roots and fallen braches, so I'm told. More Cambrian Rally-esque.
What the organisers say:
'Yorkshire Enduro Club have confirmed their plan to run this year's Ryedale Rally as a 2 day event on Saturday & Sunday, June 10th & 11th 2006 to take full advantage of the extra land they have available. They course will be specifically designed to be suitable for Big Trail Bikes and "Lady" and "Gentleman" riders. The event is an enjoyable weekend out in countryside otherwise closed to motorcycles. It will be decided over a number of special stages which will be timed to the nearest second. There will be several laps over 2 different courses in 2 different forests made up of tracks, fire roads and a liaison section of public, moorland road with stunning views. It is NOT an enduro or race. This year's event also forms a round of the Big Bike Challenge - www.bigbikechallenge.co.uk . (Last year's course was tough for big bikes & novices but will be accessible this year!) This is NOT a spectator sport, but the area around the event can provide a range of tourist attractions for families. The North Yorkshire Moors Railway, Flamingoland, Eden Camp & Castle Howard are very close at hand, and York, Whitby & Scarborough are only a short drive away.
The Rally will start each day in Cropton Forest which is close to Pickering, North Yorkshire. Map reference will be supplied with final instructions. Camping will be permitted at the start area and toilets, water and a refreshment service will be available.'
Club : Yorkshire EC Website
Raiders Rally
Again I haven't ridden this rally, as it didn't run in 2004, but here is what the one of the organizers, Marianne Walford, says about it:
If we can find a suitable route, we are hoping to run the Raider Rally again. I don't think you did it, but it was a long single lap event exceptfor Hafren Forest which was ridden through twice. First bike started at 9am and didn't finish till 6.30 (but was also last bike to finish!) It was particularly aimed at big bikes and novice riders - it was a long day's ride, but we included alternative routes so that competent trail riders and enduro riders had some tricky bits to keep them interested, but the novices, big bikes and sidecars could skip these bits.
Club : Diamonds MCC Contact : Marianne Walford Tel : 01686 430522
Coast to Coast Rally
This is the exception in the championship, as it is a tarmac scatter rally. This is to level the playing field a bit for the less committed riders with more standard machines, as success is based more on navigational skill.
It's organised by the Big Trail Bike Club and is two day rally which runs from Flamborough Head to Barrow-in-Furness. The format is treasure hunt style, the starters are given a sheet of map references with questions to be answered, to do with the locations at the map references. There are more questions than any competitor can possibly reach, so good planning is essential.
The clues, if you get your planning right, will take you over some marvellous B and white roads, across the moors, with one or two mandatory check points which can require a little off road riding to reach.
Good fun and well worth experiencing. The overnight stop is in Hawes with a bit of a drinking effort involved (if you want to!)
A good tip for success in this rally is that it has always been won by a rider and pillion team. Teams of three riders who spend the event arguing and larking about tend to do less well, though having a good time doing it.
Club : BTBC Website
Dyfi Rally
From the sublime to the ridiculous, this is the toughest of the trail bike rallies, which is why we are scoring it with double points.
I got an inkling it might be difficult when I first entered the event in 2003, when I pushed my Cagiva Elefant up to scrutineering to be waved through with the words ‘oh let him through, he's a brave man' (I'm not by the way, merely foolhardy).
The course is essentially that of the Dyfi enduro, with some tricky bits left out. Everything is in there, vicious downhills, a couple of long slate climbs, a moor section with some boggy bits and a nasty sidehill, with gruelling single tracks connecting them up! That's a bit of an exaggeration, there are some long fire roads in there as well, but at times it doesn't seem like it. For the expert rider when conditions are good, and be extra wary if it's been raining in the preceding couple of weeks.
Club : MWTRA Website
Reivers Raid
This is not actually billed as a trail bike rally, but as a trail bike enduro. However the going is much the same. It takes place in Kielder forest, in Northumberland. It's a one day rally and has a small club feel.
The course is mostly fairly easy, Cambrian rally style, but the start is in a field outside of the forest. This means the course has to run over a moor to reach the woods. If it's dry this is pretty easy going, but if there is a lot of rain before the event, it gets very boggy. All good testing stuff for the experienced rider, but it could be tricky for the novice.
Club : North of England Enduro Club Contact : Ian Bell Tel : 01914883137
click for story of the event in 2004
Hafren Rally
This is a great rally to finish the year off. The start is at the Sweet Lamb rally centre near Llanidloes, and the course runs out on to much the same piece of land as the PJM rally. The Sweet Lamb start means the organisers can include a Motocross track and then the rest of the course is the same high standard as the PJM. No big stoppers but a testing and interesting course with all sorts of terrain. Just about doable for a novice but probably hard work. Still testing and good fun for the experienced rider.
Hafren Rally Club : Hafren Dirt Bike Club Online Regs Contact : Marianne Walford Tel : 01686 430522