.. A change of venue this year for the test day, zona 1 mcc's practice ground at Nettleton was the location of choice. As is fairly common at this time of year up on the Cotswolds a mist was present for the first few hours but eventually the sun broke through. The ground remained very tacky all day after a night of rain but although it sticks to the bikes like glue the fine particles of stone in the mud at least mean you can get some grip on it!!
  All of the main companies were in attendence this year, obviously Jotagas were not as they had only been launched a few days earlier. Sadly there were no 2012 Scorpa's as they hadn't arrived with Nigel Birkett in time to make it down but he brought along the 2011 model. It was also nice to see a trade stand from Apico, showing a few of the trials related products that they sell out to the trade.

 The same format was used, go into the cabin and sign your name against a bike you fancy a ride on, Once you had finished that ride you could pop back in and sihn for another slot on something else. Although it is luck of the draw it is about the fairest method, the time you spend hanging around between rides is idea to catch up with a few people, chat to the importers, eat a bacon sarnie and take photos... well, that is what i did!
 My first ride was quick to come around. I grabbed a ride on the 2012 300 Beta so I could compare against my own 290. When I first saw the images of the new Beta's I wasn't that happy with the colour and styling, but I am very happy to say that those images must of had some colour problems as in the flesh the bright red plastics and black frame look stunning. The bikes on the day still had the flywheel weights fitted and it did make the bike feel a bit slow for me, but for the conditions it was probably ideal to assist with grip. Not really a lot I can say about the ride as the Beta has been almost the same for a few years now. It was very easy to ride and of course the great steering lock means you can ride around things that on some other bikes you would have to hop.. or dab!...

 ... the 300 engine was nice and strong without being dangerous, you could roll the throttle on and keep it all nice and calm or slip the clutch a little and let it fly. And as is usual with the Beta's you can just let it ride over anything and it tracks nicely and doesn't get pinged off line easily. The aluminium frame gives a lot of feed back but I do now notice a little more feeling going into my knee when you drop off something compared to the Steel framed bikes. Obvious really as Ally is stiff and steel flexes a little. Of course the finish and fit on the Beta is still top class, only bettered by Montesa/Honda i think.

 My next ride was on something that I wouldn't have ridden apart from the fact that it was the only bike still available within an hour or two.. the Montesa 4rt 250. Pidcock motorcycles have done a nice job on brightening up the bike a bit with their own colour scheme... looks a little like the old Rothman Honda colours. As we all know the 4rt hasn't changed that much at all over the years. The frame is now black and the engine management gets a few tweaks and it is still built very well, but it is looking and feeling a bit old now. It was always a heavy bike but with a 4t engine tucked in there that should be no surprise, when it was covered in the Cotswold mud/clay on the day this extra weight was very noticable to me.
  Not being a 4t rider I would have to say that much more time on the machine would be needed to adapt as I just couldn't get it to grip like I thought it would. It spins up very easily, and it didn't just plonk and grip like I imagined a 4t would. It seems the best way was to get it moving but then back off the throttle a little... but the experienced 4t riders will no doubt tell me the rear trick! Another thing I wasn't used to was the high tick over speed, it made slow speed clutch type turns a bit jerky in my hands. But the 4rt would be an ideal long distance trial machine, it seemed to work it's best when I just went out and played silly buggers on it over a small jump and blasting around the track. A slightly bigger seat (not that huge official tank/seat unit) and a great fun trail bike would be made. The suspension was very nice and although I just couldn't hop the bike around when I jumped it off things and landed in my clumsy fashion it soaked it all up perfectly....

 ... later in the day I rode the 280 version of the 4rt and it was much better as far as engine power went and great fun to throw around. For me the feeling of weight and riding style needed to get the best from it means I wouldn't own a standard version but I would love to ride a full tricked up Mitani or Future model. Sadly I didn't get a chance to ride the 300 they had there, but with the flat tank and Termignoli fitted it looked and sounded very nice. The standard bikes probably need a little update and then they will be ideal bikes if and when we have to return to no-stop.

 I recently had a chance to ride a new GasGas 300 Raga at this same location, not on the day I agree but at least it will allow me to share thoughts! To cut to the chase, If i was in the market for a 2012 bike, out of the machines available at this very moment the Gasgas would probably be in my garage. The changes they have made in the last few years have produced a bike that is easy to ride, looks very nice, is built much better and is also capable of tackling anything up to and including World rounds! They have improved the steering lock so it turns much tighter and also the bike now feels much more planted than before. I had a 300 Pro in 2004 and it wasn't the most stable of bikes if you wanted to just ride it over things rather than hop and skip about but the new bikes ride very nicely. For me I would have to have slightly higher bars or at least some stackers under the clamps, but I am used to the higher feel of the Beta.
 The new bikes are now starting to come through with the Formula front brake fitted, and as standard that has the lever that will flip back if you drop it or go backwards into something. Hopefully that will save a few broken and bent levers! All the improvements made over the years and produced a bike that looks and feels just about right. Shirty also had a very nice enduro model on display.. see photo gallery.

 .. The new Ossa certainly looks much better this year. Last year I thought the frame colour gave the bike a cheap look, almost looking like it had been painted in Hammerite!! The new colour and graphics improve the looks dramatically but the engine bay area and full tank just make the bike look big and heavy to the eye. It isn't of course, being one of the lighter weight bikes around, but you can't help wondering what it would look like with a more conventional set-up. I didn't ride it on the day and have only ridden a couple of the earlier model so won't comment on ride etc.. but it was good to watch Emma Bristow riding it on the sections, making things look very easy!
 Paul at Cambs Trial Centre had his tricked up Ossa on Birketts stand, lots of green and the lovely Termignoni silencer.. see photo gallery.

 ... Also I didn't ride the Sherco's, mainly because by the time I had been out on a few bikes there wasn't any available space without waiting for a few hours. Also it's no secret I just haven't got on with them at all since the swith to the ST model. So far the only two Sherco st's that i have heard run right have been Cabestany's and Richardsons!! I am told that the 2012 model is much better and will have to wait until i can grab one at a local event to try... if anyone actually turns up on one!! Not convinced about moving the fuel tank around was a great idea. I used to like the old models and all they needed was better suspension set up.

 One thing that was a little strange on the day was the Scorpa.. not because I rode it but 4 or 5 times in the day we all saw it being pushed back to the tent. I never got to the bottom of it, it couldn't be for fuel as it has one of the bigger tanks! I did spot the kill switch hanging off at one point so perhaps that was ripped off to stop it shorting out. Last year I found the Scorpa to be very under rated. Very easy to ride and much more modern looking and feeling with the new chassis and older Sherco engine. The 2012 colours look good in the pictures i have seen anyway..

... As is the norm on these test days we had a selection of top riders on hand to show us all how it should be done. Emma Bristow, Becky Cook, Brad Cox and Alexz Wigg were this years selection and rode for most of the day. Brad has just won the Youth A class British Championship and was following Alexz around on his 125 SXS Beta having a go at everything Wiggy tried... and just about getting up it all. I am not sure whether Brad is riding the youth again next year or moving into the BTC A class on his 125 but he is a really nice lad and very dedicated to the sport. Steve Saunders is on hand to help him out and he just always wants to get out there and practice.
  Talking of Alexz, how good was it to see him back out riding again. A smile on his face told that he is on a machine that he is comfortable with he was chucking it at the huge tree trunks and slippery rocks all day. I had a quick ride of his 300 GasGas and it was just lovely. Easy to ride for the likes of me but obviously so much grunt available if you needed it. Whatever the politics of it all I think British trials is much better off with Alexz in it. I hope he can get enough backing together to be able to do the British and international events next year.

Emma and Becky joined in the fun on the slippery tree trunks and climbs and on this showing it will be interesting to see next years world ladies championship. With Laia having changed from the Montesa onto a GasGas our British Ladies may see this as a chance to knock her off the top spot whilst she adapts to the new machine.

As always, a big thanks to Mark Kemp, the BVM team and all involved with the test day. It isn't often you can compare different bikes all on the same day and I am sure many minds were either made up or changed throughout the event! The motorcycle world is suffering along with all of the economy at present but going by the attendance there is still a lot of interest.
  After nearly 8 months of not riding due to injury earlier in the year I am now starting to get back out there again, and it is encouraging to see that the event entry numbers are still up there. There is a lot of debate about the stop or no-stop rules but at club level it all seems to be going ok.

A small photo gallery from the Test day. (sorry, many of them are of me riding!! Cheers to Rich for taking over my camera at times)