Meriden, CT 7/13 (Full Version)

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luis -> Meriden, CT 7/13 (7/10/2008 10:38:29 PM)

Who is going?
I will be riding the Vintage Class again. The Honda has been lots of fun.



motofire -> RE: Meriden, CT 7/13 (7/10/2008 10:56:58 PM)

I'll be there on the sidelines...still not riding yet. My son will be riding in the youth class as usual.



danwilms -> RE: Meriden, CT 7/13 (7/11/2008 12:58:36 PM)

Anybody know what the loop is going to be like in Meriden? I don't feel like burning $100 in gas to get to another "enduro" trials.



motofire -> RE: Meriden, CT 7/13 (7/11/2008 1:55:29 PM)

quote:

ORIGINAL: danwilms

Anybody know what the loop is going to be like in Meriden? I don't feel like burning $100 in gas to get to another "enduro" trials.
I dont...but isnt it typical for the Meriden loop to be a short simple one? I know the last few events there, the loops have been great.



BFives -> RE: Meriden, CT 7/13 (7/11/2008 3:18:48 PM)

The loops are aprox. like the first event but oposite direction. nice sections with lots of traction. last wkend with all the humidity and rain there was no traction.



danwilms -> RE: Meriden, CT 7/13 (7/11/2008 3:53:56 PM)

Good, that was a reasonable loop. I'm thinking of asking the trialsmasters to tell me loop length to post on the website. I, for one, can live without that ridiculous loop at the last Exeter event. I'm voting for short loops with my feet. Call me a wimp but all you really say by having a long hard loop is you don't want my $25.

Judging by the fall off in riders for the last few events I don't think I'm alone. 2 novices in Brimfield. 10 or 11 DNFs in a field of 65 riders? New riders riding one event and then selling their bikes? Seriously NETA's in trouble if we don't get back to the model of working beginner class and fun events for novices. We've starved off the pipeline that feeds the organization and we're paying for it now. I've always said that it takes 3-5 years to see the results of rule changes and we are now seeing the cost of disassembling the beginner class.



redrider7202 -> RE: Meriden, CT 7/13 (7/11/2008 7:06:40 PM)

I'm looking at getting into the sport. Anyway, are the novice events worth running?



motofire -> RE: Meriden, CT 7/13 (7/11/2008 9:01:10 PM)

quote:

ORIGINAL: redrider7202

I'm looking at getting into the sport. Anyway, are the novice events worth running?
Absolutely....

IMO Meriden MC has very suitable sections for Novices. They will take points but they wont hurt you.

This goes for any trials event...If you get to a section and dont feel comfortable just have the checker puch you a 5 and go on. Thats whats nice about trials...what you ride is up to you.



danwilms -> RE: Meriden, CT 7/13 (7/11/2008 9:32:20 PM)

Absolutely, I'm not trying to scare anybody off just get the point across that novice class should be a fun day out with nothing dangerous or too scary. The problem is many of the events are set up by very experienced riders who forget what is scary to a new rider. As I've said for a long time if the novice sections are too easy a rider can always move up but if the novice stuff is too scary the only way a rider can go is out and from the tiny turnout in novice class that appears to be what's happening. It's important to keep riders in the sport long enough to learn to enjoy the more difficult sections. Scare them off early and the sport dies.

Motofire is right. If you don't like the look of something take a pass on it. In the past years new riders started in the beginner class where they'd learn the basics of scoring and trials technique. Adults and youngsters rode together with an instructor and when they were ready they could move to the novice sections. Now adult beginners jump right into the novice class because they think beginner is just a kids class which unfortunately it has become. If you haven't ridden trials before starting in novice is like a drink from the fire hose. For some, no problem, but for many it's too much. It used to be there was a core of adults who stayed in the beginner class all year. They had fun, they learned. Now there's a stigma attached to the beginner class that has to be removed for the good of the sport. I had hoped it would be obvious that the dissolution of the beginner class meant that novice sections had to be even easier then before but they are exhibiting the problem that plagued the novice sections over the years when NETA membership declined sharply. A “creeping elegance” where sections get progressively more difficult over time.



redrider7202 -> RE: Meriden, CT 7/13 (7/11/2008 9:36:19 PM)

Well, i'm not worried so much about the sections. I looked though the NETA class thing and they say 2 foot logs, ledges, slippery rock sections, off camber turns and maybe something i'm leaving out. I do that stuff for the hell of it on my XR... Flipped it over the last large log i tried to cross, but that was my own fault... basically had the front wheel against the log and dumped the clutch with it wound up. The off camber stuff i don't see at all on my trail rides (or atleast anything i'd call offcamber... if i can get the XR running i'm gonna ahve to do something about that) but i'm still not worried, cause i've been off camber before, nothing a little weight transfer can't take care of. I'm worried i'm gonna get there and it's gonna be a trail ride on a bike running expensive gas that i can't sit down on.

However, i was talking more in general about the NETA events. I won't be able to make this one. If i'm lucky i'll be buying a bike off a guy that day, an 03 beta 270. Maybe you'll see me later in the year or at the two day events in eastern mass and at CATRA (closest event to me). Anyway, hope to ride with you guys soon.



Expert007 -> RE: Meriden, CT 7/13 (7/13/2008 12:09:56 AM)

quote:

ORIGINAL: danwilms

Absolutely, I'm not trying to scare anybody off just get the point across that novice class should be a fun day out with nothing dangerous or too scary. The problem is many of the events are set up by very experienced riders who forget what is scary to a new rider. As I've said for a long time if the novice sections are too easy a rider can always move up but if the novice stuff is too scary the only way a rider can go is out and from the tiny turnout in novice class that appears to be what's happening. It's important to keep riders in the sport long enough to learn to enjoy the more difficult sections. Scare them off early and the sport dies.

Motofire is right. If you don't like the look of something take a pass on it. In the past years new riders started in the beginner class where they'd learn the basics of scoring and trials technique. Adults and youngsters rode together with an instructor and when they were ready they could move to the novice sections. Now adult beginners jump right into the novice class because they think beginner is just a kids class which unfortunately it has become. If you haven't ridden trials before starting in novice is like a drink from the fire hose. For some, no problem, but for many it's too much. It used to be there was a core of adults who stayed in the beginner class all year. They had fun, they learned. Now there's a stigma attached to the beginner class that has to be removed for the good of the sport. I had hoped it would be obvious that the dissolution of the beginner class meant that novice sections had to be even easier then before but they are exhibiting the problem that plagued the novice sections over the years when NETA membership declined sharply. A “creeping elegance” where sections get progressively more difficult over time.

SSDD. When is someone going to take the initiative and check the sections? At the annual meeting nobody seemed to think that a section steward was a good idea, but it sounds like we still need one. Mind you, I'm strictly commenting on what I've been hearing from the guys who have been to these events, I didn't go. This is sounding like a broken record. I agree with Dan, but what is going to be done about it? Seems to me that we need a more 'hands on' approach from the NETA board. (Not picking on anyone special here, that's just what I saw in the past and seems to be the same now).



luis -> RE: Meriden, CT 7/13 (7/13/2008 7:59:42 PM)

The Novice sections today where great, fun and safe. The loop was just right too.

I also saw lots of peewees, with smiling faces.

If you did not go you missed a great event!



danwilms -> RE: Meriden, CT 7/13 (7/13/2008 11:50:12 PM)

Agreed Luis, Meriden was perfect. They've really got the recipe now. Everybody in Novice had a good time but more importantly all took a look at the intermediate line and thought "I could do that."



motofire -> RE: Meriden, CT 7/13 (7/14/2008 8:13:17 AM)

Great event.....



bmac -> RE: Meriden, CT 7/13 (7/14/2008 10:28:16 AM)

Great job Meriden!!!!
                               The Senior  "A" line was PERFECT!



Jason G -> RE: Meriden, CT 7/13 (7/14/2008 6:41:09 PM)

Very fun sections in the Advanced line! Some scary stuff, but nothing dangerous...



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