Motorcycle Trials Riding with a Freestyle Twist

There comes a time in every boys life when he is forced to grow up, leave the foolishness of childhood behind and fully grasp what it is to be a man. All that added responsibility is fine and good but being forced to get rid of the toys is too much! A stressful time in any guys life, it’s the ‘Quarter-life Crisis’ if you will.

Two thoughts come when looking at the above picture:

Half-way through ones years, the well known Mid-life Crisis hits. When money is better, affairs are settled and the estate is in order. The late-40′s to 50′s-something adult has enough freedom to indulge – buy a sports car and flirt with younger girls. The ‘Quart’ however, hits when one is not nearly ready – hardly any money and a new-wave of responsibility.

The 20-something is faced with responsibilities like: saving for a house, deciding when to get married and supporting their significant other. All the while trying to balance the desires to: re-learn how to ollie a skateboard, play video games all day and become an extreme sport rockstar.

My hat goes off to anybody who throws convention out the window and supports an un-conventional sport well into their adult-hood.

Motorcycle Trials riding (not trails riding) is an event where riders are observed and rewarded for their ability to carefully maneuver a bike without faltering through an intricate obstacle course. Trials courses are assembled in an event venue where fans and judges have a clear view as competitors challenge the man-made terrain.

A Trials Rider Leaps up a rockface, completing an obstacle along this outdoor course.

A new-school of riding is coming up and it’s called Trials-X. As we’ve learned over the years, add an ‘X’ to anything and it instantly become cooler – X-games, Generation-X, X-treme sports, X-Rated you get the picture. Trials-X is the Freestyle version of Motorcycle trials riding. Riders are taking the Motorcycles built for competition and putting them to practice in the real world. There are no rules, no limits and the terrain is anything you can get your hands wheels on.

This moto-magician is capable of stunts never before imagined on two-wheels.

The bike is light maneuverable and very easy to control. It may not be the fastest thing around, but it is extremely agile. Experienced riders can perform amazing stunts like riding up near-vertical walls, leaping with pin-point precision as well as endless stopies and manuals. The bike is so versatile that former motocross, enduro, trials and even bmx or mountain bike riders are taking to it with relative ease. Riders like Julien Dupont [dupontandco.org] champion this new sport. Exploring its potential and constantly pressing their machines and themselves.

Motorcycle + Halfpipe = Wow.

Oh! ye'll take the high road and I'll take the low road, And I'll be in Scotland afore ye;

Move over Kickflip, here comes a 165lb Tailwhip. Bam!

Unconventional Terrain indeed! These used to be used to make kickers and trannies. Oh well…

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Here are some more vids if you’ve got a craving: 1 B Three

By Eric Schmidt