Mick Extance introduces new Trials Experience Days
Britain’s most successful Dakar endurance rider of recent years – Mick Extance – has now introduced a series of new Trials Experience Days, based in the beautiful Peak District, to further add to the Enduro and Motocross experiences already offered by his Honda backed off-road biking experience.
As the most popular motorcycle sport in the UK, with more competitive Auto Cycle Union (ACU) licence holders than any other branch of two-wheeled sport, Mick identified a need for a trials element to complete the full off-road spectrum of his Honda Experience.
Experienced trials rider Stuart Day is the chief instructor for the trials element, using his wealth of experience gained riding both enduro and trials over the last fifteen years.
Mick explained: “We saw there was a need for a trials experience as there are only a handful in the country and, from talking with bikers generally and also our current customers, we knew this was something we wanted to add to the Mick Extance Off-Road Experience as a next step. Being centrally located and set in an area of incredible natural beauty are huge benefits, so we are confident it will prove popular and also be a showcase for the incredible Honda Montessa four-stroke trials machines, which are sold exclusively in the UK by the Pidcock Motorcycle Group based in Nottingham. Depending on demand we believe we’ll eventually run between two and five schools each month. Off-road riding is an incredible way to get into biking and it’s a great way to learn great bike control skills, as well as have really good fun.”
The school itself will be based on Stuart’s own working farm, which is comprised of 200 acres of land at Leek in Staffordshire’s Peak District. Stuart’s passion for off-road has seen him turn his farm into the ultimate play area for motorcycles, with purpose-built tracks as well as natural terrain which offers the perfect blend of challenges for riders of all abilities, from the novice trials rider to the most experienced.
The first of the new trials schools will be held on 20 and 27 November with two further dates in 2010 on 11 and 19 December. Each school will be run with small groups of four to allow for plenty of support and tuition for each rider. The cost is £195 per rider and includes the loan of all riding kit and the Montessa bike, lunch, refreshments, tuition and fuel. Days start at 9.30am and run until 3.30pm.
Trials motorcycles are single-cylinder, lightweight machines designed specifically to traverse difficult terrain at slow speeds. Trials riders stand up on the footpegs to maintain perfect balance with the bike – so there’s no seat! To handle the terrain, tyres are grippy, knobbly and run very low pressures. In competition, riders need to complete a pre-determined route and complete various obstacle ‘sections’ while keeping their feet on the footpegs. Like horse showjumping, the aim is to complete a section with the fewest number of faults or ‘dabs’ as possible.
For further information about the trials, enduro or motocross days at the Mick Extance Honda Off-Road Experience, go to mickextanceoffroad.com.
