Seasoned bikers who know their Ricky Carmicheals from their Mika Aholas may be able to talk until the cows come home about the differences between a trials bike, an endurance bike and a motocross bike. But if you’re a little newer to the scene – or your own two-wheeled interests are usually in the field of choppers and bobbers – knowing which off-road motorbike is going to be your style can be a little harder to figure out.

Are you planning on riding tracks or trails, or setting off on Green Lane adventures? Whatever your pleasure, whether everyday practice or weekend warrior, here are a few key differences between off-road motorbikes to help you choose the right one for you.

Motocross Bikes vs Supermotos 

Motocross and Supercross are very similar sports with one key difference: Supercross takes place in arenas and stadiums, while Motocross takes place out in naturally occurring terrain. Both use dirt tracks, and in either sport the dirt tracks have been man-made for purpose, but the difference between arena dirt track and out-on-the-land dirt track is enough to warrant a different style of tyre and suspension.

In either sport, bikes need to be capable of making tight turns and big jumps. But while supermotos feature road tyres and soft suspension set-ups that make them suited to well-maintained routes, motocross bikes are more about the off-road. If you’re planning on going Green Laning and need guarantees that your bike will tolerate bumpier terrain, a motocross bike or enduro bike might be the one for you. But if your focus is on the track and you also need a daily ride, a supermoto can offer that flexibility. That’s not to say they’re all street legal – but it’s easier to make a supermoto street legal than it is to get an MX bike on the road.

Trials Bikes vs Trail Bikes

Trials bikes and trail bikes, aren’t they the same thing? Well, no. Most noticeably because trials bikes don’t have seats.

Trail bikes are incredibly similar to motocross bikes in just about every way, though motocross bikes are lighter because they’re designed to be track-raced. They’re both great for going off-road on tracks that aren’t manicured specifically for motorsports, but a motocross bike will need some accessorising to protect it from the roughest terrain – whereas a trail bike will take Green Lanes with ease. Trail bikes, often being designed more for fun and games than for competitive sport, sometimes come with a headlight and/or kickstand and may have a front tyre that’s bigger than the rear to absorb impact.

Trials bikes on the other hand are not about the mod cons. Trial sport doesn’t focus on speed and power – it’s about balance and agility. These bikes are designed to hop over obstacles and be thrown around with ease by their rider, so any weight that can be lost is taken away – including the bike seat.

Trials competitions are slow speed and don’t cover a lot of ground, so you’ll notice the fuel tanks are tiny, usually incorporated into the U-shaped frame as if there isn’t a tank there at all. This helps with balance and keeps the bike’s centre of gravity low. Trials bikes are great if you want to get into trial riding, but they aren’t a comfortable choice for just about anything else.

Enduro Bikes vs Moto and Supermoto 

Motocross, supermoto, trails and trials… how does an enduro bike differ from all of these? Endurance races are just that – they require a bike that can go for many miles, day or night, on varying terrain. Unlike motocross and supermoto, where fast acceleration is needed and you’re up against a series of tight turns, ruts and ‘whoops’ sections, enduro bikes get kitted out with lights, panniers for carrying extra fuel and other things you wouldn’t be needing in 3-5 lap race.

Enduro motorbikes also come with wider transmission ratios, meaning they can operate over a broad speed range without as much gear-shifting as another bike. Like a trails bike, enduro rides are designed to take even the messiest terrain in their stride – but if you’re setting off for a weekend or a week rather than a day, the extra space in the fuel tank is not to be sniffed at.

Unlike trail bikes, enduro bikes sometimes have a rear wheel that’s larger than the front – instead of impact absorption, this is primarily to prevent drifting. The overall weight is heavier than other types of dirt bike, so bear that in mind if you’re planning on attempting off-road jumps.

The odd one out: Quad Bikes 

Most bikers don’t really think of quad bikes as ‘bikes’ per se, but when it comes to off-roading it’s worth giving them a look in. Some insurers offer discounts on quad bike insurance if you’re already insuring other motorbikes, so you don’t need to worry about much extra spend for those extra wheels.

Hitting tricky terrain on four wheels instead of two gives you a lot of extra stability, but does mean it’s harder to navigate tight spots. If you’re looking to venture off along narrow trails or through dense woodland, a dirt bike of any description will likely be a better fit than a quad. But if you’re going off-road into fields, Green Lanes designed for tractors and trailers or sandy areas, quad bikes might be just the thing you need.

Particularly for a new rider, quad bikes give you the opportunity to get confident handling a piece of heavy machinery without worrying about dropping it or having a wheel drift out. You’ve got a comfortable, wide ride, and you can familiarise yourself with tyre traction on dirt, mud and grass before tackling that movement on something less stable.

All in all, which vehicle is right for you depends on where you’re planning on riding, whether it’s going to be all about speed and tricks or taking in the scenery, and how confident you are in your riding abilities. For experienced riders looking to get agile, a trials bike might be the winning hobby that shows off new skills – but for total novices, a quad or trail bike is probably a better fit.

BOMB RUN 2018
Open Day and SWM and MASH Motorcycles Launch @ Bournemouth Bikes | 14th April 2018 - free event
Garstang Autojumble
Unwanted MCC's Ride In weekend
All Day Kawasaki Sunday - “Let the Good Times Roll” - Ace Cafe
Bikers' Church
Haynes Bikers Breakfast Ride-in

ALEIX ESPARGARÓ FORCED TO RETIRE DUE TO A PROBLEM WITH AN ELECTRICAL COMPONENT

The expectations that Aleix Espargaró had built with a great Saturday qualifying were not met due to a problem with a simple electrical component that began right from the start and which, after compromising his performance, forced Aleix to throw in the towel. The disappointment remains for a race in which Aleix entered as a protagonist after his great qualifiers yesterday, but also with the awareness that the potential demonstrated throughout the weekend, he is ready to bring home results on Sunday as well.

Scott Redding finished twelfth, thereby bringing home his first championship points with Aprilia. But his race - in any case positive - was conditioned by a backache that tormented him the whole weekend. For him as well, the Argentinian round represents a good base from which to pick up for the upcoming races, given the clear progress compared to his début race.


ALEIX ESPARGARO'
"To be honest, I felt very good today. But from the start, the bike responded strangely to the throttle when I accelerated from low speed. For everything else, the feeling was excellent, so much that for the first time in my career, I was able to handle the wet patches without any problems. Then things got worse with the collisions with Marquez and Petrucci who, quite frankly, took some avoidable risks. I cannot be happy with two consecutive zero finishes on two occasions when I felt like I could have battled for important positions. Now I want to recharge my batteries with my family before going to Austin, where we will pick back up from the good that we saw in these last two weekends."

SCOTT REDDING
"It was a very long race. After lining up on the grid, there were some rather confusing moments. Fortunately, the delayed start gave everyone a chance to gain a better understanding of the situation. Today it was basically about interpreting the track conditions straight away and I must say that things worked quite well. I lost ground on the longest straight, whereas on the rest of the track I managed to stay close to my rivals. I am happy with the final result, both because I rediscovered the feeling after Qatar and for the guys on the team who really had to work under pressure today. Riding along with the other riders for the entire race distance also gave me a chance to better understand where the RS-GP and I need to improve and that will help us in the upcoming races."

ROMANO ALBESIANO - APRILIA RACING MANAGER
"A difficult weekend but one in which we demonstrated our speed with both riders, referring to the good qualifiers on Saturday where we brought home some good results that could have been even better. In the race, we had an electrical problem with Aleix's bike and Scott did his job, considering the physical conditions in which he raced due to a devastating backache. A bit of luck will come."

FAUSTO GRESINI - TEAM MANAGER
"If I look at the entire weekend, I see a Saturday where we did very well. We won Q1 and we were also protagonists in the final qualifying session. Scott's race is certainly positive. He earned points racing with a bad backache. Aleix did very well in practice and in the race he was also in a position to bring home a good result. Unfortunately, it went the way it did and we just need to focus immediately on the next race."

Into The Valley 2018 - 4th to the 6th of May

Well, here are again for the start of another exciting rally season - Into The Valley is the first rally for Yorkshire MAG and we are expecting to have a great event. We will be starting early on Friday, as we did last year, so please join us for a few early afternoon and relaxing beers (or ciders) that have been hand crafted by the Yorkshire Brewing Company - all at a reasonable prices once again.

We have some excellent bands and comedians lined up for you. Early afternoons will have DJs and our very special friend Scott Dangleberry who you all know from previous rallies and especially from Yorkshire Pudding - the man is off the scale! Gunlaw will headline Friday night in the main stage whilst Old's Cool will headline on Saturday, with other bands, such as Glamrockz and Beckwater Bushwackers providing variety for everyone's tastes and fancies.

On Saturday, the Smacked Arse Comedy Show will bring you a number of outstanding comedians, with the well known headline act Chris Lynam offering some wacky and far out laughs to keep you all smiling.

Last year we relocated Into The Valley to Sledmere following 2016's inclement weather where many of our regular customers were not able to get to the event in South Dalton putting the rally in a financial predicament with no return of funds from this event to MAG UK. The decision to relocate was well made, with excellent feedback from our customers. OK - there were a few teething problems, as we would do with any other site, but we have planned and taken extra measures to prevent these issues reoccurring so that this year's rally is even better!

Firstly, we have increased the camping space available to customers - an extra large field will be available and marshals will ensure camp areas are not cramped as they were last year. Of course, with walled camp areas, people will not suffer unnecessarily from any inclement weather that may come our way. 

Secondly, more heaters in the main arena - just to keep you even more toasty.

Thirdly, more site security and a look out station will be erected. Last year's thefts were disappointing but we are not the only ones to experience this petty crime over the past five or so years, with other rallies and events being targeted. You can rest assured that we will do our utmost to prevent further thefts.

This rally will now be pre-book only with a limited about of tickets sold on a first come first served basis.

To the continued success of Into The Valley

Pete Walker

www.farmyardparty.com 

APRILIA FLIES TO TERMAS DE RIO HONDO IN ARGENTINA

It will be the 4.8 kilometres of the Argentinian Termas de Rio Hondo track hosting the second round on the 2018 MotoGP calendar. A fast track (more than 170 km/h average) with plenty of treachery, especially in terms of grip conditions. The weather forecast, with a chance of rain, contributes to increasing the uncertainty expected from the South American round.

This is an exam that Aprilia is tackling with renewed ambitions, comforted by both the potential of the new 2018 RS-GP and by the wide margins of improvement shown in Qatar.

ALEIX ESPARGARO'
"We need to keep working. In Qatar, the feeling in the race was rather good before the problem in the end that kept us from a top-10 finish that was well within our reach. I am confident because we confirmed our strong points, especially over race distance, whereas we have room to improve our flying lap in qualifying. We are at the beginning of the season. We have set some ambitious goals for ourselves which will certainly not be easy to confirm, but we have all our papers in order to have a good season."

SCOTT REDDING
“The sensations after Qatar were not the best, but I am sure that we will be able to solve the problems that came up in the race. The RS-GP worked well up to that point, so apparently we missed something and that is what we will focus on in Argentina. With so many new components introduced on the 2018 RS-GP, it becomes essential to analyse the data and the bike's reactions carefully in order to create a working base that can then be dialled in as the weekend progresses."