Looking for a stroke of luck
By TMX Archives on 16th Jun 10
IS a return to (inexpensive) two-strokes just a pipe-dream? And a well done to ton-up National winner Dan Thorpe...
HAD quite a bit of feedback from the last column when I suggested that it could prove beneficial to be looking at some other way to encourage newcomers into the sport, trials, enduro and more particularly motocross, than having to shell out £5000 to £7000 on a new four-stroke .
By far the greatest response followed a recurring format: basically, if there is to be an ‘inexpensive' formula it has to be two-stroke. This almost took me by surprise although it shouldn't have done! I have seen some small capacity four-strokes, which originated in the far east, which I reckon would fit the bill if their use could be encouraged on suitable tracks. And they are available for relative peanuts. But which club or organisation is prepared to make any kind of move to encourage inexpensive racing? In all honesty, most current clubs probably don't even need to. As I said, if we are happy to continue with the current level of rider numbers and the manufacturers of the specialist machines don't wish to increase the overall market - rather than simply outselling their rivals in the constant battle for ‘market share' - then we just keep doing what we are doing.
There is still a way of encouraging a more inexpensive way of enjoying the sport though and that does indeed mean a return to two-strokes. KTM has been the most vociferous pro two-stroke advocate but it has been noted that while they haven't exactly shouted from the roof-tops, several Japanese factories have quietly kept their strokers in their model line-ups. So that's Suzuki. Yamaha and Kawasaki then.
There's only one way to make it work though and that is to run two-stroke only races. The current format (125 two-stroke/250 four-stroke - 250 two stroke/450 four-stroke) was, and this has been said 1000 times, introduced to cynically kill-off two-strokes. It has of course almost worked and at the top level it doesn't even matter much. The teams seem happy with their four-strokes and so are most ‘committed' MX riders. But how many riders are we losing, or scaring away, just through the sheer cost of buying and running them?
If the strokers were encouraged, and not portrayed as some kind of second-rate option, then maybe we could actually draw some new blood to the sport. If there is no willingness to do this then fine but I just hear so many times riders saying that they can't afford to continue. Strokers have made a big comeback in hare and Hounds events...MX could follow...
THE recent achievement of Dan Thorpe in clocking-up 100 National trial wins is quite a milestone. Dan is such a quiet, unassuming gent that, believe it or not, he wouldn't dream of shouting about it. In fact he wasn't even counting, it was John Shirt of Gas Gas UK who first pointed out that he was approaching the magic ton - which put a bit of pressure on the lad!
I trundled down to Gas Gas UK in Buxton last Friday in order to have a chat with Dan and Shirty Jr - and John Sr as well as it turned out - and Dan was as laid-back about it as I knew he would be. His first National win was the West of England, at Ruby Rocks, Devon, back in 1996 mounted on a TYZ Yam and the 100th of course was the Cumberland club's Alan trial just two weeks ago. In between, Dan has just kept on plugging away, quietly racking-up the victories at an average of eight or nine a year.
The 100 wins obviously puts Dan right up there with some pretty heady company. Sammy Miller of course, who very likely has a double ton and Steve Saunders too has to be up in three figure territory. Dan's Dad, the infamous Dave is no stranger to winning Nationals and as Dan says, never tires of reminding Dan that he won two World Rounds!
It is actually a tremendous testament for British trials. Dan is no World Championship superstar, he could be described as the ultimate Clubman rider, a statement meant purely as a compliment because Dan has no pretensions of being a trick rider, he rides trials. Week in, week out Dan just can't wait to get on his bike and ride National trials. The events he loves above all others are traditional trials, where you get to ride your bike through some great countryside while enjoying the competitive element. The Scottish, The Manx Two Day, the Loch Lomond Two Day are all up there. And there are of course still plenty of good, honest British one day Nationals that are well worth travelling some distance for.
One hundred National wins is an amazing achievement by anyone's standards and it has been my privelege to witness some of them. When John Shirt Jr says that if he could only support one rider, he knows exactly who that would be - Dan Thorpe because he rides (and regularly wins) virtually every British National in the calendar.
As a rider who battled mightily to win a humble club trial I can only imagine at what winning a single National would be like - never mind 100...well done Dan on a mighty achievement.