Small factories force the pace
By TMX Archives on 20th May 10
There's never a dull moment off-road and this week's no exception as we take five for a quick look at the past week...
I AM often asked (oh all right, I was asked once!) how I come up with topics to write about in the column each week. Well, there's always something going on in the off-road world and the problem is often what to leave out rather than what to put in. I live about 20-miles from work and the drive in and back again allows plenty of time for odd stuff to ferment in the old brain.
The fact that I usually have to knock-out the 850 words or so in about 20-minutes, as there is so much other stuff to do is the real decider as it just has to come out something like right, first time! Then the page is gone and that's that.
First up this week is the new Gas Gas Raga Replica that has just been let loose on the world.
If there is any justice you will have seen pics in page 3 already. If there is no justice the pics won't be there and I won't look too clever (suitable pause here for all to get their kicks in!).
Whatever Gas Gas do or don't do, they never let the grass grow under their feet. As soon as one model is designed, signed-off and put in production they are straight on to the next stage of the project. Like the other trials marques Beta and Sherco (and Scorpa and the re-born Ossa) they really are a tiny, tiny factory when placed up against the Japanese (not to mention Chinese) of this world but the Catalans are nothing if not passionate about their off-road bikes and like Bultaco, Montesa and Ossa before them Gas Gas just seem to ignore what the rest of the world would view as reality and keep on chasing the dream.
And the dream is an ever evolving, ever improving off-road bike, whether trials or enduro.
So tiny design, development and production teams (one man for each job equals a team!) crack-on and ignoring the fact that they are doing the impossible, they do it anyway. If it really was that easy there would be a lot more factories in a lot more countries giving it a go. There aren't.
The Raga Rep was a brilliant idea when first mooted. There's nothing new about Limited Edition models, most factories have done something similar for years, often a thinly upgraded model with coloured wheel rims and stickers. But Gas Gas really did the job properly with the Raga offering the closest thing to a factory bike as you will get – and they have always managed to keep the price real as well.
Like all the little factories Gas Gas has had its financial problems, and big ones at times, yet somehow the company has not only kept the show on the road, it has thrived and keep on pushing the boundaries.
I take my hat off to them.
MOVING on, there's rarely been a dull moment in off road while that talented ‘kid' Paul Edmondson's been around. I can say that and get away with it because I've watched Paul grow-up from being a cheeky schoolboy, blagging stickers from stands at the Dirt Bike Show and then re-packaging them to sell-on as sticker sets to earn a few bob (oh yes he did!).
On a bike of course Paul proved to be one of our biggest ever talents. He's never been shy of saying what he thought, or of following his own mind rather than toe any official line.
So I can't claim to have been shocked when Little Ed dropped his bombshell in T+MX last week that he has made himself ‘unavailable' for selection for the team that will represent Britain the ISDE, which takes place later this year.
This from the man who has the most illustrious record in this most difficult event having gained more Gold medals than anyone in history. In the world. Ever.
Paul's beef is basically that he doesn't agree with the selection process and feels the ACU is attempting to ‘stifle' Cross Country events that don't fall under the ACU remit – of which Paul is of course one such promoter. He feels that the ISDE selection process should be restricted to suitable time-card enduro events, specifically the World, European and British Champs. Personally I find it pretty hard to argue against Paul's logic although I'll leave it for you to decide for yourselves as we have rightly allowed the ACU to respond to Paul's words in this week's issue.
Putting the loss of Paul from the ISDE team aside, the issue does highlight the current and ongoing boom in cross-country, or hare and hounds – call them what you will – style events which are staged by many non-ACU promoters and organisations.
The ACU was slow in jumping on this particular bandwagon which now, frankly, has reached saturation point and from now-on will be a simple exercise in survival of the fittest.
FINALLY, in last week's column I hesitantly proposed a ‘possible' expansion of the Scottish Six Days ‘holiday' with a Twin-shock trial to run along the same lines as the Pre-65. The Edinburgh club will be horrified to learn that I've had a tremendous response from people eager to sign-up to ride. And you are dead right, I have no idea how this could be incorporated – just that there's a ready-made market good to go!