Trials Torque: TRS come in underweight
By John Dickinson on 7th Sep 16
BRITAINS reigning Womens World vice-champion Becky Cook was excluded from what would have been third place at the Italian World Round on Saturday on a technical infringement.
Becky became the first victim of the FIM's controversial minimum weight rule for trials machines.
It is understood that Becky's TRS was weighed during scrutineering and was found perfectly legal.
But a later check revealed that the standard production machine was under weight. The only difference was fuel load.
The FIM minimum weight is set at 70kg (67kg for 125cc machines) and of course several production machines straight from the box weigh considerably less than this. Some riders and teams have had to add weight in the form of lead or other heavy metal either to frame tubes or under the engine in order to achieve the minimum limit.
A TRS weighs a claimed 65kg dry weight, in reality with oils etc it is probably a bit more, plus of course the weight of fuel in a full tank, which in Becky's case clearly brought the machine up to the required weight but then with the fuel level low it became illegal.
It is understood that her machine was tested randomly, not all machines were weighed twice.
Yes, rules are rules and technically the FIM are perfectly within their rights to exclude Becky.
But does anyone really think is it a good thing to make an example of a privateer, spending their own money to travel to ride a world championship, on a standard production machine? This is not a factory special, the likes of which we know exist, that weigh much less than even the TRS's standard 65kg.
We can only speculate how teams deal with this...
Just what have the FIM achieved? This reminds me of the old noise regulations of several decades ago when all machines were noise tested at scrutineering.
As many failed as made it through, only to return with all kinds of bungs stuffed up the exhaust tailpipe, some so restrictive that machines would barely run.
After scrutineering the bungs were of course removed, and stuck in a mechanic's pocket should they need to be resurrected if a surprise noise test be made. The rule and those attempting to enforce it were made to look foolish.
History is being repeated.
