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ADVANCED BIKE CLEANING FOR BEGINNERS

Many years ago when I first came to the USA I went to the local dirt bike shop and that was exactly what
I found, Dirt or rather DIRTY bikes, as though it was some “Macho” thing never to clean them. Every
machine,other than NEW was in exactly the same state that it arrived after it’s last outing?

This never ceases to amaze me as with a little care and a few drops of water a few $100 can be added
to any competition machine especially if it is being traded or sold.

I frequently see questions on TC asking what should I clean and how? Well of course that depends on
where you ride and what the local conditions are. If you ride events in AZ or SCal then in all probability
you are in dust, sand, loose dirt and rocks and are unlikely to encounter mud, slime and water.

As a general rule all machines, trials or any other discipline, leave the factory in a nice clean state and
that should realistically be your objective so KEEP THEM CLEAN. As a MSF Instructor we preach the
“Pre ride checks” and anytime I take a road bike out I take a soft rag and quickly go over the entire bike
with a quick dusting. This completes all your basic pre ride checks and at the same time you will be able
to see anything that has come loose, fallen off or gone out of adjustment. The same is true with a trials
bike when you wash and light service it.

When I was a kid there was no question of the bike being put away dirty and after the trial, or practice
session my cousin Tom and I would ride back to Uncle Tom’s Motorcycle business and start up the
pressure washer and give the bikes a full “once over” and then with that done turn the hose on ourselves
in turn and wash off the barbour suits and boots that we were still wearing. Of course pressure washers
can remove just about anything and care had to be taken otherwise transfers and decals would be long
gone as would those little plastic letters on the registration plates!

My Cousin TOM in the Kentish Mud

Washing and cleaning a bike are part of being a Trials Rider, it’s another basic skill of maintenance
and machine preparation. What I currently do on my “Vintage” bikes is to wash them as soon as I can
after the event with warm soapy  water and them rinse them off with the garden hose. With that
complete set up the air line from the compressor and blow all the water off everything before it gets a
chance to “water spot” the polished alloy or creep into places where it can sit and set up the dreaded
rust and corrosion. Depending on how muddy the event has been will determine how much washing
has to be done and what variety of brushes and sponges are required.

A huge mud hole and the rest of the setions were SAND !

Difficult places to keep clean are between the fins on the barrel and head and the center of the wheel
hubs so find yourself the right brush for the job.Try and save yourself some “water ingress” aggro by
perhaps “bunging” up the exhaust and keeping “it” away from the airbox, filter or whatever inlet system
you are using. Probably not a great idea to overdo the water around the electrics unless you are very
confident with your waterproofing techniques.

Now with the machine clean and dry time to think of the required maintenance to get it ready for the next
event. I usually start with the wheels and quickly dry out the brake hubs and after having checked the
condition of the bearings. With the wheels out a little wire brushing of the brakes and check the cams for
action and smooth operation (nothing nastier than a brake that locks on and won’t release due to a bit
of muck on the cam!) Lightly grease the wheel spindle and after reassembly check the spokes for
tension. Also while the wheel was out check for any movement of the tire and if necessary take the cover
off and reset. You will be amazed at just how much mud can get inside the tire.

Of course you cleaned the inside of the fender while the wheels were out ? Now with the wheels back
in do a test on the brakes for a nice smooth action and clean release. With the front brake on compress
the forks a few times to check the oil seals and wipe off the  excess “stuff”. Most likely the seals will be
good and what you think is an oil leak is nothing more than excess water and mud that has got in the
cover or wiper.

The Carb will need a full going over so dismantle, clean it and blow everything through with the airline.
Check whatever air filter system you are using for all the nasties and if in doubt fit the spare while this
weekend’s one is drying out.

Downstairs a little lubrication of the footrests, chain tensioner and check the 2 most expensive nuts on
the bike, the shifter and the kicker. How many shafts have been ruined and caused expensive and
untimely repairs all because these bolts slackened off on the shafts???

Nearly done, just the chain to refit, having given it a good wire brushing to remove all the grot. Lots of
different thoughts on chains and I’m not sure which way to go these days. It used to be considered to be
esssential to keep the chain lubricated with chain oils and periodically boiling it up in the “goop” which
got into all the rollers and did a good job. Some of the new oils do just as good a job but they then fly off
leaving spots all over the rear wheel and in dusty conditions act as a magnet and now collect all the gritty
stuff which then gets it and does more damage than you were trying to prevent. I’m currently leaning to
the run it drier school.

Clean but unpolished……..

READY !

Finally out with the Solvol-Autosol for all that alloy and this will give you the showroom finish you were
looking for and as father once said “Bullshit baffles brains” and as a general rule is worth 5 points at
any trial as the opposition are still annoyed that your bike is so clean…… and the dazzling chrome might
blind a checker while you take a sneaky dab!  Remember mud sticks to mud, and slides off polished
alloy and in a “real” muddy trial you can save about 20 lbs in excess mud getting trapped in the fenders,
frame and on the engine cases.

Just as a final touch in the UK with all the winter dampness from fogs and drizzle things tended to start
rusting very quickly so I used a mixture of some 2 Stroke fuel (half full  in a mister bottle and then topped
up with a light fork oil. Spray the entire bike, yes everything, and then wipe off the excess, a bit like a
modern day Armorall but a lot cheaper.

PRIDE, Gentlemen, PRIDE!

…..of couse you might get lucky and have someone wash it for you?

and as a guide the 2 worst conditions to be riding in are Wet Chalk which sets like concrete and
Bayou Mud and water which with all the decaying vegetation releases tanin which seems to eat alloy
and takes forever to polish off.

Tony Down

SOUR GRAPES

Nice Bunch? ….. bit like some people…..bitter, and SOUR!

Well what can I say???? Some people need to get a life! After an exceedingly busy and
satisfying season on the AHRMA circuit with 14 wins in 2 different classes some people just
couldn’t let it be and had to find a way to screw it up.

First there was the question “How can HE ride in 2 classes on the same day?”
Very simple the rules clearly state you can ride in 2 classes if you ride different lines and
as my AHRMA card is “currently” stamped Intermediate I can therefore ride the pigging heavy
Royal Enfield on the PI line, which is exactly what I chose to do. The rules also state that at
your own discretion you may also ride in a class higher than your AHRMA card which again is
exactly what I did riding the Tiger Cub in Classic Expert

It seems this has been too much for some people (in different classes I might add) and they
have gone behind my back like school kids and taken their whining sniveling complaints up to
board level where their “in favor” masters have decided, without even consulting ME that under
some obscure ruling “Championship points can only be awarded to the class stamped on your
AHRMA card.” This of course now voids my Classic Expert Title……….THANKS!

Well if you have to resort to cheap crappy obscure rules like that to win a
championship, then good luck to you, I really hope you enjoy your prize!

No worries boys and girls, IF, and that’s becoming a BIG if, I renew my membership I will have
it rated “EXPERT” and of course, I too, can start looking at other rules too. Maybe some
checks on machine eligibility??? Better make sure those forks and frame are pre 74? and of
course for those who may not have noticed perhaps you should check your own card for class
eligibility as it seems some of our “friends” are not actually who or what they appear.

So, if I choose to ride again I will ride Expert and just maybe in 3 different classes. Perhaps I’ll
have a new logo on my bikes with a lemon and a corkscrew going through it
“BITTER & TWISTED”

Very Bitter

Twisted

Once again, if you can’t compete fairly and squarely and accept an arse kicking when you get
one don’t go complaining to the powers that be, who now, once again seem to have gone single
channel for their own elitist group of followers. I can’t adequately express my disgust with those
individuals and whilst I have been totally supportive of some of the all time greats I’m afraid my
views are now changing to the other group who have become disencharted with the organization,
it’s motives and their reluctance to move with the times.

We have recently seen the shabby and disgraceful treatment of two staunch AHRMA volunteers
in the dismissal of Woody Graves and Alice Sexton and it seems this attitude is now gathering
strength in the removal of anyone who ACTUALLY WANTS TO IMPROVE THE SPORT. I’m not
sure at this stage whether I would do Trialsmaster duties AGAIN or help with layout or checker
briefings…..lest we upset some one ! I also note that the same organization was QUITE HAPPY
to accept the ENTRY FEES without actually saying “You realize you can’t score points in this
event?”

However, all that said, Karma is a wonderfull thing and “as you sow,so shall yea reap!” Or where I
come from “Don’t get mad get even!”

Yes, like a lot of this,…… GOATS ………. A Classic (GF!)

TONY DOWN   – 1 Championship!!     (you miserable ****ers, and you know WHO you are!)

…..and now the RUB…… if I don’t get the Points, then presumably whoever finished SECOND
to me in the SEVEN events that I won should now get first place points?…… by my calculations
this will change the results yet AGAIN…… and for all those that complained IT DOESN”T
LOOK GOOD FOR YOU!

HAPPY HOLIDAYS….. I hope that is “Politically Correct”

THE PERFECT TRIAL

Perhaps as close as it gets Donner

What makes for a perfect trial? ….. and can one ever be designed and laid out to please everyone?
Probably not, but one day I would love to give it another try.

What are the basic ingredients for this mythical beast?  Is it possible to get them all colocated? So
let’s look at the basic requirements for this recipe.

Location, Location, Location!

What a gorgeous setting, the top of Donner

1. Perfect terrain to encompass all of the classic trials “treasures” Mud, rocks, water, roots, banks &
climbs, fallen trees, sand and any combination of all of the above.
2. A navigable “loop” to get everyone round safely and for easy spectator and checker access.
3. Porta-potties
4. A large start area that allows for big rigs to get in and out of and preferably level and on hard ground.
5. Local town or accommodation within 5 miles.
6. Handy venue, or on site bar/restaurant for the social side.
7. No fire restrictions.
8. Practice area.
9. Power and water.
10. Dedicated Trialsmaster and team of helpers.

Looking at each one of our requirements in order the No 1 item is terrain and permission to use it.
A lot to ask to find an area that has a piece of everything as usually the area determines exactly what
you get so some venues will be predominately rocks or at the opposite end sand, sand and more sand.
Still as a trials rider you should be able to ride all obstacles even though techniques may vary. I can think
back to my youth and remember several riders who were brilliant in the sand of Weaver’s Down in
Southern UK, but take the same men to Scotland and they were all at sea. As a general concept the
sections need to present a challenge to the class of rider and the machine being used. Going back to
the early days when no allowance for ability or bike was in question you just did whatever you could to
get through “it”. if you were an Expert you might clean it but if you were a beginner then you just did your
best! Now of course we tend to pander to age of bike and 3 different ability levels and even have a
beginner line for those that in some cases can only just ride a motor cycle let alone off road and in
competition. But, let’s remember we all started somewhere.

So our “perfect sections” should take into account the capabilities of the machines and the riders using
them. 4 lines for the classes, each with their own series of challenges, maybe 3-4 hazards on each line
with ample recovery areas to get back in control and its no bad thing to have at least 1 “gimmee” on each
line as a confidence booster.

The best we could find at the new Perris

Something different a Graded Climb

Classic woodland sections, running water, trees, roots, mud and rocks

Water from a natural spring in “cow pasture” grass, could have been a GREAT section had it been
made a bit tighter

MUD, MUD glorious mud! …… what gear?…… what line?

Will it get impossible?

Another “black stinky hole”

Classic grippy rocks in woodland setting, beware the pine needles

Downhill drop offs

Multiple Log Crossings, but make sure they can’t move or its not a “fair” section

Ultra tight turns

An uphill “S”

Mud, rocks, more mud, big step, rocks

Riding through ruins can be great fun

Rocks and rivers and slippery banks

Currently there is a lot on discussion on TC reference the severity of the loop, and in our “perfect trial” this
should not be an issue but sometimes in order to get to the next section there may be some tougher or
tighter areas to negotiate, if this can’t be avoided then it should be noted, any alternative planned for a
change in weather and conditions, suitably briefed at the rider’s meeting and if necessary have a couple
of volunteers at the critical point to help the lesser lights. In my experience in most cases this sort of
problem can be avoided.

Porta-potties, self explanatory, an inconvenience without!

The large start area can be a problem in this age when trials, especially  AHRMA  and other Nationals
require riders to travel long distances in RV’s and Motorhomes. A 60′ rig needs a lot of room to get in and
out and to this end soft ground that will support the standard pick up will be a deathtrap for the 20 ton rig.
Also if there are going to be a lot of RV’s a hard standing park is better and saves all that mud from being
carted inside which as we know will not please “her indoors”.

STUCK for TWO DAYS!

The near “PERFECT” start area

For those travelling without all the luxuries of the RV a local town should be within easy travel distance
with reasonably priced hotels or with “special rates” for the event.

Having ridden most riders like to relive the sections over a few beers, especially if they are overnighting
for a 2 day event and therefore an on-site bar/restaurant would enhance the day and fall into the “perfect”
class.

Well if we haven’t got an on-site bar let’s have a decent campfire with maybe a few songs to round off the
day.

The start of what will be a GREAT Fire, started by the landowner

Assuming a lot of riders will arrive the night before, and in a lot of cases people like to come a day early
and get out and look at the sections and of course get a bit of practice in on similar terrain to that being
used. In the USA with vast altitude differences a bit of carb and jetting work may be required to get the
wondertoy to run just right for the competition.

Power and water, now this is the “icing on the cake” for the RV man as running generators can be
expensive and noisey. Water and a wash area would also add to the perfect weekend.

50 amp power and water at Diamond Don’s

Finally a dedicated Trialsmaster and team to layout a safe, fun and competitive trial whereby if the
sectionsdon’t change due to weather then each class leader should lose somewhere between 5-20 with
20 being the aim. A good briefing at the riders meeting stressing the fun aspects and also the safety
points of 2 way traffic, narrow paths and hazards on the loop. Also in here we can add a possible Trials
School for beginners and also a Checkers School with some demos and dummies for the checkers to
see some of the problems they may encounter. The trialsmaster or his team should ride around the event
to check on section ridability and have goodies and drinks for his checkers. Likewise send off a
backmarker to close the trial so that no one is left wondering when the event will finish.

…and finally, you organized it, you had the results at the prize giving, so please, Oh please, don’t keep
them a secret and let everybody else know who did what.

Tony Down

MOVING ON

 The first snows have fallen, the new workshop is totally overloaded, it’s ‘king COLD, but we must
start getting things done! The electrician has promised to be here next week and I have a
boatload of stuff to organize in the new shop.

I was given a “wall” in the downstairs section of CC for all the Championship plaques so they are
all up and today I must get everything out in the snow and start putting up shelves and trying to
get some order before the power points and lights go in. Lovely idea but time moves on and now
its too late to get things done.  This is going to take longer than I thought! The wind has picked up
and the chill factor is making things less than pleasant so it can wait a day.

“My Wall”

Cold, but no wind this morning, so maybe I can make a start on the shelves and get something
done before the Friday Pool session (small town priorities). The new pick has arrived so maybe
the electrical trench can get dug as the electrician says he doesn’t do that. I see tools and work
bench on one side, shelves and storage on the other, frames and wheels in the loft space, and a
lot of bikes in the trailer while all this takes place….. it just won’t fit!!!

Hmmm! It’s not going to fit…..

Everything is now out in the yard and I can now see where I’m going. Fortunately most of the
snow has melted, there is no wind and it is relatively warm.  First job sweep all the sawdust out
as this wasn’t done prior to delivery then start thinking shelves!

Everybody OUT

Carefully measure everything and ensure its all level then up with the brackets for the 2 nine foot
shelves, stand back ………well yes, they are level but the shed isn’t !!! Oh well, take them all down
and try again. The nine footers are done, relative to the shed, 2 more 8 footers on the side and
now I’m out of brackets. Another trip to ACE and then the tires are up on their holders and now I
have the backboard for the bench cut out ready to take all the boxes of nuts, bolts, washers and
all the other bits you can never find.

Nuts & Bolts

Shelves and tires

The trench is dug, the weather has changed again, the Electrician is back from vacation so maybe
lights and power this week? Another, hopefully the last, trip to AZ to dump all the trash and clean
up prior to the estate sale at the end of the month. When all that is complete it will be time to get
back to e-baying again and get all the remaining extras sold.

As soon as I’m on power I can rebuild that TY 175 which needs new mains bearings, recharge the
new battery for the 2001 520 EXC KTM  and get them sold on Ebay or Craigs list and then finally
part with my Rothmans Honda 929 which will break my heart.

Not a bad day yesterday, finally some good progress and things are starting to take shape after
all the nuts & bolts were put up and more floor space opened up. Still a lot to do so the AZ plan
was delayed a day to try and finish the job off. Today’s mission tidy and stack! and then the little
personal touches to make it feel like home. Now this is a major change from the unlimited space at
Cave Creek and SIX rooms to work in.

The last run to AZ is now complete leaving here at 1 in the morning and arriving at 8 ready to take
on all the last chores before loading up and then another night at one of the Nation’s nastiest
overpriced hotels. The last boxes and piles are lined up outside with all the other stuff including the
Beemer, some racks, ladders, garden tools, Brenda’s rear seats for her car and finally the huge pool
pump and the 500 lb filter from the Koi Ponds. Now for those of you who have watched the “World’s
Strongest Man” and the Atlas Stones it might give you some idea  of the pool filter! Having
disconnected this “thing” I had to roll it about 70 yards to an area where I could load it…. first
attempt ends in miserable failure…… turn the car and trailer around to try and find a downhill area
or least somewhere that the incline up the ramp would be low enough for me to shove, push, pull
this monster up the ramp with my little feet spinning on the diamond plate like Yogi bear. After a
superhuman effort I have it in the trailer and I’m wondering if I’m strong enough to stand it up? At
1830 it’s in and upright and I’m proverbially …ed!!

The “Nice” small pool filter

Back here the electrics are all in, I backfilled the trench and hoovered all the electrician’s crap out
and at last I can see what I’m doing so today the final unload and stacking of extra frames,wheels
and parts various.

NO, you have to dig the trench

Progress……..Lights ON!!

My back hurts!

Tony Down

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3500 INTO 1440

Junk a’plenty outside the workshops

The rear patio and yet more stuff

A very busy time post Sandia with the move to Cozy Comfort in full swing! Time to let go of many
of life’s trappings and look to the future. Some bright lights on the horizon and some dim tunnels
of gloom. Yard sales x 2 have been had and despite tons of junk having been sold there is still
more to go and of course an awful lot of precious nick nacks that have been collected over a
lifetime….. there is NOWHERE to put it!

The Pool furniture makes it to CC on the first run

3 runs with a full trailer, 2 flat tires on my car, and one on Brenda’s meant 2 full sets of new tires
for the coming winter and the predictable deep snow. Rescuers for the Koi arrived and after pool
draining 100+ of the monsters were captured and are now off to their new homes. Some of this
years babies didn’t get caught and there are some 30+ enjoying whats left despite the pump
having been turned off.

Dogs ready for packing!

Dogs unwrapped

Common sense, where’s the fun in that, came into play this morning so we decided that the Napa
and Hollister trip had be shelved this year as it is a 2400 mile round trip and that means $2400 in
fuel alone, before the wining and dining so time and money are better spent getting “Cozy”
exactly the way we want it. It therefore means that as I won’t be riding anymore of the AZ trials
my 2008 season is now at a close.

Next up, the workshop which will need some planning to get everything in and be able to work
on those machines remaining in the inventory. About 6 left to sell, the Rothmans Honda 929RR,
the 520EXC KTM, the HD Vrod with only 700 miles on it, Baby Superglitz TY175, the 77 TY250, and
probably my “53” SSDT replica TY250A Yam.

About another 2 weeks and 2 more runs to Cave Creek to collect the last bits from the workshop,
it never seems to end! Sell, sell, sell, so if anybody reading this wants to buy anything just let me
know as I’m pushed for room and would hate to see some of these beautiful bikes sit outside.

Moving into the “hunting and gathering” phase I bought my Colorado fishing license and after
some new line on reels that hadn’t seen the light of day in 10 years set off for the nearby Summit
Lake. Lovely spot, and you can drive almost to the shoreline which is solid flat bed rock. Using two
methods, ledgering on one rod and float fishing on the other a quiet 15 mins went by using
“worms” as bait. A quick change to “powerbait” on the float rod and it becomes all action with
multiple hits and the 4 bag limit is made in 20 minutes. As fishing in the UK is generally only for
inedible species I have never taken fish home so now another first of “how to clean a trout”. U
tube has the answer and after watching the clip several times I’m cleaning fish like a professional.
Just up the valley en-route to Telluride there lives an extremely wealthy widow who said she has
tons of fallen cotton wood, which is free if you saw it up so the chainsaw is now at the ready for
that task. She also has deer and some sort of licence to shoot them so maybe some more goodies
for the freezer there along with half a cow at a ridiculously low price.

Well this is delightful…… Summit Lake

The Bag Limit

Now we start the rifle hunting season so we should get very busy in the next few weeks with all
the hunters coming down for showers and washing their muddy hunting outfits. The weather has
turned, along with the leaves, so glorious early morning fall colors with just a touch of frost. The
mountains have their first dusting of snow and the logs are blazing in the fireplace. Must unload
the RV, goodness knows where all that stuff will go, and then get set from the next trip south to
offload the bus and collect yet another full trailer load of stuff.

Having unloaded  the RV, effectively another house, there is more stuff everywhere and we are
bulging at the seams so it looks like the loft space will be coming into play here to store a lot of
clothes and other resaleable stuff next spring.

Back to AZ with the empty RV and VROD in the trailer. The coach rockets along, 525 horses all
going well, and now freed from a couple of tons of equipment it’s actually making 7-9 mpg! When
I get there the power is off so limited packing before nightfall and elect to stay in the bus where
at least I have light, comfort and TV. The following morning my mechanic from the now defunct
company arrives to collect the last Chevvy dually which he will buy/sell.

The RV goes in for the replacement shield and when it comes out it goes into the sales section
hoping for the Canadian visitors to snap up a fantastic bargain. Move across town to Chandler
Harley Davidson and the Screamin Eagle finds a new home. Back to more packing and stumbling
around in the dark and finally at 2030 wind my way up to Cave Creek for a night stop in the
grossly overpriced Tumbleweed Hotel! By now I’m hungry and VERY thirsty so a quick 1/2 mile
walk up to Harrold’s for dinner and a lot of BEER!!

The best time of the year

Just 2 more runs to collect the last of the chattels that can be saved and then store all of the
45 years of trophies that now are committed to a life in the loft as wall space is at a premium.
One day the Empire may rise again!

The Trophy Wall now all in boxes in the loft

Tony Down