Trial course in Mallorca

Posted on by admin

Table of contents

Trial course in Mallorca
Iron ham

to travel

Trial course in Mallorca

Trial course in Mallorca
Adventure minimalism

Learn the art of trialing in the warm south? Trial schools in Mallorca combine the enjoyment of nature with artistic motorcycle sport. We tried it.

Annette Johann

05/23/2006

Pylons! Again and again pylons. You are the first and probably also the last thing I will see here in Mallorca. The pylons, the essence of trials. “Without them you wouldn’t learn”, coach Elmar Heuer has clear principles, “they set the necessary limits.” Six Montesa Cota, five students and a trainer ?? We are gathered for a trial course on a Mallorcan finca. Our knowledge any-
where varying between zero and a hundred. Correspondingly, the advanced Peter, Bernd and Uwe have to go through the multiplication tables again with novices like Gerhard and me.
Basic position: a central issue on a completely seated motorcycle-
opportunity. Feet comfortably in the middle of the notches, not too close to the frame to be able to tilt the machine sideways, legs slightly angled, back straight, hands relaxed on the levers, which are surprisingly flat so that you can reach them in every driving situation. Understood? Then click and get into the first circles under the olive and carob trees. Feather-light driving experience, the tiniest free-running 250 I know, sensitive to the finest impulses on the gas. The Montesa rolls over small obstacles like weightlessly, wallows
soft over grass and gravel with their semi-flat tires, as appropriate to their species.
Lesson two: The trainer delimits the space with the pylons to watch,
gradually increases the level of difficulty in our aft, circular orbits and steep sections. The trial topic is beginning to emerge: driving style with centimeter precision at the slowest speed in a confined space. The marked curves can now actually only be taken with an angle of inclination. So put your feet on the outside of the pegs and push the motorcycle with handlebars and inside pegs into a deep incline. Balance with the body on the opposite side. Get down on your knees, push your buttocks over, “imagine you are sitting on a Dixi toilet,” Elmar vividly explains the posture. When playing with the brakes and the clutch, we try to keep to the radius at an almost pace.

Driving up and down steep slopes is familiar from enduro riding: uphill to load the front wheel, keep your body as close to the handlebars as possible, downhill with your arms stretched almost sit on the rear fender to bring your weight backwards. Overcome obstacles such as stones or logs by pushing the gas and pulling the handlebars. These are the essentials
Work goals for our five days. Everyone works at his own level. Peter, Uwe and Bernd steeper and narrower than Gerhard and me. Nevertheless, the thing is sweaty for everyone, because in addition to coordination skills, extreme flexibility is required. And there is no chance of airflow cooling. On the contrary, Elmar constantly reminds me that my speed is too high. “Slowness is the all-important factor right now.

“It will be particularly exciting to complete the individual exercises in a flowing combination. There is a magnificent practice site on a picturesque stretch of cliff. High above the turquoise-green sea, a winding, steep ascent with a U-turn at the upper end and then controlled abseiling back must be mastered. After discussing the route and driving technique, we have to get going.
Below you go through a few coarser hollows with loose curve combinations ?? bend nicely! ??, then a few meters ultra steep up a ridge. It is important to take the momentum with you and press your body close to the handlebars, at the same time maintain traction at the rear, stop slightly on the ridge, bend the machine deeply and continue in a 90-degree curve. A little further up, to finally turn the U-turn between two pine trees and then hit the narrow, pylons-studded downhill lane. To do this, stretch your body as far back as possible, carefully guide both brakes to the blocking limit and allow the engine to brake when the clutch is engaged. Caution, it slips at the back, so loosen it again, but grip the front more tightly. And now hit the hand-width natural bridge over the trench! Done! Take a deep breath. “Go again in a minute. The bend at the top was too far, ”guides you
the teacher. It’s correct. I practice it countless times that day.
Tired and feeling every muscle, we drive back to the finca in the evening. with
80 things in the big aisle, the wind finally cooling your face. After six hours of low-speed training, it was as liberating as a supersonic flight.

The next day great things await:
the 1352 meter high Puig de Massanella, Mallorca’s second highest peak in the Tramuntana Mountains. Finally a route instead of pylons. However, we have to move the Montesas up to the start of a hiking trail. Around 30 kilometers of country roads are too much for thoroughbred trialers. “And you would be tired from standing before it really starts,” says Elmar.
The gravel path swings uncomplicatedly wide, bend after bend up into the mountains. I try to stand as loosely as possible and relax my arms and legs. Barren rock and waist-high tufts of grass replace the pastures and olive trees of the lower regions, arid crippled pines mark the last foothills of the vegetation at the 1000 meter limit. The view is getting better and better, but the path demands more and more attention. Soon there is no longer any trace of it, steps and football-sized boulders demand all the skills of my young trial career. Individual obstacles one after the other would be okay,
but now the front wheel has to be kept up all the time.
Gerhard is fighting just in front of me on this increasingly lousy goat path.
Soon a mighty rock spike builds up vertically, we have to be just before the saddle below the summit. But now the rock conglomerate in front of the front wheel is insurmountable. Anyway, I put my helmet and jacket aside, climb the last few meters on foot ?? and then it lies at my feet, the entire island, the view extends down to the horizon from the mountains, where the sea meets blue in blue with the sky. The aching arms are forgotten, it is stunningly beautiful. From here you can only go down. Pylon-free. And that always works.

Buy complete article

Trial course in Mallorca

Trial course in Mallorca
Adventure minimalism

6 pages) as PDF

€ 2.00

Buy now

The beginning

Of course, you don’t have to to learn to trial
travel to Mallorca. Even
in Germany there are
many possibilities.

D THE ENTRY
For trial beginners, it makes sense to book a day or weekend training first. Trial courses are available on payment-
rich practice areas in Germany
and offered in neighboring countries. Included
Rental motorcycle and equipment begin
the cost at 80 euros per day. There are courses
among others at Elmar Heuer’s trial school, which also organizes the Mallorca tour.
In addition to training in Germany, Heuer
also offers trial holiday camps in France.
Telephone 02507/986321; www.trialschule.de.
D LEARN ON
MALLORCA
Learning to trial in the sunny south is of course especially nice. But be careful:
Trial is not enduro! It’s a sport that mainly takes place in sections and thus on a few square kilometers. Long distances are made less and are also quite stamina-sapping due to the constant driving while standing. Anyone about it
is clear, takes place in the base camp close
Palma, a tasteful finca, great be-
conditions. The seven day trip costs
870 euros without a flight (from 90 euros). In the price ent-
hold is a day’s training before departure.
The 2005 run was complete
newly developed Montesa Cota 4RT, whose 250cc four-stroke injection engine comes from Honda. The 75 kilogram light motorcycle offers tremendous acceleration and top driving-
werk provides an excellent basis for both beginners and experts. Price without street approval 6490 euros. For touristic ventures
there is an enduro bench at Zweiradhandel Schwarz, phone 02636/6198, www.schwarz-zweiradhandel.de. 2.1 liters of tank capacity limit the Cota’s range of action
however, a considerable one.
D MORE INFOs
You can read more about trials in the magazine Trialsport, the scene’s only specialist magazine. There is also a large classifieds market with almost all well-known trial schools. In addition, the editorial team sells a driving technique DVD for 39.90 euros.
Telephone 07161/500204; www.trialsport.de. The very good training book from Felix
Krahnstever and Harry Niemann from the
Motorbuch Verlag can unfortunately only be bought at auction or as a reprint
to have at some trial schools.

Basics for trial beginners

1I protective clothing must be, with hiking boots
are marginal and do not offer a stable stand,
Knee and shin guards will soon pay off.
2I Practice the basic position: centered on the notches, knees slightly bent, back straight, hands always loosely on the
To leverage. 3I Downhill weight backwards, use both brakes and let the engine slow down in low gear. 4I uphill belly on the handlebars so that the load does not rise. Be careful not to lose traction at the rear

Precision and body

1I Nothing beats pylons when driving with centimeter precision is learned
target ?? or bending in the tightest of spaces. 2I exercise
for front wheel relief:
Already at a standstill
proper body swing provides lifting power

Curve art

1I trainer Elmar Heuer gets the curve: handlebars
drive in, machine
Press with the handlebars and inside notch and with your body
Balance in the opposite direction. 2I Flat lever angle for accessibility
in all driving situations

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *