Introduction

Welcome to my little spot on the web where I post my reports and general blathering about my experience riding off-road (timekeeping) enduros and observed trials. Both types of competition are quite a bit different and have a unique set of rules. They require different types of motorcycles.

Enduros - An enduro is, basically, a race against the clock. The objective is to accumulate as few points as possible by maintaining a pre-set speed average. The rules are fairly complex, especially to a beginner. The promoter, usually a club, lays out a marked course over any combination of single and two-track trails, dirt and paved roads and grass or motocross tracks. A speed average, or multiple speed averages, are selected. The idea is to try and maintain the set speed average over the entire course. Groups of up to five riders are sent out on the course at one-minute intervals. Along the course there are checkpoints where your arrival time in minutes and, sometimes, seconds, is recorded. If you arrive at a checkpoint on your minute, your score is zero. For every minute late, you receive one penalty point for up to 60-minutes. Beyond 60-minutes late, you are disqualified. There are also resets where the course mileage, not ground mileage, is advanced. Therefore it is possible to get ahead of the clock. Arriving one minute early to a checkpoint results in two penalty points. For each minute early, beyond one minute, it's five penalty points up to a maximum of 15-mintes early. Beyond 15-minutes early, you are disqualified. Hence it is better to be late than early. Again this is just a brief summary of the rules.

Observed Trials - An observed trial is quite a bit different from an enduro. The object is to negotiate through a difficult section, known as a trap or observed section, without putting a foot down, called a dab. Just like an enduro, you want to accumulate as few penalty points as possible. Penalty points can only be accrued in the observed sections. One dab = one point. Two dabs = two points. Three or more dabs = three points. Falling, stalling, putting both feet on the same side of the bike = five points. The obstacles found in an observed section could be tight turns, trees, fallen logs, roots, rocks, mud, hills, or even some manmade obstacles. The important thing to remember is there are times you should take a dab in order to save yourself from getting a three or a five. Of course this is just another brief summary of the rules.