What is Motorcycles Trials?
The Irish Motorcycle Trials Clubs promote events for all ages and skill levels throughout Ireland. Trials is a Motorcycle discipline based on skill, balance and throttle control, not speed. Riders ride specialised trials bikes through the course at relatively low speeds, and the winner is the rider who loses least marks throughout the event. Trials is a great foundation for many other types of sport, as it teaches valuable skills which can be used in many areas. Riders can start riding from the age of 4 years, on electric Trials bikes. Some move on to other motorcycle sports, but many continue to ride Trials for their whole life. Our Clubs promote events which are part of the Motorcycle Union of Ireland National Championship and the Motorcycling Ireland (MCI) Southern Centre Championship, in addition to Open Non-Championship events, and Practice and Training events.
How does it work ?
The course for any Trial covers a “Cross-Country” Lap, usually several kilometres long, with a number of “Observed Sections” where riders have to ride through the sections losing as few marks as they can. Each section has an “Observer” who records the riders score as they ride through. The route through the section varies depending on the ability of the riders, and is marked out by coloured flags or signs. The Start is a pair of Yellow markers, as the rider goes through the section they must keep the Blue markers to their left, and the Red markers to their right, and the end of the section is marked by a pair of White markers. Marks are lost for stopping, going backwards, putting a foot down, leaning the bike against a tree or rock, going the wrong way, or failing to get through the section.
Usually there would be 8 to 12 sections on the Lap, and riders would have to complete 4 Laps to finish the event. Novice Grades may sometimes do one less lap than more experienced Grades. There is an overall time-limit for the event, and riders must finish within the limit, or be subject to additional penalties at a rate of 1 mark per minute, up to a maximum of 30 minutes, followed by exclusion from the event. Sections have varying levels of difficulty depending on the level of the rider, from Novice to Expert. The rider with the least amount of marks in the grade wins!
For full information on the Motorcycle Union of Ireland General Competition Rules, click on the link below:
For full information on Motorcycle Union of Ireland Standing Regulations for Trials, click on the link below:
trials-standing-regulations-2023.pdf
This website is managed by the Motorcycling Ireland Trials Management Committee, to provide a central location for all Trials related information, for beginners, and experienced riders alike. We foster a vibrant community of motorcycle enthusiasts who share tips, experiences, and a passion for motorcycle trials. Networking with fellow riders enhances your skills and enjoyment and riders enjoy chats and tactical discussions with their friends as they make their way around the course.
Safety is one of main priorities during competitions. Trials is probably the safest possible type of Motorcycle Sport, as it is not a speed-based event, and the competitive elements of the event are ridden at relatively low speed, with the emphasis on getting through the “Observed Sections” without losing marks, for example by putting a foot down.
We enforce the Motorcycle Union of Ireland (MCUI) General Competition Rules, and the MCUI Standing Regulations for Trials.
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Grades:
Adult Riders are Graded: Expert Elite, Expert, Semi-Expert, Clubman, Sportsman
Youth Riders are Graded: YA, YB, YC+ (who usually ride the “main” course), and YC, YD and YE who usually ride on a seperate course designed for beginners, and small bikes.
Trials are normally run by the Dublin-based Clubs (D & D, LMC and MEC) in Dublin, Wicklow and Kildare, in mountain areas, quarries or forests.
Youghal Motorcycle Club run events in the South, and the Mid-West Trials & Trail Club is planning to run events in the Limerick area in the near future.
Getting Involved
To participate in any Trials event, the rider must have, at a minimum, a Participants Pass from Motorcycling Ireland. This will allow them to take part in any Training Days or Practice Events, but it will not allow them to participate in Competitive Events.
If the beginner then wants to progress to Competitive Trials, they need to upgrade to at least a Type D Off-Road Licence. This will allow them take part in any Trial Event. If they also want to be able to take part in other Off-Road disciplines such as Motocross or Enduro, they should get a Type C Licence.
Licence Applications are currently offline, but when they resume for 2025, they will be available on this link: https://motorcyclingireland.ie/online-forms/
Bikes
Trials Bikes are factory-made specifically for Trials, the bikes have no saddles (as they are designed to be ridden standing up) and are very lightweight, with high ground clearance. Trials bikes are made by manufacturers like Beta, Gas Gas, Vertigo, TRS, Scorpa and Sherco. In recent years, Electric Trials Bikes have started to come onto the market, and are proving popular. The only restriction on choice of bike is the riders age, with young riders being restricted to smaller capacities of engine. Once a rider is over 16 they can ride any available Trials Bike. Below are a few examples of the available Trials Bikes.
Above are youth bikes where riders start out on from 4 years of age, the first is a 12 inch wheel bike, then a 16 inch wheel and then a 20 inch. These are electric powered bikes and go up to 24 inch and to a full adult sized bike. They are powered by lead acid batteries or by lithium batteries. The choice is up to the rider. The lithium batteries last longer and are lighter but more expensive. The above bikes pictured are made by Oset but there are other manufacturers such as TRS, BETA and GAS GAS. Youth size bikes are available in both electric and petrol powered but the smallest bikes like the ones above only come electric powered.
Above are youth A to adult bikes. They are all adult sized bike but differ in engine sized. They range from 125cc, 250cc, 290cc, 300cc. The Youth A, B and C+ classes would start off on a 125cc then progress to a 250cc bike. Once they have moved on to the adult Sportsman line the majority of riders would use a 250cc bike up to the Semi-Expert level. Those rider Expert and Expert Elite grades would usually be on a 300cc bike.
There are various manufacturers: Beta, GAS GAS, Sherco, Scorpa, Montesa, Vertigo.
There are full size bikes that are fully electric and are made by EM {Electric Motion}.
There are also classic trial bikes like Yamaha, Fantic, Triumph, BSA, Honda, James and classic trials are getting more popular all the time.