If you want an opportunity to practice your navigational skills and off-tarmac riding then you could do worse than enter an MCC Trial. What’s the MCC? Have a look at MCC | The Motor Cycling Club - 100 Years of Motorsport to find out – probably the UK’s oldest motorcycle club.

The club runs 3 overnight long distance classic trials each year. These are the Exeter in January, the Land’s End at Easter and the Edinburgh in October.

The trials aren’t much like the kind of rock hopping acrobatics for which a proper trials bike is needed. Instead they consist of a course of around 200 to 300 miles, on public roads, with about fifteen short excursions off the tarmac to observed sections that usually consist of a longish hill climb that must be traversed without the rider footing or ceasing forward motion. To give an idea of the severity of the hills, sidecars also compete as do two-wheel drive cars (although the bikes go round before the cars).

The events run overnight and usually finish around midday the day after the evening start. There are compulsory rest halts and meal breaks. Navigation is by roadbook.

Suitable bikes? Well, just about anything that's robust and has a degree of off-road capability. Hardcore enthusiasts generally ride small trail bikes but it’s not unusual to see an Enfield road bike or a BMW GS twin. One winner used an Africa Twin. For the less skilled rider there is an easier route to follow.

Costs? I estimate about £200 per event including entry fees, fuel, meals, accommodation for the night afterwards and consumables such as tyres.

If you’re interested send me a private message to me or visit MCC | The Motor Cycling Club - 100 Years of Motorsport

Thanks

Ian Thompson

Motorcycle PR
The Motor Cycling Club.

Are the MCC still running events? I thought they'd choked themselves on their over burdening rule book.

Don't forget to remind any perspective participants about the angle of their registration plate .

Exactly where to fix their riding number, and perhaps anymore 'rules' they may have recently added, and they wonder why entries are falling !

__________________
'He who laughs last, was too slow to get the joke'
Never confuse the map with the journey.

Cool, does that mean I can turn up with bald tyres and you put nice new ones on just before we go out for the run?

So they can be used 'Off road' as well then? I always wondered about that one!

I believe Caminando rides an AT, if he was not banned he would be abusing you again!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

__________________
'He who laughs last, was too slow to get the joke'
Never confuse the map with the journey.

Ian,
Way back I use to marshal on one of these trials, it was in the peak district and I think it was the Edinburgh trial.
All sorts of characters and vehicles and bikes.
I remember one year someone competed on a Z1000 with knobblies, some of the sections where quite demanding. Another time I was marshalling a stop / start obstacle in a steep gorge at the bottom of a steep bank, a heard of cows came to watch the goings on and the bank collapsed and deposited 3 distressed cows on to the course.
Loads of good fun but bloody cold, I did look at entering myself but I think you have to be a club member for a year before entering, I may remember that wrong but something got in the way.
A truly English event and worth spectating.

Steve

You have to be a member before entering, but not for a year. Simply join up a few weeks before entering.

As you say truly English events, and I guess one of the few competitions where you can reasonably compete on your typical adventure tourer.

Would 'Truly English event' be another way of saying 'Crap weather, crap catering and ran by people with a Sense of Humour Bypass?'

None of those things, the ingredients’ are rather difficult to define. It’s about taking part but not about winning. Throw in some eccentric’s riding / driving eccentric vehicles in some fantastic surroundings and everyone is battling the elements what ever they may be.

Steve

My bike was about 6months old and the scrotum-neers had to have a debate on my bikes legality as I'd lost the tax disc, and had to report to the second lot of scrotum-neers at the overnight rest stop.

My riding number was frowned upon for being on the back of my helmet, thats's the one on my head! and not on the back of the bike.

They were also not happy about the angle of my rear number plate which is a proper plate and NOT at a ridiculous angle.
Now you have to join the 'club' at about £48-50 entry, + fuel, although you don't have to stay overnight, but as Ian says around £200 per event, I think thats excessive especially for the attitude dished out.
I did just the one and would not even consider another until the events are run by possibly younger people more in touch with the real world than the pipe smoking clothed capped tweed jacketed old fers that are in place now, Imagine how much biking you can do on £200, 8-10 days budget in Africa or SA?.
I did though enjoy the event despite the 'school headmaster' attitude, the sad reality is, one or two sensible people would never get into a position to change attitudes, I know Ian is trying to promote their events, but any ideas he or anyone else as to offer will just be scoffed at by 'The Old Farts' club

__________________
'He who laughs last, was too slow to get the joke'
Never confuse the map with the journey.

No ,.......Martynbiker was correct the first time, with perhaps the exception of the catering, a few cars are different, but as Ian says about the bikes, whats eccentric about them ? with the exception of Africa Twins ?

__________________
'He who laughs last, was too slow to get the joke'
Never confuse the map with the journey.

Now THIS sounds like more FUN! ( and its cheaper!)

Dave,
You could be correct I am thinking about 25 - 30 years ago, and rather eccentric a vast assortment would be a better description. Although a z1000 with knobblies is high on the scale of lunatic.
I bristle against authority more than most but IMHO those "headmasters" keep it the way it should be ands that’s why it’s unique, it’s been going for donkeys and long may it continue.

Steve

Ahhhh Tradition, got to keep it the way it has always been? keep it unique, thats what makes us BRITISH! cant change wont change attitude is pathetic!
c'mon Steve wake up n smell the Coffee!......


P.S. Sorry should that be Wake up n smell the Tea?

Steve, because of the headmaster attitude that is the reason that a good few members from our offroad club will not entertain MCC events, ask Ian how many bike entries were received for the 'Edinburgh' trial before F&M forced its cancellation? . And it is probably the same organisers now as it was 25-30 years ago.
There is no encouragement for riders to take up the 'sport' of Long distance trials, and I could just imagine the attitude of the 'headmasters' if 20 or so 20year olds entered one of the events!!!

__________________
'He who laughs last, was too slow to get the joke'
Never confuse the map with the journey.