Balance, skill and concentration — you and your bike pitted against the terrain. No racing. No speed. Just pure riding mastery.
Trials teaches bike control, body placement and picking the best line — and many world champions from Enduro (Graham Jarvis) and SuperEnduro (Billy Bolt) gained their edge riding trials. It's also why trials is one of the best foundations for riders of any discipline.
Trials is a safe sport for all ages with low frequency and severity of injuries.
Scoring is simple: fewer points means better riding. Ride through a section without putting a foot down and you “clean” it for zero. Each time you touch the ground (called a “dab”) you pick up 1 to 3 points. Dismount, go backwards while dabbing, or ride out of the section and it's a 5.
Every trials rider has a nameplate with a backing colour that corresponds to one of the arrow colours below. Sections have a clearly marked start and finish with triangle markers to point the way that riders must traverse.
Green markers — the most technically demanding lines through each section
Red markers — challenging terrain requiring advanced skills
Yellow markers — intermediate difficulty, technical but achievable
Blue markers — easier lines, great for developing riders
White markers — the most accessible line through each section
Lowest score wins. A typical course has 8–15 sections across varied terrain, with riders completing 3–5 laps.
Ride the whole section without putting a foot down. Stopping and rolling backwards are fine, as long as you stay on the bike.
Put one foot down once, or do a foot-down pivot turn.
Put a foot down twice. Points are adding up.
Dab three or more times. The most you can score from footing alone.
Dismount (both feet on the same side or behind the bike), roll backwards while dabbing, ride out of the section, or put the bars on the ground.
From joining a club and getting your licence to entering your first event. Check off each step as you go.
Get startedDedicated trials bikes are purpose-built for the sport — lightweight, low-seated, and engineered for precision over terrain. Browse the trials bikes classifieds to find second-hand options.
Zero emissions, near-silent running, and instant torque. Electric trials bikes from Electric Motion and others are growing in popularity — ideal for practice on noise-sensitive land and introducing new riders to the sport. TRS and Triumph also make kids electric bikes for junior riders.
Light (~70kg), single-cylinder, liquid-cooled machines of around 250cc with mono-shock suspension, hydraulic disc brakes and super-soft compound tyres run at just 4–6 psi. European brands — Gas Gas, Beta, Scorpa, Montesa, Sherco — dominate. Vertigo and Beta also make kids petrol bikes for junior riders.
A popular and more affordable way into the sport. Manufactured 1965–1986 with no disc brakes or mono-shocks. Brands like Bultaco, Montesa, Ossa, Yamaha TY and Honda TL. Blue line at championships.
Machines first available to the general public before 1965. White line at championships. A dedicated community preserving and competing on heritage machinery from brands like BSA, AJS, Triumph and Ariel.
A unique team discipline — rider and passenger working together to navigate sections. The passenger shifts their weight to keep the outfit balanced while the rider picks the line. A spectacular class to watch and a great way to compete as a pair.
The safest and most affordable form of motorsport. Find an event near you and come have a ride.