Trial: The Discipline of Balance

The origins of this discipline — trial riding — go back to the early years of the last century. Pinpointing an exact date is difficult, because, like many sports and practices, it was most likely born out of necessity.

There is no need to imagine the condition of roads back then. The challenge of overcoming obstacles — muddy paths, shallow streams, fallen trunks, scattered rocks, and anything that could block a trail — gives us a clear idea of what riders faced.

The next step was competition. Trial events are already documented in Scotland around 1909, when the Edinburgh Motor Club organized a five-day event covering 1,600 km through the countryside, including sections of extreme difficulty.

The beginnings of this discipline are explained in detail in this article by Horacio San Martín.

From Motor Trial to Bike Trial

Today, trial is a discipline with strong popular recognition. It has even inspired a smaller “sister” version without an engine: bike trial, originally known as “Trialsín,” whose most internationally recognized pioneer was Ot Pi .

Some aspects have changed compared with the early championships. Modern trial competitions take place in natural environments, taking advantage of terrain and geography.

However, in 1978, Indoor Trial was introduced, originating in Barcelona, where obstacle sections were recreated inside covered stadiums.

The Art of Improvisation and Precision

Balance and improvisation when facing an obstacle are the essential and defining skills of trial riding. The rule is simple: complete a section without putting a foot on the ground — all within a strict time limit.

What Makes a Trial Bike Unique?

A trial motorcycle is very different from a street bike or even a typical off-road machine.

• Weight: approximately 75 kg
• No seat, since the rider stands on the footpegs
• Engines up to 300 cc
• Roughly 20 horsepower, but with very short gearing

Tire setup is another key feature. Trial tires operate at extremely low pressures:

• Rear: around 4 PSI
• Front: around 6 PSI

They use durable, high-grip tread blocks, and for public-road use, the tires must carry E or DOT markings on the sidewall.

Braking: A Critical Element in Trial

The braking system is one of the most important components. Maintaining a motorcycle perfectly balanced often depends on subtle brake pressure, and releasing that pressure must be precise and immediate when stopping again on narrow surfaces.

In competition, the rear sprocket must be covered by a protective guard, and brake discs must respect limitations on hole diameter, according to FIM regulations.

NG Brakes Trial Competition Discs

At NG Brake, we manufacture a full range of FIM-homologated competition brake discs .

Our key references include:

• 1570X — used by Alfer, Future, Gas Gas, Jotagas, Montesa, Ossa, Scorpa, Sherco, Torrot, TRS, Vertigo and Xispa.
• 1594X — used by Beta.
• 1591 — used by Scorpa and Sherco.