RT: What do the riders ask you for? Which modifications in relation to the series? Do you do more modifications now or in the 80’s?
P: The demand is more for small details than big changes. Personal taste of position and how they ride and as for the motorbike: more power a more direct clutch and stability. For example in our case Cabestany uses a motor that is standard with small adjustments to increase the performance. We also include lead in the axis of the wheels to gain a little bit of stability.
Curiously we modify more things now than we did in the 80’s where the motorbikes were nearly all standard. The trials back then didn’t need any big changes in the bikes. Now its so specialized and professionalized that any small changes are important.
P: The demand is more for small details than big changes. Personal taste of position and how they ride and as for the motorbike: more power a more direct clutch and stability. For example in our case Cabestany uses a motor that is standard with small adjustments to increase the performance. We also include lead in the axis of the wheels to gain a little bit of stability.
Curiously we modify more things now than we did in the 80’s where the motorbikes were nearly all standard. The trials back then didn’t need any big changes in the bikes. Now its so specialized and professionalized that any small changes are important.
Up on the bench - The factory Sherco of Albert Cabestany
RT: How do you see the bikes in the immediate future? What will change, the wheel ,the engines, the 2 stroke injection, electrical motorbikes?
P: I think that the most important changes will come through weight reduction. I believe that 2 stoke injection will still take some time to arrive. For as long as possible the carburetor brings more advantages from a simplicity level and they are difficult to beat. We have made some steps but we have not got it ready yet. For example the enduro motorbike that you can see on the internet is a study of Graz university and an engineering firm in Austria that works for all brands. And from what I’ve heard, it works marvelously. I don’t think that the tyres are going to change. They’ve tried some with other measurements but the best compromise is the one we currently have. It is also very difficult for any tyre manufacture to produce anything different with such a small market that trials is.
P: I think that the most important changes will come through weight reduction. I believe that 2 stoke injection will still take some time to arrive. For as long as possible the carburetor brings more advantages from a simplicity level and they are difficult to beat. We have made some steps but we have not got it ready yet. For example the enduro motorbike that you can see on the internet is a study of Graz university and an engineering firm in Austria that works for all brands. And from what I’ve heard, it works marvelously. I don’t think that the tyres are going to change. They’ve tried some with other measurements but the best compromise is the one we currently have. It is also very difficult for any tyre manufacture to produce anything different with such a small market that trials is.
The aluminium frame is a commercial issue. It doesn’t add any advantage and yes, a lot of breakage problems and difficult reparation.
Evolution does not need the aluminium frame
The electrical bike is complicated. At least in our country when you leave home or rendezvous point with a motorbike to do trials for a few hours and come back. With batteries you possibly wont be able to return and then what do you do? We still need a few years of battery development for them to be more autonomous. On top of a full tank you can carry a litre of petrol in your rucksack, but how do you charge the batteries quickly?