"The trial has been my life since the first Ossa Mick Andrews to the last Sherco" - paxau interview
There is no person knows the Sport and World of trials any better than Josep M ª Paxau. He has lived the sport for decades.
When you look back after all these years, where do you get most satisfaction?
No doubt the fact of having contributed to the constant evolution of the technique of trial and of having forged the first motorcycle with a Spanish rider won the world championship.
We know that you have many riders and that some have moved near to you. What special memories do you have?
The Angel Garcia Teruel certainly left a very good memory. In addition to good driver, as a person was exceptional.
You have travelled the World with so many top riders. What intereting stories do you have to tell?.
With Tarrés had some interesting. I remember when he debuted with the Gas Gas, in the first race in Luxembourg was fifth and was very nervous.
When you look back after all these years, where do you get most satisfaction?
No doubt the fact of having contributed to the constant evolution of the technique of trial and of having forged the first motorcycle with a Spanish rider won the world championship.
We know that you have many riders and that some have moved near to you. What special memories do you have?
The Angel Garcia Teruel certainly left a very good memory. In addition to good driver, as a person was exceptional.
You have travelled the World with so many top riders. What intereting stories do you have to tell?.
With Tarrés had some interesting. I remember when he debuted with the Gas Gas, in the first race in Luxembourg was fifth and was very nervous.
During the following week changed many things about the bike, position, suspensions ... Gelagert Ramon, who then took the truck and was a mechanic Gas, call me desperate. The following week he played the trial in Belgium. When I arrived the day before everyone was nervous and told Ramonet "to get the bike back exactly as it was in Luxembourg."After that I tried the bike and without let Tarrés run the trial. He achieved his first victory with the Gas Gas dramatically at the end of the trial and told her to look the setup. Was surprised to see that everything was like a week before and for a few days had become obsessed in changing things that went perfectly.
Who in your opinion best and most changed the World of trials.
The pilots always think according to your taste and riding style. I hear a lot but I hear little. The development of each trial bike is very uneven and is not exportable to standard models. Before a pilot using any new part or evolution, before we test it thoroughly. The pilots are reluctant to change.
The top trials riders need to have good technique and be strong mentally.Who had the strongest technique was the strongest mentally?.Also , who was the best rider technically , but was let down by not being mentally strong enough , and vice versa?.
As a technique, perhaps the best is Cabestany. Your driving is fine. Freixa was very good technically, but lacked mentality. Tarrés had both, technically it was good, but mentally very strong. Lampkin for example is a clear sign that a driver with a standard technique can overcome anything with a brutal psychological force. Bou and Raga are very strong in both directions.
For success what percentage depends on the bike and how much depends on the rider?
I think that 50%. A good bike without a good driver does not work and so does the reverse.
Bou has just clinched his third outdoor World Championship , rage is suffering from a knee injury . Whats you prediction for next years winner?
Bou is the strongest and has now here to stay.
We know you love flying places. If you had your time again would you have done things differently?.
I think not. My life has been marked by a passion for mechanics. Sure many do not know, but before I was racing motorcycles on the road bike until I left when I had to take the step to professional. My bikes were always the center of attention because he had plenty of retouched
Who in your opinion best and most changed the World of trials.
The pilots always think according to your taste and riding style. I hear a lot but I hear little. The development of each trial bike is very uneven and is not exportable to standard models. Before a pilot using any new part or evolution, before we test it thoroughly. The pilots are reluctant to change.
The top trials riders need to have good technique and be strong mentally.Who had the strongest technique was the strongest mentally?.Also , who was the best rider technically , but was let down by not being mentally strong enough , and vice versa?.
As a technique, perhaps the best is Cabestany. Your driving is fine. Freixa was very good technically, but lacked mentality. Tarrés had both, technically it was good, but mentally very strong. Lampkin for example is a clear sign that a driver with a standard technique can overcome anything with a brutal psychological force. Bou and Raga are very strong in both directions.
For success what percentage depends on the bike and how much depends on the rider?
I think that 50%. A good bike without a good driver does not work and so does the reverse.
Bou has just clinched his third outdoor World Championship , rage is suffering from a knee injury . Whats you prediction for next years winner?
Bou is the strongest and has now here to stay.
We know you love flying places. If you had your time again would you have done things differently?.
I think not. My life has been marked by a passion for mechanics. Sure many do not know, but before I was racing motorcycles on the road bike until I left when I had to take the step to professional. My bikes were always the center of attention because he had plenty of retouched
The trial has been my life since the first Ossa Mick Andrews to the last Sherco, through the Merlin and Gas Gas. On many occasions I have raised impressive projects outside the trial. The planes are a hobbye exciting that I enjoy very much.
You have been involved in trials for many years and also during the golden years of trial. What were the reasons for the success of trials back then and why is it that trials has remained a minority sport.
There is no doubt that the era was a smash Tarrés for trial. Everyone knew who was Tarrés to grandmothers. In the post Tarrés the trial is very specialized and young people is very difficult to get to the elite. In addition, the trial has been and is the great victim of a restrictive laws that some guys tie it occurred one day write and pass with total ignorance that he was dealing with.
Please give me an adjective to describe the past , present and future of trials?
Uncertain. We are a very small group.
You published an open letter a few years ago.The World of trials has not changed much . Why not?.
We follow the same or worse. Just look at the world championship or national. The problem that is not accessible to the mountain is hurting a lot and practitioners are becoming less. The impact is falling into a spin and the approach of triales still aground.
In Sherco you keep betting on 2 strokes although your main rider rode a bike with a 4 stroke engine. Does this mean that you will continue offering 2 and 4 strokes for sale.Do the 2 strokes exceed environmental limits?
Both our engine 2 and 4-stroke continue to evolve. We will continue offering two engines in a wide range of possibilities for every taste. Our 2-stroke engines meet all existing regulations so far.
Ive heard that next year Cabestany will ride a 2 stroke. was this Cabestany's request or the factory's?
Cabestany was the same which we asked the 4Q drive in recent years, but have continued to evolve in parallel with the 2T. We have consolidated the 4T with excellent results and we continue to enhance the brand image also with the 2 stroke, so we opted to drive back Cabestany 2T motor. Changes are always challenges that motivate.
I know you were involved in a fuel injection project for the 2 stroke. Why was this abandoned? Is it the end of the line?
Nobody is able to draw a line. The changes are due to fashions and trends. In all areas you can always evolve. The injection will come if you have to go.
Deciding on 2 or 4 strokes is a consideration for all buyers. What are the benefits of both engines?
The 2 stroke is perhaps more nimble to drive. Some people like to bring the engine to start more cheerful and it is clear that 2 times more bearable. Our 4-stroke engine is a brave who has a very good torque and likes to wear low-end with excellent power delivery.
You have been involved in trials for many years and also during the golden years of trial. What were the reasons for the success of trials back then and why is it that trials has remained a minority sport.
There is no doubt that the era was a smash Tarrés for trial. Everyone knew who was Tarrés to grandmothers. In the post Tarrés the trial is very specialized and young people is very difficult to get to the elite. In addition, the trial has been and is the great victim of a restrictive laws that some guys tie it occurred one day write and pass with total ignorance that he was dealing with.
Please give me an adjective to describe the past , present and future of trials?
Uncertain. We are a very small group.
You published an open letter a few years ago.The World of trials has not changed much . Why not?.
We follow the same or worse. Just look at the world championship or national. The problem that is not accessible to the mountain is hurting a lot and practitioners are becoming less. The impact is falling into a spin and the approach of triales still aground.
In Sherco you keep betting on 2 strokes although your main rider rode a bike with a 4 stroke engine. Does this mean that you will continue offering 2 and 4 strokes for sale.Do the 2 strokes exceed environmental limits?
Both our engine 2 and 4-stroke continue to evolve. We will continue offering two engines in a wide range of possibilities for every taste. Our 2-stroke engines meet all existing regulations so far.
Ive heard that next year Cabestany will ride a 2 stroke. was this Cabestany's request or the factory's?
Cabestany was the same which we asked the 4Q drive in recent years, but have continued to evolve in parallel with the 2T. We have consolidated the 4T with excellent results and we continue to enhance the brand image also with the 2 stroke, so we opted to drive back Cabestany 2T motor. Changes are always challenges that motivate.
I know you were involved in a fuel injection project for the 2 stroke. Why was this abandoned? Is it the end of the line?
Nobody is able to draw a line. The changes are due to fashions and trends. In all areas you can always evolve. The injection will come if you have to go.
Deciding on 2 or 4 strokes is a consideration for all buyers. What are the benefits of both engines?
The 2 stroke is perhaps more nimble to drive. Some people like to bring the engine to start more cheerful and it is clear that 2 times more bearable. Our 4-stroke engine is a brave who has a very good torque and likes to wear low-end with excellent power delivery.
youve always ben pushing the limits and no doubt you have to defend the cost of production to manufacturers. Were there any projects which you have been able to continue?
A person who is always investigating, in addition to research, then has to defend his idea of the dreaded cost of production. Any idea or project that has been unable to carry out by this or another reason?
Well, maybe ...
What is the most important development of recent years?
Progress in electronic engine management
One of the major problems of access, is the sound of our vehicles. Might we the possibility of a trial bike power?
Of all the vehicles off road, no doubt that the dirt bike is quieter and less aggressive, because as we know the trial is a discipline of skill, not speed and power.
But in the various forums of debate continues to insist that one of the main problems would eliminate the noise of our motorcycles. Is it technically possible to reach noise levels close to zero with the same features of today's motorcycles and internal combustion engines?
I maintain that the trial bikes are well below the limits of sound measurement and certainly well below the full range of vehicles entering the natural environment.
What do you think about the future of electric motorcycles?
I ask the question in reverse. How much produce electricity? Somewhere there must be a power-of-whatever to generate electricity (nuclear, thermal, diesel generator, etc). What happens to a battery when it ends its life?. It may be more expensive in terms of an electric motorcycle environment that a combustion engine. A trial bike uses about 2-3 gallons of gas in half a day of operation.
The FIM look as though they will reintroduce non stop . Whats is your opinion on this?
The first thing to encourage participation at any level is that you can practice trial. The current situation is untenable. Legally you can not leave the asphalt. That's hard for people to be interested in the sport and encourage practice. If not resolved legally, probably the general situation will get worse trial. As for the standard non-stop or not, who cares if no practitioners.The elite pilots can perform the same areas now without stopping or stop.
Finally, the new model is being completed and there is much talk in the media. What light can you shed on this?
It will be a bike with new technical proposals. Since the birth Sherco have not stopped innovating and I think now give a new technical step in the trials world. The bike will be presented at the Milan Show, and we have sent to England to present a unit also in England. Its release is imminent.
A person who is always investigating, in addition to research, then has to defend his idea of the dreaded cost of production. Any idea or project that has been unable to carry out by this or another reason?
Well, maybe ...
What is the most important development of recent years?
Progress in electronic engine management
One of the major problems of access, is the sound of our vehicles. Might we the possibility of a trial bike power?
Of all the vehicles off road, no doubt that the dirt bike is quieter and less aggressive, because as we know the trial is a discipline of skill, not speed and power.
But in the various forums of debate continues to insist that one of the main problems would eliminate the noise of our motorcycles. Is it technically possible to reach noise levels close to zero with the same features of today's motorcycles and internal combustion engines?
I maintain that the trial bikes are well below the limits of sound measurement and certainly well below the full range of vehicles entering the natural environment.
What do you think about the future of electric motorcycles?
I ask the question in reverse. How much produce electricity? Somewhere there must be a power-of-whatever to generate electricity (nuclear, thermal, diesel generator, etc). What happens to a battery when it ends its life?. It may be more expensive in terms of an electric motorcycle environment that a combustion engine. A trial bike uses about 2-3 gallons of gas in half a day of operation.
The FIM look as though they will reintroduce non stop . Whats is your opinion on this?
The first thing to encourage participation at any level is that you can practice trial. The current situation is untenable. Legally you can not leave the asphalt. That's hard for people to be interested in the sport and encourage practice. If not resolved legally, probably the general situation will get worse trial. As for the standard non-stop or not, who cares if no practitioners.The elite pilots can perform the same areas now without stopping or stop.
Finally, the new model is being completed and there is much talk in the media. What light can you shed on this?
It will be a bike with new technical proposals. Since the birth Sherco have not stopped innovating and I think now give a new technical step in the trials world. The bike will be presented at the Milan Show, and we have sent to England to present a unit also in England. Its release is imminent.