A huge amount of welcome information has been circulating surrounding the reveal of the TRS prototype and Adam Raga's signing. Rather than simply repeating what has already been said by a hundred or so commentators, I want to tell you about my day at Rellinars.There has been some comment stating that the detail within the new TRS one has not been really shown in the photos. I've tried to put this right and will show you some photos I took.
Recently, during September 2015, Retrotrials.com visited the Tarres family at their 2 homes in Rellinars. The aim was to settle a debt, catch up on general news, get some retro photos and ALSO get a close up view of how the TRS prototype was developing since I rode it in March 2015.
Recently, during September 2015, Retrotrials.com visited the Tarres family at their 2 homes in Rellinars. The aim was to settle a debt, catch up on general news, get some retro photos and ALSO get a close up view of how the TRS prototype was developing since I rode it in March 2015.
So ...a little later than scheduled I rolled into the sleepy sun scorched village. I had been invited to the Galfer party in Granolles, Barcelona. This was to celebrate the World Championship win of Emma Bristow. I had expected this party to be late at night with a stream of champagne flowing and a crazy euro disco. .. but no.
I arrived in Rellinars at 1pm to discover the party was already underway but. ... wait for it. ..... the World Champion hadn't arrived some 2 hours later.
Well .....I wasn't missing too much I thought. So whilst my host, Francesc Tarres and his son, Sherco pilot Pol were elsewhere enjoying cake and crisps I was looked after by Angel, Fransesc's wife who poured us a long Coke on ice and we relaxed for a short while on the balcony overlooking the pool.
I could only sit for a couple of minutes because in Rellinars they're is so much to do. It is the Disney theme park of trial. Lots of interactive things to get involved with. So I wondered down to the garage where there were several Shercos scattered around. But although these are nice bikes they don't get my pulse rising to much.
Que ---- garage photos with Pol's Sherco bikes. This is a TRS report - behave :)
Que ---- garage photos with Pol's Sherco bikes. This is a TRS report - behave :)
Parked on the far side of the garage was a mostly original Mecatecno Skywalker. I say mostly original because it was fitted with a Repsol stickered GasGas front mudguard. .. which looked very strange.
The gravitational pull of the Mecatecno dragged me towards it and in only a few moments I was standing on the pegs reliving the great days of Gallachs win at the 1987 Spanish World trial in San Llorec. I pulled out the forward moving kick start and checked the petrol was on. These bikes can kick back. ... and. ... Your foot can easily slip off the rubber sending the steel kick start scraping hard down your calf muscle. I however forgot all of this ... because there were womenfolk watching ..... and men do not show fear in these circumstances.
Feeling for top dead centre, I then lurched my body and leg forwards in a strange fashion that only Mecatecno owners experience. The engine felt strong and on the 2nd prod she fired into life. It sounded good as well. The choke was on sending the revs higher and pulling in the clutch, I then pushed down on gear lever. The Skywalker shot forwards. The clutch and the brakes did nothing. I was 8 feet away from and fast approaching the glazed back doors of Pol Tarres' very smart black Opel Vivaro van. With the image of a crumpled door in my mind this was quickly looking as being an expensive morning ...... but with the luck of the devil I cranked over the old steed and missed the rear nearside light by a whisker and so out of the garage doors with the female spectators standing with open mouths.
There was little I could do to stop this Catalan beast short of running into a wall, which I wasn't so keen on. I rolled down the steep driveway onto the quiet road desperate for more space to gather my senses and take control .....I shouted back to my wife "I'm off down to Jordis'. Sooooo. ... for a brief moment of illegality I trundled down the hill and flicked the choke lever off, reducing the speed to a much more manageable level.
This was a proud moment. ....a Mecatecno Skywalker was about the roll onto the hallowed turf of Casa Tarres. And so it happened. I wouldn't say that my steed received any special blessing ... but it sure got some strange looks.