Understanding the current situation of the trial bike market is not an easy task. There are a few brands that have emerged in recent years, others think of 2016 as the year of their staging and among the most popular there are headlines of all kinds. Faced with this situation, the confusion of the fan when making a purchase decision reaches unprecedented rates, since the wealth of information is also inversely proportional to the prices that the new models are reaching.
For this reason, we are going to analyse the market context that awaits us for the coming months and as soon as possible the Trialworld team will get behind the controls of each of the models to analyse them thoroughly.
MONTESA. THE FAMILY GROWS
Let’s start with the world champion. We must applaud Honda’s efforts to boost the market through the vast knowledge acquired in top competition and the evolutions that Toni Bou, the best rider of all time, can bring to the evolution of the specialty.
All this has materialized in the new Montesa Cota 300RR, which will go into production this summer and is expected for the month of September in dealerships with a price that marks a new all-time high: €8,999. Its weapons will be, mainly, a modest reduction of 2 kilos in weight (remaining at 72 kg. empty) and a significant optimization of its mechanical performance, including an increase in displacement to 288cc.
In top competition, Cota has already shown everything. Will it also be at the level of Q2 in the market?
This is the new Montesa Cota 300RR 2016On the other hand, the two versions of the Cota 4RT will remain in production: 260 standard and 260 Race Replica (Repsol). Both will receive a new fuel pump that provides more flow, improvements in ECU mapping, new Showa shock (Race Replica) and the new Dunlop D803GP tires (standard version).
On the standard Cota 4RT 260, Montesa’s challenge will be to correct the major problems of his Tech fork, which devoured the seals and caused great discomfort to the fan.
SHERCO. MORE IMPROVEMENTS
With the disappearance of Gas Gas, all eyes are on the second most popular brand, Sherco, which will take advantage of the absence of its rival to introduce important improvements in its 2016 model and thus gain an interesting market share to which the new brands are also aiming.
At the moment, Sherco has just launched its 2015 Racing Trial model, which traditionally includes certain improvements that will be incorporated in the next 2016 range, and with which they seek to offer a more exclusive product equipped with special components developed by Albert Cabestany himself in competition.
SCORPA. A GREAT NEW ALTERNATIVE ON THE MARKET
Scorpa has been one of the most pleasant surprises of 2015. Sherco’s sister (they share an engine) has presented itself with good arguments, reliability and enough exclusivity to cause a sensation in the market. It is, broadly speaking, a Sherco with a chassis modified in geometries to house the tank and filter box in its “natural” position, that is, fuel at the front and the lung at the rear.
First he hit with the Scorpa “Twenty” in commemoration of the 20th anniversary of the brand, with 125, 250 and 300cc engines. Now we have a special version called Factory, vitaminized with special components and a more “pro” character. Of course, only available with a 300cc engine.
BETA. TRUE TO ITS PRINCIPLES
The Italian brand remains true to its principles. Exclusivity, design and character. It is still a very personal bike, dynamically complex to ride, with nerve and a design that makes you fall in love.
Beta launched the beautiful Factory 2015 a few months ago and probably the next campaign will continue to evolve along these lines. Its official drivers, Jeroni Fajardo and Jorge Casales, are reaping great results and the experience gained in competition will surely provide important added value to boost the production models.
GAS GAS. IN SEARCH OF A NEW ERA
Gas Gas’ situation is critical. The same Gas Gas that we know will not return, that’s for sure, but as a result of the bankruptcy liquidation process, the figure of new partners may emerge and raise the company from scratch. It is likely, therefore, that we will see the Girona brand fighting again in 2016 or 2017, although the information surrounding the brand is a sea of unknowns.
The future of Gas Gas is unknown and a 2016 model is not expected at the moment
OSSA. THE CLOVER BRAND CLOSES ANOTHER CYCLE
Ossa’s situation is similar to that of Gas Gas as they shared most of its structure, including the factory. There is no production of motorcycles, they are hardly seen in competition and mistrust invades the second-hand market with the TR280i, a motorcycle that was born immature, much earlier than it should, with a questionable strategic approach that has not been successful to achieve the desired acceptance of a public that, in general, He loves the clover brand for all that it has contributed throughout its history.
We also don’t know if there will be new production in Ossa, but judging by the circumstances the situation is even more complicated than in the case of Gas Gas.
JOGGERS. STEP BY STEP
Jotagas is another brand that has been born in the last wave. After a very talked-about launch with Jordi Tarrés as the protagonist and godfather, different disagreements between the top management caused a resounding rupture and Pibernat (ex Gas Gas) took the reins of the project.
Although they are not making much noise at the corporate level and hardly any models are seen in competition, Jotagas continues to evolve its trial models and are preparing important improvements for the 2016 range to improve the performance of both its mechanics and the chassis part.
It is quite possible that we will see a first unit of the next model presented in the coming days.
TRS. JORDI TARRÉS’ NEW DREAM
After his departure from Jotagas, Jordi Tarrés focused on a new project with a lot of ambition and a great team of professionals. Together with them, he has developed a new motorcycle that is already rolling and has just seen the light of day. It is expected to go into production during the next few months of September – October and will probably be in dealerships by the end of the year.
TRS arrives on the market with a very successful approach, at a competitive price and with a view to taking over the market that Gas Gas provisionally leaves orphaned.
VERTIGO. THE REVOLUTION
In a few months it will be the first year of life of Vertigo, a brand that has not yet moved to the mass production chain and is evolving its Combat Campo and Combat Ice Hell prototypes in high competition under the supervision of Dougie Lampkin.
After a season with very irregular results in the world championship with James Dabil, Vertigo has fulfilled one of his great milestones: winning the Six Days of Scotland with Lampkin. This has been a great injection of motivation for the whole team and a sign that the new bike is being reliable.
There is no date for the new Vertigo to go into production, but it is expected to be relatively soon. The new model will be equipped with a 300cc 2-stroke engine. Powered by electronic injection and 4 different maps for each of the 6 speeds.
Vertigo Combat Camo 2015Vertigo Combat Ice Hell 2015And with this panorama, what are your plans as fans?
