Twin Shock or Modern???

[GeeBee]

G'day again,
So...the story so far is, at the tender age of 50, I'd like to get back to some sort of dirt riding, and that looks like being trials.
Been seaching around this site and found this:
"If you buy old bikes you will limit your ability to learn trials beyond
early basics. Old, meaning something from the `70s and early `80s.

I just bought a nearly spanking new `97 Scorpa Easy for $2,500. There
are deals out there. The most important thing is to wait for cherry used
bikes with either low miles or owned by someone like me who take super
care of bikes. Absolutely do not buy cheap beater bikes, you will regret
it."

Now I had been thinking older.....maybe, TY, TL, RL or Cota. (Bikes I know something about at least) Now I'm not so sure??

What's the panels thoughts on this? Would a modern bike be a lot better proposition in my case.

[Starky]

Hi,
I got into trials a year ago at the ripe old age of 53. I first got myself a 2003 Beta 200. Beautiful bike to learn on and probably live with for some years yet. Then the guys I ride with go and hold a twinshock only compitition. I had to borrow a bike and I got sucked into twinshocks. Now I own a 1983 TLR 200 and two TY175Bs. Best of both worlds and I struggles with making a choice every time I ride chosing between the four of them, new or old, I love them all. I will never be the National champion but that was never my goal I simply want to participate and enjoy myself. I have been very successful at enjoying myself and have not totally disgraced myself in my scores either. Go buy both if you can you will not regret it.

Starky

[David Lahey]

GB I just attempted to answer your question in the other string but there is something else you reminded me about when you mentioned the Scorpa Easy.

There was a great leap in trials bike development around 2000. The major manufacturers brought out new model lines that were substantially lighter and the front brakes changed to 4 piston calipers. These two changes mean that anything made before the changes are substantially behind the 8 ball as far as performance goes. Since then there has been only minor tweaks and slight lightening to the new bikes. If you want something that is easy to ride, get a bike that was released since that leap. That was 8 years ago now so there are good second hand bikes that fit the bill available in the sub-$3000 price bracket.
If you have an affinity with a particular model of old bike, it can be extremely rewarding to get one going and ride it in trials. I've been fixing up bikes of the models (1970s bikes) I wanted as a youngster for a while now and it has been a very enlightening experience to find out which bikes are the best to ride - 30 years after the advertising hype has died down.