With the appointment of Chuck Moline as the official Tech Inspector for Mt West Vintage Trials Assoc, some riders may be wondering what a tech inspection involves, and what Chuck will be looking for.
Here’s what Chuck has to say: Don’t panic – the guidelines are pretty easy. First and foremost is safety – is the bike safe to ride. He’ll be checking things like chain sprockets, cables, is there a kill switch or button, and are there any sharp, exposed broken bits. The throttle should work easily and return on it’s own, brakes should also work easily whether by peddle or lever. The levers should have balls on the end (or at least come to the event that way), bar ends are not required but he’ll give you some grief if you don’t have them (remember the sharp, exposed bits part).
Several of the event locations for MWVTA require spark arrestors. For these locations (refer to the Event Locations page for specific information about each location), spark arrestors will be required & checked during tech inspection. When spark arrestors are required, no bikes will be allowed to be ridden, in competition or otherwise, without one – no exceptions.
MWVTA strongly suggests the use of spark arrestors at all events, even if it’s not a requirement of the event location. This is in the spirit of safety and maintaining good relationships with the land owners, both public and private.
Part of Chuck’s inspection is determining if the bike is appropriate for the class entered. The class requirements are based on model year, suspension, brakes, etc. For the twin shock classes, he’ll check to make sure the bike is air cooled, has twin shocks, drum brakes & cable operated controls. Bikes entered in the new Historic single shock class should be air cooled, have a mono shock, drum and/or single piston disc brakes and a cable operated clutch. MWVTA also offers a modern support class for bikes that don’t meet the requirements for the other classes.
Any modifications made to a bike must be done in the spirit of the class you intend to ride it in. If you are not sure which class your bike qualifies for, feel free to contact Chuck, or MWVTA through the “Contact Us” form listed in the “About MWVTA” menu. Detailed information about bikes & class requirements can also be found in the rules linked on the “Membership & Rules” page.
