WITH the New Year upon us, ever thought of trying something new, then why not try motor cycling?, writes Anne Bates.

Mid Wales has a long rich history of motorcycle sport, being with the Midlands’ bike manufacturers using the famous Bwlch y Groes as a test hill in the 1920s and 1930s to aid in development of machines to Llandrindod Wells playing host to three International Six Days Trials in the 1930s including 1938, when an official Nazi Germany team arrived (being the only time the swastika was flown in mainland Britain).

From those humble beginnings, Mid Wales has developed into place of excellence with World Championship Trials and Enduros run in the area not to mention numerous British and Welsh championship events.

Like their four-wheel cousins and the equine world, motorcycle sport takes many shapes and form, here’s a rough guide to what bikes have to offer:

Road Racing – not a big sport in the area as the name suggests it’s racing on tarmac like you see at Silverstone and Brands Hatch.

However that hasn’t stopped the area producing some top riders competing at the TT in the Isle of Man and on the world stage.

Top of the pile is Presteigne’s now retired Chaz Davies who took many wins in the Superbike world championship, was Supersport World champion in 2011, winning at the legendary Daytona race meeting in the USA and competed in the World Grand Prix series.

Moto Cross – this is off road racing around a circuit full of twists and turns, jumps and humps.

Many of the older readers will have been to Hawkstone Park near Shrewsbury where in the 50s crowds of thirty thousand plus would gather to see Britain and the world’s best.

Nowadays, events are restricted to purposed built circuits with the Rhayader Motor Cycle Club holding their spectacular evening moto cross (held annually in May) on their Cwmythig Hill circuit.

For the more sedate audience there are classic scrambles (the old of version of Moto Cross) using bikes from yesterday.

Here in Mid Wales, Builth’s Stuart Coyle excelled in the sport competing at the highest level in the Moto Cross Grand Prix’s around Europe.

Trials – is a test of skill using bike control and balance to ride over and around obstacles like rocks, mud, steep climbs, no element of speed, you lose points for stopping and putting your feet down.

For the older readers TV’s Kickstart programme highlighted what trials is all about.

Blaenau Ffestiniog’s Iwan Roberts has excelled in the sport being British Champion and Trial 2 World Champion.

Enduro – this brings together the skills of both Trials and Moto Cross. Competitors have a time schedule to complete the course between check points over all sorts of terrains to test the stamina of the rider and reliability of the machine.

Events run from 5 to 8 hours a day with many two-day events with the pinnacle being the International Six Days.

Mid Wales has excelled at these events both running World Championships and producing top riders over the last 60 years like multi–British Champion Geraint Jones of Llanidloes.

Grass Track and Speedway, Sprinting and Drag Racing – In addition to the main four disciplines we also have Grass Track Racing which involves racing machines around an oval circuit, which was very popular at village shows back in the day including being the finale to the Royal Welsh Show. But it’s virtually died out around here now.

Speedway is the professional version of grass tracking run on purpose built tracks around the country. Wolverhampton is probably the nearest team but the World Grand Prix is held at the Millennium Stadium every year and well worth a visit.

Sprinting is the simplest form of sport run over a straight tarmac strip of quarter to a half mile, fastest over the distance wins whereas Drag racing is similar but works on a knockout format.

Sidecars – A strange twist to all these different sports and very much a British thing in many cases is the use of a Motor bike and Sidecar in these events. This raises the skill level with driver and passenger having to work as a team to succeed.

Events are catered to suit all abilities from local club events to Welsh, British, European and World Championship, from fun to serious.

It’s not just a man’s sport, women have always competed and these days they are showing the men up with Jane Daniels –Womens World Enduro Champion and Emma Bristow - Womens World Trials Champion.

Locally, Llandrindod Wells’ Brianna King has won the 2024 ACU Ladies and Girls ‘A’ Class British Championship and finishing ninth in the FIME Womens European Championship.

Like all motorsport electric machines are appearing especially for youth riders in the trials world.

Most events are run under the Auto Cycle Union (ACU) who were one of the founders of motorcycle sport in the world and have a comprehensive set of rules and procedures for a safe sport including insurance if it all goes wrong.

For further information, please contact Sian at the Mid Wales Centre ACU by email [email protected] or look up one of the 11 clubs in the area listed on the ACU website or locally look at Facebook pages Mid Wales Centre ACU or Mid Wales Trials.

2025 sees the return of a round of the World Enduro Championship in Rhayader on 1-3 August while Llandrindod hosts the annual Welsh Two Day Enduro from the centre of the town for the 70th edition of oldest and biggest Enduro in Britain on 19 and 20 June.

For Moto Cross fans we have Rhayader’s Evening Moto Cross on Wednesday, 28 May.