About

History of ACU TrialGB

Series overview 1950 – 2024

The discipline of riding motorcycles off-road originated in the early 1900s, and the origins of two-wheeled trials can be traced back to this period.

The sporting rules and regulations have always been governed by the Auto-Cycle Union – the governing body of motorcycle sport in the UK – which dates back to 1903. The organisation began as the Auto-Cycle Club with the goal of promoting motorsport through clubs and organising touring events for its members. It was later renamed the Auto-Cycle Union in 1907.

Events such as the ‘Scottish Six Days Trial’ date back to 1909 and the ‘Scott Trial’ to 1914. Both events still exist in the modern world.

Off the back of the once mighty powerhouse of engineering excellence in Great Britain, a thriving motorcycle industry was born and produced the machines for riders to compete on in trials.

When Sammy Miller moved from Ariel to the Spanish Bultaco brand in 1965, the sport started to evolve into what we have today. The summary of records recorded here on the sport of motorcycle trials dates back to 1950.

Internationally recognised as possibly the most important of national trials championships with its long sporting heritage, the ACU has produced winners at all levels of the sport of motorcycle trials including its first-ever FIM World Champion in 1975 with Martin Lampkin.

Martin’s son Dougie is the most successful ACU rider in the FIM World Championship, winning 12 titles. ACU riders continue to be at the sharp end of the sport in the current FIM Trial World Championship.

Picture credits: Colin Bullock, Malcolm Carling, Brian Holder, John Hulme, Eric Kitchen, Barry Robinson, Alan Vines, Mark Weston

Major milestones

1950
All trials were run under ‘No-Stop’ ruling. Riders would be observed with a ‘0’ for parting with no marks and then ‘1’ for footing once, ‘3’ for footing more than once, and ‘5’ for a stop recorded. Tie breaks would be resolved with brake and speed tests

1965
Tie breaks would be decided by the furthest clean rider losing no marks and then the most cleans

1972
Riders would be observed with the change to the adding of a ‘2’ mark penalty for footing more than once with the 0, 1, 2, 3, 5 marking system coming into use

1976
This would be the last year that the ‘Scottish Six Days Trial’ would be included in the ACU British Championship

1978
This would be the last year that the ‘Scott Trial’ would be included in the ACU British Championship

1982
Finland’s Yrjö Vesterinen (Bultaco) was given permission to compete on an ACU licence in the British Championship which he won. This was a first for a foreign rider

1984
Stop Allowed Rules introduced

1987
The last year of the top-10 positions scoring ACU British Championship points

1988
The first year for top-15 positions scoring ACU British Championship points

1994
The last year as a 10-round championship

1995
The ACU Support Class introduced

1996
The ACU Support Class renamed the Expert Class

2003
A third ACU Support Class introduced, titled the Master Class, to sit between the Championship and Expert Class. The entry would compete over six Championship Class sections and six Expert Class sections

2005
New rules introduced to move in line with the FIM World Trials Championship, allowing stopping, reversing and sideward movements without any loss of marks. A time limit for each section would also be introduced

2005
In the support classes, a return to one Expert Class

2012
No-Stop Rules introduced and the time limit for riders in a section removed

2020
Stop Allowed Rules introduced using the ACU TrialGB ruling. This new ruling includes a one minute time allowance for each section to be traversed. Other changes introduced for 2020 are that competitors may stop, go sideways or reverse without penalty.

However, going backwards while footing would incur a 5-mark penalty. An additional championship point would be awarded to the best performance on observation on each lap of the trial

2023
A 90-second allowance for sections was introduced and the split between laps one and two used previously would be dispensed with allowing riders to complete all three laps of 12 sections within a five hour, ten minute time allowance.

The championship would move to three classes with TrialGB the hardest followed by Trial 2 and Trial Expert. The seven best rounds from eight rounds would count in TrialGB.

Support class overview 1950 – 2024

The ACU had introduced various support classes over time to keep event entries high enough to enable the organising clubs to ensure TrialGB events are sustainable.

These separate classes have produced some very close championships since their introduction in 1995. They play a very important role in the ACU British Championship, allowing riders to pass through the classes if they chose to.

As you look through the list of class winners below, you will note the changes that the ACU has made to arrive at the support championship structure we have today.

Picture credits: Barry Robinson, Eric Kitchen, John Hulme