Thanks for the clarification Dan. As I said it's been quite sometime since I have ridden one and I was never terribly great. I rode them for fun and the challenge of completing them. Since I was typically running behind my minute I rarely worried about "burning" the check points. hahaha
I have never actually ridden an ISDE/ISDT type event, but have followed Scottish Trials events as a spectator, as well as World Observed Trials events in the 70's when they were held in Gold Bar WA at Reiter Pit.
My parents both had RL250's and I had a TY80. Most of the families we camped and rode with had trials bikes as well, predominantly Honda TL's but a couple of Yamaha TY's too. We would challenge ourselves to complete/ride the same sections the riders competing in the World Championships rode, which made for some really fun stops throughout the day along trail rides. Stop, take turns riding and watching everyone try to ride ridiculous obstacles/sections and laugh at ourselves and each other as we had extremely slow speed crashes, dabs that became full on tip overs when your foot slips.
I never thought about it until a friend pointed it out as an adult, I guess my experience riding trials growing up contributed a great deal to my riding style trail riding as an adult. I am far from great, but I think I am pretty good, when I am in shape, and I focus a lot on choosing lines, the smoothest lines, with the least resistance, to maintain both flow and momentum. I suppose that racing flattrack also contributed a little as well.
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