Learning to ride a trials bike

After two weeks of riding my trials bike, here are my impressions and experiences:

1. This sport is about skill and finesse.  It is a superb way to get and keep riding fit while improving your balance and control of the bike.  Because the bike is light, you can try and perfect various techniques safely before applying them to a bigger bike.
2. A trials bike can be ridden anywhere.  I practise in my driveway and on the pavement every day.  The engine is quiet and the tyres do not damage the environment.  I can ride for over 4 hours with just 3 litres of petrol.
3. There are trials competitions every month, and I can see that this will become my favourite sport.  Unlike enduro or offroad races, trials are safer and less physical, which makes them ideal for women to join in (there is no spinning of wheels or other hooliganism).\
4. The bike itself is fantastic.  It is a well-behaved two-stroke with lots of torque.  I am learning to kick-start, and the bike is easy to start and not at all temperamental.

Training so far:

Every morning I:

1. Spend 30 minutes balancing on the bike in the driveway, engine off.  It is amazing how quickly you move from not being able to balance at all to being able to stand on the bike for 15 seconds or more.  I found a good way to start is on the sandy pavement, where the sand gives you a bit of stability in the beginning.  Every day I discover a new trick that helps me recover or maintain my balance, and it is already translating to better balance on Mr.Badger.
2. Take the dogs for their walk while riding on the bike.  I practise slow sharp turns, some wheelies, stoppies and slow jumping over a log (as in being able to stop with the back wheel on or near the log).  All the while developing better throttle, clutch and brake control.

An alternative to a dirtbike

I am seeing a lot of people getting, or thinking about getting, a dirtbike to improve their skill and/or fitness.  Women especially.  Having gone that route myself, I now think that a trials bike might be a better alternative, especially for the smaller person.  Here's why:

1. The trials bike is lighter and lower than any dirtbike.
2. Also typically cheaper for what you get - the tyres, brakes and controls are of higher quality and better spec.  A trials bike is designed for precision handling.
3. A trials bike is cheaper to run - fuel consumption is very low, and tyres last a long time.
4. The trials bike can do fair distances and speeds that most women new to dirtbikes would ride anyway.  Besides, for distance you would ride your BMW - the dirtbike is for fun and skill.
5. The trials scene is very amenable to family outings because you can ride close to where you set up for a picnic or braai, and the bike is not noisy.