Issue link: http://trailridermagazine.uberflip.com/i/919511
January 2018 29 given, it is very easy to see that a more pow- erful motor will make for a faster machine and that is why we have the need to organize the classes by engine size. A way of keeping a level playing fi eld for all. In Trials the rider will instead have many choic- es of machine displacements to choose from along with the op ons of 2-stroke vs 4-stroke and now even electric power. This allows for a large variety of bikes to be seen on the course at any given event and this is rather unique indeed. So in racing, where it is the quan ty of power that is the focus, in Trials we will fi nd it is more about the quality of the power being made that makes the diff erence. So just how do we defi ne "quality" for power in Trials? That's a good ques on, with more than just one answer. In Trials, trac on, or rather the lack thereof, is the major challenge to be overcome for a successful ride. So a linear, predictable and consistent power delivery is essen al. Using a 250cc 2-stroke as an example, we can see in excess of 50 horsepower made in motocross applica on, where outright accelera on and speed poten als are priori zed over everything else. As a result of this, these bikes can be a handful when the condi ons for trac on become ques onable. On a prepped loamy track, where the trac on will be abundant, this kind of peak power will be at its best. Put that same machine on some slippery and muddy areas and good luck with ge ng all that power hooked up to the ground! It is important to men on here that by design, the higher peak horsepower numbers are almost invari- ably made at higher rpm ranges of any given inter- nal combus on engine and as such a more pow- erful motor will do its best work in the upper rev ranges. There is also only such much total power an engine can produce. If you want to have the most power in one range of the rpm's, you will have to sacrifi ce some power in the other ranges to get the best in another. This being said, the higher 50hp 250cc motor will have less effi ciency in the low-rpm range than it might have if peak horsepower had not been the priority.