Graham, you just finished the season last week at Italy's TDN with a great ride, tell us about your thoughts on this season:
My season hasn't finished yet. I won the British Championship yesterday for the 1st time ever which is fantastic news for me and Sherco, this coming weekend I have a 2 day trial in the UK and in 2 weeks I have The Scott Trial. I started the year with some consistent results, I felt I improved quickly and was very confident, but was then knocked back with "CAMPYLOBACTOR" and I was ill for nearly 4 months. It took some time to get my fitness back but by the Trials Des Nations I felt a lot better and continued on form and was also able to take the British Title

We have seen you victorious in several places this year, with extraordinary wins in Germany, Japan and the individual at the TDN, but in some other races you did not look like you were in good form, what happened?
With 2 wins under my belt I have proved what I am capable of doing but with the illness mid-season it was difficult to be consistent. I believe I can improve my riding in certain conditions and with the new Sherco I am very confident for next year. I am 28 years old now but I feel and know that I can still continue to compete for the World Championship. (Just so you know what my illness was, Campylobactor is a bacteria that lives in the wall of your stomach and can be there for months before you know it. You can get it from Shellfish, Chicken and water. My specialist thinks I got it in Japan but there is really nothing to prove this. I was put on 3 courses of antibiotics over a period of 5 weeks and now seem to be better. When I had all my tests done they also found that I was very low in Iron, so I am now taking a strong supplement everyday, and continue to have my blood tested.)

What has been the progression on your Sherco 2.9 this year did you make many changes during the season?
At the beginnings of the season we made some great improvements which have followed through onto the 2004 model - the bike was consistent all year, it felt great and I didn't feel the need to test anything throughout the season.

We know you are a SSDT fan, are you planning to ride again sometime?
The SSDT is a "fun" trial and is great to win but I feel my priority is the World Championship Indoors and Outdoors at the moment. I think this is one of the trials that I will continue to ride after my World Championship career is over. Like I said before, I still feel I have a lot to give to the World Championship so at present I do not want to put a time scale on when I will ride the SSDT again, but it will happen!

If the answer is yes, Would you compete on the upcoming Sherco four stroke? if the answer is no, why?
After hearing what is going on with the NEW Sherco 4 stroke, I am tempted to ride, in fact I couldn't think of anything better to ride on in the SSDT. But not in 2004, I will wait a little bit longer!!

What do you thing about the new non-stop controller device? do you think it will work?
The new non-stop controller device "looks" like a good idea to get more consistent observers for non-stop trials. The test at the TDN created interest in the project but it was difficult for the observer to see and it needs a lot more development to be a success.

Do you see the future of trials become full nonstop? why?
I think the future IS FULL NON-STOP because it's easier to take marks off top riders and it's also easier for spectators to understand. Any rule that is made needs to be adhered to, consistently applied and should be the same in every country.

This last month the Sherco Academy received its first reward with the excellent results obtained by the Academy riders. It looks like there is a very promising future for some of the Academy members. In fact, the results have been better than expected and Sherco is now preparing the Academy team for next year's competitions, the aim is to continue with this exciting project.
The European Youth Cup consisted of three rounds, two in Italy and one in France. The races are held on Saturday which is the day before the Open European Championship. It is not strange to see the young Academy members' receiving help from the more experienced rider's who race the Open Class on Sunday. There are two classes, the 125 cc and the +125 cc; young riders cannot be older than 16.
The promising young Spanish rider Jose Mª Juan who had already shown some nice skills in this year Junior World Championship, normally placing in the top six, he is showing a very strong progression in his skills. His overall win in the Youth Cup with two firsts and a third place should give him enough motivation to be ready to attack next year's Junior World title.
Special mention goes to French rider Benjamin Liotaud, who with his specially prepared Sherco PXC 1.25 finished in second place in the 125 cc class; he also had a great win in the second round in Italy. Benjamin, a very determined rider, is a rider to keep in mind for nest year's title. He could be the future world rider that the French have been missing for a while.

Final results:

1. Jeremy Bagieu 60 points
2. David Leonard 44 points
3. Mathieu Caligo 43 points
4. Julien Verdier 35 points
5. Mickael Pontier 34 points
5. Johan Banet 34 points
7. Yohann Klein 28 points

Translated by Claire Johnson

After a long absence of support for motorcycle trials on the southwest Michigan Johnson property, Scott Beattie and I put on a(nother) Ryan Young trials School. Friday night the Boardman's showed up in their 42-foot long RV setup, occupying the driveway and helping me with rushed, last-minute preparation to make room in the garage for lunch and dinner the next day. I had just arrived from my drive back from Deeptoilet and work. We crashed at 10:30. Ryan and Adriana arrived at 11:00, slipping into the guest room unnoticed by us or the four-legged doorbell, Kira.
Claire provided her fine Chef's lunch, and Scott organized a fried turkey bash Saturday evening. I had never had birds boiled in 300 degree oil.
I was surprised at how tender it was. Very tasty.
I was still exhausted from my Okie trip. Support activities and the irresistible urge to ride obstacles finished me off but good. Saturday night, beer helped ease the aches. We finished up with conversation around the fire. Sunday morning it was back to creaking around like an old man.
The school was only a one-day affair this time, with less than 15 students. No doubt some were scared away by Friday's awful weather. Saturday dawned very chilly but matured into a perfect day. Tacky loam soil made for perfect traction and learning conditions.
At the end of Saturday, Ryan went from section area to section area doing some serious play. Our local #1 Brad Howard on an `03 Gas-Gas Pro 300 followed Ryan's lead while us mere mortals stood by to watch or take pictures.
Ryan, the importer for Sherco trials bikes, brought a new `04 Sherco 290, giving my brain something technical to chew on. I got a chance to swing a leg over, confirming this generation of design continues to improve. I had thought for marketing reasons Sherco might start the next generation trials bike design in `04. After riding the `04 (and the competition), I changed my mind. I realized in this case evolution of the tried and true design is still paying hefty dividends.
Sherco keeps blowing my mind with their ability to evolve a fantastically integrated package that, aside from the screwy gear ratios of `02 (fixed with a 9t sprocket), manages significant real improvements every year. The Sherco 290 provides an immediate fit, like slipping the perfect glove for brain "fingers". Nothing sticks out as goofy. Everything just works naturally, right out of the box. They've built a history of simplicity with reliability with money saving practicality (some designs are more crash vulnerable and harder to work on, for example).
Having experienced all the Sherco's, I group the `99 to `04 Sherco's in evolutionary sub groups:

.: the early `99 (light flywheel)
.: the late `99 (heavier flywheel)
.: the `00
.: the `01 and `02
.: the `03 and `04

Each of these groups was similar in feel and also a significant jump up from the previous group. The `04 is very similar in feel to the `03 but has plusher, perhaps quicker suspension, and more linear power. There is a new kick start lever. Same forged aluminum but with a sleeker and easier to kick profile. It looks like it will retrofit onto the steel clamping portion to all previous years. The shock is now apparently made by someone else other than Olle, though it looks like an Olle. The linkage is reportedly revised too. The fork brace and fender mount looks thicker. The forks are the same Paiolis but are shaped slightly differently and apparently revalved. The color scheme is now blue/silver. They dropped the heavy yellows (which I like being a lover of yellow) of the `03. Compared to the dark blue `02, the silvery `04 looks lighter and slimmer, kind of see-through. Somehow, each group feels lighter than the previous.
The `04 continues on the theme set in `03 of a frame and ergonomic package that feels slightly taller in the handlebars (this is hard to explain) and roomier than the `01 and `02. The steering is quicker and yet somehow even more planted and stable. The suspension and gutsy motor are timed together, making better riders out of poorer ones. Burp and prance....
I haven't been riding much lately, so it's hard to justify a new mount. I wish I could throw and `04 motor and suspension into and on my `02!
I also swung a leg over an `03 Sherco 80, which was an interesting experience. This bike uses many of the full-size components, but with smaller wheels and tires. What surprised me was the amount of power the little mill, tamed appropriately with a much heavier experimental flywheel, was able to deliver. This did not feel like a cheap and buzzy kids bike made from cheap components. Despite many full size components, the package felt mosquito light. The 125 has the full size wheels and tires and front forks. This gives a choice for the small bodied beginner and in between. Then there's the 200, the "perfect" size for the majority of aspiring riders, in my most humble opinion.
Sunday the majority of riders went off to the east side of Michigan for a trial. I was happy to stay home and stare at the wall. Overall it was great fun. The work was worth it. It was satisfying to see people go away happy. I got to ride some, and experience more designs for the old mental library.

Translated by Claire Johnson

'03 and '04 Fuel Valve Modification
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Download the new great manual for the Sherco CityCorp 125 4T
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