The world of MotoTrials is demanding, thrilling, and at times dangerous, but this doesn’t deter or scare one area youngster, 14-year-old Coran Calvert, from competing and excelling in them.
According to the MotoTrials website, “MotoTrials (formerly ‘Observed Trials’) is now the pinnacle of off-road riding, as the riders tackle the most severe terrain capable of being conquered by any two or four-wheeled machine. When someone looks at the obstacles before the riding starts, a frequent comment is a simple ‘No way!’ A big plus for the spectators is that they can watch from just a few feet away as the riders attempt seemingly impossible obstacles.
“MotoTrials competitions consist of ‘sections’ that are physically defined by marker tape. These sections contain challenging features, both natural and artificial. They may include streambeds, boulders, logs, and slopes. Markers identify different skill class levels for competition; the better the competitor, the more severe the obstacles. A trail ‘loop’ connects the sections for the event. A typical event will have 10-12 sections, and the competitor must ride the loop and complete the sections up to three times. Riders cannot practice the sections but may inspect each section just before being judged (or observed) on their ride. Then, one at a time, the riders will enter a section on their motorcycle as an observer scores the rider’s performance.
“Like golf, where the least number of strokes on the course wins, trials are won by the person who touches their foot to the ground the least number of times over the course of the event. The rider with the lowest score wins. The score goes to a maximum of five points for that section if they fail to reach the end gate in time or crash. Riding a section “clean” without footing is the ultimate goal of all riders (a score of 0).”
MotoTrials motorcycles are very specialized machines. Years of development have produced a lightweight, extremely well-balanced machine with a powerful 2 or 4 stroke engine. The bikes have high ground clearance, minimal fuel capacity, and no seat, creating a highly maneuverable, very lightweight, and razor-thin motorcycle.
“I was into trials riding, and Coran, just kind of gravitated towards it because kids think whatever their dad is doing, is cool. Coran started riding when he was four years old and competing when he was five years old,” Coran’s father Adam told Webb Weekly. “He regularly competes in the Pennsylvania District 6 MotoTrials Series. This series consists of several events throughout the eastern part of PA. There are several skill-level classes. Beginner, Novice, Intermediate, Advanced, Expert, and Pro. Coran won the Expert Class for 2021.”
Adam said for 2021, he and Coran decided they would try their luck at some National Competitions. This would take them to four locations throughout the United States for a two-day competition at each location. Pennsylvania, Ohio, Arizona, and New Mexico. Coran competed in the Junior Expert Sportsman class. This is for competitors 18 years of age and younger. At the first event in Farrandsville, PA, Coran took the overall win for the day. He followed this up with another win in Arizona and top-three finishes at every event throughout the summer to take Second overall for the year.
“We also went to the East Coast Youth National competition in Tennessee. This brings the best kids from all over the country, 16 and under, for a three-day competition with one overall winner. Coran took the win on two days and second on another for the overall win!” said Adam.
Adam is quick to express his appreciation to the sponsors that helped make Coran’s competitive participation at these events possible.
“We’d like to thank Jim Fox from Fox’s Trials Barn in Montoursville for stepping up and supporting Coran this past year. He really helped us out. Coran also got support from Lewisport, USA, for the West Coast Nationals in Arizona and New Mexico. All his work paid off with a Sponsorship from Vertigo Motors USA for 2022. Fox’s Trials Barn is also helping out again. Coran will again be competing in the 2022 AMA MotoTrials Series, 2022 Youth National Championship, and the AMA District 6 Trials Series,” Adam said.
It looks like young Coran has an interesting and perhaps long competitive run ahead of him for many years to come.
