Trials Guru For Generations of Trials enthusiasts 

Trials Guru is the Premier online facility for photos, articles, and the history of motorcycle trials world-wide

Website owner/operator: John Moffat 

Technical Consultant: Heath Brindley

Dedicated to Trial

Trials Guru is an independent online archive dedicated to preserving the history, personalities, photographs and stories of motorcycle trials.

Created by John Moffat in 2014, Trials Guru has grown into a substantial resource for enthusiasts, competitors, historians, photographers and anyone with an interest in the sport.

The site is completely free to access and is operated on a non-commercial, not-for-profit basis.

Our aim is simple: to record the history of motorcycle trials for posterity.

Trials Guru brings together carefully researched articles, historic photographs, rider profiles, event records, results, technical information and personal recollections from the sport’s past and present. With the help of contributors and photographers from around the world, we are continually adding to this growing archive.

More than a website

Trials Guru is not simply a collection of photographs and articles. It is an ongoing attempt to preserve the people, machines, events and stories that have shaped motorcycle trials.

As John Moffat puts it:

 “Trials Guru is not a person, it is a website.”

The name was chosen for the website when it was created in 2014. John makes no claim to be a “guru” — the name simply became the identity of the site.

The philosophy behind Trials Guru is straightforward: record the sport accurately, preserve its history and make that information available to future generations.

A passion for trials

John Moffat has been involved in motorcycle trials for more than 50 years as a competitor, club member, official and enthusiast. His family’s connection with motorcycles and motorcycle sport stretches back even further, with the Moffat family becoming involved in trials in 1949.

That long association with the sport, together with the contributions of many friends, riders, photographers and historians, provides the foundation on which Trials Guru has been built.

An ever-growing archive

From the Scottish Six Days Trial and the Scott Trial to riders, manufacturers, photographers, clubs and events around the world, the website continues to grow.

There are dedicated sections covering major events, individual riders, regional trials scenes, historic motorcycle manufacturers, photographic collections and much more.

Some material reaches back many decades, while new material is added continually.

The objective remains the same: preserve the past, record the present and provide a resource for the future of motorcycle trials.

Trials Guru is Dedicated to Trial.

This website is both Dedicated to the sport of Trial and also Dedicated To Trial. – Think about that!

Subscribe to Trials Guru for free!

Trials Guru is a free to use facility, but you can subscribe and get the latest articles sent to your inbox, no subscription fees to pay, no charges, it’s absolutely free! Just click on ‘Subscribe’ on the bottom corner, type in your e-mail address and you will be sent an e-mail to confirm and you are good to go. No nagging, no dramas, completely free to go!

 

What is ‘Trials Guru’?

• Trials Guru is completely free to use … free unlimited access … no subscriptions to pay … just go ahead and enjoy trial history photos, articles and information, where you want, when you want.
  
• Trials Guru is a website, you can search its contents and find articles easily – No click-bait here!
• We do not claim to be the biggest or best trials only website in the universe – you decide how good we are. The content is growing all the time.
• We are committed to recording the history of our sport as much as is possible in a reliable manner, for instance the Scottish Six Days and Scott Trial special sections, which list the winners year by year and some interesting and some long forgotten facts about these world famous events.
  

Trials Guru Contributors:

‘Sections’ on Trials Guru:

Who is behind Trials Guru?

‘Trials Guru’ was created by Scotsman, John Moffat, a trials enthusiast for over 50 years. Ably supported by Heath Brindley of R2W Trials. It was an idea that dates back to 2003, but only came to fruition in March of 2014 when Trials Guru was set up online.

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Family involvement:

John Moffat’s family have been involved with motorcycle trial sport since 1949, but the connection with motorcycles dates back to the early 1920s with William Moffat of Innerleithen, Peeblesshire, Scotland. He was a baker by trade in the family business of Thomas Moffat, Baker & Confectioner, eldest of the brothers, William owned a Douglas and an H.R.D. His two brothers, also bakers, James and Thomas Arnott also had road going machines.

William did his courting on his Douglas. His son also Thomas ‘Arnott’ had his first introduction to motorcycle sport in 1932 when the late great Jimmie Guthrie, the Norton factory road racer from Hawick used to make use of the public roads in the Scottish Borders for practice for the annual Isle of Man TT races.

Young Arnott was wakened one morning very early by his father and told to get dressed and come down to the ‘Pend’ or alleyway to the bake-house in the centre of Innerleithen.

Young Moffat wasn’t disappointed, before long a motorcycle came into view, travelling at racing speed, seconds later the rider flew past through the town, without slowing for the bends. It was only a glimpse, but the sight of Guthrie at full chat was enough to inspire Arnott to want a motorcycle.

To say that Guthrie was his hero is probably an understatement, the name ‘Guthrie’ is still spoken in hushed and revered terms to this day, such was the man’s stature.

In 2017 T. Arnott Moffat’s memory was preserved when a motorcycle road run was created in the Scottish highlands. Read about it on the page: T. Arnott Moffat Memorial Highland Road Run

Or on facebook: T. Arnott Moffat Facebook page

Feedback:

Photographs and their copyright:

• Trials Guru is extremely grateful to the photographers and copyright owners who allow their work to appear on the website.
• Photographs remain the intellectual property of their respective photographers or copyright holders unless specifically stated otherwise.
• Permission is obtained for photographs to be displayed on Trials Guru, and the appropriate photographer or collection is credited wherever possible.
• Photographs must not be copied, downloaded, reproduced or used elsewhere without the express permission of the copyright holder.
• Trials Guru does not sell photographs displayed on the website.
• The website does not purchase photographs for publication and operates as a privately funded, non-commercial archive.
• Where an image is specifically credited as “Trials Guru Archive”, it refers only to material owned by John Moffat and/or members of his immediate family.
• Trials Guru does not use a collective archive name to claim ownership of photographs belonging to other photographers.

YOUTH SPORT:

• Trials Guru does not routinely cover youth trials sport.
• This is a deliberate decision because the publication of photographs of children and young people carries additional safeguarding and privacy considerations.
• The website does not routinely publish photographs of competitors under the age of 16.
• Where an image of someone under 16 is considered appropriate as part of a historical article or rider’s story, it will only be used where suitable permission has been obtained.

Trials Guru’s Scrapbook …

Trials Guru, some interviews and meeting colourful characters from the sport of motorcycling – it’s not all trials: 

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History/Timeline:

• TEN YEARS OF TRIALS GURU
• Trials Guru began as a small project in 2014.
• Ten years later, in 2024, the Trials Guru VIP Club was established to mark the website’s first decade.
• The development of the website over those ten years has been made possible by the support of contributors, photographers, riders, historians and readers around the world.
• The archive continues to develop.
• There are always new photographs to discover, new stories to tell and forgotten pieces of trials history to bring back into the light.

This book, written by John Moffat: ‘Scotland’s Rich Mixture – Memories of Scottish Motor Cycle Sport 1945-1975‘ covers Scottish trials, scrambles, grass track and road racing, and describes the people, clubs and riders of that era.

It was produced in a limited quantity of 1,000 copies back in March 2005. Whilst it is now out of print, you may still be able to obtain a new copy on ebay. 

Ferry Brouwer, Yamaha Race Technician and former Arai helmet importer Europe: “This is a very interesting book, one which every Scottish enthusiast should have”.

Please Note: No part of the book ‘Scotland’s Rich Mixture’ described above, is reproduced in part or otherwise on this website.

John Moffat, sometimes referred to as ‘The Moffster’; is also guest presenter on Nevis Radio, Fort William during the Scottish Six Days week in early May. Trials Guru has personal connections in the sport worldwide.

Facebook and Instagram:

From time to time links are placed on ‘facebook’ and ‘Instagram’ social media merely to alert readers of new material.

• You can join in on the Trials Guru Facebook page by clicking ..  HERE
• Follow Trials Guru on Instagram HERE

• No part of this website may be used without the express permission of the copyright holder(s)/author(s). The content of this website is intended for private study and not for any commercial enterprise.
  
• The ‘Trials Guru’ logo is a UK registered Trade Mark and must not be used without the prior written permission of the website owner.

Trials Guru – Privacy Statement/GDPR:

Trials Guru website is based in the United Kingdom. Its purpose is to record information about the sport of motorcycle trials for posterity. It is a non-commercial venture.

We do not collect or maintain records of any personal data or process personal data whatsoever in any format, electronic or otherwise. This web facility does not identify users, contributors or photographic owners other than the owner’s name and where agreed, their general domicile excluding address or postal codes. Photographs displayed are the intellectual property of the photographer named in the captions. There are ‘contact point’ features which enable the user to ask questions and make general enquiries to the website operator. We do not collect, retain or store users’ personal information, including e-mail addresses, for any purpose. When replying, e-mail addresses supplied by the enquirer are deleted after use and are not passed on to any other data processor or person. No data is collected for statistical purposes other than those provided by the host website platform provider. No individual user is identified.

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