The International Six Days Trials. 1903 - 1913. 1913 - 1980. 1980 - 2025

The ISDT - the original dualsport and adventure bike event? Looks like a somewhat bent Beemer to me…..

The International Six Day Trials, precursor and subsequent events.

1903 - 1913. National UK 6 day trials

1913 - 1980. The International Six Days Trials years

1980 - present day. The International Six Days Enduro years

It is said that whatever goes around comes around and there is nothing new under the sun.   This potted history will demonstrate how hard it is to be truly original, especially with respect to motorcycles, motorsport and those who wish to measure their competence against their peers.

Information used to compile this article has been sourced from https://speedtracktales.com/index-of-isdt-events/isdt-1913/ Speed Track Tales: A Welsh Perspective on the ISDT

Wikipedia tells that the first motor-cycle was built in 1885 by Gottlieb Daimler and Willhelm Maybach (names which were to become forever part of motoring industry…) and the first series of “production” motorcycles appeared in 1894.

Less than a decade later, 1903, the Auto Cycle Union (ACU) of the United Kingdom was “sanctioning” Six Days Reliability Trials organised by local enthusiasts clubs.

Fast forward a further ten years (1913) and the ACU proposed a national-level reliability trial in the Lake District of Cumberland (much more recently, Cumbria) in partnership with two local motoring clubs.   Not wanting to be outdone in difficulty by previous organising groups (for example events in Somerset up Porlock Hill), the Lake District clubs set fearsome routes over five days of riding and nearly 800 miles (1250km)  -  on bikes barely more powerful than modern-day mopeds with rudimentary (or no) suspension and terrible tyres!

And this representation on Gaia: https://www.gaiagps.com/public/MmMHWw3VqozZucJ0iT3Z6cte

The ACU first International Touring Trial came to the attention of Le Federation Internationale de Club Motocycliste (FIM), the event became the International Six Days Trial (ISDT) and attracted “factory” riders and teams as well as enthusiast privateers.   Manufacturers were keen to demonstrate (and develop) the reliability of their products, riders were keen to test their skills.

The “trials” included tests of navigation (no GPS remember - just maps), speed trials, “flexibility” trials (set the machine in top gear and disconnect the clutch release mechanism), timekeeping trials (comparable to Regularity in the modern sense), the need for repairs and spares and finally appearance and final examinations for defective machines.

Yes, there were protests - about the difficulty of the courses, the scoring methods and applications.  All the usual…

The venues for the next 55 events (over the subsequent 67 years with gaps for wars)  moved around Europe until, in 1981, recognition was given to the fact that the event was no longer a “test of reliability” but had become a six-day enduro - and the event was renamed the International Six Day Enduro (ISDE).

You might not have much difficulty recognising the ISDT spirit in Vancouver Island Motosports Events Regularity-Raid events staged on the gravel roads of the north of Vancouver Island.   What goes around really does come around.   

Perhaps, the more things change, the more they stay the same?

Some things have changed, the VIME routes appear to be substantially less muddy than the English, Welsh and Scottish roads, the summer weather in BC appears to be much drier and the reliability of modern motorcycles bears absolutely no comparison to the rickety bikes of 100 years ago.

We have satellite navigation and timing, electronic displays, effective equipment (who would ride in tweeds/collar and tie/flat cap?) and helmet laws…

But, the spirit lives on.  Machine and rider through the scenery, sometimes forwards, occasionally backwards…. Bring it on!

There is much, much more on the Speed Track Tales website such as the ISDE where the French team were dq’ed on day 2 for missing checkpoints, didn't ride days 3,4 and 5, were reinstated on appeal at the end of day 5 and were awarded the win of the event at the close of day 6 - only to have their win rescinded on appeal as they hadn’t ridden the whole event… but many stranger things (continue to) happen in motorsport!