The other day I bust the adjusting strap mover/buckle (that little plastic thing the straps run through) on my backpack. Thinking the only option was to bin it (as I don’t have that size adjuster anywhere around) I started looking for dirtbike backpacks online. The Sherco one caught my eye, bright yellow and blue incl hydration pack. Looked stunning. Cheapest I could find was 150€….I almost had a heart attack looking at that price. My current backpack broken as it maybe cost nothing has lasted 7 years of hard riding, has a Decathlon hydration pack inserted https://www.decathlon.pt/bolsa-de-agua-trail-2-litros-id_8393578.html that cost 10€ and has done everything I have ever asked of it, i.e. tool carrier, first aid holder, lunch box, spare fuel holder, etc, etc. This kind of got me swearing under my breath. Why is everything connected with dirtbiking so bloody expensive. My Sherco cooling fan for the radiator cost 380€…what…that is sodding ridiculous. My KTM baseball cap cost 35€, my helmet cost me 350€ which was discounted by 40% my friend bought a new pair of boots that cost 650€.

I honestly believe that running a dirtbike is becoming so expensive that people will start looking for alternatives. Keeping old bikes running longer, opting for less performance oriented bikes that have greater intervals between services, air cooled bikes again instead of expensive water cooled rads that get busted too easily when you drop your bike (which let’s face it is pretty frequently on a dirtbike).

Have you seen the latest air cooled trials bike from FANTOM in Barcelona ? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kyQ7Wg7be60 Again a company whose motto is to make Trials riding affordable again.

This all leads me onto…The Chinese bikes being produced. How long till more and more of them are seen on the club circuit, out on a Sunday run with the local TRF etc. Honestly, as far as I’m concerned good luck to them. The big names may need the money for R&D etc, etc or maybe they are just taking the piss by asking so much money for everything.

At the end of the day, economics relies on people spending their money on items they choose to spend their money on. This is the role and the power bestowed upon the consumer. Be wise how you spend your money. I know me personally I have to be wise. I don’t have enough money to buy the best of everything so for me, secondhand, lesser known brands or even freebies (as in my backpack) are the norm for me.

Anyway, the good news. My freebie backpack has 2 extra buckles sewn in. My backpack is back up and running. No money spent. Now I wonder, does that 150€ Sherco backpack have free extras included ?