Observers — the volunteers who record each rider’s score in a motorcycle trials event — are absolutely essential to the competition. While it may seem daunting at first, observing is a surprisingly simple job and very rewarding.

In motorcycle trials (sometimes called “observed trials”), the event is split into sections where riders navigate difficult terrain and obstacles. The goal for each rider is to complete each section cleanly, without putting a foot (or any part of the body) down.

Here’s what an observer typically does, and why their role is so important:

• The observer counts how many times a rider “dabs” (touches the ground with a foot or another part of their body) when going through a section.  Each “dab” is a penalty point. The scoring system usually allows scores of 0, 1, 2, 3, or 5 for each section:

  • 0 = “clean” (no dabs)

  • 1 = one dab

  • 2 = two dabs

  • 3 = three or more dabs (assuming the rider completes the section cleanly otherwise)

  • 5 = failure — for example, if the rider dismounts, stalls, goes out of bounds, or takes the wrong line.

The. score is recorded against the riders number on a score sheet provided by the club.

• The observer’s judgement is final: in the UK, according to the Auto-Cycle Union (ACU), no protest can be accepted against an observer’s call on performance.

• They may also help manage the area: ensuring spectators don’t block the rider’s line, and that markers (flags) are correctly placed.

• Importantly: if an observer is not 100% sure a dab happened (or how to interpret a situation), the general guideline is to give the benefit of the doubt to the rider.