Legends

Ron Commo Jr.

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1 point loop!

From North Ferrisburgh VT, Ron Commo JR Dominated the New England trials scene during the 1980s and 90s. Ron is the son of Ron Commo SR, US Beta distributor and 2010 NATC hall of fame inductee. He’s also the father of Ronnie Commo III, top trials, Endurocross and Hard Enduro competitor. The entire Commo family has been involved in trials for well over 50 years.

Ron Commo SR, III, JR and Nick Commo

Ron holds the current record with fifteen NETA championships to his credit. He was also five time Canadian National Champion.  Ron was a consistent top five finisher nationally and was selected for the USA TDN team on five occasions. He also competed in Stadium Trials since its inception in the early 1980s.

The Commo family now resides in the state of Georgia and continues to participate in regional motorcycle activities.  

Geoff Aaron

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Originally from Redding CT, Geoff Aaron is undoubtedly the most successful US trials rider to come from the NETA. After securing two NETA championships in the early 1990s, Geoff decided to focus exclusively on the national scene winning a record (at the time) ten NATC titles. He was selected for the US TDN team an incredible sixteen times.

Standing 6’ – 4” tall, Geoff is an imposing figure on a trials bike. He started riding trials in 1984 at the age of 10 and quickly became competitive in local NETA events. 

1985 Jack Stites trials school. Eleven year old Geoff on the far right.

Geoff is one of the few trials riders to make a living from the sport. He established ERE, and extreme entertainment company performing numerous trials demonstrations throughout the country. Geoff conducted many trials training sessions over the years and produced a highly popular series of training videos.

Geoff then went on to a successful Endurocross career along with conducting Nuclear Cowboyz performances and Red Bull Trials shows. He also earned his Screen Actors Guild card and has performed stunts in several Hollywood movies.

Geoff is currently a manager for GasGas overseeing all off-road competition teams.

GasGas off road team manager, Geoff on the left

Don Sweet

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No single person dominated the early years of NETA competition more than Donny Sweet. Don was NETA champion for 11 consecutive years from 1972 to 1982. He was then back on top in 2003 and 2005. 

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Don competed in his first trial in 1969 in Bennington Vermont at the age of 13 and rode as often as he could thereafter. He and his best friend Len Thompson (his future brother in law) both rode Ossa Plonkers and began competing in more regional events throughout New England.

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In 1972, Don started competing in both National and NETA events. That same year, John Taylor of Yankee Motors (the Ossa Importer) became Don’s first sponsor. Don rode a MAR (Mick Andrews Replica), and placed fourth in the Michigan Ontario Trials Association National. Owing to backing from the OSSA importer, Don was able to travel to the 1972 El Trial De Espana and the Scottish Six Day Trial even though he was only 15 at the time and not old enough to compete. Don eventually rode the SSDT placing as top American rider. 

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Don was contacted in 1973 by his soon to be boss Bill Stewart, the designer of the TY250A.  Don was offered a Yamaha sponsorship and they worked out the final details while attending the 1st US 6 Day hosted in Dalton, MA.

In 1974 and only 5 years after riding his first event, Don rode professionally for Yamaha and placed 3rd in the newly formed AMA sanctioned North American Trials Council series. One year after his debut in the NATC, Don placed 2nd, only edged out by the late great Marland Whaley.

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After a break from the national circuit and the birth of his second daughter, Don was right back to the top. Don was only beaten by the great Bernie Schreiber (the only American to ever win the FIM World Trials Championship), ultimately placing 2nd in the 1983 US NATC.

Don completed his final year of US National Championship competition with a 3rd place finish in 1986, right behind the then up and coming Ryan Young (6 time consecutive US National Trials Champion).

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Don was a factory sponsored rider for Montesa during the late 1970s, competing in World Rounds throughout Europe, Canada and America. 

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Don Sweet was inducted into the NETA hall of fame in 2008 and the NATC hall of fame in 2013. He continues to ride in select NETA events while supporting his three grandsons at both NETA and National events. 

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Jack Stites

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From Wayland Mass, Jack Stites was a top NETA rider in the 1970s. He, in many people’s opinion, was second only to Donny Sweet in natural ability plus Jack probably did more for the sport in general than any other New England rider. Like Don Sweet, Jack was consistently in the NATC top three even making it to national #2 behind Bernie Schreiber. 

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Jack was responsible for setting up the first “stadium” trials here in the states which evolved into what is today X-trials in Europe. He achieved fame riding in National and World Trial Series events and became a BBC color commentator for the sport in England. He also co-hosted the extremely popular British TV series “Kick Start”. 

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Jack was a very personable and interesting person. His father invented a system of marking railroad cars that evolved into today’s bar code system. His mother was a commercial airline pilot. Although Jack didn’t lack for money, he spent a year of his youth riding railroad cars to experience the hobo life. In addition, he was an excellent jazz drummer and all around musician. Another one of his skills was restoring classic wooden powerboats. As if that isn’t enough, Jack was recognized for many environmental projects and accomplishments in the state of Florida.

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Pulling up his New England roots in the early 1980s, Jack moved to Florida and managed the Tryals Shop where he imported trials bikes from around the world and engaged in events, produced instructional videos plus conducted personal training worldwide.

In 1987 Dale Malaseck (the original US Gas Gas importer) produced a training video on behalf the Tryals Shop.

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Jack was an original founding member of the Florida Trials Association and multi-time Florida state champion. His positive impact on the FTA is reflected in their highest annual award – the Stites Cup.

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Sadly, Jack passed away in 2019 and will always be remembered fondly by everyone who knew him.

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Jack Stites was inducted into the NATC Hall of Fame in 2017.

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Wayne Galvin

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Hall of Famer Wayne Galvin was born in Attleboro, Massachusetts and graduated from Attleboro High School. While in high school Wayne competed in gymnastics, which is another sport where balance is paramount.

Growing up, Wayne was fortunate that in his neighborhood he had a number of friends who had dirt bikes. Wayne started his career on bikes at age 15 by pretending to ride his friend’s bikes when they weren’t riding them. This led to actually riding them in the numerous riding areas in his hometown.

In 1972 Wayne rode his first trials event after watching a local event as a spectator. As he walked the lines in the sections, he realized in his mind that he was cleaning all the sections. He was fascinated and hooked by it. In the fall of 1972, he rode the Meriden Motorcycle Club’s Scottish Trials event, the first of 50 years of trials competition. In 1973, he started competing full time in New England Trials Association (NETA) events. Wayne started in the Novice class and finished the year 2 points short of promotion to Expert. He was promoted to Expert early in the 1974 season and competed as an Expert through 2002. He was also ranked Number 2 in New England for a period in the 1970’s and 1980’s. As recently as 2021, Wayne was the Number 1 Super Senior Expert rider in NETA and the Number 2 Senior Intermediate rider in Pennsylvania’s District 6 Trials series.

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In 1974, Wayne started competing on the National trials circuit, which he rode continuously through 1988. He took a break until 2000, when he started competing in the National Senior divisions through the year 2008. In 1979 and 1981, Wayne was ranked as the number 9 and 8 rider, respectively, in the United States. In 1981, Wayne competed in the 1981 World Round at Watkins Glen, NY. Wayne also competed in and placed third in the first Daytona Stadium Trials event in 1980 and also competed in the second and third Daytona Stadium Trials event. He was impressed by the amount of spectators and the coverage of the event. If you are able to get a copy of Bernie Schreiber’s book Observed Trials, you will be treated to a couple of photos of Wayne tackling some incredible man made obstacles at the Daytona event on pages 161 and 162.

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As significant as Wayne’s accomplishments on a trials bike are, they are only a portion of his contribution to the sport. In the early 1980’s, Wayne was the President of NETA. While president, Wayne arranged for a NETA trials demonstration at the Boston Bike Expo and Trade Shows in the early 1980’s. 

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As a member of King Philip Trail Riders (KPTR), Wayne was the Trials Master for all KPTR events from 1979 through 2019. Wayne was also the Trials Master for KPTR’s National event in 1980.

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During the 2009 through 2013 seasons, Wayne didn’t limit his competition to trials, he also competed in the New England Trail Riders Association’s (NETRA) Enduro and Hare Scrambles series. Some of Wayne’s most satisfying moments in trials have been setting up events that were tough and challenging for Champ riders, such as, Gary Bourque, Dan Allen, Don Sweet, Ron Commo and Geoff Arron as well as being enjoyable for the rest of us. Wayne is also generous with his time in helping all members of the trials community, one example is helping Sportsman rider Jeff Laney at a Rhode Island Trials Club event. Jeff was suffering from a virus and early on during his fourth loop, didn’t think he could continue. Wayne saw him and asked him what was wrong. After he heard Jeff’s explanation, Wayne gave him the encouragement to continue, and rode with him for the rest of the loop as Jeff finished the event. Wayne was inducted into the NETA Hall of Fame in 2017

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Gary Bourque

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Perennial New England Trials Champion Gary Bourque was born in Coventry, Rhode Island and graduated from Coventry High School. Gary was a competitive water skier from a young age. He was a five-time Northeast Regional Champion and placed as high as third in the Nationals.

Gary got his start in motorcycling at the age of seven, like many of us it was trail riding with friends. Later at the urging of his friends, Gary started riding trials in 1980, however, his riding competitively was limited, because he was still competing in waterskiing.

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Following his retirement from competitive waterskiing, Gary has been a dedicated and competitive trials rider. In 1989 and 1990, Gary finished second in the New England Trials Championship. He was Senior Expert National Champion in 2015. From 2009 through 2021, Gary was the New England Trials Champion, a testament of his dedication to the sport.

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Gary’s contribution to the sport of trials is not limited to competition. Gary has served as the New England Trials Association’s Vice President/Score Keeper from 1985 – 1988 and the Rhode Island Trials Club Treasurer from 2016 – 2020. In 2015, Gary was Clerk of the Course for the Rhode Island Round of the 2015 FIM Moto Trials World Championship. This was a hugely successful event and Gary’s efforts as Clerk of the Course contributed to the Rhode Island Trials Club being awarded the American Motorcyclist Association’s 2015 Off-road Event of the Year.

Gary also hosts the New England trials community at the Rhode Island Trials Club Annual Skill Building Trials at the start of every season. Yearly, Gary enlists the help of some of the best riders in New England to pass along their trials knowledge to the New England trials community. It is an event not to be missed. 

Gary also mentored many up and coming riders over the years. He was always one to assist others during events with advice and encouragement.

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Gary’s competitive skill and spirit along with his humility is on display at every New England event, but he is never alone. Gary’s wife and best friend Lee is always there too. She is typically manning the Scorer’s table with other volunteers and the New England Trails Association signup table and cheering on all the competitors. 

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Gary was inducted into the NETA Hall of Fame in 2014.  

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