The Australian Motorcycle Trials Championships are being held at Mount Joy, near Powranna, on October 12-13.

The event only comes to Tasmania every five years and has attracted a field of more than 130 national-standard riders, including the eight ranked riders plus several home-grown champions.

Cressy's expert grade rider Chris Bayles, who is ranked No.3 in Australia, Ulverstone's Tom Woodhouse, who is the reigning Australian and New Zealand junior champion, and Launceston's Australian and New Zealand Twinshock champion Kurt Pickering will all hope to be at the front of their grades.

Women also compete in trials, as skill and balance is more important than strength, with Legana's Jenna Lupo an Australian representative at this year's International Trial des Nations.

Organisers said spectators will be amazed at how the motorcycles manoeuvre into position to leap up large obstacles from a standing start and with minimal run-up.

Riders compete in different grades depending on their level of skill and experience. The best are in expert grade on modern motorcycles with other grades including pre-1985 twin shock motorcycles, pre-1965 and this year four sidecar teams are competing.

Unusually for motorsport, motorcycle trials success is not measured in time or speed.

Riders complete several short 50-metre courses of natural obstacles trying to maintain control, and not put a foot down which indicates loss of control and incurs a demerit point.

Riders use brake, clutch and throttle control to manoeuvre their bike. Some hop the wheels around to move the bike in different directions.

The lowest tally of demerit points at the end of the event will win an Australian championship.

The specially-designed trials motorcycles are lightweight, some only 65kg, and have no seat, headlight or anything else that adds unnecessary weight.

This assists the rider to balance.

Enduro riders cross train by competing in trials to improve their skills in riding over rocks and logs.