Scrutineering

[All Things 414]

This is all great stuff. I'm learning heaps!
Ji. Can we do a special on say clutch adjustment. How to remove a spark plug? How not to confuse your rim-lock with your valve?......

[Ji Gantor]

Now, Now, back to the topic before the warden turns off the lights.

Reading those rules are kinda fun.
So many interesting ones to talk about.

One interesting rule that has been discussed is that the pros sign a stat dec stating that they have self  assessed their bike. Can we do that?

Ji

[evo550]

Nathan's spot on,
the job of the scruteener is to ensure the bike and safety equipment complies with the rule book, as a level 2 scruteener i don't go looking for anything else, if I see something I will bring it to the riders attention, but it's not my job to not allow them to ride if they have a dent in their rim.
As a level 2 clerk of course, If a rider came to see me because the scruteener said he/she couldn't ride because 2 of their spokes sounded different, I would have to over rule the scruteener and let them ride(then toddle back to the scruteener and tell them to find a reason that IS in the book ie maybe thier numbers aren't the right size)
TM,
their are 4 levels of official's
Level 1 are able to assist.
Level 2 came run a club event
Level 3 does National Title events
Level 4 does World titles

12.8.9.2 Valve caps must be fitted for all competitions

Ji,
Depends what the supp regs say.

[Ji Gantor]

Hi evo550,

Your last reply, I feel, puts the scrutineer issue to bed.

So does that mean at a club meet if the scrutineer starts looking at bearing play or spokes a rider very nicely can tell them to stick to the code and assess only those things stated in the MA manual?

Ji

[vandy010]

last year i attended the MAQ course for scrutineering.
given the general direction this thread has taken should be a pretty good indicator as to WHY the first half of the days training involved all the LEGAL crap that we as scrutineers are subject to.
Ji, if you can find a problem at scrutineering, feel free to push it to the limits, take it to court, then wait and see where our sport is in a few years time. better still, take yourself along to Motorcycling Australia and get yourself on the committee that writes up all the rules for scrutineering.
or, just settle down into your lounge chair with a nice cup of earl grey and read the MOMS

[Ji Gantor]

Hi vandy010,
I am not trying to go down the legal road, take a good look at my postings.
I have been trying to get members off the legal questions and back onto the "Is My Bike Okay Sir" question.

So please lets drop the who is to blame stuff !
Before the warden hears us and turns off the lights !

I may be interested in becoming a scrutineer does it cost much and how long does it take?

I have inner piece but I don't think I am going to start reading Woman's Weekly !

Ji

[vandy010]

earl grey's cool apparently...
all MAQ courses are free. check out the Motorcycling Aust website and you can link your way through to find out when and where courses are held. scrutineering was a 2 day course over a weekend and then you just roll up at a club event and put your name down as a scrutineer and build it up from there. you'll need to get a MAQ logbook where either the chief scrutineer will sign and date or the Clerk of the Course will. the more events you scrutineer, the more your logbook reflects your experience, the higher level of MAQ official you become.
jump in and get your feet dirty so to speak.
it's all good!

[Ji Gantor]

Hi vandy010,
Cool I think I will.


Ji

[VMX247]

And What Trouble would thay get in to ??

no trouble,
1:you ask very politely to go fix it- please.    
2:all you can do for the safety of your fellow VMXer.
3:If all else fails-show em the hand gun under ya jumper.
4:Level 4 scrutineers are well trained in PR work  
alison

There are different levels of Scrutineers  surley not 

Yep sure is -as you know Bill.
Everything in life has different levels.      
alison

[Ji Gantor]

Here is a really cool rule.

12.8.3.1 Exhaust systems must:
a) Be fitted with silencers,
b) Terminate at a point not more than
25mm beyond the rear extremity of
the rear tyre tread,
c) Be attached as closely as practicable
to the machine and in a manner
that does not, in the opinion of the
Scrutineer, create a hazard to other
competitors,
d) Where separate silencers are fitted,
have a minimum of 2 mountings
or locking screws on all machines
which have a capacity in excess of
85cc,
e) Where silencers are re-packable,
have safety wired securing bolts.

I have to ask, How many bikes have their silencer bolts safety wired?
And how many of them have 2 fixtures?

Ji

[Ji Gantor]

12.8.9 Tyres
12.8.9.1 Tyres must comply with the following:
a) Metal studs, spikes, chain, rope or
other non-skid attachments may
not be used unless permitted by the
relevant SR.
b) Treads on tyres must be at least
1mm deep on any part of the tyre

I guess this is for road bikes but still. This would allow a rider to turn up with a near bald tyre.
I am not poking fun at the rule makers, they have a tough job, just seeing what is in the rules.

Ji

[Ji Gantor]

12.8.7 Kick Start Levers
12.8.7.1 Kick start levers, other than transverse,
must be folding.

Every bike I have played with so far has lost the ball and spring from the kick starter, thus allowing it to flop about. I would think that this rule only looks at weather the lever foldes not weather it is retained during the race.

Ji

[Ji Gantor]

12.8.10 Mudguards
12.8.10.1 Either a rear mudguard or a seat must be
fi tted which extends at least 20 degrees
to the rear of a vertical line drawn through
the rear wheel axle.
12.8.10.2 Mudguards must be made of a material,
which is not liable to cause personal injury
if deformed.

Does this mean that fibreglass and alloy mud guards are non-complying?

Ji

[Ji Gantor]

12.8.2 Fuel Tanks
12.8.2.1 Fuel tanks may be constructed from any
material that has been approved by the
Australian Standards Association as a
petrol or fuel container material.

Does this rule mean that a scrutineer is only to check that a fuel tank is made of the right stuff and not if it is leaking from a seal, hole or osmosis?

Ji

[Ji Gantor]

12.4.5 Engine Capacity Tolerances
12.4.5.1 Unless otherwise specifi ed in the following
table, the actual engine capacity of a
machine competing in a capacity class
may not exceed the prescribed capacity
for that class by more than 2%:
CLASS PERMITTED
EXCESS
Sidecar
Cycle car machines
except Road Race
5%
Period 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
Historic Road Race,
Classic Dirt Track and
Classic Motocross

So this allows a 250cc bike to be 262.5cc,
Okay what about stroking?
I guess some one would have to know that another rider has breached the rules, but has any one ever had their engine pulled down at a race meet to be measured?

Ji