OzVMX Forum

Clubroom => General Discussion => Topic started by: John Orchard on August 29, 2011, 11:58:18 am

Title: New Vintage MX track in Victoria
Post by: John Orchard on August 29, 2011, 11:58:18 am
Hey Guy's,

I am working at the State Motorcycle Sports Complex (SMSC) at Broadford (Vic) a few days per week, after speaking (read-pleading lol) to the Park Manager about constructing a Vintage MX track, he has allowed me to go for it in my own time.

The area I have selected is tree'd with lots of shade (cooler in Summer) and the ground has a lot of moist loam (yeh I know "at Broadford !" LOL ).

I am also on the committee of the Mitchell Shire (local council) Recreation motorcycle Club who hire the main MX track once a month, I have been able to get permission to build this new track on the proviso that the Recreation Club can use it also; I don't see a problem with old vintage riders sharing the track with recreation (read- no bar-banging) MX riders; the track will always be prepared good enough to drive a car around it.

If a lot of vintage racers like it, I do not see a problem with running race meetings on it, trust me, it will be well prepared AND cheap.

Stay tuned, I'll keep you updated, might try and get some pics up as I go.
Title: Re: New Vintage MX track in Victoria
Post by: marshallmech on August 29, 2011, 12:35:17 pm
good job John this is the sort of commitment we need.
Viper would be glad for another track  that is central for most people.

Cheers
Andy Marshall
Title: Re: New Vintage MX track in Victoria
Post by: steve7406 on August 29, 2011, 05:43:04 pm
Hey john where abouts at broadford are you looking to build this track
Title: Re: New Vintage MX track in Victoria
Post by: VMX247 on August 29, 2011, 06:07:20 pm
Excellent !! Love it !! what a Mecca Bike gathering that would be....
I reckon just through these trees to the right a tad..  :P  ;D 

(http://i1043.photobucket.com/albums/b431/DoggyDigger/h12.jpg)
Title: Re: New Vintage MX track in Victoria
Post by: John Orchard on August 29, 2011, 07:44:33 pm
Hey john where abouts at broadford are you looking to build this track


Steve it will be half of the Hare Scramble course, as you go over the hill to the roadrace track, it is on the right, I have spent 2 days this week walking around it repositioning all the plastic marker tape to give clearance from the trees; for rider safety and improved conditions for track preparation equipment.
Title: Re: New Vintage MX track in Victoria
Post by: Stevo17 on August 29, 2011, 07:48:27 pm
Hi John, I am a member of the Mitchell Rec club and often ride my Viper bikes at their monthly ride. If I can lend a hand at all then please  let me know.

cheers
steve
Title: Re: New Vintage MX track in Victoria
Post by: Hoony on August 29, 2011, 07:51:13 pm
great stuff John. keep us posted.

make sure it has a minimum of 1  long and flowing section if possible to suit big bores as well.
Title: Re: New Vintage MX track in Victoria
Post by: steve7406 on August 29, 2011, 07:58:43 pm
Sounds good john i'm pretty sure what ever you do with track layout it'l make most vmx boys very happy just don't forget to put that paintbrush back to use every now and again.
Title: Re: New Vintage MX track in Victoria
Post by: John Orchard on August 29, 2011, 08:08:53 pm
Yeh Al, I marked out a long straight today, I hate when I don't get to use top gear, maybe my Superbike racing has me high speed addicted LOL.

Great Steve, let me know when ever you can come out, I'd like your input.

I'll keep everyone updated, hopefully take some pics to post this weekend.
Title: Re: New Vintage MX track in Victoria
Post by: John Orchard on August 29, 2011, 08:10:52 pm
The track is 'natural terrain' and it is not flat either, plenty up & down hills.  Maybe I might slip in a little ski jump ;-)
Title: Re: New Vintage MX track in Victoria
Post by: Stevo17 on August 29, 2011, 08:21:25 pm
Hey John, happy to come out this weekend if you are going to the track.
Title: Re: New Vintage MX track in Victoria
Post by: GMC on August 29, 2011, 10:13:20 pm
Good work John
I suggested to them years ago they need another track that can be used for both amateurs & Vintage.
DVMCC had a modern club day in that area earlier this year and the feedback was good.

Despite them owning several hundred acres next to the dirt track I am led to believe they are not allowed to use it as it’s a sound buffer zone.

I don’t have a lot of spare time to offer but if I can help in any way I’m only five minutes across the hills.
Title: Re: New Vintage MX track in Victoria
Post by: steve7406 on August 29, 2011, 10:48:55 pm
GMC most people would think mv owns all the land behind/beside the dirttrack but they don't 150 acres behind the start/finish speedway tower is mv's 400 acres to the right of that where the colourbond barn is belongs to the harley club of victoria this includes the dirt road that seperates mv's land from the motorcycle complex they have been using their 150 acres for enduro you can see the track on the hill.We the harley club cannot use our land for anything other than trials but this may soon change.












Title: Re: New Vintage MX track in Victoria
Post by: John Orchard on August 30, 2011, 04:20:31 pm
Hey Guy's,  looks like I'm heading out to work on the track for a few hours on Sat and Sunday, if anyone wants to pop out and either help or offer suggestions, that'd be cool.

I'll try to get there about 10am each day, I've advised the property caretaker that a few of us might be coming out over the weekend to do some work on it.

At the moment I don't think we can bust any laps of the track this weekend but if anything changes I'll let you know.

I'd like to get the area into a raceable state, maybe run a 2-day meeting on the Monday & Tuesday after the Bonanza?
Title: Re: New Vintage MX track in Victoria
Post by: yzhilly on August 30, 2011, 09:31:13 pm
Now your talking there's no way we can fit all that bike stuff into 2 days imagine 2 days of HBBB road,MX,Dirttrack,Enduro & speedway and then a VMX race meet on monday ,maybe mid morning start to get the bikes ready sounds good  .
yzhilly
Title: Re: New Vintage MX track in Victoria
Post by: Stevo17 on August 31, 2011, 09:11:09 am
Hi John,

I will try and come out on sunday morning for a couple of hours if thats ok. What do you need me to bring?  Shovels, chain saw, KX500? lol  steve
Title: Re: New Vintage MX track in Victoria
Post by: John Orchard on September 03, 2011, 05:25:42 pm
A few pics from today, thanks Kevin for coming to help.

Pic 1 Start straight

Pic 2 Turn 1

Pic 3 Turn 2/3

(http://i1093.photobucket.com/albums/i423/JohnnyRacer89/Broadford017.jpg)

(http://i1093.photobucket.com/albums/i423/JohnnyRacer89/Broadford019.jpg)

(http://i1093.photobucket.com/albums/i423/JohnnyRacer89/Broadford020.jpg)
Title: Re: New Vintage MX track in Victoria
Post by: John Orchard on September 03, 2011, 05:29:24 pm
More pics,

Pic 1 Back straight

Pic 2 Infield

Pic 3 2nd straight

(http://i1093.photobucket.com/albums/i423/JohnnyRacer89/Broadford029.jpg)

(http://i1093.photobucket.com/albums/i423/JohnnyRacer89/Broadford030.jpg)

(http://i1093.photobucket.com/albums/i423/JohnnyRacer89/Broadford041.jpg)
Title: Re: New Vintage MX track in Victoria
Post by: John Orchard on September 03, 2011, 05:31:42 pm
And a couple more ...

Pic 1 Looking backwards down 2nd straight

Pic 2 Infield

(http://i1093.photobucket.com/albums/i423/JohnnyRacer89/Broadford044.jpg)

(http://i1093.photobucket.com/albums/i423/JohnnyRacer89/Broadford054.jpg)
Title: Re: New Vintage MX track in Victoria
Post by: jerry on September 03, 2011, 07:00:44 pm
Good for you John. Sorry I cant get there this weekend. Looks fantastic. Cheers Jerry
Title: Re: New Vintage MX track in Victoria
Post by: JohnnyO on September 03, 2011, 07:08:23 pm
Mate that looks really promising :) How long is that 2nd straight!!?
Title: Re: New Vintage MX track in Victoria
Post by: John Orchard on September 03, 2011, 07:16:25 pm
Mate that looks really promising :) How long is that 2nd straight!!?


I guess about 400m, looks like top gear on a 500, it has rolling undulations that should make it fun  :-)
Title: Re: New Vintage MX track in Victoria
Post by: popeye on September 03, 2011, 07:39:54 pm
That does look good , well done guys, we need something like that in QLD, would be great, Hope it all goes well for you.
Title: Re: New Vintage MX track in Victoria
Post by: KB171 on September 03, 2011, 07:44:36 pm
A great efforts been put in by John to get this far, Well done mate, lookin forward to havin a play out there  ;)
Title: Re: New Vintage MX track in Victoria
Post by: 2 shocks on September 03, 2011, 09:03:39 pm

Looking great !! Sorry we cant be there to help out tomorrow, maybe next time you need a helping hand and we can have a sleep over  :D

Mr & Mrs Maico #54
Title: Re: New Vintage MX track in Victoria
Post by: mustanggrahame on September 03, 2011, 09:09:11 pm
Hi John,
Looks fantastic. Is this using some of the Sunday Vinduro track from the Easter HBBB?
Cheers, Grahame
Title: Re: New Vintage MX track in Victoria
Post by: John Orchard on September 03, 2011, 11:20:30 pm
Hi John,
Looks fantastic. Is this using some of the Sunday Vinduro track from the Easter HBBB?
Cheers, Grahame


It uses the more open section of the Hare-scrarmble circuit.  With modifications from myself & KB171  :-)
Title: Re: New Vintage MX track in Victoria
Post by: John Orchard on September 03, 2011, 11:27:34 pm
I'll be out again about 10am tomorrow (Sunday) to do a little cleaning up & refinement. Part of the track is still blocked with trees and severe ditches, so we won't be able to bust any laps tomorrow, but I'm hoping for maybe next weekend.

I must say a huge thankyou to long-time Caretaker at Broadford 'John Coleman', he was there at sunrise (in his own time!), with the Bobocat, clearing parts that I had laid out.
Title: Re: New Vintage MX track in Victoria
Post by: Yamahaha on September 04, 2011, 10:12:20 am
In a time where all we seem to hear about is track closures, clubs folding or diminishing it is refreshing to see something like this evolving. Good work John I can't wait to hear how this goes.
Title: Re: New Vintage MX track in Victoria
Post by: Hoony on September 04, 2011, 11:00:38 am
top effort John & KB. also many thanks to John Coleman for 25 + years at broadford.

so when & how can we get a blast John? how about a SOCIAL ride day ?
Title: Re: New Vintage MX track in Victoria
Post by: John Orchard on September 04, 2011, 03:09:09 pm
Thanks to Stevo17 for your help today; first rider to ever ride around the new track, riding his '84 KX250.

Now I think we need a quantity turn-out of volunteers for a track clean-up.  The layout is complete, major obstacles have been cleared off.

The complex Manager advised that if we have a morning working bee, we can ride for free in the arvo, so weather pending, maybe we can do something one day next weekend (10th or 11th)?

I find out tomorrow morning if the track is open for inclusion in the monthly Mega Ride Day ($35 if you have a race licence, another $20 if you don't) on Sat 17th of Sept.

Until some dust-control system can be implemented, it's probably best to let the weather call the best day for riding out there.

Trust me, YOU WILL LOVE RIDING ON THIS TRACK, it's about 2 kilometres long.
Title: Re: New Vintage MX track in Victoria
Post by: mxmaniac on September 04, 2011, 03:52:32 pm
Big thumbs up!! we got a couple of plumbers here if you need help! Cheers Jim
Title: Re: New Vintage MX track in Victoria
Post by: Stevo17 on September 04, 2011, 05:05:18 pm
Yep it is going to be a ripping track for all ages of bike and rider.  It is mostly grass track with a mix of fast flowing turns, hard braking corners, fast straights, natural terrain hills and a few off cambers.  We really need to get a few people out there to help clean the track of sticks and fill in a few stump holes (and the odd wombat hole ) lol.  Length wise I reckon it might be somewhere around the Monza track length or a bit longer.

Thanks John for all the effort that you have put in so far, and to John #2 for the great bobcat work.
Title: Re: New Vintage MX track in Victoria
Post by: mxmaniac on September 05, 2011, 08:00:37 am
Keep us posted on when the track working bee is on and hopefully we can all get down there and give you a chop out
Title: Re: New Vintage MX track in Victoria
Post by: Viper65 on September 05, 2011, 03:59:04 pm
Great work fellas - love it!

However, beware that all those low spots earlier this year (Feb - meant to be summer but it was more like winter!) when the Diamond Valley MCC ran a natural terrain mx there, rutted out and turned into the biggest bog holes.  It was hard enough to get through on my modern bike (RMZ450), let alone trying to get through on an old bike.

You might need to look at some sort of drainage before we try to ride it in the wet.  Talk to Martin Doxey who will remember the race day and the track conditions.  Best to put in some form of drainage before the track is finalised rather than once its laid down.

It will be great to have another track to ride - sounds like you guys are getting things moving and its not just talk! 


Title: Re: New Vintage MX track in Victoria
Post by: John Orchard on September 05, 2011, 04:37:26 pm
Great work fellas - love it!

However, beware that all those low spots earlier this year (Feb - meant to be summer but it was more like winter!) when the Diamond Valley MCC ran a natural terrain mx there, rutted out and turned into the biggest bog holes.  It was hard enough to get through on my modern bike (RMZ450), let alone trying to get through on an old bike.

You might need to look at some sort of drainage before we try to ride it in the wet.  Talk to Martin Doxey who will remember the race day and the track conditions.  Best to put in some form of drainage before the track is finalised rather than once its laid down.

It will be great to have another track to ride - sounds like you guys are getting things moving and its not just talk! 



Yep I've seen those boggy sections, I have planned to put some water catchment dams near there to hold any excess so it doesn't get so wet in Winter and hopefully we can then draw on it in Summer.  Thanks for your info.