OzVMX Forum
Clubroom => General Discussion => Topic started by: vmxken on March 27, 2013, 10:44:39 am
-
As some of you have no doubt realised, Issue 53 is a wee bit late. The short story is that Alistair has been unwell for the past four weeks but is now on the mend. Issue 53 is now at the printers so won't be too much longer! Thanks for your patience.
Regards
Ken
(http://i249.photobucket.com/albums/gg216/vmxken/VMX53FrontCover_zpsc8a32bc0.jpg)
-
Good stuff Ken.Hope the big fella is ok.
-
Alistair went out of his way to get some parts out for me even when he's been feeling average. With that sort of work ethic I don't reckon the mag will be too far off. Thanks!
-
No Worries Ken, it's always worth waiting for, Best Wishes to Alistair for a full recovery.
-
Thanks for the reminder that I have to get my act together and renew my subscription ::)
-
Hmmm, Bonza UK Bonanza, when will you accept the invite to come down to the HBBB Ken? The offer of a free trade stand and passes is still on.
-
Just back from Holidays has this one come out yet ? Just checking in case my posting kept it because I was away.
-
Good things come to those who wait :) :) :)
-
Arrived today :) very nice chaps , Ken love the KX 175 8) nice tribute to Kelvin Franks , but my pet hate >:( the RM 370 resto spread over multiple issues ::)
Good points raised in the editorial , food for thought :)
CD 10 info nice and early :) and good content throughout :)
-
Ditto mine arrived today to the East Island and just getting into it now. ;D
-
Recieved on west dry dusty coast of Oz..
page three VMX for the Masses.
Our clubs here had the opportunity to have some space at the Perth Motorcycle Show a few years back,and totally agree with what Ken Smith has said about the interest in our sport.There were so many people checking out the display and asking all the questions. :P We had more interest than those long forked chrome choppers next door ;D
Great untold potential for new enthusiasic members and for our sport to go forward for years to come. 8)
-
Received in B'vegas today. Kiwis get it sooner than Q'ldrs...WTF is going on with Aus Post? At least being wrapped in most excellent bubble wrap the mag was in pristine condition....unlike the rest of my mailbox's soggy contents :'(
-
Just cracked mine open this morning over breakfast. Just read 'The Sweep Rider'.
My sentiments exactly. I'm always beating the drum so to speak.
The last two paragraphs especially with regards to having an interest in the older bikes and as to the way I think, looking outside the square in the way of buying a bike that's older than you, or a quirky bike you know nothing about. Buying a Cz and a Maico which I knew nothing about at the time were the best things I could have done. Broke the chains of being a johnny one note (Being known as a Honda rider).
Thanks Ken, you read my mind. Four and a half stars ;D
-
I'm also right behind the sentiments expressed in Ken's Sweep Rider column. He beautifully covered a couple of points that I'm passionate about, the promotion of our sport to the general population and the continued interest in the older classes by getting younger racers interested in them. What Ken did by displaying his bikes on Australia day in Macquarie street should set an example to us as a sport. Because we're so involved in our passion we often aren't aware that vintage motocross and dirt track are practically unknown to those outside our circle. How many of us have been approached at a gas station on the way to the races by someone wanting a closer look at the old bike on our trailer and getting into a lengthy conversation with them over "having one of them back in the day"? Most of us I'd reckon. Each time something like that happens we have a golden opportunity to recruit another potential convert to the old bike cause. To take advantage of those situations wouldn't it be a great idea if we had a pre printed flyer in the glove box that spelled out what VMX and VDT are about, a loose description of the available classes and contact details for your particular club? For a very low printing costs VMX clubs are getting the message out to folks who'd otherwise would never have considered it.
Another way of spreading the word is to hold a bike display in public spaces. We held the Klub Kevlar Show'n'Shine two years in a row and the public response was outstanding. We missed out the year before last because the venue cancelled on us and last year because I was ill and nobody within the Kevlar group had the time to organise it. Lately however there has been a bit of a rumble calling for us to do it this year. If the Sydney VMX and VDT population are prepared to support the event, let's do it, we're prepared to promote it. Let's hear some ideas on venue and time.
While I love all things 'old dirt bike' my true passion lies in the pre 78 era and more specifically the pre 1970/65 era's of both VMX and VDT. Our sport was founded on these classes so because they're so important to our history it'd be a shame to see them fade away. The original owners and riders of these old bikes are getting a bit long in the tooth to race on a regular basis so it's a no brainer to assume that for the older classes to continue we need to encourage younger racers to become interested in the bikes. It's reasonably easy to get them to ride the bikes if offered but for them to become old bike owners who want to compete on short travel bikes we need to create a culture where these bikes are considered cool and that the difficulty of riding a short travel bike at speed becomes the ultimate clallenge the old bikes offer up. As we've seen with Brad van B, Nathan and other younger guys who've opted to ride ( and more importantly own bikes) for the older classes, once they get into it it often becomes just as big a passion as bikes from their own particular race era offer up. Because of an aging pre 75 racer demographic there are a lot of seriously good race bikes just sitting under sheets in sheds all over Australia. There are a couple of ways to get these bikes back on the race track..... sell the bike to a newer generation of racer or, as I have done, offer them to younger guys to race for you. I've been doing it on and off for a couple of decades and with only one or two minor exceptions I've enjoyed the experience. There is quite a cool feeling to build, prepare and tune a bike for someone to compete on....and it's even cooler when they do OK.
Kens article has sparked me to spend more effort promoting our sport to the uninitiated, I hope others have been inspired as well.
-
I feel #53 has absolutely nailed it. A great piece of work.
As usual, I am left wondering how the heck can you top this in the next one.
Hearty congratulations.
Luke
-
Best issue in a while, IMHO - a good mix of stories was great, but for me the best bit was the positive, realistic tone through-out the mag.
Taking the KTM250 article as an example - it was positive about the bike and its merits, without being mindless worship, appeared properly researched and was (to the best of my knowledge) technically accurate.
As nice as it is, putting the editor's bike on the cover seemed a bit cheeky. ;D
-
Thanks for all the comments, much appreciated. The KDX on the cover was not meant to happen, the issue was finished (with a CR250 on the cover) but that bike had to be 'pulled' at the last minute (and the reasons for that aren't going on the forum so don't ask!) and a hasty re-arrangement of the whole issue had to be done.
Regards
Ken
-
Regardless of ownership that cover bike is Sooooooooooooooooooo cool 8)
-
If you're coming to CD10 Bill, you're more than welcome to go for a ride.
-
I agree, #53 nailed it. The bike mix is all encompassing and the tech articles are great. It looks like Husky Pete will now be eligible for one of those cool 'access all areas' journo passes based on his Husky gear lever conversion piece ;D. Nice to see Goolies Kato in the mix as well as well. The highlight for me however are the articles on two of our sports great innovators , Joe Bolger and Kelvin Franks. I always considered it a shame that Kelvin was considered a legend in the USA but virtually unknown here in his home country. It's also amazing that lesser innovators than Joe Bolger have been elevated to legend status yet Joe is almost unknown outside of the USA East Coast. His rising rate suspension system was a decade ahead of the systems that were eventually taken up by the big factories......And you're forgiven for the cover Ken ;D ;D It's sweet little bike.
-
Cheeky or not Nathan, I'm with Bill. That KDX is a brilliant little bike and really ticks the boxes for me. And so much better looking than the real KDX175.
Yep, great issue!
-
If you're coming to CD10 Bill, you're more than welcome to go for a ride.
Thanks ken much appreciated :) im trying to put together an itinerary so i can get Farliegh castle and CD 10 ???
-
Lucky the article about the KTM enduro made it clear that the bike belonged to Adrian. Otherwise the photo on page 21 is all the evidence the police would need...
-
It's funny that no-one has yet seen the typo on that same page, left there intentionally once it was spotted.
-
Mag has a few typo's .....
-
Mag has a few typo's .....
Adds character ;D
-
I reckon a nicely crafted ally plate (with the VMX logo engraved) for resting bike sidestands on would be a classy touch... :D
-
It's funny that no-one has yet seen the typo on that same page, left there intentionally once it was spotted.
'' Fart left" I missed it the first time too. ;D
-
I too love the KDX, the A4 green machines are the best looking bikes and this one ticks my boxes.
-
TM Bill is probably still hiding in the long-drop with his copy ...... those KDX's just effect him in very strange ways
-
'Fart left' wins the prize......not that we have one! Maybe we'll need to include a 'fart right' in a future issue to balance things out.
-
Good points raised in the editorial , food for thought :)
Just read 'The Sweep Rider'.
My sentiments exactly. I'm always beating the drum so to speak.
I'm also right behind the sentiments expressed in Ken's Sweep Rider column. He beautifully covered a couple of points that I'm passionate about, the promotion of our sport to the general population and the continued interest in the older classes by getting younger racers interested in them. Because we're so involved in our passion we often aren't aware that vintage motocross and dirt track are practically unknown to those outside our circle.
Kens article has sparked me to spend more effort promoting our sport to the uninitiated, I hope others have been inspired as well.
RE:promoting vmx
Promote dont demote.Also applies to forums. :)