OzVMX Forum
Clubroom => Vintage Track => Topic started by: firko on January 13, 2014, 03:28:34 pm
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The King of Nepean received pretty good media coverage last year thanks to the efforts of Vincent Tesirero. Apologies if I got the spelling wrong Vince.
Hopefully they can maintain the momentum built up over the last few years.
With this renewed interest in dirt track and the growing popularity of the 450's we might well see the King of Nepean back up at the jewell in the dirt track crown. It's all looking good for moderns, now all we have to do is to get classic dirt track back up the totem pole to where it was. For that to happen we need more than just the once a year Charity meeting at Nepean and the Nats. Penrith club's really dropped the ball with the vintage side of things so I wish BWP or St George had the guts to each promote a vintage only meeting during the year. What happened to the proposed 250 short track races (including a vintage framer class) on Nepean's speedway track that was being touted last year?
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Could be worth raising the issue with Canberra? Fred from Tuggeranong Motorcycles is pretty seriously into vintage as well as dirt track and is heavily involved with the local dirt track committee. A big one-off classic DT meet might not be out of the question.
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Andy Wigan from Transmoto and his complaint is that the promoters do little to push the sport. With the exception of Troy of course.
That's because most events are promoted by clubs. We need more independent promoters to get in cahoots with clubs (and likewise clubs to open the doors to outside promoters).
Cheers,
Steve
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I can't see any of the imports beating guys like Kirkness, Herfoss, Bayliss and Caslick. Sure they're good at their discipline but it's a different kettle of fish racing on the grippy oiled dirt with lefts and rights and front brakes.. Just ask Crumpy
Just saw pictures of Wiles looking pretty sharp on a speedway bike and doubling some lucky bugger on a short tracker.
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That's because most events are promoted by clubs. We need more independent promoters to get in cahoots with clubs (and likewise clubs to open the doors to outside promoters).
Or clubs need to realise that they're in Showbiz as well as for their members. 21st century clubs need media savvy promotions officers who have a grasp of the written word, aren't frightened to approach magazine and newspapers and can whip up a bit of promotional frenzy. MA have all these classes for officials to learn how to wave a flag or how to scrutineer but why haven't they got a course for clubs to learn how to promote their events? For events to be successful in 2014 we need more (read better) publicity than a poorly written paragraph in the arse end of the freebie motorcycle papers.
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now all we have to do is to get classic dirt track back up the totem pole to where it was. For that to happen we need more than just the once a year Charity meeting at Nepean and the Nats. Penrith club's really dropped the ball with the vintage side of things
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I can't see that Penrith has dropped the ball considering that it has run PRE 70, EVO 125, 250, unlimited, Pre90 unlimited, Pre 90Thumpers - 4T, Sliders and the new Thumper twins classes in last years rounds.
While the twins were a bit thin on the ground as were the sliders there are still plenty of classes to ride in.
Entries were down at the Charity W End but I can't see how you can blame the clubs when it is up to the riders to enter.
Most riders know whats on and if they don't they must not be looking too hard.
I am of the opinion that there needs to be a bit more communication between the clubs to avoid the date clashes that occur way too often.
Maybe a 3 or 4 round classic only meeting with each round being run by different club - venue might work.
After watching the last practice days at Taree my money would be on Kirknes too.
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It's all looking good for moderns, now all we have to do is to get classic dirt track back up the totem pole to where it was. For that to happen we need more than just the once a year Charity meeting at Nepean and the Nats. Penrith club's really dropped the ball with the vintage side of things so I wish BWP or St George had the guts to each promote a vintage only meeting during the year.
I can tell you that Northern Districts will be running extremely vintage friendly events this year kicking off with our first meeting on February 23.
The program so far will provide classes separated by disc braked up to 1990 and drum braked machines as this is where the real advantage lies in Dirt Track racing. We will also be offering an Under 45 and Over 45 Masters for each class as well as Modern classes. The aim is to return to a relaxed club day feel which is aimed toward the older rider demographic.
This is a big step for a club that has been largely dormant for many years so please be patient with us. We would appreciate as much support as possible from the Vintage fraternity. I am in the process of putting together the team of officials required to run a club day so if you are able to assist in any way that would also be greatly appreciated.
I will be posting the entry form here in the next couple of days so stay tuned.
And Firko don't be too quick to criticise Penrith. I think you may be pleased with what they have in store for us this year as well ;)
Cheers
Shaun
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It's great we're talking up the Vintage classes because this is a V forum and that's where my heart lays but we also need to provide a nursery for the younger ones coming through.
Somehow we have to find some regular opportunities for them or eventually they'll lose interest and DT will continue to wither.
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I'm Stoked Shaun that Northern Districts are hostings events this year focusing on vintage classes which will no doubt be a success! I amongst many other vintage racers cannot wait till the entry forms come out!!!
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Don't high jack the TBC thread wait till next week,
Check out the photos of the new Forbes Dirttrack under construction
Had Masa, Halbert and Caso in the shop
Troy and Mr Squiggle on the phone
Things are getting interesting,
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Fair point Graeme.
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I've just split this topic off from the TBC thread...
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What we do need tho is some recognition from the magazines. I've had a couple of emails with Andy Wigan from Transmoto and his complaint is that the promoters do little to push the sport. With the exception of Troy of course.
It maybe a bit of a cop out ? they have to run with the most popular selling product "Modern MX" ?
Thought they have some top Classic MX articles in the Transmoto ie Goofs 500.
Who are the promoter's in our/your sport ?
Some of us need to know the grass roots and what we/you are dealing with in this discipline, I know we don't have it here in WA, but others may need to have the knowledge to help you out at CDT.
cheers :)
ps Prize Money~riders love it :P With this renewed interest in dirt track and the growing popularity of the 450's we might well see the King of Nepean back up at the jewel in the dirt track crown.
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US Flattrack had / has the same problem
Mike Kidd a former champ started down the road of getting rid of Framer 450s
Not because he didn't like them
But because he knew Distributor support would only be based on production bikes.
I have had way too many conversations with people that matter on getting Flattrack going
I believe dollars will be in the twins, based around the Cruiser Tourer market
Once again thanks to Troy Bayliss for giving back to the sport that started his career
Cross your fingers and all your toes that Casey comes back as well,
Then we will be well on our way
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Firko as Shaun said don`t write off Penrith and I know the commitment Shaun has because North's had this planed last year.
But if this the year it really takes off in vintage we have to support it.
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Graeme's right, the framer is unfortunately a thing of the past if we want dirt track to grow into the twenty first century. The key to the future of dirt track is the involvement of the big factories and the mega dollar sponsor network. To get them involved the race bikes must be identifiable as similar to what Billy in the stands rides with his mates on the weekend. If the flat track framer of the past (and the speedway slider for that matter) remain as the race vehicle of the masses we won't see the big five involvement. Imagine a field of 450's from every major manufacturer as well as BMW, Gas Gas, Aprilia and the other Euros....all bikes easily adapted from existing motocross, enduro or dual sport models and that's just the 250's and 450's. The 650 twin cylinder road market is also extremely popular and offers up a lot of different variations on the 650/750 twin. With Triumph, Ducati, Norton as well as the Japanese and Korean products available to be modified into racers, the big classes offer even more scope for corporate involvement and compared to todays XR750 Harley or similar big dollar framer, offer a reasonably cheap entry into the sport. As the old song goes...The future's so bright I've gotta wear shades".
My whole reason for being involved in vintage motocross and dirt track revolves around my love of custom race framed bikes but I'm realist enough to see the factory framed bike as the future. The framer will however now become the basis of the ever growing vintage/nostalgia/classic (call it what you will) movement and will hopefully run in cahoots with the modern scene.
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Modern Multicylinders
Vintage Twins
Big Singles
Vintage Singles
Pro 450s
Pro 250s
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Isn`t this getting away from Joe Average banging a Trials tyre on and going for a spin????
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Hey Snowball stick with us mate.
If I have anything to do with it there will always be a class for you and your ilk ;D ;D ;D
Cheers
Shaun
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Modern Multicylinders
Vintage Twins
Big Singles
Vintage Singles
Pro 450s
Pro 250s
Where's the choppers? Ha ha!
Interesting how we seem to be wanting to attract the industry mass manufacturers but there is really only 2 classes on the list of 6 above, whereas you could run framers in all 6.
Just saying.
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Isn`t this getting away from Joe Average banging a Trials tyre on and going for a spin????
Joe Average is already catered for,
If 5,000 turn out for the Troy Bayliss then it shows there is interest in the sport
But promotors have to get it right
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Modern Multicylinders
Vintage Twins
Big Singles
Vintage Singles
Pro 450s
Pro 250s
Given there aren't many 'promoters' for dirt track, would there be enough events to make it worthwhile building a bike for some of these classes?
Perhaps a national series might fly and make it viable, but then you'd need at least half a dozen clubs willing to carry a round.
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Modern Multicylinders
Vintage Twins
Big Singles
Vintage Singles
Pro 450s
Pro 250s
I can appreciate the 6 classes you have listed and its simplicity but for CDT it's important to cater for appropriate classes to keep the respective punters coming and racing against similar aged/capacity machines if the numbers are there.......after all, it is CDT.
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Vintage dirt track is in need of a bit of a tune up. In a nutshell the racers just aren't turning up in the numbers they were only a decade ago. The saddest part of that scenario is the demise in slider entries across the board so let's first look at that "problem". A decade ago we could expect full fields of two valve sliders in two distinct age groups with a total entry of over 20 bikes at some meetings but unfortunately today we can hardly raise a half grid of combined 2 and 4 valve upright sliders. Part of the problem is the same one that hit pre 75 motocross numbers a few years ago, an aging rider population, but where Pre 75 class VMX has had a resurgence because of the older bikes being taken up by younger riders, it's a bit more complicated with sliders because of their uniqueness and a younger rider population that doesn't relate to them. The era of the upright engine slider was roughly from the mid sixties to the mid eighties so a racer who rode in the sixties would today be in his seventies or eighties and a rider who rode in the `1980's would be in at least his mid fifties so it's hard to expect anyone but the fittest and most enthusiastic racer from that 65-85 era to be willing to throw a leg over a slider today. It's also hard to envision someone who has never ridden a slider to all of a sudden want to buy and race one. I'm in my mid sixties, love sliders and have access to ride one any time I want (thanks Jonesy :)) but the thought or racing one terrifies me, let alone needing the fitness to hold onto one at speed. Being such specialised race tackle it's a very big ask to expect a young bloke (in his forties) to jump off the comfort zone of his chook chaser motocross based bike to ride something as alien as a primitive, spindly 60hp slider. Unfortunately the ambition to ride a Hagon Jawa or a Godden isn't a part of the younger generation vintage racers vision of dirt track fun. So, the big question here is? how do we get the slider back into the vintage racing fold? Australian dirt track (short circuit) was built around the home made special which evolved into the slider, so for classic dirt track to truly reflect our sports history we need sliders out of sheds and mancaves and back on the track. Any ideas on how we can do that?
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The answer is to buy a project slider and have a go! I've got one under construction (250cc) which will be ready for this season (hopefully to challenge Jim's antig bully) and have never ridden one on the track. I know quite a few guys who are on the sitting on the fence when it comes to sliders and if a project slider came up for sale would probably jump at the chance! Lets bring back the slider!.....I'm doing my bit, now we only need another 100 odd riders from each state!
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i still have a chromo frame spare for anyone who wants to build a slider based around a JAwa front diamond and I can supply a new rear arm. you just need to plate the engine and find some standard slider forks. Just saying if that's why there still on the fence.....
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Will the frame take a period 2 stroke? Would there be much fabrication needed?
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An Evolution Harley class might generate some interest. ;D
Open face lid, leather vest and Johny Rebbs. ;)
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Inc ape hangers. :o
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An Evolution Harley class might generate some interest. ;D
Open face lid, leather vest and Johny Rebbs. ;)
I have a Mule to take a Sporty
Will post photos
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yes i would agree
2013 north brisbane cup
most paying punters through the gate ever in our history
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Would it be possible for a series to be run piggy backing off existing events? i.e. North Brisbane Cup, TBC, King of Nepean, Canberra & national titles?
Wouldn't want to step on anyone's toes and steal their limelight but maybe a starter to a national title series?
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Isn`t this getting away from Joe Average banging a Trials tyre on and going for a spin????
I would have thought that's what the local clubs cater for. When a list of classes are touted I would have thought that would be regarding a higher end state/national series or one off extravaganza?
Cheers,
Steve
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i still have a chromo frame spare for anyone who wants to build a slider based around a JAwa front diamond and I can supply a new rear arm. you just need to plate the engine and find some standard slider forks. Just saying if that's why there still on the fence.....
When you look at 'brand loyalty' as part of the picture I am inclined to think that a large sector of the spectator lot like to see 'a bike just like mine' out in front.
However when you look at big events like prod. car racing whats on the track only LOOKS like "my car" but we all know it aint nuthin' like "his car"
What I would like to see emerge is a move towards dirt track specials incorporating modern Yamaha-Honda etc 450s in special frames.
These are more likely to catch the attention of joe blow who owns a trail bike, not some Jawa, Godden or such in a special frame .
I saw last year at Nepean a young fellow riding a modern Honda? with the frame lowered, shortened trail and rake etc looking very impressive. How about we see some more of these in the modern classes!
cheers pancho