Retro MX - Pre 1995 Race Class

[PBMGold]

Like all amateur sporting clubs, gaining increased membership and participation is a necessary evil to ward off a natural death. The VMX Sport is reasonably healthy but there is a definite correlation between the age of riders and the classes available. We all have a biased interest on the era when we were most fertile and least concerned about mundane life - money and injuries. For me that is the late 70's and 80's.

There probably is, however, a group of riders who long for the days when MX bikes had upside down forks, watercooling, disc brakes, bilious colour schemes and oil had to be mixed with fuel and a rebuild was simple and cheap. They are probably around 40 years old, have cleared the mortgage, are thinking about racing off their young secretary but if they got roped into racing Retro MX Bikes the local divorce lawyers wouldn't get a large slice of their financial settlement and all of their excess testosterone would be spent at the track.

It really is our duty as brother and sister MXers to save them from this ignominy and extend a welcoming hand to them. It aint gonna hurt for club financials and possibly provide extra hands with strong backs at working bees.

With this in mind, would there be any interest for a couple of races at a certain South East Queensland VMX track around the middle part of the year where some unofficial trophies could be presented in amongst some other much larger trophies. A bit like a 'Take No Prisoners' demonstration race.

Of course should 20 or so young chaps happen to express an interest they would have to promise not to cut up the track for us old blokes and be considerate and not too competitive when practising when us 'slopokes' are out.

[Ted]

There already is a Pre 95 class in SEQld. Its called QVMX

[bigk]

VIPER run pre'95 in Victoria, first run last season (2015). Low numbers to begin with but by the end of the season the class became one of the most contested. It's not VMX to me, but it obviously is to others. I have no issues with it, as adding the class has not affected me one bit & it has brought some new members & enthusiasm to the club. I believe it will be even better this season with a lot of guys building bikes for the class.
K

[popeye]

I'm in the QVMX Club and we are the same as the Heaven Club we started Pre 95 last year, it grew really quick and is now one of the biggest eras, also some of the newer bike riders have gone and got older bikes to ride as well to get more ride time, I'm a Pre 85-90-95 rider as I didn't race when I was young the parents just could not afford it, natural progression..

[Nathan S]

Like all amateur sporting clubs, gaining increased membership and participation is a necessary evil to ward off a natural death. The VMX Sport is reasonably healthy but there is a definite correlation between the age of riders and the classes available. We all have a biased interest on the era when we were most fertile and least concerned about mundane life - money and injuries. For me that is the late 70's and 80's.

There probably is, however, a group of riders who long for the days when MX bikes had upside down forks, watercooling, disc brakes, bilious colour schemes and oil had to be mixed with fuel and a rebuild was simple and cheap. They are probably around 40 years old, have cleared the mortgage, are thinking about racing off their young secretary but if they got roped into racing Retro MX Bikes the local divorce lawyers wouldn't get a large slice of their financial settlement and all of their excess testosterone would be spent at the track.

It really is our duty as brother and sister MXers to save them from this ignominy and extend a welcoming hand to them. It aint gonna hurt for club financials and possibly provide extra hands with strong backs at working bees.

With this in mind, would there be any interest for a couple of races at a certain South East Queensland VMX track around the middle part of the year where some unofficial trophies could be presented in amongst some other much larger trophies. A bit like a 'Take No Prisoners' demonstration race.

Of course should 20 or so young chaps happen to express an interest they would have to promise not to cut up the track for us old blokes and be considerate and not too competitive when practising when us 'slopokes' are out.

Your logic is sound (well, except the "mortgage is cleared" - I f'nen wish!). Pre-95 is the future, and should be the present.

[KTM47]

So this has come up again.

First thing lets gets facts straight.  QVMX did run Pre 95 last year and it is my recollection that while the class appeared to have reasonable numbers for various reasons it was made up of Pre85 and Pre90 bikes.  The real numbers were low.

To those who want it to happen start helping your club and I'm sure it will happen, but just be like a lot of members and make a lot of noise but don't do anything and it will take longer.

This is just my opinion.

Also Pre anything is the year before so Pre95 is 1994 model bikes.

[PBMGold]

Well it just a thought.

I must admit when I raised it, I hadn't realised there had already been much heated and polarising discussion about this.
The truth is, at some point in the future the appreciation of 1960's four strokes scramblers, or the primordial Japanese Motocross bikes will wane along with the health of those that love them. It is inevitable that clubs will start courting these 'Modern' veterans and their owners.

You would hope that a smooth transition can occur so that clubs can balance the speed differentials, the younger riders increased aggression and the issues of track erosion so that clubs can broaden their memberships and remain viable.

My original pondering was, if there was enough riders who own these bikes, who would ride them at an event in Queensland, and would do so independent of any prejudicial political allegiances and accept that the suggestion was just to get the ball rolling for inclusion.

From what KTM47 has to say, it must be disappointing for QVMX to have taken the risk of opening up a class to these later bikes and then discovering that so far the demand is not quite there, but like all things, changes never get embraced immediately. On the other hand from an acorn, a bloody great tree will grow.

Maybe this discussion would be better timed for 2017 or even 2027.

[Nathan S]

All classes take at least a couple of years to grow.
Not many people have race ready bikes sitting in the garage for classes that don't exist yet.

Most people will sit back and watch what happens, before committing to a new class. And then they'll take another year or two to get the bike and restore it.

[HeavenVMX]

I'm in the QVMX Club and we are the same as the Heaven Club we started Pre 95 last year, it grew really quick and is now one of the biggest eras, also some of the newer bike riders have gone and got older bikes to ride as well to get more ride time, I'm a Pre 85-90-95 rider as I didn't race when I was young the parents just could not afford it, natural progression..

Um Heaven VMX does not run Pre95 at this stage. Pre90 was introduced into the Heaven program very successfully last year.

There will be Pre95 at the Inter-state (inter-club) meeting at Port Macquarie on the Oct long weekend

[popeye]

Sorry, Viper club next time l will put my glasses on

[HeavenVMX]

Sorry, Viper club next time l will put my glasses on

No problem 

[NSR]

The Conondale Vinduro Sprint 30th April 1st may will be Pre95. Come and ride and race a vinduro on the same Wend. Try it.       

[James Lee]

I must say the pre 95 class has got my interest,that and the fact I now live just under an hour from the QVMX Bidabadabba track.
Late 80s early 90s were the bikes I grew up watching at the Super X and MX meets,while I like the older bikes I have no connection to them.
I dont think of these bikes being vintage but they dont look modern either So think its a great idea for a new class.
Plus the bikes are cheap too.
Numbers will grow and clubs should embrace the new class.