So, how popular is Vintage RACING in 2010?

[Graeme M]

Just testing the waters a bit here. I was reading the VIPER thread and noted the small turnout - just 41 riders. Also last weekend HEAVEN in Canberra seemed smaller than I remember. The Pre 78s were small fields, I reckon the Pre 75s weren't that flash and just a handful of four-strokes. And in May I ventured north for a QVMX round at one of their best tracks and reckon that they were lucky to have 40-50 riders there too.

What can others say about their events? Are the numbers coming down? Is racing going off the boil a bit?

Now, Classic Dirt was huge, and the HBBB seemed to go off OK. But do we now have too many events (east coast of course, can't speak for West Aussie)? Or are people losing interest in the racing side of things? Or am I off track with my observations?

[Rossvickicampbell]

Graeme - one persepctive from over West - it appears theere has been an overall changing of who turns up at pre 75 but numbers are still similar (ie out with the old and in with the new). - 50-70 riders are good "normal" meets and our big ones always pull large numbers - 100-120 riders.  So still strong over here.  pre 85 is still taking off - getting around 20 riders or so to "invitation" meets.

Rossco

[Curly3]

Part of it could be that slowly the eligible bikes have been retired along with their riders, hence an increasing lack of available bikes.
Maybe when we decide to hang up the helmet for a second time we have a responsibility to either put someone else on them or sell them on, selling will be bloody difficult.

[frostype400]

I don't know about selling your bike after you can still be involved on the day I haven't been to a vmx event yet which I would have liked to go I didn't want to ride my PE it isn't a vmx bike now that I have my tm400 when I get it finished I will be going to as many as possible but maybe there are a large amount of collectors nowadays too my mate has over 30 bikes he doesn't go to events either so if some guys like that have a blow out sale maybe a few more may get on the track but he has worked hard and it is his right to own as many bikes as he likes and do what he wants with them.

[oldfart]

Frosty, you would have to the hoarder of all Pe 400     There is nothing wrong with taking your Pe 400 out to VMX meets... I did it for 2 years, some one has to keep the back of the pack honest  

[Graeme M]

And that's sort of my point. The rate of registrations on OzVMX, both forum and site, continues to rise. Classic Dirt is big. There are LOTS of super well resto'd bikes around. Vintage dirtbikes are popular. But how popular is vintage dirtbike RACING?

I think the big events are still going off just fine - the Nats and so on. Just look at the biggies OS as well.

But what about the club level stuff? How have the numbers been for events like say the BMCC club series, or HEAVEN, or the VCM series? I don't know - I am just wondering out loud. Any thoughts?

[oldfart]

Graeme,   I rode this weekend with QVMX and It was nice to see new faces amongst the old guard. So what this tells me some fade away ...either taking a break as we have had a busy year with a round 13 meets to choose from and VMx s still alive in QLd .  

[frostype400]

I know mate and when I get that shed in October then there will be some PE's that is for sure it is a controlled problem of mine that I can't get to many 400's when you want to sell your 400 lot ring me.

I think that you have to be on a mx bike to go to an mx event though you can't blame some one for having a hoard either plenty of bikes still pop up for sale.

I'd say collecting and restoring bikes is bigger than racing by a lot.

[E74]

We need to pull our heads out of the sand and let the pre 90's in, the impression I get from experienced racers from say the early to mid nineties is that Vintage Bikes are old "Back Breakers" and "Bone benders" etc,

 If we were to consolidate and let the natural progression of riders in that want to race "What I rode when I was a  young fella" we would have a lot more riders on the track.

If you own a 76 model RM like you did "Back in the Day" age has probably caught up with you (You are probably in your 50's +) and therefore you are more likely to restore your bike and just look at it, or show it rather than taking it racing.

We need to look forward on this one instead of being stuck back in the 70's

[frostype400]

I dont know about that I still grew up around old bikes but the style and look alone of 70's and 80's vehicles is very appealing the cars of the 70's were the best and the bikes of 70's and 80's no bike looked the same but what kids are going to get interested in vintage bikes when they seem second class to the bikes these days maybe kids with dads that race but anyone else probably not.

[E74]

We are talking about "Bums on Seats" here, nothing to do with how anything looks, the main incentive to go buy, restore and race an old MX'er is because you bought one new back in the day,

it's why I do it and why most every one here does too, and by excluding pre '90's we are excluding an age group that are more willing and capable of going Vintage Racing",

So put it this way, a 40 year old guy that was racing back when he was 19 was most likely racing a..............................1989 model   

[matcho mick]

you'll find it's just a timing thing,(the planets didn't align  ),heavens previous meeting at the lakes went off bigtime,no lack of numbers in any class there,next was Nepeans pre 75 weekend,again good numbers ,next weekend i buggered off to Phillip Island national r/races,no way i could do Heaven round at Fairburn park last weekend coz this coming weekends Dirt Track nats at Griffith,then we go to Heavens grass track at Canowindra oct long weekend,then i'm back to Broadford for Sthern classic (tar),you want numbers??,crunch that fugging lot  ,
pre 90 yeah right

[Turtle.Inc]

you'll find it's just a timing thing,(the planets didn't align  ),heavens previous meeting at the lakes went off bigtime,no lack of numbers in any class there,next was Nepeans pre 75 weekend,again good numbers ,next weekend i buggered off to Phillip Island national r/races,no way i could do Heaven round at Fairburn park last weekend coz this coming weekends Dirt Track nats at Griffith,then we go to Heavens grass track at Canowindra oct long weekend,then i'm back to Broadford for Sthern classic (tar),you want numbers??,crunch that fugging lot  ,
pre 90 yeah right

you crack me up dude 

[frostype400]

I don't disagree with your pre90 but I don't veiw them as vintage bikes and what is the point if you had stacks in pre90 but no one on earlier classes you introduce a new class and maybe you get a heap of riders in that perticular class but not the ones that are already there.

[SAABCOMBI]

so why do think l find and sell bikes, so this vmx movement can grow, every race meeting in victoria are averaging between 45 to 80 riders, years ago it was up to 100 to 150 rides at meetings, l see that VCM AND CSC have a vintage meeting on the same weekend , 19th september Mirbo North and Gellibrand, know how dumb is that THAT IS DUMB AND DUMBER.
We need to go back to a victorian series round. so both clubs are together.