Pre 75 - Yesterday's Hero?

[Graeme M]

This post covers old ground, but it's prompted by the recent comment in the CRC 2011 thread.  Pre 75 racing in NSW appears to be in the doldrums. From what I can see, it is still pretty popular in WA, Vic and Qld. I could be wrong though, so I'd welcome comment from those states.

I don't actively race with HEAVEN these days, but the few meetings I've been to recently shows me bugger all bikes on the track in those classes. The growth classes are Evo, Pre 85 and now Pre 90. This has to reflect the aging demographic. But I think there's another factor at play. In NSW we have as far as I know one active club for traditional Pre 85 VMX and it's Sydney based. I have no idea if there is any vintage going on elsewhere in the State, which is surprising really. It's a big state.

Now, that one club races regularly at tracks such as Bulahdelah, Canberra, Lakes and Lithgow. Most of those tracks are MX tracks used regularly for modern competition and hence are usually not especially Pre 75 sympathetic. That's not to say they are rubbish tracks or that you can't ride a Pre 75 bike on them, because of course you can.

But.

The VCM in Victoria, WAVMX in WA, and BMCC in Qld all run their races on what look like natural terrain grasstracks or on era sympathetic (read 'gentle') tracks like Nudgee.

Now, I tend to think Pre 75 as an active class is on the way out. The riders of that era are now aged from 55 up, with most in their 60s. I suspect that while some wwould be fit and healthy and happy to run any track at all, most are not. My guess is the average guy in that age bracket, with a Pre 75 bike, would rather race on gentler terrain that is more suitable to his age, fitness, skill level, and bike longevity.

My question is, would Pre 75 regain lost ground if we had more events on suitable tracks? I don't mean a 10 round series, I'm thinking maybe 2 to 3 events a year on natural terrain grasstracks somewhere.

I'm not proposing who does it, or where, or having any sort of shot at any club. I'm simply asking the question. Would NSW vintage riders be more likely to support Pre 75 if there were a couple of events a year on a more suitable track? Or if in addition to the HEAVEN races, there were a couple of non-competitive Pre 75 only 'ride days' on a suitable track?

HEAVEN's Canowindra event stands out to me as an example of the sort of thing I mean - even though it's a bit flat, it's a Hell fun event.

Or... is time passing Pre75 by?

What do you think? Please no sledging personalities or clubs. I am simply wanting to see some discussion about what we think would revitalise Pre 75, or if we think Pre 75 is slowly fading from the scene.

[cheapracer]

Pre '75 always had some limits on available bikes and some of those broke early in the piece such as CR250's as well as the riders age. Some others came out early and realized that the good old times of bikes not starting, breaking down and falling off were better off left in romance. I think it's held up quite well under those considerations.

One huge mistake in my mind was always 4" of travel, it should always have been 5" - that inch does make a massive difference on track and many bikes have to be limited back to the 4" even from standard. This extra inch of course will help to preserve bikes and bodies, is true to the era and in no way threatens the next class up.

When I became interested in getting back into racing in the early 90's the club that was pushing it only wanted to run a local hard pack MX track and I had a business and 3 children to feed so I wasn't interested in being hurt and looked for alternatives, firstly running some races with the Beaudesert club for VMX who only ran in local paddocks for a couple of years before establishing QVMX specifically for over 30's, pre '75 and natural terrain MX.

QVMX's pre '75 success came from "natural terrain" to answer your question and now the 5" rule change should be seriously looked at, I've tried before but there's a few people stuck in the 4" rut and I can't for the life of me understand why.

[lucien]

there is nothing wrong with 4 inches, and having a rough ride ,

[Mick D]

I won't be folding mine in half for anyone.

[Bamford#69]

Hi,
 you had better start a new thread, this could get noisy,
Its the "modern" long travel bikes with 9 or more inches of travel that make the tracks rutted and at the end of the day that makes 4inches seem like not enough,
Iv'e ridden on tracks that are so deeply rutted that the ruts are changing  gears and pulling the  brake pedal on.
what say we start up a new Club for riders over 30 pre 75 bikes and natural terrain only,
oh hang on a minute that sounds familiar, !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[VMX247]

if you did a global  survey , you will find ,around 50%  go for more than 4"

  good one Walter. 

yes and they are pre75 secrets which if I told you I'd have to shoot you. 
So no comment of how to run and keep a pre75 club active with a good solid foundation and happy membership
cheers A

[Marc.com]

I think natural terrain motorcross was completely part of the pre 75 experience, you just staked a track out in some farmers paddock and rode .... so having to run pre 75 on modern MX tracks and all the rest of the hoo hah just makes it seem not like it was in 74.....

[TeeBone]

The VCM, Classic Scramble Club in Victoria, WAVMX in WA, and BMCC in Qld all run their races on what look like natural terrain grasstracks

[VMX247]

+1 = 3 on Natural Terrain

[bishboy]

Although I know nothing about the pre 75 class or many other classes for that matter    Coming from a recent road racing background, it seems to be a similar situation to historic road racing. 

In Qld there is a distinct lack of Post Classic (Period 4 1963-72) and Forgotten Era (Period 5 73-82) and even the recently approved New Era (Period 6 83-90).  The most popular historic class is what is called Post Modern (90-95) which is not a formal class (as its not in the GCR) but clubs can run this class at their discretion, similar to the Pre 90 situation.

I believe NSW & Vic has a much more popular historic racing scene, probably due to the higher number of clubs and tracks that cater for them, but they a much occupied with navel gazing and discussing whether the $2 widget on someone's bike is compliant with the GCR.......

Not really relevant to VMX but just for a comparison (and to start getting my post numbers up  )

[Mick D]

Not really relevant to VMX but just for a comparison (and to start getting my post numbers up  )

  works well for most of us hey just talk shit and your numbers go up

hell, before you know it you could become a legend like the rest of us

Mind you, you'll have to talk a lot of shit to pull in front of some of the highest offenders  

[VMX247]

or bishboy, staying on long enough and not deleting your ozvmx forum account 
might be a prize for the most tolerant either/or persistantly painful   
cheers A

[VMX247]

I think the record stands at 6250

and more if you have multie personalities 

[cheapracer]

there is nothing wrong with 4 inches, and having a rough ride ,

I haven't seen any VMX in China.

[supersenior 50]

Interesting thread,and topical.
Most successfull club is WAVMX who have stuck to their Pre75 principal.A Pre85 club is gaining interest in WA and I think this is the way to preserve both eras. Cross membership & co-operation ensures the interests of both are served.
Qvmx has drifted heavily towards the later bikes, and Brisbane is quite healthy in Pre75. Club days pull nearly a full grid of Pre65-Pre70 bikes.
My observation is that at recent Nationals, Pre75 is still the biggest class. The negative trend for the older [Pre60-65& 70] bikes and older riders is combining age groups and classes as the programns have become unmanageable with the addition of newer classes.
The proposed split at Pre78 as "Classic" and Evolution, Pre85 & Pre90 as "PostClassic" should solve issues for both eras. While this is applicable only for Nationals, promotors could apply it to other bigger events as Graeme has suggested.
I think preserving the age groups in Pre75 would keep the era going, and the introduction of age groups as proposed for Evolution should keep a few more riding in that class. MA is now recognising the over 70 Supersenior group.