Summer or Winter

[2 shocks]

Just putting it out there for your thoughts. Entries at Viper have been a bit low of late, Victoria has gone back to the old days of Winter we use to have, cold and wet, do you think this is having an adverse effect on numbers, would a summer series be an advantage, as we are all getting older and dont handle the cold as we use to.

Mr Maico #54

[HL400]

I would love a summer series, we had one back in the late 70's and is was fun, but dust was a bit of a problem.
but I am a bit of a sook, I hate being wet and cold.

HL

[Viper79]

Summer... You can always add water to a track to condition it. You can't take the water out of a track in winter...

[pmc57]

In Queensland I aways say summer for surfing, winter for bike riding

[SUZUKI311]

It doesnt worry me personally wet or dry ( actually i love the mud..), the only issue i have had of late is the distance to travel to the Viper rounds. I absolutely love Blue rock, Yanakie etc, but from where i live the distance to the tracks is the problem between work and family commitments this year. Then to travel further to Yarram was just not going to happen. i realise the issue with getting clubs to run races etc, but sometimes you just cant do it, especially when funds are a bit tight. To add insult to injury the one round which is only 20 mins from me i am unavailable that weekend, goddam it.

[gdr]

bring on a summer series.after monza the damage bill was huge

[bigk]

To coin a phrase, " you can stick the f#$cking mud up your f$%cking arse"! I am a big, fat, old, bald sook and am totally over riding in mud. If it's raining on the Sunday morning of the Castlemaine VIPER event, I ain't even driving the 20 minutes it will take to get there! Riding in thick slippery mud is work, and I ride for fun, I get enough work during the week. It's been bad weather wise this season and as Spock has already stated, to drive 4+ hours to ride in shite is pox, not that you can do anything about the weather. Then there's the week long clean up, I'm over that too! The weather is just one of a few reasons for the slump in Viper numbers, and even it can be sought of fixed by changing the season of the events. A few years ago Viper had a practise day at Ravenswood at the end of February. It was a 35 degree day, the track was watered and everyone had a ball. It can be done but is labor intensive for the hosting clubs and will take some serious organisation and co-ordination by anyone trying to make it happen. I have become a fair weather rider and much prefer going trail riding than racing old bikes in mud. Bring on a spring/summer series.
K

[BEARVMX]

Here we go, i must voice my opinon on this subject, check out the amount of rain we have had lately. God thank you for trashing yet another vmx season, but thanks for the big down pour, as we do need the water, our dams are now at a record high, even eildon has a huge amount in it, all good but im about to open a big can of worms here: i hate the wet weather vmx scene. I, much like others, would rather ride in the dry as my bikes have taken a serious hammering this year. vmx is about fun and showing off your pride and joy, hard work and just riding around enjoying the memories of the past. My proposal is - why not ride in the warmer months, yet preserving our investments. Please let me know if you would rather ride or race in the warmer part of the year. thanks Bear

[steve7406]

Summer for me the muds to taxing on both rider and bike

[frank jnr]

For what my opinion is worth I agree with Bigk and Bear. Spring/Summer or Summer/Autumn. Definitly practice days and also Fun, fun, fun. VMX racing for me is, have fun with your mates, show off your old pride and joy and not race for sheep stations. Nothing wrong with twisting the throttle and having a dice, but leave the serious race face at home or go race moderns. Cheers

[Graeme M]

Yep, summer for me, or at least dry weather. I don't mind riding in the mud, but frankly after 35 years of riding dirtbikes I am sick of cleaning them. Plus it does wreck them doesn't it? The recent CD8 mud stuffed my beautifully polished tank and I had to replace the chain and sprocket as well. Yeah, that's being a sook, but what can I say? I'd rather have fun on a nice dry track. In the past few years I've seen more meetings cancelled due to torrential rains than I'd ever have thought possible, while half the others that actually went ahead were as wet as.

[fatboyracing]

Great topic,
Down here in good old Tassie we havent raced for 3months due to the shitty weather and track conditions.we have a great track with an or-some watering system why not race when it is fun when the track is hard and fast.Adding water is the easy part, I think i will suggest this for our club this year

Cheers
fatboy

[Doc]

In Queensland I aways say summer for surfing, winter for bike riding

Pete, please expand..what is surfing

[Brian Watson]

All you guys should shift over to WA ..no problems with mud here.....we are always watering the track ...even in July/ August....

[Scunge]

My ten cents worth is either: Spring/Summer or Summer/Autumn

Again, some ride/practise days would be good.

This, true (so the locals tell me), Melbourne winter has been a massive pisser!