VMX HAS IT REACHED ITS PEAK ?????

[BEARVMX]

Gidday I'm not here to stir the pot, I'm just putting the feelers out - wondering why we aren't getting the numbers out there at the meetings like we used to. This is my 17th year racing vmx in Victoria.  What do we need to get the numbers up or has vmx reached a level that only guys want to ride and not race their bikes?  or is it financial, Please give me some suggestions that will get people interested again in racing or is it just the bloody weather! I'm hoping for the sake of Viper in 2012 we can get people attending races again, thanks  Bear.

[oldyzman]

I think its purely financial...
Brett

[Nathan S]

Yes, I think it has - at least for the forseeable future.

That's not to say that the sport/clubs aren't viable, just that it has peaked.

There's a million reasons why, but some of the bigger ones:

1. Too much bickering. I'm not talking about CO2 tax threads on OzVMX (they don't help, but anyone who doesn't attend race meets because of that, has a problem), I'm talking about the eternal "Pre-90 isn't VMX/Yes it is", and club politics type of shit. We really just want to get out and rip up some dirt on our bikes - and the other crap makes it a drag.

2. The rise of internet communication, Vinduros and events like Classic Dirt and HBBB. Its so much easier to get your old bike 'fix' without going to races now.

3. The lack of promotion. ADB really pushed the VMX barrow hard in the early days. ADB and DA both kept it on the radar into the mid~late 1990s, but now we're damn near invisible in the mainstream.

4. The general trend for people to want shiny things. Virtually everyone who's on the edges seems obsessed with having a perfect bike to start racing - and then a VMX bike costs as much as a good modern, so they just go and buy the modern instead. This is society wide, and definitely not the fault of the VMX world. Add in a crappy economic climate and a lot of people being nervous about money, and there's lots of people choosing to wash their Falcoadore instead of spending $8k+ on a particularly indulgent toy.

There's many more, but that's my top four.
Buggered if I know what to do about #1 and #4.
#2 isn't really a problem, because there's probably more people in 'the scene', even if they're not VMXing.
#3 is something we could do better, but its hard to make a real difference - particularly as the magazine market is now so flooded and so 'trailbike' oriented.

[popeye]

Well said Nathan, and l pretty much agree, spot on........

[Kane Mcguire]

"getting your old bike fix" at classic dirt is ok, but no where near as good as a race meeting.

[maicoman]

I think as the bikes get older so do the riders. I spoke to some VMXer's at a recent vinduro and they tell me that moto-X is getting tough on the body. They would prefer to ride vinduro's as the atmosphere is more laid back and non competetive. The running costs are also alot cheaper.

[Nathan S]

Kenny, for some of us, yes. But I am seeing more and more guys who aren't so interested in racing. I wonder if they were reluctant racers, who were happy to be involved when racing was the only choice?

[Marc.com]

"getting your old bike fix" at classic dirt is ok, but no where near as good as a race meeting.

The numbers at non competition events tend to speak for themselves, you always get a lot more numbers at a meeting if you throw in a non competitive class that doesn't need a comp license. The racing part actually probably does more to put people off as it comes with the whole politics and eligibility snits and cost.

But modern MX is also not doing so well, the cost of competing and entry fees went nuts .... now the amateurs are paying stupid money to ride a series to lure the 'pros' to the events/ young friend of mine was looking at $2500 in entry fees alone to ride a series in NZ. You may as well just pay your council rates and stay home with a carton.

[TM BILL]

I think Nathan has summed it up very well , the reluctant racer is somthing i had never considered but it makes sense .

Quote Marc FX

The numbers at non competition events tend to speak for themselves, you always get a lot more numbers at a meeting if you throw in a non competitive class that doesn't need a comp license. The racing part actually probably does more to put people off as it comes with the whole politics and eligibility snits and cost.

Im not convinced that the racing part puts people off though , just attracts a different crowd . The eligibility deal would only put those off who want to play out side the rules . Without those eligibilty rules the whole thing would soon become a major clusterfork and drive more people away.

Many reasons why its currently in the doldrums , but if i had to pick one finance would be the major factor IMHO.

Quote Marc FX

But modern MX is also not doing so well, the cost of competing and entry fees went nuts .... now the amateurs are paying stupid money to ride a series to lure the 'pros' to the events/ young friend of mine was looking at $2500 in entry fees alone to ride a series in NZ. You may as well just pay your council rates and stay home with a carton.

Your dead right there Marc , the cost of modern in NZ is BS .  That series your refering to is the NZ titles , I think im correct in saying that if you won your class aside from the title you took home approx 20% of your entry fee in prize money .

MNZ is apparantly a non profit organisation , and those running the show do all they can to squander what comes in to keep it that way .

I think they model themselves on the NZ govenment , and try to bullshit themselves they are a big player . Bleed the licence holders dry and spend it all on bullshit admin and hospitality for the boys .

[Mike52]

There is another thing that hasn't been mentioned.
I have been to a couple of organized trail rides recently and at the first there were 1500 riders.
How many pre 1990 bikes ?
One   [Me on my 86 KTM]
At the second ride there were 1000 riders.
How many pre 1990 bikes ?
One   [ Me on my 86 KTM ]
At the third ride there were 500 riders.
How many pre 1990 bikes?
Three  
Me and my mate on our 86/WR's and a guy on a KDX.
All these rides are no rego so that is not a factor.
There is some new blood coming into the older bike scene but most of us are getting on and are living fond memories.
Pretty much a closed market I rekon.
Also these old bikes are for collecting and not riding [ not as good as a modern ] [ sarcasm]

[Graeme M]

I think it's been easy to forget that as Walter notes, VMX is not just about racing, it's also about collecting/restoring/showing old bikes and memorobilia. I had just as much fun building up my collection of old dirtbike mags and reading them and reminiscing as I do racing. With the guys who rode/raced in the 60s/70s now into their 50s and 60s, the racing side has to become less viable. Simply because most bloke are not fit or healthy enough to race even semi-seriously once they get up there in age.

I seem to recall that Ray Ryan reckoned most buyers of VMX Magazine weren't racers, so he tended to cover a lot of the other side through articles about restos and the history of the sport. I see the same mix today.

The truth is, VMX is NOT just racing, and I think you'll find there are a Helluva lot of guys still just digging the scene but choosing not to race. The continued growth of Classic Dirt would seem to confirm that view, I think. That was what the Ning version of this site is meant to do - provide a place for people to post photos and videos and stuff and create special interest groups to discuss the less serious side of things.

[Marc.com]

I think it's been easy to forget that as Walter notes, VMX is not just about racing, it's also about collecting/restoring/showing old bikes and memorobilia. I had just as much fun building up my collection of old dirtbike mags and reading them and reminiscing as I do racing.

Classic road racing has responded to the interest in collecting and restoring, with 'parading' being just as much part of the scene now in some countries as the actual racing. What you are talking about is a few non competition laps but what it has done has encouraged the owners of bikes that rare or mint to drag them out for a few gentle laps where they won't do too much damage.

[firko]

There are relevent points made by all above me, the most important being that when racing was the only game in town we had a captive audience but now that the Classic Dirt/Bonanza culture has become a major part of our scene along with Vinduros, the simpler option becomes the more popular.

For every 100 entries at a race meeting there's probably only 10 with a chance of winning by talent alone. The other 90% are there for the cameraderie and opportunity to ride the bikes that are such a part of their DNA. Racing's one thing but riding's the more dominant factor of their involvement so in many cases they'd rather take the non competitive, fun (and cheaper)option than fork out hard earned dosh on entries, insurance, licence and all of the other little cash grabs that go hand in hand with racing.

Another aspect that bothers me is that I believe there are just plain too many race meetings. If you factor Classic Dirt, HBBB, both motocross Nats, the DT Nats and emerging marquee meets like Mr VMX, It doesn't leave a lot of space for multi round club championships. HEAVEN presented nine rounds this year and VIPER had seven which when added to the big events doesn't leave a lot of downtime during the year. Is it any wonder that both clubs have reported a downturn in entries?

As we've been depressingly informed elsewhere on this forum, times are a bit tough right now. To be expected to travel to bike events up to and over a dozen times a year is taxing on wallet, family comittments and even on our beloved bikes. I'm loathe to suggest to either VIPER or HEAVEN that they need to cull the number of meetings but I think that both club series', especially HEAVEN would be more vibrant and easy to manage if a few rounds got the chop. Back when I had an input into the then only NSW Vintage club, Penrith's activities we ran four motocross and four dirt track rounds and it was more than enough. Remember that with the exception of the Nats and Condo Greybeards in June (which incidentally was absorbed two (DT & MX) of Penriths series rounds, the Penrith meetings were the only show in town. Today there's too many options for the VMX enthusiast. Cut it back to four rounds, promote two of them as marquee, must do meetings (for HEAVEN perhaps....CRC and Canowindra as the biggies and a couple more spread out throughout the season).

In a nutshell, the sport hasn't reached it's peak by a long way, it's just a little more diverse and scattered.

[Tex]

In a nutshell, the sport hasn't reached it's peak by a long way, it's just a little more diverse and scattered.

That's right - as we can see from the diverse opinions on this forum, one man's peak is another man's trough!

What do we need to get the numbers up or has vmx reached a level that only guys want to ride and not race their bikes?  or is it financial, Please give me some suggestions that will get people interested again in racing or is it just the bloody weather! I'm hoping for the sake of Viper in 2012 we can get people attending races again

It'd be hard to pin down an exact reason for declining numbers at some events, as it varies from person to person. I started doing VIPER in 2002 but this year I made a conscious decision to drop it completely. The main reasons being time and money. I'll hopefully be back for at least a few rounds next year. 

Tex

[worms]

VMX is like sex, the more you get the more you want

worms