When is classic dirt

[odd1]

Apology excepted Bret your welcome to have a beer with us at CD 10
Regards Steve

[STW996]

Ok steve and your 6 other mates that i have offended and everyone else who may be lookin in on this.
Sorry for being inappreciative.
I would like like to remove my previous posts, but that would be week as piss also
Cheers Brett

Hang on Brett don't be so fast to retract some of what you said. I like all other rides appreciate all the volunteers that give of there time to all meetings. But keep in mind this is a for profit event not put on by the Manly club but the VMX magazine and by giving feedback it will be the only way things will be improved.

I for one question the need for wooden pegs as while being passed by one of the new Suzuki (450's) I was pushed off line (cut down on) and run clear over one off these and put a dent as large as my hand in the front of my GMC pipe (and that is hard to do on one off these), what would have happened if some one fell on one of these???. The QVMX in Queensland use purpose made blue plastic marks (and used to use PVC conduit prior to this which would be as low cost as the timber).
As for the track it was purpose made I am sure to keep the speed down but on a big bore bike lacked a little bit on imagination for sure. I know the event is more for the show case of the vintage movement but as one of the main draw cards is the riding this should not have to take a backwould step on what we have had in previous years.

[XC83]

  Hang on Brett don't be so fast to retract some of what you said. I like all other rides appreciate all the volunteers that give of there time to all meetings. But keep in mind this is a for profit event not put on by the Manly club but the VMX magazine and by giving feedback it will be the only way thinks will be improved.

I for one question the need for wooden pegs as while being passed by one of the new Suzuki (450's) I was pushed off line (cut down on) and run clear over one off these and put a dent as large as my hand in the front of my GMC pipe (and that is hard to do on one off these), what would have happened if some one fell on one of these???. The QVMX in Queensland use purpose made blue plastic marks (and used to use PVC conduit prior to this which would be as low cost as the timber).
As for the track it was purpose made I am sure to keep the speed down but on a big bore bike lacked a little bit on imagination for sure. I know the event is more for the show case of the vintage movement but as one of the main draw cards is the riding this should not have to take a backwould step on what we have had in previous years.
[/quote]

So what do the purpose built blue plastic track markers look like? Where do you get them from?

Conduit may not be strong enough to support bunting (even tied at the base) from the effects of wind. And if it is secured in the ground that tightly, it surely would pose a greater potential for harm?

I saw some big bores hooting around that track at warp speed, maybe you were one of them.

Surely all the CD's can't be at Connondale?

[STW996]

XC 83, if you send a PM to Robo 47 who is forum member. He is on the commitee with the QVMX and could answer this.

When we used the conduit it was around 750 high out of the ground and worked fine But as you say wind may be an issue but a lot less than fall on a timber peg!

I did not at any time speak of Conondale (yes it is a bench mark like it or not), but the first and one of the best I went to was Broadford as a purpose built track.

Shane

[John Orchard]

Ok steve and your 6 other mates that i have offended and everyone else who may be lookin in on this.
Sorry for being inappreciative.
I would like like to remove my previous posts, but that would be week as piss also
Cheers Brett

Hey Brett I think it should be ok for riders to speak-up and voice matters that they didn't like, no one is denying the great job that hard working volunteers do but it dosen't hurt for everyone, volunteers included, to hear everyones opinions & ideas.  I do a lot of volunteer work in motorcycle sport and I welcome feedback.

With regards to marking out a track, I was thinking about lining a track with a white line on the ground, either paint or white powder, it will stay there long enough for a weekend, it won't hurt anyone to ride over it, plus it will still look cool.

I dislike off-camber corners (I wrecked me hip in one) and I like the occassional jump (no monster doubles!).  Maybe a few less off-cambers and a track layout that allows a detour around any soft jumps?

[Simo63]

XC 83, if you send a PM to Robo 47 who is forum member. He is on the commitee with the QVMX and could answer this.

When we used the conduit it was around 750 high out of the ground and worked fine But as you say wind may be an issue but a lot less than fall on a timber peg!

Shane

I've put these in at tracks like Conondale (and ridden over them too on the odd occassion ). 

What they are is a plastic peg around 700-750mm long with the bottom (approx) 300mm being a plastic spike that is inserted in the ground and the remaining 400-450mm (approx) being a flat marker peg that bends at the junction of the spike and the flat peg .... if that makes sense.  I've got a clear picture in my head of what they are but difficult to describe.  A picture here would help but I've got nothing.

Whilst they are a hardish plastic, they are also flexible enought to not cause injury.  In fact they use a cordless drill with a 25-30mm wood bit fitted to pre-drill the hole to insert them into the ground in harder areas.  The 400-450mm flat (in profile) top I mentioned above is flexible enough to bend over when hit yet stiff enough (and profiled) to allow bunting to be tied around it and still stand (mostly) erect.

Not sure that helps without a picture, maybe Noel (NSR) has one as I'm sure he has placed plenty of these in the ground over the years.

[GMC]

Can’t say I noticed the wooden pegs at CD but I have seen them before at other events and although they do a good job of holding the bunting down and making the track look good I always thought that they would be a recipe for disaster.
Don’t think I would like to land on a piece of PVC tube either.

Shane, if you haven’t repaired the pipe to your satisfaction yet then I can always slip it back in the jig and fit some new sections.

[vmx42]

Or you could just stay on the track and you won't have any trouble with the track markers [no matter what they are made of...].

Geez you guys like to whinge...   

[STW996]

Or you could just stay on the track and you won't have any trouble with the track markers [no matter what they are made of...].

Geez you guys like to whinge...   

I'll keep that in mind Jeff (the stay on track bit) and as for the Whinge well I thought in a democratic Society we all had a right to a point of view?? I don't view points of safety as a whinge but I would be whinging if I had landed on one of those stakes!!

[odd1]

Dear Riders who are unhappy with CD9
First of all you have all waited six months to voice your concerns on a open forum when you could have just as easily sent a PM or email voicing your concerns to Ken Smith.
CD events are not races they are tracks provided for all levels of rider ability to enjoy your old motorbike on. There are tracks all over Australia with jumps and berm's and what ever else you require to get your adrenallin pumping to use the other 363 days of the year.
Its is not very often these days you get a green field site to use so rather than whinging that it was not imaganative ( and I must say I was not going to tell Geoff Ballard his tracks where unimaganative but you can) and I'm sorry you couldn't impress your mates on your 500 overtaking everybody and roosting them as you go by because the hills are straight up and down. The track  required a bit more skill and throttle control to ride the off cambers but by no means impossible the track was wide enough for safe overtaking, In fact I think that added to the enjoyment that the riders on the smaller capacity bikes where able to mix it up with the bigger bikes.
You all seem to have  a problem with the pegs  Connondale has a wooden fence running round it in parts. all these other places. that have had CD events are established tracks with facilities that have been built over many years so yo are not comparing apples with apples and it is very unfair to try to do that. While I have noted all your suggestions some are just not practical We are old guys  (Laurie Alderton  Chris Cater) setting these tracks up and I can tell you now I will not be bending over to to drill holes in  the ground to put conduit in for hours on end its bad enough swinging a sledge hammer
At the riders briefing you all sign a bit of paper saying that you understand that motorcycling is dangerous and if you are unhappy with anything  go and see the clerk of the course and if you are still unhappy don't ride. Simple no one is making you do it. You are riding  a dirt bike on uneven terrain you are going to fall off and you are going to get hurt if you don't except that then you need to find another sport. Lets look at some of the positives no queuing to get on any of the tracks. You could ride as long as you wanted If your bike broke down an ATV would come and take your bike back to the pits
Great spectators area
Close to town and fuel and hotels/pub
Central to people travelling from the North South East and West ( within reason)
The weather was not kind to us Friday night when the main marquee was blown down but the next day everybody mucked in to get the the show back on the road it was great mates helping mates that what VMX is isn't it!
This year will be much better we have learnt by our mistakes but there will be problems and they will be overcome as all ways
Please come and enjoy a green field site as you may not get another chance as our sport is slowly strangled by red tape! (wonder what pegs they use)
Kind regards Steve Baker
I would just like to point out these are my own opinions  and comments apart from Ken Smith being a mate I have no connection with VMX magazine

[vmx42]

…as for the Whinge well I thought in a democratic Society we all had a right to a point of view??

Of course you do... and it's my right to post that I disagree and think you are having a bit of a whinge. It is nothing I wouldn't say to you in person.

But the fact is there isn't a single way of marking a track that doesn't have a down side, or a safety issue - NOT ONE!

I don't think you could have found a safer track than the ones that were offered - good soil, smooth surface, loads of run-off, wide, flowing, bucket loads of room to pass, great visibility etc, etc... A rank novice could negotiate them with no trouble at all... Yes they were marked out with wooden stakes... but they have to be marked out with something... Was it perfect... NO, nothing is.

But kept in perspective the wooden stakes were a small, manageable and clearly defined safety hazard - especially [small] when compared to safety hazard presented by 600 lunatics on old motorcycles reliving their childhood dreams.

Gravity can be a real bitch... especially as we get older

[odd1]

Well said VMX42

[Davey Crocket]

Well for all you slow to keep up with the times Southerners, here's the plastic track markers we use in Qld, these photo's are from the "Conondale Classic" last year....BTW, if you want to ride the "best" track in Aussie, your only chance will be that race meeting....see you there...August 3rd/4th.


Geoff Ballard    Dave Armstrong   Shane King

James Deacon

Simon Healy   James Deacon   Dave Armstrong

[Simo63]

Well for all you slow to keep up with the times Southerners, here's the plastic track markers we use in Qld, these photo's are from the "Conondale Classic" last year....BTW, if you want to ride the "best" track in Aussie, your only chance will be that race meeting....see you there...August 3rd/4th.


Geoff Ballard    Dave Armstrong   Shane King

Thanks John .. like I said a picture would help.  Those are the exact ones I was referring to .... very safe compared to stakes and just about anything else.

[STW996]

Well I am happy to take this offline Jeff and odd1 give me a call on 0412 996 771 or PM me and we can discuss this further if you like.

If this is your attitute toward what is constructive conversation you have a head in the sand mentality and Steve you have missed the point altogether on what I was getting at and point of interest I have not waited six months to voice this I am giving six months notice before the next one (when ever that is??).

That is my last comment on this.

Regards
Shane Wilson