Are modern mx tracks too dangerous?

[smed]

so I just quit the Board and l'll see if I can do something at club level or even something outside MA control?

http://australianautosportalliance.com/category/bikes      I came across this mob by mistake one day John whilst checking out the details for the winton MX track,never heard of them before

[bazza]

Modern tracks look good to some of the late 60-early 70's tracks jumping beside trees on heavy pom iron with no suspension

[Nathan S]

so I just quit the Board and l'll see if I can do something at club level or even something outside MA control?

http://australianautosportalliance.com/category/bikes      I came across this mob by mistake one day John whilst checking out the details for the winton MX track,never heard of them before

They're legit. Took huge chunks out of CAMS' market share, and forced CAMS to lift their game (articulately relating to the way they treat competitors).

No experience with their bike stuff, but definitely worth a look if you're disgruntled with MA.

[number8]

Yes the tracks a generally too dangerous because of there poor design and layout, the facts are it was a rare occurrence to have any rider end up in a wheel chair until recently, if there is one measure to use for me it's that the jumpfests they call modern tracks now are ridiculous after watching the last round of the MX Nats at Conondale which was a good layout and design,the riders ability to jump exceeded there ability to race and select quality lines unfortunately it's too bad really.

#8
 

[EML]

Let's face it guys, motocross began with a few guys from a m/c club grabbing a few stakes and some flags and strolling around a paddock to mark out a few 'features' like a climb up that hill and then down into that gully and then flat out down the back into a big sweeper in front of the missus parked in the shade of that tree...we'll add a creek over the back and run  through that sand  where pop digs up his stuff when we're making concrete.......etc...
It wasn't until our sport became really popular that we had to build permanant circuits and thats when the game changed and we started to man make features which grew bigger and steeper and sharper etc....the best example is whoops,m these used to be made as the day worn on and the track became more dug up and rutted. Now some dick has them grafted by a backhoe...to test endurance and stamina FFS!
OUR ARM OF THE SPORT NEEDS TO GET BACK TO WHAT WE USED TO BE.

[mick25]

Let's face it guys, motocross began with a few guys from a m/c club grabbing a few stakes and some flags and strolling around a paddock to mark out a few 'features' like a climb up that hill and then down into that gully and then flat out down the back into a big sweeper in front of the missus parked in the shade of that tree...we'll add a creek over the back and run  through that sand  where pop digs up his stuff when we're making concrete.......etc...
It wasn't until our sport became really popular that we had to build permanant circuits and thats when the game changed and we started to man make features which grew bigger and steeper and sharper etc....the best example is whoops,m these used to be made as the day worn on and the track became more dug up and rutted. Now some dick has them grafted by a backhoe...to test endurance and stamina FFS!
OUR ARM OF THE SPORT NEEDS TO GET BACK TO WHAT WE USED TO BE.

well said , I rode the canberra track a few weeks back , jumps more jumps and more jumps  couldnt get out of third gear  never seen a track with so many jumps . as you said EML need to go back to grass roots where it all started , go back to move forward

[80-85 husky]

Tracks should be subject to a semi risk assessment process to check the "what if" scenarios and make sure that risks to riders are acceptable within a good range.

its amazing how often a serious risk is in plain view and everyone is immune to it by a simple mind rationalisation process

I know this sounds a bit Nannyish, but people are being seriously hurt and the fun goes right out of life if its you or someone you know etc

its especially bad if the circumstances of the incident (never an accident, there is always a known cause and an effect) are found to have been preventable or the potential consequences minimised if some thought had been put into it.

im too old for mx so I doesn't really affect me but I find it distressing to read about people in their prime (that's us ) being injured doing stuff they probably shouldn't be doing... by being exposed to extreme situations designed for the top 10%.

it was interesting to read J Orchards comments as well as the junior crusty reeds which I guess will be the driving force in this saga.

but if clubs work to find and promote natural terrain tracks the numbers of riders should increase which should (could?) push further toward freeflowing less technical tracks.

it wont be easy but a reduction in serious life ending injuries must be on MA's radar if not the general club managers (bit of a rant I guess...)

[VMX247]

Now some dick has them grafted by a backhoe...to test endurance and stamina FFS!

40 minutes moto's were a test of endurance and stamina back in the day..now its speed and skill while hanging onto a 450's power which can be untapped.

SPEED=Chad Reed on a 450cc, no one can ever use the whole power of a 450...............bring on a 360 
SKILL = Todd Waters mentioned on Manjimup track last Sunday-sand,hard pack, fast straights, jumps, cornering and much more.

Yes its changed and thank goodness we have Vintage MotoX and natural terrain 

[John Orchard]

so I just quit the Board and l'll see if I can do something at club level or even something outside MA control?

http://australianautosportalliance.com/category/bikes      I came across this mob by mistake one day John whilst checking out the details for the winton MX track,never heard of them before

Yeh AASA, they run events at Winton, Wakefield Park & Calder, generally roadracing though.  The Eastern states roadracing Championship 'Formula Extreme' (televised on Speedweek on SBS television) is governed by the AASA.

I'm just waiting for the dust to settle over the Bob/Rodney Jane control of Calder Park to see if a mx event can be run there.

[Davey Crocket]

Its not only the tracks, the bikes make huge horsepower, a mate was at Conondale for the MX Nationals last week and was talking to Rob Tywerould ( KTM head mechanic) and they can pull up to 70 hp out of there 450's, all with a tweak of a computer. Sure they have better suspension and brakes but they still run the same size tyres.....actually I think they ran 5.10 tyres on the 500's in the 80's. Look at Caroili, wins the world title on a 350.

[2 shocks]

As a Committee Member for 13yrs at Blue Rock MCC, yes, our track is not for the faint hearted, but when we have to renew our track licence, as Steve Davis outlines, we have to have a track inspection by MV officials for our accreditation and although it may not suit the Vintage style of racing, our track has to meet all standards of racing.

Mrs Maico #54

[BAHNZY]

Was talking to Rob Tywerould ( KTM head mechanic) and they can pull up to 70 hp out of there 450's, all with a tweak of a computer

70 HP out of 450cc, how with just a tweak of the ECU? Having spent countless hours in and around dyno's (chassis & engine) on $100k plus race engines I'd really like to know how KTM do that without intake mods, compression and exhaust changes. If you could get that HP out of a 450 single I doubt it would last a full moto. I know the super moto guys get that sort of HP out of the current 450 mx'rs but there punched out to 500cc and live on stable pure race fuels.

[EML]

Mrs Maico54 makes a good point, all tracks have to pass MA scrutinee, however it lands in the laps of those scrutineers to make a track "safe" Many of those same people have possibly never seen a pre 75 (or older) bike , let alone ridden one in anger, and therefore have no idea what is expected. Many of these same folk may never have been to a scramble back in the day and only have 'modern motocross' tracks to compare to. It's all in the perception of what a 'motocross' is.
 Maybe we need to become a "hare scamble" club and race across country in point to point races again

[VMX247]

Mrs Maico54 makes a good point, all tracks have to pass MA scrutinee, however it lands in the laps of those scrutineers to make a track "safe" Many of those same people have possibly never seen a pre 75 (or older) bike , let alone ridden one in anger, and therefore have no idea what is expected. Many of these same folk may never have been to a scramble back in the day and only have 'modern motocross' tracks to compare to. It's all in the perception of what a 'motocross' is.
 Maybe we need to become a "hare scamble" club and race across country in point to point races again

Vaughn, edit..The venue inspection ruling/book is not discipline specific.The guideline does not differentuate between classic and modern mx tracks.
Its up to the venue/landowner to run what discipline he or she wish's.
Two of venue inspectors here in WA are both pre75 associates.
cheers A

[EML]

Well, there you go Ali, I have no idea who is dfoing what here...best I find out.
It b rings me back to my own track back on the farm at Taupiri (google that you Aussies) I had a part of the circuit that went up and over an 'arm' of earth that ran down from the surrounding hills. It made  a perfct little hill that my MX250 could climb up and I could bounce off the top lip and jump almost to the other side before leaping back down onto the flat paddock below. AFter so many laps I actually got quicker on the approach and then once in a while I could get enogh speed to claer the top and land going down the other side. Holey shit, I thought, that was scarey...and fun. I had no thought of if it was dangerous or what-ever, it was just good fun. But , by deffinition these days, it was a table top, way back in 1975 +/-. The thing is (was) it was NATURAL, no bobcats or bulldozers, just a natural part of my track that became a feature that I loved to ride. By its very nature it was safe...safe enough for a poorly machined c grader to tackle.
We need more of that.