Where is the next breaking point?

[Ted]

Nothing at all wrong in vintage.

Heaven Canowindra this past weekend 100+ entrants

Holbrook Vinduro next weekend 70+ entrants

Nats two weeks time. 100+ entries

Heaven Lakes 2 weeks later up to 100 entries

If you wanna ride there seems to be something on most weekends these days.

[GMC]

I would argue about CD being a shit track

[Ted]

It's not my opinion, just one point that stood out more than all others in the wrap up. I didn't even ride it, I spent all my time on the enduro loop.

[Nathan S]

It's not my opinion, just one point that stood out more than all others in the wrap up. I didn't even ride it, I spent all my time on the enduro loop.

But the official line is all "the economy is bad"... This is a huge part of what I have the shits about - collectively, we gloss over everything using the first excuse that falls readily to hand. CD is a commercial enterprise so they can do whatever they want, but when events are promised but don't eventuate, it damages the whole scene - and we've lost half of the big six events in the last two years due to a lack of entries.

And yet nobody seems at all keen to discuss - or listen to - the reasons why people are staying away from these events.
Surely this is dooming us to repeating the same failures in the future?

[Nathan S]

FWIW, I didn't like the MX track at CD9, but the Pre-78 and Vinduro tracks made it irrelevant.

[JohnnyO]

It's not my opinion, just one point that stood out more than all others in the wrap up. I didn't even ride it, I spent all my time on the enduro loop.

But the official line is all "the economy is bad"... This is a huge part of what I have the shits about - collectively, we gloss over everything using the first excuse that falls readily to hand. CD is a commercial enterprise so they can do whatever they want, but when events are promised but don't eventuate, it damages the whole scene - and we've lost half of the big six events in the last two years due to a lack of entries.

And yet nobody seems at all keen to discuss - or listen to - the reasons why people are staying away from these events.
Surely this is dooming us to repeating the same failures in the future?

Ted listed a couple of reasons why the events failed and I agree with him but nobody wants to accept it.
Funny how the economy is so much better in Qld..

[JohnnyO]

FWIW, I didn't like the MX track at CD9, but the Pre-78 and Vinduro tracks made it irrelevant.

Why is that irrelevant? If I turned up with my 490 Maico I would've only had the mx track to ride with no interest in riding the Vinduro track. There would be plenty in the same boat.

[TM BILL]

When you read about the recent failures, Tasmania ( logistical costs ) Lakes ( no camping ) CD ( shit track ) Canberra ( no track at all ) these things have to be considered before we declare doom and gloom on VMX.

I really can't see too much wrong with VMX. All clubs seem to have very well attended meets. In saying that though I reckon it has a use by date. The young guys just aren't interested in what we do, which was made quite evident to me at Suttos show.

As we get older i think we will see a massive shift in favour of Vinduro. Maybe not so with the 10% that win everything but with the other 90% that just want to have a ride. It is non competitive, f..k all rules, cheaper and you get unlimited riding time.

Just my take on it

Well said Ted 

Your Suttos show was a great incentive to gain exposure,its interesting that the younger generation didn't show much interest.

I didn't go to CD 9 but i think the Qld CDs would be a hard act to follow .

[Nathan S]

Ted listed a couple of reasons why the events failed and I agree with him but nobody wants to accept it.
Funny how the economy is so much better in Qld..

It's not me that won't accept it - I even agreed with your comment about the MX track. It was irrelevant for me because I had/borrowed bikes to ride elsewhere at CD9, and those tracks were good.

The lack of camping at Lake was definitely a factor, but not the only one.

Good point about the economy.

[firko]

Funny how the economy is so much better in Qld.. 

Yeah I was thinking that but wasn't sure. The mining boom in Queensland and WA might have made those states a little cocooned from the hard times felt in NSW and Victoria. I'm not saying that Joh Average hasn't felt the pinch in Queensland, it's just that it might not have been so hard hitting.  If people are using the track as an excuse for not entering CD and the lack of camping for not entering the Lakes Nats I reckon we've become a bit soft, spoiled and selfish. We need to stop being so precious and understand that not every event is going to be at Conondale and that good people go out on a limb, both commitment wise and financially to provide these events for the us. Teds show'n'shine was another example that some people turn a blind eye to those who actually do something to promote the sport. While we had a great time and there were a lot of good bikes at the show, the Gen X pre 85 punters were largely M.I.A.. I know how much effort Ted put into the show so those who promised to be there and didn't show up let both Ted and the sport down big time.

I thoroughly agree with Nathans points on more promotion for VMX but wonder if the current generation of racers would care or contribute.

[Simo63]

Funny how the economy is so much better in Qld..

I don't know if you said this in jest JohnnyO but I could not disagree with this train of thought more.  At best QLD has a 2 speed economy where some of the state linked to the resources boom is cruising along nicely (and even that is showing the signs of slowing) and the rest of the state (like where I live on the Sunshine Coast for example) is on struggle street.  In my local economy, things have never been worse.  I know because I'm one of the small business owners facing the wall ..... not there yet but with local shops vacancy running at 50% and my 2 landlords both giving me huge rent discounts to stay, you can easily see we are struggling big time.

Sweeping generalisations like "Qld doing so much better" is just not true.

[TM BILL]

Just be happy you don't live this side of the water  we have been fuct for the last 6 years 

People from overseas keep telling me how strong our dollar is  I found that to be a positive on my recent trip .

But try living here , 2ltrs milk $6.50 ,  Ltr petrol $2.40 , rates increased by 50% in a year , i make reasonable money ( by peasant stds ) and its getting tougher and tougher 

Still the best country bar none but governed by a succession of self serving kunts  

[Simo63]

Just be happy you don't live this side of the water  we have been fuct for the last 6 years 

People from overseas keep telling me how strong our dollar is  I found that to be a positive on my recent trip .

But try living here , 2ltrs milk $6.50 ,  Ltr petrol $2.40 , rates increased by 50% in a year , i make reasonable money ( by peasant stds ) and its getting tougher and tougher 

Still the best country bar none but governed by a succession of self serving kunts

Fair enough Bill .. I was just commenting about QLD and my local economy in particular in response to a post above.

[FourstrokeForever]

"I thoroughly agree with Nathans points on more promotion for VMX but wonder if the current generation of racers would care or contribute".

Nathan is absolutely correct on lack of promotion. It was an argument I continually had with my former club. I thought it would be a great idea to include a few flyers with each newsletter so that members from different areas could distribute them to shops etc to post in their windows. The idea was as well received as a fart in a mini minor on a summer day. The executives shot it down with negativity around it being a waste of time and money because no one would bother handing the flyers out......The club was/is involved with Vinduro at the time and the promotion of it was all over the media, even on local radio stations, while the numbers for pre75 (at the time) club scrambles days were dwindling big time. It gave me the irrates no end! I ended up despising being on the track committee, spending a day or 2 preparing for race day, only to have so called races of 2 or 3 bikes! It got to the point where I wouldn't bother taking any race bike as I didn't see the point in it. There were more marshals on the track than racers!
Promotion has to start at club level. Without clubs promoting what they do, no one knows about it other than the inner circle. Viper in Victoria do a great job of promoting, I see their full size posters everywhere. Even when Peter posts on here, his post contains the Viper figure and includes dates etc. More of it needs to be done. There are free advertising spaces for events in MC trader and cycle news etc that aren't being utilised by VMX clubs. It seems all the vintage and rally clubs use the free space to promote themselves and up coming events.
There, I got that off my chest.....

[firko]

No wonder so many Kiwis come over here to live.
2ltrs milk $6.50........Oz $2.50
Ltr petrol $2.40.......Oz $1.40 at the moment.