To be honest, I'm undecided on the Pre90/91 era here in NZ. We still have plenty of pre86 bikes available and would be better off promoting what we have already to increase numbers rather than just introducing another era and hope that by doing so will prop up (financially/rider numbers) of VMX.
My thoughts of VMX moving with the times i.e. introducing new eras because the newer bikes are now older and to inccourage new and younger riders seems to only destroy the older eras, be it the track gets to cut up, the racing gets over vigorous for some or just the general feel/scene of a meeting loses some of its 'old time charm', although this seems to be less important as I have witnessed the young and old reliving the race that has just been ridden. Could this be that both just like motorbikes and the racing of them more that any era, vintage or modern??
What I have discovered/witnessed over the years is, that its us as riders who bring most of the newbies to VMX (not the bikes), and as newbies go, most, if not all are just happy racing on something with 2 wheels and a motor regardless of the year of the bike. More often than not I have witnessed younger riders who have had no past affiliation with the older bikes, ending up buying and racing one or more.
Sometimes moving with the times can lose the times we have now and that's the part that I worry about. I know eventually time will march on but do we need to speed the process up, after all isn't 40 the new 30 and 50 the new 40 ??
Pre90/91 maybe here at the moment but it is 'that generation' of riders that will have to keep it going and I wonder if the enthusiasm with that generation will last the distance of time or will VMX be like most things of that era and only be supported when and if the feeling grabs them to take the bike out, but hey 'it's good to know that the era is available to them when they feel like racing'
Happy thoughts guys, DJRACING