So…..Why are you NOT racing???

[Slakewell]

GET REAL MA. GIVE SOMETHING BACK TO THE BACKBONE OF MOTORCYCLE SPORT.... Club riders are the backbone!

[bigk]

As much as I love VMX, I've been going trail riding most weekends on a current model 2T enduro bike which is just awesome, bought S/H for $7500 (less than most VMX bikes that are properly set up) & it costs about $15 for a day out. I don't have to pay an entry fee, buy a race license or pay a rider levy. I know this is not helping our VMX cause but it's really playing with my mind in regard to VMX racing.
K

[popeye]

Due to injuries and the spiralling costs, like Big K says, trail riding is the way to go.... Might have to buy another KTM 300.

[Mick D]

At the moment these Vinduro's are cheap and free of BS, and a great gathering of like mined friends, definitely an extension of a trail ride with mates. Their popularity clearly shown by quick growth and patronage.

Last weekend saw a major blitzz in one of Newcastle's favorite state forest weekend ride locations. The fines for being unregoed, unlicensed and uninsured  staggering.
In hindsight, a hell of a lot cheaper to be full road compliant or do Vinduros instead.

[Mick D]

And then the cherry on the Vinduro cake is being free to bring along as many unregistered bikes as you please.
Your camp is in a relaxed environment and secure as well, with Amboes on the ready, hard to beat that one.
Most have some level of catering and amenities too, all positives.

[Mick D]

I think Nathan's last post spells out what most of us have always suspected and wondered about,
 the grey area of litigation should such a claim of injury or loss ever come up and be tested before the bench.
It is the uncertain cloud above that we are all aware of.
If the Bench were to ever rule in favor of the claimant, against the Land Owner or Organaisers,,
 it would then become more than likely impossible to find willing venues. A Death to future dirt gatherings.

This is not an injury in the work place due to employer negligence.

 I imagine most of us would prefer to know that Land Owners and Organisers would be protected for their assistance and good will.
I would like to see the sign-able waiver contain something that in the event of personal injury or loss that it puts the onus onto the entrant, if it were possible.
"It is the responsibility of the entrant to choose and provide his/her own levels of private Ambulance, Medical, Income and life insurance."

Maybe that sentence needs to be worded differently in the world of Ambo Chasers, but you get my point. 

[EML]

We have guys from all over the world on this forum, so what do the Yanks do? they are the most litigious of them all, so how do they cope with it and what does it cost them to race?

[the farm]

how does the isle of man keep going? does anyone know? they seem to have deaths every year.

[William Doe]

We have guys from all over the world on this forum, so what do the Yanks do? they are the most litigious of them all, so how do they cope with it and what does it cost them to race?

I raced in the states about 15 yrs ago , was handed a sheet of A4 with the AMA rules on at the gate in it ,signed in on the day , paid a few quid ( cant remember how much but it was bugger all ) and went racing .

Was easier and cheaper than here 

A few of us used to love coming over there to race , but it has got all a bit silly with the red tape and the cost of it . Its a bloody shame as Red tape and associated cost of that red tape aside , your class structure, passion for racing and socialising , std of racing and numbers in fields is a dream for us .

Its still achievable but its a once a year thing rather than 3 or 4 times a year , and airfares are the same as they were 30 yrs ago give or take a $ . CD is still the most value for money for us by a country mile   

[XC83]

I'm not an MX rider, never was and most likely never will be.
The distance to travel to VMX events I just don't feel is worth the effort to start now. (I live near Wollongong)
I see constant bitching about VMX on this site and this makes me want to run as far as I can. (this is my own opinion, not yours)

I have raced the Sunshine Coast's Vintage Enduro sprint this year (and last) at Conondale and have raced in a number of modern format AORC / NSWORC events this year also.

The modern events seem to be all about riding in ruts, logs, rocks & dust in various combinations, good competition but some of the events aren't much fun. Having said that the Kyogle Dirt Bike Club ran a round of the AORC and put on a fantastic enjoyable event (some of their members ride Vinduro and know what a good course is all about).

The Vinduro format is fun, some have too many rules attached to them, but they still are fun for a non competitive trail ride. (Vinduro sounds like its a Vintage Enduro but its just a trail ride)

And my point...drum role....I believe the SCMCC's Vintage Enduro Sprint Format is perfect for those that want to compete. The format is simple, trail ride around the course on Saturday and a sprint format race on Sunday. The sprint format is old body friendly, the course isn't too difficult in fact is pretty fast and flowing and a heap of fun to ride. Sort your bike and mates out on Saturday, bench race all afternoon / evening and race for sheep stations on Sunday Grab an event license if you haven't got proper license and away you go. Easy as.

It would be great to get an East Coast Series going again, and I for one would travel to participate.

So what do you think, would combining the successful Vinduro format with a competitive ride be a way forward? A way to satisfy that competitive urge and still have fun?

[GMC]

We have guys from all over the world on this forum, so what do the Yanks do? they are the most litigious of them all, so how do they cope with it and what does it cost them to race?

My understanding is that the US will fight all claims where as here they will just cave in.
It's only people that own stuff that get sued by the no win no pay brigade and it costs too much to defend it yourself and then if you do win the other party will be too broke to pay your costs.
If these lawyers had to pay the costs if they lost a no win no pay claim it may be a different thing but they all look after themselves anyway so even if a partial claim is accepted then you have to wear the costs of defending which could be your house.

Organizing events can be full on at times and the last thing volunteers need is to be reading the fine print of insurance policys so MA is the easy option.

It's a bit like insurance on your car, if something happens you just handball it to the insurance company and let them stress over it.

[Mick D]

Uuummmh,, Budgeting Insurance fee's,,,pain in the ass, but good to have when it hits the fan though.

I spent over a grand on insurances a couple of weeks ago, a small part of my yearly insurance costs.
part of that being $350 for boat insurance with only $10K replacement value, a figure that is virtually insignificant to the true value of acquisition, depreciation and maintenance costs.

For me that $350 premium is all about purchasing and maintaining $20,000,000 public liability cover, just in case shit happens.
The price of keeping your ass covered and the roof over your head.
And if it is your ass? I reckon the onus should be on you, to provide your own cover for it.
 

[William Doe]

Understand about the insurance thing , but why do you have to go through MA for it ?

Don't MA own their own insurance company ? If so the surely they would be seeking out the best possible deals for their members 



 

[Rookie#1]

A lot of the "MA fees" based arguments are relevant, but please don't go down the path of making this another MA bashing thread wholly and solely. The points are very valid but i don't believe its the catalyst for the downturn in numbers. Some fantastic points being raised  here though, thank you. Keep the conversation going 

Cheers, Brendan

FWIW i am neither pro nor anti MA, i believe there could be a better way for us to do it but also accept there really isn't another way to exist without them at the moment.

[80-85 husky]

Happy riding the vinduro's, great organised rides basically, no stress, easy fees to enter and great bunch of blokes to ride with. the vic events to date have had the challenges and distances to make it a great ride for all from die hard old enduro riders who still live in the era of the "Alpine" and the "Stockmans" events etc that slaughtered riders and bikes in the late 70's and early 80's to the casual riders who roared  around the bush on pe's and IT's and are out re-finding that freedom.

big sentence from me!

I just cant be bothered to lift to a racing level in either vmx or pony xpress, too unfit, too much $ to get the bike how I would want it (my tyres are 3years old) so the laid back (its my problem only) Vinduro is a breath of fresh air requiring a red plate and licence...got them.