So…..Why are you NOT racing???

[Nathan S]

So why doesnt the governing body (MA) schedule all events seeing as they are the ones handing out the permits.

Using football as an example, I don't think it would be successful if say Manly or Collingwood chose where or when they wanted to play. The governing body ( NRL and AFL ) tell them where and when to play.

At least this way double meetings could be avoided.

Damn near impossible, really.

I don't give a rat's proverbial when the footy grand finals, Father's Day, Bathurst,or MotoGP are on - if its a dirt bike race that I want to be a part of, it will take priority. Easily.
The Wife's birthday is another story... and is why I keep missing CDs when they got moved to June long weekend...

It's a different story for other people - some will miss a meeting because its the seventh anniverary of second cousin's third son's bar mitzvah. But that same person might have no drama racing on the second Sunday in May even though it is also their mum's and the wife's birthdays.

[80-85 husky]

trying to get an enduro set up as per the 80's is big ask due to the manpower required to keep sections, clocks etc. in an ideal world and with plenty of drive.....it could be done.

The current format of the AORC has come about over time and is the norm now.

it will be hard enough counting laps .....

[GMC]

So why doesnt the governing body (MA) schedule all events seeing as they are the ones handing out the permits.

Using football as an example, I don't think it would be successful if say Manly or Collingwood chose where or when they wanted to play. The governing body ( NRL and AFL ) tell them where and when to play.

At least this way double meetings could be avoided.

Damn near impossible, really.

I don't give a rat's proverbial when the footy grand finals, Father's Day, Bathurst,or MotoGP are on - if its a dirt bike race that I want to be a part of, it will take priority. Easily.
The Wife's birthday is another story... and is why I keep missing CDs when they got moved to June long weekend...

It's a different story for other people - some will miss a meeting because its the seventh anniverary of second cousin's third son's bar mitzvah. But that same person might have no drama racing on the second Sunday in May even though it is also their mum's and the wife's birthdays.

And imagine all the whining because MA are trying to tell the clubs when they can run events

[KTM47]

The facts are that MA and the SCBs can tell the clubs when they can run meetings.

World Championships take precedence over National Championships then National over State etc.  The real problem is when two National Historic/Classic Championships clash like happened with the Historic Road Race at Lakeside (near Brisbane) and the Classic Dirt Track at Canberra.  One did suffer.

This clash was not the fault of MA staff (although I doubt it would have happened if Ross Martin was still there).  The staff aren't the experts on each discipline, the commissions are.

The facts are if the promoter needs a crowd to make a meeting work there are dates you avoid.  Mother's day is the big one.

With the limited rider base for Classic/Historic racing clashes should be avoided if possible.

[CRTAD313]

A big factor for me is value for money/effort. Unfortunately now most of the events are near 3 hrs drive each way , for a one day event it is a lot of time and money to do a dozen laps as compared to practice day and race day setups. I'm finding I'm more inclined to go ride locally . In previous years the events seemed more well spread, although track availability is a factor. It does make me wonder though if being better spread would attract new members for some clubs.

[mike1948]

It's a combination of things for me.  $ - licence needs renewing -$290, Practice day with gas etc - $100 - great track at Harrisville, but a race day including car & bike fuel 3 hrs drive plus wear & tear got to be $150-200.  Can't afford to go to titles outside Qld.
Current bike is as good as I can get it, so need a new project - more dollars - sometimes the pension will only go so far.
I've got a few favourite bikes I'd probably sell my firstborn to buy, so all is not lost.  However, until I find them, maybe it's time to find an interest in which I can go for a ride/drive anytime/anywhere I want, and just for a tank of gas.

[bazza]

Meeting in Auckland this weekend, 25 mins travel and $40
Just saying

[supersenior 50]

Don't despair Mike, Brisbane MCC Nudgee, 20min drive, $25 licence, $40 entry. See you next year. In the meantime bring your nearest/dearest to end of season wind up and presentation. We miss you.

[asasin]

Meeting in Auckland this weekend, 25 mins travel and $40
Just saying
That,s 3hours and $100 in feul for me ,and you if there is a pile up on the motorway. Ill have to wait until they are back at this side of bombays

[N22]

Here are a few positive ideas,going back to the 70's when speedway was on every Friday night at the Toowoomba Showgrounds(bikes and cars),with big crowds paying to go,it was a show ,with a good commentator,PA,and facilities,stories in the local paper and on the radio,people wanted to go.Scrambles became Motocross and Echo Valley(which was a car track) became home to "Mountain Man", used to attract 5000+ spectators,using papers,radio ,signs etc,all free or low cost advertising.

Fast forward to 2014,many events are only promoted to competitors,therefore there is no paying spectators,we went to the VMX Nationals at Connondale in 2012, there was not any signs anywhere  on the road,even at the gate,there was no commentary,you had to know it was on!If clubs,and riders want their sport to at least pay its way,they need to tell people about it.

By way of example I was approached by the local sporting club(horses golf,cricket etc) to help in running a Bike!!! Event,I stupidly agreed,we called it the North Star Trailride,we got 60 riders,and raised $250,not enough to put the club back in the black,but it was a start,that was 2006.Next year we joined the Dalby Moto Trailride Series,we talked to every newspaper,radio,and TV station within 500 km in 2007 we got 250 riders and doubled every year until we hit 1400, then in 2014 we had 1550 riders plus 39 sweep riders.Last year we won the best event in our shire(50,000sq km) the TV,radio,newspapers etc ring us now ,as it is the largest sporting event in NW NSW.We no longer ask for sponsors they just keep coming,we have put in a PA system that can be heard all over the 50 acre camp ground and pay( he donates it back) the local DJ,Greg Henry to do his stuff and give all our sponsors a good wrap.We are planning for 2015,looking at maybe an expo in the ring from Friday afternoon,with demos ,endurocross,barrel racing,etc (check the Facebook page) and we would welcome more VMX and Vinduro Bikes.I won't say how much the event brings into the area,however for all of our helping organisations it is their biggest fundraiser.I know it is not a race as such,but it gives riders of all abilities the chance to experience the thrill of off road riding,and have in the past ,and will in the future have some form of competition for night entertainment,at an affordable cost.We also give up to $4,000 worth of bike gear,helicopter joy flights etc back to the riders.

             Don't be afraid to let the World know what you do!!!!

[80-85 husky]

that sums it up..."trailride" not race..makes a huge difference.

[Kane Mcguire]

Going for a trail/practise ride is good but no comparison to racing! Even racing someone for last place is so much fun compared to just going for a ride. Racing just floats my boat! There is a buzz in the air when you go to a race meeting compared to a ride. It doesn't matter if your playing chess or soccer and soon as you make it a competition it challenges you. Every man and his dog is attributed to saying it but "life is just waiting for the next race". I live 8hrs from the closest vmx track and only get to go half a dozen times a year. When I retire I am moving closer.

[N22]

Yes I agree,nothing beats racing,however it costs a lot in time and money to build,and maintain tracks and facilities as well as run events.Running a Trailride is no picnic either,however it opens the way for more people to enter the sport which spreads the costs,and we have a lot more riders at track and pony express races run by clubs since we started.We also have all of the insurance,licence and rider levies that races have.Most people that are into VMX/Vinduro raced when they were younger,we have a lot of these riders drag their old bikes out for the Trailride,and in this part of the world we don't have any events just for Old Bikes.

As"bigk"said "Make it Fun and People will Come"and that was our experience with the Trailride,but you also need to let them know,and keep the cost down.In the late 70's 5 clubs in SW Qld went to the ACU and formed a Group,and ran a race series where riders only had to a be a member of one club,and could use one day licences.At the time a competition licence was $100,and a one day licence was $5, this a opened up racing to a lot more riders,all the club memberships increased,and the ACU were happy as the number of affiliated clubs went from 1 to 5 and "black" meetings" ceased to exist.

It might be worth putting a similar concept to MA today,it worked back then.

[brent j]

Time, finding the time to prepare, some practice and the time to attend an event especially as I'm usually involved in setting up the meeting.
Cost, the cost of a race locally is not an issue but to race a vintage race means about a 10,000km return trip to attend a meeting.
Practice, I don't get enough time on my vintage bike to keep my skills up.

I'd love to race more often but the opportunities aren't there. There is no vintage racing where I live.
I usually race the three natural terrain MX meetings our club runs at the start of each year but there is no vintage class. I'll race in Masters/veterans and have for the last three years raced for second last place with a good friend on his YZF250WR. This year I managed one of the three events.
Most of my club riding now is setting and sweep riding our pony express series which can run to 6 meetings in the year. This is done on my late model bike

I've raced a few meetings in QLD and really enjoyed racing against other vintage bikes and against a few guys of my skill level. I raced the Classic Nats in QLD a couple of years back and really enjoyed it There were very fast riders there but also enough guys of my speed/skill level to have our own race.
This year I went to the Classic Nats at Port Augusta. The meeting was great but I found most of the guys who travelled that far to race were faster guys who were in with a chance of a win or place. I found I was riding around by myself behind everyone and there was no fun or enjoyment in that. I'm happy to race for second last but this was just riding around. I guess I ride my vintage bike 3-4 times a  year and don't get enough race time to keep the speed and races skills up.

We do plan to move to QLD in the next few years and I look forward to more riding then. In the mean time I try to ride and plan holidays to make the most of better riding opportunities over that way. And look for somewhere to live..................

[Husky500evo]

     There are three main reasons for why I don't race as much anymore (especially at Nationals). The main reason is work commitments keep me away from home for the majority of my time and I find it difficult to get to race meetings or find time to maintain my bikes. I can see changes happening here soon though, as I work in the mining industry and it is in a major downturn at the moment.  If I get one more pay cut , I think that I will take a break and get back into my bikes instead.
     The second reason (for why I don't race at Nationals as much), is the lack of rider age classes. I can't much see the point of travelling thousands of kilometres to line up in races with riders that are less than half my age. There seems to be a trend of guys around the same age as me, lending their bikes to young "A" grade, 20- something year olds and this just takes all the fun out of it for me. This is why I will only bother to ride in Evo or Pre'75 classes (because there is rider age groups in these classes), if I ever go to the Nationals. 
      The  third reason for why I am reluctant to go to Nationals, is what I consider to be stupid rules. I don't want to reverse engineer my bikes from the way they left the factory. I will reluctantly do it with my Pre'75 Maicos, because it is fairly easy to slip a travel limiting spacer under the bump stop rubber of the shocks. But in Pre '78 classes, where a big percentage of the '77 model bikes need to be modified to comply to the 9 inch travel limit rule, well I just couldn't be bothered pulling my forks and shocks apart to fit spacers.