MA Bonanza to compete with VMX Classic Dirt

[YSS]

MA has just anounced to run an event similar to CD 6 at Broadford . Is that a good thing ? Would the classic scene get more momentum or would it simply cut into both budgets? Would everyone travel to both events ?

[firko]

Sorry Walter, I didn't see your post and added my 2 bobs worth to Yamaboys "Classic Dirt (sort of)" post.
Press release
For immediate release
July 8, 2008

 
The Honda Broadford Bike Bonanza, April 11-12, 2009

 

An enormous Easter ’09

 

Mark your calendar – the Victorian Motorcycling Complex at Broadford will be the place to be at Easter next year.

The initial venture of the recently-formed Museum & Heritage Committee of Motorcycling Australia, the Honda Broadford Bike Bonanza is a non-competitive celebration of motorcycling of all disciplines.

The aim is to provide two full days of activity which includes on-track riding for people with motorcycles of all eras who do not usually get involved in racing - an affordable way to encourage the use of bikes that normally do not get used.

Broadford’s road racing circuit will host two days of on-track demonstrations for solos and sidecars from all eras up to 1985, plus selected more modern machines.

There will also be plenty of other activity utilizing Broadford’s speedway and Short Circuit tracks, a trials arena and a special ‘grass track’ scrambles circuit suitable for the older bikes and riders, as well as a vintage enduro.

The scrambles section will cater mainly for pre-1975 machinery, with the Metisse being the featured marque.

It is anticipated that the speedway will see demonstrations from several Vincent-HRD outfits and other iconic machines from the past, as well as solos stretching from the sports roots in the 1930s to the four-valve era of the 1970s.

All riding activity will be by pre-entry, with the various categories expected to fill fast. Entry forms will be available from Motorcycling Australia in the very near future.

The Bonanza will feature trade and merchandise displays, opportunities to meet former greats at the Motorcycling Australia Cafe, shuttle buses to take people from one location to another, an auction of classic bikes, club, trade and one-make displays, and a big swap meet for motorcycles and motorcycle parts only.

The weekend will also see an induction ceremony for the Motorcycling Australia Hall of Fame, and an international food fair themed to various motorcycle displays (Spanish, Japanese, British, Italian, US etc) with a special section to sample and purchase the many wines of the local district, and many other attractions.

The Honda Broadford Bike Bonanza will cater as much for the family as it does for individuals and their motorcycles – there will be something for everyone, young and old alike.

Many separate attractions, such as the appearance of past champions, are planned, and details of these will follow in the coming months. A gala dinner in a marquee on-site will be held on Saturday night.

Make no mistake, the Honda Broadford Bike Bonanza will be the biggest thing that’s ever happened in retro motorcycling in this country.

Motorcycling Australia’s web site has a special section on the Honda Broadford Bike Bonanza (www.ma.org.au/HBBB), with questions and answers regarding the event, and this will be constantly updated. An event director will be appointed within the next few weeks.

 

-Ends- <<Words 463>>

[YSS]

Well , Firko what I wanted to ask . Is this a planned highjack of CD ? For us as a sponsor and advertiser that would mean doubling our costs. And as a rider with a budget I have to ask myself , which event can I afford to travel to.

[husky61]

More to the point

Where do our loyalties lay, with the outfit that created the CD concept and provide a publication that supports the movement or the people making a copy. Granted the MA event has a few additions and possibly more exposure for the exhibitors when you allow for the larger number of disiplines involved .

Having said that CD-6 does it for me as i have little interest in the other disiplines.

Choice is good , but having said that , if my budget allowed one choice only , i know where i would go.

CD-6  ,2009

[Board]

Lets not be so negative about this all discipline event which is not trying to take anything away from Classic Dirt.
I am unsure whether to take one of my veteran machines, one or more of the  Classic scramble machines or my 1960's road race outfit.

Too many choices.

[Mick22]

Any extra day to ride our old bikes has got to be a good thing 

Especially if you live in Victoria and don't want to drive 1000k's to ride your bike.

Surely the more of these type of events the better for riders, sponsors, everyone as it will make the scene stronger... I can't see any future in a sport where a non - competition guy owns $5000 + bikes that they can only ride one weekend a year

[BultacoMacca]

When someone comes up with a good idea, someone else is bound to copy it.
One things for sure, all the Classic Dirts have been cheaper at other locations than at Broadford, should be a good money spinner for the Vic MA!
I hope its not sour grapes that the Mexicanos or this new "Museum & Heritage Committee" have to travel out of there own state once or twice for a CD - thats half the challenge.
Like others have said it'll have to have big manpower to operate all those events efficiently. That said I do like the format planned. But I am a CD fan, can't beat the original.

[Board]

Some of you people do not listen, or read correctly.

1. The event is not being run by the Victorian MA, but by Motorcycling Australia, the National body, and they (MA) will be paying for the venue hire.
2. It is being run at Broadford because that venue offers tracks for Scrambles,Motocross, Road Race, Speedway, Dirt Track, Enduro and Trials at the one complex.
3. It is not being run to take people away from "Classic Dirt". I certainly will attend both events, as I attended CD3, 4 & 5
4. This event at Broadford is based on the big UK events such as Goodwood or the 1000 Bike Festival, and the US "Mid-Ohio" festival.
5. It will be open to all types of veteran , vintage, classic and special interest motorcycles from all disciplines of motorcycling.
6. The VMX content will only be one part of the complete package.
7. I believe that the guest of honour will be an Australian ex Road Race World Champion.

Lets drop the negativity and the stupid and incorrect comments, and look forward to two days for huge motorcycle fun.

[Nathan S]

I don't see it hurting CD.

If nothing else, unless (until?) the dirt bike side of the Bonanza gets bigger than the entire CD, then CD will offer more to us. And with dirt bikes being only a part of the Bonanza, I can't see MA being able to offer enough to entice more people to the Bonanza.
(And that's before you consider that MA is supposed to have a circuit racing bias, and might yet treat us as the poor cousins).

But I reckon the Broadford thing will be cool. I have some doubts about whether it will all work as intended, but as I'm not the promoter, I won't let them trouble me....

[Graeme M]

I agree. I can only see this as a positive thing. For MA to promote an event like this, non-competitive and covering so many disciplines, has to be a good thing and demonstrates that the organisation is trying to encourage motorcycle sport beyond the competition, latest and greatest arena.

CD will always be the focus of the vintage dirt scene for the simple fact that it is dedicated to VMX and has a history, a tradition.

There is the risk that as we are in a big country, and there aren't many of us, the attendance for CD events will be diluted, but I don't think that would be so significant as some might think. As for the question Walter posed as a businessman trying to decide which to focus on, I guess that has to be a business decision. For YSS, the MA event may be better being closer and with a wider market base. Of course, the Sydney arm could cover CD6. But a lot depends on whether the MA event gets up and running and how successful it is.

As for me, CD6 is a definite. And the MA event a possible.

[Rosco400]

I don't see it hurting CD.

As long as its not same weekend and enough time between events, could/would be a good thing, VMX will always be VMX between the VMX community but this would be an opportunity to get it out there for he rest of the country to see. More publicity the better.

The originals guys who started VMX must have had a vision to where they wanted to take VMX to, maybe this is part of it, I hope they would have a say in conjunction with MA how they would like VMX to be percieved at an event of this magnitude. Think of the publicity it would get from MA and there affiliates.

The more people interested in VMX, the more sales of VMX magazines, the more YSS shock sales, the more youll sell the old dungers for, Win Win situation

[YSS]

Greame , advertising  and supporting classic events, I can not call a smart buisiness decision. We call it goodwill actions . The return does not cover the expenses. But thats OK , its good for branding perhaps ,
and because we love VMX we are there anyway. But now beeing confronted with two major events will take a toll on sceduling, (time is rare those days) , do we only do one event ? Do we scale back and do both events ? We can definitely not justyfie doubling the  financial outlay . And some competitors that travel long distances and use their hollydays may have to think along the same lines too.Another thought that goes through my mind is also , that the VMX boys  have done all the hard work to get this sport where it is now and then when everything goes great , somebody with more muscles wants to cut a big slice of the cake. 

[VMX247]

I would suggest some of the forum members would like you to go south and the YSS tent girls go north

[YSS]

They dont get along with the Kevlar girls, without my supervision . 

[AjayVMX]

It's probably about time that I participate in this discusssion 

We (VMX Magazine) have known about the proposals for the MA event at Broadford for quite some time and our initial response was to try and work with MA to possibly combine the new event with CD6, so that people and sponsors wouldn't have to possibly make a choice between one event or the other.

Unfortunately, due to the way in which MA has pushed forward in organising this event, there was no benefit whatsoever to VMX and Suzuki to participate in the  MA promoted Broadford event, so at the end of the day we have decided to maintain our support for our major sponsor, Suzuki.  Thus CD6 will be held at a separate location and time in 2009 and hopefully this will be announced shortly.

Regardless of how much we all would like to see this as a positive, it is not in our view. :'(  As Graeme reasoned above, the reality is that the vintage dirt bike scene IS a finite number of people and having two major non-competitive events in the one year cannot do any other than reduce the number of attendees at BOTH events, and this is especially true now in the light of the rapidly rising travel costs.

We were also very disappointed that MA unilaterally decided that their new event would be held at Easter, only two weeks prior to the date that Classic Dirt has been held for the past two years.  As a result, Classic Dirt will now move to a different time of year.  We believe that MA's decision will also adversely affect the annual Barry Sheen Road Bike event which is normally held at Easter at Eastern Creek.  At this stage, I have not heard if that event is still on or not...

No doubt, some enthusiasts will go to both events and have a good time at each one.  But naturally, we hope that the VMX enthusiasts will choose to come to Classic Dirt 6, if they have to make a choice.