Rd2 Heaven

[DG 26]

Gday all
Rd2 at Canberra 4th/5th April 
Good track get your entrys in
see ya on the start line 

[Graeme M]

Yep, hanging out for this one, the first race of the year for me and the first time on the RM125M since ummm... last October I think. But I've shouted the old girl to a nice clean up, new tyres and a fresh top-end, so it should be flying.

It should be a great weekend, especially given the track has been completely rebuilt over the off season. The ACT club is keen to see the track become one of the premier outdoor tracks in Australia, and I believe they plan to hold both a round of the Aussie Nationals as well as the Oceania Challenge here in 2009.

So, HEAVEN riders could be the first to ride this completely new track. How cool is that? And it'd be great to see HEAVEN ride on the new ACT Supertrak sometime, this is a flat-track arrangement making use of the existing dirt track with an extension. I think the ACTMCC are planning an inaugural event in October, so we maybe could see a vintage event on that in 2010?

Here's a plan of the new MX track:

http://www.ozvmx.com/whatson/new-act-track.pdf

[Nathan S]

Looking foward to it!

First race (and third ride) since busting my leg in September, so I expect to be spending my time chasing the back-markers (like Graeme )....

Gotta work out what bikes to take - probably the DT1, DT175A, and YZ125X.

Edit: New track doesn't look all that different to the old track - the direction has changed a bit on the far side (down near the road), and the weird chicane-ish bit between the old finish line and the new finish line is gone.
Am I missing other stuff?

[Graeme M]

The general layout is similar, as it follows much of the old course. But the back section now leads straight over to the uphill straight near the road, then you curve back down what used to be the uphill after the back section. That mickey mouse bit near the canteen is bypassed with a new section. The back straight is now apparently filled with several big jumps, and if you are good and jump the whole shebang for each of the step-ups you get very big air, I was amazed watching the guys on Thursday. The whoops are huge, but they'll be bypassed rfor HEAVEN. I don't think there is any section left that is the same as before.

As for backmarking, well, maybe, maybe not. Surely new tyres must reduce my lap times by several seconds at least, hey?

[Noel]

Maybe we could use the 50's cut off.
thats what it means doesn't it
If your over 50 turn left before it gets scarey
Noel

[Nathan S]

As for backmarking, well, maybe, maybe not. Surely new tyres must reduce my lap times by several seconds at least, hey?

You're buying some new tyres for me Graeme? Sweet, thanks dude!

[Graeme M]

I can't for the life of me see how you got that interpretation from what I wrote. Just so I am a little clearer - I put new tyres on the RM with the sole purpose of giving you the thrashing you so obviously deserve. I'll whip it good as I pass you over one of the new tabletops.

[Gerard De Ruyter (Twistandshout)]

I've just come back from a working bee at the track, and so got my first proper look at the new features.  This track is the most awesome incredible motorcycle racing circuit i have even seen.  Its like night and day from the old one, and puts it original roots as a mini-bike track fully - fully - to rest.  This is a fair dinkum state of the art motocross track.  Someone said 'fast' - and fast it is.  This track will separate the men from the boys in every class.  For guys who can make use of the new features (ok, the real men), they will be blindingly fast - USA-style fast.  This will make spectating a thrill you would be happy to pay money for.  The phots on the ACT site aren't the ones you need to see, to apprise what's different.  But believe me it is. 

Once the word passes round, the club will triple the average number of spectators coming to watch any race for sure.  Its that incredible.  The Oceania and Nationals gigs will be stupendous spectacles.

Thankfully, the brief they gave the designers was 'make it doable for 65cc bikes, which they have thru use of stepped jumps.  So not unsafe either.  But its not the kids I'm worried about, its those up the other end....

For spectators, they've pushed up massive mountains of dirt at strategic viewing points so you get to see everything from above.  And right up close too.  Ala USA-style.  The changes in elevation makes it like the Luna Park roller coaster writ large.  I really don't know how i'm going to sleep this week, for the fear and excitement and anticipation of a couple of hours' practice on it next saturday followed by racing Sunday.  Its a track you have to commit to.  Do that, and it will be smooth as.  That don't mean you have to plant it everywhere, just keep your pace up, flow with and over the jumps, find decent ruts thru the several new flat corners, and it will be smooth as (reassuring myself....).

That said, I really can't see how any pre-78 rider will enjoy themselves on this track.  Track setup will mean they cannot flow with it.  They will have to virtually roll over most jumps at low speed (or just go up....then down), stutters too, and generally be forced to go slow as.  You'll still have a fun enough time (and i don't want to put you off coming), but we gotta accept this track is way closer to supercross than grasstrack (thankfully, its supercross without the massive doubles/triples - all tabletops).   If there's some of you who can 'do' this track, you'll get your money's worth just watching the flow-show.  Bring it on!!!

[Rosco400]

Once the word passes round, the club will triple the average number of spectators coming to watch any race for sure.  Its that incredible.  The Oceania and Nationals gigs will be stupendous spectacles.

That said, I really can't see how any pre-78 rider will enjoy themselves on this track.  Track setup will mean they cannot flow with it.  They will have to virtually roll over most jumps at low speed (or just go up....then down), stutters too, and generally be forced to go slow as.  You'll still have a fun enough time (and i don't want to put you off coming), but we gotta accept this track is way closer to supercross than grasstrack (thankfully, its supercross without the massive doubles/triples - all tabletops).   If there's some of you who can 'do' this track, you'll get your money's worth just watching the flow-show.  Bring it on!!!

Pre 78 non friendly track,roll over jumps at slow speed,WTF , guess the powers of the club did not take into account the Heaven/vintage side of use but hey, guess the $ is more important factor to get the spectators on the seats and good luck to them for putting the effort in. The moderns must use the track a lot more often than the old vintage bikes and must take precedence

If Canberra is now a non friendly for PRE 78 track (which runs 2 rounds), same as Mt Kembla and Crawford river (which runs 2 rounds)is an unknown quantity due to property likely to be sold off in the not to distant future, where  will the club be in the next couple of years. what classes will have to be catered for, whats gonna happen to all the memebers with pre 78 bikes if tracks are not friendly

As a bloke with 3 pre 78 bikes, im concerned as i dont want to be breaking bikes continually

Pre 85 riders only will not have anybody to flag if the pre 78 guys dont come.The only likely tracks used for the future is Clarence/Lithgow and Lake Glenbawn. Not much choice but if that it, then thats it. Guess will just be riding more DT with pre 78  bikes

Any thoughts with this or am I just of the mark, sorry this is bit off topic to Heaven Round 2 but fork

[Graeme M]

This is a bit off-topic, yes, but I'll leave it run as it's relevant to the original topic.

I can't say what Canberra will be like. Certainly to go out and look at the track, and to watch the young guys riding it, it is an awesome, modern track. I think it will be a great boon for the club and really establish Canberra as a viable option for international level MX.

That said, they did try to keep the track workable for the club level riders and beginners. So as I've said, the jumps are probably quite rideable for a Pre 78 bike. It's not a grasstrack, but it might be fun just the same. The corners and straights and so on will be nice and wide and fast.

For HEAVEN, Dennis will bypass the whoops, and may backfill some of the jumps to provide landing ramps for older bikes.

My suggestion is don't write it off for Pre 78 until we've ridden it. I have a 1975 RM125 and personally I am looking forward to riding it. As for Evo and Pre 85, they should have fun with it too.

On the bigger question of tracks in this part of the world, I do agree it's getting harder to find some nice open tracks that are more Pre 78 sympathetic. But the stadium event later in the year should be interesting, plus I'd really like to see something happen with the ACTMCC's Supertrak concept. That would definitely be Pre 78 friendly.

[Rosco400]

What is the supertrak concept about, i picture DT and MX track joining together but youd nearly have to have a fuel stop on the way

[Graeme M]

Just on the question of the new jumps, the reason I think they'll be OK for Pre 78 is that they are so big. There is no way an average Joe on Pre 78 bike will jump them. It'll be more a ride/roll over them, or just small jumps over the step up and the main jump. But I might be wrong, who knows? I reckon it'll be well worth the visit just to try it out and experience a new track. I'll be able to say more after watching next weekend's ACT club day.

The Supertrak as far as I know is simply an extension of the existing track into the in-field. There are several flat corners and a small rolling jump, so it is essentially low speed switchbacks before dropping back out onto the DT proper. So a bit of high speed DT action combined with some relatively busy tighter sections, and no big jumps. I think it would be fun on a Pre 78 bike. I have no idea what the plans are for it, or whether HEAVEN will ever take up on it, but it does seem like an option to me...

[ted]

I think you nailed it Rossco.....i`ll bet the average 50 year old guy with a vintage bike is just tearing at the bit to jump a tabletop.

Maybe it`s time for us ( Heaven ) to look at some land central to participants and make our own track

Whats stopping us ( barring cash ) to style a track on Amaroo or Dargle who both had only one main straight jump anyway

[Nathan S]

The old ACT MX track had several tabletops, and they were fine - I've watched Jens Olsen over-jump one on a pre-75 bike and not die.
Even a fat gumby like me could cope with most of them pretty well.
I reckon the old ACT track was an excellent compromise between giving the young Reed-wannabes on moderns a challenge, and keeping the average club and/or VMX punter a decent track.

I haven't seen the new track so I'll reserve judgement until I've race on it - especially because we don't know what sort of magic Dennis will weave on the track for the HEAVEN event.
I am harbouring a suspicion that the ACTMCC has pandered to a limited number of its members who think they/their kids have the talent to ride around the outside of Stewart, but time will tell, and at this stage, I am more than happy to give the track the benefit of the doubt.

[ricakk]

I always thought Canberra had the best track off all the Heaven rounds.
Will have to miss this one still in plaster, may still have to go now just to see
the track.