Round 5 of NZ Superbikes may be canned?

[Billy]

These guy's are sponsored too remember. Most people I know cant afford to do all the club races, nationals and street racers. Also sometimes their sponsorship only goes for certain events and it aint necessarily the Nationals. They budget for the club rounds then have to choose between Nationals or street racing. The street races are only in the weekend and alot cheaper so that's why many choose. Those that get to do both are lucky!

The cheapest it gets is Streetstock racing and that will cost myself and koba $5500 EACH to do and that's just the South Island. People forget that competitors have to take annual leave or leave without pay in some cases. They have accomodation, food, travel $$ and all the costs associated with racing on top of that. I couldnt imagine the cost of racing a 400 let alone a 1000cc or 600cc bike while considering the above....

I think some people are forgetting that club events are run during the weekend. People are prepared to get up at stupid-o'clock to race for a weekend. They dont have to take annual leave and usually dont have to worry about accomodation etc etc.

I think that for most it really IS just about he money!!

Yip,Its hard ,Always has been $5500.00 would have been around what I spent to do the Nationals back in 89 and I had a wife and three kids too feed and a mortgage too pay and a business to run and blah,blah,blah.But we did it with sheer hard work and dedication because that was all that mattered.Right through the 80s when Brian Bernard I were travelling too meetings together he was working 2 jobs and did so for years 7 at night til 7am at the Wanganui Chronicle then home for a snooze til 8am and off to Paragon motorcycles where he worked til 5pm then home for a sleep (2 hours) and back too the Chronicle and when he turned up at the track Saturday morning he had only slept for 3 of the last 24hrs,Shaun Harris went too Japan in the late 80s,When he landed there he had $200.00 in his pocket and nowhere too live or work,Aaron Slight spent a number of years on the dole in Australia begging for a decent ride before TKA picked him up,Sam Love has spent everything he has earned in the last 2 yrs on his SV and racing it,Jarrod and Dee Wintle took a huge mortgage on their house so Jarrod could do the Nationals this year.Nathan Spargo former F3 champ and frontrunner in 250 production use too max his credit card in excess of $10,000.00 every year so he could do the Nationals.and hundreds of others were doing likewise.Why did these people go to these extremes ?? Because they were DEDICATED.That was what they wanted too do and they did whatever it took to make it happen.What did MNZ do to help these people?Well they and the clubs put on the National series,Just like they do today.SOo whats changed?You work it out.Good on you Sloan,Eddy,Rhys,Greg and Phil and the many others who are commited enough too front up at the Nationals and good luck at Pukekohe

[Str8 Jacket]

lol...yes I did realize that bro :-)...I was more commenting on the fact that you said 'Sloan Ed etc were sponsored' incinuating that that was why they could do the Nats. However you are right...about that not being enough for some people.... and being sponsored is great, it helps out heeeeeeeeaaaaaps but in the end it comes down to how much action you are willing to make off your own back....then if you are doing things the right way your sponsors will notice and hopefully reward your effort.

Ah, yeah I probably sghould have expanded on that. I mean that some people are sponsored to a level where they have to compete in event xxx and xxx as part of their agreement with their sponsor. In this case then they *have * to compete even if it means mortgaging their homes or getting into large debt!

Anyway, as you were….

[cowpoos]

You would be suprised at how much power the big boys bikes arent putting out, dont believe in the rumours from riders that cant keep up.

Dunno about the yams and hondas...but the suzi's are putting out 195-200hp...definatly!! and good power to...not peaky.

[Billy]

Shaun, I think there are a lot of people on here that would be better off playing Tennis, their hearts are just not in it .
But then i guess, the rackets would be too expensive or the nets too high ! Gaz.

Brilliant!!Couldnt have put it better myself.The new Kiwi attitude appears too be.I probably could do it,But its easier too whinge and bleat til somebody takes the obstacles away. So lets do that.As Steve Bagshaw has already pointed out,Be careful what you wish for.If it becomes too easy then everybody will be doing it and the National meetings will become plagued with hold ups to clear up crash damage like the winter series do because half the riders dont have a clue what they are doing cause they never had too learn

[Skunk]

Yip,Its hard ,Always has been $5500.00 < snip >SOo whats changed?You work it out.Good on you Sloan,Eddy,Rhys,Greg and Phil and the many others who are commited enough too front up at the Nationals and good luck at Pukekohe

What can be done to help though?

[Biggles08]

OK, I'll ask. only because I've never raced and I'm still not getting this.

Why is the cost of Nationals so different to the cost of, for example, two rounds of Actrix Winter Series?
If the Actrix series was two rounds longer you wouldn't do it?
Can you do it this year - as it's got two two day events?

I'm putting this to LOCAL riders who don't enter their LOCAL National round only. This is the bit I don't get.

Everyone is saying cost is the reason. Valid. But I don't get why.

I guess there is no difference apart from the added cost on the entry fee...mind you, In club racing I think people use a lot more of their tires before biffing them out which makes it cheaper too Skunk.

For me, I haven't competed in the winter series but I plan to if I can afford it so no difference from my perspective.

I have done both rounds of PMCC summer series and that has been a lot cheaper than one round of the Nats...It was about (can't remember exactly) $200 entry fee at Manfield (including transponder hire) and I used one set of tires all weekend....that was including a practice day before race day that cost $50! (so $150 for race day and $50 for the practice day) So all up that weekend of racing cost me approx $700...Thats considerably cheaper than my $370 entry fee (because I was late) plus two sets of tires and an extra day off work and accomodation for the Nats round in Manfield....over $1000 in the end. See the difference now?

The level of competition means you need to spend more time preparing yourself and also more money on more tires / accomodation.

[Billy]

Reply deleted as requested

[Biggles08]

too many oo's in a lot of your too's Billy!

hehehe

[Billy]

too many oo's in a lot of your too's Billy!

hehehe

Yea,Well its not a perfect world eh LOL

[t3mp0r4ry nzr]

Yip,Its hard ,Always has been $5500.00 would have been around what I spent to do the Nationals back in 89 and I had a wife and three kids too feed and a mortgage too pay and a business to run and blah,blah,blah.But we did it with sheer hard work and dedication because that was all that mattered.Right through the 80s when Brian Bernard I were travelling too meetings together he was working 2 jobs and did so for years 7 at night til 7am at the Wanganui Chronicle then home for a snooze til 8am and off to Paragon motorcycles where he worked til 5pm then home for a sleep (2 hours) and back too the Chronicle and when he turned up at the track Saturday morning he had only slept for 3 of the last 24hrs,Shaun Harris went too Japan in the late 80s,When he landed there he had $200.00 in his pocket and nowhere too live or work,Aaron Slight spent a number of years on the dole in Australia begging for a decent ride before TKA picked him up,Sam Love has spent everything he has earned in the last 2 yrs on his SV and racing it,Jarrod and Dee Wintle took a huge mortgage on their house so Jarrod could do the Nationals this year.Nathan Spargo former F3 champ and frontrunner in 250 production use too max his credit card in excess of $10,000.00 every year so he could do the Nationals.and hundreds of others were doing likewise.Why did these people go to these extremes ?? Because they were DEDICATED.That was what they wanted too do and they did whatever it took to make it happen.What did MNZ do to help these people?Well they and the clubs put on the National series,Just like they do today.SOo whats changed?You work it out.Good on you Sloan,Eddy,Rhys,Greg and Phil and the many others who are commited enough too front up at the Nationals and good luck at Pukekohe

Cheers uncle Bill. speaking of myself, that kick up the arse is just what was needed ...

[Sketchy_Racer]

Yes, I believe so. Less costs all round (accommodation track hire etc.) gotta help

No I can't say I agree with you there mate.

We don't want to 'dumb down' the premier series of NZ. It needs to be something more than just another club day.

I think at the end of it, 90% of riders are in it for the fun, and they do it as cheaply as possible. A hobby.

When $$ gets tight, hobbies are the first things to go, because they are not a necessity.

Then there are others, and racing to them is a lifestyle, and they can't live without it, and those are the sorts of people that will do everything they physically can do to get the $$ to go racing. 100% commitment, and you need 100% commitment if you want to persue it.

[Toast]

Thats considerably cheaper than my $370 entry fee (because I was late) plus two sets of tires and an extra day off work and accomodation for the Nats round in Manfield....over $1000 in the end. See the difference now?

The level of competition means you need to spend more time preparing yourself and also more money on more tires / accomodation.

What's this two sets of tyres business you plus bastard? There are only two races and you can use your old tyres for practise on the Saturday. Just slap a fresh set on for when it matters on Sunday.

You live in Auckland so accomodation won't be an issue.

The late entry fee is being waived by AMCC for this one.

$600ish for a weekend of racing with NZ's best...that's about the same as it costs me to get my arse down to Manfeild for a Vic Club one-dayer.

Come on, au, I don't wanna be all along at the back

[Biggles08]

What's this two sets of tyres business you plus bastard? There are only two races and you can use your old tyres for practise on the Saturday. Just slap a fresh set on for when it matters on Sunday.

You live in Auckland so accomodation won't be an issue.

The late entry fee is being waived by AMCC for this one.

$600ish for a weekend of racing with NZ's best...that's about the same as it costs me to get my arse down to Manfeild for a Vic Club one-dayer.

Come on, au, I don't wanna be all along at the back

Baaaaaaaaa....at the back my arse (calm down now...I know your getting all excited over the thought of my arse!) You will be the bastard that I can't catch...grrr! Its all right bro...I'm doing it....just about to send in my entry.

The original post was to illustrate the difference in cost nats vs club races. I realize the cost's are similar per day, but all the club racing I have done have only been one dayers so overall less expensive. This round of the Nats is obviously cheaper for me as I won't have accomodation issues....BUT....its still two sets of tires bro....its pukekohe....this track cooks tires and eats them for breakfast (well the right half anyway).

[Toast]

Baaaaaaaaa....at the back my arse (calm down now...I know your getting all excited over the thought of my arse!) You will be the bastard that I can't catch...grrr! Its all right bro...I'm doing it....just about to send in my entry.

The original post was to illustrate the difference in cost nats vs club races. I realize the cost's are similar per day, but all the club racing I have done have only been one dayers so overall less expensive. This round of the Nats is obviously cheaper for me as I won't have accomodation issues....BUT....its still two sets of tires bro....its pukekohe....this track cooks tires and eats them for breakfast (well the right half anyway).

Hmm, we'll see. I'm sure the sight of my saggy leathers arse will be bait enough for you to go quicker than when you were last there.

More days = more money, agreed! I'm lookin forward to it though, first time at National level, should be quite a learning experience!

Glad to hear that you're doing it! I'm gonna try and get away with one set...but now you've got me thinking and I might just get another lot in case I fry some at Friday practice!

[Ivan]

No I can't say I agree with you there mate.

We don't want to 'dumb down' the premier series of NZ. It needs to be something more than just another club day.

I think at the end of it, 90% of riders are in it for the fun, and they do it as cheaply as possible. A hobby.

When $$ gets tight, hobbies are the first things to go, because they are not a necessity.

Then there are others, and racing to them is a lifestyle, and they can't live without it, and those are the sorts of people that will do everything they physically can do to get the $$ to go racing. 100% commitment, and you need 100% commitment if you want to persue it.

Yip have to agree with you there.
Going without other fun things so you can race once a month etc

+1