Where are the young fellas?

[Padmei]

I'm back from watching the Nelson port Street races this evening. As usual it was an excellently run affair with slick event management, sometimes close racing & the associated smells & sounds that palpatate the heart. There was also a really hot chick selling T shirts - man if anyone knows her name I'd love to be introduced...:devil2:

However what struck me was the number of greybeards watching, racing & crewing. Great - excellent to see!! However then I looked around - Apart from young Scout, who (16 & female) was awesome to watch taking it to the old dogs, I could probably count the number of people under 30yrs of age with 2 fingers.

Among the spectators there were few non-boomers in leathers.

What's going on? Are young people buying & riding bikes anymore? Reassure me someone:crazy:

[Sable]

No money going round

[Big Dave]

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[98tls]

No idea on Nelson but last time i went up to Levels there was heaps of young uns racing,lucky little buggers.

[PirateJafa]

Relatively young bloke here.

Money isn't growing on trees at the moment, and gets split up between more bikes than I probably should own. While I would love to race, at the moment what money I can put into the race bike has been going into trackdays rather than paying even more to get less track time (and knowing my luck, at a street race I'd likely be one of the classes unlucky enough to have their second race dropped, hah).

Haven't even had enough cash spare to replace the clutch, so have just been nursing it through the last few excursions to the track.

Most people my age I know that are racing are into the buckets, with the odd one or two in the Hyosung Cup.

[FJRider]

No idea on Nelson but last time i went up to Levels there was heaps of young uns racing,lucky little buggers.

Nelson is a retirement village ... :cool:

Timaru ... they're still breeding ... :(

[helenoftroy]

Was a great days racing!

Young Scout is awesome and rest assured there are other young ones into bikes(my boy Casualty is one...)

In Christchurch a lot of the teenagers start of on F4 race bikes(Buckets!!:devil2:) cause its just the cheapest way to get out on the track,have a wicked amount of fun & race !! & they can start racing before they are 15

We cant race Nelson as there is no class :weep:

[jellywrestler]

Get to Ruapuna this coming weekend and Levels in Timaru the following there'll be hesp of them in the smaller classes.
So many that they no longer have Happy Hour at prizegiving, they now have Happy Meals
ROUND ONE AND TWO OF THE NEW ZEALAND ROAD RACING CHAMPIONSHIPS.

[SMOKEU]

What's going on? Are young people buying & riding bikes anymore? Reassure me someone:crazy:

The majority of young people I've spoken to have the whole "bikes are gay" or "they're too dangerous" attitude, while they drive around in their POS turbo Skyline or RS Legacy thinking they're the shit because they can fit a few STI carrying sluts in the back seats who exchange sexual favours for car rides.

[tigertim20]

I'm back from watching the Nelson port Street races this evening. As usual it was an excellently run affair with slick event management, sometimes close racing & the associated smells & sounds that palpatate the heart. There was also a really hot chick selling T shirts - man if anyone knows her name I'd love to be introduced...:devil2:

However what struck me was the number of greybeards watching, racing & crewing. Great - excellent to see!! However then I looked around - Apart from young Scout, who (16 & female) was awesome to watch taking it to the old dogs, I could probably count the number of people under 30yrs of age with 2 fingers.

Among the spectators there were few non-boomers in leathers.

What's going on? Are young people buying & riding bikes anymore? Reassure me someone:crazy:

i see lots of younger people at track days, but when it comes to more serious racing, like clubmans, f1, f2, road racing etc, thats a lot of coin if you want to do well. young guys dont have that kinda coin when they are saving for a house, or their girlfriends are sucking down more of their money than cock.

its a hrad life being young and trying to build an asset base!

[Padmei]

Ok I feel better now. Yeah I guess track days & racing are 2 different things. Mx is pretty big at the mo so I spose that draws them away from the street.

[FlangMasterJ]

The majority of young people I've spoken to have the whole "bikes are gay" or "they're too dangerous" attitude, while they drive around in their POS turbo Skyline or RS Legacy thinking they're the shit because they can fit a few STI carrying sluts in the back seats who exchange sexual favours for car rides.

That was my first thought except I think the sluts are more likely to be carrying STD's than STI's.

[tigertim20]

That was my first thought except I think the sluts are more likely to be carrying STD's than STI's.

theyre the same thing in this PC world.
ha, sti's in an sti.
how fitting.

[98tls]

theyre the same thing in this PC world.
ha, sti's in an sti.
how fitting.

I think blow off valves are young fellas substitute for orgasms,mind you i dont blame them todays fatties wouldnt do it for me either.

[The Lone Rider]

What's going on? Are young people buying & riding bikes anymore? Reassure me someone:crazy:

We were still hung over.


The majority of young people I've spoken to have the whole "bikes are gay" or "they're too dangerous" attitude

And thus I tell them "You know why they call them boy racers? Because real men ride bikes

[superman]

The majority of young people I've spoken to have the whole "bikes are gay" or "they're too dangerous" attitude, while they drive around in their POS turbo Skyline or RS Legacy thinking they're the shit because they can fit a few STI carrying sluts in the back seats who exchange sexual favours for car rides.

What the hell kind of people do you talk to?... :facepalm:

Funny though, one of my girlfriends mates was telling me how she didn't understand why people like bikes and that she loves going for rides in Skylines... maybe she knows the people you know?

If I select friends I knew outside of motorcycling, 5 of them now ride motorcycles. I'm coming across more and more people. Though that might just be up around the big smoke due to the advantageous position bikes give you for transport.

[SMOKEU]

What the hell kind of people do you talk to?... :facepalm:

Funny though, one of my girlfriends mates was telling me how she didn't understand why people like bikes and that she loves going for rides in Skylines... maybe she knows the people you know?

If I select friends I knew outside of motorcycling, 5 of them now ride motorcycles. I'm coming across more and more people. Though that might just be up around the big smoke due to the advantageous position bikes give you for transport.

I keep trying to convince my non riding mates to buy a bike and start riding. So far it's fallen on deaf ears. I've even offered to teach some of them how to ride my dirt bike in the back yard, only 1 of them has taken me up on the offer. I guess the money aspect is a big factor as well.

[\m/]

Most young people these days are too chickenshit to ride motorbikes, they'd rather spend their money on a slow as fuck civic with mean soundz and phat chromiez.

[short-circuit]

Most young people these days are too chickenshit to ride motorbikes, they'd rather spend their money on a slow as fuck civic with mean soundz and phat chromiez.

^^^ Unlike me - a modern day superhero with balls of steel who rides a fast as fuck motorsyckle (GSF250)

[\m/]

Still faster than those boy racer shitboxes though. Not long till I get my 6F and a bigger bike anyways, which will be at least 675cc

[DrunkenMistake]

Still faster than those boy racer shitboxes though. Not long till I get my 6F and a bigger bike anyways, which will be at least 675cc

Im unsure where I want to start tearing down your pedestal to be honest,
I think your bike will be quicker off the line.. and I think youll be right up to about .. 50 - 60km in a straight line till they start catching up with you,
Fantastic if your in a twisty road, If you can actually ride your bike like a hooker on a cock, but if you cant, well low ride height gives low body roll, and if they are running decent tyres, they will more than likely be keeping a good pace if not suckling on your right ass check most of the way,
So maybe red light racing, you will be quicker... to the next set of lights.

[schrodingers cat]

, well low ride height gives low body roll, and if they are running decent tyres, they will more than likely be keeping a good pace...

While fundementally I agree that most cars wil corner faster than most bikes I must take umbrage with your assessment of the performance characteristics of poorly modified cars favoured by 'car enthusiasts'.

Independant suspension systems are designed to predictably control the tyre contact patch through a range of travel. Most road cars are designed with around 100mm of bump travel and 75 - 100mm of droop.
Due to the many compromises required designers focus their efforts on ensuring good tyre control for the range 25 - 45mm droop, 50 -75mm bump. Beyond this range they ensure that the vehicle characteristics are 'safe' by erring on the side of understeer, or push.

As soon as a car is lowered without any understanding of the geometry involved it is immediately into the 'safe' understeering zone with excessive contact patch movements.

Any suspension modifications are fitted with the aim of being able to break traction.

Older cars so popular with those inerested in preserving automotive heritage can be seen daily jiggling on their bump stops and shocking the contact patch.

Seats bolted to the floor to 'lower the COG' suffer from poor vision compounded by hats worn sideways and hoodies to prevent any periphial vision.

Pod filters which flow better than OEM paper filters are fitted in the hot engine bay without proper forced cold air systems most vehical designers fit as a matter of course.

I could go on but its even money on who bins it first.

To address the initial question, there seem to be few younguns who are interested in racing because
a. its hard work
b. you do more losing than winning
c. it requires committment

[The Lone Rider]

As much as you can believe any video online...

There is a video of some sort of fast car with some sort of fast bike. They race each other in a track.

On the straights, the bike fly past.

On the corners, the car had to slow as the bike could not corner as fast.



For what it's worth

But they are still called boy racers because real men ride bikes

[SMOKEU]

To address the initial question, there seem to be few younguns who are interested in racing because
a. its hard work
b. you do more losing than winning
c. it requires committment

It also requires a lot of money which is in short supply for most young people.

[puddytat]

Could have a bit to do as well with delicate young egos...youngsters struggle with being given the learn ,its way easier for them to pump themselves up in a cage in the limiting enviroment of the road. Completely different when your having to front up with "the goods" on a track & finding your nowhere as good as you thought.
Us older fellas are probably more used to dissapointment, so dont stuggle with it as much & maybe 'cause we wernt able to race when we were kids for whatever reason, we still have the need to prove to ourselves we've still got it....
And we have worked hard for many more years too.

[schrodingers cat]

It also requires a lot of money which is in short supply for most young people.

Racing is not cheap. It can be affordable.

I have a theory that most people AT ENTRY LEVEL run on a yearly budget of $100 - $150wk i.e. $5200 - $7600 per year

A fella on wages can do that. It takes a bit of sacrifice. No shiny wheels or ICE for yo phat ride to do skids wid da bros and hoes. No smoke. No Woodstock. No new cellphone every 6 months or flat screen TV for the flat. No getting caught being a fuckwit and racking up big piles of fines.

Just the satisfaction of going racing.

Yer wastes yer money and yer takes yer choice in life...

[schrodingers cat]

Could have a bit to do as well with delicate ... egos... Completely different when you have to front up with "the goods" on a track & find you're nowhere as good as you thought.


Not just young-uns. Pretty much every late model performance Falcon/Commodore owner on the road too

Agree tho. Track time is lifes big classroom...