Hampton Downs: is there an issue?

**Quasievil** · 31st October 2010, 13:40

Originally Posted by Drew

Perhaps Shaun needs to get clubs not to race there, since there is a chance that motorcycle racers could get hurt.

mmmm I dunno, I think a motorcycle racer on a track (a new one) should be able to find the limits of his/ her motorcycle without having to worry about hitting a wall whilst recovering from a JUMP
it aint the IOM, its a purpose built race facility.

**Kickaha** · 31st October 2010, 14:37

Originally Posted by FROSTY

Sorry lost I don't agree. Pukie,levels etc are established tracks that have been around for a very long time.
HD on the other hand when I origonally posted and is still now in the construction stages.
9 months ago was a better time but even now is a time to look at the track safety through both a motorcycl.ists and a car racers point of view and rectify matters.

The bit you were talking about in your original post isn't where the accident happened though is it?

Pukie has a had a few fatals as well and I'd be more worried about the hill at Pukie than any bump at Hampton downs

Originally Posted by Quasievil

mmmm I dunno, I think a motorcycle racer on a track (a new one) should be able to find the limits of his/ her motorcycle without having to worry about hitting a wall whilst recovering from a JUMP
it aint the IOM, its a purpose built race facility.

How many laps have motorcyclists done around the place without dieing since the place was built?

**Quasievil** · 31st October 2010, 15:54

Originally Posted by Kickaha

How many laps have motorcyclists done around the place without dieing since the place was built?

Doesnt matter, there should be a run off not a wall.

**FROSTY:Me** · 31st October 2010, 15:59

Originally Posted by Kickaha

Pukie has a had a few fatals as well and I'd be more worried about the hill at Pukie than any bump at Hampton downs
How many laps have motorcyclists done around the place without dieing since the place was built?

Pukie is -50? years old --HD is a brand new track purpose built to meet international standards.
How many laps have bikes done of pukie compared to the fatality rate.
If just playing with number I bet HD's rate is higher than pukie's
NOT that thats anything to gloat about. Im NOT in any way suggesting pukie is an icon for bike racing safety.

**Kiwi Graham:Me** · 31st October 2010, 16:24

I'm not so sure the 'wall' is the problem.

I've been lucky enough to have ridden on a lot of circuits in the UK and Europe as well has here and Aussie. Pretty much all of them have a 'wall' on either one or both sides of the start finish straight or at least where the pits are (usually the same place) and not all start finish straights are straight either.

The one race and few track days I've done at Hampton Downs have drawn my attention to the hump ,yump or jump which ever you want to call it. I cant say I've checked the clocks as I hit it but I must be doing in the 250 region. My top speed gizmo on the dash say I hit 293 as I hit the picks for T1 (Sheriffs).

The two ways I've found to manage it are to either grip the tank with my legs, in which case the whole bike leaves the ground or don't grip the tank in which case I leave the seat! I've also tried tapping the back brake but it didn't make much difference. Either way I make sure I hit that jump upright and going in a straight line.

The bike has never got out of shape other than a we wiggle as it lands sometimes. The only other circuit I got clean 'air' is Cadwell park however it is at a much slower speed.

I'm no ground works expert but how hard and how long would it take to 'skim' that 'jump' off, removing what is a clear concern for both bike and car?

Just my 2c

**sidecar bob** · 31st October 2010, 16:26

Originally Posted by FROSTY

Im NOT in any way suggesting pukie is an icon for bike racing safety.

Well thank fuck for that!!

**Kickaha** · 31st October 2010, 16:34

Originally Posted by FROSTY

HD is a brand new track purpose built to meet international standards. .

Every track in NZ is built to internationals standards, some just have a higher grading than others, built to "International standards" means bugger all

Originally Posted by Quasievil

Doesnt matter, there should be a run off not a wall.

You're describing a point at every every track in NZ with the possible exception of Teretonga

**Quasievil** · 31st October 2010, 16:39

Originally Posted by Kickaha

You're describing a point at every every track in NZ with the possible exception of Teretonga

Probably, I ok with that thought if its the case however, I like seeing guys screaming the living fuck out of their machines, if they fuck up I prefer a wall or something else to hit wasnt there as a permanent fixture.............personally anyway

**Biggles08** · 31st October 2010, 18:01

Originally Posted by Kickaha

You're describing a point at every every track in NZ with the possible exception of Teretonga

oh I don't know bro...I reckon you could hit the tires at the elbow if you really wanted too!

**CHOPPA** · 31st October 2010, 18:47

Originally Posted by Kickaha

Every track in NZ is built to internationals standards, some just have a higher grading than others, built to "International standards" means bugger all

You're describing a point at every every track in NZ with the possible exception of Teretonga

You cant comment cause you drive a bloody car!

**Kickaha** · 31st October 2010, 19:55

Originally Posted by CHOPPA

You cant comment cause you drive a bloody car!

Not me, I let someone else twist the throttle, I have my eyes shut most of the time

**sidecar bob** · 1st November 2010, 06:36

Originally Posted by CHOPPA

You cant comment cause you drive a bloody car!

Well you cant comment, because you have no sunglasses. I know this because my missus has them!!

**Pumba** · 1st November 2010, 06:39

Originally Posted by Kiwi Graham

Is there any grounding to the theory that HD was planned to run in the anticlockwise direction?

Yes that was the original intention to have the track ruinning in the opposite direction, but it was reversed, not sure of the reasons or when this was done in the design procces.

I still think there would have been an issue. Just the wall would have been on your right rather than your left.

Originally Posted by Cr1MiNaL

The owners should sort that kink out, thats a civil engineering disaster

Clearly, like many other people, you have no fucken idea what civil engineers actually do for a crust. Yes it sounds like the vertical geometry in terms of the crest curve could be better (personally on the triumph I had no issues, but my top speed is less than a litre sports bike) but this was only a contributing factor to the death of the rider. The cause of his death is wall, and the civil engineering in that portion of the track is sound (track pavemnet, walls, eathworks, kerbs, other suporting infrastructure).

It is a track design issue, possibly created by the track owners by engaging people with insuficient experience in race track design and construction (I cant think of any NZ consultants that would have this experience, we just dont build enough tracks).

By Tony Roberts (track owner) own admission durring a open day at the cinstruction phase, the design was changing all the time durring cinstruction and they felt like at times they were just making it up as they went along.

Originally Posted by Kiwi Graham

I'm no ground works expert but how hard and how long would it take to 'skim' that 'jump' off, removing what is a clear concern for both bike and car?

Not hard, just expensive and time consuming.

My condolances to the riders friends and families.