Bulk transport for Nationals 2012

[White trash]

A very good idea raised by Drew in another thread deserves some conversation I believe.

The majority of club level racers NOT competeing in the full Nationals mention the cost of travel as their biggest concern for not attending meetings on the other Island. If we can address this, we can potentialy boost the grids to a significatnt level.

I have a fairly good plan that with a little fine tuning, could be massively succesfull.

For a very reasonable fee, I'm pretty sure I can cart bikes from the NI to each of the SI rounds and SI competitor bikes to each of the NI rounds. Essentially, each participant would be allocated space in a 40' container. A decent amount of space would be provided, enough for bike, spares, tools and pit tents and riding gear. The container would have to be modified and therefore purchased so there's a little setup expense but I can work this out. Container would be dropped at each tracks pits @ gate open time of the test Friday, and collected at the latest possible time Sunday evening. Competitors would be responsible for geting themselves to each track, their personal transport and accomodation and unpacking/repacking their own stuff from the box. You'd also be responsible for getting your gear and bikes to the first load point on each Island.

Now I already have a figure in mind of what such a service would be good value at, but what are you guys thoughts? Anyone see a benefit here and would it work?

I have all the contacts within the transport industry and know I can make it work. What it would take, is a firm commitment from a decent number of competitors about three months out from the first round.

If enough people think it's a good idea and has merit, please post your thoughts, ideas and concerns here. I'll start making enquiries and sorting out total costs to see if it's acheivable within the majority of posters oppinion of reasonable fee for the service.

[Biggles08]

A very good idea raised by Drew in another thread deserves some conversation I believe.

The majority of club level racers NOT competeing in the full Nationals mention the cost of travel as their biggest concern for not attending meetings on the other Island. If we can address this, we can potentialy boost the grids to a significatnt level.

I have a fairly good plan that with a little fine tuning, could be massively succesfull.

For a very reasonable fee, I'm pretty sure I can cart bikes from the NI to each of the SI rounds and SI competitor bikes to each of the NI rounds. Essentially, each participant would be allocated space in a 40' container. A decent amount of space would be provided, enough for bike, spares, tools and pit tents and riding gear. The container would have to be modified and therefore purchased so there's a little setup expense but I can work this out. Container would be dropped at each tracks pits @ gate open time of the test Friday, and collected at the latest possible time Sunday evening. Competitors would be responsible for geting themselves to each track, their personal transport and accomodation and unpacking/repacking their own stuff from the box. You'd also be responsible for getting your gear and bikes to the first load point on each Island.

Now I already have a figure in mind of what such a service would be good value at, but what are you guys thoughts? Anyone see a benefit here and would it work?

I have all the contacts within the transport industry and know I can make it work. What it would take, is a firm commitment from a decent number of competitors about three months out from the first round.

If enough people think it's a good idea and has merit, please post your thoughts, ideas and concerns here. I'll start making enquiries and sorting out total costs to see if it's acheivable within the majority of posters oppinion of reasonable fee for the service.

hmmmm....worth some investigation for sure. Not sure if transport is the main problem though Trash...I thought Accomodation and tires are the most $$$ spent. In saying that, reducing costs for privateers in any manner is a good idea and this may suit many.

My transport is sorted but I shall watch this thread with interest.

[White trash]

hmmmm....worth some investigation for sure. Not sure if transport is the main problem though Trash...I thought Accomodation and tires are the most $$$ spent. In saying that, reducing costs for privateers in any manner is a good idea and this may suit many.

My transport is sorted but I shall watch this thread with interest.

Yeah mate, understand. You solo racing primadonnas forget that camping on site is free

I know your transport is sorted, but could you give an indication of what your contribution to what South Island transportation for your bike and gear is? I'd be helpfull to compare.

[The Chow]

A very good idea raised by Drew in another thread deserves some conversation I believe.

The majority of club level racers NOT competeing in the full Nationals mention the cost of travel as their biggest concern for not attending meetings on the other Island. If we can address this, we can potentialy boost the grids to a significatnt level.

I have a fairly good plan that with a little fine tuning, could be massively succesfull.

For a very reasonable fee, I'm pretty sure I can cart bikes from the NI to each of the SI rounds and SI competitor bikes to each of the NI rounds. Essentially, each participant would be allocated space in a 40' container. A decent amount of space would be provided, enough for bike, spares, tools and pit tents and riding gear. The container would have to be modified and therefore purchased so there's a little setup expense but I can work this out. Container would be dropped at each tracks pits @ gate open time of the test Friday, and collected at the latest possible time Sunday evening. Competitors would be responsible for geting themselves to each track, their personal transport and accomodation and unpacking/repacking their own stuff from the box. You'd also be responsible for getting your gear and bikes to the first load point on each Island.

Now I already have a figure in mind of what such a service would be good value at, but what are you guys thoughts? Anyone see a benefit here and would it work?

I have all the contacts within the transport industry and know I can make it work. What it would take, is a firm commitment from a decent number of competitors about three months out from the first round.

If enough people think it's a good idea and has merit, please post your thoughts, ideas and concerns here. I'll start making enquiries and sorting out total costs to see if it's acheivable within the majority of posters oppinion of reasonable fee for the service.

Mate , stop making sense. John Woodley did it years ago (not a container) but a large truck. It was the Dunedin festival road race and Guys like Hiscock , Holden all those guys took advantage of it. The idea has so much merit it isn't funny , cuts costs , for everyone. Set it up that the who shoot and shabang just unloads in one area and all the riders under one awning etc.

Mate this bloody good, I hope some of the riders see the merits and I hope you can get something going.

[Tony.OK]

Would certainly help alot Jimmy, if that service was used along with booking flights well in advance (ie cheap) a competitor wouldn't even need to take alot of leave.

When I had thoughts of doing the nats a couple of years ago my biggest worry was that I'd be on my own for the whole 3 weeks in the van, Spud did the fly in fly out trick cause Stroudy carted his bike around, best of both worlds, keep work and the "mrs" happy and get a truckload of tracktime in.

Another possibility perhaps...........what about getting one of the specialized bike moving companies on board, the have the curtain siders all set up, if MNZ was to give them naming rights on an event/class maybe a good deal could be sorted?

Oh and camping and me would be disastrous.......we don't get on at all. 1 night in the van at Paeroa was enough to make me book motels hahaa.

[Drew]

Yip containers is a much better idea than mine of the curtain sider.

To take a sidecar and two people in the ute accross the ditch we were sponsored, and it only cost $150 each way, but we were lucky enough to leave the ute down there for the two weeks and fly in and out, this is not the norm as most people are generally forced to take the fortnight off work and stay down there, so to be fair part of the cost for doing the nationals down south for a North islander is 11 days leave, that can be reduced to only 3 days to get all the Friday practices. Flights remain part of the new plan so cost is moot.

I would imagine a cost of $500-$700 is reasonable, but if costs don't require the fee being that high I think it should be less.

If someone makes a few dollars for the effort of organising then all good, but I see it as needing to be more in the interest of the sport than as a business venture. So would like MNZ to front whatever outlay they can to get the ball rolling.

Lets not forget that these things are mobile 40X10 foot billboards, double sided. That's a large available advertising space for sponsors.

[ajturbo]

I remember a Bucket race at woodburn (SP?) a truck from the norf island turned up and it had bikes EVERYWHERE... they were even lying on top of others... not sure if thay had room for gear.. it was friggin funny...

[scott411]

we have done this with containers and trucks in the past for both mx and cross country races in the south island, it works out very good, alot cheaper, and you can take less days off work

[Kickaha]

Yip containers is a much better idea than mine of the curtain sider.

Sidecars did that at one stage quite some time ago, might have been the Australian Invasion in the mid nineties

To take a sidecar and two people in the ute accross the ditch we were sponsored, and it only cost $150 each way, but we were lucky enough to leave the ute down there for the two weeks and fly in and out, this is not the norm as most people are generally forced to take the fortnight off work and stay down there, .

That's because most people don't organise far enough ahead, we've generally got most stuff booked with a few weeks of National dates coming out as the further ahead you book the cheaper most travel is, I worked it out last year for the Northern guys you could do three rounds with no more than 6-7 days off although that relied on some assistance from guys here driving the gear around

How many sidecars can we fit in 40'?

[R6_kid:Me]

Something similar can easily be done with accommodation and travel. If enough people get together (10-20+) then you should be able to negotiate discounts for flights and hotels/motels.

[ClutchITUP]

The design an build of the interior would be the hard part. To maximise the amount of bikes an gear in the box. 40ft just aint that big Im sure you have seen them come out from Japan packed in like sardines. I think that takes alot off work an tricky tricks to get them like that. I would be concerned about damage to my bike bitching about You had more space an paid the same amount Peoples stuff going missing or being picked by accident Name tags on everything would be a must. The idea should work Scott how did MX do it? Have the dates been set yet? If the ruapuna timaru rounds are run one after the other I could pick it up an take it to either one for the cost of fuel an RUCs everu little bit helps right

[Pussy]

Now you just need some prick who can fly an aeroplane, Jimmy!....

[Paul Searancke]

How many of you have used the members benefits from MNZ? There is a link on the front page of the MNZ website. It has a lot of savings from fuel and accommodation to bike transport.
Paul Searancke

[Kickaha]

How many of you have used the members benefits from MNZ? There is a link on the front page of the MNZ website. It has a lot of savings from fuel and accommodation to bike transport.
Paul Searancke

I've used the Ferry one a few times as have a few others I know

[jellywrestler]

Something similar can easily be done with accommodation and travel. If enough people get together (10-20+) then you should be able to negotiate discounts for flights and hotels/motels.

Count me in , I'll be the designated snorer