Well I'm not sure that they are ALL Valid
Here goes: (No veins a popping I haven't had my Viagra yet )
You are right - the Vic Club
doesn't have any obligation to save motorcycle racing in NZ. The club was started by some Uni students to have a bit of fun and encourage all forms of motorcycling, over the years it has morphed into a "Race Club" with most of the current members only members so they can hold a race license.
So what is Vic Club's current aim? If it's still just to "have a bit of fun" then job well done.....but I kinda hoped things things would have moved on in the ensuing decades and they'd aim a bit higher than that now.
But having said that, those members who are active in running the club and race meetings DO consider the future and DO try to ensure there is a future by encouraging youngsters to get into road racing and are game to try pretty much anything that looks like it will give some value. They have a scholarship scheme, and work with other providers to make that as useful and economical as possible. They have also provided support to "young guns" (including Glen) to dip their toes into international competition.
No argument, the club do well to help youngsters get involved.....but what then? Is it just about getting bums on seats or are we interested in improving the breed too? Why don't we give a logical progression for those with the talent and/or drive to eventually rub shoulders with the best riders in the country (and overseas) by at the very least not discouraging the move to F1. What promising young riders do we currently have learning off Andrew Stroud, Craig Shirriffs, Brian Bernard, Tony Rees, Ray Clee? No one. It's no wonder Brian Bernard looks overseas when he forms his team.
I don't necessarily agree that more F1/Superbike laps at club level will do anything to enhance the "young guns" talent - Glen already consistently runs at the top of club Superbike Races on a 600 sometimes wins and often has the fastest lap times.
That says just as much about discouraging riders in F1 as much as it does about Glen. He's a talent alright but without Choppa he hasn't got a single full NZSBK Superbike rider to race against. And the club isn't at all bothered by that? Or is club success the only aspiration?
I'm sorry mate but racing a superbike is different to riding a 600, with many instances of supersport riders who couldn't adapt to a superbike. I'm not saying a superbike is better just different, with the most important difference being success on a superbike opens doors internationally. Glen (and a few others) will be relatively fast no matter what they ride but to get Stroud/Bugden/Shirriffs fast they need exposure to those guys and bikes as soon as possible.
I am an even latter starter than you, I did my first winter series in Clubmans on a Hornet 900 and decided I was going to persist with racing so a dedicated race bike was the go.
After careful consideration and asking lots of advice the general consensus was that the logical step up from Clubmans would be a pro-twin, close racing, economical, cross enter into F2 (and even F1 if you were a masochist ).
Of course there is nothing even remotely logical about motorcycle racing so I ignored all of that and bought the 675 - It was way more sexy than an SV650 (sorry guys) and could cross enter into F1 and BEARS where available, it was also harder to ride (for a bunny anyway) more expensive to buy and run.
he point of all of this is that your right you have to race a bike that turns you - if you can afford it. and the cost goes up geometrically with the sexiness
Yes......and no. Yes, ya pays ya money and makes ya choice. But no if you think racing a superbike is markedly more expensive than racing a 600 at club level. I did a PB on exactly 50 lap old tyres racing Mark Bennett for the win (missed it by 0.8s, d'oh) in a recent Manfeild NZSBK support race and at a pinch I could well have done Rd 1 of the Winter Series on 'em even after doing the test day the day before. Plenty of 600 pilots turf tyres long before that.
The LG series was great - entry numbers tapered off a bit at the end and the sponsor bailed
Considering the discouragement they get the numbers were nothing to be sneezed at, normally in double figures, and we had some of NZ's best riders come out of the Winter woodwork a lot more than in any other season I've seen.
Judgiung from the Rd 1 entries I think most F1 folks have pretty much got the shits with it but just as an aside, what would it take to recreate it it? How much cash would another sponsor have to come up with?
I think the only way Superbike numbers will increase is if they can be raced more cheaply
As above, superbikes don't cost an arm and a leg to run. The biggest factor is skill level, the faster you are the more it costs no matter what you race.
then they can probably campaign for more laps - but who will give up track time ?
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