Junior Road Racing needs to be more attractive

[oyster]

just add his class to the permit and it's done

[Shorty_925]

Was just clearing it up.

In some ways the rules hold a junior class back for the 10-13 bracket, being that limited to 50cc's, not too many of those bikes(not scooters) around.

I agree that creating a 85cc supermotard class might work at the kart tracks to get people hooked, build it and they will come maybe.

[SWERVE]

Sorry Slowpoke but I have to dismantle the myth (yet again)
"In the South Island it works because of... blah blah lots of irelevant matters."

It works in the South because Motorcycling Canterbury has committed to the task of junior development (as most other sports already do) No other reason.

In fact the south is quite disadvantaged in that there is very little short circuit / small bike stuff here. Outside of Motorcycling Canterbury events the only bucket racing is at BEARS meetings who are anti junior. And thats only about 5 per year max
The north in contrast has extremely well developed mini moto and bucket racing with numerous event, series and venues. What an opportunity!
Did you see a large group of school kids turned up at Manfeild for a mini moto "build and ride" project? See mylaps. I spoke to the organiser and he said it's a huge success. He also said he tried to cross connect this to the mainstream clubs in this area and they turned him down. He thought this interest could be nurtured through into club level Streetstock / Buckets.
So the kids are there, the interest is there, the bikes, rules, events and circuits are all go.
I'll say it again. What's missing is the club commitment and leadership. It's the key factor in Canterbury. That's a fact.

Now just my opinion on other things coming through in this thread. I've trained and sat down talking to heaps of 10 -13 year olds that have whizzed around big tracks on the little 50's. None of them tell me it's boring. So I'm guessing the opinions here are just an adults out of touch guess at what an 11 year old thinks is exciting or not.

Yeah Pete
That mino moto build/race challange is an event between schools which chose to enroll (usually thru their tech studies courses) It is headed by Fielding high school (i know the headmaster there) I tried to get Anthonys school signed up last year (Ellesmere Collage) but they said it was too far to take the kids etc (even when i mentioned poss financial help) It wasnt RUGBY so they werent interested.
I believe a couple of ChCh schools did go and did pretty well.
I believe Arron Slight was at the race day in the previous year.
But it would have been a great opportunity for Suzuki NZ/or other pro teams & clubs to promote at a target/captive organisation.
Could run it at Ruapuna ...........! But most participating schools are up North......................oh the irony of it all eh

[Shaun]

Yeah Pete
That mino moto build/race challange is an event between schools which chose to enroll (usually thru their tech studies courses) It is headed by Fielding high school (i know the headmaster there) I tried to get Anthonys school signed up last year (Ellesmere Collage) but they said it was too far to take the kids etc (even when i mentioned poss financial help) It wasnt RUGBY so they werent interested.
I believe a couple of ChCh schools did go and did pretty well.
I believe Arron Slight was at the race day in the previous year.
But it would have been a great opportunity for Suzuki NZ/or other pro teams & clubs to promote at a target/captive organisation.
Could run it at Ruapuna ...........! But most participating schools are up North......................oh the irony of it all eh

I went to the mini moto show at Manfeild this year and it was cool, some of the bikes and stuff used to build them was cool. The Enthusiasm and racing was awsome to see

[oyster]

But did these clubs take this opportunity? I was told they were well advised but turned it down. Crazy eh, a huge pool of interest and talent right on the doorstep
(Feilding)
Can these clubs really say they're "Fostering the sport"?
Mind you, I've always been convinced there's no shortage of keen youngsters. I had a lady teacher I was coaching in Streetstock a year or two back and she said that what we offered would be great for the 14 year olds she was teaching, and offered to promote it. I said we'd have to be careful as we might get overwhelmed by the response. But we went ahead and sure enough, a heap of interest and we were quite busy for while getting these youngsters from Shirley Boys under way.
That's only one class from one school!

I hope you agree Merv that Canterbury is successful owing largely to the leadership decision to make Junior development a way of it's business. Other clubs need to know this so they can discard the "we can't do it here" bullshit

[Moooools]

And interesting to read of the 9 year old racing in the Hawkes Bay.
Imagine if there was a whole grid full of them and they had their own racing!
That's the good news

The bad news is that he's too young to race on tarmac via MNZ rules. If there was a serious accident whoever is organising this is in very hot water. I checked this many years ago with my solicitor when I was running junior training on kart tracks.
The answer is to comply to MNZ rules. Easy

When he's 10 they just need to add "young junior RR" to the permit and have him/her on a complying bike. Easier than easy

And if they run specific training events for juniors, all they need is a permit which is free, a grade 2 steward, and basic first aid. Easy again

What's the hold up?????

Don't quote me on the nine years old. That is just what someone told me...

[slowpoke]

Sorry Slowpoke but I have to dismantle the myth (yet again)
"In the South Island it works because of... blah blah lots of irelevant matters."

It works in the South because Motorcycling Canterbury has committed to the task of junior development (as most other sports already do) No other reason.

In fact the south is quite disadvantaged in that there is very little short circuit / small bike stuff here. Outside of Motorcycling Canterbury events the only bucket racing is at BEARS meetings who are anti junior. And thats only about 5 per year max
The north in contrast has extremely well developed mini moto and bucket racing with numerous event, series and venues. What an opportunity!
Did you see a large group of school kids turned up at Manfeild for a mini moto "build and ride" project? See mylaps. I spoke to the organiser and he said it's a huge success. He also said he tried to cross connect this to the mainstream clubs in this area and they turned him down. He thought this interest could be nurtured through into club level Streetstock / Buckets.
So the kids are there, the interest is there, the bikes, rules, events and circuits are all go.
I'll say it again. What's missing is the club commitment and leadership. It's the key factor in Canterbury. That's a fact.

Now just my opinion on other things coming through in this thread. I've trained and sat down talking to heaps of 10 -13 year olds that have whizzed around big tracks on the little 50's. None of them tell me it's boring. So I'm guessing the opinions here are just an adults out of touch guess at what an 11 year old thinks is exciting or not.

Haha, there's only one "adult" here and it certainly ain't me! I've got 12 months living to fit into the 6 months a year I'm home so there's no time for that growing up shit.

But it's obvious you've got your very set ideas and nobody's gonna change 'em so I'll happily leave ya to it.

[Shaun]

What I am seeing in this thread is there are ALL the people and Knoledge here write NOW TO MAKE THIS HAPPEN!!!!!! accept NO ONE is bending in the mddle and putting a committee of passion and knoledge together to work as a TEAM to MAKE this happen?

Carry on the debate boys

[slowpoke]

What I am seeing in this thread is there are ALL the people and Knoledge here write NOW TO MAKE THIS HAPPEN!!!!!! accept NO ONE is bending in the mddle and putting a committee of passion and knoledge together to work as a TEAM to MAKE this happen?

For a bloke who likes to head butt dry stone walls you're a scarily smart fella sometimes Mr Harris.

[gixerracer]

I went to the mini moto show at Manfeild this year and it was cool, some of the bikes and stuff used to build them was cool. The Enthusiasm and racing was awsome to see

And the young shirriffs girl kicked arse ae

[Shaun]

And the young shirriffs girl kicked arse ae

I forgot her name. But man did she smoke em, just like a younger Craig I once new

[FROSTY:Me]

Actually nail on the head stuff I like others perhaps am living in the 80's/90's
So why not create a race class for bikes that are currently available and used in NZ
It would be cool to see the kids fitting road tyres to their KX80's etc and having a Junior road race type event. I wonder how many JUNIOR MX events have MNZ permits

[oyster]

Sorry if I'm gettin up your nose Slowpoke. But for ten years I've got pissed off with the all the experts crapping on about how it can't be done, when, if they opened their eyes they'd see it is actually BEING DONE. Sorry if a can't change my ideas, but they're forged by experience, observations and facts. Enlighten me where you think I've got it wrong.

[Billy]

Sorry if I'm gettin up your nose Slowpoke. But for ten years I've got pissed off with the all the experts crapping on about how it can't be done, when, if they opened their eyes they'd see it is actually BEING DONE. Sorry if a can't change my ideas, but they're forged by experience, observations and facts. Enlighten me where you think I've got it wrong.

No mate,Dont apologise for being right,The sad fact is the North Island clubs are just happier to sit back and hope like fuck that things happen by themselves,I have approached 3 North Island clubs and tried to get something happening and the sad fact is they think theyre already cracking it and dont need any help.Much easier too blame somebody else for their piss poor attempts,Ive resigned myself to just sending anybody that looks like theyve got the attitude down to you guys,Hopefully Jason's been in touch with you about Tyler,Spoke too him last night and he seemed keen enough

[Billy]

Actually nail on the head stuff I like others perhaps am living in the 80's/90's
So why not create a race class for bikes that are currently available and used in NZ
It would be cool to see the kids fitting road tyres to their KX80's etc and having a Junior road race type event. I wonder how many JUNIOR MX events have MNZ permits

Sod MNZ ???Oh so its MNZs fault now that the clubs cant be arsed fostering the sport like MCC do???WTF!!!