What would get you to watch local or national Superbike racing?

**Mad-V2** · 14th October 2011, 18:14

I challenge you to, "in one foul swoop make bike racing a major sport" in N.Z
And to proof read your posts.

**SVboy** · 14th October 2011, 18:29

Originally Posted by Brian d'marge

you have just gone smoked yourself retarded
Ruapuna, as a track is Fri Gen awesome, but as. spectator its a hell hole
a hot little of chips, while watching the same three people go round and round, I fact the last time I actually got a Hard on at puna was watching a Tz and a Cbr 6 go toe to toe, the z was shaking its head ...awesome, loved it ....the rest of the day was crap
seriously if you want to make road racing interesting, make my wife wet her knickers

don't care how u do it ...my friend here is a bigger petrol head than most on KB, why? she wanks over vettel, Louis Hamilton was taking a hammering until the shop keeper told her to put the magazine back
Here in japan I race in the vets class, try free BBQ, and in the big, races the crew chief of Honda racing ( my kids don't know him from a grain of salt) but he takes then round the workshop, and well ..fun, even though he is getting the bike ready for the next race.. wife is shopping
honestly ...I could in one foul swoop make bike racing a major sport ..but the retards ( sorry dont like using that word) ..."
keep trying to push their own agendas
a couple of simple changes, and nz bike sport would ( and is sometimes) ..fantastic

go on challenge me, how would I do it..... ?

the answers might not what you expect....

I will review this post, ...long lunch much wine, all good .......

stephen

All well and good in a centre with a very large population base-Japan, UK, Europe. I am not making excuses for our series being a little 2nd rate by comparison, but given the comercial realities, our riders and promoters do ok on limited resources and a small potential audience. Yes there is room for improvement, but within realistic expectations.....However please feel free to bring your one fell swoop back to NZ and "improve bike racing" here. I am sure the "retards" would fall to their knees in astonishment and admiration..................!

**Crasherfromwayback** · 14th October 2011, 18:42

Originally Posted by Brian d'marge

,a couple of simple changes, and nz bike sport would ( and is sometimes) ..fantastic

go on challenge me, how would I do it..... ?

the answers might not what you expect....

I will review this post, ...long lunch much wine, all good .......

stephen

I think you may need toilet paper instead of a napkin.

**Kiwi Graham:Me** · 14th October 2011, 18:46

Originally Posted by White trash

The first round of the Nationals that AMCC hosted at Hampton had awesome crowd numbers. Unfortunately, the pooch was screwed so royally, the majority of them will not return.

Disagreeing with you there trashy.

I'd be really keen to learn in what respect the "pooch was screwed"

The reason for the large numbers on our first HD try out was
A. first big bike event held at HD
B. the weather

We had a major oil spill and a massive learning curve to deal with.

Second time around the weather couldn't have been worse unfortunately and it effected the number of spectators massively.

This time we are starting the planning now (well a week or two ago actually) and hope to make the event appeal to a wide variety of people. Often for the bloke to get the weekend pass to go to a bike race there has to be something for the rest of the whanau, we haven't provided that but we plan to change that this year.

It would be good for the KB crowd to ask and seek answers to the OP's question beyond this site. It is very clear people are trying to make this series better than it is and appeal to more than just bike racers.

Cheers

KG

**Marmoot** · 14th October 2011, 19:19

Oh, and please make the bike more attractive. A white unpainted fairing with some stickers on it don't make a good spectacle.

**White trash** · 14th October 2011, 20:04

Originally Posted by Kiwi Graham

Disagreeing with you there trashy.

I'd be really keen to learn in what respect the "pooch was screwed"

The reason for the large numbers on our first HD try out was
A. first big bike event held at HD
B. the weather

We had a major oil spill and a massive learning curve to deal with.

Why is it, that as soon as someone points out a failure at a bike event, someone else from the committee involved gets defensive and starts making excuses?

How many of non involved spectators have you spoken to following that event Graham? By "non involved" I mean just normal paying customers who knew no one, or weren't part of the organisation.

Sure, there was a major "oil down". That's something that the club has no control over but is, let's face it, a very fucking real possibility at a road race event. Did any of the thousands in attendance know there'd been an oil down? No, because there was no PA system except for the poxy one in the pits. Now, because we're all agreed that oil on the track is a very real possibility, what procedures were in place for alternate entertainment while it was cleaned? That's right, obviously none or alllllll those people sitting in the stands and on the hill would have has something to watch for the HOURS it took to clean up. They wouldn't have known why they weren't watching the bike racing they'd PAID to watch due to no PA, but hey, they'd be entertained.

A massive learning curve it may have been, but haven't AMCC been running road race events for over half a century? The shit should really be in one sock by now. Seriously.

I seem to recall a severe shortage in places serving food and drinks as well? Maybe that was a different meeting.

Here's the deal. Me and my mates EACH paid $25 to get through the gates. I think we paid more for a program also. What we got for our $25+ each, was a hot day of standing around with BIG gaps between the races, one of which was 2 hours long and we had no idea why, no service, no updates.

"You guys that claim is was a clusterfuck are wrong, we had a massive learning curve and some oil on the track so it's not our fault. Look forward to seeing you again and taking your $25" doesn't wash sorry mate.

**gonzo_akl** · 14th October 2011, 21:02

The Hampton Downs meeting was the first local bike race meet i attended after getting back into riding as BAB.

I agree with the sentiments expressed by white trash above, but doubt I can express them with the same eloquence.

I thought the racing was pretty damn good, but i found that identifiying the bikes/riders was near on impossible because the race numbers are hard to read, so coupled with little or no commentatory it was hard to follow the day. From memory the various championships were very tight and results critical. For those in the scene they could probably easily identify the riders - but as a noob I had no frigging idea what was going on half the time.

True I was there was a major oil spill but again little information about what was going on, we gave up and left early and missed the last race.

Lasting memory is I got kinda bored with all the delays, I never went back the following year, can't remember exactly why could've been the weather or prior commitments but it didn't appeal enough to go.

I think the racing is key for the day so good fast bikes and lots of them. the super bikes and the 600s (i don't even know the correct class names). I understand the need for feeder classes but personally don't find them so interesting.

Trade Stands would appeal but not so keen on the whole bouncy castle, for a start I'd ride to the event and I doubt the family would come separately.

The other highlight is also walking around the car park checking out others bikes, there are some cool bikes around to drool over.

Just my 2c

**onearmedbandit** · 14th October 2011, 21:36

Does anyone know how the BSB run their events? I seem to recall that their numbers dropped significantly and that was turned around.

**Clivoris** · 14th October 2011, 21:47

Price is critical for me. If it costs more than $50 to take my family, it gives me pause. It doesn't matter at all to my son, who hassles the shit out of me to attend the NZV8's at Manfeild every year because he gets to collect posters and have them signed by the peeps he sees out on the track. He gets free entry there. He also likes the Battle of the Streets meetings and the nationals, but not as much. I know that bike racing is still better value than the movies as far as cost is concerned but I don't often go to the movies because of the expense.

**Kiwi Graham:Me** · 15th October 2011, 07:42

Originally Posted by White trash

Why is it, that as soon as someone points out a failure at a bike event, someone else from the committee involved gets defensive and starts making excuses?

How many of non involved spectators have you spoken to following that event Graham? By "non involved" I mean just normal paying customers who knew no one, or weren't part of the organisation.

.

thanks mate.

I'm not the sort that looks for excuses and ducks for cover when things go tits up. I/we are looking to make changes and more importantly improvements.

I'm not defending anything, we were acutely aware of the shortfalls and to be fair didn't have a great deal more in place for the for last season.

This season will be different.

Part of our problem has been a lack of people (that don't race) doing the organising. On the day you just don't have the time or focus for anything else other than preping your bike and racing.

I/we haven't spoken to any 'non involved people' to be honest, I don't know any. I have asked the question in this thread to get feed back from people in KB land. This is exactly the feed back we need to broaden the events appeal.

As I said this season will be different,.

We have secured several people (who wont be racing) to help organise leading up to and on the day.

The admission price concerns I will take to the committee, several people have commented on it.

Food, we are governed by the contracted caterer at HD, but I can certainly express the need for more outlets.

P/A, this is improving and they do have a circuit radio station, perhaps we should have cheap radios available for spectators. I don't believe the P/A extends around the circuit yet.

Delays, yes they are a frequent evil and something to fill this time is important clearly. What do you want to see? bearing in mind if its to fill time for an oil spill track access will be restricted (depending where it is)

Advertising, this is so bloody expensive it untrue, we are considering having big signs printed and attached to the back/sides of trucks, road side bill boards, papers, magazines, web sites, radio and a few TV. It costs $$$ thousands.

For Hampton Downs to be a viable venue for AMCC we need it to appeal to more people, like it or not it is the revenue from the gate that make or breaks a big event. People are what we need and its these people we must appeal to.
I think we put on a good event for the racers in organising a programme and supporting the teams in terms of facilities (bearing in mind the circuit is still being developed) and your right we have been doing it for decades, but what we haven't been doing is catering for the spectator very well.

**flyingcrocodile46** · 15th October 2011, 08:57

Stunt bikes would make an acceptable and very entertaining show as part of the days activities and could be popped onto the main straight as a gap filler when things like oils spills cause big delays.

**Deano** · 15th October 2011, 09:03

Originally Posted by Kiwi Graham

P/A, this is improving and they do have a circuit radio station, perhaps we should have cheap radios available for spectators. I don't believe the P/A extends around the circuit yet.

Advertising, this is so bloody expensive it untrue, we are considering having big signs printed and attached to the back/sides of trucks, road side bill boards, papers, magazines, web sites, radio and a few TV. It costs $$$ thousands.

They sold little radios at Philip Island for the GP - I still have mine. Only $5 from memory. But if you advertise the fact maybe some people will dig their old tranny (radio) out of the closet and bring it along ?

Do you make use of as much free advertising as possible ? Many bike mags have a calender section of upcoming events, free radio (community public notices), newspaper articles - only need to be small. Once you have a paper on side you are sweet. Even some TV programmes have (or used to have) an upcoming events section - free too.

Facebook, Kiwibiker etc etc etc - all free advertising.

Apologies if it sounds like I'm telling you how to suck eggs.

**White trash** · 15th October 2011, 09:05

Sweet KG, I never took you for an excuse maker, just pointing out a disturbing trend in other threads.

Admission price is only a small issue I believe. I'll happily pay $25 or $50 family fee for a good days entertainment, that's cheap in the scheme of things really.

At the round where Derek and Phil tragically came together, it just so happened that young Kevmo and his dad were at the track with the stuntbike on the ute. A quick scout out found him and had him performing on the front straight while investigations were underway and a cleanup took place. Very fortunate for the club and spectators but it filled the gap nicely.

The PA/Comentary issue is a big one I reckon. Without it, no one even knows who won a race unless they're parked at the finish line.

Glad to hear it'll be bigger and better this year mate. Hope to make it up for a look.