
Originally Posted by
Brian d'marge
anyone who signs with fella , I'm guessing isn't actually interested in the answer , but here is a whole 2 cents worth ....
Well how would I "fix " racing, well for a start I would look at what you have, what is working and not reinvent the wheel.
What's working , first you need to define working, My definition would be grids with 20 or more bikes and a large looking crowd, from a promoters view, a reasonable profit.
What's working, I would say paeroa and the Burt Munro for a start, Paeroa, a nice day out, food isn't bad, shops open, a pub of sorts ....but even then the last time I went, the mother and wife went shopping in Napier, had no interest in coming with the boys.
Burt Munro, is a celebration of motorcycles, lots of events lots to do, ( I assume) but again I couldn't imagine the wife sitting on a windswept beach watching motorcycles go round and round, let alone Ruapuna on a windy day ....
Looking at filling the grid, classes... well lets face it most people have no money, guessing here I would say the average despoable would be around the fifty dollar mark. So the racing has to be affordable and at the same time allow access or exposure to higher levels of experience, if one wanted to follow that avenue
Hence don't reinvent the wheel and use what is affordable to most. ( older more stock machinery)
What is the most easily accessable higher level of competition, I would say Australia , America or here in japan. So the bikes would have to be usable in said places so just copy the rules of the most accessible and compeditive classes, in say Australia. I use Australia as i assume it would be the most accessible to new Zealand, unless you moved and lived in another country , As some have done.
Secondly training, a class needs to promote learning in all areas of motorcycle racing, from the setup, engineering to race craft so that a youngster who want to make a living from motorcycles has a solid base of knowledge and experience. Aka formula fsea and red bull rookies....and there is a conciderable amount of this talent , just very hidden I feel.
So how would I do this,
Make the 600 the premier class, running both modified, aka Australian rules, and stock with times within 10 % or so
250 fourstroke aka the new moto3 and stock or modified stock, times within say 20 %
And finally buckets aka streetstock Ala formula fsae using the university's and polytechnic s to promote engineering ( what is already happening but for motorcycles not cars
Finally pre ( say) 1990 something that you and I could afford to race on a family two kids budget ....all in times within 10 % , the same as what Australia already does
As for the entertainment and getting the wives interested, some sort of warm wind free relaxing food/drink place with alternative form of entertainment, say short land street or what ever is popular on TV or what ever
Doesn't really matter, this is just a quick thought, but what really needs to happen is, clear transition paths, where you can sell one bike and move up, 2; affordable in today's environment and 3; incentive for people to participate whether to gain experience in engineering,or to spectate ..... to promote skills or businesses, ( no I don't mean a cheap sign) I dont see much sign of this....
And finally if the ladies and kids WANT as in actually want,,,, to come then that's the magic formula right there, rembering its the wife that buys the car the husband just thinks he does ......
Don't get this as all negative there is some really good stuff going on, but honestly, sitting on a windswept field, watching the same few bikes going round and around isn't even worth fifteen dollars, I can get a few beers and download wsbk, for the same money....
Me, I would go to ruapuna for, custom bike show, a BBQ and cheap and a beer, on a semi warmish day ( a place where I could relax , ) ....and for that an easy fifty would leave my pocket ...the racing would be secondary to me ......and interesting second when Ive had my fill of the other stuff ....
There are my thoughts, same as the last time, and this time next year the same threads will be popping up .........
Baseball isn't a game...... its a family entertainment ........for all the family.
Stephen.
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