Call for Ideas to Revive Road Racing in NZ

**BM-GS** · 14th February 2005, 09:55

Here's a suggestion: Bloody well advertise the racing!

I've been looking at trying to get the family (me, wife who's into bikes & a 2-year old bike-nut) to a race, and it's easier to find out when/how to get to WSB at Phillip Island than what's going on in Auckland!

All I can find out is that there is some sort of race going to happen on the w/e of 5/6 March this year (2005 - this is an old thread, and most listings ion the www are old and/or have no year on them! [if they have only the months of May/June/July on, I assume they're old]).

WTF is going on that weekend? There can't be racing on Fri, Sat & Sun, so I'll take a flier and aim to turn up on Sunday, but where do you park? what time does it start? what's there to see? what else is there to do when the 2yo gets bored?

I think the biggest problem is that bikes don't figure on the national radar, so things are imploding. If I'm actively looking and I can't find out, what's he casually-interested bloke/grrrl gonna do?

If anyone's got a link to a website which tells me this stuff, point away.... the Endurance Racing in May is well written-up.

From the point of view of starting people out in road-racing, a single-make series sponsored by a manufacturer has to be the way to go. SV650, etc. CB500s worked for James Toseland. And Leon Haslam, tho having a dad who raced GPs helps!

More tracks near-ish to poulation would help - there's a good use for Whenuapai.

**svs** · 14th February 2005, 11:13

Couple of sites:

http://www.mnz.co.nz
http://www.vicclub.co.nz/tiki-view_events.php

All MNZ sanctioned events should be on their website, and I try to keep the coming events on the vic club site as up to date as possible - but it's biased to vicclub events.

I agree that advertising would be good, even just billboards by the state highways.

**ben444** · 14th February 2005, 12:55

Just a thought from a guy who has 3 400's in his shed... Get the SV650's out of formula 3, and leave it with 400's... To be at the pointy end of F3 you need a SV650 or some really special engineered artwork... or a costly 450cc 400... A second hand SV would cost about $6-7K at best, that's not exactly an entry level budget... and i thought F3 was suppose to be an entry level class... An old CBR400 or FZR400 would be around the $1500-$2000, it wouldn't set any lap records, but you would be started and having a ball...(and you wouldn't be to far behind) it's pretty dejecting when grandad laps you on his brand new SV... and I think that's it, Homer Simpson philosphy on competing, "...can't win, don't try..." so low budget 400 racers stay away. Last year there was a club meeting down here with about 10-15 400's, last time I went out there was 2, with a field of 4... pretty sad. I'm sure the bikes and people are still around.
Just because a bike was made, we need to put it in a race class. What happened to the SV650 class??
My opinion is, SV's killed F3

Like the idea of Production classes of using production bikes

**svs** · 14th February 2005, 15:19

The SV class (which I though was a great idea) was killed when MNZ made the SVs a F3 bike.

If F3 has bikes costing $1500-$2000, then what? Do you ban the 450's as well? Most reckon (and I'm not expert) that around $6k gets you a competative bike for F3 - be that 250,400,450 or 650.

Vic club has entry level class 250cc superstock. That's where the $1500 bikes come in.

**k14** · 14th February 2005, 19:07

What I heard was that suzuki "sponsors" MNZ and because of this they are obliged to let the sv650's into F3. There is no other manufacturer that has a bike equivalent for that price so suzuki has a monopoly on anyone wanting to enter F3 that has a bit og $$$ and wants something new to race. Same reason why the gsxr's are cleaning up in F1 and F2 aswell.

**pritch** · 14th February 2005, 19:55

Just by way of comparison in 1961 road races were held at:
Rotorua, Ardmore, Levin, Wigram, Tauranga, Waimate, Ohakea, Cust,
Levin (again), Bell Block (Taranaki), Whangarei, and of course Wanganui.

To save you the trouble of counting that's a dozen meetings covering most of the country.

The big winner that year was HR Anderson. The only guys who had sponsorship probably owned a bike shop or had a dad who did.

I just loaned some books to a guy who is racing a classic bike. Before I delivered the material I re-read a lot of it. The thing that stood out was the absolute self-reliance of the racers. This extended as far as riding the bike to meetings, "mechanic" on the back hanging on to the spares, and riding it home after. (On one occasion after rebuilding the back wheel.)

The sport needs more publicity ( hopefully Prime will help here) but IMHO sponsorship would be counterproductive. If the competitors need sponsorship to start, they didn't really want to do it in the first place.

I was blown away by that Canadian guy in the Paris/Dakar, he shelled out over C$70,000 just to compete. That's the spirit. (And a big thanks to whoever published the link :-)

**gav** · 14th February 2005, 20:56

Originally Posted by ben444

Just a thought from a guy who has 3 400's in his shed... Get the SV650's out of formula 3, and leave it with 400's... To be at the pointy end of F3 you need a SV650 or some really special engineered artwork... or a costly 450cc 400... A second hand SV would cost about $6-7K at best, that's not exactly an entry level budget... and i thought F3 was suppose to be an entry level class... An old CBR400 or FZR400 would be around the $1500-$2000, it wouldn't set any lap records, but you would be started and having a ball...(and you wouldn't be to far behind) it's pretty dejecting when grandad laps you on his brand new SV... and I think that's it, Homer Simpson philosphy on competing, "...can't win, don't try..." so low budget 400 racers stay away. Last year there was a club meeting down here with about 10-15 400's, last time I went out there was 2, with a field of 4... pretty sad. I'm sure the bikes and people are still around.
Just because a bike was made, we need to put it in a race class. What happened to the SV650 class??
My opinion is, SV's killed F3

Like the idea of Production classes of using production bikes

Just out of interest why do you think F3 is an entry level class? Terry Fitzgerald, Jason Easton, Jason Nairn, Andy Bolwell (up until this season) aren't novices and having been racing F3 for years now? Clubmens is where you should be starting. You can also buy a cheap 125 GP bike but again you may not be at the pointy end of the class. If you want cheap road racing, race a 150 or try buckets!
And SV's havent killed F3, probably saved it for a few more years, take the SV's out and the field is starting to look like a Post Classics field

**Posh Tourer :P** · 14th February 2005, 21:30

I think the motorcycle scene could take a leaf out of the NZ V8 Series book. They have managed to make it look far more like the Aussie V8s, with the sponsorship and TV coverage in the same style. They introduced new rules for control tyres etc etc (not sure exactly what they did, but control tyres at least were in there).
The coverage made it look more professional, getting more people attracted, meaning sponsorship easier to get, making the top flight more affordable and also higher standards (more money etc).
I suspect that NZ motorcycling is not in the state the V8s were, the interest is probably far lower. However, in recent years, the V8s in NZ have had a great revival in interest.
Perhaps someone more acquainted with this could try and pinpoint why exactly they are now successful, but I suspect it relied on making it more of a "spectacle" for people, and TV. People like glamour...
If you are receiving $125 for winning the top class at a race meeting, it isn't glamorous, its pathetic. How are people supposed to get excited about anything if there isnt the appearance of racing for high stakes?
I know you who are purist fans will not like it, I've seen it in the rest of the thread, but the sport can't rely on purist fans alone, it needs to get wider appeal... somehow.... :spudwhat:
The casual spectator can't appreciate every nuance in a race, they need more blatant excitement.

**Posh Tourer :P** · 14th February 2005, 21:33

Originally Posted by Paul in NZ

One of the biggest motorcycle race events in NZ is the Pukekohe Classic Festival of Speed!

It's well advertised.

Has an easily identified central theme.

Has international 'stars' supporting the theme. (that feature heavily in the adverts)

Has something else to look at. (displays of vintage bikes etc)

Has something to interest the whole family.

Usually has an air display at lunch time.

Has knowledgeable and interesting commentary.

Vicki even enjoys it for 3 whole days! I think the people that run the events have forgotten a basic fundemental. If you want a big event you have to provide the crowd with entertainment. It's not all about racing, thats not quite enough these days, people expect a little more!

Perhaps a live band at lunch time? A few fair ground attractions. A giant screen with onboard camera action? Technical sessions for riders wanting to take up racing complete with a have a go session?

Perhaps you could win a new bike if you buy a ticket?

Paul N

Good points, theres the entertainment.... It might be dismissed as frippery by those who want to watch racing for race craft's sake, but it brings in the people, and that is what is required....

**Syphon_Life** · 20th February 2005, 03:33

well ive been convinced, by members on this site to throw money at an old crashed race bike ive had sitting in my garage,
an 89 fzr400 the last time i could get it started it was such an adrenalie rush
but a few problems

its leaking oil from somewhere im not too sure,
and my rear calliper needs rebleeding but the nipple bolts are rounded...
and a rubber seal for the front brake resivior, mine is all melted and shit,

the biggest problem,
it wont rev over 5000 i am not sure why, if anyone can help with a solution please do so,
hopefully will see some of you soon on the track!

**Kickaha** · 20th February 2005, 08:42

There's a couple of members running those bikes so it wont be to long before someone is along to point to you in the right direction

Might pay to post about the bikes symptoms in the racing or sports bikes forum as it may get missed in here.

**Racey Rider** · 8th March 2006, 14:49

I have never had much interest in watching F1 car racing on TV.
But for some reason, this A1 car racing does interest me.
I think the differance is that in A1 it is clear to me, who the man for me to cheer on is.
The New Zealand team.

Having someone to cheer on raises the enjoyment level of any sport.
So I'm thinking, if new people come to watch bike racing, who are they going to get behind and cheer on when they don't really know the riders involved?

What if more was made of the provice where riders came from?
Would spectators enjoy the day more if they could cheers for there home town team?
Team Auckland. Team Taranaki. Team (somewhere else).
It works well for things like Stockcars, Rugby, Prostate Champs.
Worth a thought?
Maybe,
maybe not.

**FROSTY:Me** · 8th March 2006, 18:23

RR funny you should mention that --Ive been tossing the idea around with SVS to run a TRI club series.
The idea is its 6 rounds -2 auckland 2 manfeild and 2 taupo
3 clubs from 3 regions.
Your idea takes it another stage--team racing for your club