Sidecar Racing

[Kickaha]

There's a certain amount of flippancy from nearly every corner of the race paddock, I think Spyda is just asserting that he isn't happy about it.

Call him a cunt and move on...Works for me.

I thought he was more saying "get some decent experience first", licence rules need looking at, it should be something like "three meetings in the previous 12 months in the class you're racing in"

[Drew]

I thought he was more saying "get some decent experience first", licence rules need looking at, it should be something like "three meetings in the previous 12 months in the class you're racing in"

That makes sense too.

Spyda ya cunt, what's the skinny???

[Danger Dave]

it should be something like "three meetings in the previous 12 months in the class you're racing in"

The problem with this is the only sidecar racing in the north island seems to be national races or street meetings

[sidecar bob]

I thought he was more saying "get some decent experience first", licence rules need looking at, it should be something like "three meetings in the previous 12 months in the class you're racing in"

In the UK passenger licencing is a progressive, multi level system. you cant just arrive at the TT having done two bucket meetings & a motorcross.

[Kickaha]

The problem with this is the only sidecar racing in the north island seems to be national races or street meetings

The clubs up there aren't quite as accommodating up there as they are in the South

Come down here and race, we've got better tracks anyway

[Kickaha]

In the UK passenger licencing is a progressive, multi level system. you cant just arrive at the TT having done two bucket meetings & a motorcross.

It really should be like that in every class, 3 levels before I could race Nationals in Karts, wasn't particulary hard but you were observed by a steward at each level

[Fast Eddie]

In the UK passenger licencing is a progressive, multi level system. you cant just arrive at the TT having done two bucket meetings & a motorcross.

What are the requirements to have a go at the TT actually.. think you have to have done 3 street meetings in the last 12 months and maybe some short circuits too?

google will tell me probably.. but then I have nothing to chat about on here

[scrivy]

Saw a nice kitten today.......

[scrivy]

From memory, under the ACU licence system, there was no requirement to have done any meetings prior to doing a national meeting. Am I right??
Bob and I did Puke Nationals as our first ever meeting.

[scrivy]

What are the requirements to have a go at the TT actually..

Ya gotta be fucked in the head........

[scrivy]

I thought he was more saying "get some decent experience first", licence rules need looking at, it should be something like "three meetings in the previous 12 months in the class you're racing in"

You're right Kick, the whole system is flawed. You gunna write up new remits for the AGM?
As it is, you could do 3 weekends of racing motocross, trials, buckets, and then go racing Nationals on either a sidecar (or even be a passenger) or on a superbike! Dumb!
3 meetings in 12 months is also dumb (cause Monique said it was...), as what would be better, 3 meets in 12 months - say 1 hour each meeting (3 hours in a whole year), or you spending a whole day testing, practicing without anyone else on the track?
Why can't a test/practice day suffice for experience?
And before anyone says you're not up against other people racing and gaining experience, who says others aren't at the test day also? Also, who says they're gunna be fast enough to race with other teams at National level anyway?

The biggest thing is experience in the class they are competing in.

What if a newbie brought a machine 2 months before the Nats? How could they get 3 meets under their belt?
Doing a full test day, then being inspected by a steward and experienced racer on their first practice on the friday before a National meeting would be ok?

[Grumph]

You're right Kick, the whole system is flawed. You gunna write up new remits for the AGM?
As it is, you could do 3 weekends of racing motocross, trials, buckets, and then go racing Nationals on either a sidecar (or even be a passenger) or on a superbike! Dumb!
3 meetings in 12 months is also dumb (cause Monique said it was...), as what would be better, 3 meets in 12 months - say 1 hour each meeting (3 hours in a whole year), or you spending a whole day testing, practicing without anyone else on the track?
Why can't a test/practice day suffice for experience?
And before anyone says you're not up against other people racing and gaining experience, who says others aren't at the test day also? Also, who says they're gunna be fast enough to race with other teams at National level anyway?

The biggest thing is experience in the class they are competing in.

What if a newbie brought a machine 2 months before the Nats? How could they get 3 meets under their belt? Doing a full test day, then maybe being inspected by a steward/experienced racer on their first practice on the friday before a National meeting would be ok?

Yeah, chairs are a problem as far as experience goes...in the NI at present. My first race meeting was NZ airfield champs ie, Lady Wigram Trophy against Ron Grant, Perry, Discombe etc, etc...you could do it then.
The "test day" "ride day" culture now is producing a heap of guys and girls too who won't go one step further and get a comp licence and actually come dancing...
I think chairs may have a case for observed riding at a test day to count toward licence. Solos on the other hand I'd say no...When the ride day guys do rarely turn out at a race meeting they have time management problems - Never on the grid on time. Also without exception they've never read the rulebook...Rant over.

[scrivy]

I think chairs may have a case for observed riding at a test day to count toward licence.

Wasn't a rant at all. All makes sense. And I think is a better way to go IMO. Just as we have technical inspectors, why can't we have license observers?
If someone rides like shit, it aint gunna happen. Period.
Also, 1 whole day of testing for a passenger is far better than 3 hours in a year...... So why couldn't passengers race at National level after 1 track day?
Afterall, passengers aren't controlling the positioning of the chair on the track. And if they can do a whole test day, then they can do a 10 lap race!

[Fast Eddie]

Ya gotta be fucked in the head........

yea I am.. and keen as fuuck

Wasn't a rant at all. All makes sense. And I think is a better way to go IMO. Just as we have technical inspectors, why can't we have license observers?
If someone rides like shit, it aint gunna happen. Period.
Also, 1 whole day of testing for a passenger is far better than 3 hours in a year...... So why couldn't passengers race at National level after 1 track day?
Afterall, passengers aren't controlling the positioning of the chair on the track. And if they can do a whole test day, then they can do a 10 lap race!

yip good points. Phil and I did at least one decent test day, maybe even 2 before our first race outing (Can't remember).. which was just a wee 3 sidecar club meet in the rain. the 2nd meeting was wet as well, and then 2 rounds of puna and then hampers and wangas. I think it was the perfect way to ease into it. and then nats and here we are now

[Kickaha]

passengers aren't controlling the positioning of the chair on the track.

I know a rider who went off at T1 at Ruapuna after they made a similar comment and the swinger decided to show them how wrong they were

No actually Scrivy you're dead right, which means when you ran off the track at the hairpin at HD it was totally your fuck up