OK my thoughts on a new production class

[scott411]

i have been thinking of the problems with road racing and an entry level class to fill the void 250 proddy left

i remeber 250 Proddy being full of bikes, every brand had a bike, they were cheap to run, cheap on tyres, and had a value at the year they had a value at the end of the season, and most of our best riders now started in it.

how about a 450 motard class on prodcution rules,
before you all shake your heads and dismiss it, think about it for a while,

1, they are cheap to buy and build, you can find plety of them second hand, and they will haev a value at the end of the year, and you can go rtail riding and mx on them to keep fit,

2. every bike manufacture makes one, that means local shops can get ebhind their rider and help him out, or race one themselves,

3. they are easy on tyres and other comsumables, if you crash them they do not bend, and are not hard to fix if they do.

4. its already the biggest class at most club racedays in the north island,

5. lets face it, 30 more riders at all the national rounds would not hurt would it

i know the class would have its problems, like pukekohes back straight, but i think it is worth discussing,

what do the guys that race in here think about this comapred to a 650 twon production class, just trying to creat discussion
4.

[bistard]

A 650 twins racing class would be a good idea
The bikes should be standard & kept that way for at least the first year of racing so it can be monitored & to keep expenses down
So we have Suzuki SV,Hyosung,Kawasaki & Cagiva
I think the easiest way to start this is get hold of A big road racing club,the Vic Club for instance & get them to run the class in the winter series,then go to Paul Stewart at MNZ & say look we have done this,we have these numbers & it works
A good example of this,is why did we have Karts at a National Champ round at Manfeild,could we not find another class??

[roogazza]

I'd be in that tomorrow, if there was a class like that ! G.

[Goblin]

how about a 450 motard class on prodcution rules,
before you all shake your heads and dismiss it, think about it for a while,

I think it's a bloody good idea! Motard classes at club level and street circuits are HUGE! Wanganui had 46 entries in the program and Paeroa had 32, plus they attract a shitload of spectators. To see them at National level could only be good for the sport.

[scott411]

A 650 twins racing class would be a good idea
The bikes should be standard & kept that way for at least the first year of racing so it can be monitored & to keep expenses down
So we have Suzuki SV,Hyosung,Kawasaki & Cagiva

i think this idea has merit as well, however is 4 enough brands to make this class work,

450 mx bikes are made by Suzuki, Kawasaki, Honda, Yamaha, KTM, Husaberg, Husqvana, TM, Benelli, Aprilla, VOR, and Buell has jsut annouced they are making a 450 mx bike out in 08 or 09,

[bistard]

The problem with 450MX bikes is,Yes its ok at street meetings,but they suffer big time at a purpose built track,as in struggle with the long straights & is really bad for engine life,reving a single that hard for that long,just ask the guys who are currently doing it & will be boring in a straight line
As for are four manufacturers,yes,if we go back to 250 proddie days,towards the end,it was only rgvs,that were available
The plus side for 450MX bikes,is you road race one weekend,& with a few minor alterations,you are riding in the dirt the next week
Most of the commitee of the Vic Club are KB members,so lets get a show of hands for a 650 Production class & see if we can have a class at the Vic Winter Series
Another way to keep the racing close is the prospect of a one brand tyre battle
So theres my 2 cents worth

[Shaun]

So most road racers complain that it is too exspensive to go road racing ( And it is) So we offer a new class, that the bike can be road raced one weekend, and then MotoXd the next? So where does that money come from?

NOT trying to discredit your very good effort here!

I have said it in another thread, and will again, the real problem with road racing in NZ is the riders

No one speaks up at the race track really, No one bothers to sit down and write a hard copy letter to the road race commisioner, yet a huge % are prepared to get on different internet forums and make bold statements, and they do it under a sign on name? wtf

I know this can-will read as quite negative but, after saying all that, there are 3-5 really good riders out there at the moment, and a quite a few more in the junior classes, but will these younger riders continue on?

It is time to go back to grass routs

Oyster really hit on the head with his post another racing thread on here, if some one really wants to do some thing to incease our racing and top riders for the future, Go and do it, what ever IT is, get a rider a 125cc Motox bike, or a supermotard, or a pile of shite from your local wrecker, just get them on 2 wheels because No matter what, a GOOD rider is riding, they will look and go good and then there will be the rest, as per the pecking order in life

[scott411]

I have said it in another thread, and will again, the real problem with road racing in NZ is the riders

this is not only a problem in road racing, it is a problem in MX, enduro and probably every other form of racing as well, 90% of the riders don't care much, they pay their entry fee, they race when their told to and they go home,

[Shaun]

this is not only a problem in road racing, it is a problem in MX, enduro and probably every other form of racing as well, 90% of the riders don't care much, they pay their entry fee, they race when their told to and they go home,

And there is the true problem!

[Ivan]

Yip thats true,


Alot of Riders sit around and bag the meeting but dont ever complain. COme on if you have an issue bring it up and the organisers of the meeting are there to make improvments.


And I also agree how many people actuallly care about racing?
How many guys go to a meeting and race for the fun?
And how many guys go to a meeting to win?

Alot of riders fall into the first catagory alot you dont see back the next year, either they got sick and tired of it or they did a year had fun and gave up.


Racing is going to always lack behind as alot of people dont want to help themselves by complaining to the club so the commitee get a chance to resolve the problem they want to come on internet forums like Shaun siad under a different alias and bag the meeting about how shit it was and how useless the commitee is,

But the commitee think they are doing the right things when they dont get a comlaint

my 2 cents

[James Deuce]

By all means complain, but at the same time offer to be part of the solution. Point out the problems and then offer to help solve them if you;ve raised what ends up being considered a valid issue.

Part of the issue as I can see it from the outside is that MNZ is developing a fortress mentality, and the various silos within the sport (offroad, road and speedway) don't try and help each other improve stuff across the board.

[Shaun]

Jim2, can you please explain what you mean by ( MNZ Developing a fortress mentality) ?

[James Deuce]

They seem to be (remember this is from the outside looking in) retreating into HQ and fending off criticism with a stick, while reducing their PR output to avoid more criticism.

The stuff in the trade mags is really good, but I saw a truck racing billboard in Petone and thought to myself how come there wasn't one up for the Manfied round of the Nationals? The Truck Racing billboard was produced by Manfield's PR people too, not the Truck Racing authority.

[Shaun]

They seem to be (remember this is from the outside looking in) retreating into HQ and fending off criticism with a stick, while reducing their PR output to avoid more criticism.

The stuff in the trade mags is really good, but I saw a truck racing billboard in Petone and thought to myself how come there wasn't one up for the Manfied round of the Nationals? The Truck Racing billboard was produced by Manfield's PR people too, not the Truck Racing authority.

I have no idea how you come up with that opinion Jim, have you had some dealings with the office, or have you seen some thing in print to justify that statement? Because to me it really just reads as a comment from some one wanting to say something? Hope I am wrong! I also know that all that is done by the staff in the office of MNZ with very good intent, YES, some times they get it wrong, but what buisness does not get the odd spanner in the works.

Truck racing has money in it, Big money, bike racing has NO money in it, hence Manfeild promotions spending money in an area that they know they will get a return from, no matter how much advertisement was done for the bikes, you would hardly notice a difference at the gate.

[James Deuce]

The sport's invisible. That's why there's no gate takings. As I kept saying it's from the outside looking in, which is the perspective of most people, though the majority of NZers would be surprised to find out that there is still organised motorcycle racing in NZ.

Just saying. No need to get defensive.