What would bring YOU to watch a race meeting?

[sidecar bob]

People are still interested in some things.

The Southwards open day last weekend was HUGE. People everywhere..... and they paid to get in....

Motorcycle racing might have to recognise that its not the main event anymore and build up a following by hanging onto the coat tails of something else. Look at the classic festival and burt munro - both offer more choices than just racing.

Find another event that needs an extra dimension and join with it.

Absolutely.
I was chatting yesterday with a pre '65 car racer that thought if car & bike racing was combined at some levels we would all benefit, & I fully agree.

[Paul in NZ]

Absolutely.
I was chatting yesterday with a pre '65 car racer that thought if car & bike racing was combined at some levels we would all benefit, & I fully agree.

Yup - or say the inter marque concours (cars), HOG rally, air show's etc.

OR stage something extra to bring people. Decent band, festival etc. Run an 60's / 70 / 80's (what ever) festival - music, dress up comp, cars, bikes. Hook up with one of the clubs - display and swap meet?

[DidJit]

For a long time I’ve thought these guys are doing it right in terms of mixing up the right ingredients to put on a good local show. Well presented, well organised, well followed.

Even if you’re not into that scene (I'm not, but I respect what they’ve achieved), you can still appreciate they have a slick operation going and an avid following. Maybe a leaf or two could be taken out of their book?

[Deano]

Yup - or say the inter marque concours (cars), HOG rally, air show's etc.

OR stage something extra to bring people. Decent band, festival etc. Run an 60's / 70 / 80's (what ever) festival - music, dress up comp, cars, bikes. Hook up with one of the clubs - display and swap meet?

Wet t-shirt competition!!

[Billy]

Only just seen this sorry...The last Lady wigram revival a few months back raised some questions. Yes we were told at briefing it's a demonstration not a serious race....then when the guy I was assisting who had been backing a big pre 82 into the hairpin ( and wheelieing out of there plus the dipper too ) lit it up at the hairpin post last race he got his hand smacked big time....at the car club's insistence !!

Do they or don't they want entertainment ? I've heard from several sources that the car club did a survey of spectators to work out what was popular - and at car bike meetings like this one, the bikes were VERY popular.

Sorry, Billy - this is a bit of a favorite rant of mine - the bloody fun's been taken out of racing....

Yerr,I didnt say it couldnt or wouldnt happen,Just that it won't be part of a National series,I fully agree that in some cases it can be an advantage,When I first started racing racing I never did a meeting at a closed circuit without cars being there as well.

[Paul in NZ]

Wet t-shirt competition!!

Mr Jelly wrestler would win that (according to his avatar) hands down...

[Stirts]

Wet t-shirt competition!!

Tighty Whiteys contest!!

[jellywrestler]

Political correctness is in part killing racing as a spectator sport.
I understand that Uber Chum, the German with the Kawasaki streetfighter & massive dreads in Pre '89 was stripped of his Pareoa winning points for doing a one handed wheelie.
while it's great to see and Patrick is a very capable showman what happens when every other rider whose ever tried a wheelie tries and lights up and it ends in a coroners court
Just another small nail in racings' coffin.

Ever been a witness in a Coroners Court, I have after a racing fatality, they show no mercy and they have the power to finish that coffin off with just one nail, they don't need lots of small ones.

[yungatart]

Ever been a witness in a Coroners Court, I have after a racing fatality, they show no mercy and they have the power to finish that coffin off with just one nail, they don't need lots of small ones.

My understanding (please correct me if I am wrong) is that wheelies do not break any rules

[jellywrestler]

Also, I think someone put a post up to watch the NZGP for Superbikes at 3 pm yesterday. Well sorry but less than 10 bikes, no crowds and no atmosphere does nothing for bike racing.
I'm a big bike fan and have been for many years. That was just average and does nothing to keep bikes afloat.
Apart from the weather I struggle to see the difference to a Vic club day in winter.

You've been negative towards the Nationals for some time, seems a mindset more than anything else to me.
There were 12 bikes on the grid for the first race at Ruapuna, check mylaps it'll tell you and that is a signifcant drop from last season where there were 19.
The economys taken a hit and with the rego rise a couple of years back we're lucky there's even a dozen. don't forget the other classes which are reasonably well subscribed and the racing in pretty well all the classes is anything but processional The crowds were as big as I've seen at Ruapuna, that's life it's not 1978 and the malboro series any more.
No Atmosphere, were you there? I was and there was a good vibe around the place, not the same as a street circuit but pretty damn good.

You've watched all levels of bike racing for long enough to know that one day there'll be a shit fight out there, the next it'll be a procession...

[jellywrestler]

My understanding (please correct me if I am wrong) is that wheelies do not break any rules

might not break any rules but Some clubs at some meetings have a policy of no wheelies, it's their meeting and their head on the chopping block therefore it's their perogative.

[yungatart]

might not break any rules but Some clubs at some meetings have a policy of no wheelies, it's their meeting and their head on the chopping block therefore it's their perogative.

Yep, I totally agree. My understanding, tho, is that the 'no wheelies' policy is unenforceable, as it is not against MNZ rules. I am still happy to be corrected/proved wrong.

Where's Billy when you need him?

[sidecar bob]

Ever been a witness in a Coroners Court, I have after a racing fatality, they show no mercy and they have the power to finish that coffin off with just one nail, they don't need lots of small ones.

Yep. I have been an "expert witness" on several occasions, as I was employed by the Tauranga Police as a motorcycle examiner for bikes involved in fatal crashes locally.
I was also an interested observer in the Leon Mason bike fatality case, so yeah, had a bit to do with it.
Now that it has been widley reported in popular media that a competitor was roasted for putting on a show, you can be sure of two things. No competitor will ever risk that again, & the paying public already know that. (not criticising the bike mag, they reported the truth, & rightfully so)
Consequently, it will show in the gate take figures for Paeroa 2014.
Running out of petrol has killed more competitors than one handed wheelies in the last ten years.
I understand comments were made, due to a picture that emerged of me swinging on a sidecar recently, clearly not hanging on with either hand at all. These kind of things are performed to make the crowd sit a little closer to the edge of their seat, give them some value for their gate fee & to hopefully help them to decide to come again next year.
If the showmanship is outlawed, racing will be as fun to watch as slot cars & consequently, will draw as big a crowds as slot cars do.

[Deano]

Supplementary regs could cover it ?

[roogazza]

You've been negative towards the Nationals for some time, seems a mindset more than anything else to me.
There were 12 bikes on the grid for the first race at Ruapuna, check mylaps it'll tell you and that is a signifcant drop from last season where there were 19.
The economys taken a hit and with the rego rise a couple of years back we're lucky there's even a dozen. don't forget the other classes which are reasonably well subscribed and the racing in pretty well all the classes is anything but processional The crowds were as big as I've seen at Ruapuna, that's life it's not 1978 and the malboro series any more.
No Atmosphere, were you there? I was and there was a good vibe around the place, not the same as a street circuit but pretty damn good.

You've watched all levels of bike racing for long enough to know that one day there'll be a shit fight out there, the next it'll be a procession...

What, I'm not allowed !!!!
I've said before that I have no interest in Championships here. You are in favour and that's cool . Pump away in the rose tinted glasses! you don't have to go far to see I'm not alone.
Yes I've been following racing a long time and I can tell, as many others can, that Nationals has always been for a select few who want to race for a title that to them means they were the winner in that race in that year. I just never saw any value in it sorry. More often than not Nth riders wouldn't bother to go Sth and vise versa. You are the winner of those that turned up only.
Sundays NZGP played on TV3 was average at best and if twelve bikes were there, 6 or 7 were in the race, well two really.
Sorry it's been going downhill since probably the 90s, Fact ! Shit I loved Wanganui, started there in 1970, thru Marlboro to early 80s. Went back on my return to NZ in 1999 and saw the drop off. Now 12 yrs on its worse again. I accept it, it's dying.
Another point, our best, Andrew Stroud,he's what 41/42 ? would never happen years ago. Who can even beat him now (the Aussie No 5) ? It's spiralling down, talent, Depth and interest.

I spend good money to travel to GPs and I get what I pay for, the best ! While I'm there in May/June i'll get me some of those glasses but hey I doubt they'll work for me.

Hang on by fingernails Spyda, I admire your glass full attitude.