So we cut costs, but...

[wharfy]

And I bet the same guy who whinged at the $10 fee would have no compuction about handing $10 across a bar.

Yep, $10 wouldn't go far in a Wellington bar, and it wouldn't get you into a movie.

Of course people will whinge and say all sorts of crap on the internet, the signal to noise ratio is not very good . I mean what sort of looser is playing on a computer at 5 in the morning ? Oh.. me

[wharfy]

Brian, I know I answer for many in saying that you are most wecome in this country. At least you bring skills, have a culture that fits in and are not sucking the national purse dry.

Do you mean white ?

Thank God we now have a Government that is already attacking the welfare mentality.

God had nothing to do with it He/She/It was far too busy supporting both sides of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Unfortunately ATTACK is not what the "welfare mentality" needs - it need empathy,education and opportunity.

So much is done out of goodwill in this country.

Indeed it is Robert and you provide a great service to the motorcycle racing fraternity, it is appreciated.

[scracha]

At the end of the day most racers are there to test/show their riding skills and that's what the majority of spectators go to marvel over....not the pretty bikes. I'd rather watch 35 stock 600's battling their way round a track than 10 skint F1 racers. I reckon your average non biking telly spectator and sponsor would too. Formula 1, WSBK and motogp have all cut costs; some too far IMHO but if competitors can't afford to race then some things have to be chopped.

[suzuki21]

The public wouldnt really care, look at NZV8's. They arent supercars. Put a pipe on a standard bike and who would know, it would also level the playing field.

[White trash]

Nice to see I'm still getting under your skin , and without having to say anything at all !
If you would like to read that particular post again, I mentioned that just maybe, club racers find nationals a bit scary ? (with a question mark !)

I never did, but you ? who knows , you only rode for 5 minutes who could tell ? G.
ps but you're a great gum flapper thats for sure and thats a lot easier than putting in the effort.

Lol. Yeah, you're still getting under my skin alright, losing heaps of sleep over an oppinion some "never was" holds over someone he's never met.

As for the effort I put in? I wouldn't mind knowing what your point of reference is but here's a couple of facts that may shed some light. I raced competively for 18 months, not very long indeed, but the rason I'm not doing it any more is I can't. Not wont try. It's not safe for me to be racing right now, plain and simple. Also, for every north island round this summer, I've been hard at work for others making sure they get to enjoy their racing as much as I did. Quite frankly, I work my arse off.

Don't get me started on effort. But yeah, I do like to say my piece, you're 100% correct on that count.

[White trash]

The public wouldnt really care, look at NZV8's. They arent supercars. Put a pipe on a standard bike and who would know, it would also level the playing field.

A very good point. And realistically, the NZV8s are actually ALOT lower spec than the road cars they're modeled off with the exception of suspension and brakes. Look at how the series has taken off and the following it has now.

[kittytamer]

The cost of racing here in New Zealand when compared to other countries is cheap, very cheap! Track time here is cheap as are entries, even if people do moan about it. Yes wages here are less but if riders here look at the costs of racing versus wages, NZ still comes out way cheaper than the UK for example.
.

Absoloutely agree (being a whinging pom myself!). I looked into club racing in the UK a couple of years ago and ruled it out on cost. I moved here 18 months ago and am now racing, all be it only in the occasional clubmans round.
I would say that whilst track time, entry to events both as a competitor and spectator is cheaper than in the UK. The cost of bikes, parts and in particular, tyres is reletively higher.
But, getting back to the original point. Anything less than running superstock spec bikes is not proper racing IMO. Half the attraction for me is pooring over the race bikes in the pits, I love the open pits here and the layed back feel to the events. And if this was done when/if WSBK comes to Hampton Downs next year (?) some local wild cards could enter and we can see how our local talent stacks up at a world level on equal machinary.

[Shaun P]

A very good point. And realistically, the NZV8s are actually ALOT lower spec than the road cars they're modeled off with the exception of suspension and brakes. Look at how the series has taken off and the following it has now.

It would be good value if someone bought in the junior racing such as metrakit etc as that would bring in that missing young family age group and they are really cool!


http://metrakit.com.au/specifications.php

[Benk]

I doubt this would ever happen (due to beaurocratic & neurotic parents and teachers), but wouldnt it be cool if there was something which could be introduced into secondary schools.

Imagine if there was say 10 streetstock bikes available for use for high school students (yr 12/13 maybe?). If you could make it 'cool' from an early age, then it would get a heap more people into racing earlier, and could also pour alot of money into motorcycling in general, as more people (kids specifically) would realise how much 'bang for your buck' you get with motorbikes, as opposed to poxy 4 cyl cars with 30bhp, and 150db exausts, not to mention shitbox rotorvans with bongo van gearing (20000RPM, in 3rd gear and doing 50k's ), etc, etc (etc, etc, etc).

Pipedream probably.

[White trash]

It would be good value if someone bought in the junior racing such as metrakit etc as that would bring in that missing young family age group and they are really cool!


http://metrakit.com.au/specifications.php

They are indeed cool little bikes. Do you know what they sell for over there Shaun?

[Shaun P]

I think they are about 9k aud for a 70cc mini GP - this site has em in usd for an idea http://www.cycleimports.com/acatalog...torcycles.html

[puddytat]

Shame we dont have someone like that Swiss geezer thats behind the America's cup to sponsor it all....be chicken feed for someone like them

[Robert Taylor]

Do you mean white ?


God had nothing to do with it He/She/It was far too busy supporting both sides of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Unfortunately ATTACK is not what the "welfare mentality" needs - it need empathy,education and opportunity.

Indeed it is Robert and you provide a great service to the motorcycle racing fraternity, it is appreciated.

Racism was not an intention but as you have mentioned it why is it that only white people can be racists?

I have a number of friends and customers who have a different skin colour to mine and they are afforded the same courtesies as everybody else.

Look at what the National Party did with inviting the Maori Party to be part of the Government, brilliant!

For the record I was skeptical about Barack Obama but am building respect for him.

Compassionate conservatism is arguably more effective in providing empathy, education and opportunity than the unchecked socialist system that has now been firmly ejected.

( Back on subject ) Thanks for the thumbs up on the suspension service we provide, it is interfused with a degree of socialism!!!

[Robert Taylor]

A very good point. And realistically, the NZV8s are actually ALOT lower spec than the road cars they're modeled off with the exception of suspension and brakes. Look at how the series has taken off and the following it has now.

Point of order! ( Im hooked on Parliament TV ) The suspension dampers in NZ V8s are single acting Konis ( no bump damping ) and their performance and longevity is very very average at best. ( Thats being kind ) They run these because in part the supplier ( Stocks ) has a lot of muscle and political clout in that industry.

[Robert Taylor]

The public wouldnt really care, look at NZV8's. They arent supercars. Put a pipe on a standard bike and who would know, it would also level the playing field.

''Level the playing field'' Wrong, the guys at the front would be even further ahead.