Bulk transport for Nationals 2012

[scrivy]

It is a good idea Trashie.

The NZSRA did this for a few years back in 94, 95, 96 (if I can remember). We could fit 4 chairs into a 20 footer, and 8 into a 40 footer - both had split level decks.

No gear ever went missing. A little bit of damage was done to paint jobs, but not alot.

The only problem I see is that the container has to be made available at a certain place for loading. So if you factor in a day off work, and the travel to get from Auckland to say Wellington to load, and the price of fuel required to do so, it sort of negates the cheaper deal.
But then we did hire vans at Picton, and used them for 2 weeks, and split the costs. So that worked out cheaper.
But if you fly down to Chch, then theres no van hire costs - but you still need a vehicle down there.

My rig and another competitors rig were painted up in sponsors colours (P & O and Mainfreight), so we got it cheaper again, and they were impressed with us for doing so, that they again helped out when we went to Australia.

There are alot of pluses in this idea.

[White trash]

Yeah that's what I figured too mate. If I split level a 40' Hi Cube, I reckon I could get easily 8 solos, possibly 12 and all associated gear to fit without too much drama.

As for transport at destination, I can't see why people can't arrange collection from airport to track and vice versa at the end of the meeting. It'd be cool having a bigger group of people camping at the track each meeting, I really enjoyed that aspect of the the meetings this year.

I reckon 500 to 600 would cover the costs of getting each competitors machine and gear to all three SI rounds and back to the NI. Obviously the purchase of the container and modification would be an outlay, but once purchased and modified would lend itself well to the likes of the Post Classic guys travelling to Australia and also the sidecar guys.

[scrivy]

Hireage of bunkrooms at say the North-South campground are cheap, and if I remember hold about 12-16? (But snoring can be a problem............ eh Spyda.....)
Cabins at Temuka are cheap too.

Vans are cheap for the weekend, and costs split between 8 per van is naf all. Or ask fellow competitors down there for a vehicle loan, pay them a bit of coin, helps them out too!

Cheap flights are available if booked early.

The sidecar guys loved the trips years back. The trip was more fun than the racing........... (well, it was remembered more than the on track happenings anyway. Caught up with one fellow racer from the 90's at Eastern Creek just gone by - and the most memorable thing we talked about was the van trips!!).

Scrivy

[malcy25]

Bloody good idea. The postie boys and classic boys do it every year when they go to Aussie. The posties have had 15 bikes double stacked in a 20' container. That included spare engines wheels, tyres, most riding gear and everything they needed for a 3 day meeting, bar fuel.

Has to be careful packing - can take 2-3 hours and some good systems. If you did it with a few less bikes it is simpler. The Poms that come down from the Uk to race in Aussie stick their bikes in the frames that new bikes come in and that is their space "limit" for all their gear.

[wharfy]

Bloody good idea. The postie boys and classic boys do it every year when they go to Aussie. The posties have had 15 bikes double stacked in a 20' container. That included spare engines wheels, tyres, most riding gear and everything they needed for a 3 day meeting, bar fuel.

Has to be careful packing - can take 2-3 hours and some good systems. If you did it with a few less bikes it is simpler. The Poms that come down from the Uk to race in Aussie stick their bikes in the frames that new bikes come in and that is their space "limit" for all their gear.

What to the bike shops with all the frames that new bikes come packed in ?

[White trash]

What to the bike shops with all the frames that new bikes come packed in ?

Send em to the scrappers usually.

[old rig]

Sidecars did that at one stage quite some time ago, might have been the Australian Invasion in the mid nineties



That's because most people don't organise far enough ahead, we've generally got most stuff booked with a few weeks of National dates coming out as the further ahead you book the cheaper most travel is, I worked it out last year for the Northern guys you could do three rounds with no more than 6-7 days off although that relied on some assistance from guys here driving the gear around

How many sidecars can we fit in 40'?

i am pretty shore you could get 10 with a meas floor bulit in to it

[jellywrestler]

great idea but unfortuantely there are quite a few what if's too
What if a bike needs working on between meets?
what about personal transport while competing, a lot of people use vans so they can have personal transport when around there and carry tents tools etc.
The sidecars went to aussie a number of times using containers and it worked but it was also a case of unless you're in auckland there's a lot of travelling to and fro to get bikes there and back. yes there could be containers moving through the country but it is messy.

keep up the thread and if it does go ahead can i have dibs in one for a bedroom at the track.
and before anyone says it, yes bikes will have to have a 'Bolt-check' if they're in there while i'm snoring as it's sure to vibrate a few well torqued fittings loose...

[Drew]

I see the best way to be the container being loaded in Aukland, then Wellington, then being taken south.

If a bike needs work between rounds, it would cause issues for the rider as there couldn't really be any deviation from the bookings for moving the thing. But there are always things that can be done, as people at the track are pretty helpfull as a whole, so another competitor from the appropriate island would likely be found to move the bike to the next round.

I reckon we could sleep an easy half a dozen in one at the track as most bikes would be out of them, but I'm not sharing with your diesel electric train impersonation.

[jellywrestler]

[QUOTE=Drew;1130041159 but I'm not sharing with your diesel electric train impersonation.[/QUOTE]
Don't need abuse like that thanks, I actually thought I sounded like a Harley Davidson!

[Drew]

Don't need abuse like that thanks, I actually thought I sounded like a Harley Davidson!

And you think that's better?

[slowpoke]

It's got me buggered why this isn't done every year, it just makes sense on soooo many levels.

Having done something similar with paying for bike/gear stowage and transport last year, the biggest saving from my point of view was in time. I was only home from work for three or so weeks and it meant I could keep my good lady happy (-ish) and still do a few skids all over the country. I just took carry on luggage so it cost me the princely sum of $59 to fly from Wellington to Christchurch Thursday night and be home again at Monday lunchtime. Invergiggle is more expensive with no competition to Air New Zealand (that I know of) but similar convenience made it a no brainer.

Someone holding down a real job could still work a few days, not chew up all their annual leave, and spend some time with the family mid-week.

Actually buying a container would be ideal, allowing a more purpose built and practical solution, but with a bit of investment (are you listening MNZ?) you'd end up with something that would actually encourage people to enter. Approach a hire or general machinery company with the aim of securing a big generator, tyre changer and marquee so you can be more self sufficient. Not sure how hard it would be to organise certification for carrying fuel but this would also mean you could carry your own 98 octane go-juice to Teretonga where it's normally unavailable. Etc etc etc

Yeah, it's a pipe dream, but why not aim to do it right from the get go even if you can't do it all at once first up? If you/we owned it then improving it year by year would be a worthwhile investment, rather than just a box you sling your gear in. The better the facilities the more people would be prepared to pay for them too, eh?

Then, how easy would it be to round up a few folks to do an event or two in Oz with the same well set up container........?

[Billy]

It's got me buggered why this isn't done every year, it just makes sense on soooo many levels.

Having done something similar with paying for bike/gear stowage and transport last year, the biggest saving from my point of view was in time. I was only home from work for three or so weeks and it meant I could keep my good lady happy (-ish) and still do a few skids all over the country. I just took carry on luggage so it cost me the princely sum of $59 to fly from Wellington to Christchurch Thursday night and be home again at Monday lunchtime. Invergiggle is more expensive with no competition to Air New Zealand (that I know of) but similar convenience made it a no brainer.

Someone holding down a real job could still work a few days, not chew up all their annual leave, and spend some time with the family mid-week.

Actually buying a container would be ideal, allowing a more purpose built and practical solution, but with a bit of investment (are you listening MNZ?) you'd end up with something that would actually encourage people to enter. Approach a hire or general machinery company with the aim of securing a big generator, tyre changer and marquee so you can be more self sufficient. Not sure how hard it would be to organise certification for carrying fuel but this would also mean you could carry your own 98 octane go-juice to Teretonga where it's normally unavailable. Etc etc etc

Yeah, it's a pipe dream, but why not aim to do it right from the get go even if you can't do it all at once first up? If you/we owned it then improving it year by year would be a worthwhile investment, rather than just a box you sling your gear in. The better the facilities the more people would be prepared to pay for them too, eh?

Then, how easy would it be to round up a few folks to do an event or two in Oz with the same well set up container........?

Good post Spud,

Only thing Im miffed at is ( are you listening MNZ).Are you suggesting they should be transporting our bikes to the track now ?

[White trash]

Good post Spud,

Only thing Im miffed at is ( are you listening MNZ).Are you suggesting they should be transporting our bikes to the track now ?

Nope, that certainly wasn't my intention. The trasport would be paid for by the competitors whos bikes are being transported and a good deal from a couple of transport companys. I already have the contacts and have quote requests out to compile a little bit of a feasibility study. If the numbers stack up, I'm keen to undertake it but only if there's a reasonable ammount of interest from enough people to make it worthwhile.

[gixerracer]

Nope, that certainly wasn't my intention. The trasport would be paid for by the competitors whos bikes are being transported and a good deal from a couple of transport companys. I already have the contacts and have quote requests out to compile a little bit of a feasibility study. If the numbers stack up, I'm keen to undertake it but only if there's a reasonable ammount of interest from enough people to make it worthwhile.

Jimmy any idea where is the best place to purchase a container even a 20 foot one?
And do you have a ruff idea on prices it would not need to be a mint one?

Cheers