Paeroa Battle of the Streets 2014

[nodrog:Me]

I was recently contacted by the organiser of the recent MV Augusta Classic race day at Taupo asking for sponsorship money for the individual races.

I asked him how much of the money would be going to the competitors as prize money.

I was told that none of it was going to the competitors. Apparently it's costs a fortune to host these meetings.

I politely told him to fuck off.

Was that Robert Cockran?

[Katman]

Was that Robert Cockran?

Why - is he your boyfriend?

[Ocean1]

No doubt it was something to do with safety.

Meh. Micromanaging misiscule risks associated with the massive primary risk of racing motorbikes in the first place is pretty silly innit?

Like all of the rest of our silly engineered safety culture.

[nodrog:Me]

Why - is he your boyfriend?

He wishes..

[Drew]

Meh. Micromanaging misiscule risks associated with the massive primary risk of racing motorbikes in the first place is pretty silly innit?

Like all of the rest of our silly engineered safety culture.

Interesting take on it.

I think it's a fair enough to impose harsh penalties. Bet a lot of people would be singing a different tune if Choppa had died the year he did a wheelie across the line at Wanganui, and his steering damper jammed up.

I did wheelies at the streets. But I'd accept penalties if they were handed out too.

[merv]

Interesting for sure Drew you sound all growed up now.

[swarfie]

Interesting for sure Drew you sound all growed up now.

Yep...so growed up he sounds like he's goin through menopause

[busadayz]

was it just me or did anyone else think competitor numbers were down a bit this year........i seem to remember more ezy-ups and stuff in the pits years past.......i also noticed some geezers walking round with "banned from racing at Paeroa" T shirts on......can anyone shed any light on this? or is it a piss take

Numbers were definitely down this year, I have a copy of last years programme/entry list.
I count approx 176 last year, this year 133. A substantial drop. Me and a mate tried to boost numbers by racing this year after watching for the last 20 years. I am sure there are many reasons why racers have not entered, politics of it all, costs, having to be there the day before to sign on, dangers???, other commitments etc etc.
Even though I came last in my race and had an encounter with a hay bale, I enjoyed the whole thing, being new to me I guess.
With regards to Patric being banned, maybe a bit harsh for life. He is certainly an entertainer. But imagine "IF" he did crash while pulling his wheelie while waving to the crowd and dropped oil everywhere or worse and the meeting got cancelled because of it, same issues as some of the good folk are having with prize money now. The riders would probably want his head on a stick. The organisers have their hands tied there.
Paeroa maybe on its way out with associated costs and declining entries, real shame.
Look forward to being there next year though.
Anyone know how many came through the gates?

[Mom]

No doubt it was something to do with safety.

Safety! Annoys the shit out of me that sort of thing at the street races. Honestly. You riders take your own risks racing. You enjoy it. It shows.

The organisers have marshalls and scrutineers to make sure all runs well.

Us spectators take our own risks attending. Something of a joke really expecting to be injured as a spectator.

I still have a hunk of Steven Briggs crankcase that came flying in to the people waiting to cross the track next time it opened. I stopped it with my leg

I did not attend Paeroa this year, but appreciate the angst of the ones that did.

The organisers of this event would be well insured for race day incidents.

The punters don't need to be refunded, but the competitors certainly need to be recompensed for the entry fees (or some of them) at the very least, to ensure they come back next year.

I have been attending Paeroa most years since it started, it cant NOT continue.

[Ocean1]

Interesting take on it.

I think it's a fair enough to impose harsh penalties. Bet a lot of people would be singing a different tune if Choppa had died the year he did a wheelie across the line at Wanganui, and his steering damper jammed up.

I did wheelies at the streets. But I'd accept penalties if they were handed out too.

Harsh penalties should be reserved for seriously endangering innocent bystanders, and I doubt anyone attending Paeroa or participating in the races really objects to a victory wheelie.

So who's behind the ban? Is it anyone the racers or the paying public give a fuck about?

I can see occasions where being a general dick should be discouraged, but let's keep things in perspective, compulsory donation of any winnings to charity orta cover it Shirley.

[trustme]

I was recently contacted by the organiser of the recent MV Augusta Classic race day at Taupo asking for sponsorship money for the individual races.

I asked him how much of the money would be going to the competitors as prize money.

I was told that none of it was going to the competitors. Apparently it's costs a fortune to host these meetings.

I politely told him to fuck off.

Who ripped your nightie ???

The meeting was run by the NZCMRR, they never pay prize money. I don't think any of the competitors want prize money, we just want the opportunity to race our old bikes & have a bit of fun. The Taupo meetings lose money , this year the club tried more promotion & sponsorship to raise the profile of the event & increase spectator numbers. If the classic guys wanted prize money we would simply exacerbate the shortfall, it would be self defeating.

This in no way means that I don't support prize money at other events.

[skinman]

banned for a wheely...WTF have the organisers not seen super bikes or moto GP. those guys often have the fronts up just for the hell of it

[Gremlin]

What's wrong with this country. Banning a rider because he wheelstands WTF ?

Any race meeting that has this type of attitude deserves to go down the gurgler IMO.

My view: There are wheelies and then there are wheelies. Some are harmless, and some are downright dangerous. Plenty are somewhere in the middle. Ultimately, if a racer can't select the right time and place and affects others, they can expect to be pulled up for it.

Stationary burnouts also fuck the surface of the track/road...

[Katman]

Who ripped your nightie ???

The meeting was run by the NZCMRR, they never pay prize money. I don't think any of the competitors want prize money, we just want the opportunity to race our old bikes & have a bit of fun. The Taupo meetings lose money , this year the club tried more promotion & sponsorship to raise the profile of the event & increase spectator numbers. If the classic guys wanted prize money we would simply exacerbate the shortfall, it would be self defeating.

This in no way means that I don't support prize money at other events.

The way I see it, if an event organiser is charging competitors to race at an event and they are charging the public to spectate at an event they should be offering some sort of reward to the competitors who are actually the ones taking the ultimate risk and who are the people that the public are coming to see.

I would hazard a guess that those competitors who say they don't want prize money are quite likely those who would have little chance of being in the running for any prize money anyway. (I'm happy to be corrected if that isn't the case).

It seems that a lot of race organisers are taking a lead from the very top of the sport with how the likes of Youthstream (MXGP) appear to see themselves as being greater than those that are actually doing the competing.

[Edbear]

One person not racing in this year's battle of the streets is last year's winner Patric Nussbaum and his Black Pearl Kawasaki ZX10. Patric is the first winner in the history of the Battle of The Streets to be given a life ban after celebrating his 2013 win with a wheel stand on the run to the line. His supporters are campaigning to have the decision overturned, seeking likes on the Patric Nussbaum Facebook page, saying the decision is harsh, unfair and completely unnecessary. His supporters have a tent at the end of the back straight on the embankment, and there are T-shirts. - See more at: http://www.sunlive.co.nz/news/64522-....lREKTtqu.dpuf

fuck that is harsh............yeah i did wonder why he wasn't there but didn't make the connection..........i always looked forward to seeing and hearing his bike........work of art

Yeah way to kill your sport dudes, what silly organisers.

What's wrong with this country. Banning a rider because he wheelstands WTF ?

Any race meeting that has this type of attitude deserves to go down the gurgler IMO.

Harsh penalties should be reserved for seriously endangering innocent bystanders, and I doubt anyone attending Paeroa or participating in the races really objects to a victory wheelie.

So who's behind the ban? Is it anyone the racers or the paying public give a fuck about?

I can see occasions where being a general dick should be discouraged, but let's keep things in perspective, compulsory donation of any winnings to charity orta cover it Shirley.

Patric is a good guy and a genuine celebrity. He was intially disqualified for the wheelie but when he kicked up about it he was then banned. I was talking to him at Paeroa and he said that the event organiser asked him to register after MNZ had told him it wasn't them behind the ban, but was the event organisers!

Then at the last minute the organiser, (I'm not using names here), rang Patric and said that at an emergency meeting, he was told by MNZ that if they let Patric race, MNZ would not turn up. So it appears that MNZ are behind the ban after all.

Whatever the story, it sucks and Patric feels he's had the guts ripped out of him.