The start of the GSXR 450 build

[Muzzab]

Well done at Ruapuna Shaun, all the best for the next rounds.

Cheers
Muzza

[gsxr]

[QUOTE=Muzzab;1130937692]Well done at Ruapuna Shaun, all the best for the next rounds.

Cheers
Muzza[/QUOTE

Agree and all the best Shaun

But how are any of the younger guys going to win a GP if you old cunts with all the experience keep getting in front of them

Must be about time Stroudy gave it away as well Fuck I remember racing against him 3 decades ago .

[Drew]

Agree and all the best Shaun

But how are any of the younger guys going to win a GP if you old cunts with all the experience keep getting in front of them

Must be about time Stroudy gave it away as well Fuck I remember racing against him 3 decades ago .[/QUOTE]

I dunno if that's quite the right way to think about it. The new talent should have a good pace to strive for.

[ellipsis]

...the younger riders like Baillie and Matt Hoogie were pushing them thar more mature? riders to the limit...the youth in our game need this experience to chase and learn...one of the best ding dongs all weekend was between Baillie and Dennis, with youth stamping their mark...love them all, it's looking good for the future of the sport...

[Dreama]

I dunno if that's quite the right way to think about it. The new talent should have a good pace to strive for.[/QUOTE]

I agree with that as well ...... except perhaps if the old riders are taking the meagre sponsorship $ that are available away from genuine talent that don't have PR clout behind them and thus fade away.
It's a debatable issue though, the sport intrinsically is so fucking selfish that it's every man for himself when it comes down to it.
I have no idea if that's actually the case (the sponsorship bit that is ... the selfish bit is undeniable !!), it certainly doesn't seem to be so with Shaun.
I hope Andrew Stroud keeps going for a long time yet cos he brings a unique twist to NZ racing ... it just didn't seem right when he wasn't there.
On top of that, both Andrew and Tony (Rees) are doing an awesome job of bringing through their sons whilst still performing themselves which, as anyone that's dabbled in racing will know, is an exceptional achievement.

[Grumph]

Historically, when dad retired, the son(s) got the resources of the shop dad founded on his racing success put behind them. It paid dad as the name got publicity as did the brand he sold - and he didn't have to pay the riders...This went multi - generational in at least one instance i know of.
Now we have a scenario i've never seen before where the kids start at a much earlier age and dad keeps racing much longer.
I'd assume that if dad can attract good sponsorship money, at least some of that will rub off on the kids too.

Having the oldies still reasonably race fit and riding is a good thing as until you've seen up close some of the tricks of the trade, it's damm hard to go that quick.

[sugilite:Me]

I feel it is important for old fast guys to be there. For the most part sponsorship is so minuscule out there, esp for the smaller capacity classes that it should not be seen as a issue. Shaun has always been a black belt 12th dan when it comes to getting sponsorship - a real gift of his that many a racer has envied. Though he took it too far in my opinion when he approached my then friend/sponsor and told him to drop me and spend his money on his guy. That was a dick move Shaun and yes, that side of your personality is cuntish in the extreme.
But back to faster old guys, the young can learn plenty, and how can they say they have made it if they do not beat everyone.

[Mental Trousers]

I will be changing bikes to the SV650 for the nth Island rounds Shane, and running a Nitron shock and Nitron fork kit, so that will need a bit of set up time for my own liking. My settings are normally rather different than what the book suggests, due to my experience and history of suspension set up. And turning the 450 back into a F2 600 for Paeroa and then back into a 450 as a spare for the final NZ Champs round. Only the cost of a head gasket or 2 and a bit of time to re fit and remove valves etc, easy really.

A spare bike is a necessity for NZSBK.

Are you going to run in F2 and F3 at Paeroa or not risk the SV?

[roogazza]

I feel it is important for old fast guys to be there. For the most part sponsorship is so minuscule out there, esp for the smaller capacity classes that it should not be seen as a issue. Shaun has always been a black belt 12th dan when it comes to getting sponsorship - a real gift of his that many a racer has envied. Though he took it too far in my opinion when he approached my then friend/sponsor and told him to drop me and spend his money on his guy. That was a dick move Shaun and yes, that side of your personality is cuntish in the extreme.
But back to faster old guys, the young can learn plenty, and how can they say they have made it if they do not beat everyone.

Lol I don't know bud,listening to Bert and Ernie on the CTAS thingy,the endless quoting of sponsors make it seem like everyone is getting free shit right thru the Grid.

Is this true ? or are they just quoting the different products as what are being used ?

I always remember a mate (Dave Hissy) saying to me once,"I ain't putting that on my leathers,they don't pay me" ! We were talking about Bell Helmet badges at the time.

[Drew]

Lol I don't know bud,listening to Bert and Ernie on the CTAS thingy,the endless quoting of sponsors make it seem like everyone is getting free shit right thru the Grid.

Is this true ? or are they just quoting the different products as what are being used ?

I always remember a mate (Dave Hissy) saying to me once,"I ain't putting that on my leathers,they don't pay me" ! We were talking about Bell Helmet badges at the time.

Most of it is just discounted shit through a deal from a wholesaler and shop. Fuck all free stuff for most riders.

[sugilite:Me]

Lol I don't know bud,listening to Bert and Ernie on the CTAS thingy,the endless quoting of sponsors make it seem like everyone is getting free shit right thru the Grid.

Is this true ? or are they just quoting the different products as what are being used ?

I always remember a mate (Dave Hissy) saying to me once,"I ain't putting that on my leathers,they don't pay me" ! We were talking about Bell Helmet badges at the time.

Pretty much what Drew said, bugger all free stuff, mostly wholesale prices - which is still handy! I do not blame the industry, as they would not get much back on their investment due in part to the lack of mainstream coverage of NZ racing.

[FROSTY:Me]

The sponsorship question comes up this time of year every year.
I'd suggest the question that needs to be asked is -why would a sponsor want to pour money into an unknown?
Im not being cruel here because the answer might well get that "unknown" some sponsorship.

Personally I feel its about fostering relationships and MAINTAINING those relationships. sometimes there is little or no immediate gain from it for the rider.

[FROSTY:Me]

Pretty much what Drew said, bugger all free stuff, mostly wholesale prices - which is still handy! I do not blame the industry, as they would not get much back on their investment due in part to the lack of mainstream coverage of NZ racing.

Ya know I agree with you there BUT mainstream media is far from the only way of spreading the news.
Repeating a comment I made a year or two back. Nicko (nick odomatt) was grand master at letting his sponsors know how he was doing.
Shaun makes a point of reporting what he;'s doing. Sometimes that's all a sponsor needs.

[Shaun Harris]

A spare bike is a necessity for NZSBK.

Are you going to run in F2 and F3 at Paeroa or not risk the SV?

Both at Paeroa, and a spare bike is NOT a necessity at all, good planning and care of your bike is the only necessity

[Shaun Harris]

I feel it is important for old fast guys to be there. For the most part sponsorship is so minuscule out there, esp for the smaller capacity classes that it should not be seen as a issue. Shaun has always been a black belt 12th dan when it comes to getting sponsorship - a real gift of his that many a racer has envied. Though he took it too far in my opinion when he approached my then friend/sponsor and told him to drop me and spend his money on his guy. That was a dick move Shaun and yes, that side of your personality is cuntish in the extreme.
But back to faster old guys, the young can learn plenty, and how can they say they have made it if they do not beat everyone.

That was how many years ago dude? I am a different person to then, but you are welcome to drag trash out of the can if it makes you feel better And note I was trying to get the support for another rider, not for my own racing! Business is business buddy, and that is what this game is, shame more do not treat it as such, it would be more professional, rather than a club scene that it is