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Former Member
deleted
39 Posts |
 Posted - 20 May 2002 : 01:46:48 AM
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Well, What can I say. What a difference 10 years makes. I was a very early member of the PCRA in NSW and I competed in my last Post Classic race in 1992. From there I went racing 125cc GP bikes in the ARRC, then I took to racing sidecars. However after 10 years away from Post classic racing, I found that I yearned for the camaraderie that was always present at the Post Classic meetings, yet always seemed to be absent at the Modern meetings that I raced at, (every man for himself).
I made up my mind to go back to where I started. What a shock. Where there used to be full grids of keen young, and not so young racers on all manner of machinery there is now only a few apparantly well heeled individuals who are racing machines that to my jaundiced eyes appear to be wholly contrary to the spirit of what Post Classic racing was originally intended to achieve. And in my mind that was Cheap and Competitive racing for the average bloke.
When I first started Post Classic racing, apart from a couple of individuals who had "proper" racing machines, (good luck to them), every one else raced machines that were affordable, road based machines. Back in the early days I remember that a spirited rider on his/her home based special could in many cases beat other individuals on "pukka" GP bikes.
This is not the case anymore. The way things have changed has never been made more clear to me than when comparing the Post Classic Unlimited classes of now and 10 years ago.
10 years ago most Post Classic bikes of the time actually resembled that machines of the period 1962-1972. They were cheap to buy, cheap to maintain, and for a modest amount, Mr average racer could be as competitive as anyone else, (The Corish Brothers excepted). Now what have we got? Machines that pay lip service to the rules, machines that come out in capacities that were never available to racers back in the Post Classic Period, with engines full of exotic pieces of "unobtainium", that were also not available in the period covered by the GCR's. These Monsters, (for I can call them nothing else), have chased the average Post Classic racer off of the grids. You can not race in Unlimited Post Classic unless you have a Huge wallet, and a wizard tuner whom you pay to do your bidding, sitting in your back pocket.
But what of Forgotten Era? Why hasn't this picked up where Post Classic left off? 10 Years ago when I left Post Classic Racing, Forgotten Era was gaining momentum, but it has since appeared to have fizzled and spluttered and has never quite been able to get off of the ground. Now that I am coming back to the area of racing that I started in I see the same sort of problems afflicting Forgotten Era as those afflicting Post classic.
Is there a way ahead? Perhaps.....10 years ago we had exactly the same problems, and that is why I went to modern bikes. Back then some proposals were put forward to try and attract people back to the sport. I think that these are as valid today as they were a decade ago. they were designed to make the classes as cheap and competitive as possible:
a. Have a "Class within a Class" for these huge fire breathing beasts, so that poor buggers on slightly modified machines can have more of a chance. For example a racer on a standard CB 750 honda or any other large capacity machine races in an "Improved Touring Class", while the much modified bikes race in a class of their own, with separate points and their own trophys. People have left this class in droves because If they don't have big $$$ they can't afford to be up in the points.
b. Introduce log Books for all Post Classic and Forgotten Era race bikes which must detail all modifications made to the machine. this will dictate what class a race bike wil be placed into. (I believe that this has been proposed again),
c. For Forgotten Era, have the, "Class within a Class" with separate points for GP based machines and road based machines,
d. Introduce the Old FIM Formulas F1, F2, and F3. this will pit machines with a similar performance base against each other regardless of capacity, and give every one a chance.
In conclusion I would like to say that these are just my ideas that you may dismiss them or agree with as it suits you. I have seen what was, 10 years ago, an exciting and dynamic class of racing for the average bloke on the street who didn't have a huge budget, become a haven for those eliteist individuals who prefer to throw large amount of money at their machines in order for them to enjoy a huge, (relatively), advantage over everyone else except their equally well heeled peers.
Just remember If we make Post Classic and Forgotten Era racing affordable again our grids will grow once again.
John Swensen
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Former Member
deleted
63 Posts |
Posted - 20 May 2002 : 1:14:40 PM
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Well what can you say....I think you said plenty.
No doubting you summed the whole post classic scene correctly.
I too started with a 836cc Honda and when I couldnt advance further with my limited skill I went for the big bore Honda. Yes the bike has cost me heaps but I do enjoy riding the bike and the post classic class be it 125cc, 250, 500 or unlimited bikes.
As for your proposed changes I think they great ideas, I dont think anyone would mine who you are racing against if its a good dice.
Log books? Well they are meant to be in force next year however I applied for a log book and paid my fee (sent the form, photos and cheque) and 3 months later havent heard boo. emailed them 2 weeks ago still no reply. Not only are they incompetent and alienate the people they are working for, its down right rude not to reply to a simple email request.
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Allan
Site Moderator
National
599 Posts |
Posted - 20 May 2002 : 10:50:53 PM
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Log books are in for this year! For state and Australian titles spose that means Broadford on June 8-9!! Maybe I am wrong? And all classic events 2003?
What do we all do! Tell lies and use old photo's? O'well all my stuff is legal except for the 750cc triton which is not/never used. O' for my 500cc over square (650 destroked to 498cc ) Triumph motor that was built in 1957 and had Alfin barrells T120 head and uses 7R wheels, so will it be legal for when the HRR083 what ever rule comes in.
Cap MUST be same as manafactures for that motor we are using 650 crankcases same one as use in 1957. New rule is only 2.5 years away and covers classic-post/classic and P5.
Allan Greening |
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acotrel
Advanced Member
Victoria
2147 Posts |
Posted - 21 May 2002 : 07:24:05 AM
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Had a talk to Allan about historic racing on the weekend. Perhaps we should think a bit laterally and change our outlook on the way we run meetings.
Suggestion: If we run Formula Historic Bears, and Formula Historic Japanese as separate Formulas in the same meeting and run Junior, Senior and Unlimited in each formula. We would get three classes with all European and American bikes and three with all the Jap bikes.
All the big Hondas would be competing with Katanas and Kawasakis depending on cut-off date (probably could be 1984 or just before aluminiun frames were in).
All the Jap two strokes would be competing against each other regardless of year.
If the cut-off date for bears was 1980, Manxs would be competing with Ducati 450's and aermacchis. Probably the only thing which would beat them would be a Laverda Alpina (if you can find one), and the odd Triumph 500. The Unlimited would include Triumph Tridents, Ducatis, Nortons and Laverda Jotas (that'd be a problem!).
Just a thought. Hope you will think about it and comment.
Best Regards,
Alan Cotterell |
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