Re: Something is Ailing Sidecars that isn't related to racing in general. What is it?
Posted: Fri Apr 08, 2016 5:53 pm
Ailing Sidecars
Having been involved with the sidecars from 1965 when I started passengering with Derek Bayley my path took many directions in the sidecar family world wide. I have read all of the above and DS has pretty well covered the main problems.
Let’s analyse the main problems (clubs dropping sidecar races) from the previous 29 clubs over the years running sidecar races there is only a handful these days so this shows that there are not enough participants not necessarily enough sidecar racers.
So it would seem there are still too many races for the amount of participants at club level, so it makes sense to reduce again the amount of clubs catering for a few on the grids between 4 to 10 make the racers hungry to ride, the South is catered for by BEMSE the North and Scotland I think is also quite strong, so it needs just (one) club in central England to cater for sidecars, the rest should drop the class, and fill there grids with solos, if we had 3 strong clubs running sidecars the grids would become viable and attract better grids hundred of club races a year are not needed. The FSRA link off meetings anyway so this should not be affected. The other two main organisers DS Thundersport who does not currently cater for sidecars, and obviously RKB with BSB.
If in fact there are dwindling amount of sidecar racers, or racers not motivated to put there package together or just happy to do the odd race or get there licence stamps for the TT a strong club championship with really something off value to chase maybe the way to go. Make all sidecar races integrated open to F1 & F2 with the FIM changing the rules to 600cc in 2017 it makes sense to run altogether which also helps bolster grids. (Ok I know some do) as they do at the worlds.
Ok we understand the Sidecar family will never agree on anything so changes have to be led from the organisers for good or bad.
As for not enough sides available there are enough, and bikes are always available for sale, if ever that situation ever changed somebody would step in and make bike chassis if it was a viable business venture.
Regarding lack of practice time available there are many track day companies and organised properly these people would give track time if there was enough participants
As for encouraging new talent this should be done from the top of the sport RKB BSB now with Chris Walker going to Sidecar from Superbike there is no better time to sell sidecar racing and could be mentioned in the commentary for interested parties to go to the RKB tent for further information.
Having been involved with the sidecars from 1965 when I started passengering with Derek Bayley my path took many directions in the sidecar family world wide. I have read all of the above and DS has pretty well covered the main problems.
Let’s analyse the main problems (clubs dropping sidecar races) from the previous 29 clubs over the years running sidecar races there is only a handful these days so this shows that there are not enough participants not necessarily enough sidecar racers.
So it would seem there are still too many races for the amount of participants at club level, so it makes sense to reduce again the amount of clubs catering for a few on the grids between 4 to 10 make the racers hungry to ride, the South is catered for by BEMSE the North and Scotland I think is also quite strong, so it needs just (one) club in central England to cater for sidecars, the rest should drop the class, and fill there grids with solos, if we had 3 strong clubs running sidecars the grids would become viable and attract better grids hundred of club races a year are not needed. The FSRA link off meetings anyway so this should not be affected. The other two main organisers DS Thundersport who does not currently cater for sidecars, and obviously RKB with BSB.
If in fact there are dwindling amount of sidecar racers, or racers not motivated to put there package together or just happy to do the odd race or get there licence stamps for the TT a strong club championship with really something off value to chase maybe the way to go. Make all sidecar races integrated open to F1 & F2 with the FIM changing the rules to 600cc in 2017 it makes sense to run altogether which also helps bolster grids. (Ok I know some do) as they do at the worlds.
Ok we understand the Sidecar family will never agree on anything so changes have to be led from the organisers for good or bad.
As for not enough sides available there are enough, and bikes are always available for sale, if ever that situation ever changed somebody would step in and make bike chassis if it was a viable business venture.
Regarding lack of practice time available there are many track day companies and organised properly these people would give track time if there was enough participants
As for encouraging new talent this should be done from the top of the sport RKB BSB now with Chris Walker going to Sidecar from Superbike there is no better time to sell sidecar racing and could be mentioned in the commentary for interested parties to go to the RKB tent for further information.