Commando attack at Mallory Park this weekend....

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I usually ride at Winton Motor Raceway. There are only two places there where you cannot crash safely. A friend of mine once said, every time we crash we could be killed. I have only ever had one crash where I considered being killed was a real possibility. I sustained a dislocated collar bone, but if I'd been on my back when I met the ripple in the bitumen, I would have probably been killed. I've stepped off about 3 times around 100 MPH. It is usually not a problem, but I always look at my surroundings and think before I stick my neck out. Road racing is safe as long as the risks are minimised to a tolerable level. That means NO drum front brakes and NO pudding basin helmets and as few solid objects as reasonably practicable around race circuits.
 
acotrel said:
I usually ride at Winton Motor Raceway. There are only two places there where you cannot crash safely. A friend of mine once said, every time we crash we could be killed. I have only ever had one crash where I considered being killed was a real possibility. I sustained a dislocated collar bone, but if I'd been on my back when I met the ripple in the bitumen, I would have probably been killed. I've stepped off about 3 times around 100 MPH. It is usually not a problem, but I always look at my surroundings and think before I stick my neck out. Road racing is safe as long as the risks are minimised to a tolerable level. That means NO drum front brakes and NO pudding basin helmets and as few solid objects as reasonably practicable around race circuits.
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I remember watching Barry S on tv after his incident at practice in Daytona and I don't remember him saying anything about it being no problem. All the team members rushing to help him, none of them were saying that it's ok it was a safe place to crash. Your mate on the other hand who made the profound statement about the possibility of a crash causing death might be on to something. Also motorcycles are heavy old things and if one lands on top of you it will not be nice at all and that's when you find out how good race suits are, they won't save your life but act like a body bag and saves a lot of cleaning up afterwards, bugger all to do with drum brakes or pudding basins .But I do look forward to your next crash test dummies report Alan.
 
A simple get-off onto a very smooth bitumen circuit is usually no problem if you do it when you are trying hard and the bike slips out from under you. Many of our young guys love riding at Phillip Island because it is so fast and smooth. However any crash there is always a biggie. Any get-off over 100 MPH is far too fast. Sheene's crash at Daytona and the one that Doug Macrae also had there, horrify me. Look at what they were riding - it was not a matter of 'if' but 'when'. I think a Yamaha R1 would be beautiful on Daytona or Phillip Island as long as you were COMPETENT. If you get silly, you get bitten.
 
I think I have a real problem with racing motorcycles. If I go to a race meeting, as soon as my motor fires-up, I am never going to crash again. Is that reality ?
 
SteveBorland said:
Falling public attendence seems to be a general problem these days. This year's Bikers Classic at Spa was very poorly attended, due in part to Saturday being continuous rain (and the Tour de France had a stage quite close by, that allways seems to bring rain :-)). There was much more empty space in the paddock than in previous years, and very few spectators.
Must have been a very expensive weekend for the organisers, one does worry about the future of this event.
They ran a similar event at Imola for a couple of years, but that died due to finances - a great pity since a) its a fantastic track, and b) it's right in the town, so lots of very good places to eat after the end of the day.
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SteveBorland - I was at Spa also (with my Seeley Matchless). Saturday was indeed a wash out but one reason for poor attendance could also be because the organisers now offer less track time for the track day sessions but ask for more money. They shoehorn in the Belgian Classic GP, which eliminates several of the track sessions. The organisers, DG Sport, have gotten greedy and they may kill the goose that lays the golden egg... Mind you, I aim to compete in the Belgian Classic GP next year, if all goes well. Spa is an incredible circuit.

Steve A - Some of the Irish lads I travelled with to Spa will be at Gedinne. Look for the Classic Bike Racing Ireland truck in the paddock.

Dave
 
The comment about track time interests me. In 2003, I was involved in running the Australian Historic Championships at Winton. By combining the various 'periods' into capacity classes while observing the track limits , which apply to the number of bikes allowed on at any one time - we were able to provide five 5 lap races on our 3 KM circuit over a two day weekend - and that included practice sessions. And that is if the competitor brought only one bike. One young guy brought 3. He fell off on the second day, probably from exhaustion - walked out of hospital on the Monday without much injury.
 
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