Najjer 2,883 Posted March 12, 2018 4 hours ago, Skidder1 said: Swedes don't have team race suits and I don't see them being criticised. Even some countries didn't have team suits in the old WTC. The old WTC... that says all you need to know, that some people see the way forward for British Speedway is reverting back to 15 years to the year 2003! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
fubar 68 Posted March 13, 2018 16 hours ago, DWP said: What should riders wear then, jeans and T shirts. You come off a speedway bike and as your arse is torn off, you can be thinking “I’m glad Club didn’t fritter any money away on my protection “ Its a professional sport, so Club should supply each rider with a good quality Kevlar team suit. Riders have to supply all other equipment, bikes, helmets, under protection etc. Certain Hamilton doesn’t supply his own F1 car, fire suit etc. Rooney doesn’t buy his own football shirt and has to bring a ball to play with. Ok some will say there isn’t the same money in speedway as F1 / football. There isn’t I agree, but is the sport professional or not. If a Club can’t afford this, well they shouldn’t be running as a professional speedway club and if all can’t afford it, British speedway should be an amateur sport and let the Poles, Swedes and Danes run professional speedway. If your argument for kevlar suits is safety then surely you should be arguing for airbag suits such as those made by Dianese and Alpinestars, as used by Marquez, Rossi and Dovi? Incidentally, I've never seen anyone who has had their arse torn off and I've seen quite a lot of motorbike crashes but perhaps I need to get out more. What's better for a club to be professional looking and broke or a bit less scrubbed and polished but solvent? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Skidder1 7,632 Posted March 13, 2018 No I meant last year SWC!! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Trevor 270 Posted March 13, 2018 Team suits are a big help to identify which rider is which plus it gives a more professional look. Out of interest which team first went for team suits? I remember Halifax Dukes wore a team suit in the early 70's. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Najjer 2,883 Posted March 13, 2018 44 minutes ago, fubar said: If your argument for kevlar suits is safety then surely you should be arguing for airbag suits such as those made by Dianese and Alpinestars, as used by Marquez, Rossi and Dovi? Incidentally, I've never seen anyone who has had their arse torn off and I've seen quite a lot of motorbike crashes but perhaps I need to get out more. What's better for a club to be professional looking and broke or a bit less scrubbed and polished but solvent? Another one who can't look past the cost of race suits, as oppose to the extra marketing opportunities and creation of extra income it could bring if done properly.... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Najjer 2,883 Posted March 13, 2018 27 minutes ago, adonis said: these " kevlars" and I use the term very loosely since there's virtually no kevlar in them , offer no protection whatsoever , they have no abrasion resistance at all . so when you fall off your speedway bike you are just as likely to get you arse torn off as you would be wearing a decent pair of Levi's , at least the Levi's wouldn't melt and fuse themselves into your skin , "polyester" race suits were created purely for ease of manufacture and decoration , Think polyester suits offer any protection ? Ask Jason Crump I'm not sure on the ins and outs of what material does what in terms of race suits currently. But if I was a promoter, I'd have done my research and say to my riders "this is what we are prepared to provide you with, costing X amount. If you wish to have a greater product or brand then that is fine and you can cover the difference in price." Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
fubar 68 Posted March 13, 2018 6 minutes ago, Najjer said: Another one who can't look past the cost of race suits, as oppose to the extra marketing opportunities and creation of extra income it could bring if done properly.... There are very few speedway outfits in this country that have the ability or the inclination to do things properly. That nice Mr Hammond says that he has no plans to change his policy away from austerity. The beatings will continue until morale improves. So let's keep things simple, let's keep things cost-effective and let's try and keep speedway alive by not spending money that doesn't need to be spent. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Sotonian 609 Posted March 13, 2018 1 hour ago, Trevor said: Team suits are a big help to identify which rider is which plus it gives a more professional look. Out of interest which team first went for team suits? I remember Halifax Dukes wore a team suit in the early 70's. Leicester in 1969. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bagpuss 10,757 Posted March 13, 2018 I'm not against lycra oversuits as long as they aren't like those awful things worn in the EL in 1998. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
fish keeper 165 Posted March 13, 2018 1 hour ago, Trevor said: Team suits are a big help to identify which rider is which plus it gives a more professional look. Out of interest which team first went for team suits? I remember Halifax Dukes wore a team suit in the early 70's. Wolves had team race suits Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Trees 2,814 Posted March 13, 2018 3 hours ago, adonis said: If team suits are popular with the public but cost is prohibitive , then a set of plain leathers for each rider which they buy themselves , and teams supply a lycra oversuit as worn by winter olympic athletes , protection provided by the leathers , ease of decoration and low cost provided by the lycra , Current polyester decoration systems could be used for the lycra so the manufacturers of the current polyester suits ,would still have their cash cow , OMG NO to lycra over suits, British speedway has been there, done that in the past, the riders hate them and they looked hideous lol. Why don't the promoters ask the fans to pay for the suits with the promise they keep them at the end of the season, some promotions have done just this in the lower leagues... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
martinmauger 584 Posted March 13, 2018 (edited) I'm 60-40 in favour of team suits, but quite a few didn't match anyway so maybe race bibs is the garment of choice long as the riders' own suits are in the team colours.... Edited March 13, 2018 by martinmauger added info Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
WalterPlinge 657 Posted March 13, 2018 19 minutes ago, Trees said: OMG NO to lycra over suits, British speedway has been there, done that in the past, the riders hate them and they looked hideous lol. . 1998 was the year of the lycra oversuits. They were terrible and riders hated them. I was up in Manchester at the Belle Vue press day with a rider that year. Riders hated them, and they'd barely finished the team photos before Andy Smith had taken a pair of scissors to his, cut the arms off, and was threatening to cut the legs off to leave just a bib. John Perrin was not best pleased. Within a few months most riders had had their own team suits made to the same design and dispensed with the lyrca monstrosities. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bagpuss 10,757 Posted March 13, 2018 55 minutes ago, adonis said: No they haven't , they had those awful Wulfsport tops , not lycra oversuits Those moto X style outfits arrived in 2000, we had them at Lynn in what was Wagstaff's first season (Silver Machine) and as you say Wolves had something very similar. As Walter says in 1998 the terrible lycra oversuits were used (I think they may have been Wiggy's idea) and didn't last that long and most riders had their own kevlars in team colours made pretty quickly. The lycra suits even had matching full helmet colours! Eurgh. If a much better version of these oversuits could be made they would eliminate the cost of team racesuits without compromising on team identity. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
fish keeper 165 Posted March 13, 2018 Wolves had team leathers in the late 60s early 70s Share this post Link to post Share on other sites