Gerhard Engine

[mac101 1,201]

A good few still use Castrol R40 but most use other oils but they are still castor based just different manufactures The reason you don't really smell it as modern engine don't really burn oil like the older uprights

[Ray Stadia 1,071]

A good few still use Castrol R40 but most use other oils but they are still castor based just different manufactures The reason you don't really smell it as modern engine don't really burn oil like the older uprights

I didn't know that. Is that due to the engineering tolerances being tighter? It's been a while since I have seen a speedway piston, but I am not sure if they used to have an oil ring? Or not one like you would see in a car engine, as I recall. Maybe the rings used are different today?

[Shale Searcher 1,264]

Also, don't forget the oil no longer just drips out, so don't get on the exhaust pipes, they are no longer total-loss systems...

[The White Knight 9,039]

The "unique" smell of burning castrol oil, burning clutch plates, the noise of virtually un-muffled, single cylinder engines thrashing, the smell of proper hot dog sausages and onions frying, the clank of glass pop bottles rolling down concrete steps, the sound of kids trainers being skidded through dry, dusty shale, and the echoey tannoy competing with the old tractor fighting its way through shale..

 

That's how it was in the 70's......

............ and was much the better because of that.

 

The Promoters and Riders have let all that go sadly. No the wonder only the diehards are left - I would still be going were it not for the Double Points Rule.

 

To sum up - some of the Races are still very good, but overall, those who run Speedway, to my mind, have made many very bad ecisions over the years.

 

Speedway nowadays is not the same as the Sport I loved (and to a point, still do) all those years ago.

 

Lots more people went in those days - so they must have been doing something right. Then they change everything in order to progress the Sport - and we can all see the results of that - can't we?

[Ray Stadia 1,071]

Also, don't forget the oil no longer just drips out, so don't get on the exhaust pipes, they are no longer total-loss systems...

 

But they brought in oil catchers a long time ago!

[stevehone 3,429]

I think it must have been around '85 or '86

[waiheke1 4,295]

............ and was much the better because of that.

 

The Promoters and Riders have let all that go sadly. No the wonder only the diehards are left - I would still be going were it not for the Double Points Rule.

 

To sum up - some of the Races are still very good, but overall, those who run Speedway, to my mind, have made many very bad ecisions over the years.

 

Speedway nowadays is not the same as the Sport I loved (and to a point, still do) all those years ago.

 

Lots more people went in those days - so they must have been doing something right. Then they change everything in order to progress the Sport - and we can all see the results of that - can't we?

And agsin..the issue isn't that too much has changed, it's that not enough has. What brought in an audience 40 years ago is not what will guarantee an audience now. There are far more alternatives and tastes have changed.

I mean, in what way would glass bottles bouncing down stairs, or louder engines, or rubbish sound system or"real hot dogs" (not sure the fare served at 70s ws tgat top notch tbh) atvthe speedway bring the crowds back.

The sport needs pUlling into the 21st century not dragging back to the 50s.

I would add that the racing imo is aa good as ever. I've watched a number of 80s meetings from Hyde rd on dvd recently, and have to say the racing is certsinly not better than the 2016 El I saw, and inferior to the 2016 GPs.

It's a bit like saying far more people bought nokia 10 years ago, so they should start making non smart phones again. Or IBM should start making dos computers with 256kb of memory.

Edited January 22, 2017 by waihekeaces1

[sommelier 1,118]

I didn't know that. Is that due to the engineering tolerances being tighter? It's been a while since I have seen a speedway piston, but I am not sure if they used to have an oil ring? Or not one like you would see in a car engine, as I recall. Maybe the rings used are different today?

The modern speedway piston is just a slipper, even going back to the 2 valve Jawa never had a oil ring has its a total loss oil system

[Ray Stadia 1,071]

And agsin..the issue isn't that too much has changed, it's that not enough has. What brought in an audience 40 years ago is not what will guarantee an audience now. There are far more alternatives and tastes have changed.

I mean, in what way would glass bottles bouncing down stairs, or louder engines, or rubbish sound system or"real hot dogs" (not sure the fare served at 70s ws tgat top notch tbh) atvthe speedway bring the crowds back.

The sport needs pUlling into the 21st century not dragging back to the 50s.

I would add that the racing imo is aa good as ever. I've watched a number of 80s meetings from Hyde rd on dvd recently, and have to say the racing is certsinly not better than the 2016 El I saw, and inferior to the 2016 GPs.

It's a bit like saying far more people bought nokia 10 years ago, so they should start making non smart phones again. Or IBM should start making dos computers with 256kb of memory.

To be fair to TWK, he hasn't said speedway would be better if it was noisier and hot dogs tasted better. But it is a fact far less people go and watch and yes, we shouldn't stand still with technology. Something is wrong somewhere, I think we can all agree on that, surely? For me, I think it is an expensive night out, for what you get. The team identity is definitely a problem. I think a second half event should be part of the programme, although I do accept curfews can be an issue, but that could be accommodated better, if the meeting was more seamless. Regarding the analogy of IBM computers and Nokia phones, these have become cheaper to buy and with more benefits and entertainment value, has the same happened in speedway?

[The White Knight 9,039]

And agsin..the issue isn't that too much has changed, it's that not enough has. What brought in an audience 40 years ago is not what will guarantee an audience now. There are far more alternatives and tastes have changed.

I mean, in what way would glass bottles bouncing down stairs, or louder engines, or rubbish sound system or"real hot dogs" (not sure the fare served at 70s ws tgat top notch tbh) atvthe speedway bring the crowds back.

The sport needs pUlling into the 21st century not dragging back to the 50s.

I would add that the racing imo is aa good as ever. I've watched a number of 80s meetings from Hyde rd on dvd recently, and have to say the racing is certsinly not better than the 2016 El I saw, and inferior to the 2016 GPs.

It's a bit like saying far more people bought nokia 10 years ago, so they should start making non smart phones again. Or IBM should start making dos computers with 256kb of memory.

I was actually talking about the 50's, 60's and 70's. You could try watching a few DVDs from that era - if you have any.

[waiheke1 4,295]

I was actually talking about the 50's, 60's and 70's. You could try watching a few DVDs from that era - if you have any.

I've watched a plethora of meetings ftom the 70s on YouTube, and for the most part the racing isn't as good as what I've seen in the GPs and ftom the NSS in 2016. Obviously some cracking races, but a lot of from the gate stuff as well.

To be fair to TWK, he hasn't said speedway would be better if it was noisier and hot dogs tasted better. But it is a fact far less people go and watch and yes, we shouldn't stand still with technology. Something is wrong somewhere, I think we can all agree on that, surely? For me, I think it is an expensive night out, for what you get. The team identity is definitely a problem. I think a second half event should be part of the programme, although I do accept curfews can be an issue, but that could be accommodated better, if the meeting was more seamless. Regarding the analogy of IBM computers and Nokia phones, these have become cheaper to buy and with more benefits and entertainment value, has the same happened in speedway?

The point of the analogy was that if you don't evolve, rival products will take your customer base. These may be cheaper and have more entertainment value. I'd say this is exactly what has happenned to speedway.

[Trees 2,814]

Someone needs to find the answer to make modern day speedway more exciting than it has ever been. Very, very controversial but the only thing I can think of is putting riders off handicaps. The problem with this is it makes the sport more dangerous for the top boys. Other than this tracks need to be altered to make passing easier .....

[foamfence 2,917]

[OveFundinFan 4,142]

Wow ! - 42 euro for a spark plug - obviously got to be something special

[hunch 20]

Does seem a lot but a quick check on another supplier website shows a price of £44 for the plug,a cheeper one is available but I can't see too many pro riders scrimping on a small item like this.

Nice to see some openness on pricing,hope the other suppliers do the same