TINYS 292 Posted May 30, 2023 34 minutes ago, Beowulf said: Peterborough v Boston, Boston v Peterborough and Kings Lynn v Poland, then the drive back to Wolverhampton ! Happy days Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Beowulf 1,513 Posted May 30, 2023 44 minutes ago, TINYS said: Happy days That was a bank holiday. Another bank holiday one we did was 11:00 am Birmingham, 3:00 pm Ellesmere Port and 19:30 Leicester. Can't remember the fixture's now. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
old bob at herne bay 828 Posted May 31, 2023 Really don't see much future for British Speedway beyond 2 more years tbh. Losing stadia is not going away - and definite lack of interest in defunct tracks on restarting speedway. Looking at the prospects for even next season 2024 Premiership Shot to pieces withe loss of Peterborough and Wolverhampton racing venues. Down to 5 clubs in 2024. Possibly unviable with 5 clubs ?? racing each other 3 times a season home and away will give 12 home meetings. Playoffs between top two ? Difficulty seeing other CL sides moving up withe current entrenchment of double up riders in PL and CL , plus the fixed race nights making Wednesday a non race night in the PL. Championship The availability of their stadia must raise doubts about Birmingham, Edinburgh and even Poole. Poss Workington joining CL in 2024? Down to 8 clubs in 2024 - assuming Poole will line up. National League Mildenhall have annual issues over running as a standalone club. Edinburgh stadium issue. Newcomers Workington have hopes of a Championship slot. in 2024. Rider availability seems to be a growing issue. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
old bob at herne bay 828 Posted June 1, 2023 Just read this weeks SS . Delete Kent from next years National League. They may become a NORA club alongside IoW . ?? Maybe Mildenhall will join them too ? 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
moxey63 1,785 Posted June 1, 2023 (edited) This is getting serious. Doubts over so many clubs. Sooner rather than later, the middle man in what is often a laborious and predictable six months of table fixtures could be a thing of history, and perhaps we can just go straight to the two-team Grand "Last Men Standing" Final. Edited June 1, 2023 by moxey63 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
topaz325 1,859 Posted June 1, 2023 I,m assuming the promoters are having or have had discussions about next season and the future of the sport in the UK...... 2 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
AFCB Wildcat 1,362 Posted June 1, 2023 On 5/29/2023 at 11:00 AM, Sings4Speedway said: The problem with continuing at even individual/amateur level is the supplies of equipment will dry up. Currently lower leagues and amateurs mostly feed off buying second hand pro bikes. If they stop being purchased the suppliers will shut down too and just leave a trickle of parts available or revert to the days of bodging and mending to keep ailing bikes running I must admit, I'm a bit out of touch now as it's been at least 10 years since my son rode at amateur level, and yes, his equipment was second hand and probably filtered down from pro use. Having said that, I seem to remember at the time, you could buy new equipment from JRM (Jawa) and build a basic machine for a reasonable amount. After all there's not much to a single cylinder bike with no gearbox or brakes. It's all the trick bits & specialist tuning that make it unaffordable, which wouldn't be necessary at an amateur level. I don't know if this is still the case? I looked online but the Jawa catalogue I found doesn't show prices anymore like it used to, but would a new basic machine cost any more than what people pay to compete in other amateur motorcycle disciplines like Moto X etc.? 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Richspeedway 327 Posted June 1, 2023 Maybe if some teams are looking at NORA it might shock (or give them the kick of the ****) to finally sort out the sport in the UK but I very much doubt it and heads will remain buried in the sand Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Sings4Speedway 3,247 Posted June 1, 2023 1 hour ago, AFCB Wildcat said: I must admit, I'm a bit out of touch now as it's been at least 10 years since my son rode at amateur level, and yes, his equipment was second hand and probably filtered down from pro use. Having said that, I seem to remember at the time, you could buy new equipment from JRM (Jawa) and build a basic machine for a reasonable amount. After all there's not much to a single cylinder bike with no gearbox or brakes. It's all the trick bits & specialist tuning that make it unaffordable, which wouldn't be necessary at an amateur level. I don't know if this is still the case? I looked online but the Jawa catalogue I found doesn't show prices anymore like it used to, but would a new basic machine cost any more than what people pay to compete in other amateur motorcycle disciplines like Moto X etc.? Using Joe Hughes International (because they list prices) and selecting only the basic level items focussing on a single bike for amateur level racing with no donor parts id guestimate that it would cost easily £5-7K to build up a respectable new machine (not including cost of engine). Will chuck rough figures below but thats the tip of the iceberg.... countershaft £385 clutch £585 forks + damper £450 diamond £250 rear end £150 engine plates £120 fuel tank £100 air filter £50 tyres £120 (Front&Back) wheels £250 rear £180 front exhaust £350 (front pipe, silencer, heat shield) dirt deflector £300 carb £675 Total £3965 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
AFCB Wildcat 1,362 Posted June 1, 2023 11 minutes ago, Sings4Speedway said: Using Joe Hughes International (because they list prices) and selecting only the basic level items focussing on a single bike for amateur level racing with no donor parts id guestimate that it would cost easily £5-7K to build up a respectable new machine (not including cost of engine). Will chuck rough figures below but thats the tip of the iceberg.... countershaft £385 clutch £585 forks + damper £450 diamond £250 rear end £150 engine plates £120 fuel tank £100 air filter £50 tyres £120 (Front&Back) wheels £250 rear £180 front exhaust £350 (front pipe, silencer, heat shield) dirt deflector £300 carb £675 Total £3965 Thank you, that's kind of what I expected. So as I say, not disproportionate to other hobbies then. I know people who have spent over £10k for something they have to pedal for a weekend hobby. At the end of the day it's a very basic piece of kit. Anyone with any basic grasp of mechanics could strip & rebuild one so the servicing & maintenance costs needn't be prohibitively high. At an entry level too, using a pit bike engined machine for youngsters to get started would probably be cheaper than the combined cost of their iPhones and games consoles! 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Piotr Pyszny 206 Posted June 1, 2023 On 5/29/2023 at 12:01 PM, stevehone said: riders needing to have 2 bikes at each meeting is an added expense also, the number of times i've been somewhere and riders would rather borrow from another rider or spend ages trying to fix something than jump on their own spare bike. i think in league meetings the last rider i can recall having the 2nd bike set up the same as the 1st was Tom Topinka In the days when I reported on speedway, I recall Paul Bentley ticking me off for referring, in conversation, to his 'second bike'. They're both the same, he told me. There isn't any point, he added, having two bikes, if you think one is inferior. 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
moxey63 1,785 Posted June 13, 2023 (edited) The question regarding speedway's future has to be where are the new fans. I began attending in 1975, for example: but who is the most recent first time attendee on here, for example? I guess most would say the 70s and 80s. Edited June 13, 2023 by moxey63 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
tonyd 165 Posted June 13, 2023 2 hours ago, moxey63 said: The question regarding speedway's future has to be where are the new fans. I began attending in 1975, for example: but who is the most recent first time attendee on here, for example? I guess most would say the 70s and 80s. My grandson Ethan attended speedway for the first time early last season after his family were gifted some free tickets for Sheffield from the charity "Bluebell Woods", and he was instantly hooked. My last speedway meeting I attended prior to 2022 was at Rye house but his enthusiasm for all things speedway re-ignited my enthusiasm and now we attend every week at Sheffield and we are also fairly regular at Leicester as well. Every day I get a phone call to discuss the latest postings about riders and teams on the various forums so I would say that Ethan is one of the new generation of speedway supporters ready to move forward into the future with this great sport of ours BUT are the powers that be ready to move the sport forward and give these new supporters something to support and follow? 6 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
cinderfella 865 Posted June 24, 2023 Just looking at the fixture lists and seeing most teams have periods of inactivity for several weeks I can't but wonder how the ruling bodies can get it so wrong. Come the business and rainy end what's the chances teams are going to be struggling for dates yet again? Total mismanagement and financially clubs much be taking considerable hits. IMO we must go to a single league and ensure fans get weekly racing or fans will find other (cheaper) forms of entertainment. Changes are needed now 7 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mikebv 10,290 Posted June 26, 2023 On 6/24/2023 at 12:02 PM, cinderfella said: Just looking at the fixture lists and seeing most teams have periods of inactivity for several weeks I can't but wonder how the ruling bodies can get it so wrong. Come the business and rainy end what's the chances teams are going to be struggling for dates yet again? Total mismanagement and financially clubs much be taking considerable hits. IMO we must go to a single league and ensure fans get weekly racing or fans will find other (cheaper) forms of entertainment. Changes are needed now Changes were needed donkeys years ago. .. They never happened... And won't now. . Turkeys don't vote for Christmas. .. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
