I started supporting Speedway back in 1964. 54 years ago.
I am 100% with moxy63 on this one. If I thought that race suits had brought anything positive to the Sport I would agree with najjer. To my mind it hasn't, what it has done is remove a sense of colour from the Sport. There is no 'Little Boy Blue', 'The White Ghost', The' Red Devil' these days - they all look the bloody same.
Change to suits has done nothing but remove a sense of identification with Riders. It has sanitised the Sport in a way that has removed any sense of individuality.
You ask why there are no characters in Speedway like there was in the past - I am not saying that Race Suits caused lack of characters, but they are a contributory factor. The Riders are no longer allowed to show any individuality. Individuality was how the Characters emerged.
By the way - Speedway WAS better in our day and that is without rose tinted spectacles.