skthecat

And how much would that cost?? Say a million or two for every rider to get kitted out with new stuff? And thats a gross underestimate. 168 riders x average 3 bikes each, thats 504 new everythings at say £4,000 each bike... thats 2 million and 16 thousand for the bikes staight off, not including the cost of the re development of the old parts!!! Wheres all that dosh come from?????

Wonder if you could have a short speedway match at top level ?? Say 8 heats, 4 man teams, no restrictions if behind, perhaps have 2 meetings a night, #restrict riders to 1 bike, but have a track spare or 2?# #That would ease pits congestion# with 2 sets of riders in away pit.... Have 3 lap races, or have 6 race mini meeting after 15ht meeting, start all square, race for a bonus point or something that counts to the league to keep people interested......... any other ideas......

No, you would have to sweep loose shale off the concrete every race, then sweep individual gates as riders would demand (shale falling off starting gate operatives boots) (more sweeping, riders bikes getting settled at start gate, more shale falling onto concrete gate = more sweeping........... same delays, different situation!!!!!!

How about "from standing" starts..... 4 riders on kerb with bikes, mechanics behind them... start Marshall starts race with a gun, and off they go!! Tapes exclusions - gone Gardening dealys - gone Less stress on clutch - cheaper for riders No holding revs on at tapes - cheaper for riders So; you've got rid of delays Made it cheaper for riders Job done!!!

########### STOP PRESS ############# Just heard that the Yellow kerb paint plan for 2014 season has been "canned"!! How about making the races 5 laps? Thats nearly the same as having nearly an extra 5 races..... But wont add much more time to the meeting!!

This yellow paint has been tested in Argentina, Canada & The Vatican City, it has prooved to be the "straightest" and has been tested on "left hand" corners as well. At the moment supplies are low due to late homological testing by the FIM and it can only be produced in Lithuania at the moment, a couple of other yellow paint suppliers have shown interest in producing the paint, but the FIM believe that it is best to keep it with just the Lithuanian producer until just before the season, when other paint producers will be invited to tender for production rights.. The no yellow kerb/white line rule will be flexible for the first 2.5 meetings until the paint levels are at a level where tracks don't have to share cans. .

I've heard already today, that one huge change is the white line/kerb will no longer be white... as of the start of the 2014 season they all must be painted yellow, proper yellow, not lemon, amber, proper road markings yellow. Any team failing to comply will be fined and docked 11 league points per offence.. (has to be re coated prior the the start of every meeting.

Started today, didn't it........?

Ok, you get 14 riders of a reasonably similar ability, similar equipment, then isn't that sterilizing the sport? You'll be left with a lot of not good enough riders and riders to good? Borefest 3-3 races..... I do not think that over manipulation of team strengths is the way forward, its the wrong direction. One of the biggest issues is track surfaces not being conducive to good racing.

Isn't watering down the quality on show the easier option, and the wrong way going forward? Perhaps trying to improve the quality on show will improve the footfall, which in turn will raise the incoming revenue...? If you have a shop and you need to increase your shoppers, selling less or inferior produce is not gonna work, is it..?

How do you start a POLL thread, yes poll, not Poole, its not a typo...!!! So we can vote on who we think will be the next GB team manager......

You're right..... But, you should still attempt to make the best sow purse out of the sows available.....!

How about Phil Morris, with someone in tow as well, say Mark Loram as some sort of motivational coach/advisor...........

[[Ahhhh, a sort of offset... compensation payment. That will never happen, because Promoters would have to be 100000% more transparent about gate receipts/actual foot flow, a subject that has never reached the public domain, be it openly or by some covert means... But I know what you meant now]]

[[ An insurance to subsidise more realistic entry prices????]] [[Please explain?]]

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Where exactly should any tv money go? Most clubs don't own the stadia, so even if they wanted to spend any money on that side, they probably wouldn't be able to.. I suppose it could be spent on track surface improvement, you know, the actual track material itself, like having enough shale, covers for a supply of dry shale, for saving meetings when weathers been poor, but good on the day/night of the meeting. On adaquate track work equipment, a decent working start gate! A track spare or 2 (bikes) The list of [stuff] must be quite long, which would improve racing and smarten up the general appearance of the sport......

I took part in my first amateur meeting last year at Stoke, I borrowed a set of helmet colours to use, the white one had been washed with the red one and was actually a dirty shade of pink!! A friend who took part, actually had sought out and collected some coloured shop carrier bags and made a set!! Funnily enough they were probably the best coloured colours on show, even if they looked a bit Heath-Robinson!!!! Why don't the tracks have a set or two of standardised helmet colours that are used in official meetings? Also, I might add, new ones aren't cheap! Think the sets I looked at to buy were over £30 per set!! Never to Old.

Perhaps if the helmet colours were all from the same maker, the colours would be more consistent? The fact that more than one colour of red, blue etc etc means some are harder to differentiate than others? (I am trying to be serious here) not just mock others suggestions........

In the greater scheme of things, perhaps these aren't the most serious issues to discuss, however, how about having coloured armbands instead of helmet colours?? They used these as well as helmet colours in the 1982 World Final in LA, they worked rather well if I remember correctly? These to be worn on the right arm, RED, BLUE, WHITE, Y & B and for the Tac Sub ride, how about HI-VIZ ORANGE? These have another benefit as well, easier to get on/off and and wont interfere with goggles. ...

Sarcasm is the lowest form of wit you know? But unfortunately its also the funniest!!!! :-))

HELMET COLOURS & SKY I am led to believe that y/b and w/b are hard to distinguish when viewed under lights on tv, same as green was initially trialled instead of white for similar reasons....

Its getting rather expensive now if you want ALL footy/F1/Rugger/Speedway/MotoGP/Tennis..... Sky used to have it all, or some was on terrestrial. Now you have to subscribe to multiple providers!!! When will it end!!!!!!??????

I think its mainly due to riders racing for multiple teams in different leagues in different countries at the same time... fixture clashes, injuries etc. If a speedway rider averages 1 meeting missing injury per 200 races, in 1970 that probably took all season if not longer, now probably only takes half a season, or less when you ride 5/6 days a week..