Injuries

[THE DEAN MACHINE]

on the subject number of injuries .im not sure if there is more or not .the number of absent riders is up but most are through a crazy ruled sport not injuries and a lot of injuries happen abroad and then the rider misses a british match so we think another injury to the list but thats really because riders ride almost everday all over europe and years ago they only rode a couple of days a week. but on average a rider will get 1 injury per year

[Jonny the spud]

All the talk of long stroke / short stroke / silencers / 400cc etc can be overcome by simply having a different rear tyre homologated ?

 

If the tread pattern is right it doesn't matter how much tuning etc you pay out for the speed on the bike will be limited by tyre adhesion

 

No extra cost to the riders, less wear and tear on engines, slower speeds

 

Surely that line is worth looking into ?

[Grand Central]

WITH the FIM. There are strict guidelines about air-fences but are they being adhered to? Sloppy workmanship, human error, poor maintenance can all be factors in negating their effectiveness. Chris Holder is entitled to ask the question: why wasn't he properly protected when judging by accounts from people at Brandon(and his own) he could and should have got away with far less severe injuries.

 

Nothing to disagree with here.

Of course all those things matter.

 

But my question was more specifically aimed at just what is allowed immediately behind an airfence.

As DeanMachine has pointed out some tracks seem to be just putting the airfence infront of the girders/suspension wires of a Stock Car track.

Surely that is not safe. Whatever the workmanship.

But is it deemed OK by the authorities?

[Vince]

I think that the air fence could have a plastic layer attached to the bottom that then has shale heaped on it to stop it lifting. Then if it had proper kickboards attached there should never be a problem with riders going underneath, the kickboards would also prevent riders getting 'pulled in' to the fence and give them a chance of bouncing off and carrying on.

 

I was at Rye House today and saw Adam Kirby go through the fence twice at speed, walk away and carry on riding. Had that been anywhere else, air fence or not, I very much doubt that he would have got away with the same thing. If they force Rye to install an air fence it will be criminal.

[New Science]

:

Many nasty injuries since the new silencers... Coincidental??.... Or not??

So what have the new silencers actually done for speedway ?

 

1:Increased costs: Costs have increased including the numbers of services required and now compulsory heat shields to prevent burns

2 Increased risks for riders :Bikes are now more unpredictable and difficult to control increasing risks to riders(Kelvin Tatums view)

3 More injuries: More riders are suffering injuries,particularly incidents where riders are suffering serious injuries falling off with no-one else involved (Stead

Lindgren recently)

4 Restricted track preparation;The days of tracks heavy with dirt are things of the past as they are unrideable with the current silencers.Preparing the

perfect racing circuit has become even more of a science.

5 No atmosphere at tracks;Since the new silencers came into effect the atmosphere at speedway tracks is non existent.The removal of the sound of the

has taken the atmosphere and sucked the soul out of the sport.

6 Reduced entertainment:The speedway at smaller tracks,where throttle control is key is not a patch on what it used to be,the outside pass has become the

exception rather than the norm.

7 Financial Downward Spiral:Sure speedway may have been in decline for many years but that decline has accelerated in the last 3 years.In the past

successful teams used to make money,struggling teams used to lose money,you took the rough with the smooth. We are now in a position where

"NOBODY MAKES ANY MONEY"

Sure these are my own views and I prepare myself to be shot down and my argument pulled apart by many on this forum; Thats Fine

Are all the points I've listed worth giving in for just to appease the environmentalists,the way the world works now this wont be the last change the sport

has to go through !,

[spinkox]

Weren't the back protectors introduced around that time?

 

Foam type back protectors - designed for jockeys - where available 1970.

[New Science]

Many nasty injuries since the new silencers... Coincidental??.... Or not??

Interesting to note Kelvin's Tatum commentary last night on the difficulty riders are having controlling their machines with the new silencers.2nd time in a week Kelvin has mentioned this,last night it was after the fall suffered by Rohan Tungate.It may only be one voice but someone of Kelvins experience and technical knowledge should not be ignored.If the risks to rider safety are increased this issue needs to be addressed.

[Arson fire]

Interesting to note Kelvin's Tatum commentary last night on the difficulty riders are having controlling their machines with the new silencers.2nd time in a week Kelvin has mentioned this,last night it was after the fall suffered by Rohan Tungate.It may only be one voice but someone of Kelvins experience and technical knowledge should not be ignored.If the risks to rider safety are increased this issue needs to be addressed.

A few in the know reckon the rear tyres nowadays are dangerous also... And a big problem.

[Trees]

Why don't the few in the know do something about it, start the call rolling so to speak??

[THE DEAN MACHINE]

Why don't the few in the know do something about it, start the call rolling so to speak??

because unfortunatly the few in the "havent got a bloody clue" call the shots

[Daniel Smith]

Interesting to note Kelvin's Tatum commentary last night on the difficulty riders are having controlling their machines with the new silencers.2nd time in a week Kelvin has mentioned this,last night it was after the fall suffered by Rohan Tungate.It may only be one voice but someone of Kelvins experience and technical knowledge should not be ignored.If the risks to rider safety are increased this issue needs to be addressed.

 

Peter Johns & Gary Havelock Tweeted that Kelv talked crap & lives in the past regarding those comments though. But, I'm not sure a modern day engine tuner is likely to agree with Kelv is he as that would be a sure fire way to destroy ya own business.

[BWitcher]

Precisely. The new silencers are the best thing to have happened for Peter Johns.

[PHILIPRISING]

TALK to just about any GP rider, as I do, and they all agree with Kelvin's comments about the silencers and the problems they cause. As does, incidentally, Barry Briggs.

[ch958]

an independent ruling body would deal with this sort of matter without links to individual tracks, riders, manufacturers so that sensible decisions are arrived at. Currently the sport is essentially leaderless and makes knee jerk decisions..

[SCB]

A few in the know reckon the rear tyres nowadays are dangerous also... And a big problem.

This always perplexes me. Speedway as we know is about getting the power from the bike to the track. The only contact is with a tyre. Surely the easiest way to slow the sport down, speed is up, make it safer etc is to change the rear tyre? Why only one type of tyre? Surely a deep grippy track required a different type of tyre to a slick track?

 

TALK to just about any GP rider, as I do, and they all agree with Kelvin's comments about the silencers and the problems they cause. As does, incidentally, Barry Briggs.

No doubt Briggo has a solution too that'll only cost £2000. I'd listen to pretty much any current GP rider about current machinery over someone who hasn't raced for 30 years. Yes Briggo was good then but what does he really know about riding a current bike? Probably more than me but nothing compared to a GP ridr surely?

[The White Knight]

Peter Johns & Gary Havelock Tweeted that Kelv talked crap & lives in the past regarding those comments though. But, I'm not sure a modern day engine tuner is likely to agree with Kelv is he as that would be a sure fire way to destroy ya own business.

 

Engine Tuners seem to be the only people making money out of Speedway these days.

 

Time to go back to Engines that can be maintained by the Rider/Mechanic.

 

Awaits Flak.

[The Know]

TALK to just about any GP rider, as I do, and they all agree with Kelvin's comments about the silencers and the problems they cause. As does, incidentally, Barry Briggs.

 

I thought they didnt even have silencers when Briggs last rode ? Problem not the silencer but the 30 year old design air cooled motor. Tatum still a twit though and talks rubbish

[PHILIPRISING]

BRIGGO still has more knowledge about the characteristics of a speedway bike in his little finger than most could dream of. Ever since the new silencers came in a variety of riders, including some who use Peter Johns as their tuner, will tell you that they are much more difficult to ride and therefore potentially more dangerous. Even a slight lag in a speedway engine picking up or maintaining its revs, which is fundamental to how they react, can cause problems.

 

Few if any speedway tracks have a completely consistent race surface which only compounds the problems.

 

Stand next to Kelvin Tatum at a GP practice and he can tell you just by listening how an engine is performing. Just because he, or Briggo, haven't raced competitively for years doesn't diminish their knowledge or experience and only a dimwit would suggest otherwise. Kelvin also has his own dyno and has carried out a number of tests to supplement his views.

 

The fact is that the FIM pushed through the new silencers regulations of sound grounds alone and failed to listen to many people, including Dave King, who could have achieved their objective without causing riders the difficulties they are currently encountering.

 

As for rear tyres, speedway is probably unique in that riders have to use the same spec tyre in all conditions, slick or deep, wet or dry. There are solutions to that which would not actually cost riders any more than they are paying now but it is another area where the FIM have a blind spot, although new Track Racing boss Armando Castagna is much more receptive to riders' view than his predecessors.

 

This is another area in which Kelvin has strong views and he maintains that by allowing a different rear tyre, especially in wet conditions when the current one can become like a slick, more meetings might actually go ahead by giving riders more confidence in racing on less than perfect conditions.

 

Talk about trying to slow down speedway bikes has been around since the old king died and isn't the solution to safety concerns. Track preparation, air-fences that do the job they were designed for and admitting that there are alternative silencers that could conceivably reduce the number of accidents are more viable options.

 

I thought they didnt even have silencers when Briggs last rode ? Problem not the silencer but the 30 year old design air cooled motor. Tatum still a twit though and talks rubbish

 

EVEN by your pathetic standards that is a stupid remark. Kelvin has a huge engineering background, not just in speedway, and I would back his knowledge against yours any day of the week.

[The White Knight]

BRIGGO still has more knowledge about the characteristics of a speedway bike in his little finger than most could dream of. Ever since the new silencers came in a variety of riders, including some who use Peter Johns as their tuner, will tell you that they are much more difficult to ride and therefore potentially more dangerous. Even a slight lag in a speedway engine picking up or maintaining its revs, which is fundamental to how they react, can cause problems.

 

Few if any speedway tracks have a completely consistent race surface which only compounds the problems.

 

Stand next to Kelvin Tatum at a GP practice and he can tell you just by listening how an engine is performing. Just because he, or Briggo, haven't raced competitively for years doesn't diminish their knowledge or experience and only a dimwit would suggest otherwise. Kelvin also has his own dyno and has carried out a number of tests to supplement his views.

 

The fact is that the FIM pushed through the new silencers regulations of sound grounds alone and failed to listen to many people, including Dave King, who could have achieved their objective without causing riders the difficulties they are currently encountering.

 

As for rear tyres, speedway is probably unique in that riders have to use the same spec tyre in all conditions, slick or deep, wet or dry. There are solutions to that which would not actually cost riders any more than they are paying now but it is another area where the FIM have a blind spot, although new Track Racing boss Armando Castagna is much more receptive to riders' view than his predecessors.

 

This is another area in which Kelvin has strong views and he maintains that by allowing a different rear tyre, especially in wet conditions when the current one can become like a slick, more meetings might actually go ahead by giving riders more confidence in racing on less than perfect conditions.

 

Talk about trying to slow down speedway bikes has been around since the old king died and isn't the solution to safety concerns. Track preparation, air-fences that do the job they were designed for and admitting that there are alternative silencers that could conceivably reduce the number of accidents are more viable options.

 

 

 

EVEN by your pathetic standards that is a stupid remark. Kelvin has a huge engineering background, not just in speedway, and I would back his knowledge against yours any day of the week.

 

Well said Sir.

[Grand Central]

It's a funny thing about Barry Briggs, isn't it?

 

His long and proud history in the sport has won him quite an army of followers for whom the great man can barely do wrong.

And I'm sure that Philip Rising will offer the point that this is the view held by those that really matter.

 

And yet simultaneously.

He is also looked upon my many in - to put it kindly - the most poorest of lights.

They offer nothing but vitriol.

 

Is it just a PR problem?

 

 

.

Edited July 12, 2013 by Grand Central