Little Thumper Posted October 17, 2016 Report Share Posted October 17, 2016 Handy few lines on the MCN website for those of you who are planning on embarking on a career in speedway:- http://www.motorcyclenews.com/news/2016/october/how-the-hell-do-you-turn-a-speedway-bike-tai-woffinden/ Seems all pretty straight-forward to me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trees Posted October 17, 2016 Report Share Posted October 17, 2016 Handy few lines on the MCN website for those of you who are planning on embarking on a career in speedway:- http://www.motorcyclenews.com/news/2016/october/how-the-hell-do-you-turn-a-speedway-bike-tai-woffinden/ Seems all pretty straight-forward to me. Simples! 😂 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post THE DEAN MACHINE Posted October 17, 2016 Popular Post Report Share Posted October 17, 2016 Handy few lines on the MCN website for those of you who are planning on embarking on a career in speedway:- http://www.motorcyclenews.com/news/2016/october/how-the-hell-do-you-turn-a-speedway-bike-tai-woffinden/ Seems all pretty straight-forward to me. to be fair sliding a speedway bike is fairly easily , once you have the confidence it's extremely easy however doing it at speed and with 3 other idiots who you are convinced are trying to kill you makes it a little more difficult 12 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trees Posted October 17, 2016 Report Share Posted October 17, 2016 to be fair sliding a speedway bike is fairly easily , once you have the confidence it's extremely easy however doing it at speed and with 3 other idiots who you are convinced are trying to kill you makes it a little more difficultAnd hell it's good to watch 😊 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
customhouseregular Posted October 17, 2016 Report Share Posted October 17, 2016 I used to buy MCN every week in the early/mid 60's. It always had good speedway coverage...no idea what it's like now. And hell it's good to watch Not arf!. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Little Thumper Posted October 18, 2016 Author Report Share Posted October 18, 2016 I used to buy MCN every week in the early/mid 60's. It always had good speedway coverage...no idea what it's like now. Not arf!. I intend to buy MCN this week, as I am thinking about a new bike. When I used to get MCN on a regular basis, there was little mention of speedway and if it was mentioned, it was in a bit of a patronizing way. Shame that the "promoters" of speedway in this country don't try and forge some links with the publication but perhaps they can't be bothered. They will be sticking to their policy of, "The Right Crowd and No Crowding". Be seeing you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trees Posted October 18, 2016 Report Share Posted October 18, 2016 I intend to buy MCN this week, as I am thinking about a new bike. When I used to get MCN on a regular basis, there was little mention of speedway and if it was mentioned, it was in a bit of a patronizing way. Shame that the "promoters" of speedway in this country don't try and forge some links with the publication but perhaps they can't be bothered. They will be sticking to their policy of, "The Right Crowd and No Crowding". Be seeing you. The trouble is many of the motorcycling fraternity (in my experience) don't consider 'speedway' erm 'proper motorcycle racing' on 'real bikes' .... i'm guessing this is the reason the Motorcycle News doesn't include speedway in it's pages. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Little Thumper Posted October 18, 2016 Author Report Share Posted October 18, 2016 The trouble is many of the motorcycling fraternity (in my experience) don't consider 'speedway' erm 'proper motorcycle racing' on 'real bikes' .... i'm guessing this is the reason the Motorcycle News doesn't include speedway in it's pages. Trees, my knowledgeable friend, you are very right. But what could be more "proper motorcycle racing" than speedway? I live close to Oulton Park and quite often go and watch the bike racing there. To be quite honest, it is boring as hell! It goes on forever and a day, is usually processional and hardly anyone falls off. If speedway was properly re-structured, correctly priced and effectively promoted then bikers would be more inclined to take an interest. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trees Posted October 18, 2016 Report Share Posted October 18, 2016 Trees, my knowledgeable friend, you are very right. But what could be more "proper motorcycle racing" than speedway? I live close to Oulton Park and quite often go and watch the bike racing there. To be quite honest, it is boring as hell! It goes on forever and a day, is usually processional and hardly anyone falls off. If speedway was properly re-structured, correctly priced and effectively promoted then bikers would be more inclined to take an interest. Funny thing is some motorcycle racers think that speedway riders are the craziest, bravest racers in the world, not sure if they think they are crazy for racing speedway for the money they get or that it's a dangerous, crazy sport, bit of both perhaps ... I'm not convinced that many motorcyclists would be particularly interested in speedway even if things changed because they can't go out and buy similar bikes to ride on the road, they can't take their own road bikes on track days etc etc. Perhaps I'm totally wrong, hope so You've given me a good idea for my club though :) Bit of a tester for local bikers next speedway season Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Little Thumper Posted October 19, 2016 Author Report Share Posted October 19, 2016 Well, I have been out today and splashed out £2-30 on this week's Motor Cycle News. Some quite good stuff in their including an article on the great Joey Dunlop. Sadly, my friends, pretty well the square root of nothing about speedway. But wait, what do I see here? Tai Woofington is in the list of 15 bods who are up for MCN Man of the Year! But seeing he is up against the likes of Rossi, Marquez, Byrne etc etc, his chances of winning are slim to nil. Why does speedway have to be the poor relation in the motor sport family? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trees Posted October 19, 2016 Report Share Posted October 19, 2016 Perhaps the MCN writers ought to be invited to speedway meetings ..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bagpuss Posted October 20, 2016 Report Share Posted October 20, 2016 Trees, my knowledgeable friend, you are very right. But what could be more "proper motorcycle racing" than speedway? I live close to Oulton Park and quite often go and watch the bike racing there. To be quite honest, it is boring as hell! It goes on forever and a day, is usually processional and hardly anyone falls off. If speedway was properly re-structured, correctly priced and effectively promoted then bikers would be more inclined to take an interest. Absolutely agree with your last paragraph but I wonder if you have seen a Moto 3 race over the last couple of seasons, without doubt the most entertaining form of motorsport going. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vince Posted October 20, 2016 Report Share Posted October 20, 2016 Being really old I can remember when the Motor Cycle News was more about racing than road bikes. You would have the results and reports of all meetings, Speedway, Trials, MX, Enduro, Grasstrack all featured heavily. Even local meetings had the results printed I actually learned to read at an early age because my mum stopped looking up my Uncles results for me so I had to do it. Later Wednesday mornings was the day you rushed to get the MCN so you could see where you came in Sundays Trial and the source of endless trouble as I tried to read it first lesson in school. In those days though Motorcycles were much more a mode of transport and competition was for the enthusiast. Even then Speedway had a niche of its own as if it were not quite a motorcycle sport but something a little separate and most of the crowd had little interest in Motorcycling otherwise. For as long as I can remember though competitors in other motorcycle sports were interested in Speedway so there is a cross over there somewhere. Nowadays owning a road motorcycle is in itself a hobby and magazines and the Motor Cycle News have gravitated toward that as there are huge numbers in comparison to competitive racing. The advent of the Trials and Motocross News probably took them further away from sport when they were no longer the main source of results. Road racing is much more associated with the new motorcyclists because it's something they can associate with I assume. Much as I love Speedway on the TV I think BSB and Moto2 & 3 are at least as good to watch. Despite my assertion that it's all about the racing I always watch Moto GP as well and that often is as much about the personalities as the racing. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trees Posted October 20, 2016 Report Share Posted October 20, 2016 Absolutely agree with your last paragraph but I wonder if you have seen a Moto 3 race over the last couple of seasons, without doubt the most entertaining form of motorsport going. Only on tv though?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PHILIPRISING Posted October 20, 2016 Report Share Posted October 20, 2016 Used to be part of MCN every week in good old days-always a regular piece. Andrew Edwards (?) the author YOU are right, it was Andrew who had a regular speedway/grasstrack column. More recently Tony Hoare (ex-Speedway Star) managed to get some speedway stuff in but not on a regular basis. He has now left MCN. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bagpuss Posted October 20, 2016 Report Share Posted October 20, 2016 Only on tv though?? Absolutely. The advantage of racing round an oval track is that spectators can see everything as opposed to very little with other motorsports. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
secretagentmole Posted October 20, 2016 Report Share Posted October 20, 2016 (edited) The trouble is many of the motorcycling fraternity (in my experience) don't consider 'speedway' erm 'proper motorcycle racing' on 'real bikes' .... i'm guessing this is the reason the Motorcycle News doesn't include speedway in it's pages. I ride, I took the wife's 125 to the track a couple of times last year (whilst my 500 was in it's death throes), now I have a 650cc V twin shaft drive to get the 40 miles there and 40 miles back to the track! I do have a speedway team closer to me than that (like 34 miles closer), but I am a Fen Tiger by birth so that is who I will follow, and incidentally stand on turn 4 with my red flag ready, as I am a flag marshal (liked it so much on the first visit that when I saw them advertise for a marshal on Facebook I applied and got the position, I get close to the action)! I think Speedway is proper motorcycle racing, more so than any other. The bikes are basically identical, only basic set up like cog sizes changes, it is down to rider skill and luck, proper racing, everybody basically on the same level so it is the rider not the bike that wins it! Edited October 20, 2016 by secretagentmole Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted October 20, 2016 Report Share Posted October 20, 2016 (edited) Used to be part of MCN every week in good old days-always a regular piece. Andrew Edwards (?) the author I remember when MCN had two pages on speedway every week in the 1960s with coverage by the late Peter Arnold. It also at that time covered grass track racing in depth. Edited October 20, 2016 by Guest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trees Posted October 21, 2016 Report Share Posted October 21, 2016 I ride, I took the wife's 125 to the track a couple of times last year (whilst my 500 was in it's death throes), now I have a 650cc V twin shaft drive to get the 40 miles there and 40 miles back to the track! I do have a speedway team closer to me than that (like 34 miles closer), but I am a Fen Tiger by birth so that is who I will follow, and incidentally stand on turn 4 with my red flag ready, as I am a flag marshal (liked it so much on the first visit that when I saw them advertise for a marshal on Facebook I applied and got the position, I get close to the action)! I think Speedway is proper motorcycle racing, more so than any other. The bikes are basically identical, only basic set up like cog sizes changes, it is down to rider skill and luck, proper racing, everybody basically on the same level so it is the rider not the bike that wins it! Of course lots of bikers appreciate speedway but you certainly don't get a dedicated area full of bikes cordoned off in the car park like u do at road racing meetings .... unfortunately. If we get 4/5 at Lynn that will be it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shale Searcher Posted October 21, 2016 Report Share Posted October 21, 2016 Of course lots of bikers appreciate speedway but you certainly don't get a dedicated area full of bikes cordoned off in the car park like u do at road racing meetings .... unfortunately. If we get 4/5 at Lynn that will be it. It has to be because you can't go into a motorcycle shop, and buy a new/second-hand speedway machine, and then ride it home!!! Has anyone ever converted a speedway bike into a road going, legal bike? Surely someone has, at some point in time, even as a barmy project! Brakes, lights, re routing exhaust, right footpeg, suspension travel, electrical power, convert engine to petrol, perhaps a grass tracker gearbox and Bob's your uncle!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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