electric speedway bike . WHEN?

[ruffdiamond]

21 hours ago, SPEEDY69 said:

If they ever proposed electric bikes and the sport was still going, it would only work in my view if the tracks had four grooves carved into them.  Those who went too fast would crash out but could if fit remount into their groove.  Call it speedextric.

Can see where your going with that,,, how about getting fans involved, letting them be in charge of the power and, make it so that it can be all put away in the box and travel round, might beat some planning laws there... It would be a bit like a Circus, which it isn't at the minute.

[Icicle]

It may not be a "Circus" but certainly it isbeing ruled by the Clowns!

Edited February 14, 2018 by Icicle

[cyclone]

On 2/13/2018 at 11:00 AM, A ORLOV said:

If it turns out to be as boring as Formular E for racing cars the sport would die in less than one season, also the noise is part of the sport.

 

The main reason I watch Speedway is the visual spectacle, not the  background noise.  

As far as noise is concerned I'm sure the riders and their pit crews would welcome having to dispense with ear defenders when warming up the bikes.

If electric bikes can match or better the level entertainment of the current conventional Speedway, and given the removal of one of the main sources of objection by NIMBYs, namely excessive noise,  then it make sense to go down this route, unless of course if you still yearn for the reintroduction of dynosaurs 

 

 

[A ORLOV]

1 hour ago, cyclone said:

The main reason I watch Speedway is the visual spectacle, not the  background noise.  

As far as noise is concerned I'm sure the riders and their pit crews would welcome having to dispense with ear defenders when warming up the bikes.

If electric bikes can match or better the level entertainment of the current conventional Speedway, and given the removal of one of the main sources of objection by NIMBYs, namely excessive noise,  then it make sense to go down this route, unless of course if you still yearn for the reintroduction of dynosaurs 

 

 

You might like it but hundreds will not, so you can go back to the doing something else when the sport is dead.

[SPEEDY69]

41 minutes ago, A ORLOV said:

You might like it but hundreds will not, so you can go back to the doing something else when the sport is dead.

I agree.  Those two you tube clips were cringeworthy - no power in those machines at all and it looked like they had bald tyres as well to make then try to slide easier.  No thanks.

[A ORLOV]

2 minutes ago, SPEEDY69 said:

I agree.  Those two you tube clips were cringeworthy - no power in those machines at all and it looked like they had bald tyres as well to make then try to slide easier.  No thanks.

Obviously some have not seen how few people bother watching Formular E.

[Davet]

I think the question should be WHY, not WHEN!

[martinmauger]

The power characteristics will be interesting though, less of a throttle or voltage controller - more of an on / off switch.  I 'like', in one sense, the Formula E series: when it comes to pit stops they simply change cars.  Electric vehicles may, just may, be the future but there is still a very long way to go.  It would take 3 days and many re-charges to get from Hull to, say, Scotland or Cornwall by electric vehicle.  No thanks....

[A ORLOV]

4 minutes ago, martinmauger said:

The power characteristics will be interesting though, less of a throttle or voltage controller - more of an on / off switch.  I 'like', in one sense, the Formula E series: when it comes to pit stops they simply change cars.  Electric vehicles may, just may, be the future but there is still a very long way to go.  It would take 3 days and many re-charges to get from Hull to, say, Scotland or Cornwall by electric vehicle.  No thanks....

Next year they claim they will have the whole race in the same car with the one battery, which is an improvement in the development.

The future is hydrogen as it only takes a few more mins than petrol to fill up the tank, ideal for long journeys.  They have hydrogen stations in Swindon and a few cars running on it.  Having to wait half a day for an electric recharge is no good unless only shortish journeys are being done.

[cyclone]

6 hours ago, A ORLOV said:

You might like it but hundreds will not, so you can go back to the doing something else when the sport is dead.

Who said they might like it?

 If you had bothered to  properly read what I stated namely """If electric bikes can match or better the level entertainment of the current conventional Speedway".

My point was that it's what we watch that is important, not the  background noise, which causes more problems with the surrounding neighborhood for existing and proposed tracks.

So if a form of Speedway engine/silencer was developed that minimised noise but did not impact on the quality of racing, would you still be against it?

I am aware that electric speedway bikes have not so far matched conventional machines, but they are a far quieter alternative.

Still if it's the  noise that turns you on, turn your deaf aid up a bit more 

 

[A ORLOV]

19 minutes ago, cyclone said:

Who said they might like it?

 If you had bothered to  properly read what I stated namely """If electric bikes can match or better the level entertainment of the current conventional Speedway".

My point was that it's what we watch that is important, not the  background noise, which causes more problems with the surrounding neighborhood for existing and proposed tracks.

So if a form of Speedway engine/silencer was developed that minimised noise but did not impact on the quality of racing, would you still be against it?

I am aware that electric speedway bikes have not so far matched conventional machines, but they are a far quieter alternative.

Still if it's the  noise that turns you on, turn your deaf aid up a bit more 

 

If you read what I posted it was that if it is a boring as Formular E people will not bother with it.

Part of the boring bit is the lack of noise for many, it is part of the atmosphere at the event.

Do not need a hearing aid.

Anyway you carry on and follow it if it ever happens, but I and I am sure many will not.  

[False dawn]

8 hours ago, cyclone said:

......unless of course if you still yearn for the reintroduction of dynosaurs

Reintroduction?

I is one! 

[cyclone]

4 minutes ago, A ORLOV said:

If you read what I posted it was that if it is a boring as Formular E people will not bother with it.

Part of the boring bit is the lack of noise for many, it is part of the atmosphere at the event.

Do not need a hearing aid.

Anyway you carry on and follow it if it ever happens, but I and I am sure many will not.  

It's the crowd that should create both the level of atmosphere & noise in a stadium, rather than relying on an artificial surrounding created by exhausts which travels well outside the venue.

Major sports such as football can create plenty atmosphere without relying upon artificial means of noise.

In fact if we had quiet bikes, the comments shouted from the terraces could enhance the atmosphere, rather than be drowned out by the noise from the bikes.

 

[False dawn]

11 minutes ago, cyclone said:

In fact if we had quiet bikes, the comments shouted from the terraces could enhance the atmosphere, rather than be drowned out by the noise from the bikes.

I think we'll have to agree to disagree 

[Stainlesssteelride]

In world superbikes last year they actually allowed the bikes to be louder, as when they cut the decibel level it lost some of what makes bikes racing.  Its now louder than ever, and the fans watching live get a better experience.  Nothing beats the sound of an inline 4 or a twin at 15,000 revs .

[jenga]

if you cast you mind back to the early days when there was no silencers on the bikes (straight through pipe ) it was as loud as  ,./1

but we went home happy , covered in chit . and all for a few quid .

then the silencers came in . lots of strange ones too . we had a garage full of the roe silencers .

as speedway progressed ( ? ) many oddments were tried. even Eddie K had his own !

the bikes got quieter , we moaned , but still supported this great sport . 

its only a matter of time when fuel WILL run out and the lecky bike will splash onto the scene .

todays supporters were brought up on noise and smells of the sport .

tomorrows supporters will be brought up on  voltage info . and still be on the mobile while they watch a race . no noise .

we wont see it, others may .

thanks for the input people , it shortened the start  day for speedway . 

cheers ..

 

[martinmauger]

On 14/02/2018 at 9:02 PM, A ORLOV said:

Next year they claim they will have the whole race in the same car with the one battery, which is an improvement in the development.

The future is hydrogen as it only takes a few more mins than petrol to fill up the tank, ideal for long journeys.  They have hydrogen stations in Swindon and a few cars running on it.  Having to wait half a day for an electric recharge is no good unless only shortish journeys are being done.

Yeah, reckon hydrogen cells could be one excellent solution....

[brianbuck]

Inevitably electric bikes will eventually become normal with the probability that speedway will at some time in the future have to be raced on silent bikes. This may seem horrendous to us, but it would always be possible to play the sound of the bikes over the tannoy whilst the races are in progress. With the proper electrical equipment this should allow the level of the sound to be monitored and adjusted to suit the proximity of residential houses to each track. At many tracks, (such as Birmingham) a high percentage of the spectators watch from inside the bar, so the sound level in the bar could be set at a higher level than outside if need be. This could be a good way of overcoming the so-called noise problem and allow speedway to be staged in venues where houses are very close, so would electric bikes be such a bad thing?

[Davet]

During the '60s and '70s, the noise and the smell and (I'm afraid to say) the crashes were a great part of the appeal to many people. Closeness of racing and league success was less important than it is today as, win or lose the spectacle was enjoyable. Todays sanitised product, with the loss of the smell and much reduced noise level has greatly reduced this appeal and I believe is the reason for the disenchantment of many fans and the consequent diminishing gates. 

I believe the introduction of  silent, electric bikes would be the last nail in the coffin for the sport, if indeed it lasts that long!

[jenga]

just out of interest , can anyone download footage of the electric speedway bike in action , BUT put normal speedway bike noise  onto the footage ?

thats gotta be a laugh innit . 

 

the speedway coffin must be massive to hold all thse nails , put it on a fire it would not burn, but may melt !

Edited February 17, 2018 by jenga