NEW LOOK FOR STAR

[mikebv]

On 5/11/2020 at 12:45 PM, topaz325 said:

Me to. Hopefully will arrive today?

Just read the interview with Michelsen....

He says he has spent £55,000 on equipment..

Wow....

The sport really needs to give it's head a wobble doesnt it?

Edit. Another fantastic publication to add to the many recently...

Edited May 13, 2020 by mikebv

[IronScorpion]

How much of that was on the van & was it paid for by sponsors!

[mikebv]

1 hour ago, IronScorpion said:

How much of that was on the van & was it paid for by sponsors!

He said he had 'invested 55k' into his equipment (inc van) and needed now to earn money as "that money has now gone and I now need to get some money back in"..

A couple of weeks ago Charles Wright said in the Star, depending on your level, you will spend between 10k to 30k...

Staggering amounts for such a small minority sport whereby many of the participants are not doing it 'for the love of it' as a hobby, like many others do in motorsport, but instead expect to be paid as professionals, with the reasonable expectation being, (I presume), to show a decent return on their investment...

 

 

Edited May 13, 2020 by mikebv

[DC2]

4 minutes ago, mikebv said:

He said he had 'invested 55k' into his equipment (inc van) and needed now to earn money as "that money has now gone and I now need to get some money back in"..

A couple of weeks ago Charles Wright said in the Star, depending on your level, you will spend between 10k to 30k...

 

You might say you’ve “invested” £30k in a van when in reality you’ve paid a £1,000 deposit and £200 a month.

[topaz325]

2 hours ago, mikebv said:

Just read the interview with Michelsen....

He says he has spent £55,000 on equipment..

Wow....

The sport really needs to give it's head a wobble doesnt it?

Edit. Another fantastic publication to add to the many recently...

Still waiting for last weeks, had to phone Pinegen yesterday to send out another copy.

[Pirate Rich]

I've been taking the Star since the early 70's, firstly ordered through my local newsagent, more recently on postal subscription, then last week for the first time on digital subscription.

Like, I suspect many others, I was wary of "going digital" but because of the post being a bit unreliable in these difficult times I thought I'd give it a go. Wow! I wish I'd done it years ago, ok it feels a bit weird at first not having a paper copy in your hand, but you soon get over that and a big plus if your reading on a tablet and the print is a bit small you can just enlarge it to suit (useful for us old 'uns!) also great to have instant access to back issues.

Anybody thinking about digital, I would say, try it, I don't think you'll regret it, and your copy is there first thing every Thursday, guaranteed!

[PHILIPRISING]

44 minutes ago, Pirate Rich said:

I've been taking the Star since the early 70's, firstly ordered through my local newsagent, more recently on postal subscription, then last week for the first time on digital subscription.

Like, I suspect many others, I was wary of "going digital" but because of the post being a bit unreliable in these difficult times I thought I'd give it a go. Wow! I wish I'd done it years ago, ok it feels a bit weird at first not having a paper copy in your hand, but you soon get over that and a big plus if your reading on a tablet and the print is a bit small you can just enlarge it to suit (useful for us old 'uns!) also great to have instant access to back issues.

Anybody thinking about digital, I would say, try it, I don't think you'll regret it, and your copy is there first thing every Thursday, guaranteed!

ALL very true ... and once again our sincere thanks to everyone who is sticking by SS through these difficult times.It is much appreciated.

[topaz325]

1 hour ago, Pirate Rich said:

I've been taking the Star since the early 70's, firstly ordered through my local newsagent, more recently on postal subscription, then last week for the first time on digital subscription.

Like, I suspect many others, I was wary of "going digital" but because of the post being a bit unreliable in these difficult times I thought I'd give it a go. Wow! I wish I'd done it years ago, ok it feels a bit weird at first not having a paper copy in your hand, but you soon get over that and a big plus if your reading on a tablet and the print is a bit small you can just enlarge it to suit (useful for us old 'uns!) also great to have instant access to back issues.

Anybody thinking about digital, I would say, try it, I don't think you'll regret it, and your copy is there first thing every Thursday, guaranteed!

Appreciate what you are saying but spend far to much time looking at screens, prefer paper copy.

Although it might save some trees....if recycled paper is not used.

Edited May 13, 2020 by topaz325

[RobMcCaffery]

2 hours ago, PHILIPRISING said:

ALL very true ... and once again our sincere thanks to everyone who is sticking by SS through these difficult times.It is much appreciated.

Thank you for battling on. We're still getting a very readable magazine. I can imagine what you are going through. 

 

 

[Fromafar]

8 hours ago, mikebv said:

He said he had 'invested 55k' into his equipment (inc van) and needed now to earn money as "that money has now gone and I now need to get some money back in"..

A couple of weeks ago Charles Wright said in the Star, depending on your level, you will spend between 10k to 30k...

Staggering amounts for such a small minority sport whereby many of the participants are not doing it 'for the love of it' as a hobby, like many others do in motorsport, but instead expect to be paid as professionals, with the reasonable expectation being, (I presume), to show a decent return on their investment...

 

 

When you look at the money available I Poland for top men ,they are making a good living.(if the money gets paid).Signing on fees cover most of their initial outlay.

[sommelier]

15 hours ago, mikebv said:

He said he had 'invested 55k' into his equipment (inc van) and needed now to earn money as "that money has now gone and I now need to get some money back in"..

A couple of weeks ago Charles Wright said in the Star, depending on your level, you will spend between 10k to 30k...

Staggering amounts for such a small minority sport whereby many of the participants are not doing it 'for the love of it' as a hobby, like many others do in motorsport, but instead expect to be paid as professionals, with the reasonable expectation being, (I presume), to show a decent return on their investment...

 

 

Regarding Charles Wright, 10K to 30K, you would need to invest far more than that to be competitive for a season equipment alone. 

[mikebv]

2 hours ago, sommelier said:

Regarding Charles Wright, 10K to 30K, you would need to invest far more than that to be competitive for a season equipment alone. 

Wow. Really?

I presume Charles must be the '30k' rider he descibes given his level.. (?)

And 30k is still a staggering amount to outlay to compete in competitions that will often have a good deal less than 1000 people watching, (never mind paying out 'far more' as you suggest)...

If you DU you will be racing around 70 to 80 times a season so a grand a night would be pretty much the minimum on average you would need I would think to make an outlay like that worth your while...

And you can also see why DU (and guesting as well), needs to be available as you can't see either league being sufficient in isolation over here, to justify that amount of money being spent (unless you have overseas contracts)..

I presume that kit will then get sold on at the end of the season to help finance the purchase of new for the following year? If so that will offset some individuals costs obviously, but even so there must still be collectively an astonishing amount of money overall being spent each year..

All to seemingly win an ultimate race to the bottom when you look at the attendance levels, track closures over the past few years, vast sums of money put in by some promoters to stay open, and general interest in the sport over here..

Surely reducing these costs (by significant numbers) to compete, must be the largest priority to assist the sports future?

[sommelier]

4 minutes ago, mikebv said:

Wow. Really?

I presume Charles must be the '30k' rider he descibes given his level.. (?)

And 30k is still a staggering amount to outlay to compete in competitions that will often have a good deal less than 1000 people watching, (never mind paying out 'far more' as you suggest)...

If you DU you will be racing around 70 to 80 times a season so a grand a night would be pretty much the minimum on average you would need I would think to make an outlay like that worth your while...

And you can also see why DU (and guesting as well), needs to be available as you can't see either league being sufficient in isolation over here, to justify that amount of money being spent (unless you have overseas contracts)..

I presume that kit will then get sold on at the end of the season to help finance the purchase of new for the following year? If so that will offset some individuals costs obviously, but even so there must still be collectively an astonishing amount of money overall being spent each year..

All to seemingly win an ultimate race to the bottom when you look at the attendance levels, track closures over the past few years, vast sums of money put in by some promoters to stay open, and general interest in the sport over here..

Surely reducing these costs (by significant numbers) to compete, must be the largest priority to assist the sports future?

I will give you a example, this year I'm helping Drew Kemp out (felt he was my best option for up & coming young English rider) I have put in the best part of £20.000 & not even scratched the surface as far as all his equipment being at the level it needs to be.

For example 1 new Blixt carb off Joe Hughes £800, that gives you a idea just how much outlay is needed   

[sommelier]

10 minutes ago, Richard Weston said:

Thanks for that information. Any chance you can give some examples. I had no idea that costs were like this.

if you go on to Joe Hughes web site, it will give you a idea just how expensive items are.

I do a lot of Polish league meetings, the likes of Bartosz Smektala even at his age, the team & equipment he has is just mind blowing!!

[phillwhitewasmad]

Costs are high at any level. During the winter I built my son a brand new 250 bike every part unused and cost in excess of 7k. Gm engine was over 4K and proceed to destroy itself after 25 laps. Only way to reduce cost is to get lower prices from suppliers, that won’t happen though as the demand isn’t great 

[sommelier]

13 minutes ago, phillwhitewasmad said:

Costs are high at any level. During the winter I built my son a brand new 250 bike every part unused and cost in excess of 7k. Gm engine was over 4K and proceed to destroy itself after 25 laps. Only way to reduce cost is to get lower prices from suppliers, that won’t happen though as the demand isn’t great 

I honestly feel for you spending the amount you have & then having the engine let go

[topaz325]

On 11/9/2019 at 4:49 PM, PHILIPRISING said:

 

[topaz325]

2 hours ago, sommelier said:

if you go on to Joe Hughes web site, it will give you a idea just how expensive items are.

I do a lot of Polish league meetings, the likes of Bartosz Smektala even at his age, the team & equipment he has is just mind blowing!!

Just had a look £792.00 for a carb, £343.00 for a wheel, £18.00 for oil plug.....

[IronScorpion]

Even a "specialised" for speedway spark plug is not cheap.

[IronScorpion]

4 hours ago, sommelier said:

 

For example 1 new Blixt carb off Joe Hughes £800, that gives you a idea just how much outlay is needed   

WE. at Scunthorpe, & a few other clubs have similar, a S.T.I.N.G. Fund http://scunthorpe-speedway.com/?page_id=3123 which helps riders in their hour of need.

A few years ago, 1 of our top riders, Magnus Karlssen, who was good friends with the organisers, needed the latest Blixt carb, to "keep up" with others, & was given, from memory, £650 to buy a new one, even back then around 2009-2010.