AGM November 2018

[Fromafar]

Harris's sob story is pathetic,he's earn a few bob more than he makes out,total self interest.Why go Long Tracking to lose money !!!.had a lot  of respect for him as a rider and entertainer but his PR is terrible.90+ meetings this season and just making ends meet!! Pull the other one!

[fliss44]

3 hours ago, Big Al said:

 In Harris's case it's hard to believe that he wouldn't be able to find paid work over that period. It might even help him to stay fit and start the season better! 

Harris work and start the season prepared and fit???? I'm not sure his self inflated ego would agree with that.

[Stoke Potter]

18 hours ago, THE DEAN MACHINE said:

Yes but you will also cut the revs as you wouldn’t be able to get the same power and also the obvious thing is 2 less valves, springs and guides so you save £150 straight away 

In your opinion is it a genuine solution to the "technical" issues of the sport then?  Lower costs, improved control, better racing??  

Would anything else need to happen as well to sort the issues?

[THE DEAN MACHINE]

19 hours ago, Stoke Potter said:

In your opinion is it a genuine solution to the "technical" issues of the sport then?  Lower costs, improved control, better racing??  

Would anything else need to happen as well to sort the issues?

Yes, thankfully it’s not just my opinion , chris Louis also believes a more safer manageable engine is needed as do many others, but tighter controls are also needed as currently if it 500cc has four valves and not fuel injected it’s pretty much anything goes, we could also look at tyres, David Howe makes an interesting point saying use a tyre that makes you shut off, I think this is an excellent idea however riders will take the view that it makes you crash if you keep the throttle on rather than it makes you shut off and go s bit slower 

Edited November 12, 2018 by THE DEAN MACHINE

[The Little Un]

6 hours ago, Piotr Pyszny said:

Followers of all sports - not just speedway - have an interest in what participants earn because, to a greater or lesser degree, their admission fee helps cover the wage bill. It's hardly the same in less extraordinary walks of life.

If you had asked riders like Fundin, Briggs, Mauger and Ronnie Moore how much they earned they would quickly tell you where to get off.

 

[greyhoundp]

Whilst workable cost cutting needs to be looked at especially in regards to machinery, Doubling up and down got rid of totally, I also think the product should be altered, one thing that could be considered is Handicap racing, example an 8+ point rider be given a 50 metre handicap, a 7+ rides off 40 metres, 6+ goes of 30 metres, 5+ is off 20 metres, 4+ goes off 10 metres, and the remainder go off scratch, these handicaps would remain in place for the whole season, It would at least get rid of something none Speedway fans constantly say in conversations, which is first out of the gate wins, at least it could be tried out in the KO Cup to begin with if Promoters are unsure about it in League racing, but something has to be done to improve the product, Handicap racing could be one that costs little or nothing for the promoters to do, and undoubtably it would add to the entertainment aspect of our Sport, it could also possibly help if one League was introduced, plus the NL.

 Its not much use introducing pay scales as there are to many ways to get round that aspect, Riders ride for one Team and one Team only unless its an NL rider making his way in the Sport, If they want to ride for 2 Teams, then Poland, Denmark, Sweden, and Germany are there for them to ride in, the riders need to accept that supporters regard there Teams riders as being there riders, the have bike will ride brigade have no future in UK Speedway its almost killed Speedway in this country, and the Promoters have done nothing but encourage it..

  Iv mentioned elsewhere in this Topic fast forward to 2020, what will the visa situation be for European riders riding in the UK ?, at the moment they will have to abide by the same rules as None EU nationals with regards to obtaining Visas, because a visa will have to be obtained before any rider can be signed.. actually this visa situation has p*ssed me off for years now, how is it right that None British riders cant get a team place, when Foreigners (Thats what they are) can come in and ride here, again Promoters are to blame for the situation..

[dontforgetthefueltapsbruv]

Put certain riders of a 50m handicap and you would have them as 3 pointers by May but stuck off 50m all year

The next year off scratch those same riders would average 10+

Handicaps not practical IMO

[steve roberts]

58 minutes ago, The Little Un said:

If you had asked riders like Fundin, Briggs, Mauger and Ronnie Moore how much they earned they would quickly tell you where to get off.

 

Remember when Channel Four (Yes terrestrial TV) showed highlights of the 1989 Commonwealth Final from Belle Vue highlighted were the suppposed income from some of those taking part. Recall either Troy Butler or Martin Dugard commenting that if he was earning a fraction of what was quoted he would be doing well! From memory something like £250,000 was quoted as earnings a year.

[Gemini]

4 hours ago, Fromafar said:

Harris's sob story is pathetic,he's earn a few bob more than he makes out,total self interest.Why go Long Tracking to lose money !!!.had a lot  of respect for him as a rider and entertainer but his PR is terrible.90+ meetings this season and just making ends meet!! Pull the other one!

Not forgetting his continual pretty dismal GP appearances which must have cost him a bomb.....er.  Pride and common sense should have kicked in ages ago and he should have stuck to league racing. 

[Hamish McRaker]

5 hours ago, foamfence said:

Harris isn't short of money, his wife bought him a brand new Jaguar last month. What you read in Speedway Star is mostly people pushing their own interests no matter what the consequences.

 

Wasn't he bragging about that on Twitface or something? Not the wisest thing to do. But doesn't Mrs H have a decent paid job I gather? So maybe he's more the househusband during the winter. Nobody has asked or required him to risk his life riding speedway, it's his choice and so if it's not bringing in enough, then it sounds like he (and his wife) have maybe got some decisions to make. I don't really believe that he's exactly rolling in money, though. 

[Fromafar]

7 minutes ago, Hamish McRaker said:

Wasn't he bragging about that on Twitface or something? Not the wisest thing to do. But doesn't Mrs H have a decent paid job I gather? So maybe he's more the househusband during the winter. Nobody has asked or required him to risk his life riding speedway, it's his choice and so if it's not bringing in enough, then it sounds like he (and his wife) have maybe got some decisions to make. I don't really believe that he's exactly rolling in money, though. 

He might not be rolling in money,but his statement. 'I rode 90 meetings and I haven't earned a lot from that '.All I did was pay to ride speedway' is Ludicrious ,he better get a9-5 job for next year if that was the case.

[Stoke Potter]

3 hours ago, THE DEAN MACHINE said:

Yes, thankfully it’s not just my opinion , chris Louis also believes a more safer manageable engine is needed as do many others, but tighter controls are also needed as currently if it 500cc has four valves and not fuel injected it’s pretty much anything goes, we could also look at tyres, David Howe makes an interesting point saying use a tyre that makes you shut off, I think this is an excellent idea however riders will take the view that it makes you crash if you keep the throttle in rather than it makes you shut off and go s bit slower 

Thanks Dean.  I think most agree that a more manageable engine is required.  Hopefully those ideas work and the engine gets adopted.

I imagine there are not many tyre manufacturers interested in making one for Speedway especially if the idea would be shift around half the amount Mitas currently sell, i.e. making them last twice as long.

[poppetman]

What Chris Harris earns is his business and nobody else's.

[Stoke Potter]

2 hours ago, steve roberts said:

Remember when Channel Four (Yes terrestrial TV) showed highlights of the 1989 Commonwealth Final from Belle Vue highlighted were the suppposed income from some of those taking part. Recall either Troy Butler or Martin Dugard commenting that if he was earning a fraction of what was quoted he would be doing well! From memory something like £250,000 was quoted as earnings a year.

I remember that meeting.  I seem to recall Dugard bleating that his career could be over because he got excluded at the start. 

He jumped the start claiming a piece of the tapes flapping in the wind had put him off!

[mikebv]

2 hours ago, dontforgetthefueltapsbruv said:

Put certain riders of a 50m handicap and you would have them as 3 pointers by May but stuck off 50m all year

The next year off scratch those same riders would average 10+

Handicaps not practical IMO

Definitely in League racing....

Its Mickey Mouse enough as it is without any more contrived nonsense...

Using handicap racing in an individual event to add a bit of spice though then fine...

 

[foamfence]

17 minutes ago, poppetman said:

What Chris Harris earns is his business and nobody else's.

Well his new car would have covered the cost of his long track excursions for the rest of his career but oh no! He wants the fans to pay for it.

[steve roberts]

5 minutes ago, foamfence said:

Well his new car would have covered the cost of his long track excursions for the rest of his career but oh no! He wants the fans to pay for it.

Similar case at Cowley when a well known rider after an engine blow out and whether he was able to replace it...and yet owned a jet ski to play with during his leisure time.

[MattK]

3 hours ago, greyhoundp said:

I also think the product should be altered, one thing that could be considered is Handicap racing, example an 8+ point rider be given a 50 metre handicap, a 7+ rides off 40 metres, 6+ goes of 30 metres, 5+ is off 20 metres, 4+ goes off 10 metres, and the remainder go off scratch

This is definitely the kind of things that should be trialled in a few meetings, such as the KO Cup. See how it works in practice and then make an evidence-based decision.

[LisaColette]

31 minutes ago, poppetman said:

What Chris Harris earns is his business and nobody else's.

Well if he brings it up in an interview then it kinda is up for discussion!

[Midland Red]

10 hours ago, foamfence said:

Harris isn't short of money, his wife bought him a brand new Jaguar last month. What you read in Speedway Star is mostly people pushing their own interests no matter what the consequences.

 

Doesn't she work at JLR (Jaguar-Land Rover), where I guess there's a scheme for employees at a certain level, and family members, to lease (or purchase) new vehicles at very affordable prices, probably changed every six months?