It was cheap and cheerful
By John Dickinson on 13th Sep 07
After all the complaints about pricing at the British GP and other top events, JD examines the other end of the spectrum at Kendal Classic Club's Nostalgia weekend and wonders which is the better way...
WE'VE heard plenty recently in the T+MX letterscolumns, reaching a crescendo as the British GP was staged, about howexpensive it all is for all us Joe Bloggs's to enjoy off-road sport atthe top end of the spectrum. Clearly, to many people, admission pricesto our show events, at least in the current economic climate, arebouncing along at the top edge of their acceptable limit.
But while I am in full agreement with many of ourcorrespondents, I don't want to go down that particular road again thisweek. One reason being that while we sympathise there is absolutelynothing we can physically do about it. The events are run byprofessional promoters and it is up to them how they balance the books- and up to us to either pay-up or stay home.
So, while the GPs may well be the motorway of oursport, I am going off down the well-travelled B roads, a place where Iam far more comfortable, to comment on things at the opposite end ofthe spectrum. Down to the grass roots, at club level, even further, ifyou like, to the world of Classic and Pre-65, and I do not mean that ina derogatory manner.
To be specific, the Kendal Classic Club'sNostalgia weekend, or long weekend as it is now, is a fascinating eventto study. What began as a simple Nostalgia scramble to fill a(hopefully!) sunny summer afternoon not too many years ago, has growninto a three-day weekend for many and comprises a road run on theFriday, taking in roughly the route of the 1913 ISDT (and no, I don'tremember it, thanks!) followed by a Classic and Twin-shock trial onSaturday and the scramble on Sunday.
And the first thing I'd like to say is that 500riders can't be wrong. Around 100 took part in Friday's run round theLakeland passes (and it could have been many more but numbers must belimited) and then around 200 riders took part in both the trial and thescramble. There was some doubling-up (but not that much) and someriders took part in all three days (including Andy Roberton) butthere's no getting away from the fact that a handful of amateur (and Isay amateur in the strict sense) the organisers catered brilliantly for500 riders!
And having attended all three days for the firsttime, I can safely say it was the most memorable two-wheeled weekend Ihave had this year. No Prima Donnas, no Look At Mois, no drunkenidiots, just hundreds of off-road riders and racers doing what theyenjoy most. No-one had to pay £30 to get in (or any other extra) and itwas almost hard work getting most who attended to go home, or whereverthey were going, at the end of each day. The free bottle of beer at theend of Saturday's trial was like being handed £20 to most riders and itloosened tongues to such an extent that I extended my motorcycleknowledge hugely, before forgetting most of what I learned, so I willobviously have to go back next year for a refresher!
I take my hat off to the organisers who actuallymade the whole show look effortless but, behind the scenes, I know fullwell the effort and sweat and stress that went into keeping 500-oddriders happy. Not an easy trick at all.
Now, it is a tremendous thing to be able to stagean all-singing, all-dancing Grand Prix with teams swaggering aroundtheir huge semi-trailers in the paddock, staff staring self-importantlyinto their lap tops, while riders look-forward to competing over theirpristine, man-made, supercross-style tracks. But as ever, at the end ofthe day, someone has to pay for it all and there's an old saying thatyou have to cut your suit according to your cloth.
For many, it is clear that there is an alternativeto the big-bucks cash-fest and for me at least the Nostalgia weekendthrew that into the spotlight. The sport always did, and always will,rely on the majority who have no delusions of grandeur, no worldchampionship illusions. They - no - we are happy to get on with whatgot most of us into all this in the first place. The simple desire toride a motorbike off-road.
Two events at opposite ends of the spectrum andwhich I admit fill two totally different needs. But which one do youthink ultimately does more for the sport...?