What do we really want?
By TMX Archives on 10th Dec 09
Off-road sport is many and varied and as all disciplines take a long, hard look at where they are heading, editor JD puts the cases for and against...
WHEN it comes to off-road, do any of us really knows what we want!
Do we want bike shows? Do we want indoor supercross? Do we want indoor enduro? Do we want indoor trials? Do we want supermoto? Do we want British Championship MX? Do we want any kind of championship trials? Do we want......fill in the blanks yourself?
I ask this in all seriousness as it can look like we don't actually want anything at all as every one of the above is taking a long, hard look at itself in search of a way forward.
The indoor scene in general is an excellent case in point. It's not that long ago that indoor trials was taking over Europe. There were events every other weekend in Spain, France and Italy and well-supported events in Belgium, Germany and odd events in many other countries. Even Britain had - still has - ONE cast-iron banker - Sheffield of course - but one is all we can muster and sustain. Then as suddenly as the world fell in love with indoor trials it fell out of love and those packed stadiums became ghost towns.
Supercross in Britain? You tell me what has happened to supercross in Britain. But just remember it is easy to criticise when it's not your £100,000 on the line...
Supermoto is a fantastic idea. In theory it unites the combined skills of road racing and off-road. So far, and all credit to those who have tried their socks off, it just hasn't delivered, here or abroad. The only time it works is when you take the sport to the people - and I genuinely believe that supermoto can STILL work, but it has to be in city centres, not at out-of-town road race and kart tracks.
British Championship moto-cross? No two-wheel off-road sport has tried as hard as MX to embrace the ‘totally professional' image. It has embraced the big trucks, big teams (ie lots of team members wanting free passes) showbiz approach - yet the public remain unimpressed and refuse to turn-out in the hoped-for numbers.
On this front I welcome the ACU's big shake-up for next year. At least they are showing some initiative and acknowledging that something needs to be done - which it does. There's precious little point in having million pound teams playing to empty houses.
I have no idea whether a three moto format will improve the spectator turnout or what impact Superpole will have on potential crowds. Personally, I remember when the three moto format was used previously in British Championship and thought it was very effective. At Foxhill, huge crowds used to gather at the start for each race and then rush across the grass to catch the action in the valley. It's a fact that crowds like short, sharp races. It is one of the reasons that events like the Rhayader Wednesday Evening Series (and others that have cottoned on since) has been so popular. Can't knock the ACU for trying this one.
However, I do know that not all the riders or teams like this idea. The bike washers and mechanics have to work a bit harder while riders want longer races "like at the Grand Prix.” I understand the argument, but when as Joe Spectator you have shelled-out £100-plus for you, your wife and kids for the privilege of standing in a field, trust me, long races are a turn-off. After the opening ten minutes the race goes to sleep for the next 20 before, if you are lucky, coming back to life just before the flag. Riders and teams have to decide which is more important, having a large, excited crowd watching you race hard for 20 straight minutes - and hopefully paying your wages - or playing to an ever-dwindling audience which is clearly not impressed with things as they are.
I have no idea what effect Superpole will have. It is an idea stolen straight from Superbikes so at least we should benefit from all the development work they have done on it. I note that all British Superbike Championship rounds for 2010 are scheduled for two-day events with one race on Saturday so it looks like this idea-sharing is a two-way thing - and the tarmac scrapers have decided that the BYMX series is on the right tracks...
rMeanwhile, championship trials remain bogged-sown with the ongoing saga of the Stop/ No Stop rules. Trials is an odd-one. The lower down the order you go the bigger the entries get. Put on a trial for wobblers and beginners and you'll be turning entries away. As a general rule it's a similar story for club trials.
It starts to fall off for centre events but mention the dreaded word Championship and entries drop faster than a lead balloon. British Championship, World Championship...both are kept alive by their respective support classes.
So no shortage of stuff to sort-out in 2010...