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john
Forum Moderator
Victoria
3130 Posts |
 Posted - 22 Feb 2008 : 11:52:26 AM
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As the Secretary of a club that promotes a lot, I have wondered why people either race or watch motorcycle racing. If we knew, our promotion may be tuned to suit the information.
I have organised with MA to hold a series of surveys amongst racers and spectators to find some answers. I need feedback now about what questions would work to get the result we can work with.
So can you help please?
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John Daley Sidecar #68
' there are those who do, those who dont do and those who undo. We must lampoon the latter." |
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Ben
Honda CB350 Racers Promotion - Moderator
Victoria
288 Posts |
Posted - 22 Feb 2008 : 4:30:22 PM
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John, I started racing as I discovered a place in the world where people display rare passion and dedication, for no apparent reward other than participation and the joy of hearing the roar of fine machines. Classic racing is a place where ingenuity, creativity, patience and passion rule. It is a privilege to be able to experience this in a world where these fine qualities are not encountered often. Not all classic racers display these qualities, but the ones that do make it worthwhile.
This is what hooked me in the end. It is a fascinating place to be. Although we are all there to race (and love it) somehow racing always feels second to me, the ambiance of the place always first. Both are obviously intrinsically related, one cannot occur without the other, however, racing will always exist and on its own does not make Classic Racing special – it’s the “Classic”, or recreation of, that defines what it is to me. Make sense?
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john feakes
Advanced Member
Victoria
791 Posts |
Posted - 26 Feb 2008 : 3:52:13 PM
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An interesting thing John. I have often wondered why events like the F1, World Supers and MotoGP manage to attract huge crowds and yet all these people disappear for the rest of the year. Are they truly interested in the racing or are they more interested in being at a major event? Do the same people go to the Melbourne Cup? The footy grand final? The Australian Open tennis? These are the people who can tell us why, so maybe a questionnaire distributed at one of the major bike races could supply some answers.
When I was young I wanted to be a Spitfire pilot but the war ended and so did my ambitions in that direction. My father took me to an exhibition where I fell in love with a F3 car, I'm sure it was a Kieft with a Manx Norton engine. Then I got a push bike for my birthday and found that our local club organised road races. I was in like a flash. Later, at the ripe old age of 16 one of the guys I worked with asked me if I would be his passenger until his regular passenger got out of hospital. Turned out he was in to have his appendix removed. That was my introduction and when I discovered that I could ride without having to do the pedalling I was hooked. Jack, the steerer of the outfit bought me my first bike and that was the end of my "normal" life. That was in 1953. Is it any wonder that I'm the bent twisted sick old fool that I am today?
Cheers, John |
125 RIDERS' ALLIANCE
A wise person simplifies the complicated, a fool complicates the simple. |
Edited by - john feakes on 26 Feb 2008 3:57:14 PM |
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OldKwak
Level 2 Member
Victoria
156 Posts |
Posted - 26 Feb 2008 : 4:32:55 PM
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John,
Having recently met you, I think your opinion of yourself is entirely self deprecating, frankly you seem a lot more sane, and therefore less foolish, than most people I know, and believe me I run into a lot.
As for my reasons, there are many, I think its in the genes, there is a photo of me at the age of six months sitting astride an Ariel Square four, dad used to race in North Africa of all places (where the photo was taken)
Many years later, there was the mini bike in Glen Waverley and the excitement of chasing mates - and avoiding cops, I guess I never quite got it out of the system.
Went racing on an S2 Kwak in the early to late 70's, got smashed up on the road, banned from riding for 20 years by the wife, got another bike through someone else's misfortune, overcame the ban and am now back at 51.
Tell you the truth, I like it better now - have some money to pay for the bike, less stressed about trendy bits and most of all I like the saneness of the people who race, particularly historics. Yep, we might argue and carry on, but its like an Irish family, they fight amongst themselves but when one of the number is in trouble, you know they will come. Thanks to those who wished me well after my getoff at the Southern Classic. I appreciate the thoughts. |
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