Well I know I'll probably get flamed for this but WTF?? Been out of racing for a few years but came back all keen to get back into superkarts and what happened. Jesus, 80cc have been killed off, for twenty years the cheapest way to go Superkarting!! Then the 100cc have died a quick death, inevitable given the success of Rotax max class. Now stock hondas on a sprint chassis, f@$k they don't even look like a superkart, at least the max's make an effort. A good 80cc used to cost around 4k, saw someone selling a stonda for 9.5k, I just built a 250 nat for under that!! Is that low cost? Plus now the meetings are divided between CAMS and AASA, makes it hard to get off P plates. You used to have to get in early to event for Phillip Island in a 100 or 80 as they only allowed 45 on the grid, now your lucky to get a field of combined classes that rivals half that number at a clubbie. I remember the Vic club organizing all there own meetings with good attendances, Winton, PI and Calder, now we get to run as a guest at car meetings. Has costs spiraled so outta control? Back in the mid 2000's every state had a stand alone State Championship, Vic had the Gold Nugget, SA the GP and NSW the Steve Aaron, all quality events that were must do's.
Is the sport actually moving forward? I see alot of old competitors on here, true legends of the sport over the years. There also seems to be alot of people investing heavily in equipment so I hope there is a future and places for us to race. As for this site, congrats ABR on your purchase, but seriously mate if this is a place for people to get interested in the sport you might think to lock some areas for members only. For a casual observer to this site might believe it only to be a certain few sitting around having a circle jerk. Seriously the 'goss' is kindergarden crap. But I suppose all I need to add is 'no offense' and things will be all sweet.
Comments14
Re: What the f&@k happened to Superkarting??
Everyone has there own valid opinions and i definetly want to encourage people on here to speak up and discuss what we like and dont like with whats currently going on ... Just no bullshit standover mines bigger than yours crap is what i wont tolerate as it only kills our numbers more and more when new guys jump on here and think what a pack of clowns and go race another category ....
Everything you have said in your second paragraph i agree 100% and thats exactly what im working on changing as of this minute ...
Were all mature and 98% of the members on here are real good blokes, that enjoy the sport and try to do there part in getting more involved ...
The forum is getting a very minor update next week, just software as there has been 9 updates since this was created and i dont want to change too much as everyone i guess finds this easy to use and what there used to using ..
I love this sport and 98% of the people ive met so far, thats why i am doing my part, pulling cash out of my own pocket and trying to get more people involved that are really missing out on one of the best hidden categorys of racing i have ever been involved in ...
If we cant even have a normal conversation on here and discuss pro's and con's then i can tell you now its only a matter of time before the numbers drop off ...
From my observation in QLD the club is really strong, good numbers, alot of fresh current equipment and everyone works together in raising the profile of the sport...
When i raced a few times with the NSW club i felt the same vibe and it looks really healthy ...
I cant comment on vic or sa clubs as i have not raced with these guys yet, although i am planning too soon :)
I will ask you to remove *censored* from your title though so i can leave your valid thread in its current location ;D
Re: What the f&@k happened to Superkarting??
Re: What the f&@k happened to Superkarting??
At the end of the day, it is what it is at the moment and we all need to work on trying to improve what we already have set out ...
It could be a hell of alot worse ;)
Re: What the f&@k happened to Superkarting??
Given your background I'm suprised your suprised with the changes........
Re: What the hell happened to Superkarting??
sounds small doesn't it?
it equates to 569 people.
Re: What the hell happened to Superkarting??
And even more it's been confirmed with the little ath's quote.
Sports rise and fall, Ice skating went nut's when Torvel and Dean were around. It's the nature of the beast.
WE have too many choices now and EVERYONE suffers to some point.
It is well known that the clubs and committee's have contacted the unnamed sport governing body over many years with various ideas on increasing our numbers and easing our pain. Dare I mention licence crossovers or doctors at the track? NON Paid volly's that may help us when we race for one of the "other" mobs get thrown out of the bigger mobs favour.
Did you know the big mob don't even know there's more than one "other" mob now?
Please don't tell them..... they may put on their libel suit. (It's the one with the big buttons) ;D
Our governing body [i]could[/i] do so much more for so little cost.
Anyhoo Like all sports there are problems and politics. But at the end of the day we keep on having fun.
Or we think we do.
P.S. Ian I don't disagree with what your saying either, you have very valid points.
Re: What the f&@k happened to Superkarting??
Now stock hondas on a sprint chassis, f@$k they don't even look like a superkart, at least the max's make an effort.
[/quote]
And they don't look like a laydown either but they sure as hell saved the sport from doom in the USA in recent years. Remember when USA road racing was virtually all laydowns?
As for looks, there is a plan for nosecose so they should resemble a 125NGB Superkart when that's sorted.
I don't need to go down the avenue of explaining the "full body" concepts that the 100NGB went through....you were around then Scott.
Rome wasn't built overnight........but it's still standing.....right. ;)
[quote author=IWT link=topic=1652.msg16296#msg16296 date=1331163567]
to give you an example of how we do not cater for the masses take your new driver as an example
No shop to walk into to buy anything, no Australian based distributors/agents for any of the engines or chassis that he would need, [size=10pt]certainly no choice possible of a new engine versus a cheaper used one since everything is now used. [/size][/quote]
Ian,
Are your complaining about that? Here is your chance to pickup Stock Honda engine packages, available in any qty's you like...... BRAND NEW.
All CIK approved 250 twin inline motors available BRAND NEW in any qty's.
You can talk to Russell Anderson or Poul Peterson and bring in 250cc chassis....BRAND NEW in any qty's.
So if you stock this stuff in your shop, we can send the masses over to you to cater for them.
Re: What the hell happened to Superkarting??
Sammy not knocking the concept, just the look. If a standard control front spoiler / bubble combo could be mandated, sweet.
Rolf, oh Rolf... Given my background.....well here's the deal, my father has kept me informed of various goings on over the years, I listen yes, but he's a card carrying, CAMS appointed official who does a great job on ensuring track safety Australia wide. That's good. I on the other hand don't have a high opinion of an organization that has made a considerable amount out of licensing and sanctioning fees out of Superkarting over the years but seems to put sweet FA back into the promotion of the sport. Maybe it's not there job to do it?
Ian, love your work, always have, revolutionized the sport with your split sprockets. Have great respect for you as a figurehead of the sport who is still involved in running the club in SA, shit you deserve long service!! Back when I last raced the Aussie dollar was 35pence and 73 cents US, surely there's better value in buying stuff now than back then, granted yes 250cc chassis have gone up. But this is Motorsport, people will always spend, by why have costs not been controlled? I have been involved in nearly every form of Motorsport in Oz in the last few years and it's the same everywhere, controlled costs. V8's- control Tyres,wheels gearboxes etc, shit they've got a controlled chassis coming!, Porsche Cup, controlled, Commodore cup, HQ's, Formula Fords, Vees, Utes all controlled, many franchised. 250 Superkarts - run what you brung!?! Maybe it's time for cost cutting??
As for my 'driver', he's racing a superkart because A. I talked him into it, the look on his face after his first laps of Calder was priceless and B. Believe it or not his major sponsor asked him what else he was doing apart from racing sprint karts. Our 'national' championship rounds were the sealer! Interestingly his karting career at Todd Rd has been interesting to say the least, seems everyone wants to take him out.
My question was one of trying to get other people's perspective of what's been happening. In the early 2000's we ran stand alone races at Phillip Island that attracted 120+ entrants, now it seems we have only 150 members Oz wide? Money may be one thing, but there are still a lot of people getting around with copious amounts of coin to spend, that's a fact because I help them spend it on signage. I don't need to preach to the converted but I was talking to the owner of Malibu boats, he was telling me how good his $200,000+ Porsche was, how good it handled etc. You should have seen his jaw drop when I told him my 10k kart would lap ten seconds faster.
I'm probably going on a bit, but fark, here is the kicker that I can't get my head around...... I'm back and so in the next few weeks will be brother Dale, paid up full members of the VSC, but instead of traveling 10kms down the road to Calder at the end of the month to race, we have to burn our club and travel 1500km round trip to Adelaide to compete at the SA clubs Mallala meeting just to get CAMS signatures. How is that fair??
Maybe we can have a couple of VodkaO Monsters to discuss further Ian?? ( Note: gratuitous sponsor plug there)
Re: What the hell happened to Superkarting??
I have long encoraged people to support the stores that support the sport!
As bad a Paul Hillman was to his customers, his store was located in prime location that brought new people into the sport.....so he was very good for that. Personally I think our problem lies there....EXPOSURE on the street.
[quote author=IWT link=topic=1652.msg16311#msg16311 date=1331206607]
And look at Stock Honda in the clear light of day -- an engine package $5k, a chassis $6k, a trailer $4k, suit, boots, license, club fees, medical $1k -- a brand new person walks into it at a cost of $16k . This is not for everyone, in fact here in SA that is beyond almost everyone !!!!!!
[/quote]
What are the brand new turn key sprint kart costs........let's say brand new 125NGB Superkart and a brand new and a brand new KZ2 package?
4K for a trailer???......my first 6 years I used a $400 box trailer (that still worked hard as a rubbish tip trailer), then the next 10 years a $1000 enclosed box trailer.
Only last 2 years I splurged out and got a brand new $800 box trailer and enclosed it with another $700 + labour.
Re: What the hell happened to Superkarting??
We only have 20 entries but not bad for a bumpy circuit. That has been another problem with Karting and other motorsport is the V8's going to street circuits and leaving many categories to try survive on fairly ordinary permanent surfaces.
AASA has helped QLD as we have up to 15 Rotax guys who race in that series and yes as Ian said Turn Key racing is the appeal. The ability to get poeple to come help push start karts in their busy lifestyles has also been a problem.
Cameron
Re: What the hell happened to Superkarting??
Other category's have full grids and entrants throwing $100's of thousands at there hobby, so you cant argue that spending $8000-$35,000 for a Superkart is too much money ...
We currently have good numbers and a class to suit everyones needs, budget's and experience ...
Unfortunetly we are not apart of the typical stepping stone path for a young aspiring racer and that is why we miss all the traffic that some of the other categories gain ...
There is 16-17year old kids parents throwing $150K a season at Formula Ford shit boxes, $250k at F3, $350k at Carrera Cup, $500k at Fujitsu and it just keeps going up and up and up from there ....
Its not the money ... In 98-99 when i competed in the CIK series, Inter A, my parents would spend approx $5000 per meeting on running costs ... Our equipment was x3 tuned Parilla reed engines @ $5000 a pop, x2 latest chassis @ $5000 each and thats just the start ... We had full grids of 20+ karts per class (JICA,ICA,FA) that was run on a 5 series National championship plus the Oceania round .... Thats $50k plus on Sprint karting a year for kids between 13-20years at a average ....
There is plenty of cashed up racers out there, its our job to attract them to our sport by cleanning up our act, be professional looking and actually make ourselves a marketable category because right now we simply are not doing it well enough ...
It really is a hidden treasure of a category and we all know how bloody good it is !!!
Re: What the hell happened to Superkarting??
Pil
BTW..Raceroz, If people come on this forum and decide not to get into superkarting after reading "whats the goss" They are taking life way too seriously and should be out looking for Kony or raising money for the Samalian famine. Yes it's a circlejerk, absolutely, but a little harmless fun never hurt anybody.
No offence intended.
Re: What the hell happened to Superkarting??
My expense last full year (without race fees) was $240.00 tyres and a $45.00 rear sprocket. As second hand karts become available, and one just has, they will be way more affordable.....eg. Arrow X1 2010-2011 package with all spares nothing to spend but new tyres is around $7,500.00 right now. I paid $8,000.00 for my 1year old BRM from Ant.
Pil
[/quote]
And $100 for a complete piston, ring, pin,bearing and circlips to start the 2012 season which Ant or PIL had mever done before.
The 7.5K kart has the original pistion from brand new engine which would not need changing as yet. Sure a piston kit can be thrown in to a buyer. When PIL says package, that means 2sets of magnesium slick rims and 1 set of magnesium wets, so its the real deal at those quoted prices.
I agree with Ant on people out there as well. Sure its affordable and a class to suit most, but why do we target/attract the Aussie battler.
Re: What the hell happened to Superkarting??
Im building another at the moment and doing it on a budget so I chose to buy a used 2010 BRM chassis, I paid $3500 for it compared to a new chassis costing $6500 so you can definetly build one for alot less than buying all new gear if your budget does not allow ....
At Eastern Creek last year in the heavy rain it was without a doubt the most fun I've had behind the wheel, I must have laughed for atleast a full lap at one stage whilst enjoying the close racing in the 125gb pack ...
I really think this concept slides right into our category nicely and I hope more people get to atleast experience the fun factor before writing it off ...
If anyone wants a test drive feel free to PM me
In saying that I think all our current class's are perfect and each have alot to offer to suit anyones individual needs ..