Comments on: Season review 2008 and beyond

By: Leo Smids

Leo Smids — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 09:29:42 +0000

Dear Graham,
First the best wishes for 2009.
About push starts: If people have problems with push starts let them start from the pit lane or a second start 10 seconds after the push start. I preffer a push start and my bike is prepared for it.
What is fun in racing? My opion on this is simple, if i can compete with someone i am happy even if its for the last place in the race. rather race someone for that place then lead with a 5 second gap on number two.
Getting full grid. I propose to let the “slow” 500′s start with the 350′s. This gives more battles in the 350 class. Myself did only join in Gedinne because of a lot of reasons. I was disappointed by the number of entries in the 350 class and suprised by the number of entries in the Belgium classes.
Hope to be able to enter some more events this year as i will not defend my 350 championship in the dutch competion because of lack of money.
Regards and keep on the good work.

By: Thomas Merz

Thomas Merz — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 23:28:13 +0000

Hi Graham,
I am very sorry not to have been able to participate in any IHRO events this season due to a couple of broken vertebrae as a result of a crash in an early season racing event in Hungary.
But as I plan to come back as soon as possible I would like to comment on some of the issues you have brought up.
Push starts: personally I hate push starts as I usually give up my grid position to avoid start line accidents and therefore lose some 20 positions at the start. Every rider will vote for the procedure that suits him best so that won´t help your decision much. But I think you have to consider two important points that strongly recommand clutch starts: a good push starter will lose a small advantage if you switch to clutch starts but that won´t discourage him from participating at all because he has no choice but the bad push starter on the other hand will get frustrated if he loses out every time even before the first lap is under way if push starts are sustained. This rider will eventually go elsewhere to have more fun!
And the other point is safety: As the only organizer who still uses push starts you will get under enormous pressure if someone gets hurt in a startline accident – I sure hope it will never come to that!
Then there is the issue of re-creating the golden days of racing in the sixties: Don´t you agree that this is an illusion? I don´t think you could ever mistake an IHRO race for an actual race of this “golden era”. We are using replica machines made from different materials, the tyres are of different compound, tread and sizes and not even the riders look like their counterparts of 40 years earlier with their fullface helmets and protector-improved leathers. Surely you don´t wish back the pudding-basins? And last but not least the average IHRO rider is usually past his physical best.
Circuit choice: again, I have personal preferences and therefore would never again participate in events where the track is lined with hard and unforgiving objects in unsafe distance. But I accept that the majority of riders has no problem to race on real-road tracks; that just isn´t for me anymore. So I lament the loss of some events that have been dropped from the IHRO calendar like Magny-Cours or Le Mans. Maybe there is a chance in the future to regain access to these or other permanent and safer circuits, perhaps in cooperation with other classic racing events such as the one in Schleiz that has proven so successful?
Championship: I think this is a good idea as this will provide the chance of ending higher up the ranks of the championship just by consistency. It will encourage people who have the time and money to contend as many of the events as possible so this will boost the grids.
Many thanks for the good work!

By: Andy Alexander

Andy Alexander — Sun, 02 Nov 2008 17:54:12 +0000

Hi Graham, first let me thank you for the two rides on my metisse, with the original disc brake fitted ,the drum brake is well under way for next year.As a new member my thoughts may not be as important as some of your longer serving guys however , i thought Brands was perhaps one race to many for the season.late in year and bad weather a probability ? As for the IHRO format please dont change it 1960s bikes push starts, re-create the atmosphere etc. you all do that so well.
although I do sympathise with others re-push starts as I now collect the old age pension and i am the original 9stone weakling!!! however a 12mile cycle ride once a week does help keep the legs in some sort of order.Im not to worried about super quick bikes riden by desperate young men, well thats the nature of raceing and always has been,although I feel one or two bikes have brocken the spirit of the rules.The bonus for us is they do give spectacular racing for the spectators whilst the rest of us can enjoy a dice hopefully somewhere just behind.
As to more bikes on the grid I fear the upsurge of forgoten era (if thats still the correct term for Yamaha racing)has taken some riders away, also the financial situation dosnt help.the positive thing this year must surely be the liason with Lansdown at Chimay could this be extended next year? might some IHRO members elect to clutch start with them? perhaps not.well I hope thats of some use and i look foreward to my 3 or 4 “holliday” rides next year
Many thanks Andy Alexander PS.a big hello from Jenny

By: Mick Moreton

Mick Moreton — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 16:07:48 +0000

I personally believe that IHRO should be trying to re-create as much as possible,the period that we are interested in, i.e. 60-70′s approximately; when my heroes/”gods” were competing, and what I am trying to do as a mark of admiration and respect to them, and how they competed in the Continental Circus.

Push starts must and should be retained as they were part of the period, and that is how it was done. As everybody knows, there is nothing like the silence and tension on the grid before the flag drops.

I have no problem with multi-cylinder machines, providing they are correct to the period (eg 4 valve heads instead of 2 valve heads, etc).

If the majority want a Championship, I have no problem with the idea, but I cannot do all the meetings due to work commitments and competing at the Manx Grand Prix.

As regards CRMC, I am a member, but because I insist in running unsilenced where possible (and they dropped push starts a while ago), I do not very often ride with them. (I believe Donnington 08 was “noisy”, but I could not get time off work.) As I believe the short circuit was used at Brands Hatch, no doubt cost prohibited the use of the full G.P. circuit. That possibly had some bearing on the lack of entries.

Regarding circuits, in 09 after Schleiz on 12-14 June, could 2 IHRO Races be arranged at the Czech TT at Horice, which is to be held the following weekend, 20-21 June.

Due to the undoubted success of the long course of Chimay 08, which was AWESOME, hopefully the long course will be used again soon.

What about this to wet your appetite – the full Figure of 8 Course at Mettet – that would sort the men from the boys! Also the real ROAD course at Sachsenring; and Imatra, which I believe was run as a Parade meeting in 08.

Personally, I prefer real ROAD courses, eg the long course at Chimay, TT Course, and Mettet. Some circuits are O.K. provided they are the flowing type and you can get going, eg Schleiz. What I do not like are chicane riddled short circuits.

Are there any meetings in Spain, Italy……. where IHRO could run a race?

Many thanks Graham and Euwain. Keep up the good work.

Mick Moreton

By: Paul Debets

Paul Debets — Sun, 26 Oct 2008 20:19:39 +0000

I think everybody wants to run in events they can perform best.
For me it is the same.
So the best thing to do is to let run only standard bikes, cutoff date 1963, and keep in the push starts because my best scores in IHRO are due to a good start and a defending race.
But I don’t think that is the best for IHRO.
For me it is important that I can do al lot of racing in a weekend, so I only go to meetings where I can run in more than 1 race. I don’t want to travel 400 miles for only 3X 20 minutes track time.
I also don’t like races with different classes in one race; I also think the public doesn’t understand that someone running on the 6 place is listed as 1e.
Stay with the push starts, it is the way how it always was, and the silence before the race is start is something very special for the spectators. It is also something that makes the IHRO races different and special.

By: Graham Boothby

Graham Boothby — Sat, 25 Oct 2008 20:16:26 +0000

Please do not let us get bogged down only in the issue of push starts. I brought that up as one item of many.
Sorry Alex, but ‘normal’ WAS push start in the period which is what we are trying to keep alive.
I do however see the point you are making.

By: Alex Siertsema

Alex Siertsema — Sat, 25 Oct 2008 19:35:00 +0000

I want to react on the push starts. I have problems with push starts myself because:
1. Physically i have problems with my legs,and its hard to do the push start.
2. I had an accident during the start i hit someone at his back, because the motorbike in front of me didnt start.
3. The older drivers will stop because they have even more physical problems like racing accidents. but they could drive with a normal start.

I think that at long therm a normal start is better for the ihro startfield.

I happy with the rest of the season and the organisation.

Regards Alex Siertsema

By: Jan Koning

Jan Koning — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 16:09:05 +0000

Jan Koning says:

I dont mind the multies like Paton, MV etc becuase they are even unaffordable for me than a top tuned Walmsley Norton or G50.
From the spectators point of view it makes classic racing even more interesting to watch and we need spectators in the first place!
What IHRO could do is limit the carburator size for far to fast machines?
I like to bring up the subject of push start(yes again), because it is unfair and dangerous.
If IHRO should drop push start it may bring more riders on to the grid.
For me personal I have physical problems.
I tried again this seison and it was very difficult.
At Mettet the first race I took help and I left way behind and during the race I was on my own and did not see another rider.
Racing suppose to be fun and this was no fun at all and if IHRO keeps push start I will quit.
I think IHRO still needs the old guys to fill the grid!
Having said that, thank you for the excellent organisation,

Regards Jan Koning

By: Alan Windsor

Alan Windsor — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 15:10:47 +0000

Hi Graham,

Sorry to hear about the Brands lack of turnout, and the disappointing Donington showing.

I did Donington, but as I believe you were aware, due to being away from 14th September until 14th October I was unable to do either Brands (where I would not have ridden in the conditions), or sadly Denmark. I don’t often ride with CRMC due to their very short races and sometimes somewhat regimented attitude, but will always do so when IHRO and/or Lansdowne have races.

My only beef (and it is a serious beef) with IHRO is the wretched push starts and I really do wish that you would drop this outmoded practice – as indeed every other race organiser has done.

That having been said (again!), thank you very much for organising yet another season of fun for us old gits. It is much appreciated.

By: Torben Stig Nielsen

Torben Stig Nielsen — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 16:05:45 +0000

Hi Graham
Thanks for a great season, sorry I couldn’t joint more than 2 of the IHRO events this year but family, no sponsors and work didn’t allow more and it will probably be the same in the future, but please keep on arrange these races.
For me safety are a great factor so some of the races at more “dangerous” road tracks are not a option for me, as there are more other races on great “safer” tracks than I can joint during the season.

Thanks again