Charge Quads More

GravityWrider

GravityWrider

PR Member
First off, I primarily ride quads. And I'm tired of being banned from area MX tracks.

So here's my proposal for 2014 outdoor for track owners to consider: charge quad riders more.

Bike riders argue they won't go to a track if quads can ride ( though that's not an accurate perception of reality -- many if not all the same riders will still show).

So if tracks charge quad riders an extra $5 (which I at least am willing to pay) it would offset if some bike riders don't show. And if bikes argue we "ruin" the track for them, the extra money will help offset diesel costs for an extra track maintenance session.

I'm curious what track owners might think.
 
Not a current track owner (but working on that) but here are my 2 cents.
I don't want to charge u more. I don't want you to leave. I just want to run the quads before or after the bikes. Chilli did it the best under the current set-up end of moto 1 run the quads. Then disc and water and start moto 2. Trust me, there is not a single dude at the track every Sunday that wants to race after the quads. Flat out destroy all the traction in the corners. Notice I did not say ruts (although that is a given) no way around that
Just run before or after.
 
Do quads really need prepped after bikes? It seems like the track turns out the same either way. A 4 lane slick highway. You guys will just slick out whatever rut may have been formed anyway.....Or am I wrong?


Run quads first, prep after quads. Then RUN straight through until your 2nd set of bike motos where you hold intermission and prep again.
Run bikes first, prep after quads. Intermission. Run bikes again. Cuts down on prep time and diesel fuel.

I'm not saying DO NOT hit areas that need it of course, but two full intermissions to make everyone happy seems costly and is it really doing anything more than showing prep is being done if after the face the track breaks down to the same before the prep?

I know malvern preps after bikes and after quads to try and make everyone happy. But is it necessary from a quad point? Even after a fully prepped track the quads drive a slick line in anyway. Which is fine, whatever, I understand, sure. But, again, doesn't the same thing happen even after bikes run some race lines into the track? It turns into a 4 lane slick highway............so why all the extra prep?
 
baker, from a quad standpoint, it was always 10 times better for me when there werent bike ruts.

like at the cliff, those bike ruts were insane on a quad. now that jason has added good dirt to malvern, the same issues arise there as well for quad riders.. maybe riders like upperman, dettling, and hamrick can blow through bike ruts, but the average quad rider will definitly find difficulties in the bottom of those ruts.
 
Quad riders for some reason by nature do not want to ride. They like to complain about not being able to ride but then given a place to ride they don't show up. I am a quad rider and when given a time or place to ride I have always taken advantage of it. Not so much now because life has caught up to me and racing/riding has fallen wayside to family and work. Take this for example. Smith road raceway has allowed quads to ride the last two hours of practice with bikes for the last few weeks. How many quads have shown up? A max of maybe 15 on one of the days the number has never went past that. Bikes out number the quads on turnout almost 5 to 1. Maybe even more than that. Smith even gave quads there own day in 2012, the max number at one time was less than 40. Even a bad day for bike practice turns a number higher than that. If anyone complains " well, smith charges the same money for quads as they do bikes and the quads only get to ride for two hours!" The fact is that if more quads showed up more time would be alotted, but they never do. Another fact about most, not all but most quad riders that I have noticed is that they don't even ride for the full two hours of practice anyways. They are usually packing up after an hour of practice. Most quad riders are younger in age also (less than 25 yrs old) but can not stay/ ride for two hours? I know of bike riders that are over 50 years old that will be one of the first in and will close the track down. They will ride lap after lap without any complaints. Charging more money for a quad will only cause less quads to ride. I don't know what it is with quad riders these days but it makes me sad. I have always loved racing my quad and have always practiced when a track gave me the opportunity to ride. I would love to see quads get the same advantages as the bikes but until they actually show up they never will.
 
I've just never understood the divide. I would think a track owner would want as many people through the gate as possible. Bottom line is the track owners need every last penny they can get.
I've been to Beans many times and we ALL are on the track together... It seems to work just fine. Now, IF enough riders show up enough to split the sessions then that track owner would have enough money to drag the track...IMO.
I've been to Malvern many times with the split practice sessions and it seems to work... so what's the big deal.
In case you all have not noticed...MX racing is getting less and less popular. Maybe cause of money or cause kids would rather play Xbox or the new breed of kid is just not competitive (like US dads). So, IMO, we need to stick together and support each other before all the tracks are gone.
If that means I have to ride on a track with ruts...I'll live with it and not whine about it...and understand that the track owner just cannot afford to prep the track.
We should just be happy that we have somewhere relatively close to practice.
 
I'm not saying split practices do not work. I am saying quad riders just don't produce large numbers to make it profitable for there own practice. Also I'm saying that raising practice price just for quads would have a negative effect on quads already poor attendance at practice tracks.
 
Logan #34's Dad said:
I've been to Malvern many times with the split practice sessions and it seems to work... so what's the big deal.
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Have you noticed that Malvern doesnt have quads for practice any more? There is a reason for that....... track owners usually do what makes them the most money. I am not speaking for them but I heard through the grapevine that the increase in bike turnout was far greater than the loss of quads. I have heard this from others in the past as well.

Right or wrong for some reason more bikes show up at a track if they know there wont be quads there riding. The reason for this doesnt really matter, it is what it is.
 
hershey said:
Have you noticed that Malvern doesnt have quads for practice any more? There is a reason for that....... track owners usually do what makes them the most money. I am not speaking for them but I heard through the grapevine that the increase in bike turnout was far greater than the loss of quads. I have heard this from others in the past as well.

Right or wrong for some reason more bikes show up at a track if they know there wont be quads there riding. The reason for this doesnt really matter, it is what it is.
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and then you have the BC model......hmmmmm....anyone want to discuss neck braces?
 
hershey said:
How many quads do you average a weekend? Ive never seen more than a handful of them on the A track when Ive been there
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Doesn't matter. The fact is that they are there, and we still get great turnouts. The point is that it can work and be profitable.
 
How many quads though. Never seems to hinder the bike turnout like other places. But I never have went to BC and said dang that's alot of quads.
 
Often times, your big name quad riders won't show because 10-15 minutes of riding isn't enough to train or even break a sweat. I have seen numerous Pro-Am & Pro riders out there on the tracks, but many stay home and ride at their private track(s) to get 25-30 minutes of riding in any condition they create.

I think I rode at BC more than any other "public" track this year even with the 3hr drive. Mostly, I stay local & ride private tracks here because they are 10-15 minutes away. If OIR let quads on (I know, I just said that), I would be there at least once a month. I don't see the number of quad riders out there like there used to be. Even in 2011, it seemed like there were 50%+ quad racers/riders in the NE Ohio quadrant. I don't see a lot of the guys going to a track to ride like they used to. It seems only the "racer" type will go out and ride and the blue jean hillbillies, stay home. No offense intended, but you get the picture.

P.S. Georgie doesn't like couch racers even though he knows a few. ;-)
 
GeorgiePorgie said:
How many quads though. Never seems to hinder the bike turnout like other places. But I never have went to BC and said dang that's alot of quads.
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I have seen as many as 20-30 for practice for a day where both bikes and quads are there. Maybe 10-12 on the big track.

That's the point. Why turn down the money if this can be accomplished? I can feel you guys squirming in your chairs. So now how about those neck braces, who is getting one for Christmas?
 
20 - 25 quads spread out over 11 classes. that has been about the number.
25 bikes X 5 bucks more. 125 bucks. not enough.

I never sign up for less than 2 classes. Almost always 3 bike classes
I also avoid races that have quads. It only takes a few of us to make up for the 20 quads that do not show.

If there are that many folks wanting to race them, open a quad only track.

Anyone go to Chillitown? Anyone recall who was tearing up the pits all weekend?
 
Beans had quads saturday and the track was still prime. The key to a good track for quad/bikes at the same time. IS........ ready for it? Bike riders should make more lines instead of relying on the 4 foot path every quad
rider just went through.

Edit: Check out malvern next time they race, the back stretch will be baby butt smooth in the middle, and both outsides will have 5 ft. of untouched disc-ready soil. This isnt a game of follow the mouse, how do you pass someone right behind them?
 
You guys always wanna keep taking "jabs".
As far as not racing an event because quads are going to be there... bunch of sissies. Do you guys want the track owner to go out and dig your ruts too? Every single track I've ever raced at does a great job at maintaining their track. Now, I could see not going to a track that does not maintenance the place...but not going just because quads will be there...sissy.
What about the little kids on the small wheeled bikes. Do you think they can run in the deep ruts? It is such GREAT entertainment to see the little kids falling down in every corner as the dads are chasing them around. - I'm being sarcastic -. I'm guessing those father's would surely prefer a packed track.
You guys gotta understand that these tracks need as much money as they can get...contrary to popular belief...track owners are NOT getting rich.
Back in the day...Bob from Broken Spokes had it figured out. Run quads 1st for practice, then the 50's/65's and small wheeled bikes, then all the big bikes. Then race the quads, then the small wheeled kids, disk the track... start the big bikes...when they are done, run the 2nd moto of quads and little wheeled kids...intermission and track maintenance... finish with bikes.. that system worked GREAT! Bikes were happy...
 
I don't think anyone gets it…… the further we get into the winter non riding months, the unhappier everyone gets on Pitracer.com! The more people bring up quads and bikes and riding together, the more that the groups will disagree and like each other less and less. It can be done to keep both happy, Briarcliff's track and practice days prove it……. but it's not the norm. Briarcliff has wider turns than any other track I've ever been to, that's why it works….. to make it work elsewhere, either track needs to be revamped to have much wider turns, or quads need to run altogether at 1 time and prep done again afterwards…...

Anyway, back to the bickering…..
 
RocketRobin said:
I don't think anyone gets it…… the further we get into the winter non riding months, the unhappier everyone gets on Pitracer.com! The more people bring up quads and bikes and riding together, the more that the groups will disagree and like each other less and less. It can be done to keep both happy, Briarcliff's track and practice days prove it……. but it's not the norm. Briarcliff has wider turns than any other track I've ever been to, that's why it works….. to make it work elsewhere, either track needs to be revamped to have much wider turns, or quads need to run altogether at 1 time and prep done again afterwards…...

Anyway, back to the bickering…..
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I still have the epic post.....don't make me bust that out verbatum!
 
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