Posts
48
Joined
10/1/2016
Location
Erie, CO
US
Edited Date/Time
10/1/2016 8:24am
DEADLINE IS APPROACHING!!!
As some of you may know the AHRMA 2017 Rule Change Proposals were reviewed at the July 18th Board meeting. The results are now posted. (links below)
If you are an AHRMA member with an opinion on the proposed change, please contact the Board Members who were against the proposal and let your opinion be known.
The proposal to include Non-Power valve (no KIPS) KXs with OEM front disk brakes and rear drum brakes in their respective Ultima displacement classes was resubmitted for 2017. Post vintage Ultima rule sections 12.3.2-4.
The Rules Committee voted in favor, but the Board vote was 7-5, against in the preliminary vote.
https://www.ahrma.org/uncategorized/2017-rules-proposals/
http://ahrma.org/ahrma_pdfs/Z-2016/Forms/17_Preliminary_rules_web.pdf
The final vote on 2017rules proposals takes place at the Board Meeting on October 10th 2017, in Alabama.
Board Members AGAINST:
Debbie Poole: pooleschl1@hotmail.com
Rob Poole: robpoole57@hotmail.com
Kelly Shane: flynpenguin@gmail.com
Pat Riley: rileyppkk@yahoo.com
Corky Root: peroot66@yahoo.com
Mark Hatten: mhatten@ahrma.org
Tom Bentley:bentley13x@yahoo.com
Board Members FOR:
Fred Guidi: fredguidi@gmail.com
Carl Anderson: carl849gp@yahoo.com
Kevin Burns: 68.kburns@gmail.com
Luke Conner: luke.conner@cpl-systems.com
Louis LeBlanc: louisleblanc18n@me.com
David Lamberth handles communications for the National office directed to the board he and Fred Guidi should be CC'd on board member communication.
dlamberth@ahrma.org
Be sure to include your AHRMA membership number in all communications regarding rules proposal comments.
I think anybody who disagrees with that simple way of thinking is a fool and should never be allowed to vote on rules for everybody else. Vintage is to preserve history, period. If you don't like the fact a certain bike has different tech than your favorite color that year then too bad, either buy that color or live with it; We all did in 1983 and we should today.
Also everybody should read our thread "last chance 1980's Jerseys" and get a early 80's Kawasaki Jersey before we stop selling them and AHRMA tries to rule them out.
The Shop
My old man raced Diamond Dons earlier this year as his first AHRMA race and his second just yesterday in Tulsa. Based on what I've read and heard, this issue is such a great parallel to what's going on in general. My dad said racing an AHRMA race is like racing a motocross race sanctioned by the federal government. Is it not comical how they decide what bikes are and are not allowed? Especially when there isn't exactly an overwhelming number of people signing up to race in the first place. Isn't AHRMA supposed to be a "national" series? There are more people showing up for the local vintage races. AHRMA is at a point where they NEED to attract a younger generation and that is going to mean branching out to more bikes. They also need to get rid of the number of classes. From what I've been told there may be a decent amount of people on the gates but it's because there are 3 or 4 classes on the gate together. Is everyone just concerned with winning a trophy?
It is a joke.
I've seen riders do more with less in the respective class.
IMO it's all about rider skill......period.
People can run Race Tech emulators, but not a bike that came with a disc. Just stupid.
Back years ago it was the debate of "vintage" vs "post-vintage". Back then, Post-vintage bikes were (for some unknown reason) a very big threat to the existence of vintage racing. The overwhelming feeling was that they were not only not welcome on the track the same day as a "vintage" bike, but it would probably be best if you left them home in a different state just to be safe... Sheesh!!
The fact that someone that owned and raced a '74 YZ in AHRMA might also own and appreciate racing a '78-'80 YZ was pretty much near blasphemy. And like you mentioned-- the thought that this would provide not only additional participants and interest, but stability and growth to the organization was of little interest even back then.
I was hoping to hear that some sensibility had finally crept its way into the collective thinking, but what do they say? "Some things never change?"
Several interesting points / comments have been made in response to this thread:
1) Vintage racing today should accurately reflect the actual history of competition from the period. The 70s and 80s were a golden age of MX technological advancement, that should be reflected and celebrated today. We know how it happened, no need to arbitrarily monkey with it now!
2) There are many excellent vintage and post vintage regional clubs hosting races with simpler rules structures than AHRMA. Very true! It is also a fact that most of the organizers and promoters of these local series came from having some relationship to AHRMA. Today AHRMA is the only vintage National Series with races in nearly every area of the country. (The AMA has reduced their National Vintage Championship racing to a single weekend in their own backyard.) The local series' are thriving in many regions, it would be beneficial for AHRMA to learn from their examples as they have proven successful at evolving vintage competition. How do you want to earn that trophy or National Title?
3) Change is needed at the top. Transition planning in a first generation businesses is difficult. AHRMA off road is slowly making the transition to second generation leadership and it is tough for some of the senior Board members to see their "baby" take a new direction. It will happen and there are numerous progressive minded people in on the Board already. It is my hope that the people who started the organization will get the respect they deserve for what they built while turning it over gracefully to a new generation that can take it forward. VOTE...contact committees and the Board on issues that you are passionate about.
4) AHRMA is a bureaucratic organization. That is both good and bad. It is slower to change and adapt, but has a broader base and national reach. The rules may change slower than we would like, but an organization that is not reliant on a single person or small group from a single region can be more stable and represent a broader spectrum of vintage racers.
5) First generation Kawi disk brakes are stronger, yes, but maybe not better. The motorcycle press at the time indicated other manufacturer's drums were better overall when you factored in modulation, maintenance, and feel over a wide range of track conditions. I know the they can be touchy. I try to run the softest organic pads I can find. The metalics are way too aggressive IMO, and they wear out disks quicker.
I've only been vintage racing for a year, in Evo and newer classes. I just looked up the AHMRA rules... wow. Are there even classes for anything newer than 83-ish?
I think it would be great to see the class become a permanent national class and include all of the 80's bikes to '89 in the PV AHRMA program. Those later 80's bikes are really fun to ride. By then all the manufacturers had their bikes fairly well sorted, good handling, good suspension, good motors.
My assessment of the AMA = a bunch of undereducated hacks hoping desperately to land their dream jobs at an OEM someday. Just like our politicians moving on to become big-bucks lobbyists.
My assessment of AHRMA = a bunch of old guys trying to desperately hold onto their Good Old Boys club, screw everything else. Sounds like any other special interest group if you ask me. Or USPS.
As much as I hate to say this, we could learn a lot from the Euros on making vintage viable and sustainable. AHRMA should understand hella better than anybody that the clock is busy ticking away before they become completely irrelevant, and any US vintage devolves into local groups (no knock on local groups, some are quite good).
AHRMA is a member run / governed organization. Each member has a vote on who they think would be suitable to lead AHRMA. Four board members are elected each fall, it’s a shame so few actually vote.
This fall in the Eastern section (east of the Mississippi) there will be two candidates who are over 70 years old. While they are both great guys, who have given tremendously to the organization in its formative years, they are not in touch with todays (or tomorrows) riders. And while we do owe them a great deal of gratitude for the work they have done on AHRMA’s behalf, WE DO NOT owe them a lifetime appointment.
In the past few years AHRMA’s membership has dropped from over 5,000 to just over 3,000 today. With the current demographics this is the opposite of progress.
It’s up to US, lets “MAKE AHRMA GREAT AGAIN” vote for change…….
Im happy to see so much KX support from everyone here
Pit Row
VOTE, change is good.
The AHRMA Board of Trustees has ignored its member's views and the position of their own Post Vintage Rules Committee on a significant issue. The issue is not just regarding disk brake technology. The issue has become the Board's rigid adherence to the status quo, its apparent desire to side step equitable competition, and its gross disregard for history. This vote represents a break from the PVMX Mission Statement and I believe, is counter to growing future membership.
Change must come, by the members, for the members, of the members! I would like to see a significant shift in AHRMA PVMX before the organization becomes completely irrelevant in the view of Vintage MX racers across the country.
AHRMA Board, ever hear of a SWOT analysis? The more progressive regional vintage MX clubs are eating your lunch...
It's as if the Ahrma is run by our government
Rokons are legal ,what's up with that?
Anyone that raced in 1983 that placed in top 5 should be required to retroactively return their trophy because it was unfair
I don't want to get upset about something that I can not do anything about. I'm grateful for the Ahrma members that did support the legality of the KX and glad to know they exist
Unfathomable Rules.
A bike is made / sold in the 'dated' period - it's eligible for that class.
It's as simple as that.
Idiocy.
I've seen a whole lot of BS here in OZ with regards to 'historic' racing. Friends tearing their hair out over crap, whilst seeing favoured individuals be able to pretty much do what they want. We are far from being immune to idiocy . It is, as I said, why I have not got more involved with it. I've a reasonable collection of old(er) bikes, but stick to my (relatively) newer ones for my now (very) rare racing efforts.
I just want to get on the bike, and ride - not be caught up in BS that seems to so permeate the vintage / vet scene. It's a pity - there are so, so many great people in the historic scene, with just a handful making things 'difficult'. I suspect it's the same, World wide.
Same group that will not let any bike past 1979 in trials.....brilliant
Same group that lets '76 KX400 in vintage but not a '75 Bul 360...more brilliance
Same group that when PV first came on-line wanted nothing to do with us and acted like we had the plague...more brilliant, forward thinking
I support AHRMA since have been racing vintage since '94 but some of their decisions are just plain stupid
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