helmet comms for pros

Phillip_Lamb
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Phillip_Lamb
Edited Date/Time 9/15/2015 7:17am
I was reading Racerx's articles of Des Nations history and i noticed in 88? that team USA used a one way helmet radio with Lechein. How come we dont have anything like this today? With all the stuff that happens in a race i would think i would serve to help everyone especially in the event of a downed rider. In addtion it would better notify those who are being lapped so they can better adjust to moving over. Is there a current rule against it? what are your thoughts?
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ML512
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ML512 9/13/2015 5:21pm
9/13/2015 5:21pm
Phillip_Lamb wrote:
I was reading Racerx's articles of Des Nations history and i noticed in 88? that team USA used a one way helmet radio with Lechein. How...
I was reading Racerx's articles of Des Nations history and i noticed in 88? that team USA used a one way helmet radio with Lechein. How come we dont have anything like this today? With all the stuff that happens in a race i would think i would serve to help everyone especially in the event of a downed rider. In addtion it would better notify those who are being lapped so they can better adjust to moving over. Is there a current rule against it? what are your thoughts?
It's currently illegal to have radio communications with the riders in both Supercross and Outdoors.
RCB33
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RCB33 9/13/2015 5:35pm
9/13/2015 5:35pm
It is illegal and and I understand why, but at the same time, it could be good to have in the case of a downed rider or other obstruction on the track(see Matt Moss incident).
MxKing809
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MxKing809 9/13/2015 5:39pm
9/13/2015 5:39pm
RCB33 wrote:
It is illegal and and I understand why, but at the same time, it could be good to have in the case of a downed rider...
It is illegal and and I understand why, but at the same time, it could be good to have in the case of a downed rider or other obstruction on the track(see Matt Moss incident).
I like that man, it would be easy enough to have a general comms in every helmet that the AMA official could use to radio emergencies, red flags, black flags, etc. It would be a blanket communication to every rider...... I think that could be beneficial
activeMX
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activeMX 9/13/2015 8:41pm
9/13/2015 8:41pm
RCB33 wrote:
It is illegal and and I understand why, but at the same time, it could be good to have in the case of a downed rider...
It is illegal and and I understand why, but at the same time, it could be good to have in the case of a downed rider or other obstruction on the track(see Matt Moss incident).
Matt Moss was in an AU series where they could have used a comm if they wanted. Simple truth is it does not matter if they have it or not, the throttle hand will do what it wants.

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hillbilly
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hillbilly 9/13/2015 9:11pm
9/13/2015 9:11pm
Breaker braker Bob 1 ,this is mcarthy controll, I need you to let brock bye.

This is Bob 1 to mcarthy controll, fuck you.
defeatist45
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defeatist45 9/14/2015 3:56am
9/14/2015 3:56am
hillbilly wrote:
Breaker braker Bob 1 ,this is mcarthy controll, I need you to let brock bye.

This is Bob 1 to mcarthy controll, fuck you.
Damn.near.died. Woohoo
The Rock
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The Rock 9/14/2015 9:37am
9/14/2015 9:37am
They've allowed this at the MEC for a few years now but I've never seen any figures on how many riders/teams use radios. I'm still amazed radios aren't used to compliment yellow flags to tell you the truth.
Kryan5
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Kryan5 9/14/2015 10:00am
9/14/2015 10:00am Edited Date/Time 9/14/2015 10:01am
In lots of other forms of racing they use 1 way radios where the scoring tower(and only the scoring tower) can communicate with the drivers. Its used to let drivers know of cautions, line up positions, etc.
TXDirt
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TXDirt 9/14/2015 11:09am
9/14/2015 11:09am
Car racing and motorcycle racing are not really the same. The level of concentration for motorcycle racing is pretty extreme. And you have to be "in the zone" from start to finish. Car racing has more breaks, caution flags, etc so a radio works fine.

I think having a radio in your ear for motorcycle racing would actually be more dangerous then whatever safety issues (downed rider for example) you are trying to overcome.

It would be a massive distraction and could cause more rider injuries from loosing focus in very technical/dangerous racing and jumping situations on the track.

The racer needs to be able to stay focused 100% of the time. I would not deviate from this at all by trying to add a radio into the mix.
GuyB
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GuyB 9/14/2015 12:22pm
9/14/2015 12:22pm
The Rock wrote:
They've allowed this at the MEC for a few years now but I've never seen any figures on how many riders/teams use radios. I'm still amazed...
They've allowed this at the MEC for a few years now but I've never seen any figures on how many riders/teams use radios. I'm still amazed radios aren't used to compliment yellow flags to tell you the truth.
The Smartop MotoConcepts Racing team tried it. Mike Alessi didn't like it.
ridge
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ridge 9/14/2015 3:31pm
9/14/2015 3:31pm
GuyB wrote:
The Smartop MotoConcepts Racing team tried it. Mike Alessi didn't like it.
Well yeah...that's his quiet time.
Smile
ktmdan
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ktmdan 9/14/2015 3:49pm
9/14/2015 3:49pm
I was mountain biking with my head phones once and I thought the album was over... There was a 'hidden track' like 5 minutes after the last song and when it came on it scared the living hell out of me. I think if someone was talking to me while racing mx it would really throw off my focus. No bueno.
Phillip_Lamb
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Phillip_Lamb 9/14/2015 3:56pm
9/14/2015 3:56pm
TXDirt wrote:
Car racing and motorcycle racing are not really the same. The level of concentration for motorcycle racing is pretty extreme. And you have to be "in...
Car racing and motorcycle racing are not really the same. The level of concentration for motorcycle racing is pretty extreme. And you have to be "in the zone" from start to finish. Car racing has more breaks, caution flags, etc so a radio works fine.

I think having a radio in your ear for motorcycle racing would actually be more dangerous then whatever safety issues (downed rider for example) you are trying to overcome.

It would be a massive distraction and could cause more rider injuries from loosing focus in very technical/dangerous racing and jumping situations on the track.

The racer needs to be able to stay focused 100% of the time. I would not deviate from this at all by trying to add a radio into the mix.
many motorsports use them especially in LOORS and even in Rallycross where you're on it all the time.

as far as concentration i can understand the breaking of it and it might be a problem but the person talking to the rider would need to talk only very little and only in isolated events. It would be pointless to talk during opening laps or trying to tell the rider how t take every corner hes going around. the action is too quick to be able to tell everything.

only communication should be in regards to yellows, lappers or telling them what would be on a pit board.
JDUB35
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JDUB35 9/14/2015 5:56pm
9/14/2015 5:56pm
GuyB wrote:
The Smartop MotoConcepts Racing team tried it. Mike Alessi didn't like it.
ridge wrote:
Well yeah...that's his quiet time.
Smile
Oh man. Could you imagine trying to race while Tony Alessi was yapping in your ear?
The Rock
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The Rock 9/15/2015 1:42am
9/15/2015 1:42am Edited Date/Time 9/15/2015 1:43am
Phillip_Lamb wrote:
many motorsports use them especially in LOORS and even in Rallycross where you're on it all the time. as far as concentration i can understand the...
many motorsports use them especially in LOORS and even in Rallycross where you're on it all the time.

as far as concentration i can understand the breaking of it and it might be a problem but the person talking to the rider would need to talk only very little and only in isolated events. It would be pointless to talk during opening laps or trying to tell the rider how t take every corner hes going around. the action is too quick to be able to tell everything.

only communication should be in regards to yellows, lappers or telling them what would be on a pit board.
only communication should be in regards to yellows, lappers or telling them what would be on a pit board.

And have the broadcast "zone" be the length of the mechanics area. This just seems a natural progression from the sticking the board out for the riders to see at warp speed BUT we need professional racer input. Wonder if they're happy with the current pit board deal and same question to the mechanics?

Worst solutions are those that "fix" an issue that really doesn't need "fixin" :-)

GuyB-Thanks for the #800 data
TXDirt
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TXDirt 9/15/2015 6:55am
9/15/2015 6:55am
The Rock wrote:
[i]only communication should be in regards to yellows, lappers or telling them what would be on a pit board.[/i] And have the broadcast "zone" be the...
only communication should be in regards to yellows, lappers or telling them what would be on a pit board.

And have the broadcast "zone" be the length of the mechanics area. This just seems a natural progression from the sticking the board out for the riders to see at warp speed BUT we need professional racer input. Wonder if they're happy with the current pit board deal and same question to the mechanics?

Worst solutions are those that "fix" an issue that really doesn't need "fixin" :-)

GuyB-Thanks for the #800 data
As a former professional racer I think it would be a huge distraction. To be in the "zone" requires complete concentration. During a race you are processing things so fast it's almost like you are not even thinking at all. It just happens naturally because that's the way you have done it thousands of times before. Similar to muscle memory. It becomes second nature. The focus is so intense you are not thinking about anything really. I would suspect a lot of pro racers will tell you the second they loose focus is when you are most likely to make a mistake/have big crash.

In helmet radio technology has been around for awhile. It's not exactly new. I'm sure a few riders and teams have experimented with it to some degree in the past and all feel it provides no real value and instead is just more of a distraction to the rider.

I just don't see this ever being prevalent in SX/MX.

/my two cents.
Kawasaki-rider 9/15/2015 7:17am
9/15/2015 7:17am
I'm with txdirt.

Hell i barely remember If I fell sometime during the race or not even.. 110% focus on riding.

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