AMA/MOTOAMERICA Entry Level Class, KTM Cup

I can't speak for Jim, but my "no suing" comment was referring to things like trying to sue another rider because he cut you off and you crashed, or trying to sue another rider because he botched the launch and you ran into the back of him, or trying to sue the crew chief because a bolt was left loose and you crashed. Or suing an Org because your bike is now illegal for a class, or because it is a "Womens-only" race and you don't have a vagina....things like that.

If things like that start happening, that will be the beginning of the end of our sport. Either because the liability will be way too much, or because entry fees will quadruple to cover the ridiculous liability insurance.

When you get into the breach of contract and more business-like side of things, that is a different story.

 

By my count after talking to a bunch of parents we are already well over that number. That may change when rules/prices etc are announced. We are in for the whole Series either way. I have a feeling there are going to be a few who have been club racing locally for a long time and are in for some real sticker shock when they build a budget. This is going to be cheap compared to racing a 600 at the Pro level but it isnt going to be something your paying for out of your normal paycheck and just playing 1 weekend a month.

 

Yep, that was my train of thought. Travel alone is gonna cost. What about you guys on the west coast coming up with a deal with the others to split the hauling of bikes cost. Or possibly leave the bikes on the east coast at a beeber that can be trusted.

 

Theres talk of putting something like that together. I've never been able to put something this important (to me and my kid) into the hands of others. I'll run our deal self contained. I dont want to be responsible for someone elses stuff if something goes wrong and I dont want someone else responsible for my shit. Co'op's seem to work until they dont then people are left hanging mid season.

 

What he said!

 

I'm not suggesting that someone sue MotoAmerican, but I think it's a possibility their legal department needs to anticipate.

This is racing. Either people are fast enough to safely compete, or they're not. I understand their desire to create a class targeted at developing young talent, but I think it's ripe for attack under the right circumstances.

There are better ways to craft the rule to control who races in the class.

 

Its Professional Racing not a grocery store. It doesnt have to be handicap accessible, it doesnt have to be age appropriate and everyone doesnt have to be invited. Age limits have been around forever, we've dealt with our kids not being able to race for years... its their time now. This is a youth development series not a retirement league for shoulda beens or never were's.

 

Mongo has this right. No different than the under-23 soccer teams. (Google U23 soccer and you will see pages of under 23 soccer leagues and info.)

 

I should have clarified. There are places the kids cant ride based on age.

And for the record you are wrong. It is a necessity. Look at the countries represented on the world stage and tell me its not. The way we used to do things worked. Its painfully obvious that it doesnt anymore.

 

Exactly my point.

Now our kids will be on the same equipment as most of the other countries feeder classes. They will be running under a professional organization tied to Dorna and all of those other Championships. Now our kids will be looked at for those seats at the same time the Spanish kids are because there will be a clean comparison. Theres a reason Dorna tied into this thing and they said it straight up they need US talent on the world stage. If they werent using this KTM Cup deal as that feeder it wouldnt be happening because there is no other reason for it.

 

Im not elbows deep into these workings so forgive my ignorance.

Just curious, why is it a necessity?
And what do you mean by the way we used to do things?

Is it a necessity to groom riders to go over seas? Or for them to make a career out of motorcycle racing? Because we've seen a lot of people make a career right here in the states when the money was still flowing. If its to go overseas how will it prepare them for the culture shock of different countries, and the physical shock of the different nature of the tracks over there?

Im also not sure of your reference to the way we used to do things. Do you mean our last batch of successful guys we sent over seas? Nicky & Colin (im excluding Ben for the moment) grew up racing dirt track and motocross before transitioning to road racing. Now it seems like we want kids to start in road racing and only focus on that. We dont know if the way we did things doesnt work, because it seems that we stopped doing what was producing the successful racers.


The new class will be cool since all the bikes will be similar producing close racing. I dont care if its school kids, college kids or mid life crisis guy. Bar to bar racing would be exciting to watch.

 

The old saying goes "racers race" ... so if theres no support from the pro series for kids they will race some where .... theres been kids who came up and are racing pro without the support of a Pro Series for them in the AMA.... USGPRU used to just piggy back off the AMA with a selected few rounds which actually I dont think anybody could have learned that much seeing seat time was stupid (first session in the morning,last in the day (if there was time) )... were they racing with the better kids and older guys in the country ,sometimes if everyone showed up.
So a kid could hone his skills on a Honda RS125 or Moriwaki and just turn laps by himself,or a flat track running circles all day on a xr100 .... if he learns the bike and what its doing hes gonna shine on what ever hes (or she)is riding.Some have it naturally and other will have to work for it but in the Country as a whole theres only gonna be a handful.Way to many other ball and stick sports in this Country

 

Get a 125 for ur kid and let him ride the wheels off the thing on as many tracks as you can afford to go to ,way more track time and seat time and ur wallet will thank U.Moriwaki is way more forgiving but would be the second best tool to learn on.

 

I with Kelly here. Sure there are other ways to get over seas, but you have so many hoops, fire to jump through and you having a better chance hitting the lotto. This series being tied in with Dorna, will give these kids exposure that they never would of. So, to me for it is nessary to get our kids on the same equipment and same spot light so to say and give them a real fighting chance.

 

Go to Spain or Italy or many other European countries. 2 wheel vehicles on the road are a way of life. Street scooters and motorcycles are deeply embedded in daily life and culture. Stoplight grand prixs along narrow, twisty roads are part and parcel of everyday life.

Who are consistently the best MX Riders, Drag Racers, Oval Racers and Flat Tackers in the world? For whatever reason, these are the 2-wheel sports the US has decided to embrace. Almost all of our ultra-successful road racers grew out of this environment.

Road Racing is just not deeply embedded in US culture. This applies to cars as well, who was the last great American in F1? To say those countries are succeeding because of age-limited stepping stone classes just doesn't make sense.