Vintage Hare Scramble

[OnTheGasGas]

Our club is considering promoting a vintage hare scramble race in upstate NY next year. We realize attendance will be much lower than at the modern hare scramble races we promote. We also realize the course will need to be shorter and easier (50 year-old guys on 30 year-old bikes). One school of thought is to also hold a vintage observed trial and a vintage trail ride on the same weekend. Unfortunatley we are unable to build a vintage-friendly mx track on the property.

Other than the ISDTRR, in MA last year, I have never been to a vintage race and will be unable to attend any vintage hare scrambles (x-country races) in the area. I'd like to get some input from others who ride/race these type of vintage events. Would like to know what their likes and dislikes are. Also would like to see how much interest there is in this type of event.

Thanks for any input.

[tmc3c]

My thoughts on this is that you will be seeing a lot more vintage racing now and in the future because of the costs of new bikes and the vintage bikes are still competitive racers.With this being said the costs of building these tracks should be a good investment.

Thomas Carmichael

[Mike OReilly]

Count me in. I love the idea.
Where in upstate New York?
I think that if the event fits into the Norhteast vintage schedule and was promoted in New England the turnout would likely be pretty good.
Mike O'Reilly
Ottawa, Ontario

[tlanders]

I race the AHRMA Cross Country ( Hare Scrambles) series and love them better than the motocross series - more saddle time. AHRMA runs a 1 hour race over a 3 to 6 mile loop for both the vintage (pre 1974) and post vintage (1975-1983) bikes. We see how many laps we can make in an hour. AHRMA has about 15 of these races a year throughout the country. If you are planning on doing it, call Dave Lamberth at the AHRMA headquarters and see if you can get your event on the AHRMA schedule for next year. He can be reached at (615) 851-3674. The AHRMA schedule for this year is at http://www.ahrma.org/calendar.htm. Scroll down until you see the AMS Sponsored Cross Country Series.

I personally love the courses set up by Gene Ramsey at the Lincoln Trails Motorsport Park in Casey, IL. You can get a hold of Gene at 217-932-2041, //www.ltmoffroad.com. He can help you with the course layout as far as technical difficulty is concerned for vintage bikes.

Call me if you want to chat about it at 417-256-2002 days, 417-256-0699 eves.

Teddy

[huskyrider390]

I've been lurking the message board for well over a year now, and thought it time to join in and give my two cents worth on this subject, seeing that you asked for opinions.
OnTheGasGas, I like the idea of some vintage races, especially a vintage trials and a vintage trail ride in upstate NY.
I'm thinking, I wouldn't like the idea of them being AHRMA events, because I would think there are a lot of riders in upstate NY that don't ride AHRMA events. Not everyone can and wants to travel the U.S. to ride AHRMA events. For a lot of riders, this just isn't feasible, time wise and financially. They just want to ride and have some fun on their vintage bikes.
Being a AHRMA event, I think, don't know for sure, but I would guess you have to join, unless there is some kind of release for those that don't care about the points, myself included.
I believe it would be worth a shot to keep it just on a local level at first and then if the club feels that it is an absolute must to make them AHRMA events, then so be it. Speaking for myself, to have to join AHRMA for one event a year, it wouldn't be worth it.
Just my two cents worth.

thank you,
huskyrider390

[tmc3c]

I wish there were vintage hs in S.C. ! I would rather ride them instead of mx !!

Thomas Carmichael

[OnTheGasGas]

Thanks for the input so far. Keep those comments coming.

Of course the final decision will be up to the membership. More than likely this will not be an AHRMA sanctioned event. However we would use the AHRMA rules as a guideline for class structure, course length and running time. As an AMA sanctioned club we will probably go that route for event insurance. The plan will be to promote the event through the various off-road and observed trials organizations in the Northeast.

[tlanders]

There was an AHRMA Cross Country a couple weeks ago at Thunder Ridge Cycle Park, South Edmeston, NY. It only costs $40 to join AHRMA. Go to two or three races and you won't notice the joining cost. The Vintage Views magazine you would get every month is worth the $40 alone even if you didn't enter anything. The pictures of the vintage bikes are great and you can find most anything in the used bikes classified section. I think if it were an AHRMA event, you would get greater participation than if it weren't. Lots of guys join AHRMA to race the events close to them and don't worry about the national points. Once you are a member, I'm sure you will find more than one event that you will want to go to - like the ISDT Reunion Ride. My two cents worth!!!

Teddy

[huskyrider390]

OnTheGasGas, where would these events take place in upstate NY?

huskyrider390