Two bits from a future competitor. I have since my youth wanted to ride the Sottish Six Days and am now putting together a group to do just that in 2011. I have never been to Scotland, but offer these thoughts: To move the centre on the event out of town would be a mistake, this has happened where I live, and it has only resulted in greatly diminshed spectator and participant numbers; spectators often being the future of the sport.
What does Fort William think? Do they want the event moved out of town?
Sadly, the tone of the message at the top of this thread suggests to me that the decision is already made.
This "consulutation" is just an unsubtle PR excersise. I hope that I am wrong.
There is a link between this initiative and the arrival of the World Trials Championships in 2010. May I expand on this-
I feel that the SSDT in 2009 was a wonderful success and the organisers have been rightly praised for their handling of some unbelievable meteorological conditions.
They do, however, need to consider the wisdom of their decision to allow the 2010 World Round organisers to hijack the opening parade.
Spectators at the SSDT are thin on the ground these days.
What a bad idea idea it was, therefore, to allow an event to promote itself in front of the very people who may choose to attend that event next year instead of the SSDT.
The SSDT relies on an enormous amount of goodwill from the local residents, authorities and Police who tolerate motorcycle, which are barely road legal, to travel backwards and forwards virtually unchallenged for a week in order to access the wonderful terrain which all competitors enjoy.
That goodwill is based on one benefit to the town which is, quite simply, an influx of people spending money.
Moving the heart of the trial out of town can only diminish it's links with the community, and ultimately the goodwill which leads to the above-mentioned tolerance. It may also, unwittingly, lead to the event becoming off-road only (and, god forbid, on pre- something or other bikes).
Promoting the World Round was an error.
World Rounds are just indoor trials held outdoors, which have no relevance whatsoever (in riding terms) to 99% of trials riders. They merely have some shallow entertainment value which, in all probability, we would get bored of watching very quickly.
TThe SSDT is one of the last real motorcycle trials. It is held outdoors - and that includes mending the bikes.
It is, in principal, not broken. So don't mend it.
Slightly cynical analyse.
Pre something or other bikes - now thats a good idea.
Its not important but if the 09 is the same as the 10 then it begs the question how long can they keep going selling a handful of rebadged machines? We all know that the motor is 25 years old, but that is fine if the market is buying the product, is it?
With the relyability issuses that keep appearing on various pages, I know which I would prefer. The French have a habit of surviving against all odds.
I feel sorry for birks as he has got a job on when the manufacturer isn't getting the bikes through to sell. Whether they will survive is another matter but if the finances are as dire for them as we are led to believe I can't see them affording the costs of developing a new engine, but hope I'm wrong.
the bikes would be the first batch this year? 09 when the others are just out with the '10's doesn't look good......
Just change the 09 to 10 if it matters that much. For most riders its not that important !
Ssdt The Next 100 Years
in SSDT Chat
Posted
Traditionally the trial started and finished in Edinburgh. Times and traditions can change !