Ducati Sporting Club UK > DesmoDue Race Series > DesmoDue - General Questions and Chat > DESMODUE - Ideas/suggestions for 2007?

[twpd]

Originally Posted by domski

Yeah, bloody national licence holders! Tsk!

Your bike is too slow for DD anyway

You'll need a 975 next season, plus you can only enter Class B, and you're not allowed to beat anyone - got that!!

You mean you have a 999 under the hood then?????

Sounds like a winning (sic) plan to attract us outsiders there Dom!

[Zimbo16]

My opinion:

I believe it quite likely at this stage that we will still be on a combined grid for at least some of the meetings next year. In that event I see no reason to change the current formula - send us all out together based on overall qualifying times, no delayed start for one group or the other. I see the logic in a 20 second delayed start for the class B bikes, i wouldn't have an objection to it. Obviously it would be preferable to have two grids, so we need to continue to attract new riders to the series.
The main reason the 583s are so popular is simply because they're cheap - you can race a £1000 bike and be reasonably competitive. 620s require a larger investment, and 695s would be much larger again - plus, if you want to race a 695 Minitwins would suit it perfectly!
695s should not be considered for 2007 or 2008 at least, to give second hand prices time to fall. Most of us racing have very limited budgets and have made an investment in our current bikes, forcing us to start again at a loss would not be in the spirit of the series.

As for track selection, I'm happy with the current lineup in general, wouldn't mind Mallory or Pembury to be included, perhaps at the expense of one of the Cadwell rounds. I enjoyed going to Assen and wouldn't hesitate to go again, it may cost a little more than UK rounds but it's worth it and the cost isn't that hude, £65 ferry crossing plus an extra 500 odd miles driving, lower entries offset the cost a little, and as a Ducati enthusiast it was worth the trip for the bikes and paddock experience alone!

Lastly, Skidlids seems to be getting a pasting here, he has my full support and I for one am very appreciative of the work he puts in to help make the series what it is. It does appear to me that some of the arguments in this thread are simply attempts at points scoring, and don't contribute anything positive at all.

[domski]

Good points Graeme


...although I thought your post tailed off towards the end

[AK]

Lads, just go back and read the very first post on this thread PLEASE

its going way off topic and getting very personal to some of you

[skidlids]

Originally Posted by twpd

Which is somewhat different from 30+ you claimed were competing in the championship. People are only competing if they are turning up on a regular basis.

Not quite
This is DD and as such people register to enter the series (most pre season, this year there was 56 names pre season)and therefore have a say in what goes on, If a ballot is required then everybody that has registered for the series is contacted and that means as riders rep for the 583 class I can have up to 30+ opinions to be considered, which is what I have been saying but some people don't seem to get it.
If we only considered those that rode in every round it would be 13 in Class A and 6 in Class B (figures are low because of Assen round, So nobody go telling New Era we only have 19 regular entrants)

DD is the DSCs race series at present and was hoped to be different from other race series, but that distinction is fading fast and if it carrys on it will soon be just like other race series and I suspect will soon loose what remainder of the support it has within the DSC membership.

If the cost of class B isn't appealing I don't know what is, I know various DDers already taking part would rather we didn't race on Saturdays as they have businesses to run and therefore don't ideally want 2 day meetings.
As Glyn at the Scooter shop said, it costs him £400 to close on a Saturday, doesn't help meet the criteria of cheap racing for DSC members.

If we did more Northern venues we may attract a few more but we could also loose the strong contingent from the South Coast, Southampton and Portsmouth are a long way from Croft, they're not exactly close to Oulton or Cadwell.

My original post in this thread was just to say I was taking note and would be gathering the information and see how it was going to effect the 30+ registered entrants for Class B for which I have come in for a lot of stick.
Which about sums up the message board

[domski]

Originally Posted by skidlids

This is DD and as such people register to enter the series (most pre season, this year there was 56 names pre season)and therefore have a say in what goes on, If a ballot is required then everybody that has registered for the series is contacted and that means as riders rep for the 583 class I can have up to 30+ opinions to be considered, which is what I have been saying but some people don't seem to get it.

So you need to consider the views of people that aren't even racing - but have registered an interest?

I have two issues with that.

Firstly, and it may just be the way you're wording it (so I apologise if I'm reading in to it too much), but you don't have to consider anything. It's your job to put the riders views to the MT members on the RC. You have been voted in to represent the riders, not consider points of view, or advise people (unless they ask). You need to remain completely impartial, and put forward any/every view of the riders you represent to the RC. Otherwise you're failing in your duty.

That goes for Tim as well. I expect my rider rep to act on my behalf, not pick/choose/consider what I say when speaking to the RC.

Secondly, I don't agree that someone who may have registered and interest and not yet competed, or even someone who has competed but now left the series, has a vote in any ballot regarding DD. Voting rights should only be open to 'active' competitors - however that can be established.

[domski]

Originally Posted by skidlids

I made it 24 Class B bikes at Cadwell and 16 class A which looks like it will be the type of figures for the rest of the season so what we need for seperate grids is more class A bikes or drop them and just have 583s with a novice championship contained within it and settle for one grid

What a great idea. It's lucky Class B can sustain a grid...

Originally Posted by skidlids

I made it 24 Class B bikes at Cadwell

Originally Posted by domski

There were 24 bikes in class B at Oulton, 21 at Castle Combe, 11 at Assen, 23 at Brands and 24 at Cadwell.

Oh dear, even Class B doesn't have enough riders.

Originally Posted by skidlids

just have 583s with a novice championship contained within it and settle for one grid

Great idea, we can just get rid of 24 x 620 riders, and just have a 583 class - pure genius!!

Originally Posted by skidlids

Lets face it we have heard DDs go on about how much we contribute to New Era's income but when it comes down to it Class B contributes more (up to 50% more) and still get the worse end of the deal.

Although as you later said...

Originally Posted by skidlids

If we only considered those that rode in every round it would be 13 in Class A and 6 in Class B

Not looking good is it. I know...

Originally Posted by skidlids

I have again entered both classes at Donington (yes the entry has been sent) in an attempt to bolster the numbers in Class A to try and help get seperate grids, but based on Oulton I have included a letter asking if its not possible for me to race in two seperate DD classes then just enter me in Class B and also in SV 650s if there is room.

You don't need to bolster Class A - all you need to do is get 25 people in Class B. Then you can have your own grid.

Or, you could just accept the fact that neither class has enough riders, and nobody is proactively recruiting new riders (I have got a friend racing at Donington though, and another entering next season) so therefore, we'll have to keep going as we are.

If Class B riders are that upset that they don't want to be combined with Class A, and you would know Kev, being the rider rep. I suggest you speak to Jim Parker and ask him to give you a grid for 24 or less bikes.

[skidlids]

Originally Posted by domski

So you need to consider the views of people that aren't even racing - but have registered an interest?

I have two issues with that.

Firstly, and it may just be the way you're wording it (so I apologise if I'm reading in to it too much), but you don't have to consider anything. It's your job to put the riders views to the MT members on the RC. You have been voted in to represent the riders, not consider points of view, or advise people (unless they ask). You need to remain completely impartial, and put forward any/every view of the riders you represent to the RC. Otherwise you're failing in your duty.

That goes for Tim as well. I expect my rider rep to act on my behalf, not pick/choose/consider what I say when speaking to the RC.

Secondly, I don't agree that someone who may have registered and interest and not yet competed, or even someone who has competed but now left the series, has a vote in any ballot regarding DD. Voting rights should only be open to 'active' competitors - however that can be established.

I don't have to put any riders views to the RC as anything the riders need to express should be by emailing the RC using the email address desmodue@ducatisportingclub.com
then if the MT side of the RC decide to act on any of these suggestion I sit there saying nothing and remain impartial and not even be allowed to express my own view after all I can't express anybody elses opinion as I'm not to have considered it.

[skidlids]

Originally Posted by domski

So you need to consider the views of people that aren't even racing - but have registered an interest?

I have two issues with that.

Firstly, and it may just be the way you're wording it (so I apologise if I'm reading in to it too much), but you don't have to consider anything. It's your job to put the riders views to the MT members on the RC. You have been voted in to represent the riders, not consider points of view, or advise people (unless they ask). You need to remain completely impartial, and put forward any/every view of the riders you represent to the RC. Otherwise you're failing in your duty.

That goes for Tim as well. I expect my rider rep to act on my behalf, not pick/choose/consider what I say when speaking to the RC.

Secondly, I don't agree that someone who may have registered and interest and not yet competed, or even someone who has competed but now left the series, has a vote in any ballot regarding DD. Voting rights should only be open to 'active' competitors - however that can be established.

I don't have to put any riders views to the RC as anything the riders need to express should be by emailing the RC using the email address desmodue@ducatisportingclub.com
then if the MT side of the RC decide to act on any of these suggestion I sit there saying nothing and remain impartial and not even be allowed to express my own view after all I can't express anybody elses opinion as I'm not to have considered it.

[skidlids]

Originally Posted by domski

So you need to consider the views of people that aren't even racing - but have registered an interest?

I have two issues with that.

Firstly, and it may just be the way you're wording it (so I apologise if I'm reading in to it too much), but you don't have to consider anything. It's your job to put the riders views to the MT members on the RC. You have been voted in to represent the riders, not consider points of view, or advise people (unless they ask). You need to remain completely impartial, and put forward any/every view of the riders you represent to the RC. Otherwise you're failing in your duty.

That goes for Tim as well. I expect my rider rep to act on my behalf, not pick/choose/consider what I say when speaking to the RC.

Secondly, I don't agree that someone who may have registered and interest and not yet competed, or even someone who has competed but now left the series, has a vote in any ballot regarding DD. Voting rights should only be open to 'active' competitors - however that can be established.

I don't have to put any riders views to the RC as anything the riders need to express should be by emailing the RC using the email address desmodue@ducatisportingclub.com
then if the MT side of the RC decide to act on any of these suggestion I sit there saying nothing and remain impartial and not even be allowed to express my own view after all I can't express anybody elses opinion as I'm not to have considered it.