AMCA Judging Program

[fabercycle]

If anyone has ever been really involved in racing.....you realize that even today, an off the shelf race bike is only a starting point to taylor a race machine to work effectively for the individual rider.

I doubt if even one race machine was ever left as it came from the factory.

[Jerry Hatfield]

Back in the 'sixties, I saw Dick Mann line up for a half-mile national, as one of two BSA Goldstar riders against ten Harleys. I went down to the starting line, while the announcer was introducing the riders, so I could get a real close look at the motorcycles. Mann's BSA was finished in a combination of gray primer and reddish primer, and had a fuel tank chemically coated with a puke-green finish. The throttle cable was smoothly routed across the tank, secured by ever stylish silver duck tape. Mann didn't win that day, as the super soft Louisville (KY) Downs track required Harley torque to cut through the ground calcium surface. The track was so soft that it had to be dragged between each event.

Flash forward one decade. I saw Dick showing a restored Gold Star flat-tracker at an antique event in mid-California. The bike was a beautiful thing, all shiny and pristine, and looking nothing at all like one of Mann's actual battle axes. I wondered if it was the same motorcycle he had ridden at Louisville. Meanwhile, the judges were counting off for this and for that. I laughed.

[fillibuster]

Back in the 'sixties, I saw Dick Mann line up for a half-mile national, as one of two BSA Goldstar riders against ten Harleys. I went down to the starting line, while the announcer was introducing the riders, so I could get a real close look at the motorcycles. Mann's BSA was finished in a combination of gray primer and reddish primer, and had a fuel tank chemically coated with a puke-green finish. The throttle cable was smoothly routed across the tank, secured by ever stylish silver duck tape. Mann didn't win that day, as the super soft Louisville (KY) Downs track required Harley torque to cut through the ground calcium surface. The track was so soft that it had to be dragged between each event.

Flash forward one decade. I saw Dick showing a restored Gold Star flat-tracker at an antique event in mid-California. The bike was a beautiful thing, all shiny and pristine, and looking nothing at all like one of Mann's actual battle axes. I wondered if it was the same motorcycle he had ridden at Louisville. Meanwhile, the judges were counting off for this and for that. I laughed.

that's priceless!

[jurassic]

i remember back in the 1970's my dad ordered a new XR750 from the factory.it took several years to get it.it was 1980 when it arrived.it was a 1980 model,with the aluminum heads ,and dual carbs.probably one of the last ones they built.i can remember the day we opened the crate,and pulled it out.it sure was sweet.in the factory paperwork that came with the bike it clearly stated that the bike was not ready for competition. the bike and engine would need to be completly disassembled and setup to suit the rider ,the tuner ,and the track to which it would be used.of course we were used to this sort of thing from the factory in the early 80's.now 30 years later it still sits ,never started,never raced. i'm not sure if this was the way race bikes were recieved from the factory back in the 40's,but it does make sense that the race guys would not only want to see what was in the engine, but also do their own modifications ,and tricks. we were sent a basic race model ,that needed to be setup for racing.

[fillibuster]

i remember back in the 1970's my dad ordered a new XR750 from the factory.it took several years to get it.it was 1980 when it arrived.it was a 1980 model,with the aluminum heads ,and dual carbs.probably one of the last ones they built.i can remember the day we opened the crate,and pulled it out.it sure was sweet.in the factory paperwork that came with the bike it clearly stated that the bike was not ready for competition. the bike and engine would need to be completly disassembled and setup to suit the rider ,the tuner ,and the track to which it would be used.of course we were used to this sort of thing from the factory in the early 80's.now 30 years later it still sits ,never started,never raced. i'm not sure if this was the way race bikes were recieved from the factory back in the 40's,but it does make sense that the race guys would not only want to see what was in the engine, but also do their own modifications ,and tricks. we were sent a basic race model ,that needed to be setup for racing.

sounds like a 100-pt bike! in a few years.

[Paps]

Not much racing talent on my end of the bike scene but the KHK was built to go from its very conception. I don't really know how one would beef the KHK engine up, anymore than the factory already had. Now the chassi is a different story with the KHK. Paps

[speedracer]

Nothing has been finalized at this point, but in all likelihood the competition modified motorcycles will earn their own unique awards.

Steve
that means if I were to bring all 5 of my competition bikes to Wauseon, I might get a first, second or third, or possibly go home with nothing. even my 3 Winners Circle bikes

[fillibuster]

Steve
that means if I were to bring all 5 of my competition bikes to Wauseon, I might get a first, second or third, or possibly go home with nothing. even my 3 Winners Circle bikes

Somehow, speedracer, I hope the amca finds a way to persuade you and others (who have something as phenomenal to share as your 5 racers) to bring their beasts to the meets, in or out of the judging circle. I'd like to see and appreciate them.
Nothing gets me jazzed up like a beat-up old hill-climber looking like it did on its last run, or dump, or break-down. Same for track machines. I reckon yours are show-pieces? Rules for such displays sound like they're under-developed, and that would be of no surprise to me. Sorry about the awards confusion, as that seems to be your primary motivation, and we shouldn't have a problem with that either. I'm just saying, somehow I'd like to celebrate your bikes' presence at the meets.

[speedracer]

Nothing has been finalized at this point, but in all likelihood the competition modified motorcycles will earn their own unique awards.

Steve
you still have not ansered my question, how will you be judging competition bikes at Wauseon

[scd]

Any competition motorcyle that earned Winners Circle status prior to the rule change
approved at the February 2010 Natonal Board meeting is welcome to return to the Winners Circle as many times as the owner desires.

A brief reminder to all. I will be happy to respond to questions on this thread and other general headings that are pertinent to the general membership and those specifically interested in the judging program. If you have a personal/individual question or comment you will be best served by contacting me directly. I will be much quicker in getting back with you,and can better tailer my response to your situation. Thanks everybody.

Steve

[speedracer]

Any competition motorcyle that earned Winners Circle status prior to the rule change
approved at the February 2010 Natonal Board meeting is welcome to return to the Winners Circle as many times as the owner desires.

A brief reminder to all. I will be happy to respond to questions on this thread and other general headings that are pertinent to the general membership and those specifically interested in the judging program. If you have a personal/individual question or comment you will be best served by contacting me directly. I will be much quicker in getting back with you,and can better tailer my response to your situation. Thanks everybody.

Steve

Steve
this is all fine for my winners circle bikes, BUT you have not fully answered the question. how will a junior/senior or new bikes be judged. as for contacting you directly, that does not help the rest of the people with similar questions. this is the purpose of having a forum in the first place.
if you do not know the answer, just say so!! hopefully in less time then it took you to answer the first part of my question

[scd]

Modified Competition Motorcyles

Hello Everyone: There is no current provision for point judging modified competition motorcycles. A project to develop a new system is underway, details of which will be discussed at upcoming judges' sessions at national meets. The time line for implementation is unknown at this point.
Please note again, a factory competition motorcycle can still be entered in regular judging and will be judged against the factory specifications for the model.

Steve

[speedracer]

Hello Everyone: There is no current provision for point judging modified competition motorcycles. A project to develop a new system is underway, details of which will be discussed at upcoming judges' sessions at national meets. The time line for implementation is unknown at this point.
Please note again, a factory competition motorcycle can still be entered in regular judging and will be judged against the factory specifications for the model.

Steve

Why were the rules changed, it seemed like they worked before. The criteria that they used and the judges that were judging them seemed to know what they were doing and understood the complexities of competition bikes. Why change something that was working. Do I understand you correctly, my racers can't be judged at Oley? Or Rhinebeck? because you have no rules in place at the moment. What about Wauseon, they're featuring racing bikes this year. What did you do, run off all the good judges?

[speedracer]

Why were the rules changed, it seemed like they worked before. The criteria that they used and the judges that were judging them seemed to know what they were doing and understood the complexities of competition bikes. Why change something that was working. Do I understand you correctly, my racers can't be judged at Oley? Or Rhinebeck? because you have no rules in place at the moment. What about Wauseon, they're featuring racing bikes this year. What did you do, run off all the good judges?

no answer to this one???

[bmh]

Man, I just can't wait to see the judging at Oley. This could be quite entertaining.