Have been watching this post from the start and agreeing or disagreeing with various peoples thought and comments, I must say that Ryan Farquhar's comment was very disappointing from a rider of his status, which is now in doubt.
What RF should remember is that 95% of the riders, in the classic races are, owner/riders, holiday racers and amateurs, who work and plan there racing year around the MGP and use there annual holidays to be able to compete, as well as all the time spent in the workshop, preparing there machines.
Of this 95%, there are 20 or 30 riders who are prospective REP winners and given the right circumstances would get a rep.
The rest of the entry perhaps, dream of getting near a rep but are happy to be competing on the mountain course. Of these, most are happy to show a year on year improvement in times and treasure a finishers award.
What we have got to watch out for is when the top ten and the bottom ten, become the same ten!! for that is the way it is heading.
I think the reason most of the riders want to race at the MGP is because of the "buzz" of competing on the mountain course, there is nowhere else like it. But, also there comes a time when you have to think, can you justify it anymore and is the pleasure of competing now being outweighed by the hassle of the TT Course Licence and extra expenses incurred.
Andy R has already said that he will not be returning, "old man returns" is saying the same thing, the rider who finished third in the lightweight classic this year, a good friend of mine, is also saying the same, eventhough he has started spending money on his bike for next year, because he has become disillusioned with the MGP, an event he has been involved in since he was 12 and one of the younger riders at 49. I am also very doubtful, especially after the way in which I was treated by the MMCC and the C of the C, at this year's MGP but that is another story!
I am sure that there are others as well, who are seriously looking at whether or not to return. I know that the weather over the past couple of years has not helped and other issues as well. So sorry RF, Will and David there might not be any classic races for you to compete, in or enough other riders to make a race of it!
Although I can't say that I agree with Will and David on some issues, we are all allowed to make our point, perhaps it is how each of us perceives Classic racing. The MGP cut-off is 1972,in that year the senior was won at 93.66 and the junior at 95.56. When the classic races were introduced in 1983, the senior was won at 94.68 and the junior at 93.28.
This to me, is the area in which we should be looking for rep times now, plus 2 or 3 mph for improvements.
Do we need or want 110mph laps in the classic races, no, sorry we don't, to me this will do as much damage to the races and entry as the introduction of the Honda's and the TT Course Licence together!
Tied in with this is the current professional, TT riders on pseudo-modern classic machines, as against period classics. At least Bob Heath rode a machine, in principle, that was of the period and available to the clubman racers.
The TT riders have always done well because they have two weeks in June to practice and race on the mountain course, which the normal MGP rider does not get, wouldn't we all be better for all that extra practice! Which is highlighted by the riders who have won a Classic race after competing in the TT in the same year.
The rules in 1983, when the classic races were introduced to the MGP, were based on the CRMC rules, i believe, should we not follow that now and put Period Classics in Group One and Pseudo-modern Classics in Group Two, one race, run concurrently.
Group One: Manx, G50, &R, Goldie, Velo, Triumph Twims, Norton Twins, Weslake, Ducati, Aermacchi, etc.
Group Two: Paton, MV, Gilera, Benelli, non of which were available to the clubman rider in the period, Honda,there racing pedigree of the period is at best doubtful and were never available with the variety of frames and components that are used now, and ultras short stroke Manx's which were never available and don't look like Manx's.
I am not against any of these machines, I have a Honda, but I think we have lost the meaning of the MGP Classic Races and what they were introduced for, not just to save the MGP but to allow these machine to be used on the mountain course.
So let's keep these two types of machine seperate as faras results are concerned but have one race with hopefully full grids.
These are just my ideas and views, I hope someone else agrees with me. I think that Tomcat and myself might be on the same lines.
All the very best wishes for the season to you all.
Roy Phipps (Norstar).