Mid-season update 2011


Moto Academy NZ mid-season update July, 2011

Now that we are virtually halfway through the 2011 racing season I thought that it was time send out to supporters and sponsors an update of our progress, whereabouts and happenings during 2011.

Many of you will recall that in January and February we hosted a young rider from Malaysia called Hafiq Azmi. Hafiq had been chosen to compete in the Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup 2011. Hafiq had not actually competed on 125GP bikes before, but he needed to get some experience on 125GP before he went to Rookies Cup. Hafiq arrived and immediately got to grips with the Honda RS125 bike and showed his immense speed on a motorcycle. So after a track-day and race meeting at Manfeild with MotoTT and the Pacific Club we prepared to head to the South Island for NZ Superbike Champs.  Mel Jackson, previously of Vic Club in Wellington, now living in Christchurch, was our mechanic and helper for the South Is rounds.

Hafiq Azmi at Ruapuna Circuit

Unfortunately it turned out that Hafiq had/has some deficiencies in his technique which lead to him falling off the motorcycle on a regular basis. While clearly demonstrating that he was a fair bit faster than anyone else on the track, he was unable to complete track sessions. He did not manage to complete any races while he was here, even while leading the race by some distance. In the end he managed to crack his arm at Timaru and break his ankle at Ruapuna and that put an end to his New Zealand adventure. He has slowly been putting together good performances at Rookies Cup and we wish him all the best for the rest of the season.

Following the NZSBK season and after getting the bikes all repaired we sold off our ’96 bike to a young rider from Foxton who we hope will have a great time racing it. Around this time it also became clear that there was very little interest from young riders in the North Island in joining Moto Academy NZ to ride over the winter. After three years of effort it also became clear that the price the market was prepared to pay should they want to join us, was insufficient to make running the bikes a viable proposition. We have therefore made the move to keep two of the RS125 bikes to run over the summer period if we can attract a rider or two, but to sell off as much of everything else that we can and only keep what we need to keep the bikes running. At the same time, the 2000 model bike has become a bit of a project with go-fast bits and we have it running at around 44 horsepower which is near the top end for these types of engines. So we will soon be starting to market and seek one or two riders for NZSBK 2012.

During May 2011 my family and I moved home from Lower Hutt to a smaller, cheaper and much warmer, house in Wellington so that Margo can be closer to work and Maya can be closer to her childcare. Instead of spending an hour each way in the car and a tank of gas each week, they are now 5 minutes from home and we went 3 weeks before we needed to fill the car. It has a nice view of the city and even has a garage for all the bikes, which is a bonus in Wellington. But there are a few steps!!  Can’t have everything.

For the 2011 winter racing season we have taken on a ‘contract’ with Victoria Motorcycle Club to coach their junior development programme riders and also to coach senior riders that might be interested in trying to improve their skills. After 2 rounds of racing and hence two coaching sessions all of the seven riders seem to be happy with the classes and are all showing improvement in their skill levels and track-speed. I have even had a few races on my Post Classic RS250, winning three races and now standing 2nd in the points for Post Classic Junior.

Me on the 1989 Honda RS250 Post Classic bike, Manfeild, June 2011.

But I won’t be riding again until perhaps the final meeting and the Post Classic GP meeting in late October as I will now concentrate fully on the training programme riders.

Following Mihi Banks, Manfeild, June 2011.

One of the young riders we have in the programme is 14 year old Tyler Lincoln from Havelock North. Tyler is demonstrating excellent aptitude and speed on his KR150 Streetstock bike. As a result of this demonstration of good skills and application we have decided to support Tyler as the Moto Academy NZ candidate for the Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup selection 2012 to be held in Spain in October 2011. We are yet to confirm that he and his family wish to commit fully, but we are hopeful.

Tyler Lincoln, Kawasaki KR150, June, 2011.

You may recall that in 2008 we sent Luke Jameson to Spain and in 2009 we sent Avalon Biddle to Italy and in 2010 we recommended Jake Lewis who also went to Spain. In 2011 we will be coaching Tyler and having him ride the 125 a bit before he goes to Spain if he goes. Tylers application so far this season, his aptitude and the improvements he has made in his riding and racing demonstrate to us that he has the ability to be selected by Rookies Cup. Motorcycle racing at the world championship level has changed dramatically in the past 10 years from where it was. Even 10 years ago there were still privateer riders in all classes, but now this is very much the rarity. The Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup has now developed, really, into the only route for a rider from a country like New Zealand to get into world championship racing. Almost 75% of the leading riders in 125GP have come through Rookies Cup in the past few years.

We are about to start seeking support that will permit Tyler and his Dad Jason and possibly me to travel to Spain in October to attend the selection event. Securing some external funding, of course, will be a major part of the decision process. The reasons for me to go will be several. Initially, for me to gain more insight into the mindset and experiences of the other contestants, learn more about the process of selection, to maintain the coaching input for Tyler during the selection itself and also to market Moto Academy NZ to the other attendees to try and attract an international rider to come to New Zealand to compete in NZSBK 2012.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank all of you who have supported me and Moto Academy NZ over the past three years. This is a very difficult space in which to make ends meet and to be successful in a financial manner. On the sporting side I think that I have developed a system that will work well, but somehow I was unable to secure the funding that would allow Moto Academy NZ to operate on a secure financial basis. I hope that I will be able to secure riders for the summer to allow us to continue to operate and to provide a young rider with the pathway to fulfilling their dreams.

Thanks again.

Steve Bagshaw