Enduro Class Structure - Time for a Change?

[Smit-Dog]

It seems to me the enduro class structure could use some tweaking. The classes broken out by skill/experience (A/B/C) and age (Jr, Vet, Sr, SS, Masters) make sense, but the displacement classes don't seem all that relevant in determining equitable and competitive classes. Help me understand... Or maybe it's just been this way for so long, it's just the way it is.

My brief experience in this type of competition leads me to believe that specific engine displacement or type offers no real advantage or disadvantage. It really comes down to pure rider skill, endurance, trail and timekeeping smarts. Lady Luck and bike maintenance play a part as well. As far as engine displacement / type, all an enduro rider needs to do to be as competitive as possible is to just select a bike that maximizes their potential.

Take two riders of equal skill / experience. One rides a 125 SX, the other a 400 EXC. All other things being equal (no bike problems, physical issues), each rider can beat the other rider depending on the day of the week. (This is assuming that the enduro course is typical - no 5 mile grass / mx track sections).

I realize that we need to somewhat align classes with National and other district events... so making major changes and getting out of sync with other enduro series may cause some problems.

In my mind, all these displacement classes are outdated; they may have been necessary 20-30 years ago, but don't seem all that relevant today. Were they originally created as just a carry-over from early MX days? Or is it now just a way to provide a breakdown so we end up with a bunch of classes with 15 or so riders each?

Anyway... I've been thinking about this, so thought I throw it out there to get a better understanding and solicit other viewpoints. As a starting point, I did some digging into class breakdown stats on the D-14 '05 & '06 enduro seasons, and attached some of the results below.

Table 1: Class breakdown for 2005 (complete season) and 2006 (through Marquette).

Table 2: A / B / C / SS / Masters breakdown 2005 (complete season) and 2006 (through Marquette). Notice the aging of the Enduro Rider...

Suggested Classes
AA
A Junior (29 and under)
A Vet (30-39)
A Senior (40-49)
A Super Senior (50-59)
B Junior (29 and under)
B Vet (30-39)
B Senior (40-49)
B Super Senior (50-59)
C Junior (29 and under)
C Vet (30-39)
C Senior (40+)
Masters (60+)

This would take us from our current 18 class structure to 13 classes. This would hopefully keep the class structure equitable and competitive, while reducing the number of classes with only a couple riders per event. And with only 2 riders in the womens class in 2005 and 0 so far in 2006, do we really need this class?

Please let me know what you think, along with reasons why.

Thanks...

There are also some good ideas floating around on tweaking the class breakdown for the FES, but that's another thread.

 

[Fred T]

Table 2: A / B / C / SS / Masters breakdown 2005 (complete season) and 2006 (through Marquette). Notice the aging of the Enduro Rider...

Which is exactly why the sport needs to be rejuvinated to get young riders interested in it.

 

[bbarel]

I agree with your list except keep the WOMENs class!
Yep displacement and 4T classes are obsolete for enduros.
I think SS-B and SS-A classes are a good idea too.

 

[salgeek]

like the list.

can anyone think of a better name than junior?

 

[Smit-Dog]

Punk?

 

[CR250R@WINTERS]

Freshman

 

[scottyb479]

Junoir class? I could see that with the C class and maybe even with the B class but not the A class. And 29 maybe a little old for a Junoir class. What about 24 or something.

 

[Don Marsh]

"C"-lite, "C"-class, it sounds just as dumb as it does in Supercross & Motocross but it should make th AMA happy.
Don

 

[Fred T]

"young p r i c k s"

 

[scottyb479]

So does that mean the senoir class should now be called the OFC. (Old Farts Class)

 

[nzambon]

You guys already know the classes you want Whiners and the rest that want to ride enduro's what class do want in on.

 

[salgeek]

So does that mean the senoir class should now be called the OFC. (Old Farts Class)

Fred's in the SS class. :laugh:

 

[scottyb479]

Fred's in the SS class. :laugh:

Ya I know. So is Don :nener:

 

[Wolverine423]

Hey Barclay is that 07' Honda still running?...

DW

 

[Wolverine423]

I think we should go to the 2 class format...One class for the Sunday drivers that like to look around and take it all in {Not a bad thing, their moneys good too}...And the other class for guys that like to run over the SSSSunday drivers and accumulate points for it. It’s a very simple format, any thought on this?...

The only draw back I foresee on this proposed format is that we would have to give longer resets to keep the Sunday drivers in the game so they wouldn't hour out early on.

DW

 

[Don Marsh]

Thanks Snotty I needed to be reminded!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :nod:
Don

 

[wyatt]

Which is exactly why the sport needs to be rejuvinated to get young riders interested in it.

Freds right.......A simple solution to a complex issue is getting entry numbers up.(wish it was that easy) Hats off to the people who have promoted the FES. Little enduro riders turn into future racers. This is the single best thing for the future. The worker issue would improve also. Most check crews and layout people ect are usually family members, friends of racers. I wish someone could put thier finger on the drop
in numbers, gas prices and the cost of bikes ect surely have got something to do with the decline. I remember mid to late eighties it was common to have ten, fifteen even more per class. I have old jackpine resuts with 39 riders in the 250 B class alone.
I dont know if bike displacement is as much of a factor as it was, but still has some bearing on the outcome. A big bore four stroke has got to be more difficult to race than say a
250 2 stroke.( this is just an example im not trying to start
the 2-4stroke debate) it helps level the field.

There is another factor in the future. The whole timekeeping or restart format. The six days qualifiers were
basically a restart deal. Some argue the restart fomat takes the thinking out of the game but todays computers have probably already done that. I am not saying one is better
than the other. Whatever brings more customers.

The racers of at least the early eighties overcame tough economic times and rapidly rising energy prices, I hope that
current racers can do the same and that $ is the only reason for the decline in participation.

 

[scottyb479]

I think we should go to the 2 class format...One class for the Sunday drivers that like to look around and take it all in {Not a bad thing, their moneys good too}...And the other class for guys that like to run over the SSSSunday drivers and accumulate points for it. It’s a very simple format, any thought on this?...

The only draw back I foresee on this proposed format is that we would have to give longer resets to keep the Sunday drivers in the game so they wouldn't hour out early on.

DW

DW,

I love it. I might even win one for a change! :p

 

[Fred T]

You guys already know the classes you want Whiners and the rest that want to ride enduro's what class do want in on.

Whats' the difference between a whiner and a guy that claims to love technical trail and long,long sections that can't finish his own enduro at trail pace on a ride with AL Randt? :coocoo: Hippo-krit? I heard he was bailing more than a bilge pump on the Titanic! So would that be Senior "H" class?

 

[scottyb479]

I know for a fact we could raise are numbers ifwe didnt have to have a street legal bike. I was at the harescrambles last weekend and most of those people would start racing Enduro's if they didnt have to go buy a headlight, tail light, and get it plated. That would also bring your younger riders in because right now you have to be 16 to race. :bang:

 

[Wolverine423]

Whats' the difference between a whiner and a guy that claims to love technical trail and long,long sections that can't finish his own enduro at trail pace on a ride with AL Randt? :coocoo: Hippo-krit? So would that be Senior "H" class?

:yikes:

:think: hummm...,
DW

 

[Smit-Dog]

How about a "Team Class"? Heard something like this was around back in the day of JT gear and Bell Moto III helmets.

My thought is a Team class for each A and B levels, and the team members would have to be from the same class. For example, Nick and Fred couldn't be on the same team, no matter how badly they'd want to do it.

 

[Fred T]

How about a "Team Class"? For example, Nick and Fred couldn't be on the same team, no matter how badly they'd want to do it.

:rotfl: LMAO

 

[salgeek]

+1 on the team class idea.

 

[RIDDICK546]

I Think The True Definition Of S.s. Is "sagging Sacks"