Gentlemen (and I am using the term VERY loosely here), I have one question for you all:
How is all this bickering and bitching and finger-pointing helping to promote the sport?
With the amount of energy you guys are expending arguing, why not do something positive with it instead of negative? "This IS the reason why the sport is failing" should be turned around to "What can I do to help promote the sport?"
I am part of a small group here in Arizona that is trying to promote the sport. Our group is made up of fatherless kids, who are getting direction in life through pocketbike racing. Our group keeps the kids off the streets and out of trouble, while at the same time teaching them important life lessons. How to work as a team ... how to use basic hand tools ... how to work on small engines ... all valuable skills that can be used later on in life. I don't get paid for what I do - none of us do - but we're out there trying to make a difference in some kid's life. (If you're interested, here's our site:
lostboysminimoto.org)
I personally have gone to several companies in my town and promoted the sport, as well as inviting clubs of other motorized categories (scooters and minibikes, for instance) to come out and ride with us on track days. The owner of the track loves it, as we can run our minimotos for a while, then rest while the scooter guys and the supermoto guys take their turns on the track. We've even had go-karts and motorized bicycles sharing the track with us! All this because someone got off their *** and decided to do something about it instead of whining and complaining about how the sport was declining.
Bottom line: if you want the sport to grow,
DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT !!!!!