Trail Bike Adventure Magazine Forum

Hi guys, ECKS-Man here, some of you will know me from other forums, others will know me by other means and yet more of you will have no idea who the hell I am!

I have noticed that the Australasian Safari is hanging in the balance for next year (as it has done in the past). It seems like they are waiting for a major sponsor (like Wynns) to come in and save the event. Lack of competitors is also a problem it seems.

I would like to know what your thoughts are on the subject. I think a lot of the problem in getting competitors is the fact that the event is based in WA. Don't get me wrong, it is a great event and WA has some excellent tracks for racing. But for an east coast competitor there is over 10,000km worth of driving to get to the event, do it and then get back. That's a lot, just work out the fuel bill!

Add to that cost the entry fee, service crew fee, service vehicle fee, spares, equipment and associated costs and this is a major expense. And that is without considering the time factor of getting the vehicles to WA and back.

Do you think a major sponsor would solve the problems? Personally I think there is a lot more to it than that.

I have been reading up on the ADV forum, fascinated with the stories of the old safari's where it was a true endurance event. It does make the race today seem - well, soft really! By the same token, I doubt you could run the event on the original format now for a lot of reasons! But it was those days that made the event a legend in our minds.

I think what the Safari needs is a rethink and, as much as I hate to say it, a relocation to the eastern side of the continent somewhere. Get back to the Sydney to Darwin style event. Sure, get a major sponsor on board, which will also be easier if the event is based where the public can see it.

I absolutely amazed us on the safari this year, when in almost every place we visited (especially Perth) the general public had two tenths of bugger-all idea what was going on! That's not going to sell itself to a major sponsor.

You want competitors? You want sponsors? You want the public to know what is happening? Get the show in the public eye - in their faces. On the eastern half of the continent.