BSSO Scooter Racing 2008

~~~ BRITISH SCOOTER SPORT ORGANISATION ~~~

Annual General Meeting
1.30pm Saturday 19 January 2008
Agenda

1. Apologies for absence

2. Opening remarks by the Chair (Geoff Mason)

3. Confirmation of minutes of last AGM

4. Matters arising, not covered elsewhere on the agenda

5. President’s report (Norrie Kerr)

6. Officer reports
Treasurer (Roland Davis)
Chief Scrutineer (Phil Bevis)
Race co-ordinator (Jason Metivier)
PRO (John Woods)
Rider rep (Tom Russell)
Webmeister (Paul Green)

7. Election of officers (current postholders in brackets)
Chair (Geoff Mason)
General Secretary (Sylvia Caldecutt)
Treasurer (Roland Davis)

8. Motions

Associate membership

The BSSO shall adopt a new level of membership; Associate.
This membership shall be open to any non-competing ex-scooter racer. The only criteria for this status of membership will be that the rider in question was once a full member of the BSSO, NSSA or FBSC.

There will be no annual subscription fee and any associate member will be entitled to:
electronic communication from the Club
attend, but not vote at, the AGM
attend the annual dinner and presentation evening.
A person will cease to be an associate member if the recommence racing, they will have to convert to full member.

Proposed: BSSO committee
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Changes to F125 capacity limit

This AGM calls upon the committee of the BSSO to consider the clarification on the ruling on permissible changes to engine for the F125 class.

The current rules as defined by the ACU handbook leave it open to interpretation what is allowable as barrel modifications and fitting of aftermarket barrels designed for that engine.

It is proposed that, any barrel designed to fit the crankcases as a road going engine eg Polini, Malossi, Athena, etc should be acceptable, dependant on engine size remaining below 200cc.

No barrel of one-off design or for another engine designation, or for non-road use should be permissible, eg Honda HRC RS 125, Yamaha TZ125 barrels grafted on.

Proposer: Ian Arnold


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Use of RB kit in Specials Class

This AGM calls upon the committee of the BSSO to allow the use of the new RB kits in Specials Class.

These new kits are commercially available to anyone wanting to build a specials class bike and are an affordable way to put a relatively competitive machine together without too much knowledge.

As people will remember, when the TS1 was launched the specials class had an upsurge in entries. Hopefully this new kit would encourage more people into the class in the future. It may also give tuners more scope to test their own ideas on these kits.

It is assumed that this kit will already be permissible in Street Class.

We ask the AGM to approve this amendment for the 2008 season.

Proposed: Stephen Wright Seconded: Ed Hocking
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Use of RB22 barrel in Group 8 sidecar class

It is proposed that the RB22 barrel be allowed for use in the Group 8 sidecar class.

All other restrictions shall be the same as the TS1 and standard configurations.

The RB22 barrel is the same, in principle, to the TS1 and can be fitted to any standard casing with the only alteration being to the exhaust outlet angle.

It is requested that the AGM approves this amendment for the 2008 season.

Proposed: Ed Hocking Seconded: Steve Conneely
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Splitting of Standard Class

This AGM agrees, in principal, to fully review and then strongly enforce the current Standard Class regulations (rename ‘Classic4’). They should revert back to cast iron barrel and specifically exclude any equipment not originally fitted.
At the same time introduce a new ‘Super4’ class to allow kit barrels and more open tuning and development whilst retaining the full panel work silhouette.

If the above is agreed, then set up a technical sub-committee to fully examine and re-write appropriate rules and regulations to be presented for approval at an extraordinary meeting of the BSSO in May/June and then be adopted for the 2009 season.

Proposed: Paul Green Seconded: Chris Taylor

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Revision of Standard Class regulations

This AGM calls upon the committee of the BSSO to revise the Standard class (Group 4) regulations to return to a more standard level.

This will be beneficial to scooter racing for the following reason: Prior to the acceptance of kit barrels in the standard class it was a thriving class averaging around 20 competitors per meeting. Since that time the average number of competitors has reduced to around 6 per meeting.

There are a number of reasons for this decline but the majority have been due to the increased level of tuning allowed by these kit barrels and therefore the cost of construction & maintenance.

Standard class should be limited to original style barrels, in the case of Lambretta made from 100% cast iron; forced-air cooled, where this was standard; standard style front dampers.

Proposed: Paul Baker Seconded: John Balcomb
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Mugello cylinders in Standard Class

This AGM calls upon the committee of the BSSO to allow the use of the latest version (V2) of the Mugello cylinder in Standards class (Group 4).

This will be beneficial to scooter racing for the following reason: The original version of the Mugello cylinder was approved for use in Standards class in 2004. The second version, incorporating a third transfer port, and larger transfer feed castings was proposed in 2005 but rejected by the AGM.

Because version 1 has not been available in 200cc form for some time it has become standard practice among those using the Mugello cylinder to fill in the third transfer port to make it similar to the original version and gain the benefits of increased transfer casting size.

Due to the non-availability of the earlier version and the illegal modification required to use the latest version it would be sensible to approve the use of the latest version in its unmodified form.

We ask the AGM to approve this amendment for the 2008 season.

Proposer: Paul Baker Seconder: John Balcomb
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Increase in engine capacity for Standard Class

This AGM calls upon the committee of the BSSO to increase the class limit for Standard class (Group 4) to 211cc.

This will be beneficial to scooter racing for the following reason: The most readily available piston for use in the Lambretta is only available in 67, 67.5mm & 68mm. The current limit of 210cc equates to a maximum piston size of 67.75mm, meaning that only one rebore is possible.
Increasing the limit by this miniscule amount will allow the use of a considerable number of currently ‘worn-out’ cylinders.

We ask the AGM to approve this amendment for the 2008 season.

Proposer: Paul Baker Seconder: John Balcomb
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Engine specification checks

This AGM calls upon the committee of the BSSO to introduce engine specification checks to be carried out at each race meeting.

This will be beneficial to scooter racing for the following reason:

There has always been considerable debate amongst competitors regarding the legality of some machines. Currently the only way to prove legality is to lodge a formal protest, apart from the cost involved this course of action causes considerable resentment and disagreement amongst competitors.

The introduction of a simple, random check would eliminate the rumour and innuendo that currently circulates.

Proposer: Paul Baker Seconder: John Balcomb
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New Standard Auto Class

This AGM calls upon the committee of the BSSO to introduce an additional ’Standard’ automatic class with regulations kept to a more standard level.

This will be beneficial to scooter racing for the following reason:

The level of tuning allowed by the current regulations increases the cost of construction and maintenance and reduces the level of competition. This new Standard Automatic Class should be as per Group 10 Automatic Class but limited to commercially available, specifically designed for the make/model of scooter, exhaust and ignition systems, and with no modification allowed to cylinder and crankcase porting, piston or combustion chamber.

Proposer: Paul Baker Seconder: John Balcomb
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9. Emergency motions
To consider allowing any motions received after the official closing date

10. 2008 Calendar of events

11. Any other relevant business
Question submitted for discussion and comment:

ACU handbook does not rule out Kart engines or marine engines, but the BSSO website does make some passing comment. As the “Blue Book” is the bible for technical challenges does one or the other need amending.

Kart engines are powerful and plentiful and a good entry method compared with spending £3000 on converting an Auto.

If numbers are dwindling is it worth doing a class for this engine type and excluding it from the overall championship which I recognise is for “Scooters”.

Some Moped Mayhem competitors were running Kart barrels and heads.

Submitted by: Ian Arnold

12. Date of next meeting
24 January 2009

Nominations and Motions

I know I now tell you this every year but I think it is worth repeating as it makes it much easier
for the Committee to organise the AGM efficiently if these few simple guidelines are followed.
Nominations are invited for the following officers of the Committee to be elected at the
forthcoming AGM (Articles of Constitution VIII para c)) (the present incumbents are listed in
brackets):
Chair (Geoff Mason)
Treasurer (Roland Davis)
General secretary (Sylvia Caldecutt)
In accordance with the BSSO constitution all other committee positions are appointed by those
officers following their own election (article VIII para d) and e)).

If you wish to nominate a candidate please send their name (assuming they have agreed to be
nominated by you), plus the names of a proposer and a seconder, to me by 5 January 2008.
It is not permitted to nominate yourself, you can, however, persuade people to nominate you if
you wish, but the nomination must be received as outlined above.

Motions to the AGM are invited and these should be received by me no later than
5 January 2008.

Geoff Smith
All motions should be competent and relevant to the organisation. They should seek to improve, promote or simplify the sport or running of the Club. No motion should name, or criticise, fellow riders or members of the Committee or Club. No motions should be sexist, racist, homophobic, disablist or defamatory in any way.

When drawing up a motion it is best to try and follow this format, if possible:
‘Title (ie Change to championship scoring system)
This AGM calls upon the Committee of the BSSO to blah, blah, blah (or something like this)
This change will be beneficial to scooter racing because blah, blah, blah (or something like this)
Proposed by (your name) Seconded by (someone independent from you or your club if possible)’

Obviously if your motion does not fit this format please do not be discouraged from submitting
it. However, all motions should be either typed or neatly written, must always have the name of
a proposer and seconder and should only contain one idea/suggestion/rule or technical change.

Any motions that do not fulfil the criteria outlined above will not be admitted onto the AGM
agenda. A preliminary agenda will be sent to you by 12 January 2008. I will explain at the
start of the AGM why any motions have been ruled out of order (assuming any are).

Any motion affecting technical or rule changes that is passed at the AGM in January 2008 will not come into effect until January 2009. However, changes that affect safety aspects of racing may be implemented in the same year upon agreement of the AGM delegates.