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SERA vs SETRA what are the differences???
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Posted by: skabeeb---------------------

At the Rockford enduro four of my buddies who are SERA members joined SETRA.

What are some of the differences between the two organizations?

Posted by: Flying Scot---------------------

And I thought Setra was a company that made devices that measure pressure !

Posted by: KDXfile---------------------

Mainly the differences are they cover different geographic regions. But, there is some overlap with a few races. SETRA has probably 3 times the membership mainly because the larger area they cover and the population in that region. The enduro format for SETRA generally seems to follow the 24 mph start and restart system; sort of what we had at Rockford.
SETRA usually splits their harescramble event into 2 seperate races because of the larger turnout. The rule books for each will have some variation about classes and race drops, etc.
I belong to both but mainly ride SERA because of my location.
That's about all I can think of.

Posted by: Timr---------------------

A couple of additional differences:

1.  SETRA is not AMA sanctioned.  Some of the individual races, are AMA sanctioned, but the series is not.

2.  The SETRA season calendar runs more like a school year than on the Calendar year.  The SETRA season starts the last weekend of August and ends the last weekend of the following May.  They try not to have races in June, July, or August.

3.  SETRA co-sanctions races with SERA, FTR, GNCC, and once or twice a year with Mid-South.

That's all I can think of now.

Posted by: RTL---------------------

Quote:

Originally posted by KDXfile
The enduro format for SETRA generally seems to follow the 24 mph start and restart system; sort of what we had at Rockford.

What do you mean by restart? How does that work? I'm just learning about Enduro's and I have never heard the term Restart... What are you restarting? Thanks for you help.

Posted by: Fred T---------------------

Quote:

Originally posted by RTL

What do you mean by restart? How does that work? I'm just learning about Enduro's and I have never heard the term Restart... What are you restarting? Thanks for you help.

The event consist of many "special tests" linked together with connector trail or road. Each section is just like the start of the enduro where you are allowed to take off when your number comes up and race to the final "check out" where points are lost which is usually followed by a reset that gets you back on time and you trail ride to the next section and race again. Sometimes there is a lot of road connector to help you get back on time too.

Posted by: RTL---------------------

Got it. Thanks Fred. I'm hoping to run my first Enduro this year some time. I'm getting to old for MX.. The flying high is just not as appealing as it used to be... I'm ready to reset my suspension to full on trail riding, on the plusher side of things...

Thanks again for your response!

Posted by: steve lafon---------------------

SETRA is ama sanctioned, all races are ran ama this year, this was changed at the annual meeting this summer !
Setra has 15 enduros this year and most years are the same. they run in Tn
Ga. SC. Alb. Fl. NC.

Posted by: Jon K.---------------------

SERA guys are a WHOLE LOT FASTER than Setra guys.

Posted by: skabeeb---------------------

Quote:

Originally posted by Jon K.
SERA guys are a WHOLE LOT FASTER than Setra guys.

I already know that....LOL

Posted by: boogbeater---------------------

they must not be a setra guy won this past weekend in rockford.

Posted by: Jon K.---------------------

Yep; Grizzle done good. He even beat the SETRA champion!

Oh yeah, I forgot, the SETRA champion is a SERA guy!!

Posted by: skabeeb---------------------

I liked all the resets and restarts last weekend in Rockford. Is that common for SETRA events? If so, it makes going the distance easier for an old guy like me...

Posted by: 121---------------------

SETRA has more fast riders than SERA.

Posted by: Jon K.---------------------

Quote:

Originally posted by 121
SETRA has more fast riders than SERA.

Pretty even SETRA / SERA split at Rockford for the the top 20. Dead even for the top ten.

Considering that SETRA has somewhere in the neighborhood of three times the membership of SERA. . . . . that statement could be debated.

Posted by: 121---------------------

I was talking about the hairscrambles, and aslo which half of the top ten is mostly SETRA and which half is mostly SERA, don't forget to count the guys that are members of both.

Posted by: KTMflyboy---------------------

SERA riders get out of the way a lot faster than the SETRA dudes. We also do not yell to pass in spots that are impossible to pass. Except for Rooster, he yells any time, lol.

Posted by: skabeeb---------------------

Come to think about it, I didn't get very many thank you's when allowing riders to pass at Rockford. Usually everyopne is polite and says thanks when I let them by. I don't know if the guys that kept passing me all day didn't know any better, were under tremendous pressure or were just too cool to do it.

At most SERA rides I get the TY's.....

Could it be that the SETRA guys are more hardcore? LOL

Posted by: Jon K.---------------------

Quote:

Originally posted by skabeeb
At most SERA rides I get the TY's.....
Could it be that the SETRA guys are more hardcore? LOL

Nah; they just don't have any experience with passing people!

Posted by: DENNY---------------------

Quote:

Originally posted by Flying Scot
And I thought Setra was a company that made devices that measure pressure !

You make me laugh! I guess it was an inside joke.

Posted by: skabeeb---------------------

From what I've heard, SETRA takes the kids races a little more seriously. My buddy (fellow SERA member) tells me the kids have their own series and that the races are longer and more involved.

That sounds like it would make a kid that much better to have the opportunity to ride 20 plus miles than just two or three times around a three mile loop.

Posted by: crf311---------------------

Rocksford was the most fun I had in my 2 years of endro riding, right up till I got stuck in the mud hole and stalled my crf. Could not get it fired up for about 30-40 min. The first section of trails were a blast.

Posted by: Timr---------------------

Quote:

Originally posted by skabeeb
From what I've heard, SETRA takes the kids races a little more seriously. My buddy (fellow SERA member) tells me the kids have their own series and that the races are longer and more involved.

That sounds like it would make a kid that much better to have the opportunity to ride 20 plus miles than just two or three times around a three mile loop.

The reason for the more involved kids races is this:  SETRA requires at most Enduros that you have a lisence plate on your bike.  They routiniely use county roads and stuff as part of the course.  So, technically, you should also hold a liscense to operate a MC on the street.  Their kids can't race on Sunday until they are at least 16 and legally liscenced.  Their kids race gives the older kids, 12-15 something that's worth while.

In SERA, the 12-15 year olds are racing on Sunday with their dads.

Posted by: JasonWho---------------------

What is the point of racing an enduro and getting on a public road, requiring a license? Do you have to have turn signals and such as well?

Posted by: Unknown Ctrl---------------------

let me sum it up.

after being around SERA Enduros for close to 26 years and recently going more hardcore on the SETRA Enduros do to my moving to GA and no longer living in LA and AL....

SERA clubs understand the sport and the importance of timekeeping and SETRA clubs know how to lay out a 24/30mph fastest rabbit through non timekeeper. There merely check you in and check you out.....I am also not a fan of the restart...too many in SETRA races. The latest attempt by a SETRA club to make check placment and timekeeping a little challenging was at the LBJ National. Instead of placing the check at the first possible going into a section...like most SETRA clubs do...they moved them back a couple...now with a little course layout skill they would get you to the first possible on time then run you through some gnarly stuff at 24 to take points away from you going into the section. Some guys would lose 1..2..3. points just going in and then carry them through. AA would have to hustle to 0. Unless you know timekeeping and remember this approackh by the club from the previous year.....Jon K. spoke of the importance of "Extreme Timekeeping" something a lot of us growing up on the SERA circuit learned. Now how did I 0 allthe check sgoing in with the AA's ........now your timekeepinng...follow rows ahead into a section ...maybe 10 mins ealrly...creep...stop...listen....watch...maybe even dress in Camo. But iof you can see or hear a row blow through a possible with no check, you can cruise through until the next then the next until you spot the guys with the little red flags...be sure to mak esure you can hide really well...It also helps to be anorexic...check captians can not score you unless they can id you....eat less and hide behind a tree...EXTREME Timekeeping does not work for those on the portly side.....Finally...once the check is spotted, wait for your minute and cruise in on the top....

I do admit though...the boys in SETRA can twist it..but SERA guys twist it more...

both are great series...

Posted by: Timr---------------------

Quote:

Originally posted by JasonWho
What is the point of racing an enduro and getting on a public road, requiring a license? Do you have to have turn signals and such as well?

Jason,

It take a lot of land to put on enduro.  One of our old enduros was held on 7000 acres.  Many times, this land is not one giant contiguous piece.  So, it becomes necessary to run down a dirt road to conect different sections of trail.  It is possible to set the race up so that you don't have to speed when you are on the road.  You try and save that for in the woods only.

Sometimes you have to go down paved roads too.  Most of the time, you are in rural places where this is not a huge issue.  SERA has been able to avoid the liscense plate to ride.  We have been creative in getting around this.  Some clubs have applied for parade permits from small cities since a parade allows non-street legal vehicles to drive one time on public roads.

Other clubs, have cut deals with the local Sherrifs and police to allow the non-street legal bikes on the road.  It's different everywhere we go.

I have a legit plate for my KDX so it's not big deal.  It requires a little persuasive negotiation with the state to get them to liscense a dirt bike, but it can be done.

BTW, I lost a ton of points in the second section at the Cherokee National because I didn't go in hot.  I figured, this is SETRA, and there will be a check at the first possible just inside the woods.  The check was 5 miles of narly SH** into the woods.  This is where S. Reed smoked all the AA guys.  This was also the beginning of the end of my race.  :scream:

Posted by: Jon K.---------------------

Quote:

Originally posted by Unknown Ctrl
...EXTREME Timekeeping does not work for those on the portly side.....

Oh, Wait a minute!

:whiner: :whiner:

On a serious note; restarts and check-outs do not an enduro make. It turns into a sort of on-again / off-again hare scramble.

To European for my tastes.

Posted by: Timr---------------------

Quote:

Originally posted by Jon K.

On a serious note; restarts and check-outs do not an enduro make. It turns into a sort of on-again / off-again hare scramble. 

I agree.  When I want to race a hare scramble, I go sign up for a hare scramble not some modified non-enduro.

Posted by: JasonWho---------------------

Thanks for the info, TimR. I had never even heard of a restart. That doesn't sound normal compared to what I have read about enduros.

How did you get your bike licensed? Is this a state issue or a county issue? We are both in Alabama, so I am curious. PM me if you want.

'preciate it,
JasonWho

Posted by: NEMX305---------------------

I was thinking about this thread during the Yellow Leaf hare scramble this weekend. It should be mentioned during the riders meeting, that if you have to stop and rest, DON'T DO IT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE TRAIL! Lapping people on the second lap of the race, and they were just sitting there in the middle of the trail, and made no effort to move. Besides that, everyone was very courteous. Awesome terrain, the event was very well run, and I  have never seen an organization so fast posting results online. It was posted by the time I got out of bed Monday morning. I'm looking forward to going to alot more sera enduro's and hare scrambles.  Tim

Posted by: lawman---------------------

another way of doing the check-in/check-out type of enduro is to do it the way bjec does it: just call it what it is, a qualifier, & advertise & run it that way. they have a speed average on the trail that is easy to make unless you have a bike or body problem, say 15 mph, then check you into the special test, you go as hard as you can to the check-out, add 'em up, & the guy with the fewest seconds in the tests, wins. i like both, but i prefer the traditional enduros. the timekeeping apparently keeps some guys away, tho, & the qualifier format makes it easier to put on the event with less land & fewer volunteers.

Posted by: jeremiah397---------------------

THERE ARE BY FAR ALOT MORE FAST RIDERS IN SERA THAN SETRA. LIKE NATHAN AND NOLAN KNIGHT, CLAY BORING, STEPHEN REED. THE LIST GOES ON AND ON. THERE IS ALWAYS A GOOD MATCH-UP BETWEEN SERA AND SETRA. MOST OF THE TIME SERA HAS TO RUN ON SETRA'S TURF WHICH IS VERY ROCKY. YOU GET THE SETRA GUYS TO RUN ON THIS SANDY LOAMY TURF DOWN HERE ITS ALWAYS A VERY GOOD RACE.

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SERA vs SETRA what are the differences???

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