Ready to Race

[Pittenger5]

I started racing with no track experience to speak of. In hindsight track days would've been the way to go first, but I have no regrets.
As for no street riding before? Umm ... yah, good luck.

[Rambunctous]

Yup. Go get some experience on the street first. Learning how to watch out for the cell phone talkers, left hand turn takers, sand, oil, dogs, cops and even other motorcyclists. Then after you have this under your belt and if you didn't wreck, go the a penquin or track day so all the bad habits you learned can be used.........Go to penquin, treat it as a trackday cause that is what it is, stay after school to learn how to grid and a couple of extra flags, get in two more practices Saturday morning, and if you feel that your up to it go out and do the rookie race. If you don't feel confident to do the RR then do some extra assignments. Like TTD's or BMTD's........ Man, we got someone who wants to race and I think we should be building confidence and not scaring them away.

[6 Fingered Man]

...this thread is like a train wreck. don't want to look but can't turn away....

Hopefully she's as hugely talented as you savants who go from no experience to racing with nothing in between...

Oh, and, where the hell has this been all this time???? Apparently we got so distracted by the controversy we forgot the really important thing....

I will trade naked pics of her for parts......

[elissama]

Yup. Go get some experience on the street first. Learning how to watch out for the cell phone talkers, left hand turn takers, sand, oil, dogs, cops and even other motorcyclists. Then after you have this under your belt and if you didn't wreck, go the a penquin or track day so all the bad habits you learned can be used.........Go to penquin, treat it as a trackday cause that is what it is, stay after school to learn how to grid and a couple of extra flags, get in two more practices Saturday morning, and if you feel that your up to it go out and do the rookie race. If you don't feel confident to do the RR then do some extra assignments. Like TTD's or BMTD's........ Man, we got someone who wants to race and I think we should be building confidence and not scaring them away.

I don't think the goal is to scare her away. Its to give her a freakin reality check. I went from dirt to street, and while I probably didn't have as many years of dirt under my belt when I made the transition - I still had a hard time transitioning some of the dirt habits over to street.

I still have a habit of crossing myself up through corners b/c in dirt you lean the bike and stand on the outer peg to drive weight into the side treads... pretty different that pushing your knee to the ground and hanging off of the side closest to the ground.

If she wants to risk her life / health thats up to her - but for the sake of all the other people that will be riding with her and the CF those races usually already are from what I've heard I hope she takes the advice to do some trackdays first - even if its just to break the habits associated with dirt.

[Femmekat]

I don't think the goal is to scare her away. Its to give her a freakin reality check.
If she wants to risk her life / health thats up to her - but for the sake of all the other people that will be riding with her ... I hope she takes the advice to do some trackdays first - even if its just to break the habits associated with dirt.

[RyanNicholson]

this thread makes me lol

There's some good advice in this thread. I started racing with about 4 months of street riding experience, on a 600. While I did pretty well and stuff, I also crashed 14 times (give or take) in my first three years. Crashing sucks, and it costs a lot. Luckily I've never taken out another rider or ended up seriously injured but still, it could have been avoided. Use your judgment, don't feel like you're being told you're wrong to go straight to racing its just a LOT to learn with a pretty narrow margin of error, with some pretty high stakes at risk.

The reason people suggest doing TD's and getting a lot of street riding in first is because racing a motorcycle WILL overload your brain. Ideally the track layout, bike's controls, and function of them should be second nature so you don't have to use any of your brain even thinking about them. This allows your ENTIRE concentration to focus on racing. Trackdays allow you to learn the track and how to ride your bike on a very advanced level. Racing allows you to take that knowledge and learn how to compete. It can be done, but learning advanced riding techniques and learning to compete at the same time can be tough and/or dangerous.

[Pittenger5]

I don't think the goal is to scare her away. Its to give her a freakin reality check.

Im an expert level racer ... on a dirt bike, and I cant ride a dirt bike in the woods for shit. I'm sure theres a learning curve the other way too. I'm REALLY glad I didnt go straight from road racing into dirt racing. Its just not the same.

[TheIglu]

I've got a set of leathers, but if you are 160, I don't think they will fit ya.

[DucDave]

No...you're all wrong. The goal is to make her ride on the street and have a few crashes and learn some bad habits. THEN the goal is to make her take a few track days where Tony's and BOMO and Lean Angle and Penguin and Fishtail principals can make enough money to take early retirement. THEN the goal is to scare her away....we wouldnt want to scare her away undtil she's had the full treatment!!!

....cheesh....get it straight.

[Doc]

I think a goal would be to buy a money pit (i.e. a Hawk) to throw money at and then scare her away.

[Rambunctous]

Her? A girl? Oh! That changes everything.

[DucDave]

Her? A girl? Oh! That changes everything.

Oh,,,you ARE a spunky one....!!!

["Dangerous" Dan K]

Holy train wreck...

Anyway, I know the kid. My $ says she'll do ok racing. As for TDs before Penguin, I get it, but at the same time a lot of people went straight to racing without any TDs. I'm one of them, and even though I'm really freaking slow - I do pretty well for novice proddy twins. I was suck squared on a street bike - ask 6 or gaborio. Bad habits just need to be broken - why not learn right from the start? Won't Penguin say no if she's not safe?
And again - I think she's going to cakewalk penguin and race just fine.

I may have missed something but I thought the point of this was trying to source some gear and getting some pointers, not "gee, I have no road experience so tell me how much I'll suck at road racing".

Look, she's gonna be racing ULSB, not proddy twins. That means she'll be taking out 6, not me. Get em kid!

[TheIglu]

Won't Penguin say no if she's not safe?

Nope, not at all. Anyone with a enough money to cover the fee passes. Saw it first hand. It is not their responsibility to judge new racers, only train them.

[CBR929RE]

Holy train wreck...

Anyway, I know the kid. My $ says she'll do ok racing. As for TDs before Penguin, I get it, but at the same time a lot of people went straight to racing without any TDs. I'm one of them, and even though I'm really freaking slow - I do pretty well for novice proddy twins. I was suck squared on a street bike - ask 6 or gaborio. Bad habits just need to be broken - why not learn right from the start? Won't Penguin say no if she's not safe?
And again - I think she's going to cakewalk penguin and race just fine.

I may have missed something but I thought the point of this was trying to source some gear and getting some pointers, not "gee, I have no road experience so tell me how much I'll suck at road racing".

Look, she's gonna be racing ULSB, not proddy twins. That means she'll be taking out 6, not me. Get em kid!

and the pointers have been to get at least a little bit of time on a street bike before just jumping on one and going racing. I've never ridden a dirt bike but as far as I know the only similarities are where the controls are. Its more out of concern for her own safety and the safety of others around her.

["Dangerous" Dan K]

Nope, not at all. Anyone with a enough money to cover the fee passes. Saw it first hand. It is not their responsibility to judge new racers, only train them.

huh. someone failed Penguin when I took it...

Then again they passed me, so there is clearly a grey area.

[TheIglu]

Kid that now is "RedHead Racing".

Foot out, rear tire locked into the tires in turn 3 during the FOLLOW THE LEADER SESSION. You know, where most people ride around one handed bored out of their fucking wits. That was too much for him. His riding didn't improve in safety until he was no longer novice. I avoided that kid like the plague on the track.

He was one of those "dirt experience!!!!!" racers.

[Doc]

Holy train wreck...
As for TDs before Penguin, I get it, but at the same time a lot of people went straight to racing without any TDs. I'm one of them, and even though I'm really freaking slow - I do pretty well for novice proddy twins. I was suck squared on a street bike - ask 6 or gaborio. Bad habits just need to be broken - why not learn right from the start? Won't Penguin say no if she's not safe?
And again - I think she's going to cakewalk penguin and race just fine.

Look, she's gonna be racing ULSB, not proddy twins. That means she'll be taking out 6, not me. Get em kid!

Anyone can ride an EX500 around the track... hell you eat a sandwich on the front straight!

On a Hawk you only have time for a quick bite.

["Dangerous" Dan K]

Hey! We only eat half a sammich! (Gotta leave time for the cup of joe)

[seth399]

holy fuck

O welcome to the site!

[BMFR6]

seriously?? doesn't she know she can't do anything related to two wheels until she gets a majority vote from NESR and given the fact that the NESR race population holds the 41st vote thats going to be tough to do.

[Doc]

I started racing on an EX500 with no track experience to speak of. In hindsight track days would've been the way to go first, but I have no regrets.
As for no street riding before? Umm ... yah, good luck.

Fixed.

[Doc]

holy fuck

O welcome to the site!

seriously?? doesn't she know she can't do anything related to two wheels until she gets a majority vote from NESR and given the fact that the NESR race population holds the 41st vote thats going to be tough to do.

Former Racers




































(I am fucking kidding!!!)

[-jro-]

Man, we got someone who wants to race and I think we should be building confidence and not scaring them away.

I may have missed something but I thought the point of this was trying to source some gear and getting some pointers, not "gee, I have no road experience so tell me how much I'll suck at road racing".
:

I think confidence is not the issue here- she has said flat out that she's got it. We all just want to help, and suggesting she do some more track days can only improve her performance, not hinder it!! And all the advice in here....its what we generally give every new rider. So please, no bruised egos, it's not like that Though I agree street riding is not the advice I would necessarily give, learning the controls and bike on a closed track may be the best solution.

About leathers- I def recommend checking out the Vanson showroom floor. They have a seconds rack and I scored a major deal on my suit there. I was lucky to find a tiny dude's drag suit, had armor put in it and its serviced me well 3 seasons now and through two crashes ((and the best part? I got the thing dirt cheap- I'm talking $450)) Kid- make sure you get all the proper armor- elbows, knees, back protector, and hips and chest if you can spring the cash for it. You won't regret it.

About boots- I race and street ride in the a* stella boot, like them so much I own two pairs now. Comfortable and nearly no evidence of damage (despite two crashes)


About helmets- BUY THE RIGHT SIZE- I raced the first two seasons in a helmet two sizes to large...and it was a small!!! Buy a helmet that has interchangeable pads so you may upgrade to thicker padding to fit your head if needs be. I ride Arai and love it, top end quality for sure.

[Femmekat]

About boots- I race and street ride in the a* stella boot, like them so much I own two pairs now. Comfortable and nearly no evidence of damage (despite two crashes)

I my A* Stella boots... have 2 pairs too.