Getting out of Racing

[Crconnor18]

I’m coming to the realization that this will be my last season racing and transition into some BDR or similar ADV riding (Bitten by the 890adv-r bug so selling off to get one). After seeing my tire bill I’ve realized the passion doesn’t outweigh the cost.

Whose jumped out of the racing world? Anyone jump into more single track/adv riding to fill the gap? Maybe throw a set of 17’s on my YZ and do some small track events to get the speed out of the system.

[csmutty]

I jumped out.

Bicycles seem to fill the void pretty well. I haven't had an operational motorcycle in a couple years now since I sold my 998.

The tire bill is ridiculous. Can't blame you at all for considering other options.

[SRTie4k]

Adventure riding on a KTM is not exactly cheap on tires either. That said you don't have to buy a new set of tires for every time you go out.

There really is nothing quite like wondering "where the hell am I?" while riding miles out on a dirt road in the middle of nowhere, though.

[tsorfas]

I jumped out but went cold Turkey 100%. No other racing. No corner working. Went spectating once in 5 years. Not racing anything else and have ridden street 3 times I think.

For me it was a combination of “retiring” by choice and wanting to start a family.

[OreoGaborio]

I've been taking time away from racing to buy a house.
It might be more expensive, but at least it's a lot less fun!

Really hoping to afford to do the Loudon Classic weekend...

[Paul_E_D]

I left it in 07 after a big road injury and just coming to the realization that I couldn't afford to do it at the level I wanted. I replaced it immediately with dirt riding. It is great, but really doesn't scratch the same itch. I slowly got back into trackdays heavily and then got together with a racer. She got me back into racing little by little, and about 10 years after leaving the sport, I went all in and started racing a tire hungry middleweight. Then we bought a trackday org, and the rest is history! LOL. I guess my point is, there may come a better time in your life for racing. Or maybe not. Either way, it's a unique experience and it's often a tough decision to quit. There are no right answers.

[OneCheekRider]

I've held onto my R6 for 16 years now, there had been years when I got really into it and years when I held myself back due to cost or time constraints. While I don't see racing in my future, I returned to trackdays in 2020 after a 5 year hiatus. That's good enough for me at this point in my life and allows me to rack up miles on my Tiger (which gets the most seat time) and my WR250R on trails or the kart track.

People always think I'm joking when I say this, but just follow your heart....

[Mustang]

There is also MoM and NEMM to try filling the gap.

[isaac_]

I've been taking time away from racing to buy a house.
It might be more expensive, but at least it's a lot less fun!

Really hoping to afford to do the Loudon Classic weekend...

https://tenor.com/bzhpu.gif

[sdog30]

I got out of road racing, but it took a couple years. I had already been doing supermoto for a couple years at that point and just got more into that, too. So not really out of racing.

Also, been doing the occasional j day for the past several years, so just got more into that and riding dirt.

[sdog30]

The money of it was never the issue. Just knew I'd only get so fast and started to progress backwards. Got real frustrating real quick. I'm literally spending as much on my supermoto bikes and about to build a transit van into a camper, so...lol.

Also shopping for a newer ktm 2 stroke for j days. It's just redistributing the race money in other ways. Haha

[breakdirt916]

imho it's all a compromise, and no little bike (mini moto), or ADV, or dirt bike matches the itch of a bike bike racebike

[Jim]

I've been taking time away from racing to buy a house.

happened to me. basically did like 2 race weekends for 2 years while adulting. had to buy all the homeowner equipment and the bike had to sit and wait.

[OreoGaborio]

happened to me. basically did like 2 race weekends for 2 years while adulting. had to buy all the homeowner equipment and the bike had to sit and wait.

Yep, that's exactly where I'm at. I only did the NJMP round of NEMRR/CCS last year & hoping to do one round this year but the fun money's awfully low...

[Jim]

Yep, that's exactly where I'm at. I only did the NJMP round of NEMRR/CCS last year & hoping to do one round this year but the fun money's awfully low...

i did VIR and Summit (memorial weekend). those are the best two race weekends on the coast. Now with VIR off all club racing schedules, i think you're right planning for the Loudon Classic weekend.

[nhbubba]

Yup. I went racing in 2015 after I bought a race bike on accident. When all of my "friends" started doing it, I did too. But from the start it was only going to be 1 season for me. Just too expensive! Watching people pour money into the sport solidified that. I knew I'd never be anywhere near the pointy end of that stick; too cheap to go all in and not nearly skilled enough anyway. I think my best finish was 8th in the AM LW field. Had fun doing it though.

I bought a WR450F with an SM kit and went racing with NEMM after that. Bike is for sale if you'd like to follow the pattern. Shame of it is I already peeled the #782 stickers off. Even that was a half-hearted stab as I picked a 450-F partly because I knew I could do track days elsewhere on it and plate & street ride it. Could not bring myself to buy and build a proper "race" bike, even for that group.

I can't even get into track days anymore. Wise, white-plate having friend of mine warned me track days would pale after racing. He was right. Also; they have gotten crazy expensive!

Plus, I went and had kids. No way I have time to prep a bike for a race weekend anymore. I'm slowly coming to terms with this and selling off my racing stuff.

[RandyO]

Yup. I went racing in 2015 after I bought a race bike on accident. When all of my "friends" started doing it, I did too. But from the start it was only going to be 1 season for me. Just too expensive! Watching people pour money into the sport solidified that. I knew I'd never be anywhere near the pointy end of that stick; too cheap to go all in and not nearly skilled enough anyway. I think my best finish was 8th in the AM LW field. Had fun doing it though.

I bought a WR450F with an SM kit and went racing with NEMM after that. Bike is for sale if you'd like to follow the pattern. Shame of it is I already peeled the #782 stickers off. Even that was a half-hearted stab as I picked a 450-F partly because I knew I could do track days elsewhere on it and plate & street ride it. Could not bring myself to buy and build a proper "race" bike, even for that group.

I can't even get into track days anymore. Wise, white-plate having friend of mine warned me track days would pale after racing. He was right. Also; they have gotten crazy expensive!

Plus, I went and had kids. No way I have time to prep a bike for a race weekend anymore. I'm slowly coming to terms with this and selling off my racing stuff.

I learnt that back in 1974 as a member of a Nascar hobby division pit crew, there were guys that raced on a <$5k budget, went around the track fast, but never won, although rarely in top 10, stacked up points for going to all the races, the guy I pitted for owned an auto parts business, so he sponsored himself, everything was a write off for his business, he spent a LOT more than $5k/yr, closer to $50k, but he won races and always placed in top 5, for a division that paid $100 and a little bit of lap money if you came in 1st

[MUZ720]

This is my last year of competitive racing after 31 years. did take one year off in 99 and one in 2008 i think? Hard to let go but, the money being spent is getting harder to justify. Was at the pointy end for awhile, now just riding to test myself i guess? Doing more vintage stuff this year ahrma and usgra mostly will do a weekend with Nemrr before the season ends. been fun lots of good times for sure won more then a few, lost more then that! love racing but its time to say goodby will end my hobby at Barber in Oct. then a few track days...

[Pittenger5]

I got out back in '11, which was at the time "for a few years". Been riding a lot of dirt, and still do track days. Never managed to sell my race bike, just couldnt bring myself to do it.
Im actually formulating the idea of going back finally though, least Im F40 eligible now.

[sdog30]

I got out back in '11, which was at the time "for a few years". Been riding a lot of dirt, and still do track days. Never managed to sell my race bike, just couldnt bring myself to do it.
Im actually formulating the idea of going back finally though, least Im F40 eligible now.

Crazy how many fast F40 and F50 there are at Loudon.

[Paul_E_D]

I will say this, the better I do, the cheaper the sport gets. My season cost is probably lower than most. At least there is that light at the end of the tunnel. Ha!

[Crconnor18]

I’ve come to the agreement that it’s an awesome sport but it’s time to try out something else motorcycle related and probably come back to the sport later in life. Probably ride the classic annually and a track day here and there but more focus on seeing something outside of the 1.6mi NHMS while on 2 wheels.

Knock out a few BDR’s, maybe some Canadian Rockies and possibly something over the pond.

[Crconnor18]

I will say this, the better I do, the cheaper the sport gets. My season cost is probably lower than most. At least there is that light at the end of the tunnel. Ha!

It’s definitely a bell curve of time into the sport vs cost and lucky for me I’m at the tip of that curve and don’t see myself clicking off 12-13’s like some here for a long time

[xrocket21]

There is so much fun racing out there to be had...

Auto-x, hill climbs, track days, rally-x, MX-GP, ice racing, etc.

No need to stop, just need to shift gears....

When was the first motorcycle race?

After the second motorcycle was built...

[BSR6]

I was never a racer, just did track days. From the outside looking in...Considering the amount of time and money that goes into racing, it's more a way of life than a hobby. It's about more than just the racing itself. The experiences you gain, the people you meet, etc. are perhaps even bigger. I was an avid snowmobiler for over 10 years and I see some major similarities in that period of my life to my friends who race bikes. For that I feel I can somewhat relate.

I can also imagine that for many the choice to get out is a major life changing decision. Quitting snowmobiling allowed for a huge re-allocation of time and resources that completely changed my life. It was a phase that I'm glad happened, but I'm also grateful to be out of it. The strange part is there was a time where I couldn't imagine giving it up, but eventually I walked away and it felt good to do so. If I could do it all over again, I'd still spend those years snowmobiling, but I'd still walk away and feel just as good about it.

These kinds of hobbies (those which become a way of life and require huge amounts of time and money) have a beginning and an end and letting things go longer than they should is unhealthy. Maybe that's why it feels good to walk away when the time comes.

My guess is there are many who have had a similar experience with racing.