What does it take to get into racing?

[madkaw]

Best advice I can give you, forget the track, get into a nice crack addiction. In the long run its cheaper and healthier.

Yeah...and at least with crack addiction you can go into rehab if ya wanna kick the habit.

[Kitt]

[Awesome]

balls

[Crash Dummy Denno]

balls

and a dash of crazy

[Doc]

Don't go all out just get on the track.

#1. Get the Gear
1A. SAVE MONEY

#2. Take your STREET bike to a couple trackdays.
2a Save money

Look for a cheap prepped racebike I.E. EX500 (I't rather ride a slow bike fast than a fast bike slow) OR a Honda Hawk GT that I just so happen to have in my Garage.

#3 Save money
3a. Buy/get pit items and find someone willing to show you the ropes and/or pit with.

#4 Go racing
4a. have no money.

The inital start up is the most expensive part.

[catahoulabuldog]

balls

and there is the gratuitus Faster quote..... cant believe it took that long..


as a squid racer I can say just getting started this year has cost me almost 5k between a new bike and associated parts thats a used SV and the season hasn't started yet.

so Id agree with all the long timers in saying that $$$$$$$$$$$ is the #1 thing youll need.

upside is racing finally got me motivated enough to actually get to the gym and lose 25lbs. opps so ya add more money for gym fees!~

[a13x]

Come up to the races in April (1st LRRS round of the season) and do some research. Talk to racers, scope out bikes, take home some solid info that works for you and your program.

Obviously it takes money, commitment, and desire.

[Kitt]

The inital start up is the most expensive part.

Not once you need a set of tires a weekend and $$$ suspension.

[ThisBitch]

Blah, blah, blah.

What you really need:

1) Hot umbrella girl
2) Some distinctly gay article of clothing or bike decoration to set you apart from the other homos (white booties, Hannah Montana sticker, etc)
3) Ridiculous racing team name

Thank you, good night.

[Awesome]

Not once you need a set of tires a weekend and $$$ suspension.

One set a weekend?

How about when you need a top end every few weekends and a full rebuild every season on top of that?!

[Kitt]

One set a weekend?

How about when you need a top end every few weekends and a full rebuild every season on top of that?!

you picked that one!

PS - is an '06 yzf450 going to last?

[BLACK SQUIRREL]

you picked that one!

PS - is an '06 yzf450 going to last?

Slipper clutch would help. The downshifts are a big reason the Motors pop. I know a guy from queens who got 17 Hours on a new motor before it expolded. But that was on the small tracks

[Kitt]

Slipper clutch would help. The downshifts are a big reason the Motors pop. I know a guy from queens who got 17 Hours on a new motor before it expolded. But that was on the small tracks

jeeez, thats garbage. I've heard people say they run their crf's stock and they last forever... I suppose, I will be keeping an eye out for a cheap slipper.

Trying to keep it reasonable.

[BLACK SQUIRREL]

jeeez, thats garbage. I've heard people say they run their crf's stock and they last forever... I suppose, I will be keeping an eye out for a cheap slipper.

Trying to keep it reasonable.

there are a lot factors. You will most lkely have better luck

[Awesome]

jeeez, thats garbage. I've heard people say they run their crf's stock and they last forever... I suppose, I will be keeping an eye out for a cheap slipper.

Trying to keep it reasonable.

I was talking about the 250, but yeah the slipper clutch is what you need on a motard. It will save your engine like you wouldn't believe and great for performance on the track at the same time. I couldn't imagine having to race a motard without it.

[Kitt]

I was talking about the 250, but yeah the slipper clutch is what you need on a motard. It will save your engine like you wouldn't believe and great for performance on the track at the same time. I couldn't imagine having to race a motard without it.

I know u were talking about the 2 smoke... but i still don't want to spend $800 on a clutch. Maybe I can sell my dirt wheels and throw the $ towards a clutch.

[Awesome]

I know u were talking about the 2 smoke... but i still don't want to spend $800 on a clutch. Maybe I can sell my dirt wheels and throw the $ towards a clutch.

It'll save you that much in engine rebuilds and maintnance easy. Keep an eye on twowheelsteals and places like that, you should be able to scoop one for 500 somewhere. I personally wouldn't race a motard without one, not for the performance, but for the engine's sake.

[SilverDragon]

Short, to race a 125:
First weekend (includes bike):
$6600

2006 total (last three weekends):
$7770

2007 total (including all spares purchased over the offseason), missed one event due to a broken collar bone.
$7000

2008 total
$3500 (including a few parts to trouble shoot my engine trouble), season ended early, missing the last 3 events due to running out of money. LOL.

Two full seasons: $18,270, not including getting to the track as ymmv, literally.

Long:
To get into racing on the RS125, here's a breakdown that I've never actually done before out of fear. I started on the 3rd to the last season in 2006, with a run what I brought attitude. I didn't get any spares until the end of the season. Also about half of the tools were bought after my 3rd weekend (end of 2006 season)

Gear: $1400 Already had it all, but if you dont, you'll need it. helmet, leathers, boots gloves, back protector.
Bike: $4000 shipped from TX
Tools: $600 Toolbox, special HRC tools, normal tools, small (cheapo) compressor, tire gauge.

Misc track stuff:
$40 tent

Following the season:
Spares: $2800 Engine rebuild bits, spare wheels/rains, new slicks, clip ons, pegs, bolts, plugs, jets, safety wire, cheapo tire warmers (tyrsox), paint, fiberglass kit, suspension refresh/rebuild/respring/revalve etc etc

$30 air matress, because the ground sucks
$40 Rubbermaid bins to keep spares and other stuff dry in the back of my pickup in case of rain.

Okay, now I'm ready to race the thing. Not counting gas to get there, because it will vary so much.

First weekend:
$25 to get in to Loudon (Thursday after 6pm)
$280 Penguin school Friday
$100 race license (price back then)
$60 5 gallons of VP C12 plus Castrol premix
$60 ($75 now) post reg for one race to make it official
$30 food
---------------
$555

Subsequent weekends:
$25 to get in to Loudon (Thursday after 6pm)
$100 Friday practice
$60 5 gallons of VP C12 plus Castrol premix
$225 pre reg for four races (one is a GT)
$30 food (if you dont go out to eat, of course)
$40 budgeting for $120 top end rebuild every 3 weekends.
$75 budgeting for $600 full rebuild every season.
$30 tire budget ($250/set, I got 4 weekends out of them)
---------------
$585

ok I have to stop now, I'm getting sick!

[Kitt]

ok I have to stop now, I'm getting sick!

You know, there are others hear that think logically and run numbers in their heads sometimes... PLEASE don't make posts like that and cause this to happen again... I try to turn that switch off once the snow melts. Then in the fall and winter, I look at the nice southern homes I could be buying if I didn't spend the $ on racing

[SilverDragon]

Jay I dont even wanna know what your rebuild costs will be! Its supposedly a little more than twice what the 125 will be. Did you get an RS or TZ? TZ cranks are rebuildable a few times, so if you've got one you're ahead of the game. I bet when you learn to really rip on that thing the tires won't last more than a weekend. IIRC, Brent was running 1:13s on his RS250. Granted, they're 160s instead of 180s, so ya might get away a little cheaper anyway.

[Pittenger5]

You know, there are others hear that think logically and run numbers in their heads sometimes... PLEASE don't make posts like that and cause this to happen again...

I just sign my name on the credit card bill and dont think too much.

[s a x m a n]

Yeah Neal likes to torture himself. I for one don't think about the totals. I know it costs a lot by the american express bill I pay every month ($2200 for March), but its way too much fun to care

[BMFR6]

Yeah, I'm pretty sure nobody wants to look to Jamie as the example of what racing costs. Nobody would race!

Correct me if I am wrong jamie, but if I recall in your first season you also added a new truck and a new trailer to the list??

[wiggeywackyo]

Wow, so what I am gathering from all of this is that I need a bankroll, more bankroll and some cash. Is it reasonable to figure about 5k a year?

I already have the gear, and will be ripping up track days this year. From what I can tell, racing motorcycles is a lot cheaper than racing cars though.

[Pittenger5]

Is it reasonable to figure about 5k a year?

It all depends on what you run. For example, my EX500 was relatively dirt cheap. I bought it race prepped for 900 bucks, dropped another I dunno, 400-500 into it (suspension, spare wheels). One set of tires lasts a full year, 4 races and 4 practices per weekend. Crash repair was like 50 bucks. 5 gallons of gas per weekend. That was relatively cheap.