771 Racing - I own the Race Reports sub-forum!

[Kurlon]

State of the Garage - October 2017 — OutOfSpec.COM

TLDR - Guy races bikes, has thoughts and feelings.

[Paul_E_D]

Not sure why you aren't just vintage racing. That is where the other tinkerers are.

[csmutty]

Not sure why you aren't just vintage racing. That is where the other tinkerers are.

I'd guess because of lap times, small grids, higher entry fees?

[Pittenger5]

I'd guess because of lap times?

Oh don't get down on yourself, they aren't THAT much faster than you.

[Kurlon]

Not sure why you aren't just vintage racing. That is where the other tinkerers are.

I'd guess because of lap times, small grids, higher entry fees?

My machines / tech level are at the bleeding edge of what they consider vintage, one of which they won't allow just 'cause someone's got a hair across their arse about machines that look like dirt bikes... So ignoring some of the cliques that I don't want to deal with they're VERY expensive for very little actual track time. It goes back to effort to reward ratio, it's just not that good with that org in my opinion for where I'm at currently.

[xxaarraa]

... It goes back to effort to reward ratio...

Bingo. I can't remember Josh, but do you still ride on the street or are you track/dirt only?

If you don't have other ways to get your thrills on two wheels (besides racing), every minute spent tinkering and fiddling and wrenching is a huge drain on an already very short New England track riding season. I keep detailed records of everything I do, and the math for 2017 worked out to $508 per track day for my setup ALL IN including equipment, spares, fees, gas for getting there and back, food etc. If I am spending $500 hard earned dollars per day, and giving up other things I could be doing, to get to some track so I can sleep in a sleeping bag and pee in a bottle (OK that may be just me in my trailer because I don't want to walk to the men's room and it's cold out ok?), the last thing I want to be doing is dealing with mechanical issues.

Have you considered trimming the number of bikes, getting one/two bikes that are modern/bullet proof and just focusing your program on that?

[Kurlon]

I haven't ridden on the street for a few years now. I've never been the type to just go and 'ride' on my own, I much prefer to be in a group. Dirt, pavement, solo riding just doesn't interest me much. The group I used to street ride with has gone away for various reasons leaving so... track is it.

The R6 is my testing the waters with something more modern, but it's not a bike I can see being my sole mount. It's interesting, it's exposing a lot of my riding weaknesses, but I don't feel any drive to excel on it. If I were to drop racing completely and go track day only it'd be a fine mount. That's my problem with most modern bikes, the few that do catch my eye have no place in competition and are a waste for me to bother with for street duty. I'm kinda hoping the resurgence in small bikes results in some interesting machines to the market again but till then, most of what's out there can stay on showroom floors as far as I'm concerned.