What is an acceptable budget for a season/year of road race?

[Shaun P]

Including price of bike and tyres, consumables, replacement riding gear, crash repairs, fuel, travel and accomodation?

[slowpoke]

Jaysus, fella you're a sucker for punishment aren'tcha?!
I'm guessing with your history you are talking about top level Superbike purchase and racing rather than something at the other end of the spectrum?

You can do the sums as well as we can, but you will have more of an idea of how often you crash or how hard you are on tyres etc. A new set of tyres per Nat's race and qualifying? One new set per weekend? Used set for practice and qualifying with new for races? Etc Etc You can go full monty or you can cut a few corners....could mean a fair bit of dosh depending how you want to play it.

Ex-Bernard Racing '08 R1 is $23K and absolutely top spec, but probably cost twice that to build so go from there.......(my bladder feels full just thinking about the number you'll come up with!)

[Sketchy_Racer]

Might wanna state which class, and define the term 'season'

[gixerracer]

Including price of bike and tyres, consumables, replacement riding gear, crash repairs, fuel, travel and accomodation?

At least 100k on sbk if you want to win proberley near 150k if you do heaps of testing:gob::scooter:

[Shaun P]

Nope im talking about any bike raced though a season, just thought it would be interesting to see as I know alot of people who have quite a big outlay but then there are others that dont. Just want to see what people think is acceptable in their eyes, it could be that you think 100k is acceptable if you dont have to pay for it

[Shaun P]

Might wanna state which class, and define the term 'season'

For your own case then put yre class and budget for 'nationals' or whatever you want its an open ended question, just interesting to see peoples responses as previous!

[k14]

I budget for about $7k for a nationals series on my 125, that is including everything. So in a year I would spend a little over 10k on the racing part. If only I stopped crashing!!

[Kickaha]

At least 100k on sbk if you want to win proberley near 150k if you do heaps of testing:gob::scooter:

What would the majority of that be spent on?

Can you give us a breakdown?

[gixerracer]

What would the majority of that be spent on?

Can you give us a breakdown?

No worries it will all be at aprox retail prices.

New 1000cc bike aprox 20k
Suspension front and rear plus a damper 6k
3 sets of fairings 4500
Paint + decals 2000-2500 per set
rear set footpegs plus after market bars 1000 +
Pro engine build plus dyno ??????? up to 10k
Tiatanium exhaust 3 - 3500
Cams 1500-2000?

Spares
Wheels, forks, radiator, bars, speedo and braket, footpegs and bars, gas tank, muffler and link pipe, sub frame, brake rotors, maybe a spare bike
30k +
Tyres
3k per national weekend thats 15k just for the nats
testing would be another 5k + on tyres
Travel + accomodation for nats only5k
travel and accomo for pre season testing 3k
entry fees 2k
\
Thats just off the topof my head im sure there are lots of little things I have missed and they soon add up now this is all aprox retail and for me plus 2 helpers im sure it can be done for much less but to have a good go at winning the sbk class this is a fair way to look at it

[Tony.OK]

Holy shit!!!!!........and thats just a NZ title?
Might need to send out a few ( thousand ) more sponsorship proposals:eek:

[Kickaha]

Thats just off the topof my head im sure there are lots of little things I have missed and they soon add up now this is all aprox retail and for me plus 2 helpers im sure it can be done for much less but to have a good go at winning the sbk class this is a fair way to look at it

Makes what we spend on the sidecar look pretty fucking cheap

[CHOPPA]

I agree with Craig, theres some corners you can cut in that budget if your aiming a little lower but its close to that so you all have to buy a ticket for my fundraiser! Thats the best (legal) idea i have come up with ;)

http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/showthread.php?t=85062

[Mishy]

. Just want to see what people think is acceptable in their eyes, it could be that you think 100k is acceptable if you dont have to pay for it

And that's just the best way I have EVER heard it put !
And so true as well :)

[Mishy]

No worries it will all be at aprox retail prices.

New 1000cc bike aprox 20k
Suspension front and rear plus a damper 6k
3 sets of fairings 4500
Paint + decals 2000-2500 per set
rear set footpegs plus after market bars 1000 +
Pro engine build plus dyno ??????? up to 10k
Tiatanium exhaust 3 - 3500
Cams 1500-2000?

You forgot $1000 for Bourbon for your helpers . . . . . .

[scrivy]

You forgot the poll result LESS THAN $6000

Can anyone really justify $100,000 for a good time for 1 season ??? :eek:
For that money, I could race for 80 full weekends!!!
I know who'd have the most fun!!

Holy shit!! $100,000!!!! :doh:

[GSVR]

I think you missread the question.


You forgot the poll result LESS THAN $6000

Can anyone really justify $100,000 for a good time for 1 season ??? :eek:
For that money, I could race for 80 full weekends!!!
I know who'd have the most fun!!

Holy shit!! $100,000!!!! :doh:

Including price of bike and tyres, consumables, replacement riding gear, crash repairs, fuel, travel and accomodation?

Going by what gixxers written it may be cheaper to run a Superbike than an F3 bike if you want to win. I reacon I could build a winning F3 bike for under $200000 including running expenses.

[codgyoleracer]

No worries it will all be at aprox retail prices.

"Thats just off the topof my head im sure there are lots of little things I have missed and they soon add up now this is all aprox retail and for me plus 2 helpers im sure it can be done for much less but to have a good go at winning the sbk class this is a fair way to look at it"


My experience in Superbike , is 45K is doing it on the cheap includes, not the dearest tyres, being lent a bike, & some help with spares from a distributer.

Does not include a spare bike & or a lot of bad luck (i.e crashing).

Top ten result is good on the above budget in Superbike, if you wanna finish top 5, then double my number & you can crash a bit more :-), - (bit not in the races of course)

Bring on a privateers SBK class ! - as costs in money & time availablilty are a problem to the average punter for SBK class. Either that or retire to obscurity in F3 :-).
Glen

[codgyoleracer]

I think you missread the question.



Including price of bike and tyres, consumables, replacement riding gear, crash repairs, fuel, travel and accomodation?

Going by what gixxers written it may be cheaper to run a Superbike than an F3 bike if you want to win. I reacon I could build a winning F3 bike for under $200000 including running expenses.

My "build costs" this year will be less than 4K, rest is tyres, entry & accomodation. SBK has no resemblance whatsoever to F3 cost wise, SBK is waaaaaaaaaaaay more expensive in all regards. Greater build costs, Greater tyre use, Greater spares cost, Greater consumable parts consumption, Greater costs to run a crew & lug it/them all around the country. There is no doubt in my mind that to win on a title on a superbike (even in little ole NZ) you need a strong budget/backer & a shitload of talent. (& sometimes a smidgen of luck)
Glen

[GSVR]

The only place in Gixxers account I can seee as being that different is the tyres.

Infact theres far more oppurtunity to spend in F3 as you can buy lots of exotic parts and use exotic materials.

Note I said I could build and run bike for under 200K but I'm sure it would be possible to spend alot more. How much did John Britten (or BSL )spend? Just make whatever number is required to be classed as a production bike.


I'm looking at the question wrong. Goal budget for a rider should be zero or eventually being paid ie professional.

[sidecar bob]

You forgot the poll result LESS THAN $6000

Can anyone really justify $100,000 for a good time for 1 season ??? :eek:
For that money, I could race for 80 full weekends!!!
I know who'd have the most fun!!

Holy shit!! $100,000!!!! :doh:

The classic Beemer would be about $2000 & our grins would be some of the biggest in the pits.
$150 for a tyre that lasts for more than a season.:clap:

[vtec]

Cool I got 12th at the Manfeild Nationals supersport in 2006, on a $9000 bike. $200 tyres. $100 petrol, $40 oil. $200 accommodation, $100 food and drink. Have since sold the bike after racing for more than a season on it for $7500 :) + whatever the entry fee is $300???

Racing in streetstocks, bike running costs for a year of probably $2000 including entry fees. That's not nationals though. And that was a club title winning budget hehehe. Bought the bike for $5g, and sold it 2 years later +30,000ks and a season of racing for $5g. It was my road bike too. I love CBR250RRs.

Riding gear, I suppose I should allow maybe $1000 per year for riding gear. Only smashed up a couple of helmets, and destroyed one set of leathers. And one set of boots and 2 sets of gloves, but that's over 3 years.

This year riding CBR250's in Australia. Did 4 meetings, bike cost $2500 plus repairs and tyres of about $600. Crashed it once. which cost me $30 for a new brake lever. About $200 petrol. $800 entry fees. Won $300 prize money :) And sold the bike back to the Wreckers for $2000 still in racing condition. And the wreckers are going to sponsor me $500 towards this 3 hour endurance race. So I'm not really haemhorrhaging too much towards my racing. But still having fun.

[slowpoke]

No worries it will all be at aprox retail prices.

New 1000cc bike aprox 20k
Suspension front and rear plus a damper 6k
3 sets of fairings 4500
Paint + decals 2000-2500 per set
rear set footpegs plus after market bars 1000 +
Pro engine build plus dyno ??????? up to 10k
Tiatanium exhaust 3 - 3500
Cams 1500-2000?

Spares
Wheels, forks, radiator, bars, speedo and braket, footpegs and bars, gas tank, muffler and link pipe, sub frame, brake rotors, maybe a spare bike
30k +
Tyres
3k per national weekend thats 15k just for the nats
testing would be another 5k + on tyres
Travel + accomodation for nats only5k
travel and accomo for pre season testing 3k
entry fees 2k
\
Thats just off the topof my head im sure there are lots of little things I have missed and they soon add up now this is all aprox retail and for me plus 2 helpers im sure it can be done for much less but to have a good go at winning the sbk class this is a fair way to look at it


"


My experience in Superbike , is 45K is doing it on the cheap includes, not the dearest tyres, being lent a bike, & some help with spares from a distributer.

Does not include a spare bike & or a lot of bad luck (i.e crashing).

Top ten result is good on the above budget in Superbike, if you wanna finish top 5, then double my number & you can crash a bit more :-), - (bit not in the races of course)

Bring on a privateers SBK class ! - as costs in money & time availablilty are a problem to the average punter for SBK class. Either that or retire to obscurity in F3 :-).
Glen

Now, the trick with the above numbers isn't coming up with that sort of money, the real trick is knowing how to spend it effectively.

Even if you build an amazing bike on paper, it's good for fuck all if you can't use it, or don't know how to set the bugger up. All the Yoshi/HRC/YEC etc catalog's in the world don't actually help you ride the bike.

One option that doesn't seem to be exlored very often these days is saving a bit of coin by doing/making it yourself. Rearsets aren't hard to make, neither is a subrame, and lots a guys have rebuilt engines. Spending money on learning new skills or buying tools etc is a viable alternative to buying off the shelf parts and you'll only have to pay for the tool/class once rather than buying new bits every time you crash or update a bike.

[FROSTY]

My last seasons F3 racing cost $20k
That was a full auckland club champs -4 rounds of the nationals, including the "free" test day mid week at each round. 2 one day street meetings and a couple of other meetings.
That included a full engine freshen up a few sets of tyres, and a paint job.
Spares were limited to mechanicals rather than cosmetics.

[wharfy]

Honda Hornet 900 = $0 ( I had one already )
Ohlins rear shock = $1700
Race Tech fork kit fitted by RT = $900
Paddock stands x 2 $500
tyre warmers $600
Practise days $400
primary sprocket $40
Conti sport attacks 3 sets $1500
Transport - ride to meeting $30 x 6
accomodation $600 (fleabag hotels )
k&N filter $125
oil filters x 2 $70
oil $80
budget leathers $900
back protector $120
boots $300
8 days of work
entry fees $650 (about)
ADRENILINE RUSH = PRICELESS !!!!!!


That doesn't include thrashing the ring out of my daily transport....

This is what I can recall spending to do the VMCC winter series at the BOTTOM of the scale. I spent more but can't remember on what, this is probably about as cheap as you can be.

FARK !!! I just added that up !!! FARK AGAIN
That makes my minor place ribbons worth about $2700 each !!!

It could be worse I guess I could have invested the money in a finance company, at least this way I get to piss it up against the wall MYSELF :)

I will be carefully checking out Shaun's lease plans !!!

[wharfy]

The classic Beemer would be about $2000 & our grins would be some of the biggest in the pits.
$150 for a tyre that lasts for more than a season.:clap:

Hmmm... I've got an ex MOT R80 in the shed, I might have to investigate an extra wheel ...

[wharfy]

Now, the trick with the above numbers isn't coming up with that sort of money, the real trick is knowing how to spend it effectively.

Even if you build an amazing bike on paper, it's good for fuck all if you can't use it, or don't know how to set the bugger up. All the Yoshi/HRC/YEC etc catalog's in the world don't actually help you ride the bike.

One option that doesn't seem to be exlored very often these days is saving a bit of coin by doing/making it yourself. Rearsets aren't hard to make, neither is a subrame, and lots a guys have rebuilt engines. Spending money on learning new skills or buying tools etc is a viable alternative to buying off the shelf parts and you'll only have to pay for the tool/class once rather than buying new bits every time you crash or update a bike.

FARK I forgot about the rear-sets $800 - I am going to have to stop reading this thread !!!

Oh I did make my (untested :) )crash knobs and number plates myself

[roogazza]

FARK I forgot about the rear-sets $800 - I am going to have to stop reading this thread !!!
Oh I did make my (untested :) )crash knobs and number plates myself

Jesus Wharfy is that what it costs you ?
I refuse to throw money at bike racing, its got to be fun and if it costs, it ain't fun for me.
Bike: Bandit , had one !
Tyres: scrounge around for ex race stuff !

Strip bits off that break easy, make numbers and enter !
Race around and have fun ! Brilliant ! Gaz.

ps Even when I was more serious (and younger !) my racing cost bugger all. In the those days you even got prize money !!! If I gave you a breakdown of the 70's you'd cry !

[dickytoo]

I was approached by a kiwi living in sydney who had seen our web page (now gone) and wanted to throw some money behind derek's racing. I said that as a possibility we could do the street races and the north island nats and it would cost about 10K for tyres and sundry expenses.

I never heard back from him! people just don't realise how expensive racing can be.

[wharfy]

Strip bits off that break easy, make numbers and enter !
Race around and have fun ! Brilliant ! Gaz.


Thats how it started !!! - I had the Hornet, but it had done 90,000km so it needed a new shock, so I got a good one, thought I might as well get the forks done. That was worth the money just for road riding. Decided to go racing. Had to have Leathers, back protector and boots. After a couple of rounds I added tyre warmers. If I never race again the only thing that won't be used are the tyre warmers and I guess I could sell them.

Spending money on bike stuff is fun !!!!
It is just a bit sick making when you start keeping track of it !!! :sick:

[skeeter]

Of course there is a difference between racing and winning. You can race on a smaller budget but if you want to win you have to out spend the other guy and there is always someone with more money than you!

[roogazza]

Of course there is a difference between racing and winning. You can race on a smaller budget but if you want to win you have to out spend the other guy and there is always someone with more money than you!

Oh I don't know about that ? (but sure, if you are talking proper racing !)
Half the fun is mixing it with others that have spent a fortune.
I'd be pretty pissed if some old fart of sixty on a great lump of a bike went around the outside of me.
Wharfy and I just dabble in clubmans , doesn't worry me in the least what they spend or ride. Gaz.

[wharfy]

Oh I don't know about that ? (but sure, if you are talking proper racing !)
Half the fun is mixing it with others that have spent a fortune.
I'd be pretty pissed if some old fart of sixty on a great lump of a bike went around the outside of me.
Wharfy and I just dabble in clubmans , doesn't worry me in the least what they spend or ride. Gaz.

You did it to me ya bastard :)

It is actually quite cool to see someone on a half decent bike come into clubmans. You may finish ahead of them a couple of times and watch as they get their confidence, dice with you, beat you and then move into the proper race classes.

Of course some come in and kick your arse from day one, but it is still fun

[Kiwi Graham]

Its a hard question to answer, if you go cheque book racing and you want to be competitive and the best kit it'll cost a fortune! If you want to get out there for the thrill of racing...........not a lot.
Ways to make it cheaper......product sponsorship, best one would be a tyre wholesaler/manufacturer. If you have a profile send out heaps of portfolios dude or direct an agent, they tend to skim the biggest potion of the money but at least its cold hard cash.........dont forget your sponsors are going to want something in return. Good luck.

[slowpoke]

Maybe it's something that needs experience to answer but the allocation of whatever funds you have is a big call.

I think you reach a point where the law of diminishing returns applies. With the available talent you have you may spend $20k to do a 1m9s lap around Manfeild, but to go 1 sec faster may cost you another $10k, to go another 1 sec faster again may be another $20k and so on.

That's bad enough, but the really difficult part is assessing the area that most needs adressing: rider training, suspension development (cartridges rather than emulators etc) or horsepower. To throw fuel on the fire, if you spend money on any one of the above the then chances are you will need to improve the rest of the package to maximise the improvements.

It's worth noting the times Mr Shirriffs did/does on a machine you could put together in just a few hours. Which highlights that money is not the be all and end all if you are good enough.

[GaZBur]

...I think you reach a point where the law of diminishing returns applies...
That appears so true. You got to ask yourself do you race to win, for your ego, or coz you like speed and racing? I just love competing and am spending probably around $2,000 a year all up racing at least twice a month. Yes it is a heavy underpowered bike compared to those who I compete against but it is even more satisfying to finish in front of a proper race bike worth twice the price on the bike I still commute to work on. I could instantly gain 5 or more places in most events by simply by spending another $7,000 on a better bike but why bother when I am not going to be in first place anyway.
If you are reading this and scared shitless by the $$$$$$ mentioned here - get a Motard, Streetstock, PostClassic or Bucket and have a go. How many riders do you see on super trick bikes that can't do them justice anyway.
Oh and one more thing, most peoples budgets are restricted because like me, three kids, school fees, orthadontists, morgage etc etc we are too broke anyway!

[sidecar bob]

Hmmm... I've got an ex MOT R80 in the shed, I might have to investigate an extra wheel ...

Rip the farings off, put a set of r90 tappett covors on it so it looks old, (thats about all BMW changed anyway) & come classic racing.
I suggest you will have more fun & laughs per dollar than any other kind of bike racing.
I really cant fully describe the fun i had at Manfield this weekend climbing all over the back of a '70s Triumph Bonneville powered sidecar dicing with the beautiful Mickelson AJS big wheeler.
The fun factor is no less than doing it at much higher speeds on the Hayabusa powered outfit i more regularly swing on, And if i hadnt experienced it myself i would have never believed it.
Although we won the Nats last year, that is only a bonus, we race for fun & stress relief & our budget reflects that.