dpex
4th November 2008, 17:11
I'm still struggling to get out of my fifth childhood and into my sixth, and after MotoTT day at Taupo the struggle was that much harder on account of the word 'racing' kept pervading my mind.
Just one track-day and no spills, and keeping up with the lower ends of the speed range had my 'silly-boy' thinking racing was just a step away.
By Sunday I'd come down enough to register the fact that a) I'm 60. b) I ride a 1995 Yami (which I really don't want to scratch) c) I can probably afford to plonk may $10K a year into racing (that's everything....the bike, the parts, the fixits, tyres, accom, travel,etc)....Which means the actual bike budget would be around $5K.
Will I win anything other than the status of being a regular tail-end-Charlie with such a budget.
I don't think so; especially since I can't do my own fixits. In fact just changing oil and filters for oil and petrol is currently a challenge.
But I would still like to race....a bit.
And so I wrote off to Steve Bennet of PMCC regarding Clubman racing and got an absolutely excellent reply. He laid it all out so clearly that even my addled brain could see the bigger picture.
And so, I have decided. a) I love hurling my Yami around the track, but it and I will never be even remotely competitive, and I run the risk of 1) hurting it, 2) spending vast sums for no useful reason.
And so I intend to confine my Yami moments to track-days, at my pace and for my entire pleasure.
But I still want to race.
Steve has suggested I spend a minor amount on a bucket; and don't worry about all the go-fast shit because there's always someone out there who can afford more.
His point was well made by a chap I got into conversation at Mt Wellington on Sunday. I'd spent an hour watching little kids giving it hell in carts. Jesus! But the seven year-olds were going faster than I could!
The point he made was sanguine, and fitted with Steve's opinion. "There's some parents here who spend $80K a year just to see the kid win. And there's parents here who struggle to find just $5k. Would you like to be the kid with the $80K parent and not win?'
Decent bloke, old John. And his words and those of Steve have helped me make up my mind.
I'm going to buy a cheap bucket and go racing, just for the thrill. If I can keep it going after a trash or an engine failure, within a budget of $3K a year, so I will. But, after that??? Nar?
And track-days only for Yami-The-Cute.
Jeez but I love my bike. Sick, eh?
Meanwhile, anyone got any tips of bucket-racing?
Just one track-day and no spills, and keeping up with the lower ends of the speed range had my 'silly-boy' thinking racing was just a step away.
By Sunday I'd come down enough to register the fact that a) I'm 60. b) I ride a 1995 Yami (which I really don't want to scratch) c) I can probably afford to plonk may $10K a year into racing (that's everything....the bike, the parts, the fixits, tyres, accom, travel,etc)....Which means the actual bike budget would be around $5K.
Will I win anything other than the status of being a regular tail-end-Charlie with such a budget.
I don't think so; especially since I can't do my own fixits. In fact just changing oil and filters for oil and petrol is currently a challenge.
But I would still like to race....a bit.
And so I wrote off to Steve Bennet of PMCC regarding Clubman racing and got an absolutely excellent reply. He laid it all out so clearly that even my addled brain could see the bigger picture.
And so, I have decided. a) I love hurling my Yami around the track, but it and I will never be even remotely competitive, and I run the risk of 1) hurting it, 2) spending vast sums for no useful reason.
And so I intend to confine my Yami moments to track-days, at my pace and for my entire pleasure.
But I still want to race.
Steve has suggested I spend a minor amount on a bucket; and don't worry about all the go-fast shit because there's always someone out there who can afford more.
His point was well made by a chap I got into conversation at Mt Wellington on Sunday. I'd spent an hour watching little kids giving it hell in carts. Jesus! But the seven year-olds were going faster than I could!
The point he made was sanguine, and fitted with Steve's opinion. "There's some parents here who spend $80K a year just to see the kid win. And there's parents here who struggle to find just $5k. Would you like to be the kid with the $80K parent and not win?'
Decent bloke, old John. And his words and those of Steve have helped me make up my mind.
I'm going to buy a cheap bucket and go racing, just for the thrill. If I can keep it going after a trash or an engine failure, within a budget of $3K a year, so I will. But, after that??? Nar?
And track-days only for Yami-The-Cute.
Jeez but I love my bike. Sick, eh?
Meanwhile, anyone got any tips of bucket-racing?