Racing classifications

[scuffy]

Could someone explain the different class's of racing in NZ or point me in the right direction to find out ?

There different to what we have in the UK but i think i can work out that F1 = 1000cc,F2 ...600cc ??,F3 ....?? and bucket ??.....and any others i've missed :slap:

Reading the Going racing-heres what you need thread,theres plenty of things different here too, which i'll post up if anyones interested ?

[Two Smoker]

F1: 600cc-1000cc multi four stroke or open twins
F2: 600cc multi's or 350cc 2 stroke 1000cc twin 2 valve or 750cc vtwin multi valve
F3: (where do i begin...) upto 450cc multi cylinder 4 stroke, 650 Vtwin water cooled multi valve ,850cc Vtwin aircooled, 250 two stoke.
125 gp is for 125 2 strokes
We also have a class for Motards -offroaders running on road tyres
At club level there is Street stock -150cc 2 stroke and 0250cc 4 stroke bikes.
Classics -pre 72 bvritish US or euro bikes
post classic pre 82 senior -600-1100 cc4 stroke or 750cc 2 stroke bikes built before 82
""""""""""""""""""""""""" Junior up to 600cc 4 stroke or 350cc 2 stroke pre 82

Post Classic Pre 89: bikes made in the years before 1989..as above but built before 1989..
And lastly Just to get started there is clubmans which is a class to learn to go racing in.
check out www.mnz.co.nz

[FROSTY:Me]

sorry Chris I editited rather than adding another post to yours
Hey scruffy--post away dude I for one would be interested to see what ya got.
I know that some of the rigs we have here would get laughed off the track in europe. some of our rules are very local.
Ohh and enjoy the goat tracks we call tracks matey

[scuffy]

Two Smoker,Frosty thanks for that,it'll make understanding some of the other threads far easier

As to getting started racing here in the UK its all got more complicated,not because the FIM have put pressure on the Auto Cycle Union (the uk's governing body for all things bike racing) but more about the insurance policys stipulations or there fear of ambulance chasers and further reprisals if everybody didnt have some training to start with

So to apply for your first licence.....Novice/intermediate
You now have to attend a Circuit Training Course at ACU headquarters(chargeable of course),A days course that covers everything from flags and there uses to what to do at your first meeting...with a small test at the end just to make sure ya didnt fall to sleep ....Once completed you get a pass certificate to attach to your application

Have an eye test and get the optician to fill a segment of the licence application form in.

2 passport photos

Tick the box for a novice vest

Then send the filled in application to the race club of your choice, who fill in the rest and send it all on to ACU headquarters.

All in about £150 and ya aint even seen a track yet !!

You do get a nice credit card style licence with ya own ugly mug on though

To lose the novice vest you have to complete 10 meetings at 3 different circuits, and have your licence card signed by the race officials before applying for your clubmans licence....Not time related so you could do your whole racing career on a novice vest, especially with some of the smaller clubs like the one im in that only race at 2 circuits.






Bike prep is slightly different too and is run to FIM regulations

Lock wired sump plug,oil filter and filler cap.

All four strokes must run with an enclosed catch tray under the engine, with 2 x 25mm holes with rubber bungs inserted...these should be removed for wet races.

Front brake lines must be seperate lines from master-cylinder to caliper ...so no joins and a loop over the mud-gaurd on 2 caliper systems.

A lower chain run chain gaurd or sharks fin as we call 'em must be fitted too

Theres some other minor ones but i wont bore ya for too long... some of which you can get away without doing but the ones listed will get checked at every meeting.


Hope that makes interesting reading for everyone ?

[k14]

Damn thats alot more complicated than here. To get ya licence you just need to fill in the form and send away $90 and they send it back to you a week or so later. No doctors or tests etc. That licence enables you to compete in any event in NZ or auzzie and needs to be renewed every year.

The lock wiring etc are all the same over here. The biggest class over here is probably supersport (600's), probably have about 25 to 30 in that class at the nats (which is a 5 round series over the summer months).

What is a normal entry fee for you over there?? Here a club event is anywhere from $40 to $80 and the nationals are about $120ish i think.

[FROSTY:Me]

I think our system allows more bikes on the track -catch bottles instead of catch trays and I would say I agree with the chain guard rule to be honest.-that exposed chain can --And has been like a chainsaw on peoples leathers/legs.
And the fluro vest bit --Mate I think it should be compusary here for at leas 3 meetings.Yea its kinda like a L plate but I for one would cut a novice a shit more slack and give em a bit more room If I knew they were novices.
Hey so with all the questiond matey potatey--when are we gonna see ya out there???

[scuffy]

$40 to $80 and $120 Nats ....blimey i needs to get me arse over to NZ for some cheap racin' !!

The club that im with (East Midlands Racing Association) entry fees are £90 for your first nominated event, then £20 for every event after that....Generally for me thats 2x6 laps races in Roadstocks for me first event and £20 for 1x8 lap race in Novice/intermediates....plus another £20 for formula 600 if im feeling a bit flush,again 2x6 lap races

600's must be the most popular class the world over...often in club racing in the Uk, Formula 600's ( what its called at club level )gets over subscrib'd and you can end up on a reserves list.

At EMRA we only get to 2 circuits,Mallory Park (still a British Superbike Circuit...smallest one in there calendar though ) and Darley Moor.10 rounds in total,8 of them at Mallory all 1 day meetings...maximum bikes on the grid is 32 and they're nearly always full grids

Heres a guide for Mallory if any-ones interested..i couldnt find one for Darley but i'll have another look around

http://www.mallorypark.co.uk/spectator.htm


Frosty dont worry dude i'll get some pics posted up ...and ya can check out me lovely novice vest

[k14]

Damn thats not alot of racing.

For my next meeting at ruapuna (arguably NZ's best track, 2nd longest too) I will be riding my RS125 gp bike in F3 (probably be around 25 or so runners in that class) and also my bucket racer (honda cb125) in streetstock. The entry is $45 (regardless of how many bikes you are riding) and I will get 1 practice session, 2x6 lap races and 1x8 lap race for each bike and also an all in at the end of the day which I can choose which bike I ride, just a bit of a fun non-points race at the end of the day. Then the following weekend I will do it all again at levels (another track about 2 hours south of christchurch) for the same price.

Puts it in perspective of how cheap it is to race bikes in NZ aye. At these meetings F3 is probably the biggest grid but at the nationals its probably the 600's.

[TwoSeven]

I think from memory my ACU license was ukp50 and the track fee was about ukp150 - interesting to see how the prices have gone up in 15 years. Orange bib was a pain, but worth it I think. Considering in the 600s all the kicking, punching and eye gouging that occured as 50 axe murderers arrived at the same corner all at once - knowing which person was going to take the random line or panic on the brakes helps heaps.

Scuffy is right about 600s being oversubscribed. I can remember back in 92 brands hatch having 150 riders turn up - they ran two qualifying sessions and ended up running 2 races of 50 bikes each with the 3rd race being the top 25 bikes from each earlier race. I suspect its even worse than that now the 600 market has taken off and there are lots of track day enthusiasts around.

I think they should adopt the ACU license system here with the FIM regs and stop trying to make up their own stuff. Makes life a lot easier for folks in both training staff and building bikes. For most of the common bikes, there are lots of aftermarket stuff made to FIM standards.

I do like the classes used in NZ tho, since no-one actually has any money, being able to race what you can bolt together works quite well (and can be just as much fun).

[scuffy]

How many tracks are there in the Christchurch area ?....just im hoping to visit in 2006 and it'd be cool to get a look at some of them

Is there racing most of the year long or is there a winter break ?

Over here we have a winter break form roughly end of October till it all kicks off again around the begining of April.

Racing sounds far better value for ya buck,of course that depends on your earnings i s'pose but tracktime sounds loads better than here even if the costs are comparable.

Here's a couple of race pics taken at my last meeting.......

[scuffy]

1 More

[TwoSeven]

Only really one track worth it. Its very small and moderate in technicality, but probably what i'd call a 'fun' track as it does allow for a bit of thinking.

http://www.motorcyclingcanterbury.org.nz/

But you have 'levels' raceway a couple of hours drive away and I'm sure a few others may come out of the woodwork.

[Kickaha]

How many tracks are there in the Christchurch area ?....just im hoping to visit in 2006 and it'd be cool to get a look at some of them

Is there racing most of the year long or is there a winter break ?

Over here we have a winter break form roughly end of October till it all kicks off again around the begining of April.

One track that is available every Tuesday and Friday for $50nz for a 1/2 day
http://www.canterburycarclub.co.nz/index.cfm/trackmap

there are only three permanent tracks in the South Island and up to three street races, with Levels being my pick of the three permanent tracks,as I feel it is slighly more of a challenge to get right than Ruapuna

http://www.motorsport.org.nz/Circuits/circuits.htm

Racing is all year around with a meeting a month minimun, depending on what kind of bike you ride there are different clubs running different events as about 3 years ago I did 18 for the 12 months