Racing Advice

[Cibby]

hi guys

I'm looking for some advise as to the costs involved with racing a bike.

Due to my recent road accidents, my lack of confidence and my lack of insurability i dont really want to ride on the road for a while.

I'm looking at a bike at around the $2,500 mark, but want i want to know about is the costs of licences, the aproximate costs of the track fees, how much petrol you would be looking at during a day on the tracks, how often you go through tyres etc etc.. all the extra stuff that you dont really think about when you thinking

"hay cool a race bike, i wanna race bikes, oh yah for racing bikes. :slap: :spudwow:"

Thanks

Cibby aka wannabe racer..

[WRT]

Good on ya Cibby, get in there and give it heaps. What sort of racing are you gonna get into?

[Cibby]

Good on ya Cibby, get in there and give it heaps. What sort of racing are you gonna get into?

I dunno aye, i'm a totaly nube when it comes to this, i'm doing it cause i wanna ride again and cause Keystone rocks and she wants to do it and postie might be doing it soon to..

my aim is to just get a bike and play on teh track.

failing this, it will be an off- road 125

[WRT]

Haha, atta girl! Just sing out if you wanna go on the CR . . .

The racing (any type) sounds like a heap of fun. I wish I had time and money that I could commit to it. If both you and Postie are doing it you should have a blast, plus you'll get to split the expenses of heading to out of town tracks. You may have to get yourself a van tho?

[Cleve]

Keystone DOES rock! Racing is awesome!. I am back into it after 20 years of not and am LOVING IT! Once you start it costs more than you expect though. There are all sorts of things. Entry fees, club membership, race license, gas to drive to tracks, accommodation for a night as it is dumb to drive to places like Taupo and back in one day from Auckland (I know, I have done it!!) blah blah, and that is if you don't crash, but its racing and you will eventually... so be prepared to spend more than you think you will.

Come to a race meeting or a Puke track day and look out for fellow KB'ers who race like K19 (Jill), Motobob (Paul), Frosty, DSS3 (Daryl)... the list goes on and chat to us. Happy to help out. (Plus I also live in East Auckland so happy to have a chat anytime)

[Fishy]

Due to my recent road accidents, my lack of confidence and my lack of insurability i dont really want to ride on the road for a while.

Hey Cib, don't let the accidents get to you too much mate. It happens to everyone at sometime or another. Variables with road riding do bite ya in the arse sometimes but the risk factory sorta ads to the excitment of riding dont ya think?

Anyway, what you are looking at doing will be pretty beneficial, not just for you but for anyone who wants to get out and have a play on the track. You will learn a lot about the bike and its limits and even more about your own personal limits. When I pick up my next bike I'm gonna spend a fair bit of time doing track days - be rude not to while living about 5mins away from Puke race track eh.

[Hoon]

There are a few threads about this around (maybe someone with more time can find them). F3 is a good place to start. Good numbers at any meet and you are guaranteed to find someone around your pace to mix it up with and learn from.

First place to start is getting a cheap but reliable bike and doing track days to get your skills and confidence up.

A pukekohe track day sets me back about $150 total (90$ fees and $60 gas for van/bike).

A Pukekohe race day is similar but Taupo and Manfield get more expensive due to gas and accomodation costs.

[Keystone19]

I've sent you an email but just to add to what the others have said, finding someone to share costs with is so far proving to be a good way to do it too. Stuff like sharing petrol costs to and from the track and accommodation costs makes a big difference.

Even if you just do track days and don't race you'll still have a blast.

[crashe]

Good luck Cibby in this venture of yours...

As to costs I have no idea but like others have said go out to the tracks on track days and chat to all the riders out there.

I would imagine that it could get very expensive thou...
If both you and Postie are gonna do it then surely that will help keep the costs down... like maybe using the one bike... etc... Just dont let him crash it thou...

All the best.... but looking forward to seeing you back out there on the road again soon.

[Cibby]

First place to start is getting a cheap but reliable bike and doing track days to get your skills and confidence up.

A pukekohe track day sets me back about $150 total (90$ fees and $60 gas for van/bike).

.

Cheers for that, that is about what i wanted..

Keystone is doing a fairly good job of convincing me .. haha

I'll keep everyone updated

YAH

[loosebruce]

Get a 250cc 4 stroke and go for streetstock cibby, bike you're famiallr with and pretty cheap to run, until you start falling off that is.
You wont really need to run tyre warmers with tyres like GPR70's, and the wee 2 fiddy wont chew em out in a hurry, so one set might do you for a season, dont have to worry about engine, suspension tuning, just use the stock fairings, remove all the road gear. Drill the sump plug and lock wire it, as well as oil filter (dont drill that though K) and a ctahcment bottle/can for overflow and you're all set to go.
Join a club VMC is great $35 to join for a year/ $25 to renew, MNZ race licence you're looking at $90.00 for a year, you got all the saftey gear already, get some hua to make ya some paddock stands and you're all set to go, for well under $3000 easy, plus with the streetstock 250cc you can enter clubmans or F3 if you want, and do any trackday you feel.

[Cibby]

Get a 250cc 4 stroke and go for streetstock cibby, bike you're famiallr with and pretty cheap etc etc.

Thanks for that mate,
I'm cheating and possibly going for the 400cc 4 stroke that Paulnz is selling, its a fully kitted race bike already with everything as far as i can see... and it is around teh $2225 mark which is fairly good me thinks!!!!!!

best way for me cause i know sweet FA about setting up a bike.

[ajturbo]

cause i know sweet FA about setting up a bike.

...
you and 99% of all other riders

[motobob]

Thanks for that mate,
I'm cheating and possibly going for the 400cc 4 stroke that Paulnz is selling, its a fully kitted race bike already with everything as far as i can see... and it is around teh $2225 mark which is fairly good me thinks!!!!!!

best way for me cause i know sweet FA about setting up a bike.

An F3 bike is the go for an Aucklander since the main place you will ride is Puke. The 250 would be good elsewhere because the tracks are tighter.

You rode my Gixxer well at Taupo at the last KB track day so I recomend a 400. TS has one that has a good pedigree. If its still for sale.

Costs well you better get Postie a second job to help pay for it all. Only additional costs to add are Tyres and engine parts if the bike is past its prime.

Hope to see you out there soon Rach. The track certainly ups your bike handling and road skills. But if you race you have to be prepared to scuff your leathers cos it will happen (aye Jill) see vtec's post, whereas Track days are potentially safer.

[FROSTY:Me]

have a read through this thread--http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/showthread.php?t=3032

If you want a genuine breakdown of costs i can give ya my "company" accounts --its a breakdown of costs for the 04-05 season and the 06-07 season.