Getting into racing?

[sharp2183]

Hi guys, I'm friends with a few guys who race and it sound like heaps of fun. What I'm after is a few opinions on getting into racing.

1. What class is good for a rider with a fair amount of track day experience on reasonably good bikes?
2. What bike will balance out a good amount of speed without needing stupid amounts of money or superbike-level skill? This question is pretty much linked to the first I guess..
3. I've had 400s in the past and loved them, are these in any way worthwhile in racing? Or could I use my litre twin in a relatively social class?
3. How do I actually go about signing up/getting involved?

I'm really out to have a good time and try and improve my riding, at a lowish cost. Any help, opinions or ideas would be great.

[Grubber]

Waiting patiently for someone to answer this....
I'm keen to look at this too..

[CHOPPA]

Hi guys, I'm friends with a few guys who race and it sound like heaps of fun. What I'm after is a few opinions on getting into racing.

1. What class is good for a rider with a fair amount of track day experience on reasonably good bikes?
2. What bike will balance out a good amount of speed without needing stupid amounts of money or superbike-level skill? This question is pretty much linked to the first I guess..
3. I've had 400s in the past and loved them, are these in any way worthwhile in racing? Or could I use my litre twin in a relatively social class?
3. How do I actually go about signing up/getting involved?

I'm really out to have a good time and try and improve my riding, at a lowish cost. Any help, opinions or ideas would be great.

Get out there on your Ducati. Just do clubmen class or pro twins.

If you can get to the VMCC winter series, its the best club series actually prob the best series in NZ. Its mainly beginner riders and just do the Clubmen class.

You need a club membership then go onto mnz and get a race licence.

look at....

vicclub.co.nz

amcc.org.nz

mnz.co.nz

Buy some good tyres possible s/h (email me) and get a set of wets

Manfeild is where most the racing will be....

[sharp2183]

How about the next summer series? I'm based in Auckland so anything at Pukekohe/Hampton Downs/Taupo would be best.

Would going into a higher powered class be better than something like F3?

[CookMySock]

Get out there on your Ducati.

"Just go and do it" is always good advice, but itsa little pricey to drop and slide a 996 innit?

[Mental Trousers]

Like Choppa said, just use what you've got and give it a go. You'll find out in a hell of a hurry how much it costs (everybody underestimates how much racing costs). After doing a season in Clubmans you'll be able to target what you can afford.

Post Classics is about the cheapest class you can get involved in. Formula 3 tends to be a bit more expensive but on better machinery. After that you start looking at how close to getting divorced you want to get as to what class you get into.

But basically, the larger the capacity and the more modern the machinery, the more it costs (like at least double).

Btw, the day you can slide both wheels on a 400 at will or finish as the 1st 400/650cc home all the time is when you've out grown F3. Until then there's years worth of lessons to learn.

[Rhys]

what would a realistic cost be to race post classics or F 3, and be reasonably competitive

[Biggles08]

Hi guys, I'm friends with a few guys who race and it sound like heaps of fun. What I'm after is a few opinions on getting into racing.

1. What class is good for a rider with a fair amount of track day experience on reasonably good bikes?
2. What bike will balance out a good amount of speed without needing stupid amounts of money or superbike-level skill? This question is pretty much linked to the first I guess..
3. I've had 400s in the past and loved them, are these in any way worthwhile in racing? Or could I use my litre twin in a relatively social class?
3. How do I actually go about signing up/getting involved?

I'm really out to have a good time and try and improve my riding, at a lowish cost. Any help, opinions or ideas would be great.

Best advice I can give is to join up at a club (cheap), turn up to one of their club days (ask whatever club you join for when that may be) and enter in Clubmans as Chopper said (with a day license). Clubmans is a 'race what you brung' type scenario so its good for dipping your toes without choosing a route.

Give it a crack before you commit too much $$$ and you will soon discover what road to take (usually the expensive one).

[Mental Trousers]

what would a realistic cost be to race post classics or F 3, and be reasonably competitive

My 450 cost $4000 to buy, rebuild and get to the start line for it's 1st race. It's had another $2500 in suspension work done. It's also had a few things done (fuel mapping etc) that add up to another $1000 or so.

The bike needs lightening as it's a bit over-weight. The rider needs lightening as he's most definitely over-weight. If me and the bike lose 20kgs combined it'll run with the 400's easy.

If I wasn't married I could easily sink $5k into the engine and pick up about 15 horsepower.

Cheapest way to go in F3 is to buy a bike that's already being raced. Something like a VFR with lots of spares goes for approx $3k.

After that, every meeting there's entry fee's (up to $150 for a 1 day meet or $220 for longer meets - this doesn't count Paeroa), transponder fees (up to $45), petrol, accomodation and food. There's oil every 3 months or so depending on what you use (I use Mobil 1 so get away with longer periods between changes), oil filters, regular brake pad changes, brake fluid, and tyres. Buying 2nd hand you can get some great deals (like 1xpair wets, 2x slicks for $400) and a single set will last about 5 heat cycles before you really notice lack of grip.

My advice is: whatever you think you can afford, multiply it by 3 and you'll probably be close.

[Dreama]

My 450 cost $4000 to buy, rebuild and get to the start line for it's 1st race. It's had another $2500 in suspension work done. It's also had a few things done (fuel mapping etc) that add up to another $1000 or so.

The bike needs lightening as it's a bit over-weight. The rider needs lightening as he's most definitely over-weight. If me and the bike lose 20kgs combined it'll run with the 400's easy.

If I wasn't married I could easily sink $5k into the engine and pick up about 15 horsepower.

Cheapest way to go in F3 is to buy a bike that's already being raced. Something like a VFR with lots of spares goes for approx $3k.

After that, every meeting there's entry fee's (up to $150 for a 1 day meet or $220 for longer meets - this doesn't count Paeroa), transponder fees (up to $45), petrol, accomodation and food. There's oil every 3 months or so depending on what you use (I use Mobil 1 so get away with longer periods between changes), oil filters, regular brake pad changes, brake fluid, and tyres. Buying 2nd hand you can get some great deals (like 1xpair wets, 2x slicks for $400) and a single set will last about 5 heat cycles before you really notice lack of grip.

My advice is: whatever you think you can afford, multiply it by 3 and you'll probably be close.

Pretty accurate and honest assesment I'd say, most likely not what the man wanted to hear though.

I used THE VACUUM PRINCIPLE OF ECONOMICS when I started racing.
In short, it roughly means spend everthing you have, can borrow and steal .... and then scramble like mad to fill the the massive money void you have created before it sucks you into financial oblivion.

Hope that helps .....

[superman]

I've just managed to get hold of a 150cc two stroke to race in street stock. KR150, only $1200. It shall be good tinkering fun until racing season comes up. TBH I wish I lived in Wellington, VMCC looks so much better than the AMCC. Maybe I'm only judging this on website quality.

Chose this as the class seemed pretty cheap and a good one to start off with. Not quite as cheap as bucket racing, but not insane as the others. I'm regulated to keep the bike stock (except for looks ) so it shall be good fun.

[Mental Trousers]

Pretty accurate and honest assesment I'd say, most likely not what the man wanted to hear though.

I used THE VACUUM PRINCIPLE OF ECONOMICS when I started racing.
In short, it roughly means spend everthing you have, can borrow and steal .... and then scramble like mad to fill the the massive money void you have created before it sucks you into financial oblivion.

Hope that helps .....

In that case ....

You'll win your 1st race on a $500 ZXR400 and immediately be swamped with offers of sponsorship from multi-national corporations and gorgeous celebrities. End up on a superbike that costs hundreds of thousands of dollars to put together, built by a team of 30 people that are all devoted to getting you to the finish line 1st.

Reality is, if you're not sleeping in the back of the car wrapped up in a tarpaulin cos you forgot a sleeping bag, texting the wife and telling her not to do any groceries this week and to take the kids around to see grandma for a surprise visit before dinner time then you're not racing.

Commitment and no money!!! That's what racing is all about.

[Clivoris]

In that case ....

You'll win your 1st race on a $500 ZXR400 and immediately be swamped with offers of sponsorship from multi-national corporations and gorgeous celebrities. End up on a superbike that costs hundreds of thousands of dollars to put together, built by a team of 30 people that are all devoted to getting you to the finish line 1st.

Reality is, if you're not sleeping in the back of the car wrapped up in a tarpaulin cos you forgot a sleeping bag, texting the wife and telling her not to do any groceries this week and to take the kids around to see grandma for a surprise visit before dinner time then you're not racing.

Commitment and no money!!! That's what racing is all about.

Nailed it, but you forgot to mention the bit where you spend 2 years climbing out of the hole which manages to get deeper every-now-and-then cos you can't help dabbling back in every-now-and-then. OR! OR! Your bloody kids start racing even though you can't afford to race yourself

[budda]

I've just managed to get hold of a 150cc two stroke to race in street stock. KR150, only $1200. It shall be good tinkering fun until racing season comes up. TBH I wish I lived in Wellington, VMCC looks so much better than the AMCC. Maybe I'm only judging this on website quality.

Chose this as the class seemed pretty cheap and a good one to start off with. Not quite as cheap as bucket racing, but not insane as the others. I'm regulated to keep the bike stock (except for looks ) so it shall be good fun.

What the ? Correct me if I'm wrong, but didnt a Minge-Ah just take out the ProLite Championship - couldve fully race prepped and shod what you've GOT !

Really depends on what gets you off - is it riding fast, or is it RACING ? Prolite / Streetstock is amazing bang for your buck, the hoot factor is HUUUUUGE

[ellipsis]

...pre-89...club stuff is cool...can cost you if you want...if you dont want to be spectacularly serious...just do it for fun...