Racing in college

I think it is entirely possible to make it all the way to Motoamerica, many people have qualified in the 600 superstock class and there is even a KTM class available until you are 22. I would recommend you wait until you can consistently podium at WERA, in the 600 or 1000 class, before dropping the coin to race a Motoamerica round.

Also, since you would be racing on a budget, you might even consider the 300 classes. Tires will last much longer, which is a huge expense on 600's or 1000's. SV's will last longer than 600's, but when you get fast, they will still burn up quicker vs. a 300.

 

Hmmm i never really gave thought to racing flat track, mx, etc... not a bad idea for someone on a budget I've just always been in love with road racing.

 

I did NOT start any kind of motorcycle racing untill I was 23 years old mate. There is time buddy

 

I'm actually talking to a kid right now about two streets down from me who's racing in the KTM 390 cup. 10.4 grand to get your name into the roadracing jumble is not bad at all. Can I afford it? Probably not but I'll keep it in mind.

 

it really sounds like your income wont be very secure or consistent once u start at college. u should probably give it a year or two to figure out how much u can work while in school and how much u spend on other stuff while there. food/beer/women can get really expensive.

 

Oh no worries I have no luck with women and don't like alcohol either, food might get me though. Anyways with the age limit being 22, if I get a co-op (work 1 of each three semesters for around 20-30 and hour) and save up there may actually be a small change of getting into the KTM cup... Would it be wise to buy a race-ready ninja 250 and just track it to prep and hone in my lack of skills for the KTM 390? Cheap (-er than bigger bikes), similar engine size, etc...

 

Of course there's the risk of not qualifying within 110% and having just dumped 10 grand into a bike I don't need.

 

if you got DOD racing. Dear Old Dad you can do anything. Whats your relationship with your dad?

 

He provides me with all the love and great advice that I need, however not a dime. Although I believe he will help some with college finances so I won't say that, but that'd be the first thing he pays for besides food, housing, and all the related bills that I take for granted. I pay for my bikes, track days, transportation, insurance etc..

 

uve never raced before and sounds like u arent even in the fast group at trackdays yet. you are likely a few years away from being ready for the KTM Cup and circumstance might make it really ez for u to miss the age cut-off.

look up some literbike expert race times for the track uve been to. are u within 130%? how many seconds faster do u need to go to get to within 110%?

 

one way to get into the fast group is to get out of track days LOL

 

I didn't record my times as I was focusing on form not speed. I didn't even throttle out on the straight I'd only get to 120 or so and let people pass me so I could see the instructor's line and such. If I could guess I could probably get within 15 or so seconds of the advanced riders (a little over 110% for mid-ohio). There were some turns where I gained on the instructors in free for all (the second half of the day everyone was on their own and the instructors would go their own pace instead of waiting on us). There were also some like the carousel and keyhole that I lost a good 15 ft on them because I'd get nervous (crashed there last time). Anyways I'm not trying to sound like I am fast because I have no evidence and was probably slower than I think but I think I have the potential to ride within 110-120% if I push the bike harder.

 

I started racing in college and ended up with some decent AMA results. Nothing spectacular, but AMA racing is hard. They are good. It is possible though.

Most professors were surprisingly accommodating if you talked to them before the semester started. I got lucky and did it in an era (early 2000's) where you could earn enough money club racing to mostly support the habit. It is expensive to go fast. I also never did a track day. One Ed Bargy school and started wera racing the next weekend on an R6. Forget the SV. If you have aspirations of being fast. I would start racing a 600 NEXT weekend.

 

That reminds me I was talking to a 14 year old at the track whose dad rented him a track for a weekend his first time and next thing he did was race a 650 in WERA. Don't know if any of you know him, but he was really nice we talked a bit. If I had a 600 instead of my damn zx10 I probably would have already entered a race this summer. I think after the first month or so of college I will really know how possible it is to go to a race on Saturday, come back and go to class on Monday.

 

And you can find me "The Red Rocket" top 12 time of the month in go karting if that means jack sh-t. https://k1indianapolis.clubspeedtiming.com/sp_center/besttime.aspx?Days=30 I'm pretty close to Conor Daly's time who races there often and raced in the Indy 500 (car broke down) and races LeMans etc...

 

i think ull be surprised how slow trackday riders are compared to even expert racers. quick searches suggest that Advanced trackday riders at Mid-Ohio do high 1:30s to mid 1:40s, WERA Experts do low 1:30s at Mid-Ohio, and Pros do 1:26.xx. get a pit buddy time u with a stopwatch (smartphone) and ull see.

work/class on Monday is easy in your teens or 20s, esp once u learn to ride well. i think the expense of money and time will be a more difficult hurdle.

 

This is actually a pretty easy question. Sell the ZX-10R, find a nicely prepped SV-650, go race WERA when you can afford to using the spare change left from the ZX. Don't race when you can't. You'll know soon enough if you "have it". Not rocket science.

Track days only teach you how to go fast at track days. Racing is different.

-jim

 

Yea I think we can all agree on selling the zx10 and getting a smaller cc race prepped bike and some spare change. I had looked up mid-ohio's times and I will definitely have someone time me next run. I guess the stopwatch will tell the tale.

 

i agree with some that are posting to just go do a race.. we could debate this or that for 20 more pages. Go do a race, and see where you stack up. You will know in a hurry weather you should sell the text books or put the racing career on hold till after college. (and just do the occasional race when you get time and extra cash).