What kind of bike did you race and when?

2018-2019 1977 kz650
2021-2022 Tried to get the 1992 zx7 on track = failed
2023 Trying to get the 1992 zx7 on track = fingers crossed

 

Wow, you started racing the year motorcycles were invented, impressive.

 

Started in 1986 w/MCRA & WERA, eventually did some CCS, AHRMA and a few AMA

85 Kawasaki GPz550
86 Yamaha FZ600
86 Kawasaki 250 Ninja
87 Kawasaki EX500
87 Kawasaki EX500 superbike
88 Yamaha FZR400
89 Kawasaki ZX7
88 Yamaha FZR400 (endurance)
88 Yamaha FZR400/600 (endurance)
89 HD Sportster 883
90 Kawasaki ZX6
91 Kawasaki ZX7R
91 Yamaha TZ250
92 GSXR1100 superbike (endurance)
95 Kawasaki ZX-6R (endurance)
95 Ducati 916
95 Kawasaki ZX7R Superbike
98 Yamaha YZF-R1 (endurance)
00 Suzuki SV650
05 Ducati 999R

A lot of fun, a lot of $$$ and a few concussions.

 

Raced
1985->; ARRA & AFM/South; Yam XS-650
1988->; ARRA, AHRMA, CCS; XS-650/750
1993->; AHRMA, WSMC; XS650/750
1999; WERA WSIR 24 hour; '89 FZR 600; Turn 1 Racing
2000; WERA WSIR 24 hour ; Buell; Turn 1 Racing
2004-2012 Shifter Karts
2014 ->; 2nd Gen SV-650's

 

1984. My very first time on track
RZ500
Rockingham Motor Speedway
WERA race weekend
Got two 3rd place finishes
10 years later (1994)
Ducati 888
Did CCS and WERA
1995 got helicoptered out of Roebling, so that chapter ended
2002 CCS and WERA with
Ducati 998 and SV-650
2010? last time on track in competition
With a Paul Smart Ducati
Did a CCS weekend at Roebling
Hadn’t raced in 8 years and had never raced the Paul Smart before. Entered 4 classes and won all 4.
That’s all, folks!

 

Yep, I raced the first motorcycle ever.

 

So does that count as a win if you're on the only bike in existence?

 

…and did you buy all of the other bikes so no one else could race?

 

I had a friend that was the service manager at a Harley dealer back when the 1125R first came out. He got me into a Harley/Buell track day at Mid-Ohio where they were allowing people to go out on the 1125R for a session. I figured I wouldn't be that comfortable on a big bike so I bumped down to intermediate for the ride and was going out right behind the Buell control rider. We talked ahead of time about my track experience and what I currently rode and he said he would take it easy the first lap and then start picking up the pace. After I got somebody to show me how to start the thing we went out and I was having a blast. The instructor said every lap he would look back and see me still there so he kept upping the pace. By the end we were hauling and had dropped the rest of the group. After we came in and the Buell CR that helped me start the bike and another Buell employee started talking to me when I got off the bike. One of them asked how I thought it handled and I said "it tuned pretty well I guess." Then one of them asked how I liked the brakes (this was when they were making a huge deal about the perimeter brake) and I said "it stopped ok I guess." The guy that helped me start it looked confused and offended and asked what I rode. When I said a 125GP bike he said "aahhh now it all makes sense." The other guy still looked pretty offended though. I had so much fun in those few laps on that bike I still think about buying one from time to time.

 

Winning is winning.

Other peoples knowledge of the battle or even presence is irrelevant. If I finish 1st, that’s a win.

 

2004(?) SV650
2012 1199
2013 Grom

between 2013-18

 

Ok, I'll speak up.

I started racing motocross in 1973 with some success. At some point I switched to Enduro and hare scrambles. I road various Suzuki and Husqvarnas of every size.

After my family was grown I started racing again in 2017 at the age of 58. This time road racing. I currently have a 1985 rz350, a 1990 fzr600, a 1989 tz250 and a project 1985 Husky 430 kinda supermoto.

 

2001 SV650
2004 Ducati 1000SS
2009 Ducati 848
2013 Triumph 675R
2011 GSX-R 600
2015 R1
2020 R1

 

a friend let me borrow his clapped out S1kRR at a trackday at barber. I am talking worn out slicks, crashed a few times, overall in rough shape. First session on it, i was faster than on the pani that i’ve ridden, tracked and raced for years. I ran tighter lines, passed bikes left and right, dove deep into turns and fired out like no mans business. Effortless.

that day i decided to move on from racing italian beauties

 

When I got the 1299 I struggled beat my 1125 lap times, eventually did by some fraction of a second but it was like riding a bike that didn't like me much. Went back to the Buell and dropped time again and it was being back with an old friend. It's so easy to ride if you don't get hung up on the brakes. If I ever get around to grafting a dual disk front onto the thing I may never give it up.

 

From a Grom to a 1199......ends of the spectrum. Which was more fun?

 

That's a great mix.

 

I totally get what you are saying. That bike was very comfortable to ride fast and the torque was amazing! I only used 2 gears at Mid-Ohio. Granted I wasn't at full expert race pace, but it would start pulling way down low and just never stopped. Keep enjoying it!

 

Has anybody on here ever raced an RC8?

 

Bob Michael at BE Motorsports KTM in MD. did,, cool dude to...