How can you possibly afford to race

I think your biggest challenge is gonna be scheduling. I gave racing a try when I was in...I made it to two events, enough to satisfy the provisional novice requirements. After that, I didn't get a chance to use the license. I continued to own bikes but never had the opportunity to race 'em. Turning them into dedicated race bikes would have made for some expensive coat racks. I became an enthusiastic street rider.
So, also consider your return on investment...fun on the dollar.

Ten years later, I finally got in a full season on my own. How? I bought a YSR. Near zero support equipment...fit in the back of a Blazer quite nicely. A dependable machine and virtually no running or maintenance costs. Short of travel, accommodations and entry fees, my biggest expenses outside of the bike were an EzUp, cooler and chairs. Already had the personal protective gear and a sufficient amount of tools.

Did I have fun on a YSR? You're fuckin' right I did. I learned to race with all the on-track occurrences I would have encountered on a big bike...traffic, high-sides, low-sides, bangin' elbows and bodywork, time constraints, broken parts, heat, cold, rain, the admin stuff and traveling.
I'm sure that not givin' a shit about consequences helped immensely, and Casey Stoner woulda been proud of the way I pushed that thing through sweepers, both ends chatterin' like a jackhammer.

Five years after that, I did a season of trackdays on a stock-ish big bike. The next year, no scheduling conflicts, finances in order and a bike I was familiar with turned into a superbike and a full season of racing...with Championships.

I think racing is a fleeting hobby for most of us. The few that do it year in and year out, for years, have either committed themselves to it 100% and/or they have huge support from friends, family members and sponsors.
I'm too scatterbrained to commit 100% of my life to racing, but it was 100% about racing when I did.
In other words, screw everything else, I'm goin' racin'.
I don't think Uncle Sam would have understood.

Do you have to have a place to store a racing program, not to mention a vehicle capable of draggin' it everywhere? Under the stairs at the barracks ain't gonna cut it. I've always had a self-storage unit - my "second" home, or at least until I got a home with a garage.
BTW, it takes significantly longer to load and unload a full-on paddock set-up than anticipated, nearly every time.

So, how can anyone getting started afford it?
- Start small and humbly.
- Get a bike that won't eat at your wallet before and after every weekend.
- Be realistic about the amount of effort ($$$) you can put towards your program and plan accordingly (bike/racing venues), even if that means you don't get to ride a 1299RS even one time a year, or at all, or ever.
- A 250/300 really is a good place to start. It's not about power, its about skill. When your corner speeds start being faster than the big bikes, you've arrived at the destination. At that destination, you'll likely find you've acquired a full compliment of paddock gear and peace of mind. Now go getcha a 600 and reap the rewards.

 

The fun part of racing is actually racing someone, not what exactly you do it on. Just those dumb restricted go karts at the local waterpark are fun to rub people into the walls with.

I'd personally hop on a couple trackdays and get that "on the track" feeling before you go out competing with others trying to go as fast as they can. You will be nervous as hell, and you might love it or you might scare yourself shitless. It took me, I think 3 trackdays before I felt comfortable on pit out, it's totally different. Its like walking up that huge water slide steps the first time, you know what you should expect but cant quite place it until you do it.

 

A Twin can also be a tire eater if you get one big enough.

 

What is the bases for that line of thinking?

In other words, what have you done on a motorcycle up to this point that would make you think you have talent and and won't do bad?

Unless you have already been riding on the track and was immediately doing things unworldly on a bike, there is no way to know how well you will or won't do.

I've been an Instructor for the nation's largest track day org since 2009, and I can't count how many guys who have shown up for their first track day thinking they would be really fast because they are the "king of the mountains" or "faster than all their buddies through Deals Gap", etc. In every single case aside from maybe 2, that "king of the mountain" was one of the slowest....in the Novice track day group. Not Novice racing...Novice track day group.

Street fast does not = track fast. Take it from somebody who was also "the king of the mountain" before starting on the track, there is simply no comparison.

I'm all for anyone taking the plunge, but don't do so with insane expectations of setting the world on fire and immediately being picked up by Graves Yamaha. People who join racing with that as a sole end goal end up disappointed, disheartened, and don't stick around.

Start racing with a goal of simply having fun, then see what happens.

 

Oh, and start listening to Ken Hill's podcast!

 

Nailed it.

Someone can get away with 2 sets of tires all year and no warmers, because they aren't being pushed to do otherwise. That works in a class where "everyone is just there for fun".

Let someone who is there to win at all costs (like me) enter that same class, and a choice will have to be made. Either run better tires and make sure they are hot when the race starts, or lose.

If someone doesn't mind losing, then it doesn't really matter. But if someone wants to win, they can't expect to start each race with a huge disadvantage and get results.

 

Did anyone else read Twist of the Wrist and think road racing was going to really hard?

 

Not if it's going to cost me money...

 

I worked on other people's streetbikes to make $$$ to go racing. Every evening, every weekend I wasn't racing myself I was wrenching on another bike. For about 15 seasons, this paid for my racing addiction....

 

For clarification, when I said "don't race on credit", I meant don't pay interest on racing.

I know lots of people get paid every Friday. So if there is a race the first or second weekend of the month, they might not have the cash right then, but they will have it before the month is up. So they use a credit card now, then save from their next 2-3 checks and pay the card off at the end of the month.

If somebody has the discipline to stick to something like that, by all means. But I'd be willing to bet most do not.

They find themselves leading in points, and decide they want a new set of tires for the last race of the day, then they decide to throw in a can of U4. Now suddenly they are over budget $500. The month ends, that $500 carries over and becomes an extra $580 because of interest.

Now suddenly this month there are 2 race weekends instead of one. Things like that happen all year, then they show up at the GNF finding they have a chance at some
National Championships, now suddenly it is new tires and MR12 all weekend. They think "it will be fine, I can pay it off in the 3 months of the offseason".

Next thing you know, the season ends, they have $8,000 on that credit card, and now they have to decide on either racing the next year, or taking the year off to pay that card off.

Utilizing credit can work, but it takes a lot of discipline...and many people (including myself) don't have it. Especially when the choice is either put something on credit, or be at a disadvantage and risk losing. In that case, I would ALWAYS put something on credit. I know it. I'm too competitive not to. So I eliminate that by not having any credit cards.

 

There are really 3 main groups you can fall into here. Group A we'll call Broome group. You find a job making fucktons of money and spend it like there is no tomorrow. The all knowing beeb will help educate you in different ways to spend said money with helpfull education threads. We love that shit here. Next we move to group B, which we'll call normal person group. These guys spend most everything they have to race because it makes them happier then houses and cars and hookers. Weird I know. Then theres group C, my group. We cannot afford to race, so we just post here on the beeb like we're one of the cool kids. We also try to win any trackday we go to.

I feel these are your real options.

 

I'm kind of in the same boat as you, but a little older, and a little more into the process of preparation.

I got a good paying job where I work 14/hrs a day, and have been tackling the financial side of things. Residence, truck, trailer, and all the bikes for which classes I want to race. I wish I could race in the 1k out the gate, even a 600, and while I'm getting these things now, after battling the ultra ego crushing thought of starting on a 300, after studying this forum, that's where I'll begrudgingly be starting. Even if it means I get the smiling double barreled middle fingers from the 16 year old girl who outrode me. When I do start, I will have everything paid for. Everything for all classes including my 1k destination. Also, this includes my home, truck, etc. It's extremist on prep, but I know what I'm going to risk, so if something bad happens, I won't be left in a vulnerable position. And going to the next class won't be a financial push. I'll have them there in front of me, tangibly reminding me the path of my ultimate goal.

It's going to take a few years to get there for me, but this is my dream.

The most rewarding thing that this gives me is time. So (major thanks to this forum) I've been studying. I'm nose deep in a book studying motorcycle suspension and geometry. I'm learning the good vendors vs the bad ones. I'm listening to podcasts, repeatedly, working on my skills when time allows on the street. And I think all of this combined is going to make me that more devastating when it's time to race.

So all that being said, right now money's your weakness, which means time is your strength. I strongly urge that you use it to your advantage; saving, preparation, acquisition, and studying. Especially studying. Studying means fewer mistakes. And mistakes = unnecessary time & money.

 

Afford to race...............

 

What about the group that can afford to race and just chooses at some point to stop? Why don't those people get a group? There are a large number of them on here daily.

 

.... or to just end the suspense...

 

Damn.

 

Quoted... 'cause it's the best response so far.

 

I'm still here and halfway through college now so watch for updates haha. I'm here for the long run and am hoping to make Mid-Ohio and an endurance race this summer. I'll race a full season in 2-3yrs when I'm working full-time instead of going to school full-time, but until then I'll race when I can afford it with cash.

Redhawkmoto, I'm a frequent Ramen eater, that's the only way...and I love food man...
Your biggest worries should be safety and having fun. I paid almost as much for my safety gear as I did my motorcycle. Buy a cheap old bike that you won't mind crashing, it's a lot more fun to ride when you're not worried about denting your dream bike. Buy reliable safety gear with good reviews from racers. SV650 would be perfect IMO. Otherwise plan to spend 1000-1500 per weekend depending on travel.
My advice would be to do 3 trackdays then start doing novice LWT races if you are good and consistent at the track. I made the mistake of racing my first race in the Superbike 1000 class and it's MUCH more fun to zip through traffic on a smaller cc bike than to hold up traffic on a 1000 or even 600.

 

Thats a dam good point sir! So we'll give em group D: i can't remember what its called since I've crashed and hit my head so many times group.