New to Racing

Hi all,
I have purchased a bike with intentions to race next season. This will be my first attempt at racing so I need some information. The WERA website didn't seem too specific about what steps that I need to take in order to acuire my racing license. I assume there is a racing school that I am required to attend. But WERA does not list the cost of the school or the tracks where they are offerred. I live in Ohio and I have completed one advanced street riders school at Nelson's Ledges, but no racing school. Any help in this direction will be vey helpful. Thanks, Dave.

 

try www.edbargyracingschool.com

 

Ed Bargy would be my first choice as instructor but I don't think his school travels up towards Nelson's. Check with Fasttrax (http://www.fastone.com) or contact Lizard84 here on the BBS. He can probably point you in the right direction

 

I took my advanced street riders school with fasttrax. I had a great time and enjoyed being on the track, but I wasn't too impressed with the intruction.
Doesn't WERA offer their own school?

 

yeah they do have a school but its not real uhh.. it lacks content. its a good class if you been out of racing for some time but thats about it.. I would recommend a good class like Ed - he goes to Puttnam if thats not to far - well worth it.

 

Putnam is not too far. I'll look into Ed's school if he goes that far north. Thanks.

 

If you want to get it done before the start of next season, Ed has some dates in Nov and Dec at Talladega.
And Frank Kinsey probably has some school dates right thru the winter in Florida. Take a break from the snow and get licensed.

 

That's an excellent idea!! Ohio winters can be very depressing for a motorcyclist.

 

Since you don't mind traveling south a little, you can hook up with Ed at Talladega (Alabama).

Here is his web page with remaining dates:
http://www.edbargyracingschool.com/dates.htm

 

before we give you to much info - what kinda bike is it?

 

It's a 1989 Honda Hawk GT NT650.

 

Interesting. I was just reading an article concerning TBR's Hawk race bike. It was capable of some serious power.

 

As with many bikes, the Hawk has an inverse relationship: the higher the horsepower, the lower the reliability and visa versa.
I was going to race a CB360, but I realized that it is much cheaper to buy an already race prepped bike off someone that is getting out of racing than it is to race prep your own. So my CB will be my street bike.

 

Hawks are awsome bikes - but the cranks are not good for much over 60hp..

 

One thing the article did mention concerning reliability. The cam chain tensioner for the rear cylinder needed to be modified since it allowed enough cam chain slop to let the piston collide with the titanium exhaust valve. No specifics were given concerning the mods but after the fix, the motor was very reliable with more than 80hp on tap.

I should have a copy of the rag that did a write up of the bike over a decade ago. In case your interested.

 

That would be very interesting to read. I don't think I'll be modifying my bike to acheive 80 hp, but it is quite impressive that it can be done while maintaining a high degree of relaibility! I would be happy with 60+hp. I definitately don't want a bike that needs rebuilt often. I am interested in having fun and getting some good track time. Not too interested in being very competitive.

 

Ah.. so thats why you choose a 4 stroke!

Diesel - if I could maybe worm a copy of that form you it would rock - I never had much luck with our hawks

 

I had no intentions of starting the 2 strokes versus 4 strokes debate, but go ahead and have at it! Ha Ha.

 

You can take the Wera school from Tommy D at a wera nelson weekend or the fasttrax racing school at nelson.

The big plus for the wera school is the low outlay of bucks & Tommy's hard knocks, no bullshit teaching style (bullshitting is reserved for the campfire later that nite) The bad? Low track time before being thrown to lions.

The fasttrax race school will give you alot more track & class time with much better instruction then you found in the street/track day school.

My advice would be to save the bucks & go with the wera school to get your foot in the door & when you get the chance take Ed's school anyway. Word of mouth from his program is second to none.

A hawk rider won the overall expert Fasttrax championship this year, its a fine bike.

 

Not that I am a good racer or anything, but I took the Fast Tracks advanced street rider's school and the racing school to get my licence. I think Lizard was there with his homemade Suzuki..... The school had a little filler, a little pro fasttracks propaganda, for their racing series, but it was not that bad. I would do it again. My buddy did the Ed Bargy school and I was there at Talledega. It was very good, but if Nelson Ledges is close to you, I'd just take the school there. Just my 2 cent's worth