Run expert and novice?

that saying doesn't apply to the WERA forum :tut:

 

I didn't race it this year! And you can see I'm always back of the pack. I might be better now that I've been riding the 600 but I'll find out.

 

Good deal! Im stoked to run my 2fiddy now

 

And

Fucking love this place.

 

Typically speaking, earning an Expert license on a little bike, but then planning on moving up to a 600cc is a viable excuse for turning down the bump. I don't know you, nor your racing background and I obviously can't speak for WERA...but I have heard of them accepting that as an excuse for not taking the bump.

The 600cc Expert classes are no joke. If you have any reservations at all, then I'd try to race the 600 as a Novice before moving up.

 

there is something to be said for racing 600 expert vs 600 novice. It may be safer in expert, as the rider skill for the most part will be better in expert. Will you win a race ? not likely, for a good while, but it's better than getting torpedoed by some over eager novice.. this is a VERY general statement, and there are exceptions, but i think most can relate.

 

This. While they have let someone who is moving from slower machinery to faster machinery bump down I am not sure what happens if you then try to run E-SS novice. My gut tells me you might be told "sorry, you can't do that".

 

That is a good point also. Every piece of hardware in my body is the result of a 600cc Novice incident.

What you said is the main reason I accepted the bump to Expert even though I only had 4-5 completed as a Novice. I knew the pace would be faster and much more aggressive, but I also felt it would be safer.

 

Expert status has absolutely ZERO to do with your ability to race a motorcycle at the same pace as the front row people..... It has EVERYTHING to do with making decisions that will ultimately attempt to keep you and your competitors safe.... This is not ALWAYS the case but I raced 600 AM and EX.... I got hit in the tail section EVERY AM race.... I "rubbed" paint and elbows in EX.... I am worn out reading and hearing people that don't want to grid up in EX because "I can't run with the fast guys".... Who cares, you are only as fast as your competitors. I respect a 4th in EX more than a 1st in AM... Grid up and race....

 

Well I appreciate all of your feedback. I get exactly what you are saying about being safer in expert...My worry would be that If I would ride 600 ex I would be dead last every race and probably be passed by the fast novice riders. Ill talk to Emily about staying novice and mainly focus on riding the 600 this year. Only do a few races on the 250.

 

Hey man, somebody has to finish last. The previous guy will welcome you with open arms.

 

You finished 4th out of 12 in E-SS novice at the GNF and won two regional championships, why would they let you retain yellow plates if you intend to race the 250? I can see the regionals maybe being "attendance awards" but finishing ahead of 2/3rd of the pack at the GNF speaks for itself.

 

You can only go forward at that point.. It's good to get a tow from faster guys

 

Absolutely!! do another guy or gal a favor!

It's not so bad being lapped. And you get a head start on the novice riders :up:

 

What if the rider is on a 250 jetted to be a 600? I think that particular mod still qualifies for yellow plates if I am reading the rulebook correctly.

 

And run it without a rear brake.

 

Oh just race vintage.....we dont discriminate between novice and expertBut good points on running with the expert guys even at the back.Hell I started in V7(still here) and everybody there is expert anyways,besides me

 

Along the same lines of this question/comment, I've started to wonder if the Experts are half as 'snobby' as I used to think they were.

My impression was that if I did a bunch of races in a class with small grids, and then was bumped to expert the following year, the other riders would somehow be irritated that a slow guy was racing in their class. (this would assume that I also switched to a more populous class, like CSS)

In hindsight, some of them might have been thrilled to have another guy on the grid making sure they had enough riders to make the race eligible for contingency, while the novices had triple that many riders...

 

In my experience the 600cc Novice grids have always been bigger, year after year. I don't know what happens after they get the bump.

Expert is the final stage, so it should keep growing and growing as Novices move up. In theory there should literally be hundreds of 600cc Experts, but that isn't the case. They just don't stick around.

I don't know if it is a financial thing or pride thing or what.

 

I'm sure it is a combination of both. As you get faster the more $$ you spend on everything. Some just don't have the means, especially considering the risk and reward. Those 2 things are just so out of balance in this sport.