AMA/MOTOAMERICA Entry Level Class, KTM Cup

I would love to. But the travel from Canada to watch a race is a bit much for me. Maybe it was the exception, but both days had tons of downtime. I guess I am just used to dirt track racing (Midgets and Sprintcars, not Flattrack) where one race is rolling off another is rolling on.

 

And where else can you get tasty gator sausage and drive-thru daiquiri stands?

 

Oh, the super secret guy at KTM told you. You should have said so in the first place

 

A 14 year old kid on a scooter racing for $500 by definition is hardly a "PRO" racer.

 

Best part of New Orleans

 

FYI: BSB KTM Cup bike is £6,425 (+ VAT) (Brit pounds not euros) - $9647.59
Not sure why US and England is more. Maybe Austria is still butt hurt about WWII. And VAT is like 20% in the UK I think.

 

I'm confused.

When this class was first announced the overwhelming reaction from race dads on this BBS was one of unbridled enthusiasm bordering on delirious visions of glory for their racing offspring.
Then the announcement that the bike would be a KTM 390 and again the news was met by the race dad crowd with over the top optimism including at least one RD declaring he was putting in an order for not one, but two 390s so his kid would have one to practice with and one to race.

Everyone seemed ready to do and spend whatever was necessary to compete in the new "pro kids' class" as impressing there virtually guaranteed a multi-year multi-million dollar contract with the professional team of their choosing.

Oh what a difference a coupe months makes.

Now all of a sudden $10K is simply too much of an investment for a race ready spec bike? Too expensive for the vehicle that will carry your progeny to the moto greatness and glory that is so obviously theirs for the taking?

I say again, "I'm confused".
Absolutely nothing about this "kids pro spec class for upcoming future American motorcycle racing stars" class has changed from when it was first announced. So how did it go from being the answer to every US race dad's prayers to an overpriced bad idea?

Maybe what's actually been hurting young US racers' prospects on the world stage are the unrealistic and wavering delusions of US race dads or the idea that winning a race or a championship entitles them to a red carpet ride?

 

Many nails you have just hit on the head man:up: The grid will fill up for sure if people are serious. 12 months at $28-00 per day pays for the bike So it is actually bloody cheap to have such an awsome even class to get youth out there with a view to the big game. Travel cost and time away etc will be the killer though in my mind.

 

I think what hurt it and changed many of their minds was the amount of time to come out with everything. I am speculating. But I thought the exact same thing. Either that or it's the price. Maybe they were under the impression that the bike, given the $5500 starting price, minus the lights and what not would be like $7500. And they would have 2500 for travel?

 

Yep I was one of those race Dads but never delusional. I at one point announced on this thread that we would go for it. I see the benefits and risk and potential glory. I have a red carpet. I vacuumed it and saw a bit more reality. Travel costs are the biggest hurdle. We have a crew of a few families to share costs. We exceed the minimum licensing requirements,we have the drive and right mindset. I have the deposit money in my pocket and a potential sponsoring KTM dealer. I however would have to sell both GP bikes to pay for one RC390. Or finance the balance... That is not acceptable.
I was talking with a British Motostar team owner friend about his knowledge of the same series coming up in the UK. It was stated that KTM is understandably picky about the appearance of the bike. If it is crashed and you need to buy fairing you will be required to buy an OEM part at 1000.00. Looking at pictures are those bar ends available separate or are they part of to top clamp assembly? That would be pricey. There are simply more questions to be answered. A crash parts price list, etc.
Now we have the announcement and a very small time window to order the bike. This creates a sense of urgency I am not willing to get worked up over. The kid will be 14 in February. I still know that his two GP chassis machines can teach him more. Best of everything to all of you race Dads who go for it. If we come this year or next year it will simply have to make professional and financial sense. Like I said my first priority is not to go broke. Sure I will take risks and have with successful results. Just not feeling it here.

 

Very well said. I think if you would ask some of the current race mommies and daddy's that have been paying for SS an DSB they would agree the 10G for lil one to parade around in pro paddock is cheap.
Krave did a good thing. They set price affordable to the quality of moms dads they are recruiting for next wave of big spending race moms an dads.

 

Please elaborate on "quality of Moms and Dads" are you really equating character with financial ranking? My apologies if I read your statement incorrectly. If I have not I think I'm going to puke.

 

People that will spend money wildly with out bitching.

 

And that's a wise and responsible financial decision you've made. There's nothing wrong with it.

Have you watched the Red Bull Rookie Cup races? I find the logistics and overall show impressive - and that's certainly not cheap.

Also - have you watched the Supercross Behind the Dream episodes by chance? There are five of them and they are excellent. I would recommend those to any parent looking to get their kid(s) into motorsports. They are all on YouTube, last I checked.

 

Speaking for myself, during the delay between announcing the class and releasing the details, we made other plans. The price of the bike in relation to the number and location of rounds was the final nail for us. I probably simply lack the single minded commitment possessed by some of the other race dads. My kid and I will continue to do things together, which is the reason we went racing in the first place. We'll likely grid up on the KTM the following season, when we know enough to come up with a workable plan. Again, I hope the series is a great success. We will be cheering the kids on.

 

Great post Tortuga. I was thinking the same thing as I followed this thread. I was shocked to see the sudden turn in support among the Dads that had kids potentially involved in this class. In the grand scheme of things, its interesting that 2-3k is enough to cause people to completely change their minds on the series. To each their own tho! The only caveat I see for the Dads that is unquestionably relevant is the crash cost element of this. Crashing is inevitable, and not having an understanding of crash costs would make me awful nervous as well.

 

:up:

 

So can these bikes be painted? Like sponsor colors? What about the kids leathers can they be sponsor colors.

It would be kind of tough to pick up a sponsor if the sponsor can not even be put on the bike or leathers.

For the record if I was young and had the funds I would play.


And why in the world is it so tough to get more info on the bike? They don't even have the 390 on the web site in the USA, I'd love to look at a parts diagram so I can look at the price of spares. I might end up buying one for a trackday bike cause I am to fat and old to race in the series.

 

Racers race. Sometimes it's inconvenient, and it's always expensive. Racers race anyway.

 

Sometimes, they even make plans to do so in advance.