General Questions

[Bozzie]

Just some questions i would like answering mainly for future refrence for myself.

I'm intrested in starting racing when i finish my apprenticeship, when I can afford it. Just i dont have the foggiest about it. Gonna be keeping my eyes out for a ZXR on ebay next year. Probably wouldn't be till the '09 season. But ya never know, depends how much me bank charges end up being(at least £500, Thieves in suits!)

1. Heard you need a race liscence? True? and how would i go about getting one?

2. Probably a simple one, but no age restriction(am 19, would probably be 20)?

3. Do you need previous track experince, and is it worth getting some track experience?

4. I have a Er6-F currently i would like to take Donno, but is there any other good midland circuits to learn on?

5. Whats a seasons running costs like?

Know theres some good guys on here, any advice would be greatly apprecieted.

Thanks in advance.

[masterofinsanity]

what about mallory park mate??

[lindaloo]

http://www.doctordanger.com/motorbikero ... tart3.html

This might be useful to look at....was thinking of going into sidecar racing myself, would be 2009 also, was thinking of similar questions to ya self

[deviant]

can't help with (m)any of your questions, but if you want to do some trackdays next year and ensure there's someone slower than you there give me a shout. Meant to do a couple this year but with one thing and another (mainly one thing actually, the wedding) I never got round to it.

Donny's close but expensive (but I still want to do it). Mallory's usually pretty cheap and it looks like it should be easy enough to learn your way around. There's also Cadwell and Darley Moor around this bit of the country.

[RedexRobB]

Thinking of some track days next year myself, got Brands just up the road from me and Lydenn Hill a bit further which is supposed to be a good track for 400's.

[jake]

If yous are gonna hook up for a trackday, im into it.
A bit further north would be good tho, but i dont mind travelin'.
My choice would be , in order..Oulton, anglesey, mallory, donington, cadwell...then anywhere.

Bozzie, do it dude. Yr not to far from me, so if you wanna maybee do a few rounds at oulton/aintree/anglesey next year see if ya like it(u will), ill gladley help out any way i can(spares,awning,heaters,lots of tea/beer). Ive only done a few races this year(novice me) but ive been hanging around for awhile.

1.Licence easy.I presume u have a road licence and no health probs? First off,get down to boots opticians and get ya eyes tested,and get certificate thingy.then, book ya self onto a acu course( a classroom chat, some dinner then a mulitple choice small quiz...they make sure u cant fail!)50 quid),get ya certificate from that, fill out ya race licence form with passport photo 45 quidish, Send form to choosen club( u have to be in a club)normally 10 to 30 quid dependin on club, plus 6 quid for yr orange novice bib. They send all info to acu, you get ya licence a week later.

2. No, yr sorted at that age...i wish i started then..U will have to wear yr orange bib for a while tho.if you finish yr race, u get the race secretary to sign yr card(given to u from yr club). You have to repeat this 10 times racing at 3 differnt venues. then you can take that orange bib off, and you are now a clubman racer..then ya have to satisfy other requirements for ya national licence-manx...etc..

3. I would if i was you. Just for a bit of confidence..You cant compare the two tho, u will be shocked at race pace!! i thought i was a bit handy on my trackdays...and im 8 secs a lap off the front runners last race!
But dont let that put you off, there is bikes and abilitys of all sorts, so there is always someone to race against, and u soon start goin faster following fast riders...Like the above posts, if u wanna hook up early in the year for some tracks im into it.

4. take anything on the trackday dude, the more tracktime the better i say. But get on ya zxr as soon as and start getting used to it. Make sure you buy a racebike, not a road bike.And aim for nice suspension..standard engine...race pipe and rearsets..and get out there..

5. Does'nt have to be a fortune like a lot of people will tell you.If you wanna win...thats a different matter!, but for us novices, its all about just finishing the race and getting some experience.
So you got ya bike. est..1500(gets u a nice standard engine..sorted chassis, a few spares etc..)
can you get hold of a van/trailer? saves a bit if u can, and sleep in the van, or caravan if you got one.
race entry is between 70 and 180 ish for a meeting. you can make 2 rears and i front scpros last a season on a standard engine i reckon...depends how u ride i guess.so theres 300 on tyres.Transponder you will be needing too..240...Tyre warmers..150.. Then bits and bobs like stands, oil/filters/etc..250.
then theres carsh damage if needed and fuel/living costs..
hope this helps, ive probs missed bits out!
jake

[Bozzie]

Really considering it. AS i said it probably woldnt be untill '09 season.

I do have to wear glasses but could get contacts, i assume this isnt a problem in this day and age.

You think its better to buy a race ready/previous maybe some work bike?

All this advice is great, and yeh i may look into organising a track day next year for us midlanders if enough are intrested. Could even make it a club meet? see if could get discoutn for a group?

[zimm]

everything Jake has said rings true, i dont race myself, but have been hanging around a bit and done a couple of trackdays.. seriously (as Jake knows) trying to get my toad together to start racing next year..

kinda torn between a zxr and a stroker of some description though ..

you raced at mallory Jake ? great fun on a 400.. lack of run-off would scare me on something faster though.. if you've been there what laptimes you putting in ?

oh, i'd be more than up for zxrworld-trackday

[RedexRobB]

Id be up for it too! Cant be fecked worrying about long distances anymore.

Thinking of doing something similar for the southeastern ZXR owners, maybe doing something at Brands Hatch or Lydden Hill.

[Bozzie]

Well had a good look about tonight at bits and bobs. Looking like its true wht they say, costs alot to get started. Checked out teh eye sight thing, glasses dont matter as expected.

So £100 to get race liscence eye test etc.
£1500-£2000 for a equipped track bike
£500-1500 for transport + maybe a old caravan(dont mind tents tbh but if i enjoyed it and got more serious)
Then £100 average per race.

Looking costly but when i finish my apprenticeship shouldn't be too much of a problem if i get on 4 shifts(silly money for bugger all work)

Any hints on places to get hold of this stuff would be great or anythign ive missed or over estimated.

[jake]

deffo go for a prepped bike dude, its well cheaper than sorting a road bike.....having said that some clubs run streetstock 400 classes..probs worth checkin out aswell.

a Van is pretty essential id say...im lucky cos i have one for work. cos u can sleep in the back if yr brave in english weather!
Just keep ya eyes open for a caravan, i got mine for nowt. sometimes people just want rid of them cos they got knowhere to put em...and it probably the best bit of kit ive got!! its all about somewhere warm and dry to put the kettle on and have a game of cards when yr bike wont go!!

It does cost man, but like i said, ill help anyone(aslong as it a 400 )u can put ya bike in my awning, its big enuf, use the tools, generator,parts if ya need.......if ya beat me on the track tho, ill kick u out the awning! And to be honest all the 400 boys will help with anything they can, there a good lot.
Gota keep the 400 class alive and thriving like it deserves.

Zimm, aint been to mallory yet, but they do acu testdays there every wednsday, bout 45 or 50 quid i think. So im goin in feb probs and get stuck in. Tbh my times are no good at them moment, consistantcy be my problem,but im getting better.

[Bozzie]

Thanks for all this jake really thanks. All this information is great, and really gonna keep my eye out. Stash some money away when i can, should stop going on holidays. Two planned next year already. Also best start me car lesson

[deviant]

on the van front, a guy at my work races an RVF in bemsee 400s, he decided this year to sell his toad-heap van and just hire one for each race weekend. Worked out a lot cheaper for him than tax/mot/insurance/repair costs on something you only use in anger ten times a year, plus he got to use a shiny new van each time.

[Bozzie]

Well im thinking if i got a escort van/astra van i can use it for day to day. Don't even have a car yet. And i could split van with me dad he could use it for fishing etc.

[deviant]

Well im thinking if i got a escort van/astra van i can use it for day to day. Don't even have a car yet. And i could split van with me dad he could use it for fishing etc.

then you'd still need a trailer, at which point you may as well just buy an estate car that will tow well and where the back seats will fold down - then you've got a car you can fit your mates in as well.

Personally, in your situation (not having a car to start with), I'd probably still buy a van - something like a VW T4 transporter that's big enough for the bike but small enough that you can fit it into car parks - and just use it as a car as well (you can get them with rear seats that just slide straight out the back). But then I know I could afford the running costs and I have a lot of other "bulky" hobbies that I can use to justify it.

I just wanted to make sure that you had considered hiring as potentially cheaper than buying a van *just* for racing.