I was thinking about buying a Buell so I can get into road racing. Valentino Rossi is my hero LOL

Anyone have any tips? What do I do? How can I get involved?

If you are think this as a hobby, the local track should have a list of clubs that run there.
Get the rule book for the sportsmen's type and see what it will cost you to run.
My boss used to run cart races, it was like 300 a race + fuel and tires a such.

It finally got to much for him and he sold his cart and got something less expensive, a Harley FLHT.

Nathan, I have had the privilege to meet you at your house and your lovely bride, and I tell you as a friend, this is a bad Idea.
It is far to easy to get hurt and hurt real bad racing motorcycle.
If you get hurt, how can you do your job's?


Stick with just cruising your bike around town and running the fine roads of the northwest.

There may be some AMA racing chapter near you. They will certify you and your bike. Then you start working your way up the classes. That's how it used to work anyway.

Maybe a few race schools and track days?

Start by hanging out at the local track days and getting info on road racing school and track times, without proper certification and bike setup it's hard to even get started to even make a lap on a race coarse, most likely you have to be AMA member just to start, and let's hope you have sponsorship or alot of $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ ching in your pocket.:banana :banadanc cause racing is verrrrrrrrrrrrrry expensive.

I've raced AMA moto-x for 12 yrs and these days it cost like 10K(or more at the Pro level) just to get a bike race ready, between the bike cost, suspension mods, motor mods, tire cost, riding gear. Not including transportation, race gas, and sign up fee's, and the countless hours spent on the road going to and from the races.

I don't know if there is a motorcycle equivalent, but one (relatively) inexpensive way to get into racing is "claimer" racing. This is where any vehicle being raced can be "claimed" by another driver for a fixed amount of money. This tends to keep $$ cost down and improves one's tuning skills. Good Luck!!
DC

I intend to start "bracket racing" next year, if funds will allow...

Eventually, I hope to get a sponsorship from my employer (Wyoming County HD), but I have to prove myself first, to even have a SHOT at THAT....

I intend to start "bracket racing" next year, if funds will allow...

Eventually, I hope to get a sponsorship from my employer (Wyoming County HD), but I have to prove myself first, to even have a SHOT at THAT....

Cantolina : How about keeping us posted, I am thinking the same thing. I have several dragstrips near me, Farmington, Rockingham, N.wilksboro has a thurs. night race where they race everthing from a Ugo to a motorhome in the brackets ! May be an affordable way to race ! Thou the bracket racing is all about being consistant rather than fast. It would still be a blast I Think !!!

MATT

I'm somewhat lucky in the "sponsor" arena in that one of my associates has a daughter who races moto-cross and is sponsored by Honda. Obviously different bikes and things, but he said he can get me a lot of things for free and other things for very cheap. He doesn't know much about road racing (hence why I wasn't able to just ask him) but he's got race bikes for other friends so he knows he'd be able to hook me up. Which is nice :) Because I don't have a lot of money to put into this, which may be my downfall, but if I can give it a go... man, what a thrill!

Join the club at the race track nearest you. They will have all the info and help you will need to get started. Buy the best safety gear, it is most important to be safe. You will get the best bang for your buck by making the bike handle and stop well and leave the motor as reliable as possible. Go to schools and track days. Experience is one of the best ways to stay safe and have fun. You are most likely to get hurt when you get in over your head. Go for it, if you have the itch its the only way you can scratch it.

Ya know how to make a small fortune racing?








Start with a BIG one.

Ya know how to make a small fortune racing?








Start with a BIG one.


LOL!!!! :smoke

Start with track days. If you decide you like it then pursue racing. track days require a lot less bike prep. racing is VERY expensive! You will use up a set of tires a weekend minimum at around $250 a set.

Can someone give me more info on how classes are determined? For example, what class would the Kawasaki ZX14 be in, with it's 1352cc engine? Compared to the Ninja 6R at 599? I hear a lot about "600 class" but don't know what that means--how fast on average are 600 class bikes, compared to open and unrestricted rides like the 14 and the Buell XBRR?

lil' bump :-)

lil' bump :-)

I know nothing about racing, but I'm interested at some point in giving it a go... Although I don't know how much my 220 lb frame will help with that ;)

My guess is it's probably better to hit up a sport bike forum with questions like this.

Can someone give me more info on how classes are determined? For example, what class would the Kawasaki ZX14 be in, with it's 1352cc engine? Compared to the Ninja 6R at 599? I hear a lot about "600 class" but don't know what that means--how fast on average are 600 class bikes, compared to open and unrestricted rides like the 14 and the Buell XBRR?

Depending on what class, say like 600 supersport, bikes are limited to cc size and certain mods to make it fair for all. You don't want a open class or what they call "super bikes", anything over 1000 cc competing againest a 600 cc bike, just a dis advantage to to the smaller bikes thats why AMA breaks it down into certain classes.

For instance i've raced Moto-x for years and the 80cc bikes don't race with 250 or 450 cc's bikes, they all race againest each other in the same class to make it fair. Plus as an amatuer racer they have different classes from begginer all the way up to pro, but like anything you have to earn a certain amount of points or championships to move on to the next class.

MP,

Here's the skinny on going roadracing. Track days are the cheapest route! Find a major road circuit in your area and they've probably got track days for bikes. Check with the knee dragger sport bike types in your area. They can tell you when and where the local track days are. When I started roadracing, the dinosaurs still walked the earth, and you didn't have track days or race schools. You just jumped in the deep end of the pool, and tried not to sink to the bottom!

All the sanctioning bodies run schools, plus the pro schools like Spencer's. Get your self a copy of Keith Code's "Soft Science of Roadracing." Read it front to back several times. Roadracing is 90% mental. You have to be nuts to do it! It's a thinking man's sport played in the blink of an eye. CCS, WERA, and AHRMA all run modern bike races. AHRMA and WERA also run vintage races. All have websites with rules, schedules, locations,school info, etc listed. There are several smaller regional groups in the west and northeast&Canada. You'll have to complete an approved school to get your novice license.

If you can afford it, pro schools like Spencer's or Code's are well worth the money. More individual instruction on riding technique. After you do your research, and still have questions, drop me a PM. I still have friends who are active racers and hope to join them again soon.

"I was fast once, and I have the scars and limp to prove it!"

DLM32
National #32
250GP Roadracing
Way Back When

Awesome! Thanks for all the info. How fast do certain classes get up to? I'm trying to find a happy-medium with the wife. I want to go fast, she doesn't want me to go TOO fast when racing, so I'm trying to find a compromise :)

I attended the AHRMA event at Barber last weekend and had a great time. The museum at Barber Motorsports Park alone, is worth the trip.

The vintage racing is apealing to me. They have classes where you could run an old 350 Honda, or even a 160 if a person wanted to go a little slower at first. A 350 seems ideal to start on for me. I would like to learn to ride/race with out going too fast and the move up if the desire is there. Best of all a 350 could be had for a few hundred dollars.

Check out the AHRMA website. They have events all over the US.