Hey,
Anyone from Washington that knows a good place to race in Washington state?
Plus any thing super obvious that a regular rider wouldn't know but needs to know in order to race? Thanks fellas!
*edit* I want to do moto gp style racing with twistiesand knee dragging. By the way, I'm like 200 pounds and 5'11, is this a disadvantage? All the gp racers are like jockies... Haha
Jake
If you are riding a gs500 good luck what you really need is something like an sv650 to really be able to compete atleast thats my thought on the subject!
Well yea, but isn't there races class for the sizes of the bikes? Eventually i would have and race something that is much bigger.
I don't know much about them but they've been around for quite awhile. http://www.wmrra.com/
Just looked at some of the rules and it looks like there's a place for your bike. Personally, I think starting small and working up is the way to go. Learn what your doing first and work up. Never race anything that will change your life if you wreck it. Over time and you get better, when you start beating bigger bikes, the victory is much sweeter.......... Besides that, You never have to ask the question,"Does this big GKXYRZS-1000 make my **** look small?"
Have you done any trackdays yet?
Never. I have just been riding for about 3 years, and I have always been interested in racing, freaking TT man... so exhilirating. That would be my goal if I started racing, is to get to the TT and meet Valentino Rossi hahaha... I have ridden big bikes 1000+ but I think that starting on a gs500 would be good like someone said above.
Quote from: wera90ex on February 08, 2013, 04:43:44 PM
I don't know much about them but they've been around for quite awhile. http://www.wmrra.com/
Hey wera, are these just walk on races? Thanks.
I'm sure they're not. For obvious safety reasons you'll have to graduate from a school,meet equipment standards, both personal and machine. You'll also have to have plenty of sessions with control riders at reduced speeds to make sure everyone stays safe.
Another web site you may want to look at is www.wera.com . Click on BBS. They have a new rider forum that has plenty of info.
You might even look for some info from Kieth Code. "A Twist of the Wrist" and "Soft Science of Motorcycle Roadracing". Being on the west coast,he might even do a school up there.
Damn that sucks. Safety first for everything.... Haha. Well i need to practice first on mountain roads anyway. Practicing turns and possibly knee dragging or close to it. I need good gear first though.
Well, motorcycle roadracing is a pretty dangerous sport in itself. I fully understand your fervor, but it's not just you out there. Not only that , but if the sanctioning body ran they're program like that they wouldn't be around very long.
So Jake, take some advice. Find out what WMRRA's schedule is and go watch. Talk to some of the people there and tell them what your intentions are. Most likely they will direct you to who you need to see to get you started right, and safely. :thumb:
Yea i definitely will do everything by regulations lol, thanks for the advice everyone. More us always appreciated.
Trackdays are the first step. You do not want to be the guy out in race practice running 20 seconds below pace.
WMRRA is the race org to take a look at up north. First step is to review the rule book to see if there's a class the GS500 can be competitive in. Even if it's not going to be competitive, you can learn a lot from running it... But looking at the chart will help you decide how much effort you want to put into a GS500 program.
E.g. If you're going to run against SV650s, do the tires, suspension and ergos, but avoid dumping $5K into the engine, and instead save your money for a SV. If you'll be up against EX500s, it might make sense to do a full build.
WMRRA runs in the rain. I'd suggest a Katana wheel swap at the rear so you can run 160 profile rear tires.
After you've done a few trackdays, start a new thread. We can provide a huge amount of info for successfully racing the GS.
And for the love of god, keep an eye on your oil level.
If you haven't done a trackday yet, put your racing dreams on the back burner for just 1 minute. Get yourself some good gear, be sure your bike meets safety criteria, then go find some buddies and go do a handful of trackdays. see the link below for some local organizers.
http://www.r6-forum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=20633
Good luck and have fun!
Haha burning I will definitely keep an eye on my oil. And catch I shall put my dreams on the back burner for one minute :cry:
So I am going to need some kind of motorcycle safety course, or will they just check the bike over and make sure it meets safety criteria?
Around here you need to attend a 'race school' that covers track preparation and rules of racing ~ flags, course marshals, etc. usually put on by the local area motorcycle racing club. Once you have your 'race license' you are good to go in the Novice class, which up here means you can race whatever you want, until you graduate to an Intermediate level where there are more specific classes of bikes.
I have volunteered for a couple of years with the local club in our area, and have seen a lot of people racing that found it was more than they could chew. I would definitely advise against trying to 'practice your cornering' on the open road ~ it's a good way to lose control and hit something hard. I would look for a track day with instruction, or a performance riding school. Some of the local fast guys here do a track day / riding school that will help you get comfortable on the track and perhaps avoid some otherwise costly and potentially harmful mistakes ~ see if you can find something like that to start :)
Quote from: jacob92icu on February 11, 2013, 06:25:42 PM
Haha burning I will definitely keep an eye on my oil. And catch I shall put my dreams on the back burner for one minute :cry:
Trackdays are the next best thing to racing. You'll be out on the track with the other fast riders, but under less pressure. Good place to learn to pass, and get comfortable with the bike. Once you have a few trackdays under your belt, you'll have a good idea of whether or not you are ready to race.
Don't think about it as putting your dreams on hold... Think about it as the first step towards racing.
Being on the track is a completely different experience than riding. I promise you'll love it!
Safe-t, good advice. I will definitely look into any local motorcycle racing club racing courses. How much do these courses normally cost?
and burning1, I believe I saw some of your u-toob races. Pretty BA if you ask me. Is that the blue gs500 in your picture that your racing on in the videos?
Are you not reading what everyone is posting?
http://www.wmrra.com/ has all the information you need and a dedicated forum to new racers.
You are looking at $400 for a transponder
$300 for class and licence
A lot of time safety wiring and race-prepping your bike
Then, do you have a vehicle that can load the GS or one that can pull a trailer?
Track tires and probably tire warmers
Good 1 piece leathers, good boots gloves and helmet
How much money does it take to do motorcycle road racing?
- All of it.
Holy 2000 dollars later...
Well I dont think I really need a transponder, but definitely all the other stuff. When I looked at the http://www.wmrra.com/ I didnt see any figures as big as your talking about. I think the class plus license was close to 100 dollars and each track day was like 20 bucks or something. The gear is what's really going to kill me. Also an upgrade in suspension and what not. Pheww, but I'm guessing its all worth it according to burning!
Transponder is required to race - it's used for scoring. It's useless without the base station, so you might find yourself wanting a lap-timer or data logger as well.
Racing gets to be expensive. My burn rate was $500 a weekend or so, all told, and I did it on the cheap. Gas to get to/from the track is expensive. Fuel for the bike on track is expensive. Wear and tear, tires, etc. are cheap compared to other bikes, but can hurt you. Registration fees add up.
I did the math, and my season cost around $4000. That cost did include the bike it's self, and all the mods.
Best advise I can offer is to buddy up, pack a lunch, and camp at the track rather than hoteling it. Can save hundreds that way.
What exactly is a trasponder? I was thinking it was some kind of mod for the engine. Maybe I will do this process slowly so I don't burn 2000 dollars in one season just trying to practice on the track haha.
It's a high accuracy timing device. There's a sensor installed on the track - when you pass the sensor, it records your lap time. Accuracy is high enough that they typically standardize the placement of the sensor on the bike.
Around here we do have some "fun, beginner" track days. Those are usually sponsored by some group like Ride West or others. For these you can ride in with your street bike. No requirements for safety wires or all that as long as your bike meets basic safety requirements.
These days are to learn, ride the track, have fun and improve your riding skills. It is not really racing.
That would be step #1. You are getting on a track to see what it is like. From there you can learn what is needed for more advanced track days and work your way up to serious racing.
People do track days with no intent of getting into competitive racing. Track days are for fun, learning and pushing you and your bike to the limits. You can take track days as far as you want. I'm considering that this summer: a beginner track day to improve my skills with no worries about traffic, bicycles, gravel, leaves or pot holes. Talking to East Side Sport Bikers at our off season bowling bash, I got lots of tips on track days. Consider joining some of the local groups like Ride West, East Side Sport Bikers, Around the Sound Riders and others. Great way to learn about track days and do some group riding - from novice to knee dragging.
That's what I was looking for! Right on the money. I knew there was something like that around here. I guess I just had to wait for a fellow Washingtonian to respond to my question. You should definitely inform me of when the times are, or of a way to find out when the times are, and we could go together. So as long as your bike is safe to ride on the road your okay to do these "fun, beginner" track days adidas?
Let me google that for you. :p
It appears that there are three Motorcycle tracks in Washington, a couple in Oregon and a bunch of track day providers serving the area:
http://www.wmrra.com/trackinfo.html
http://2-fast.org/
http://www.nesba.com/
http://www.optimum-performance.org/home/
A good way to find Trackday providers is to look at a track school to see who is attending...
http://www.ridgemotorsportspark.com/events/category/motorcycle-event/upcoming/
I'd suggest finding a local Washington motorcycle forum to ask more specific questions about the track-day providers (TDP). The quality of track events can vary dramatically by who's putting them on.
Generally, I look for:
- Overall professionalism
- Bike setup rules (make sure it's safe, but not overly restrictive)
- Group format (open/groups? Instructional event only? how many groups? How many sessions? How long are the sessions? How fast are the riders)
- Passing rules.
- Other rider's experiences
I found this on the Nesba sight:
"Intro: This free trial group is for the street rider who's unsure about signing up for a full day of riding. The Intro group attends a Beginner classroom session and gets on the track for two 15-20 minute Beginner riding sessions in the morning rotation. There is no bike preparation requirement; however, participants are required to pass technical inspection."
That seems like what I would want to try out one of these days when they come to the pacific raceways in Kent. But reading further into technical inspection it looks like I would have to purchase a membership with them before being able to attend one of there "free trial groups." I guess one of these days this summer I will have to go watch the races and ask the riders some questions if they are frequent Washington racers and see what they do/what clubs they are in.
Just do the trackday. Best $300 you'll spend.
My recommendation is to tuck the bike there. You'll be tired after your first day.
You really seem to be interested in track experience rather than racing. It's a very different experience. I highly recommend trackdays to anyone who is interested in riding. You'll learn a lot and have a blast as well. :)
I wanna race, but to be honest, all the money and everything that is involved... jeez louise. I am sure I would be able to do the racing like you do after I get out of school and get my career going, but for now I'm just a broke college student with dreams :( Hahaha...
I'm thinking of doing these free trial races or whatever because then I would at least get a feel for the track before trying to step it up to an intermediate race. I was watching your videos and wondering if you just take the headlight and taillight off because of the convenience in not having to tape them up?
One other barricade to me wanting to race is my girlfriend. She freaks out cause she thinks I'm going to be like those 1000cc bikes in the gp moto right when I start out. I don't know what to tell her lol...
Quote from: jacob92icu on February 13, 2013, 12:57:47 PM
... wondering if you just take the headlight and taillight off because of the convenience in not having to tape them up?
I guess you haven't looked inside your headlight. That thing is crammed with wires tighter than a 500 pound woman in size 4 spandex.
I can see taping the headlight as most are glass. Can't understand the taillight as it is plastic unless it is the bulbs but if you are all LED then.....? The turn signal have glass lamps in a plastic housing so?
Change your wiring harness to a 2004+ where everything joins under the tank and then the headlight bucket has nothing but a headlight.
Have you ever seen a tail light or turn signal break? Little bits go flying everywhere. If they are taped up they generally keep most of the pieces stuck to the tape. Much easier to clean up quickly so that other don't lose track time.
Yes its true that fairings break too but they tend to have much larger and easier pieces to clean up, they don't shatter.
Edit: I should have also noted another reason for taping mirrors and lights is the tend to cause reflections that can be distracting to other riders. Taping them help cut do unnecessary glare.
To the OP. Try to change your mind set from racing to track time. They are very diffrent things. Racing focuses on winning. Track time focuses on learning to ride well in a safe enviorment. There is NO RACING during track days. Go as fast as you want in the same direction(line) as everyone else. No one on there cell phone, no distracted drivers, no leafs or gravel around the corner, no on coming traffic, no one merging into your lane.
IF you focus on what you true benefit of track time is and talk to your girlfriend about those things I think she might see your much safer riding on the track then the street. But please don't say racing to her.
This is a video from the group i ride with. I hope it better explains what a track day is and how it can benefit you.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=no7hfkqyXWU
Adidas, you wanna give me one of them fancy wiring harnesses?? I need a new one anyways.
And motarch, the thing she is worried about is the fact that i want to race, not practice during the track days, which I'm sure would also freak her out for some odd reason. I want to do track days to get a feel for riding on the race track like every ones been saying, and gradually start actually racing.
Most of us remove the headlights not just for the weight, but for the complexity.
Race fairings are very easy to remove and install. They tend to be ligher than the stock stuff, sturdier, and they tend to tear rather than breaking
Quote from: jacob92icu on February 13, 2013, 03:15:27 PM
Adidas, you wanna give me one of them fancy wiring harnesses?? I need a new one anyways.
Sure - and a million kazoos 'cause I know you ain't not gonna never cross that bridge into West Seattle. Sprize me sumpdaze. Show yer face. Weez ain't gonna bite over here in the West Side. Gets youz firthirs awaze fromz Kent.
THIS THREAD HAS NO CATS!
RACING CATS!
(http://theminorityreport.co/stixblog/files/2013/02/cat-racing.jpg)
Hahaha. I told you I plan on coming over this weekend! But I just looked and its supposed to rain on Saturday :( Would it be alright to come over way before 4 to get shiz done on Sunday!?!?!
Burning, you don't have a fairing on your gs do you? Is that it in your user pic? And also, what is that button your pushing in your videos on the left side clip on?
People do stuff racing they would never do or are not allowed to do on track days that make it a safer environment to ride fast. Track days often don't allow passing, unless you are in an advanced group ~ you don't get to be in the advanced group until you can do a certain lap time or prove you can do a certain lap time safely.
No one should try to pass you on the inside on the brakes and take you out, breaking your collarbone, shoulder, arm, ankle, leg or fingers.
Quote from: SAFE-T on February 13, 2013, 06:09:19 PM
No one should try to pass you on the inside on the brakes and take you out, breaking your collarbone, shoulder, arm, ankle, leg or fingers.
I agree, but why so much breakage? That was quite random :)
That's just the stuff I've seen get broken at the track over the past 7yrs.
Not all at once LOL
But like I said, a lot of people find that racing is more than they can chew.
For sure I understand that. I definitely want to start doing track days and start keeping track of my lap times and try improving and hopefully eventually participate in local races. Is that usually how one climbs up the ranks?? Lol.
Those are my videos. The button on the left isn't connected to anything - I just push it out of habit from my street riding. I actually broke the habit because of the number of people who've asked. :)
Most of the TDP's I've worked with permit passing. Typical rule is 5 foot passing distance. One or two have a no passing in corners policy. Many allow outside passing only for the novice and intermediate riders.
Hmmm thats interesting, like turning the blinker off? Silly habit! :cookoo:
I really like your racing videos, crazy how you can basically keep up with the 600s on the track, and you get so low with your turns. I just wish I had disposable income so I could start doing track days all the time... Well not disposable, but you knows what I mean.
I think its around $260 for a track day at pacific raceways. About $100 more if you also want instruction. There are two companies that run the track days last time I checked.
You don't need safety wire for the pacific raceways track days, just tires at 80+% no leaks of any sort and all the lights and mirrors taped. You could even ride to and from the track if you are up to the challenge.
My dad raced novice at PR for a year. It took all of his spare time and money and was definitely a mixture of stress and adrenaline. The way he talked about it made me want to get a motorcycle. He loved it, but sold the track bike and hung up the leathers after one season. He got his fix after a few races and a mid-season low-side. Like others have said, racing is not for everyone.
However, a track day is for anyone with a bike and a few hundo to spare. At pacific raceways track days, passing on the outside is permitted but the responsibility is on the passer to be safe.
[quote author=jacob92icu link=topic=63064.msg744695#msg744695 date=136078546
One other barricade to me wanting to race is my girlfriend. She freaks out cause she thinks I'm going to be like those 1000cc bikes in the gp moto right when I start out. I don't know what to tell her lol...
[/quote]
Your Girlfriend? You want to do this for her or you? Sac up and dump her and get your license. They always want to compete with the bike whether your wrenchin' on it or racin' it. Get another GF later,that way, when she starts crabin' about the time & money you spend on the bike you can tell her, "Sorry Hon, I came like this".
Look Dude, If you really want to do this you'll find a way. And when you do, you'll know it was all worth it.
Wera, I know what you mean, but I have a tendency of doing things whether or not she agrees with them so she told me yesterday that she knows I will do whatever I want no matter what she says... Soooooo.... :thumb:
Bluesmudge, I have been looking into 2fast, they work with pacific raceways a lot. I saw all of the stuff you were mentioning and I plan on going down there to find out more information. One other thing is I need to fix the side cover leak on my gs. Probably just a new gasket but its making me mad cause its not perfect for track day!
This thread has motivated me to get on with my dream of doing at least one track day someday. I registered over at Sportbike Track Time Forum (www.sttforum.com). Right away, I found that Ninjeff (who lives in my town and used to be a member here) just recently signed up there as well. He plans to track his Ninja 650R this year. Riding the track is on my bucket list, so it will happen for me someday if I can help it.
I was volunteering with a music teacher in Turn 8 last year. He raced a Ducati 998 for a few seasons. Can't remember why he said he got out of it ~ probably some combination of time/money/injury. But he said he really missed it. This is pretty much what I hear from anyone who enjoys riding on the track ~ that the freedom to go as fast as they are capable is the best part.
Most older 'racers' seem to either stick with it for 5-10 yrs, or give it up after 1-2 seasons. Going fast(er) all the time is difficult ~ it's just too easy to get in over your head and get hurt. There is a big drop-off in numbers from Novice to Intermediate, and again from Intermediate to Advanced. A fast novice might still be a back-of-the-pack Intermediate. I've also seen fast guys that just got bored of the facility, but weren't interested in travelling to California or Utah.
Biggest bit of advise I can offer anyone... If you want to go fast, learn to relax.
You are the single biggest destabilizing factor on the bike. Your job is to get it pointed the right direction, and then get out of it's way. You can help the bike a lot by getting out of it's way.
Racing can be a little stressful - the desire to win can wear you out. But track-days were always a relaxation for me. The closest thing I ever had to a perfect Zen like moment was on the track - everything just came together. Mind was at peace, body was relaxed, and I was very much living in the moment.
One of the track-day providers here in Norther California has a special VIP program. For a slight bump in cost, they will let me run in 2 groups instead of one. So, 40 minutes on the track, 20 off. The only way to pull that off is to let go.
I strongly encourage people to run a lap timer. You are a terrible judge of your own speed... One session, you'll think you were flying around the track, and the timer will show you that you are 3 seconds off your pace. Another, you'll feel like you're poking along, and you'll find out you set your best time yet.
Bombsquad! Lets accomplish this dream together! I cant wait to get good enough to where I can compete in races. Once I have a job when I graduate I'll be able to pay for everything and what not, even though it will still be a PITA.
Safe-T, I definitely don't want to be one of those flakes that only do one track day and get scared, or a whole season and get scared and not go again. I don't know if this means anything, but I enjoy riding fast pretty much everywhere I go, though I do it safely, I am always flying by cars (in the other lane) and I like to sometimes push my self. I'm not stupid and will stay in my own limits, but I think that might be a unique characteristic of me that some other riders don't have.
burning1, I was thinking it would be a little bit of a pain, I love to win and I get that it would be exhausting starting out and not winning haha. In all honesty how much are you working on your bike during the race season? And how much money do you spend per season (excluding the purchase of a whole bike) i.e. maintenance, new parts/tires, track fees, and gear upgrades/sustainment? And whatever else I'm forgetting.
First of all, it's important to set personal goals for yourself. Winning may not be realistic - there's a grid full of people who want 1st place. Your goal could be to beat another specific rider, it could be to set a specific lap-time, or it could be to make it through the full season. That's up to you.
I didn't do a lot of work on my bike during the race season, but there were occasionally some emergency tasks that would come up... E.g. brakes are cooked, caliper is siezed, rotor is worn out, suspension needs adjustment, something fell off the bike, etc. Knowing the bike well and being handy will save your ass.
E.g. I had one race weakened where I discovered that my front caliper was completely buggered. I knew, based on the time I had spent looking at fiche that a SV caliper would fit. I was able to bum a replacement from another rider. Alternatively, I also knew that Ninja 250 pads would fit the GS front caliper. Was good when I needed pads.
Typical race weekend cost... Was about $300 in registration fees for 3 events + practice. I paid my pit buddy $100/weekend to cover food and transportation. I probably spent $20-$40 a weekend on fuel for the bike it's self (I got 13MPG or so.) There were a few misc consumables; I went through two sets of tires a season, a set of brake pads every few weekends. Brake fluid was changed regularly, fork oil changed twice a season regularly. Burned about a quart of oil per weekend, and changed the oil fairly regularly.
My wife and I also did a lot of trackdays together. We got to the point that we could usually get 2 full days at the track for less than $800 between us, including fuel, transportation, and food. Key was to pack a lunch, and camp at the track. Our expenses were basically fuel, service, and track time.
So, your pit buddy, is he just a good friend of yours that is better/quicker at mechanics then you? Or did you have to hire him or something? and do you have to pay a ticket for him too? And are you required to have a pit buddy? Hmm, I would only be doing track days alone, so probably about 400 dollars for two days for me I'm guessing.
Quote from: SAFE-T on February 14, 2013, 11:40:11 AM
Most older 'racers' seem to either stick with it for 5-10 yrs, or give it up after 1-2 seasons.
36th consecutive season here.
Quote from: jacob92icu on February 14, 2013, 07:04:07 PM
So, your pit buddy, is he just a good friend of yours that is better/quicker at mechanics then you? Or did you have to hire him or something? and do you have to pay a ticket for him too? And are you required to have a pit buddy? Hmm, I would only be doing track days alone, so probably about 400 dollars for two days for me I'm guessing.
Pit buddy was another racer. He'd pick me up on the way to the track, and we'd split costs. When I go to the track with my wife, we usually don't take a passenger. But if either of us go alone, we offer to haul along anyone who needs a ride. It works out well for everyone involved - money saved on fuel, etc. and trackdays for someone who might not otherwise have an opportunity.
Quote from: wera90ex on February 15, 2013, 06:43:46 AM
36th consecutive season here.
You rock, my friend. :)
^^ salty veteran here! haha
Sop could i use my friend who is a pretty good mechanic for pit crew? Like it doesn't matter who you use?
36 yrs is mighty impressive :)
I know several local riders that like to ride fast on the street. All of them have raced on a closed circuit at some point. One was very good at it, and eventually 'downsized' to a super-motard from a ZX10R on the street, while moving up from a Triumph 695 to a ZX10R on the track. This same person totally annihalated the first bike they brought to the track in their first season ~ an RC51 ~ went off corner 2 so fast it bounced over the hay bales and landed on a public road.
One of them has done a couple of track days, but then he moved to an area that has some great roads and no local tracks and had a kid ~ he works away from home (like South Africa away) as a welder so I guess the last thing his family wants when he is home of for him to go to another part of the country.
The others tried racing and just didn't like some part of it ~ one moved from racing sportbikes to racing super motard; one liked spending money modifying bikes more than spending money racing, one got bored; etc...
Being fast on the street didn't necessarily mean fast on the track either:
* Two fast street guys were also fast on the track. One became the local 'champion' club racer; the other got bored
* One 'slower' street guy went faster on the track
* One fast street guy went slower on the track. He now has a very trick KTM RC8 for the street.
* One of the fastest street guys was dead last every race on the track. He now has a Ducati 1198R for the street.
I wouldn't say any of them were 'flakes' ~ they just did or didn't get on with it and/or had other things they placed a higher priority on or that interested them more.
hmmm, good information safe-t! I guess I'll just have to spend the 250 or so bucks and find out for myself! Thanks for the information everybody! Anymore info/suggestions are always appreciated! :thumb:
Quote from: bombsquad83 on February 14, 2013, 11:03:45 AM
This thread has motivated me to get on with my dream of doing at least one track day someday. I registered over at Sportbike Track Time Forum (www.sttforum.com). Right away, I found that Ninjeff (who lives in my town and used to be a member here) just recently signed up there as well. He plans to track his Ninja 650R this year. Riding the track is on my bucket list, so it will happen for me someday if I can help it.
Lets get it together man! I'm still around here every once and awhile.
Definitely man. I saw that you are signing up for ACC in May. We can definitely get together and do a few rides before that. I've been talking to my wife about my funding for track days. Still up in the air when it will happen. We'll see what happens. I have been trying to get my body and mind in shape though. Exercising and studying. I truly can't wait until spring.