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Just need some help clearing this up

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Kibou
L Plate Warrior



Joined: 16 Sep 2013
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PostPosted: 00:09 - 25 Sep 2013    Post subject: Just need some help clearing this up Reply with quote

Okay so basically I'm just wondering if it's possible for me to start doing track days.
I'm 17, and on a cbt. I must wait 2 years before even being able to get a restricted licence.
My plan is to acquire a track bike (either an old 400, or an old 600), get an ACU licence, and then have fun, but how possible is this?

From what I've been reading up on, you need to be in a club to get an ACU licence (alongside the tests), but I don't really want to start racing, or maybe atleast not for a long time anyway. All I want to do is to start regularly doing track days, I know how to ride a bike, I understand mostly about (basic) track riding (I've spent the last year or 2 just reading up on it), and I'm hoping what I don't know I'll hopefully be taught. I know I'm not going to be the next Valentino Rossi or Guy Martin, I just think the whole idea of riding a motorcycle on a track is incredible and I'd love to start doing it.

I'm sorry if you're sick of these questions, and I'm sorry if I come across as a 17 year old who wants to be the next GP racer, I just feel as though you guys seem to be quite knowledgeable, thanks.
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G
The Voice of Reason



Joined: 02 Feb 2002
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PostPosted: 01:07 - 25 Sep 2013    Post subject: Re: Just need some help clearing this up Reply with quote

You'll be limited to the days you can attend and where you can attend them.
You may be forced in to ACU groups with very fast riders.

I'd start on minimoto or pitbike supermoto - these actually share a lot of the same skills and fun with the bigger bikes while being a lot more 'accessible', as well as cheaper.
They are also an ideal start to learning to ride full sized bikes very well.
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garth
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PostPosted: 09:11 - 25 Sep 2013    Post subject: Re: Just need some help clearing this up Reply with quote

G wrote:


I'd start on minimoto or pitbike supermoto - these actually share a lot of the same skills and fun with the bigger bikes while being a lot more 'accessible', as well as cheaper.
They are also an ideal start to learning to ride full sized bikes very well.


Then you realise you're two seconds off the pace on something a child could ride. Laughing
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G
The Voice of Reason



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PostPosted: 09:49 - 25 Sep 2013    Post subject: Re: Just need some help clearing this up Reply with quote

Better than finding a child lapping 2 seconds quicker than you on a kids bike when you're on a big-boys bike Razz.
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Kibou
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PostPosted: 23:20 - 25 Sep 2013    Post subject: Reply with quote

I thought some track day organisers allow people to enter with either a full licence or an ACU licence? They wouldn't make me go into the fast group, would they?

I'm all for alternatives, i'll start looking into minimotos now, any ideas on what costs I'd be look at and what I'd have to do? Thanks again Razz
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G
The Voice of Reason



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PostPosted: 23:25 - 25 Sep 2013    Post subject: Reply with quote

I've seen cases where they've had a separate ACU group - to keep the nasty racers separate from the normal trackday goers.
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chris-red
Have you considered a TDM?



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PostPosted: 13:03 - 26 Sep 2013    Post subject: Reply with quote

Maybe a personal question but, do you have the cash to do this?

At 17 I could barely afford to run my RXS100 let alone a track bike.

Tyres, entrance fee's servicing etc. Not to mention the costs when you bin it.
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Roo
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PostPosted: 10:51 - 27 Sep 2013    Post subject: Reply with quote

You can book a no limits day at any none msv circuit, no licence requirements, as long as you can ride safely.
Eta I spend less doing trackdays than I did racing minimoto. Wink
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Red Devil
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PostPosted: 13:34 - 30 Sep 2013    Post subject: Re: Just need some help clearing this up Reply with quote

G wrote:
You'll be limited to the days you can attend and where you can attend them.
You may be forced in to ACU groups with very fast riders.


G I've seen you post this a few times and this isn't the case mate. Not sure when you last tried to do a track day on an ACU licence?

You can do a track day on either a full road licence or an ACU licence and it has no effect on what group you can go in (this is definitely the case for no limits track days - only ones I use anyway due to the level of service you receive).

OP - Get your ACU licence sorted and get yourself on track, you'll love it. Might be worth waiting until next year now as the fee is yearly and a set rate no matter when you pay so you will be paying £40 odd for a few months now. Get yourself an application form from the ACU site and have a read through the requirements, you will need to have an eye test and take the form for them to sign it. Start off in the novice group and build your pace up slowly. Grab an instructor (it's free) as often as you can to help you progress.
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G
The Voice of Reason



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PostPosted: 13:48 - 30 Sep 2013    Post subject: Re: Just need some help clearing this up Reply with quote

Red Devil wrote:

G I've seen you post this a few times and this isn't the case mate.

You will note I've made sure I use the word 'may' since you mentioned.
If you're basing it on nolimits; at least once they didn't check my licence at all.

Think it was an MSV day where I can specifically remember them having a separate ACU group and it being clearly stated that it was ACU only. As I had both when I doing lots of trackdays, it was something I paid that much attention to.
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Red Devil
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PostPosted: 13:55 - 30 Sep 2013    Post subject: Re: Just need some help clearing this up Reply with quote

G wrote:
Red Devil wrote:

G I've seen you post this a few times and this isn't the case mate.

You will note I've made sure I use the word 'may' since you mentioned.
If you're basing it on nolimits; at least once they didn't check my licence at all.

Think it was an MSV day where I can specifically remember them having a separate ACU group and it being clearly stated that it was ACU only. As I had both when I doing lots of trackdays, it was something I paid that much attention to.


Yeah fair enough!

I don't think having an ACU licence will force you into an ACU specific group, you just need one to ride in it.
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Ste
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PostPosted: 14:05 - 30 Sep 2013    Post subject: Reply with quote

There's a quite a bit on Google about using an ACU license at trackdays.

Letting ACU license holders out with the novice group sounds like a really bad idea! Laughing A n00b track rider also probably wouldn't get on very well at the ACU license test day.
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Red Devil
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PostPosted: 14:23 - 30 Sep 2013    Post subject: Reply with quote

Ste wrote:
There's a quite a bit on Google about using an ACU license at trackdays.

Letting ACU license holders out with the novice group sounds like a really bad idea! Laughing A n00b track rider also probably wouldn't get on very well at the ACU license test day.


Just because you hold an acu licence doesn't mean you are fast...
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garth
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PostPosted: 14:52 - 30 Sep 2013    Post subject: Reply with quote

Red Devil wrote:
Ste wrote:
There's a quite a bit on Google about using an ACU license at trackdays.

Letting ACU license holders out with the novice group sounds like a really bad idea! Laughing A n00b track rider also probably wouldn't get on very well at the ACU license test day.


Just because you hold an acu licence doesn't mean you are fast...


This is true, even I had one!
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stinkwheel
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PostPosted: 15:25 - 30 Sep 2013    Post subject: Reply with quote

If you want to do a lot of track days, you're probably better off joining a club and doing some racing anyway. You get a lot of track time.

They can usually find you some class to race in. I've seen club racers who, while very enthusiastic, are rubbish riders. They go along and enjoy themselves.

A load of my mates have started racing in post modern classics. All experienced road riders but only a couple of them have raced before. They're having a hoot razzing knackered old litre+, late 80's musclebikes with bendy frames and poor brakes round the track all weekend. Usually 3 or 4, 10 lap races in a weekend plus qualifying plus practice.
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garth
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PostPosted: 15:35 - 30 Sep 2013    Post subject: Reply with quote

stinkwheel wrote:
If you want to do a lot of track days, you're probably better off joining a club and doing some racing anyway. You get a lot of track time.



Wrong, much more track time per £ on track days compared to racing.
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G
The Voice of Reason



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PostPosted: 16:16 - 30 Sep 2013    Post subject: Reply with quote

stinkwheel wrote:
If you want to do a lot of track days, you're probably better off joining a club and doing some racing anyway. You get a lot of track time.

As above - complete opposite.
Racing is generally much worse on pounds per minute than trackdays.

I'd only look to it if starting to run out of people to 'play' with on normal trackdays.

As opposed to 4 10 lap races over a weekend, you can expect to get 6 to 7 15 lap sessions on one day on a trackday.
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Kibou
L Plate Warrior



Joined: 16 Sep 2013
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PostPosted: 22:27 - 02 Oct 2013    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks for all the responses guys, I really appreciate it.

My main worry is if I were to be forced into a higher group than my experience just because [if] I had an ACU licence, despite having little to none. I think I'll take your advice and wait until next year, and I was thinking about doing the ACU course where you sorta do your test type thing at the circuit? I can provide a link, any opinions on this?

I've already done quite a bit of reading up on racing, and despite that I'd really love to, I don't think it'd be a good idea until I'd done maybe atleast 10 or so track days maybe.

I've got enough planned out to be able to afford the track days, and I really would love to do them but I don't wanna wait until I've got a full licence because, especially more now than ever due to the new laws, it'll takes ages, so I'm really grateful for all the knowledge you guys have offered me Smile
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