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| Ben. |
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 Ben. World Chat Champion

Joined: 10 Jul 2007 Karma :  
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 Posted: 21:42 - 22 Apr 2010 Post subject: how to get competitive |
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Done my first track day and loved it, already booked up my second day. I thought I would be crap, but my instructor said I was quick for my first day, got a lot to work on to get quicker though, mainly lines and body position.
My point of this post is, say after doing another 10 or so track days and getting quick enough to enter competitions, what would be a good series to enter? and how quick are these people in the competitions?
Don't have any money really so would like to get a realistic idea of how much it costs a season as well.
Bike prep costs are enough to start with, but are you using new tyres every day? how often do you go through pads etc. [/img] ____________________ follow my racing season
Race bike - R6
Road bike - sv650 |
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| G |
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 G The Voice of Reason
Joined: 02 Feb 2002 Karma :     
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 Posted: 21:59 - 22 Apr 2010 Post subject: Re: how to get competitive |
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Have a look at lap times on the various british club racing sites and mylaps.com.
Once you can hold your own in an average fast group, it's reasonable to consider racing.
I'd suggest it's only worth shelling out for it if you're getting to the point you don't find many people to 'play' with on trackdays and you're confident you'll be mixing it up with others on track in a race - doesn't seem any point to pay your money and end up circulating on your own at the back (or even on your own at the front, might as well be in a faster class etc.)
Season can cost from £5k for the very cheapest (ie yamaha past masters on a not so competitive bike) to £10k maybe for minitwins and much more for trying to be competitive in supersport 600s (know of people easily spending £40-£50k a year.)
Generally new tyres every weekend, can sell the part worn ones for a bit. New pads once or twice a year, lots of oil changes. Then fairings etc are consumables and will have to eventually be replaced when they can no longer be patched up.
Anyway, I'd say keep doing trackdays until you find yourself in the fast group (which may not be too long, but remember to only get a little faster at a time ) and go from there . |
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| Fawbish |
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 Fawbish World Chat Champion

Joined: 27 Jan 2006 Karma :  
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 Posted: 10:52 - 23 Apr 2010 Post subject: |
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For reference - I've just done my fourth trackday - my fifth is next month.
The bike (for the last one I did) was possibly the best its ever been (completely stock but most things freshened up - only thing I could do with is better brakes really) - but still, its an 11 year old heavy 600.
Off a 'rough' timing (ie a stopwatch) one of my fastest laps (top of inters) was 3 seconds off last place in EMRA F600's (33 riders) and 15 seconds off first. (F600's are all almost new 600's with tuning)
I reckon on a completely standard bike, I could keep improving to mix it up in fast group within 2/3 more trackdays. Then the bikes gonna have to have some more money thrown at it - (just spent 600 quid getting it back to good standard...still with road fairings and tape )
All this before I've even considered my ACU licence.  ____________________ "Oh....it looks like Average Joe's is forfeiting the match!" - "Yeah, its a risky strategy but lets see if it pays off for 'em Cotton." |
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| chris-red |
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 chris-red Have you considered a TDM?

Joined: 21 Sep 2005 Karma :   
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| G |
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 G The Voice of Reason
Joined: 02 Feb 2002 Karma :     
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| Deano |
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 Deano World Chat Champion

Joined: 17 Feb 2003 Karma :   
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 Posted: 15:11 - 23 Apr 2010 Post subject: |
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Hi mate,
if budget and laptimes are a worry then I would consider EMRA and NGRCC.
There are others if the logisitics is a bit too far as they mostly based round mallory (emar) and Pembrey (NGRCC)
They both offer a roadstock series which really limits the how much money can be spent on the bikes and the pace is slower than the full on series like F600 and powerbike/open championships.
im doing my first rookie year and bought a shed load of tyres for £400 and they have lasted me 6 months so far, you can live with 2nd hand scrubs until you get to 3-4 seconds off the front with no problems and im on a 1000cc.
Pads aren't soo pad as they will last from 2 meetings or trackdays depending on weather and track.. all depends on how you like the amount of bite and feel.
To increase your pace nothing beats tracktime just pick a local track that you know you woulld like to race at and keep going round and round then seek advice as to what you are doing wrong, work out what times you need to be doing and invest in a camera to see what you are doing and improve on it.
costs can range from £200 for an EMRA meet to £450 for a full weekend with NGRCC or Michelin Power Cup is £220 for entry fees.
you'll then need to add travelling costs, tyres and fuel.
Find sponsorship, someone who is willing to put stuff through there books as marketing as this will help considerably.
for ideas of laptimes to win a rookie race you are looking at:
57 seconds at EMRA, mallory
52 seconds at MRO, brands indy
1:12 MRO, Snetterton
You should be able to get close to that with fast group pace at trackdays but aim for faster end of the group, make an effort to speak to racers on the day to compare where you are at, just dont try and race them. ____________________ Dean Stone #777
EMRA 2012 final standings, Formula 600s 3rd, Superstock 600s 3rd.
www.triplesevenracing.co.uk: www.ljmotorcyclerepairs.co.uk www.gettaylored.co.uk BN RaceScience, Now officially run out of money to carry on racing  |
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| Wafer_Thin_Ham |
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 Wafer_Thin_Ham Super Spammer

Joined: 18 Nov 2005 Karma :    
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| garth |
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 garth World Chat Champion
Joined: 15 Dec 2004 Karma :    
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 Posted: 18:37 - 23 Apr 2010 Post subject: |
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Desmodue is one of the cheapest out there.
No wets, no warmers, can get a well specced bike for £1500 or so. Race on Diablos.
Nowhere near as quick as an IL4 600 though.
I'd reccomend not starting, it's addictive and then it'll be all you want to do. You'll get very frustrated when you go quicker on a TD than a race, and are still 2 or 3 seconds off the leaders pace. Then you'll lose your well paid job and not be able to afford it anymore. This will make you bitter.*
Racing costs ALOT.
* Definately not what has happened to me  ____________________ You ain't a has been if you never was |
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| Gazdaman |
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 Gazdaman I did a trackday!!!

Joined: 12 Aug 2004 Karma :    
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| Deano |
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 Deano World Chat Champion

Joined: 17 Feb 2003 Karma :   
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| Wafer_Thin_Ham |
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 Wafer_Thin_Ham Super Spammer

Joined: 18 Nov 2005 Karma :    
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| Ben. |
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 Ben. World Chat Champion

Joined: 10 Jul 2007 Karma :  
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 Posted: 15:55 - 24 Apr 2010 Post subject: |
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can someone give me a link to all the different race classes and where the events are, and if possible lap times.
for example:
mini twins - what are the rules and regs for this class?
what other classes are there?
thanks for all the help. Really appreciated. ____________________ follow my racing season
Race bike - R6
Road bike - sv650 |
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| Old Git Racing |
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 Old Git Racing World Chat Champion
Joined: 08 Aug 2009 Karma :   
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| Ben. |
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 Ben. World Chat Champion

Joined: 10 Jul 2007 Karma :  
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 Posted: 17:34 - 24 Apr 2010 Post subject: |
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okay i've been on crmc website, and looking up on the rules and regs for bikes.
super-stock 600, i was thinking, already got an r6, no engine mods so wont cost as much, granted you can easily spend over £5k on a bike, but its a lot cheaper than any other class. I could afford to mod my bike to a competitive level, whereas i haven't got the money to rip apart an engine as well forks, brakes shock etc.
Pace wise as well, at brands indy, my instructor said I was doing under 1.00 that day, but I was getting a lot quicker by the end of the day. the times range from 48 - 55 a lap there. I reckon once ive got my lines sorted and braking distance i reckon i could be competitive.
So I'm thinking, give it a year, get as many track days in as I can this year, slowly mod the bike to get it ready, and get my ACU licence and I should be ready?
Is my thinking rational? Would a 10 year old r6 be able to cut it with new bikes? Would a years worth of track days be enough to drop 7 seconds off a lap?
I'm booked up at brands indy on the 19th may if anyone feels like following me around and telling me how to improve / telling me I should give up the idea of racing. ____________________ follow my racing season
Race bike - R6
Road bike - sv650 |
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| G |
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 G The Voice of Reason
Joined: 02 Feb 2002 Karma :     
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| Deano |
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 Deano World Chat Champion

Joined: 17 Feb 2003 Karma :   
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 Posted: 11:22 - 28 Apr 2010 Post subject: |
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| Ben. wrote: | okay i've been on crmc website, and looking up on the rules and regs for bikes.
super-stock 600, i was thinking, already got an r6, no engine mods so wont cost as much, granted you can easily spend over £5k on a bike, but its a lot cheaper than any other class. I could afford to mod my bike to a competitive level, whereas i haven't got the money to rip apart an engine as well forks, brakes shock etc.
Pace wise as well, at brands indy, my instructor said I was doing under 1.00 that day, but I was getting a lot quicker by the end of the day. the times range from 48 - 55 a lap there. I reckon once ive got my lines sorted and braking distance i reckon i could be competitive.
So I'm thinking, give it a year, get as many track days in as I can this year, slowly mod the bike to get it ready, and get my ACU licence and I should be ready?
Is my thinking rational? Would a 10 year old r6 be able to cut it with new bikes? Would a years worth of track days be enough to drop 7 seconds off a lap?
I'm booked up at brands indy on the 19th may if anyone feels like following me around and telling me how to improve / telling me I should give up the idea of racing. |
the new stuff has come a long way since 10 yrs ago, NGRCC run a PI series which may be better suited to your bike but in the rookies it would be Ok to begin with.
7 seconds is doable but be prepared to work hard at it. you need to commit and study what you are doing wrong then apply it to your riding. Nothing beats tracktime as everyone gets better with time on the bike but be prepared to have your confidence crushed as this sport has alot of lows and can easily put you off at every step but the highs are what make it worth it. ____________________ Dean Stone #777
EMRA 2012 final standings, Formula 600s 3rd, Superstock 600s 3rd.
www.triplesevenracing.co.uk: www.ljmotorcyclerepairs.co.uk www.gettaylored.co.uk BN RaceScience, Now officially run out of money to carry on racing  |
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| Joeb46 |
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 Joeb46 Traffic Copper

Joined: 04 Nov 2007 Karma :  
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 Posted: 22:33 - 01 May 2010 Post subject: |
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me and my friend are going to be racing thundersport 500 this year. i ride a kawasaki er5 which was bought for £1000. other than hagon rear shocks and a remus exhaust system the bike is completely standard. i was lapping 1.06 at mallory.
race fees for thundersport 500s are about £250 with the exeption of oulton park £145 2 day event instead of 3.
we decided to go for this series because of its low costs.
https://img440.imageshack.us/img440/2705/joemallory.jpg
Uploaded with ImageShack.us
this is me, you can just see the front of my mates cb500  ____________________ Current- Drz400sm- For sale
Kawasaki er-5 race bike# 106 |
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| garth |
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 garth World Chat Champion
Joined: 15 Dec 2004 Karma :    
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| garth |
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 garth World Chat Champion
Joined: 15 Dec 2004 Karma :    
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| Joeb46 |
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 Joeb46 Traffic Copper

Joined: 04 Nov 2007 Karma :  
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| garth |
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 garth World Chat Champion
Joined: 15 Dec 2004 Karma :    
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 Posted: 19:16 - 06 May 2010 Post subject: |
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Lap record around mallory on a DD bike is 103.9 IIRC.
I've done 1.05s. Too bloody slow!
EDIT
take that back, pretty sure the record is low 103's maybe even 2.8. Dunno, and cba to find it. ____________________ You ain't a has been if you never was |
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| Simple |
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 Simple World Chat Champion

Joined: 08 Feb 2005 Karma :   
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 Posted: 14:29 - 07 May 2010 Post subject: |
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That's interesting, I can do consistent 1.09's on my standard GPZ500s with road BT45 tyres on around mallory, or could in 2007, not touched a motorbike for nearly a year now.  ____________________ Insta - FemFeral |
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| bladerunner |
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 bladerunner World Chat Champion
Joined: 09 Sep 2006 Karma :   
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| Luke_Retrofly |
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 Luke_Retrofly Silly Lesbian

Joined: 05 Jul 2003 Karma :     
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 Posted: 00:40 - 30 May 2010 Post subject: |
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1:18.8 Rookie minitwin (Relatively stock SV650) race at snetterton for me, only laptime I can remember, probably becuase it was 4 seconds quicker than I had ever gone.
I also broke the lap record for minitwins at mallory park, unfortunatly the 4 guys infront of me did too , and by more.
<Edit, checked mylaps>
1:05.1 best lap for mallory park
54.8 Brands hatch
45.9 Lydden
1:06.3 Pembry
I think I spent between £10k and £15K in my season, including missing a few rounds. its the little things that seem to pile up. ____________________ Flounced - Long overdue
Fuck you bitch I'm in the top 10 list I can do the what the fuck I want! |
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Old Thread Alert!
The last post was made 15 years, 266 days ago. Instead of replying here, would creating a new thread be more useful? |
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