I've searched and have not found a response to this.
I'm going to run white number plates on the trackbike because I'm going to do 98% trackdays this year, and one, maybe two race weekends. These will be my first race weekends. Can I run the white plates (looks better for trackdays), then put yellow duct tape over them and black #s on that for amateur plates for the race weekend? Might sound corny I know...but the bikes hot orange and black, and the yellow just looks weird. Or is there a rule which says they must be vinyl/paint?
Also, I do not have a rulebook, and tried searching for one posted here but could not find it. Do you have to do the whole front of the bike/cowl, or can you do the half number plate just on one side?
Thanks in advance for any responses.
Best bet for what you want to do get vinyl with the numbers applied then use duct to secure that to the bike(this is commonly done by riders that share a bike)
You can have offset numbers but the numbers must be on the side scoring is on, so depending on the tracks or region you may have to switch which side you have numbers displayed on.
Rule book is under forms and downloads on the CCS website
http://www.ccsforum.com/index.php/topic,19833.0.html
:biggrin:
Pete,
I know you live in the Chicago area. Info if you don't center the numbers on the nose:
If you race at Blackhawk the numbers need to be on the right (throttle) side of the nose.
If you race at Road America they need to be on the left side of the nose.
Thanks guys.
Wait a minute... was Rick just nice and helpful in the same response?
(they must have just installed a toboggan run in Hell or something! :ass: :biggrin: )
Hey.... Gimme a break - I've been gone for awhile.
We all have our moments of weakness :biggrin:
Just now getting the chlorine cleared out of my system :thumb:
White plates don't look good at a track day unless you can back them up with the laptimes.... :)
How true.
I like the guys that just pick a random number and slap it on even though they don't race. Or buying a former race bike and leaving the numbers on it.
Quote from: BigJerm7 on March 21, 2008, 10:10:13 PMI like the guys that just pick a random number and slap it on even though they don't race. Or buying a former race bike and leaving the numbers on it.
Similar to Track Day org's issueing numbers and having their riders display them on racing style number plates to help add to the fantasy so the participants feel more like their actual racers racing and then denying that's the reason for doing it. LMOA :lmao:
I may currently be a slow Expert, but at least I'm living in reality! ::)
Quote from: Burt Munro on March 19, 2008, 07:37:07 PM
Hey.... Gimme a break - I've been gone for awhile.
We all have our moments of weakness :biggrin:
Just now getting the chlorine cleared out of my system :thumb:
You never call...you never write :wah:
You guys all hate NESBA. ;)
Why are you guys ripping on track day riders? Thats pretty pathetic. :jerkoff:
Track day orgs require numbers so they can associate a down bike with a person. That's a safety thing...not a living in a dream world thing. As someone who uses track days to better my skill to get to racing (probably be doin' my first race weekends this year), I think your comments are straight-up stupid. Everyone has to learn/start somewhere...you're no better than me (as in a person), maybe just faster... but thanks for pointing out your an expert...very cool...me along with anyone who rides during track days wish to be just like you someday <-- that's sarcasm friend.
Oh, while were on the subject...my streetbike is a Repsol rep. Would you like to bash me a little about pretending I'm a moto gp racer or could it just be the fact that I enjoy racing enough to want to own a replica bike?
Trackday riders shouldn't even get track time in my opinion...
They're called race tracks for a reason.
Quote from: r1owner on March 22, 2008, 09:29:34 PM
Trackday riders shouldn't even get track time in my opinion...
They're called race tracks for a reason.
From dictionary.com
1. a contest of speed, as in running, riding, driving, or sailing.
2. races, a series of races, usually of horses or dogs, run at a set time over a regular course: They spent a day at the races.
3. any contest or competition, esp. to achieve superiority: the arms race; the presidential race.
4. urgent need, responsibility, effort, etc., as when time is short or a solution is imperative: the race to find an effective vaccine.
5. onward movement; an onward or regular course.
6. the course of time.
Last time I checked most track day riders clock their lap time. There for it is racing, racing against the clock. You may race to try and beat the guy next to you, I would say track riders race to improve their times and better their skills. You are no better than them and because of your comments I would even say your posses the traits of a squid. Those my friend should never be allowed on the track...last time I checked.
Quote from: aaronz on March 22, 2008, 11:23:27 PM
From dictionary.com
1. a contest of speed, as in running, riding, driving, or sailing.
2. races, a series of races, usually of horses or dogs, run at a set time over a regular course: They spent a day at the races.
3. any contest or competition, esp. to achieve superiority: the arms race; the presidential race.
4. urgent need, responsibility, effort, etc., as when time is short or a solution is imperative: the race to find an effective vaccine.
5. onward movement; an onward or regular course.
6. the course of time.
Last time I checked most track day riders clock their lap time. There for it is racing, racing against the clock. You may race to try and beat the guy next to you, I would say track riders race to improve their times and better their skills. You are no better than them and because of your comments I would even say your posses the traits of a squid. Those my friend should never be allowed on the track...last time I checked.
But.... but... I'm a racer man...
I live for these threads about racer vs. trackday rider.
Hey pete I seen your paint scheme over on 600rr.net..Looks good. If you are going to plan on getting into racing I would just go ahead and put them on in yellow, That would be one less thing you have to worry about at the track or before hand. If you are going to race or trackday ride looks should be the last thing on the list, Its going to get beat up,scratch, and chipped. You cant think of it like your street ride. A nice shinny flaw free track/race bike has a magnitism to the ground for some odd reason :thumb:
Good luck this year
Quote from: PolishPete on March 22, 2008, 07:18:29 PM
Why are you guys ripping on track day riders? Thats pretty pathetic. :jerkoff:
Track day orgs require numbers so they can associate a down bike with a person. That's a safety thing...not a living in a dream world thing. As someone who uses track days to better my skill to get to racing (probably be doin' my first race weekends this year), I think your comments are straight-up stupid. Everyone has to learn/start somewhere...you're no better than me (as in a person), maybe just faster... but thanks for pointing out your an expert...very cool...me along with anyone who rides during track days wish to be just like you someday <-- that's sarcasm friend.
LOL, you've apparently missed the endless threads about this very subject, but it's still kinda fun to re-ignite it every once in a while because it leads to some hilarious threads. The whole number plates for rider identification in a crash thing is a bunch of BS, what happens in a multiple rider incident where you don't know who is with what bike? That's why we have a number stuck on our helmets.
And just so your aware, prior to the end of the 90's Track Day org's as they are known today didn't exist, when you wanted to start racing you just took your 1 day safety / licensing school and went racing the next day as an Amateur - that's when the Amateur class was actually used to learn how to race. As it's been done for a long time if you're new to racing (or just want people to give you some extra room for that matter) you wear a shirt over your leathers to identify you as a new, slower, or less experienced racer. Now many people are led to believe that Track Days are the only way you get into racing, when in fact it's just one of the options. Personally I would encourage someone
looking to get into racing (that doesn't just want to go directly into racing like so many of us have) to invest their money into actual improvement based instructional schools instead of Track Days - your learning curve will probably be much faster and most of the time you'll be taught by reputable upper level racers as instructors as opposed to the randomness in instructors so common at Track Days (where some may be Pro racers, others may have never raced a day in their life).
I've known more people in the last decade who decided to go the Track Day to Racing route who got stuck in the 'rut' of Track Days where they never felt 'fast enough to go racing' and never ended up going racing at all - they ended up getting 'passified' by doing Track Days instead (something most Track Days bank on and a prime reason there are almost no Track Days that are certified as new racer licensing schools). Can Track Days fill a need for speed for those who don't want to race? Yes. Would I recommend Track Days as a route to go Racing? No. And the reason is because I believe the same money is much better spent elsewhere if somone is looking for instruction prior to going Racing (again, largely because of the randomness in instruction so common at Track Days). Most Track Days require you to keep a certain amount of distance between you and the other people on the track and may even restrict when, where, and how you can pass in all but the most advanced group. Why is this? Because their insurance company requires it. What this does is teaches you thru repetition that there is always this safety cushion around you, something that doesn't exist in actual racing. Most of the time it's not till you get to the fastest group that it's no holds barred passing at Track Days, yet of the Track Day riders who do decide to go Racing how many wait till their experienced with close quarters passing in the fastest group before they actually go Racing? A common situation I see in racing today is fast people in the Amateur ranks who have done tons of Track Days, yet don't have the experience with close passing (both passing and being passed). Another situation is actual race lines, the faster you get the more race lines have a smooth flow to them and look very similar, watch helicopter footage from World Superbike or MotoGP and you can see what an actual race line looks like. I've seen so many Track Day riders on other Forums say "hold your line on the track", when I've asked them what exactly they mean by that most basically say what they were taught was to think as though the track had traffic lanes painted on it and when you go thru a turn stay in your lane to allow other faster people to pass safely. Now that may be great for 'safety' at Track Days, but that's not a true race line and doesn't teach people how to pass in a racing situation, take that mentality to actual racing and there's going to be problems.
Take my opinion as you will, I'm just telling you what I've seen since I went directly into racing in 1996 (no Track Days). Good luck and I hope you actual end up racing! :thumb:
shit on track days all you want.
i feel they're a good place to learn, and their biggest benefit to some is to go improve their skill in a closed circuit environment with (albeit some) instruction in a non-competitive environment.
there's plenty of "faster trackday guys" who have no intention of racing. where would you suggest they ride? if you say trackdays then you should stop shitting on them.
Quote from: mattg on March 23, 2008, 11:39:40 AM
shit on track days all you want.
i feel they're a good place to learn, and their biggest benefit to some is to go improve their skill in a closed circuit environment with (albeit some) instruction in a non-competitive environment.
there's plenty of "faster trackday guys" who have no intention of racing. where would you suggest they ride? if you say trackdays then you should stop shitting on them.
I think what everyone is saying is if you want to race you don't need to do TD'S just take a racer school and get out their. ( thats what I did )
If you don't want to race then do your trackdays and don't try to look like someone that has put the time & money to get a race license and real sponsors. Just put some skins on your bike make it look good, put your ID # on and don't be a poser. Thats all I think it is.
GOOD LUCK TO ALL THIS SEASON :cheers:
I've been doing track days for a few years now. I had no intentions of racing. This season I'll be doing my first races with CCS. Without track days I'd never have gotten the itch to race.
I never ran number plates on my track bike. I'll have a yellow one on there this season. :biggrin:
Quote from: cbr-racer on March 23, 2008, 11:58:53 AM
I think what everyone is saying is if you want to race you don't need to do TD'S just take a racer school and get out their. ( thats what I did )
If you don't want to race then do your trackdays and don't try to look like someone that has put the time & money to get a race license and real sponsors. Just put some skins on your bike make it look good, put your ID # on and don't be a poser. Thats all I think it is.
GOOD LUCK TO ALL THIS SEASON :cheers:
First off, don't call me a poser. You don't know me. I really hope your car isn't red. The majority of Ferraris come in red and I hope you wouldn't be posing pretending you're in a Ferrari. (Sounds kinda foolish huh? Now re-read what you wrote above. Sounds kind of foolish too huh? Wow. The things we learn after the fact).
Of course you CAN learn how to ride a bike and just jump into racing. But you must agree that racing a motorcycle is pretty intimidating. You don't learn how to play street hockey, then jump into the NHL. You play years and years to get good enough to get to the show. Now of course you're still playing in a competitive league, but if you started playing hockey at 18. You're never making it. Thus, the theory behind it would be that if you started riding on a closed course at 18, what makes you think you could race. I mean racing is like the big times. Some people have bike riding training from their youth (50cc's etc.). Most don't.
Props to you guys that just jumped in and started racing. That's not me. I didn't learn how to snowboard by throwing on a board and tumbling down the big boy hills. I'da wrecked myself. I started on the bunny hills. Thats what trackdays are to me. They're bunny hills and hopefully this year I'll be out on the big boy track after 2 seasons of track days. You can't rip on someone for taking their time and learning a dangerous sport before jumping right in. And...you can't rip on someone for running Pirellis and putting those stickers on their bike. Last I heard Pirelli "sponsorship" wasn't that hard to get...fill out a form online or in tech maybe? Sure some of you guys actually go out and "sell" yourself to get people to sponsor you, and again props for that because it's business and not everyone can do it...but again, you're no better than the next guy because you put a Pirelli sticker on your bike and so did he...because you MIGHT get $ from them.
I didn't miss all the trackday/racer threads...I browse this forum daily, however...I just held my tongue because I didn't want to get into any of it (though I have my opinions)...but this time someone's calling me a poser, so I felt like stating how I feel.
Quote from: mattg on March 23, 2008, 11:39:40 AMthere's plenty of "faster trackday guys" who have no intention of racing. where would you suggest they ride? if you say trackdays then you should stop shitting on them.
You must have missed this part in my last response?
Quote from: GSXR RACER MIKE on March 23, 2008, 01:51:06 AMCan Track Days fill a need for speed for those who don't want to race? Yes. Would I recommend Track Days as a route to go Racing? No.
My point is there's a difference between someone not looking to race at all and using a Track Day as a play day, and someone looking to go racing from the beginning and using Track Days as the route to racing.
Quote from: PolishPete on March 23, 2008, 01:53:01 PMProps to you guys that just jumped in and started racing. That's not me. I didn't learn how to snowboard by throwing on a board and tumbling down the big boy hills. I'da wrecked myself. I started on the bunny hills. Thats what trackdays are to me. They're bunny hills and hopefully this year I'll be out on the big boy track after 2 seasons of track days. You can't rip on someone for taking their time and learning a dangerous sport before jumping right in.
I'm so glad you used this example because it reminds me of when I learned how to downhill ski. When I went skiing for the 1st time it was with a group of my freinds who (all except for 1 of them) already new how to ski. When I got there I saw that they had instructional classes available but my freinds said they were unneccessary, that they would teach me what I needed to know and that we had to start on the bunny hill - so that's what we did. I had so many problems doing anything on that hill and wasted a couple hours there until my freinds suggested going to the beginner hill which wasn't very steep or long at all, that hill was a little better but I was still having problems. I had been suggesting most the morning that we just go to the longest 'Green' easy hill so I could have more continuous time going downhill, but my freinds kept saying I needed to be able to ski the bunnyhill before that. Finally in the early afternoon I talked them into going over to the longest easy hill which was a bit harder than what I had been skiing so far that day, that was the best thing to happen all day and was like a light bulb turning on when I went down that run. I was watching the other better skiers and applied what I saw and could now finally turn and did really well, within a few hours of getting on that run I had skied every 'GREEN' easy run and progressed to skiing several 'BLUE' intermediate runs before we left.
My freinds were able to teach me some things that allowed me to get down the hill, but in the end they were causing me more harm than good by unintentionally telling me to do things that weren't in my best interest. After skiing quite a while I had gotten to the point where I wasn't too bad at it, but I still had some issues that had plagued me since the beginning. Eventually I was talking with a person I knew at the local ski shop who was a long time avid skiier / instructor and mentioning a couple of the issues I was having, he was suprised that I had never been taught some basic fundamentals from the beginning that were now giving me problems as I tackled harder slopes. When I told him I never had actual instruction he said "Well that's obvious. Did you learn from your freinds or something?" - that was a very humbling moment, but a reality check. My freinds had the
intention of helping me, but in the process had skipped basic fundamentals and had me doing things I shouldn't have been because they thought I should be based on what they knew.
Now compare my
good intentioned freinds with track days, there are some 'coaches' at track days that are truely experienced and knowledgable racers, there are alot more who are not either of those things and/or may strictly be there to get the free track time by 'coaching'. A sad trend I've seen is for the most experienced 'coaches' to be only involved with the fastest groups when they should be the ones creating that great base of knowledge for new people just getting on the track, using lesser experienced 'coaches' to build the foundation of knowledge with the new people scares me. Bad Habits are a big issue in racing, repetition of doing the wrong things over and over from the beginning (at track days for example) is a great way to develop some very deep seeded bad habits that can be tough to get past. What I mean by 'wrong things' here is things like not running actual race lines and not getting use to being close to other riders from the beginning. A major advantage someone starting out immediately in racing as a true Amateur has over someone going the track day to racing route is always having been in a situation of being close to other racers - starting from the beginning when they're slow, like new actual Amateur racers do.
Think and justify what you want, but as some freindly advice the whole 'bling' aspect of your bike for example will be much more of a handicap than a help. Having a bike that's all fancy from the beginning often times leads to people riding in a way that's more about reducing the possibility of hurting their paint job than doing what needs to be done, a new racer bringing that state of mind to an actual racing situation will most likely sky rocket their chances of problems. I've know people that when they get a new racebike the 1st thing they do is knock it over or scratch the paint so it's not perfect anymore, that may sound weird but your racebike should be considered a total write-off from the beginning or your probably going to be doing things you shouldn't be on the track. :thumb:
Quote from: PolishPete on March 23, 2008, 01:53:01 PM
First off, don't call me a poser. You don't know me. I really hope your car isn't red. The majority of Ferraris come in red and I hope you wouldn't be posing pretending you're in a Ferrari. (Sounds kinda foolish huh? Now re-read what you wrote above. Sounds kind of foolish too huh? Wow. The things we learn after the fact).
Of course you CAN learn how to ride a bike and just jump into racing. But you must agree that racing a motorcycle is pretty intimidating. You don't learn how to play street hockey, then jump into the NHL. You play years and years to get good enough to get to the show. Now of course you're still playing in a competitive league, but if you started playing hockey at 18. You're never making it. Thus, the theory behind it would be that if you started riding on a closed course at 18, what makes you think you could race. I mean racing is like the big times. Some people have bike riding training from their youth (50cc's etc.). Most don't.
Props to you guys that just jumped in and started racing. That's not me. I didn't learn how to snowboard by throwing on a board and tumbling down the big boy hills. I'da wrecked myself. I started on the bunny hills. Thats what trackdays are to me. They're bunny hills and hopefully this year I'll be out on the big boy track after 2 seasons of track days. You can't rip on someone for taking their time and learning a dangerous sport before jumping right in. And...you can't rip on someone for running Pirellis and putting those stickers on their bike. Last I heard Pirelli "sponsorship" wasn't that hard to get...fill out a form online or in tech maybe? Sure some of you guys actually go out and "sell" yourself to get people to sponsor you, and again props for that because it's business and not everyone can do it...but again, you're no better than the next guy because you put a Pirelli sticker on your bike and so did he...because you MIGHT get $ from them.
I didn't miss all the trackday/racer threads...I browse this forum daily, however...I just held my tongue because I didn't want to get into any of it (though I have my opinions)...but this time someone's calling me a poser, so I felt like stating how I feel.
First off, I was not calling you a poser cause of the repsol replica bike, I would like to have one. And I don't drive a car I drive a truck cause in case you didn't know you can't ride a race bike to the track. And as for it's not that hard to get some sponsor's your right it's not, but I am sure you have to have a racing license to even be considered. Yes it is a dangerous sport but like GSXR RACER MIKE said some of the things you learn from trackdays / some of the coaches just hurts you more if you did go racing. I just think anyone doing trackdays with the intent of getting into racing should just spend their money on a good racer school . Hell for the $ of trackdays if you do two or more, that can pay for a few or more then a few good schools . if someone was to get into racing like that they would have a big head start and move up fast. I wish thats what I did.
Oh yeh and the only thing that sounds foolish is the fact that you just want to run white plates and you have never ever raced your bike. :jerkoff:
Hmmm...Well or local club "mcra" is gear toward getting rider that are using country roads as a track to the track in a safer enviorment. What alot of you might be missing is some of these riders never even thought of racing till after they started doing trackdays. Our club is racer supported with the support of trackday enthusist also. we have a race clinic, out own low cost club races to help those that would like to try racing. we even have a sportsman class for those that think they are to slow or not skilled enough to get out there and give it a shoot. I really dont understand why someone would get bashed for lack of knowledge. I have seen a few that have come striaght out of a school into racing with little track experience and some of them scare the shit out of me on the track for the simple fact they are very unperdictable.
I do both trackdays and race weekends just because I like to ride and cant seem to disapline my throttle hand when it comes to backroad riding. Ialways seem to tell my self that I am going to run a moderate pace and then end up leave black marks around every corner
Lets not turn this into a 15 page bitchfest.
How about 13 then?
It's been so boring lately and this subject always gets the post count up for the advertisers! :thumb:
Quote from: GSXR RACER MIKE on March 23, 2008, 04:10:56 PM
your racebike should be considered a total write-off from the beginning or your probably going to be doing things you shouldn't be on the track. :thumb:
I tell people that they should accept the fact that they may be taking their bike home in a basket. This applies the track days as well as racing.
Quote from: Woofentino Pugrossi on March 23, 2008, 11:32:54 PM
Lets not turn this into a 15 page bitchfest.
Don't look at me!!! I gave an honest answer to an honest question.
Now, Scott on the other hand........... :pop:
To each his own. If you think its gay that I've got white number plates this year on my mostly trackday bike...I don't really care to be honest. I didn't have them last year, but since I'm racing this year, I need to have number plates...however, they must be yellow since I'm not an expert (see above posts about how that makes you cooler). Thus, because I need the basic outline and shape on there, but don't want the ugly yellow ones because they don't flow with the paint scheme, I'm putting white ones on, then I can easily tape yellow ones over them on the day of the race. So I'm using the white ones as a base/outline for what my yellow plates should look like, but I'm not going to run yellow because they don't match. If you think that's gay, well...
If your g/f, wife, regular girl whatever wears thongs instead of granny panties, then that's gay too. You see I don't need white plates, but I'm going to run them. She doesn't need thongs but wears them anyway. In fact, running thongs over granny panties is counter productive because they don't have the same coverage. So, if a girl wearing thongs for looks is gay, then I guess your right, white plates on non-race bikes are gay too. But I'd rather say make the girl look good...put her in a thong....AND...make the bike look good, put on white plates.
What we've found here is: yellow plates look like granny panties, and white plates are thongs. (again, to each his own on both parts....I don't the look of the yellow plates on non white/yellow schemed bikes).
Not here to start any fights or ruffle any panties (like my tie-in here?)...I'm just here to converse and explain I don't think it's cool to rip on track day guys. I think we started with trackday guys just aren't cool and found that that wasn't true, so then we've moved on to people with white plates who aren't experts aren't cool. Just trying to make sure we're on the same page.
Hell, I have white plates... I'm not sure why...
I started last year doing track days. I'm old and slow. If I can afford a track bike, I may start racing as a novice. With LRRS the novice plates are white with red numbers. If doing a track day before or after a race, I'd either have the red numbers on or I'd remove the plates. If I was riding in an area that had yellow or white plates only, I'd have yellow or none at all.
White plates are EARNED. I would be personally humiliated if the Woods or any expert rider saw me with blank white plates. I didn't EARN them, I don't DESERVE them, I SHOULDN'T run with them.
Believe me, if it wasn't for a retired racer getting my 40+ year old ass out there in track days, I wouldn't be thinking of trying racing either. However, I would find it insulting to every racer who earned expert status by slapping white plates on my bikes. A lot of good folk have died trying to earn white plates or, racing with them. To me, no matter how good your bike looks with them, your not entitled to be on track with them until you've earned them the hard way.
hmmm... did I say earn(ed) enough ?
Eh... it's pretty easy to get the white plates in CCS IMO...
I think yellow goes well with red orange and black. But its your bike and your taste so run whatever color you like. Hell do it european style plate and run a red background for your track day excursion.
Quote from: r1owner on March 24, 2008, 07:41:31 PM
Hell, I have white plates... I'm not sure why...
After looking at your video from Road America I think a lot of people would agree with you Scott. :kicknuts:
No kidding! If only I had video of my start from Gateway last year! That would really give people hope that they too could join the few... the proud... white platers...
Quote from: Mongo on March 19, 2008, 07:59:43 PM
White plates don't look good at a track day unless you can back them up with the laptimes.... :)
Insurance doesn't allow stop watches at the track days that I run.
Leave the damn yellow plates on it. If you need to validate, tell them that's what color the plates were for the FIM's 500CC GP bike class. 8)
Quote from: Palanon on March 24, 2008, 08:16:15 PM
I started last year doing track days. I'm old and slow. If I can afford a track bike, I may start racing as a novice. With LRRS the novice plates are white with red numbers. If doing a track day before or after a race, I'd either have the red numbers on or I'd remove the plates. If I was riding in an area that had yellow or white plates only, I'd have yellow or none at all.
White plates are EARNED. I would be personally humiliated if the Woods or any expert rider saw me with blank white plates. I didn't EARN them, I don't DESERVE them, I SHOULDN'T run with them.
Believe me, if it wasn't for a retired racer getting my 40+ year old ass out there in track days, I wouldn't be thinking of trying racing either. However, I would find it insulting to every racer who earned expert status by slapping white plates on my bikes. A lot of good folk have died trying to earn white plates or, racing with them. To me, no matter how good your bike looks with them, your not entitled to be on track with them until you've earned them the hard way.
hmmm... did I say earn(ed) enough ?
This post brought up a point that until now I hadn't considered, but I have to agree with. I'm a yellow plater and looking forward to earning my white plates. I think color choice for number plates on a track day goes beyond style or preference. White plates are indeed earned, regardless of how hard or easy that may be for some. I think it shows respect for the experts by not running white plates untill you are worthy of the status. But that's just my 2 cents. In the end it's your bike.
Quote from: Tornado Bait on March 25, 2008, 01:46:17 PM
This post brought up a point that until now I hadn't considered, but I have to agree with. I'm a yellow plater and looking forward to earning my white plates. I think color choice for number plates on a track day goes beyond style or preference. White plates are indeed earned, regardless of how hard or easy that may be for some. I think it shows respect for the experts by not running white plates untill you are worthy of the status. But that's just my 2 cents. In the end it's your bike.
agreed. i tried, but couldn't say it better myself.
Wow I had no idea
Scott, i know i talked to you about this at Road America (i was pitted next to you) but how did you set up the camera you used for those videos?
Quote from: 104fahl on March 25, 2008, 10:25:00 PM
Scott, i know i talked to you about this at Road America (i was pitted next to you) but how did you set up the camera you used for those videos?
Ah, dang, sorry man trying to remember your name... wasn't it your first weekend?
You can duplicate what I setup for ~150-200 bucks I'd think. I bought a used Canon camcorder on ebay (~100 bucks) as well as the bullet or lipstick remote camera (~25 bucks). I can't remember the model ZR45 I think. At any rate, you'll need one that accepts a remote input. You'll also need a low gain mic (~15 bucks on ebay).
If you get a camera that supports LANC (which I recommend), then you can get the LANC one button remote (~50 bucks). You can get by without it, but that means you'll have to manually start and stop the camera by having access to it. I usually keep mine in my tail section. With the LANC, you can actually power the camera off and on and start and stop recording.
I plan on going to RA again this year, so if you don't have it setup by then, you're welcome to come take a look at my setup.
Here's a link to a nice chart that lists some camcorders and their capabilities... not sure how up to date it is, but you're interested in an older camera anyway for less $$$.... BTW, I had a ZR20 and could not get it to work... I wouldn't get less than a ZR40...
http://www.steepplanet.com/prodimages/Camcorder_Compatibility.pdf?PHPSESSID=95fc8f9bdafa2db57dceab1248997d5b
I have a zr65mc now and it doesn't accept LANC so keep that in mind
Dan,
Are you using a 6.0 lens on your bullet camera?
Quote from: PolishPete on March 24, 2008, 06:47:35 PM
What we've found here is: yellow plates look like granny panties, and white plates are thongs. (again, to each his own on both parts....I don't the look of the yellow plates on non white/yellow schemed bikes).
White plates on a slow bike is like a thong a on a fat old granny.... But hey, if you wanna pretend you can wear a thing then I guess that's your problem. :D
Polish Pete,
Just leave the bike dark blue where you were going to put the white plates; the GP bikes don't have plates, and you can get white numbers. That would look better than the white plates. But if you want white plates, go for it! What does it matter what color a track-day bike is anyway??? It is a TRACK DAY, the tech stickers are the number plates!!!!
And about the sideways plates, that was an exception for the bikes with the huge intakes right in the middle of the upper (06 and up R6's for example) and I don't think your bike applies. Just stick the plate in the middle, like normal.
Allright, I understand your guys' gripes about the # plates. To be honest it didn't dawn on me at all that you earn the plates and that those guys get mad, not somethin' I thought about. So I see your guys' point with that. To be honest, because they're valid points, I would put on yellow plates for the sake of being in my league, however I already rattle canned the stuff last weekend, and there is no way I'm going through all that again. (I'm not a hands-on person...and...time is money. For me its worth it to have someone paint it and me pay them, because I lost $ by spending so much time doing that stuff).
Anyway, it'll have to do for now. If it needs a repaint at some point, then I'll fix it...but remember...I ain't no poser. I did it for the looks. Some people drink beer at home in sweats, some people get dressed-up, look good, and go out to drink. Ones not better than the other, I'm just the type that tries to make everything look good, even if it's a rattle can job.
So, the issues are resolved, leave the white plates for the experts, don't call PolishPete a poser because he's not one and it hurts his feelings, and thongs are great.
Oh, and trackday riders > racers. :) I think we all agreed on this one!?!
Quote from: PolishPete on March 26, 2008, 12:56:17 PM
but remember...I ain't no poser. I did it for the looks.
:x
Quote from: r1owner on March 26, 2008, 08:26:11 AM
Dan,
Are you using a 6.0 lens on your bullet camera?
3.6
I think instead of numbers and plates every bike should just be a different color and since crayola has at least 64 colors that can be the grid cut off number.
Quote from: Garywc on March 26, 2008, 11:09:25 PM
I think instead of numbers and plates every bike should just be a different color and since crayola has at least 64 colors that can be the grid cut off number.
And if you race outside of your home region you just put an 'X' anywhere on your bike! :biggrin:
Thanks for the help Scott. Ny name is Nick by the way :)
Quote from: PolishPete on March 26, 2008, 12:56:17 PM
...but remember...I ain't no poser. I did it for the looks.
I'm not sure you fully understand what a poser is.....
It goes beyond respect. One more thing to consider. Safety.
When I'm on the track, whether it's a track day, open practice or whatever, I will put a certain amount of trust in a rider with white plates (at least initially). I will draft close behind you, I will pass you close, on the inside, outside, whatever, because I trust that you have experience and you know what you are doing. Sometimes these are snap judgements based on what you can see instantly as you are closing on someone--like a white plate.
I'm just saying some noob riding around with white plates may get a** packed when they sit up early and start braking way too soon for the corner. Or they might get spooked and run off the corner when someone else puts a close pass on them that any expert can handle. Don't be that guy.
I'm not sure you guys understand what a poser is. Putting white plates on to make the bikes paint job look good / flow well is in no way a poser. It is for asthetics. A poser "poses". Trying to look like something they aren't. If I said I put the white plates on to look like an expert racer...then thats posing. However, I said I put them on to have the outline for the yellow plates to put over while racing, however I'm going to run them white just to keep the bike looking better for the 98% of the time I'm doing trackdays.
Dictionary.com
poser
noun
1. a person who habitually pretends to be something he is not
Where in this definition does it say that if you try to make something look good you're a poser? Anyways...maybe I should just repaint the whole bike and get it over with.
Just look on the road anywhere everyone is out there pretending to be a racer. Cars, Trucks, bikes, you name it. Even the Harleys have checkered flags and who knows what. Just be glad they all want to be like you and know your the real thing!.
If you have white numberplates on a motorcycle with race bodywork and you are not an expert level racer then you are posing. Sorry but the aesthetic argument while cute doesn't wash.
Quote from: Mongo on March 28, 2008, 12:53:46 PM
If you have white numberplates on a motorcycle with race bodywork and you are not an expert level racer then you are posing. Sorry but the aesthetic argument while cute doesn't wash.
+1
Quote from: MotoGuy on March 28, 2008, 09:39:27 AM
It goes beyond respect. One more thing to consider. Safety.
When I'm on the track, whether it's a track day, open practice or whatever, I will put a certain amount of trust in a rider with white plates (at least initially). I will draft close behind you, I will pass you close, on the inside, outside, whatever, because I trust that you have experience and you know what you are doing. Sometimes these are snap judgements based on what you can see instantly as you are closing on someone--like a white plate.
I'm just saying some noob riding around with white plates may get a** packed when they sit up early and start braking way too soon for the corner. Or they might get spooked and run off the corner when someone else puts a close pass on them that any expert can handle. Don't be that guy.
+ 1 millllllion !!!! Any newb shows up at a track day with white plates has to tape over them in my book for this very reason! That`s something to think about as it may happen!
Well that might be a legitimate concern if noobs and advanced riders were on the track at the same time on track days, but I've never attended a track day where that ever happened so can't imagine how it would be a concern. And then we could get into the whole "white plates on the race track who don't deserve to be white plates" tiredass debate but that's not gonna change either.
The real bottom line is: none of this crapola every really matters at the track. Your bike passes tech or it doesn't and every one treats each other very differently there. This nonsense only happens here where people have nothing better to do with their time. So both sides in this silly little debate got a bit too serious. Just go to the track, leave the nonsense at home where it belongs. Track day rider or racer, if you're showing up at the track, you're in the right place.
peace
Quote from: kwracer on March 28, 2008, 06:59:19 PM
Well that might be a legitimate concern if noobs and advanced riders were on the track at the same time on track days, but I've never attended a track day where that ever happened so can't imagine how it would be a concern. And then we could get into the whole "white plates on the race track who don't deserve to be white plates" tiredass debate but that's not gonna change either.
The real bottom line is: none of this crapola every really matters at the track. Your bike passes tech or it doesn't and every one treats each other very differently there. This nonsense only happens here where people have nothing better to do with their time. So both sides in this silly little debate got a bit too serious. Just go to the track, leave the nonsense at home where it belongs. Track day rider or racer, if you're showing up at the track, you're in the right place.
peace
Now this is a good point. I've been on this board for 3 yrs lurking and it seems that this has been the attitude in the past. This argument over the plates seems a bit off for me from the norm here.
They're two totally different discussions. One is about being smart about where to push the limits of your machine. The other is simple respect for those who can get more out of the machines and have proven that ability.
And Sean do you honestly care all that much about how track day riders paint their bikes? The topic seemed a bit lightweight for someone of your considerable knowledge and experience, knowledge that I seriously respect as much as anyone.
For myself I care more about white plates at the track that lack speed and/or skill than I do about white plates at a track day.
Amusing (for me) anecdote, I put white plates on my street bike a bit ago and went to a track day just to shake out the rust and dust (me, not the bike) and I guess it was the street fairings but a couple noob track riders who didn't know me stopped by to offer me their advice on everything from being careful on a cold track to how I applied my stomp grips on my tank.
I just smiled and thanked them for their help and we all enjoyed a day at the track.
peace
Do I truly care? of course not.
I respect what it takes to get to the white plate level in racing so since the subject was here and I was here, I joined in. I'm not going to walk up to anyone with white plates and give them shit if they're not an Expert level racer, I may however point and laugh if it's a trackday. Then again I point and laugh at Experts a lot too....hmmmm. Maybe I have a P&L issue :)
No, that's cool, I can relate.
I was just curious.
Another curiosity question. Is your BBS down now, or just for me...
It's down. I'm enjoying the break so I haven't bothered telling the guy who runs the server yet.... :)
lol :biggrin: