Where should I start?

[RCR_531]

I am thinking about starting to race in 2006. I have my license already and plan doing the Great Plains region. The last three years I have been doing trackdays off and on. I will be racing a 2004 zx6rr,and was wondering witch classes would be good to get my wet in. Thanks

[Super Dave]

How old are you?  What's your budget for a number of races?  How competitive do you feel?  And, really, are you a little intimidated by the idea of racing?

[RCR_531]

Dave

I am 31 been riding for about 12 years. In 2001 bad crash broke both legs spent 9mo in a wheelchair. I deceided then to goto the track.

I have a pretty goood budget set up for racing. My bike is done, and I have been picking up spares as I go. I had planned on racing in the thunderbike class with my zx7 but by the time I got my motor back it was to late for this year.

Competitive: I can run mid pack in most advance group at trackday events. I will do intermedite a lot to work on traffic and setting up passes. I started out on a 900 and last year I took my 636 out and found out how much I was relying on the 900's horsepower. This year I have only taken the 6rr out on the track and have fallen love with the concer speeds.  

As far as being intimidated I don't think so. In the mock race Learning Curves put on I felt myself giving people room,but that could have been that if I crash I don't pass.  I have not had that problem sinces then. I enjoy the small technical tracks but after standing at the bottom of the banking at Daytona I need to try it a least once. I do not feel that I am that fast and that is probly why I have not raced yet. Although  I have found this year when I felt slow but was smooth I was passing a lot of people.

There is not to many people around my town that race to pimp them for help. I have seen alot of people get good advice on this board so now I am trying it.














  

[Super Dave]

Well, you can't run formula 40...

Middleweight classes are pretty competitive and the volume of entries is pretty high.  An amateur rider on a 600 can get out of shape pretty easily.  And they get good enough traction too that one can get away with a lot.

You'll only be as good as your set up allows.  That's usually related to the comfort in passing, etc.  If going fast were strictly about how many laps one did, it would be easy to be the champion...do more laps.  But it comes down to knowledge of your set up, a tire budget, and things releated to one's reaction speed.  None of that might have been covered in your school, but...

Are you going to try for a championship?  Then that might make you focus on particular classes.  You can race your bike in middleweight, heavyweight, and unlimited classes.  Supersport events have the highest number of entries.  Superbike classes next, and then there are the two Grand Prix classes.  Unlimited GP usually has some kind of pay back, so you'll get the loonies in there.  I prefer to be one of the loonies, myself, but that's the way I am.  

A 600 is competitive against larger displacement bikes almost anywhere.  Again, back to set up.  

Tires have to be a big consideration.  Best part of the tire is good for six to eighteen laps.  So, you can get one to three races out of your rear.  Usually, fronts last longer.  Two to three rears per front.

So, again, how big is your budget?  Five races in a weekend usually allows you an opportunity to have races each day while still having time to get things done, fix crash damage, during the weekend.

[Team-G]

Well, you can't run formula 40...

Hey Man, I got the fastest walker out there...don't be diss'n my oxygen tank on wheels  ;D

[RCR_531]

I have been changing oil and tire every two days now plus the trackday cost and we seem to pick the days that are the fars away from home. I don't think it would be much more then I spend now. It seems to run at least 1000.00 a weekend.

 Dave do you have any date in mind for 2006 classes.
I believe that about the setup I had my forks done new rear shock and it will be going to  4&6 to get GMD. I read many book on setups but there is so much stuff that I going to play with some of my old stuff this winte

[Super Dave]

Things are in the works for 2006, but schedules are a couple to a few months off yet.  I'm available for individual work at times too.  More expensive, but it can be one on one or small group work.

I highly recommend the boys at http://4and6.com  

They have tools and intuition to help out.

[RCR_531]

I will keep a look for the class dates and maybe hit you up for some one on one training,

Do you think the dirt riding helps with getting use to the bike pushing or slidding around? I was thinking of getting a bike to ride at a sand track not to far from house. No real jumps just a mile or so of deep sand and hills. The ice riding has peeked my interest too.

[Super Dave]

Good question.

I always say that anything that you do that you think will help you...well, it will.  Lots of mind games in all this.

But...

You can ride and ride and ride and do the same thing that you've done...done wrong...and you'll just reinforce things.  

There are a few of ways at looking at things.

One, just for physical training.

Two, working on specific riding issues.

Three, just to have fun.

Most street oriented street riders don't have a very accurate grasp of how the bike reacts when it begins to spin.  If you're a really, really experienced dirt tracker, you may intuitively know how to react, but do you know what you're really doing?  It's one thing to do, it's completely another thing to know what you're doing when.    

Short answer...go have fun.  Might be the most important answer.

[Thingy]

 I prefer to be one of the loonies, myself, but that's the way I am.  

That is the most truthful thing I have heard all day!   ;D  

I can't believe that I am going to have to go all winter until I can hang out with Dave again...  See you in the spring!

[Super Dave]

Sweet!  So, that means that you want to come to Daytona in the spring to help me in the Daytona 200?

[Super Dave]

It's before spring, I know...   ;D