To race or not to Race?

[KBOlsen]

Racing is to track days what grain alcohol is to beer.

And it will definitely change your "take" on street riding.

There is no feeling in the world quite like being on the grid, watching the "1" board with the blood pounding in your ears, waiting for the green flag to drop.

Even if you can only manage one or two weekends a season, do it.

[cbirk]

Like others have said don't bother if you are not dedicated, passionate, and have a drive to want to do it.

I'm a second generation racer in my family. My Dad and his buddies raced ama/ccs when it was still together in the mid  80's to early 90's. I grew up at blackhawk farms as a kid watching him race and his buddy win the midwest championship. When I was 6 I was helping set up corner worker stations at bhf. I even made it to the first annual Wegman Auction. I've been riding motorcycles for 19yrs and I'm 26 now. I'm more than dedicated and more than passionate. The only thing that is going to hold me back from racing every weekend is books and tuition and time. After I'm graduated though..it'll be a different story. I'm destined to be there and its too bad its taken this long...and may I add...excited

[lbk]

Go for it then man! I didn't mean for that to sound like you weren't dedicated it was a general statement for anyone thinking about getting into it. I know a lot of people that are track day regulars then they try racing, and don't realize everything that is involved. :D

[Z-man]

Ok I've been going back and forth trying to decide if I want to race or not.  I already signed up for the school to get my license hopefully and would like to start racing at VIR for the June 23rd Weekend.

Ups and down on racing.  Why do people do it over track days?

How many of you have given up street riding for straight up racing?
How many of you use your street bike as a race bike as well?

Thanks

Sorry if the question has been asked before but it's been bothering me the past couple days if i want to start racing or not.

Any suggestions or ideas?

I started as a track day guy, three years ago.  After one season of riding the track I gave up on riding the street, it seemed to lose all meaning.  I just have my race bike and a Yamaha YZ250F for screwing around on the dirt.  As far as racing goes I just love to ride, I never had any interest in being better then someone else, I was all about pushing my own personal limits.  I changed jobs and all of a sudden getting Mondays or Fridays off to ride the "good" tracks wasn't an option.  If I wanted to ride the "good" tracks I'd have to race.

Now I'm 1/2 way through my second season racing, it seems track days have lost their meaning to some extent.  If I'm not going to be racing on that track and go in with specific things to work on, it just isn't as much fun as I remember.  It was one of those situations where ignorance was bliss.  Now I'm completely addicted and all I can think about is the next race.

Using your street bike as a race bike sounds like a royal pain in the a$$, to get it changed over each time for street and track. 

If you have never done a track day or very few track days, I HIGHLY recommend participating in a bunch of track days first.  Even if you are a fast street guy, riding the track is very very different.  You need to learn about lines and more importantly learn how to be predictable on the track and "hold" your line.  Last weekend at Summit Point, it was scary lapping riders after 3 laps in a sprint race.  It isn't the pace that is the problem, it is the unpredictability of their riding, it is dangerous for themselves as well as other riders. 

Just my 2cents for what it is worth.
Z

[cbirk]

I didn't mean for that to sound like you weren't dedicated it was a general statement for anyone thinking about getting into it.

I didn't take wrong, I knew it was a general statement. I was just expressing myself 

[PolishPete]

I decided to pick up racing this year...or race schools that is.  Last Summer into Winter I decided that I wanted to do it, so I bought a race bike just before the Fall from a member on this board.  It was a SV650.  Thought I could save for racing all winter, but that turned out harder than I though...of course.  I went to the Chicago.tv school/track day at Grattan, then to LRC at RA, and was planning on hitting Cornerspeed at VIR, and and the Visionsports school at Heartland Park.  Well I just dropped some metal shelving on my TL, so that money I had saved for VIR is going towards my deductible, and I do not think I will be able to make it to VIR, however still looking forward to Heartland Park.  I wanted to enter at least one race this year, and that may or may not happen.  Regardless I am happy knowing that I will have ridden 3 or 4 tracks in the area, learned the basics, and will be able to build on this next year when I have more money.  I always thought my friend Minh joked around when it came to racing/money.  Everytime we talked racing we talked money, and it made no sense to me, until I realized for myself that it takes serious money to race.  So that being said, I would say try the track before you race.  Take some schools before you race.  Everyone here is more than helpful, so I would also recommend you ask a lot of questions here, so you know what to look forward to.  Instruction from these folks could probably replace years of experiance (knowledge that is, not actual race).  Here's a pick of me at RA, I'm in the blue...that track is awesome.  And P.S.  I don't think I'm any good at racing motorcycles!!  Would really love to learn to be good!!  But that will come in time!!