Stay AM or petititon for EX?

[howlieboy]

I made the mistake of bumping myself up to Expert, so I could race with my buddies and be one step closer to my AMA dream.....Big mistake for me....

What ended up happening was instead of battling for a podium, I found myself battling for 10th, not winning any contingency, and flat out being demoralized every weekend.  On top of not winning any contingency, to be truly competitive, your bike has to be 100%.  14's at BHF is good, but finding the last 2-3 seconds to be with the fast experts is extremely difficult for most of us.  You can only improve your riding so much, the fast experts are typically on the best equipment and unless your extremely talented, you need equal equipment to keep up, this means even more $$$

The shelf life of most racers is short.  My opinion is every racer deserves one stellar year as an Amateur before they go expert.  Most of us can't compete for podiums once we make the leap.  There are always fast Amateurs to push you and you can even catch some experts from the first wave..... There is plenty of time to go expert!!

IMO it all boils down to $$ and your goals.  If money isn't a concern, bump up it will make you a little faster, but costs a lot more.  Put your ego aside and base your decision on your financial situation and goals.

Good luck whatever you decide!!

Kurt
www.d2cycles.com

[red900]

You got it all wrong.... you're supposed to do like three years of trackdays, then come out and dominate.... haven't you learned anything?! ;)

I agree with sobottka... 14's isn't exactly slow at BHF

I completely disagree...  I think you everyone should buy an Ex AMA bike and race it right out of the box.  Screw practicing or working on your skills first.  Just take your dumb ass out there and hope for the best.  I mean seriously, why prepare for what you are intending to do?  Why spend time with those loser trackday guys when you could be out in a race, with zero experience, hoping to god you live through the day ....

I am not speaking about this post imparticular, just the morons that continue to whine because an amatuer kicked their ass from the 2nd wave...

[tstruyk]

 

[Burt Munro]

Dustin,

I'm guessing your goal is to take over the lead in the smite count by Jan. 1st.......

Right??

[Court Jester]

I completely disagree...  I think you everyone should buy an Ex AMA bike and race it right out of the box.  Screw practicing or working on your skills first.  Just take your dumb ass out there and hope for the best.  I mean seriously, why prepare for what you are intending to do?  Why spend time with those loser trackday guys when you could be out in a race, with zero experience, hoping to god you live through the day ....

some folks take it more seriously than others. my business is the only thing i take seriously. i've had far more fun battling it out to keep from being dead last than i ever have in a track day and i've never gone out with the slightest intent of winning. ever. i'd like to but i'll never lose sleep over it. the enjoyment of  the competition itself is just as enjoyable regardless of where you are in the pack. at least for me anyway. i guess i'd rather go home happy about what happened rather than leaving pissed about what didn't. or are you just upset that i didn't do any track days last year but i did buy five of them for other people but made the stipulation that they couldn't be used for nesba track days? maybe i'm off. i dunno. or maybe something from the friend of a friend. just a guess.   
and i had 3 bikes. 

[wolf44]

 

I completely disagree...  I think you everyone should buy an Ex AMA bike and race it right out of the box.  Screw practicing or working on your skills first.  Just take your dumb ass out there and hope for the best.  I mean seriously, why prepare for what you are intending to do?  Why spend time with those loser trackday guys when you could be out in a race, with zero experience, hoping to god you live through the day ....

I am not speaking about this post imparticular, just the morons that continue to whine because an amatuer kicked their ass from the 2nd wave...

[Sobottka]

I made the mistake of bumping myself up to Expert, so I could race with my buddies and be one step closer to my AMA dream.....Big mistake for me....

What ended up happening was instead of battling for a podium, I found myself battling for 10th, not winning any contingency, and flat out being demoralized every weekend.  On top of not winning any contingency, to be truly competitive, your bike has to be 100%.  14's at BHF is good, but finding the last 2-3 seconds to be with the fast experts is extremely difficult for most of us.  You can only improve your riding so much, the fast experts are typically on the best equipment and unless your extremely talented, you need equal equipment to keep up, this means even more $$$

The shelf life of most racers is short.  My opinion is every racer deserves one stellar year as an Amateur before they go expert.  Most of us can't compete for podiums once we make the leap.  There are always fast Amateurs to push you and you can even catch some experts from the first wave..... There is plenty of time to go expert!!

IMO it all boils down to $$ and your goals.  If money isn't a concern, bump up it will make you a little faster, but costs a lot more.  Put your ego aside and base your decision on your financial situation and goals.

Good luck whatever you decide!!

Kurt
www.d2cycles.com

good point, i can see where my advise may not fit everyone...

[rogers1323]

I completely disagree...  I think you everyone should buy an Ex AMA bike and race it right out of the box.  Screw practicing or working on your skills first.  Just take your dumb ass out there and hope for the best.  I mean seriously, why prepare for what you are intending to do?  Why spend time with those loser trackday guys when you could be out in a race, with zero experience, hoping to god you live through the day ....

I am not speaking about this post imparticular, just the morons that continue to whine because an amatuer kicked their ass from the 2nd wave...

Dude, everything is not about you.  You need to get over yourself just a little bit.

[rogers1323]

You all have to make the decision about what your goals are and what your budget allows you to do.  But I feel that Amateur is not a place for people to distinguish themselves as a racer.  Everyone should go out and race as an amateur and learn "how to race" effectively until they are comfortable with the racecraft and their ability to hold a line, pass, and be passed.  Once this is accomplished and you are skilled enough to keep up with the Experts then bump up. 

Someone has to be last in every race.  I don't think it's reasonable that everyone tries to stay AM so long that they are competitive as soon as they go expert.  Just my .02.

[Super Dave]

I think there should be a three tier system.

First, an actual amateur class that has three basic classes based only on displacement.  Lightweight, Middleweight, and Unlimited.  No contingency, no trophies, no championships.  Limited time frame for staying it this classification.  Maybe 19 months.

At the top, an expert pro class with limited class structures.  Increased cost basis for entries with a little longer race and potential purses.  Contingency and points.  Your number one plate holder would be the one that wins Unlimited Grand Prix.

Between them would be a potential destination program for many riders.  Call it sportsman.  It would have the same excessive classes that CCS currently has now.  Championship point, overall points, contingency for products.  Obviously, coming from the actual amateur class, you would come here.  You wouldn't be required to go expert pro ever.  But an expert pro could come back down to sportsman. 


Ok, talk among yourselves...

[RSimmons]

I made the mistake of bumping myself up to Expert, so I could race with my buddies and be one step closer to my AMA dream.....Big mistake for me....

What ended up happening was instead of battling for a podium, I found myself battling for 10th, not winning any contingency, and flat out being demoralized every weekend.  On top of not winning any contingency, to be truly competitive, your bike has to be 100%.  14's at BHF is good, but finding the last 2-3 seconds to be with the fast experts is extremely difficult for most of us.  You can only improve your riding so much, the fast experts are typically on the best equipment and unless your extremely talented, you need equal equipment to keep up, this means even more $$$

The shelf life of most racers is short.  My opinion is every racer deserves one stellar year as an Amateur before they go expert.  Most of us can't compete for podiums once we make the leap.  There are always fast Amateurs to push you and you can even catch some experts from the first wave..... There is plenty of time to go expert!!

IMO it all boils down to $$ and your goals.  If money isn't a concern, bump up it will make you a little faster, but costs a lot more.  Put your ego aside and base your decision on your financial situation and goals.

Good luck whatever you decide!!

Kurt
www.d2cycles.com

Good points, all something to consider. It seems as an Amateur, I'd have a better shot of getting a bit of contingency to make racing a bit more affordable. I also like the idea of finishing well, and it would be nice to maybe chase a championship. I'm sure I'd have to lose a little bit more time, but I think it could be done.

At the same time, my ego thinks just like mikendzel and says "Go Expert, don't be a pansy." And I'm sure that any wins or good finishes I might get as an AM wouldn't mean as much to me personally, since the guys I was really trying to catch towards the end of the season are bumping.
When I'm actually out racing, its the battles that I love, whether for first or 8th. Most of the time I don't have a clue which it is until I come in anyway. What really hooked me on racing was my first weekend, I had a great battle with Hawk in Ultralight. I thought it was for 5th or 6th, but it was still a blast. (it was for 1st, and damn motards suck on the straight)
I got a few of those in AM, but not as many as I would've liked.

Another consideration I thought of is why I'd be racing in each, and what that means as far as my schedule. If I were to stay AM, I would be racing  to see how far I could go, which means a full schedule. As an EX, I'd be racing for fun and to learn a little something from the fast guys. That means I'd go racing when and to the extent that its convenient and affordable, leaving me a few weekends to go try supermoto racing or do some dirt riding or trackdays with friends.

And, if I read the rules correctly, an EX license would allow me to give Moto-ST a shot........

[jigs]

Last year was my 1st year that I really raced,did 5 event's and had a win,a 3rd,some 4th's,couple 6th and 7th's.My time' sat R.A. were in the low 30's,and at BHF last reace was in the 14's 15's,.OK,not bad,not good enough to compete in white plate
for sure.Even this year,where I plan to do the whole Midwest schedule,there will alway's be someone faster,even though most of the rider's that were ahead of me got bumped.It's great to finish well,that's what's it's about,but I have a healthy respect for the sport and its participant's
and speaking only for myself,it's about the process.I think I still have too much to learn,to petition for white plate,and frankly want to earn my stripes and not take a short cut.My simple goal is to earn my white plate,expert road racing level by earning it by the natural process.At 47 year's old,that would be a great accomplishment for me and if I win an F-40 championship,great.If I finish top 5's in the rest,great.I do this for fun and stress relief,and chasing time's,win's can put me on my head,if they come by riding smooth and sticking to basic's great.Looking forward to riding next year.