Getting started at CCS - Bike advice/New Racer advice

[Mercury]

Hello everyone,

I would appreciate any advice on how to get started with you guys. I have never raced before, but I have been riding for about 10 years now. Ive got a couple of bikes- An old KZ650 (currently being turned into a cafe racer), an old 77 Triumph Bonneville, and my new Harley 2012 FXDF. I was thinking id get myself a used ~650cc Kawasaki or something, and ill have to check out one of these racing schools. But I am really in the dark about how to get started.

Any insight would be appreciated for myself or a new bike.

Cheers!

-Carter

[proechel539]

Find a well taken care of race ready SV-650, attend an approved race school and have fun! Buying a bike that is race prepped will save you time and money.

[Jiggyfly]

Ninja 250, in the ultralite thunderbike class! It'll let you get your feet wet in a class that's a blast, & not break the bank!

SV650 is a great 2nd choice. I had one.....problem being, it may be thee most expensive class to build a machine that's capable of a podium.

Attend CCS approved race school, & begin addiction!

[spinblue]

Mercury, where are you located?

[Mercury]

I'm in the DC area. Getting out to you guys is a bit of a haul but it looks well worth it :)

Thanks for the advice guys. Ill have to start contacting some schools.

Cheers!

[proechel539]

Contact Rick Beggs at RnR cycle in Sterling, Va. He runs the the MARRC school wich is held at Summitt Point Wv. you're local track. He can tell you when the next school is and what to bring. Good luck and have fun.

[Gixxerblade]

I agree with Darryl. Get an SV. Plenty of parts out there and there is no better bike to learn on. I think a lot of people that have shown longevity in this sport all started on a lightweight bike like an SV650  Stay away from the little 250. They are slow and boring and will teach you nothing about going faster on the racetrack. :)
+1 on contacting Rick at RnR. He's been racing a long time and is local to you.

[CHIRINOM]

I agree with Jiggy. Lol. Having ridden an SV650, Kawasaki 636, TZ & RS125 and TZ & RS 250 Gp bikes over the span of 16+ years (Which many of the EX250 riders have), by far find the Ninja 250 to be the best bang for your buck. They corner just as fast as the larger bikes and will teach you about using every little bit from the suspension and about getting the bike around a race track without loosing a 10th of a second. There is a lot of support for the Ninja 250's now a days and the 1st gen is just as competetive at the 2nd Gen.


Not saying not to buy an SV but I recommend taking a second look at the 250.

[bruce71198]

Hey, lets not poo-poo the Ninja 250. Mercury is coming from a vintage backround and probably would view the Ninja as fast and exciting, who knows? He has no idea what to expect coming off an old Kawi, Triumph and a Harley !!
I've been racing since the early 90's, started out in the middle weight class then the light weights, raced a lot of different bikes and I have to say the Ninja 250 is one of the funnest bikes to race ! You need to know how
to make a slow bike go fast before you can make a fast bike go fast. I truely believe in that saying. I go out on my 250 and squeeze every last 10th of a second out of it, drafting, outbreaking and passing bigger bikes just
to have them pass me back on the straight, lap after lap, what a learning experience ! What fun ! Then I get on my SV, low and behold, my lap times start dropping into areas I have never seen before, is this from riding the same
bike over and over, lap afer lap ? I gotta say it most likely is from pushing my "slow, boring" 250 to the limit and picking up valueable fractions of a second everywere possible. I guess you should start out in the unlimited class
because anything slower and there for more boring will not gain you anything !  Lets talk about cost. I have 2 Ninja 250's, both well prepped for racing, $3300 each including purchace price. Tires, on the same set I started on
and wont need to replace them any time soon. Tire warmers ? dont use them, dont need to. Brake pads, they dont wear out because I dont have to slow down a big bike and I'm not going that fast any way ! Fuel, 5 gallons of
pump gas last all weekend! Holy fuel economy!! Crash parts availability is awsome and they are light and they crash light !   How could racing a Ninja 250 not be the ultimate learning experience for a first time racer ?


  P.S. GIXXSERBLADE, if your not going to use that Ninja 250 I'll take it off your hands if the price is right! You have riden one, haven't you?   

[Mercury]

The 250 does sound fun, I know I will probably outgrow it eventually... but I have to get there first.  The Kaw has 70hp and the Triumph is like 55. I think the SV650 does around 80hp stock and is a probably 50lbs lighter than the Kaw... Don't look down on the Dyna either, its got 108ft/lbs max torque and pretty nimble on the corners (I keep hitting my damn pegs). Riding windy country roads and a racetrack are different animals though.

When you are talking about race prepping the bikes, what all does that entail, what sort of mods am I looking at?

Thanks guys

[bruce71198]

My 250's are already prepped and my son and I race them. He's 13 years old, has 4 race weekend expeirience and is already 6 tenths of a second faster than me at BHF!! Talk about a learning curve. The bikes are both 2008 (new generation) Ninja 250's. Picked them up as wrecks for $1500 each. Race bodies, front springs,rear shocks, chain and sprockets, tires, clip ons, rear sets, safety wired, fluids changed, brake pads and braided lines account for the rest $$$$. Of course not all that has to be done to get out on the track but makes for a nice race bike. I did all the labor myself so no expence there. If you need any specifics on were to buy stuff PM me and we can talk.

[leeroy996]

If you want to race for the thrill of competition on two wheels; there is no wrong class.  You'll get your kicks racing any bike. 
The Ninja 250 is not a learner class to grow out of.  There are a lot of experienced riders wanting to join the fun.