"IF" you had to do it all over again

[KeelerDucati03]

and you were in your first year of racing CCS (GT Lights, Thunder, etc):

What bike (make, model, year)? and why?

What mods?

What physical preparations?

What tracks you'd crawl too for a race?

What tracks you'd run from and avoid?

What in your past experiences made the transition easier?

What in your past experiences made your transition more difficult?

How much money should you have invested throughout the season?

What was the biggest cost you werent prepared for?

What was more difficult than you thought?

What was easier than you anticipated?

Who did you call first to ask for advice prior to your first race and why?

Whats the #1 "thing" that made your fist year exciting and safe?

What drove you to want to race in the first place?

Thanks in advance! Look forward to your input...
Dave ;D

[EX#996]

Wow.....

so many questions.  I better respond in the morning after a good night's sleep.

Dawn   ;) ;D

[Nate R]

OK, I am still in my first year, with only 3 weekends done, but I've learned a LOT.

What bike (make, model, year)? and why?
2001 SS legal SV, like I have now. Been VERY happy with it. It's a competitive bike, yet not real expensive, and not real hard to ride. It's all on me.

What mods?
So far: Suspension front and rear, rearsets and clip-ons, SLIDERS!!!!  :D tires, and bodywork.

What physical preparations?
Should have lost weight BEFORE the season started, should have just improved physical fitness all around.

What tracks you'd crawl too for a race?
Blackhawk

What tracks you'd run from and avoid?
Haven't been anywhere else yet.

What in your past experiences made the transition easier? Transition? To what? Into racing? Being at the races for 2 years before doing it, being a pit crew for someone before racing.

What in your past experiences made your transition more difficult? Not doing track days, but I didn't ahve the $$$. It was either track days or racing.

How much money should you have invested throughout the season?
For my VERY small budget, outside of buying the bike, ~4K for 6 weekends at blackhawk, 2 friday practices, 1 VRS school.


What was the biggest cost you werent prepared for?
I actually had no suprises, really.

What was more difficult than you thought?
Getting to be a mid-pack Am. I found out that I don't have much talent, but, like Ed Sorbo, have to understand what I'm doing before i can do it.

What was easier than you anticipated?
Registration (Pre-Entering is nice!), having fun,  my starts.

Who did you call first to ask for advice prior to your first race and why? No ONE person. Took the advice of many, and evaluated for myself, and used what i could.
 
Whats the #1 "thing" that made your fist year exciting and safe?  So far, knowing that I had gear I could trust, a bike i could trust, and then making progress consistently.

What drove you to want to race in the first place?

Always have loved any form of racing, esp the kind I could be involved in...Always like motorcycles...eventually, the 2 met up.

Hope this helps a little!

[LSTD]

What bike (make, model, year)? and why?
1999 Gixxer750.  That is what I raced, and I loved the bike.  Parts were cheap and it helped get me 17 podiums for first year out.

What mods?
Nothing special... exhaust, rear shock, forks, etc...

What physical preparations?
I would have definitely done more cardio.

What tracks you'd crawl too for a race?
Can't wait to get to Barber!!

What tracks you'd run from and avoid?
I haven't been to a track I haven't liked... yet.

What in your past experiences made the transition easier?
Track days... period.  The more track time, the better.

What in your past experiences made your transition more difficult?
My head.  Thinking too much about everything.

How much money should you have invested throughout the season?
I spent a good amount as it was... but I should not have missed the Hallett round... missing one race cost me.

What was the biggest cost you werent prepared for?
Tires.

What was more difficult than you thought?
Keeping the mind "sharp" after you make a mistake during a race... I dwelled on it too much... you have to sluff it off and keep chargin'.  Also, winning at least one race.  I thought that with my seat time at track days, I would at least bag one race... came close though.  There's always somebody out there a little faster than you.  ;D  Oh yeah, and launching the bike at the grid.  I've always been hit or miss with a good launch.

What was easier than you anticipated?
Getting on the podium as much as I did.

Who did you call first to ask for advice prior to your first race and why?
Kevin @ K.S. Cycle Works in Kay, TX.

Whats the #1 "thing" that made your fist year exciting and safe?
The CMRA staff.  They bust their ass every race weekend.

What drove you to want to race in the first place?
Watching Scott Ru$$ell win Daytona... again, and again, and...

[tshort]

What Nate said - all of it.  Get a wrecked SV or buy a race-prepped one (I'd recommend the latter).  Do as many track days as you can.  Spend *all* discretionary money on the best safety gear you can buy - it will make you go faster than the super trick pipe, works rearsets, or any HP mods.

Additionally - watch carefully and listen carefully to the guys with the white plates.

Additionally - read everything on this board, especially under tips/tricks.  And check out the WERA board - I hung there for about five months waiting for my first race.  Learned a lot.

The most important piece of equipment to work on is the wingnut that holds the clip-ons. ;)  

Lastly, don't fret - JUST DO IT.

[Jeff]

and you were in your first year of racing CCS (GT Lights, Thunder, etc):

What bike (make, model, year)? and why?

honda honda honda...  Reliability is key...

What mods?

Suspension #1, damper #2, exhaust & jetting/FI remap #3, clip-ons, rear sets, the rest...

What physical preparations?

Same as always... cardio and leg strength (for me) achieved through 5 days a week on the recumbant bike...

What tracks you'd crawl too for a race?

Most any...

What tracks you'd run from and avoid?

Don't know that I'd avoid any...

What in your past experiences made the transition easier?

Family support...  Understanding that the sport costs more than ever imagined...

What in your past experiences made your transition more difficult?

Mortality and understanding the cost of every last piece on that bike...

How much money should you have invested throughout the season?

$25k or so

What was the biggest cost you werent prepared for?

All the incidental crap like gate fees, gas, food, hotels, etc...  That's what adds up to the $25k...

What was more difficult than you thought?

Understanding that mental preparation was 10x more beneficial than anything which could be physically done is key here.  Overcoming your mental barriers can be very difficult and can get you stuck in a rut...

What was easier than you anticipated?

No.  But it all works out in the end...

Who did you call first to ask for advice prior to your first race and why?

Bill Hitchc0ck.  He was the only racer I knew...

Whats the #1 "thing" that made your fist year exciting and safe?

good leathers and learning how to crash...

What drove you to want to race in the first place?

Wanted to push the bike and couldn't do so on the street.

Thanks in advance! Look forward to your input...
Dave ;D

My God man...  I've been paid for shorter surveys...

[TZDeSioux]

and you were in your first year of racing CCS (GT Lights, Thunder, etc):

What bike (make, model, year)? and why?
1998 Yamaha TZ250 because I'm too sexy to ride anything else.

What mods?
left it the way I bought it because it was already sexy enough

What physical preparations?
Just trying to get sexier

What tracks you'd crawl too for a race?
Any track but Gateway because I'm too sexy to ride at Gateway.

What tracks you'd run from and avoid?
Gateway... that track just isn't sexy man

What in your past experiences made the transition easier?
I was always sexy so the transition was no big deal.

What in your past experiences made your transition more difficult?
Sometimes I found that I was a little too sexy.

How much money should you have invested throughout the season?
alot! It's not cheap being sexy...

What was the biggest cost you werent prepared for?
Somtimes... even us sexy guys fall down although it's rare


What was more difficult than you thought?
there's some really sexy people out there... trying to be more sexier than them was pretty hard....

What was easier than you anticipated?
Being sexy is not easy at all.....

Who did you call first to ask for advice prior to your first race and why?
A friend of mine.. but he's not sexy

Whats the #1 "thing" that made your fist year exciting and safe?
Patience is a virtue when trying to be sexier than the guy in front of you

What drove you to want to race in the first place?
Just trying to be as sexy as I can be

Thanks in advance! Look forward to your input...
Dave ;D

[KeelerDucati03]

better to ask many than not enough  ;D

thanks to all for posting the feedback

even you sexy Super_Duck...

check that - sassy naughty sexy Super_Duck  ;)

[Litespeed]

and you were in your first year of racing CCS (GT Lights, Thunder, etc):

What bike (make, model, year)? and why?
'98 TZ125, the maintenance isn't the nightmare everyone claims them to be and the overall cost of running is much cheaper than you would think.

What mods?
None, it comes from the factory ready to race.  Get good baseline settings for jetting and suspension and you are set.

What physical preparations?
I was in shape for my first year but have lost that edge lately.  A lot of Mtn Biking to keep my heet tolerance up in the SW summers.

What tracks you'd crawl too for a race?
None at this time, but all of them last year.

What tracks you'd run from and avoid?
Anything that requires me to drive more than 8 hours each way.  It just isnt' worth it anymore for the minimal trcak time we are getting (last year we had Friday practices at most tracks, this year very few).

What in your past experiences made the transition easier?
Racing Motocross was by far the best experience.  I was used to having a ton of bikes around me and getting hit from all angles.  Nothing in Road Racing has really startled me yet.

What in your past experiences made your transition more difficult?
Not having much aggressive street bike experience (one track day and one adrenaline filled ride int eh mountains was it).

How much money should you have invested throughout the season?
Bought the best gear I could to start with and bought the bike.  Beyond that all I needed really was tires.  Overall I think I spent around 7k but could do it for less on my 125.

What was the biggest cost you werent prepared for?
Tires on a 600 cost a lot and don't last too long.

What was more difficult than you thought?
Nothing.

What was easier than you anticipated?
Setting the suspension, my bike was ridden by someone my size previously so I never touched it. ;D

Who did you call first to ask for advice prior to your first race and why?
Mark Chisholm from Huge Industries, I bought my Kawi from him and he was far more helpful than I could have wished for.

Whats the #1 "thing" that made your fist year exciting and safe?
I would say the motocross experience.

What drove you to want to race in the first place?
It's safer than riding a machine hard on the street.

Thanks in advance! Look forward to your input...
Dave ;D

[sdiver68]

I pretty much agree with most advice here (except Brian's  :P, imho:

Hondas may be reliable, but you will generally find much more GSXR pit knowledge and parts, and SV's are cheaper to run, tires especially.

Workouts for me are 4-5x per week, 1/2 legs and 1/2 upper body, mostly weight work.  Not as big a deal if you are only running sprints.  2 GT's or an endurance stint in hot weather will convince you of the need to be in shape.

It was easier than I thought to be competitive in Amateur.  Harder than I thought to be competitive in Expert.

Speedballer helped me get into racing.  Find someone whose been there done that and just hitch along.

Make sure you invest in top flight safety equipment, do a few track days, take the school and your in!

[Super Dave]

and you were in your first year of racing CCS (GT Lights, Thunder, etc):

What bike (make, model, year)? and why?

SV650.  Simple, reliable, competitive enough that a good rider on an SV can smack down a lazy rider on a 600.  I started in 1987 on a GSXR750 (my first bike) moved quickly to a GSXR1100 Superbike in endurance racing, then to an RZ350...that's where I learned.

What mods?

I would have mine Computracked and then set up with the correct spring rates and an aftermarket shock like the Hyperpro.  Suspension is all that is necessary.  I would work on that day and night to get the primary and secondary geometry correct.  Then, add gearing.  Done.

What physical preparations?

At the CCS level, it isn't as important, but if it helps your mind, do it.

What tracks you'd crawl too for a race?

Sears Point, Barber, Blackhawk.

What tracks you'd run from and avoid?

Never been to big Willow Springs, but it sounds like I'm not missing much.

What in your past experiences made the transition easier?

Actually working with about three or four people that had real knowledge and knew how to convey the concepts.  Little really had to do with my riding, but more so with how a bike and it's suspension works.

What in your past experiences made your transition more difficult?

Falling behind as people that I though had knowledge brought me down the wrong path.  Unfortunately, a majority of the people that I knew.

What was the biggest cost you werent prepared for?

Tires.  But an SV wouldn't destroy them like the bikes that I rode.

What was more difficult than you thought?

I guess what wasn't.  It's completely overwhelming the things that need to be learned, and the dynamics that take so long to understand.

What was easier than you anticipated?

NO.

Who did you call first to ask for advice prior to your first race and why?

No one.  Started alone with some guys that I met.  They weren't any help, dealerships don't know anything either.

Whats the #1 "thing" that made your fist year exciting and safe?

Friends.

What drove you to want to race in the first place?

Not sure exactly, but I had a motorsports drive.  Pushing myself and something to a faster speed.  I understood the smooth factor.  Always did for some reason.