Should I start racing??
 

I have been street riding for about 4 years. I bought my VTR in may of 01 and it is the only sportbike I have ever owned. I have always wanted to race but it was always one of those things you think about but never do. After I bought my VTR I thought about doing a track day but because the nearest track is like 2.5 hrs away I just never went. Well, some things are going to be changing in my life soon and I am thinking about picking up a new hobby; some sort of SportBike racing.

I was thinking I might buy a used bike to take to the track that would double as a street bike, like a RC51 or a CBR600rr. But after reading some stuff on some racing forums they said that they consider 600cc(600cc class also includes the 900cc and above twins) too big of a bike for the beginner racer. So I was wondering if I should try to get a GP bike like a TZ125/250 or something like that that wouldn't be nearly as fast or as heavy. I prolly will just take the Hawk to the track for a track day just to see if I will like it but I am sure I will. My thing is I am about a year away from being able to start doing this so at this point I mainly looking for some advice on where I should start. I am not looking for fame, just some fun and some friendly racing. I don't really follow racing(I don't watch tv) but I was reading about enduro racing where it is more like you are racing yourself, and you are in a team. Do they have this for the beginner?

If I get into this I plan on just doing a bunch of track days and as many racing classes as I can go to just to get experence before I try to "start racing".

So there it is. What are ya'lls suggestions/advice?

I have thought about just setting up my VTR for the track to begin with but how does the VTR hold up under track racing conditions? I am sure it's ability is better than mine, but I don't want to drop 4K in parts to make it race ready when I can pick up a used 600 for about the same price and would then have a track bike and a street bike. Suggestions??

Re: Should I start racing??
 

I have no racing experience but if it were me I would:

1) Take a track school on the VTR to see if I have what it takes and if I will be hooked enough to pursue racing.

2) Get a dedicated track bike not my steetbike. Period. Run as many track days as possible until I feel ready for racing. But don't get a 600 4cylinder RR. That's a crashfest shark pool. Try a ninja 500 twin or something similar that can be run in lots of classes.

3) I'd really try to hitch a ride on a local endurance team. Best bang for the racing experience buck there is and a cheap way to get a lot of seat time on a built up race replica.

4) If all the above worked out, THEN I get the latest greatest race replica and rip it up in the "big boy" classes.

Think of these 4 levels in american football terms: 1 is the middle school basics, 2 is making the high school team, 3 is getting a collegiate scholarship, and 4 is signing with a pro team. If you know football, then you'll know that there are literally millions of players at the first level but only a couple of thousand make it to level 4.

I look forward to hearing from our forum track members.

Re: Should I start racing??
 

I almost did that route but there were no track days in 1990.
I raced my only form of transport... drove to the track and sometimes got trailered back.
I did do the endurance races and, yes, they are the best bang for the buck. If you want track time cheap on your bike, enter, run a bit, relax a bit, run a bit. Lots of time to learn.
I got to level 1 and couldn't afford it. Now maybe and I am thinking about it to!!

I have to second Superbling's idea of keeping your street and track bike separate. If something happens to it, then you're SOL for the street and track.

I think the VTR has to overcome more obstacles (ie, needs more money) to be as competitive as other twins. An RC51 makes a much better track weapon.

As for doing trackdays until you feel comfortable, I would suggest, instead, to do a few trackdays until you've got a comfortable riding style (used to the higher speeds, touching your knee and toes down, etc), then go racing. Your learning will skyrocket as you are riding with faster riders. Assuming you plan on pursuing racing.

Even if you don't, trackdays are a fun time to practice your riding technique.

What's it cost to go racing these days, for a season?

I would suggest getting a lot of track days under your belt. Progress to the point where you are riding in the A group. This will show you how racers ride when they are going easy and having fun. Racing is WAY more aggressive and WAY more dangerous.
I have a friend who started doing track days, then bought an R6 and did about 30 track days, then raced 600 production last year.
This year he bought a 999S race bike and started trying to be a fast guy. He crashed in his first race. He got the bike repaired and then crashed in practice last weekend and is in the hospital with 8 broken ribs and a punctured lung. Fricken OUCH!!

No racing for me. Track days are an unbelievable E ticket for good times. I can't afford the cost or the dangers of racing.

BTW, I also had two acquaintances die racing last year. Racing is SERIOUS shit.

Re: Should I start racing??
 

I also have no experience with road racing, but if i were to ever start, i think it would be with an sv650. There great track bikes (with the appropriate suspension mods ofcoarse) and are dirt cheap. With a 3g sv650 (average, seen um for less) and 1g in track prep mods, you would have an excellent track bike

Sorry. I didn't set out to be quite so harshly negative about racing. I'm a huge racing fan. And many crashes occur without injury.

I've had a bad week, on top of a bad year with racing mishaps close to home. It really has me rethinking my desire to get faster on a race track. I got over my desire to go fast on the street a while ago.

I agree that an SV650 is a good way to start out. Those bikes are amazing. they just shouldn't be as fast as they are when set up correctly.

Re: Should I start racing??
 

after doing some good research last night after I posted I found out about the SV650. They are dirt cheap and if I start getting involved in track riding that is prolly the bike I will get. Ebay has a TON of parts for them dern things.

Thanks for all the great responces. When I said racing I guess I should have been more spacific. I was thinking more of the "high school-college" level racing...Not pro. I think I am an "ok" rider but I don't think I really have what it takes to become pro. And I may not even like the racing side of it at all and will just stick with track days.

And as far as the VTR going on the track? I don't think so. I have ridden if for 4 years and never been down and I just don't think I want to put her into that kind of environment. I have been thinking about getting another bike anyway so if/when I get one it would be one that I will take to the track. Parts are just too $$ for the VTR...PLUS the SV650 is over 50lbs lighter than the VTR.

Recently I was on a group ride with an older gentelman, who was telling us how he used to race years ago. He said that he was always in the back of the pack, the last 4 or 5 riders or so, but he had a blast just riding and racing with those 4-5 riders in the back.

Attempting to race can be more fun than winning it, depending on how you look at it.

Re: Should I start racing??
 

I shouldn't be surprised to read/hear this quote yet again and again...etc

Sunday night at sunset my SV650 bud and I are running out of town down the freeway to a pub. Ahead of us is a new Corvette convertible with the stereotypical bald guy driving and blonde seat cover. I don't plan on racing him but when I see his puff of rust colored exhaust, I'm on it. Two shifts and I pass him at a good clip, winding it out hard. I swing in in front, move my arm out of the way of the rear view and am completely shocked to see my buddy right there.

Eventually we come to a stop.

Me: Were you already speeding when we raced that Vette?

Him: No, I was right behind you.

Me: Well how did you stay up with me?

Him: I had it floored.

Me: So what, its a 650, mines a 1000!

Him: My bike rocks.

Me: I thought mine did. Why am I paying for all this extra insurance then?

Him: he he

Now I wasn't quite redlining and didn't have it totally gunned but my bike was screaming. We hit 200kph.

The only difference in our bikes mod wise is he has his K&N installed. We both have slip on's and jets.

This week or next, in goes a 15T front sprocket and the K&N and new jets. I'd better be able to wax him.

My insurance is double his at $392 for 3 months. That doesn't include collision.

Re: Should I start racing??
 

yeah, i raced my bud on his 2002 sv650s and it was PATHETIC how much i bearly beat him. From like 45-120 and all i got on him was like two bikes. His is piped and jetted as is mine. Made me want to sell the vtr, haha

No need to apologize, buddy. Losing people rightly shakes us all.
And while it's a blast, we should have no illusions about the dangers of this sport, both on the street & track.
I believe it was Neil Hodgson who recently said, "Fear is what keeps us from (crashing and) killing ourselves."