Get into Amateur Racing?

[saundersr2810]

As some of know I passed my full test license last week. So far loving the bike and done about 300 miles since Sunday last week.

Racing is something I always wanted to get into and have done track days in cars and built a track spec Astra VXR, well almost, circumstances changed and had to give up on that.

Really want to eventually get into bike racing but will just start with normal track days.

So my question is what advice does everyone have? Get more experience on the road before going on a track or is that irrelevant? I plan on doing a track day before the summer is up and do lots of track days next summer. Can track riding improve your road riding or is it a completely different riding style?

Thanks

[geofferz]

Check insurance costs first. I ran a quote today and it was £250 a session with £700 excess. And it excludes damage in the pit lane or in the garage. And excludes cosmetic damage caused by riding into the gravel.

[saundersr2810]

Well just looked on the Ron Halsam school site: https://www.haslamraceschool.com/premier

Use their bikes and their equipment. I'm assuming insurance is included in that price or would I still need to source my own insurance?

[saundersr2810]

Actually just seen the price includes insurance. Might be better to do that first instead.

[geofferz]

Ah yeah if you're using their bike that's fine.

[mikestrivens]

I recommend the Ron Haslam track training, see my thread here somewhere. Great fun , great experience and very tiring so drive to Donington rather than take your bike.

[geofferz]

drive to Donington rather than take your bike.

 

GET OUT

[Mr Fro]

[mention]cockercas[/mention] is the guy to ask because he does it!

It's all well and good using someone else's bike but that gets very expensive very quickly. I did one track day on my road bike, loved it and wanted more. I didn't want to knack my bike so I got a cheap track bike (£700-£800 I think). That was great because I didn't care about dropping it...

Then I needed new tyres (Supercorsas). Then I fiddled with the engine and had some dyno time. Then I decided to upgrade the shock and have the forks rebuilt to my weight and riding style. I also needed a trailer to get it to the track. And a towbar for the car. Oh, and the cost of track time. Then I stuck a turbo on it.

TL:DR it's an expensive hobby whichever way you do it.

[saundersr2810]

Thanks just messaged Cockercas.

Might book a Ron Haslam track day then get a track bike over the winter that needs a bit of work.

[mikestrivens]

Also worth reading Total Control and/or Twist of the Wrist, both available on Amazon.

[saundersr2810]

Also worth reading Total Control and/or Twist of the Wrist, both available on Amazon.

 

Just bought Total Control so will have a read.

[cockercas]

Forget insurance, its a waste of paper.

The ron haslem thing is more of a taster.

Book a day and hire a bike if you don't want to risk your road bike.

As for the racing, road miles count for nothing, fast lads on the road are at best fast novices on the track.

Get on a TD and see if you enjoy it first.

Then book onto an acu course, get an eye test and join a club.

Then go racing.

Im at brands 27th/28th/29th if you want a chat.

[TimR]

as above . Too many people try to use track riding on the roads ... it doesn't work .

Tracks you have a better field of vision around bends and no oncoming traffic .

Also regardless of your experience and skill levels .Work out what you want to gain from a track day before you get there .

ie do you want to learn what you can do with a bike ie how far they will lean how your body position reacts on the bike ...or do you just want to see how fast you can go before you shit yourself !

go to track days with a huge level of humility and realise that from the start you are not as good as you think you are and learn from it . Get decent advice from instructors and other racers but beware not all advice is decent from the pits.

the final thing is ENJOY yourself ..if you start berating yourself why you can't do xyz corner like the others ... stop and work out why .. not keep on trying in the vain hope you will emulate them thats when it goes horribly wrong

[cockercas]

as above . Too many people try to use track riding on the roads ... it doesn't work .

Tracks you have a better field of vision around bends and no oncoming traffic .

Also regardless of your experience and skill levels .Work out what you want to gain from a track day before you get there .

ie do you want to learn what you can do with a bike ie how far they will lean how your body position reacts on the bike ...or do you just want to see how fast you can go before you shit yourself !

go to track days with a huge level of humility and realise that from the start you are not as good as you think you are and learn from it . Get decent advice from instructors and other racers but beware not all advice is decent from the pits.

the final thing is ENJOY yourself ..if you start berating yourself why you can't do xyz corner like the others ... stop and work out why .. not keep on trying in the vain hope you will emulate them thats when it goes horribly wrong

 

50% of the advice is bull shit. Its up to you to figure it out.

Most trackdayers talk crap.

[Westbeef]

My mate did track days for a long time before he got into a racing league, I may be corrected but I think you need some good experience (quite a few track days) before you can get a race licence. Then you can start the proper racing, rather than doing track days . That's the route he took anyway, he got into the advanced group before he joined a racing league, now he's piling all his money into keeping his bike race ready . There's probably faster ways to do it, but I guess there's no rush if you're a new rider .

[cockercas]

My mate did track days for a long time before he got into a racing league, I may be corrected but I think you need some good experience (quite a few track days) before you can get a race licence. Then you can start the proper racing, rather than doing track days . That's the route he took anyway, he got into the advanced group before he joined a racing league, now he's piling all his money into keeping his bike race ready . There's probably faster ways to do it, but I guess there's no rush if you're a new rider .

 

No need to do loads of trackdays.

I know lads who have only ever done 1 trackday and they run with the front pack.

[Westbeef]

My mate did track days for a long time before he got into a racing league, I may be corrected but I think you need some good experience (quite a few track days) before you can get a race licence. Then you can start the proper racing, rather than doing track days . That's the route he took anyway, he got into the advanced group before he joined a racing league, now he's piling all his money into keeping his bike race ready . There's probably faster ways to do it, but I guess there's no rush if you're a new rider .

 

No need to do loads of trackdays.

I know lads who have only ever done 1 trackday and they run with the front pack.

 

That's what I was unsure of, I didn't know if you needed track experience before doing the race licence . That must have just been how he went for it.

[cockercas]

My mate did track days for a long time before he got into a racing league, I may be corrected but I think you need some good experience (quite a few track days) before you can get a race licence. Then you can start the proper racing, rather than doing track days . That's the route he took anyway, he got into the advanced group before he joined a racing league, now he's piling all his money into keeping his bike race ready . There's probably faster ways to do it, but I guess there's no rush if you're a new rider .

 

No need to do loads of trackdays.

I know lads who have only ever done 1 trackday and they run with the front pack.

 

That's what I was unsure of, I didn't know if you needed track experience before doing the race licence . That must have just been how he went for it.

 

Nah just jump in and have fun.