Racing thread

acotrel

acotrel

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Jun 30, 2012
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Swooshdave has suggested that we should start a racing thread on this forum. However I am probably not a good person to advise anyone on racing. I only ever raced what I could afford, which was virtually nothing. It helps if you have wealthy parents.
If it would assist anyone to get into racing safely, I am willing to help.
 
It helps to be near one or more tracks.

Start with a basic class bike that doesn't require top-level skills and a very expensive bike.

Just ride like you're having fun and don't want to go home in an ambulance.

Get good leathers, helmet, boots & gloves. don't be too cheap on this.

Prep your bike carefully so that 1) nothing falls off, 2) wires don't unplug or ground out, 3) gas flows freely, 4) nothing falls off,

You don't HAVE to fill your gas tank, but make sure you fill it far enough that you DON'T RUN OUT OF GAS before the checkers.

If you want to race the next event, don't blow up your engine.

If you aren't having fun, GO HOME.

...those are just for starters.
 
Actually Paul gives a good advice. With leathers on, it's kind of problematic.
I believe you are talking about classic racing.
In my youth, I could not afford roadracing so I only raced speedway bikes.
I started my recent racing with a -72 Honda 250. When my son race it, he's usually on the podium. When not, he is now quite good at repairing the fairing. It's been cheap and reliable. Never had to overhaul it during a season. Tyres have to be changed after two seasons.
Don't ride a two-stroke. They are light and fast, but to win you have to finish.
Racing a Norton Manx is not cheap, so find something you can afford to crash. You never know the limit until you goes above it.
 
In Australia, there is a 300cc production class which has been very good. Don't do what I did and buy something which somebody has built and crashed, because you will probably do the same. Start slow and work up to speed. Road racing is safe when all the risks are minimised to a tolerable level When you first start racing is probably the only time it is really dangerous. The more you try to go fast, the slower you will go, so stay within your comfort zone and don't jump if you get lapped..
 
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Reliability is every bit as important as speed.

I "beat" 20+ riders over as many races, just by staying running across the finish line under the checkers, while they were sitting against the guardrail waiting for the pit hauler to collect them after the race.

Moral: Build, tune, and maintain your machine to optimal RELIABLE running ability for your configuration.
 
Losing a bit of weight is MUCH less expensive than building in additional horsepower. In fact, eating better can be a money-saver! Those savings can go into nice/new parts, and race fuel costs.

While I'm on the subject, if you are not in shape to the point that you can bump-start your race bike while wearing full race gear, and half way out of breath, you are possibly headed for disappointment. All it takes is to forget to turn on the fuel tap, then be unable to re-start before you are marshalled off the track.
 
TAKE AS MANY TOOLS WITH YOU AS POSSIBLE!

...and spark plugs, and a gas can, and oil, and brake fluid, and fuses, and spare cables & chain, and...
 
If you start racing with a bitza, you might be doing yourself an injustice. I started with my 500cc short stroke Triton, just because I loved what it was. 'Some things are so bad that they are good'. It had been built with all the theories and was extremely fast for what it was - but dangerous. But in the late 60s the guys who bought Japanese two-strokes and just rode them, had a much happier time than myself. These days, if I race the Seeley 850, it is extremely easy for me to out-ride most of the other guys - but so what ? I can still feel the pain.
There is a lot of joy to be had by riding a classic bike. After I built the Seeley 850, I sold the Triton 500 back to the guy who had originally built it in the 1950s. He gave it to a young guy named Rene to ride in a race at Broadford. Rene was about 35, and had ridden a lot of bikes and thought he could ride well. He got on the start grid and looked around at all the old bearded geriatrics and thought he would go well. He found out he did not know how to ride a motorcycle. But he got better. At least the Triton did not grab him by the throat. The first time I raced it, it launched me at about 90 MPH.
 
I have a lady friend who raced against me in the 1960s. She raced a near-standard H1 Kawasaki which her husband used to prepare with the help of various tuners. I don't think she ever got her hands dirty. That is probably a better way to go racing. She won more races than I did. But I had re-built and greatly modified my own bike, and I built the Seeley 850 from scratch and have won races with it. So I have probably achieved more. Jack Brabham is the only top line race-car driver who has built his own race car and become a champion with it. He started on motorcycles.
 
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what about land speed racing? there are not enough nortons in there for me to mess with.

i race a triumph at 130-plus in the mile, but i have to tolerate the Professor and his annoying 154 mph 850 commando. road racing is all well and good, but there's something to be said for just tucking in and holding it WFO as long as you can.
 
dorset said:
what about land speed racing? there are not enough nortons in there for me to mess with.

i race a triumph at 130-plus in the mile, but i have to tolerate the Professor and his annoying 154 mph 850 commando. road racing is all well and good, but there's something to be said for just tucking in and holding it WFO as long as you can.
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I always stay away from anything which becomes a drag race. That is not what commando engines are good for. I've watched the mile on Youtube, The guys don't even straighten-up then chuck the bikes sideways into the corners. It is a straight power game. In road racing, everybody has to button-off going into corners, even then I hesitate to race on very big circuits. To me watching the mile is like watching MotoGP where nobody has a significant advantage in corners. To win, you would have to stick your neck right out.
 
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