My bike racing blog.....
Discussion
I'm racing in the BSSO British Scooter Championships in 2009 and I have started to make a blog about the whole thing, there is not a lot on it as I haven't got my bike yet but it will be added to quite often. The bike will be ready in the next couple of weeks and the first practice day will be at Mallory Park on the 27th March.
Have a look if you like or I can post it directly on here?
I've just got my race number today (90) and I am going for my ACU license test on monday. Can't wait.
Thanks
www.gazspeed.com
Have a look if you like or I can post it directly on here?
I've just got my race number today (90) and I am going for my ACU license test on monday. Can't wait.
Thanks
www.gazspeed.com
trumpet600 said:
Good luck with the ACU test mate
If you can ride a bike, you will pass the test
It's a piece of the proverbial....
You don't even need to be able to ride a bike to pass the ACU course. It's nothing to do with riding a bike, and just down to knowing which flags mean what, and other racing etiquette as well as clothing and technical requirements to obtain an ACU licence. I did mine last year, but might have to do it again, as I didn't get round to getting my application in, and now I can't find my opticians report and cmopleted forms :| If I can't locate them within the next week or two, my course certificate will have expired and I'll need to resit If you can ride a bike, you will pass the test
It's a piece of the proverbial....
a
olly22n said:
Wow, that looks like fun!
How much is this costing, like set up, per race and per season??
Is this a truely cheap form of motorsport??
Judging by his December 11th blog entry, it's several grand of cap ex,How much is this costing, like set up, per race and per season??
Is this a truely cheap form of motorsport??
with track time, fuel, tryes and other consumables on top of that.
Probably loads cheaper than big bike racing though. It does sound pretty cool too!
Thankyou for the replies. 
It is not cheap, I'm getting a bloody good deal on a bike and spares which would have cost over 5k new, then you need a van, tools, engine refreshes every other race, a pit marquee, generator, tyre warmers, entry fee's blah blah blah I also have the support of a scooter shop for the first few rounds.
A high knowledge of two stroke tuning is also required, it is quite serious the top Lambretta guys bikes do around 115mph. Again, to go that fast costs mega money.
For me it works out at about 20quid a lap. Not including buying all the gear to start with.
Budget 10k to start and finish a season from scratch. IMHO.
You can probably do it for about 3k if your a pikey lol but for me I want something competitive as I'm pretty serious about progressing.
It is not cheap, I'm getting a bloody good deal on a bike and spares which would have cost over 5k new, then you need a van, tools, engine refreshes every other race, a pit marquee, generator, tyre warmers, entry fee's blah blah blah I also have the support of a scooter shop for the first few rounds.
A high knowledge of two stroke tuning is also required, it is quite serious the top Lambretta guys bikes do around 115mph. Again, to go that fast costs mega money.
For me it works out at about 20quid a lap. Not including buying all the gear to start with.
Budget 10k to start and finish a season from scratch. IMHO.
You can probably do it for about 3k if your a pikey lol but for me I want something competitive as I'm pretty serious about progressing.
olly22n said:
Wow, that looks like fun!
How much is this costing, like set up, per race and per season??
Is this a truely cheap form of motorsport??
You'll not get much change out of (on average) £500 per race meeting.How much is this costing, like set up, per race and per season??
Is this a truely cheap form of motorsport??
that's not including the initial cost of the bike.
Take into account the following:
race meet fees : £100
fuel to get to-from the track say a tank : £50
accomodation/food/drink for the weekend : camping at the track, and food : £50
bike fuel practice/qualifying/race + generator : £50
tyres (possibly a set will last 2 meets at first, but you'll soon want to move onto a fresh set per race) : £70 - £140
spare parts/repairs : depends what breaks or is broken in a crash
A competitive racebike can be had for anything over £1500 as a novice. I acquired two FZR400 3EN2 bikes for £500, and then spent around £1500 getting them turned into 1 race-prepped bike (still need to get some new headers for it)
ACU licence is £40 a year, but you've also got club membership fees, which will vary, and to get your ACU licence in the first year, you have a £80 classroom course, and an eye test to do which you ned to pay for too.
Some clubs will require attendance at a novice training day (NE and bemsee spring to mind), and you'll also want to get some practice trackdays in.
a
Edited by feef on Friday 9th January 15:10
I reckon my first year cost approx £12K to start off racing in the YPM's.
this included without making the list too extensive
CTC and race licence
one peice leathers
a van
a bike
generater
tyre warmers
a second bike 'cos the first one was shyte
tools
tyres
spare wheels/tools/spares
making the van more comfortable to sleep in
fuel for the bike
deisel @ £1.35/l for the van
clutches and stuff
building up a buffer of spares
Race fees - average w/end inc practice day = £360 x 10
Just coming into second season so the costs are going to be reduced, but even so I'm in for £3.5K before I have entered for a race cos my van decided to go on a go slow and I had to rebuild both engines.
I reckon this year will cost about £8K in total as they have reduced the season from 10 meetings to 8
Even though we are at the amateur level, we should dismiss all ideas of there being a cheap form of motorsport
this included without making the list too extensive
CTC and race licence
one peice leathers
a van
a bike
generater
tyre warmers
a second bike 'cos the first one was shyte
tools
tyres
spare wheels/tools/spares
making the van more comfortable to sleep in
fuel for the bike
deisel @ £1.35/l for the van
clutches and stuff
building up a buffer of spares
Race fees - average w/end inc practice day = £360 x 10
Just coming into second season so the costs are going to be reduced, but even so I'm in for £3.5K before I have entered for a race cos my van decided to go on a go slow and I had to rebuild both engines.
I reckon this year will cost about £8K in total as they have reduced the season from 10 meetings to 8
Even though we are at the amateur level, we should dismiss all ideas of there being a cheap form of motorsport
To hijack your thread, my intention is to compete in the Derby Phoenix formula 400 series this year, but I need to get my finger out and get my ACU licence and various memberships sorted, and right now I'm skint.
My blog and gallery is at:
http://www.kickingtyres.com
a
My blog and gallery is at:
http://www.kickingtyres.com
a
feef said:
trumpet600 said:
Good luck with the ACU test mate
If you can ride a bike, you will pass the test
It's a piece of the proverbial....
You don't even need to be able to ride a bike to pass the ACU course. It's nothing to do with riding a bike, and just down to knowing which flags mean what, and other racing etiquette as well as clothing and technical requirements to obtain an ACU licence. I did mine last year, but might have to do it again, as I didn't get round to getting my application in, and now I can't find my opticians report and cmopleted forms :| If I can't locate them within the next week or two, my course certificate will have expired and I'll need to resit If you can ride a bike, you will pass the test
It's a piece of the proverbial....
a
feef said:
trumpet600 said:
I don't know for sure......but don't all clubs insist on a CTC now because of the insurance criteria?
By CTC I assume you mean a novice training course?Derby Phoenix didn't last year. I don't THINK that's changed.
a
The CTC is the competence to compete test, which is the classroom test set by the ACU.
Do all clubs insist on you having been to race school? I know Bemsee do, which to me makes much more sense than sitting in a classroom.
trumpet600 said:
sorry.......getting a bit fuddled.
The CTC is the competence to compete test, which is the classroom test set by the ACU.
Do all clubs insist on you having been to race school? I know Bemsee do, which to me makes much more sense than sitting in a classroom.
It's an ACU requirement that you complete and pass the CTC, not the clubs. Without a CTC (which expires in a year if not used, and needs to be resat if the ACU licence has expired more than 3 years ago), you won't even get an ACU licence, so can't race.The CTC is the competence to compete test, which is the classroom test set by the ACU.
Do all clubs insist on you having been to race school? I know Bemsee do, which to me makes much more sense than sitting in a classroom.
a
feef said:
trumpet600 said:
sorry.......getting a bit fuddled.
The CTC is the competence to compete test, which is the classroom test set by the ACU.
Do all clubs insist on you having been to race school? I know Bemsee do, which to me makes much more sense than sitting in a classroom.
It's an ACU requirement that you complete and pass the CTC, not the clubs. Without a CTC (which expires in a year if not used, and needs to be resat if the ACU licence has expired more than 3 years ago), you won't even get an ACU licence, so can't race.The CTC is the competence to compete test, which is the classroom test set by the ACU.
Do all clubs insist on you having been to race school? I know Bemsee do, which to me makes much more sense than sitting in a classroom.
a
trumpet600 said:
But what about the race school? Bemsee insist....do others?
New Era and I think North Gloucester do too, but Derby Phoenix and some of the other smaller clubs don't.I've chosen Derby Phoenix partially for that reason, but also because my laptimes with them put me midfield, whereas I'd be a tailender with NE or BEMSEE
a
olly22n said:
feef said:
olly22n said:
Wow, that looks like fun!
How much is this costing, like set up, per race and per season??
Is this a truely cheap form of motorsport??
useful stuff...How much is this costing, like set up, per race and per season??
Is this a truely cheap form of motorsport??
Edited by feef on Friday 9th January 15:10
olly22n said:
feef said:
olly22n said:
Wow, that looks like fun!
How much is this costing, like set up, per race and per season??
Is this a truely cheap form of motorsport??
useful stuff...How much is this costing, like set up, per race and per season??
Is this a truely cheap form of motorsport??
Edited by feef on Friday 9th January 15:10
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