Le Touquet 2007 - Enduropale

[Bloquai]

I've never posted on this board before, so apologies if this is a topic that has been gone over before.

In recent years I've always seemed to turn on the tv in February and seen Le Touquet endurance race, and I've always thought it looked amazing. However this year, in a fit of decisiveness and feeling that life was passing me by I thought that it was something i would like to take part in rather than watch.

5 months down the line and despite having looked around a fair bit on the internet, and having a reasonable level of French, I'm still at a bit of a loss as to how to get properly involved. Here's a link to the site (in French):

www.enduropale.com/

To clarify - my history of bike riding isn't huge. Well, I'll be honest, I don't actually have a road license yet (lessons and test booked for October), but as it's not road riding i'm not sure that this is a prerequisite.

Basically, any advice as to how I can achieve this would be greatly appreciated, including what bike would be best, how to enrol/qualify etc. I'm reconciled to the fact that 2007 may be somewhat ambitious, but it's now become something that I feel I HAVE to do.

Cheers,
Paul

Edited to add - this is a better look at it: www.letouquet2006.com/#

Edited by Bloquai on Wednesday 26th July 01:05

[billy h]

hi mate. you will really need to get an off road bike pretty soon. i would suggest a ktm 450 exc/sx ( if you want to ride it on the road when youve got youre licence then the exc), depends a lot on your price range whether you get a brand new bike or go second hand??? stick the bigger tank on it. you should also get youre self out and do some hare and hounds and other enduros to get yourself acquianted with the bike and also get used to some enduros and get in the swing of things.
it should be really fun and if i had the funds i would probably join you.
Good luck mate
Carl

[stig]

Great race - but will absoltely muller the bike! Sand is EVIL stuff, get's everywhere and wears like err.... sand

[Bloquai]

Cheers for the info guys - I guess there's a lot of work to do before I get involved in Le Touquet. I definitely hadn't considered the effect of sand!

Call me a fair-weather fan, but seeing Leon Haslam's win at Croft definitely made me think that track riding looks like amazing fun - although I'm not sure I would even ride my push bike in that weather. Not that I haven't thought this before, but there was something about that, possibly its Britishness and therefore its accessability, that made me think it could be another one for my to-do list. On top of winning a Moto GP that is.

Anyway, I'm guessing the way forward is race experience, but now I'm caught between enduro and track racing. I know they're complete poles, but they retain the same element that I love, and that which car motorsport is lacking - the ability to overtake.

I certainly don't want to start an argument about which is better, I just want to get involved. At the moment I'm looking for anything that could give me an idea of the competition, and more importantly whether I've got the nuts to compete (which i will do hopefully!) Any ideas? It has to be in the south east and *relatively* inexpensive - ie less than £5k (including bike). I haven't bought a bike yet - so that will be a major factor. Any advice for an utter novice with no biker friends gratefully received!

Cheers,
Paul

[Andy Oh]

Bloquai said:

Cheers for the info guys - I guess there's a lot of work to do before I get involved in Le Touquet. I definitely hadn't considered the effect of sand!

Call me a fair-weather fan, but seeing Leon Haslam's win at Croft definitely made me think that track riding looks like amazing fun - although I'm not sure I would even ride my push bike in that weather. Not that I haven't thought this before, but there was something about that, possibly its Britishness and therefore its accessability, that made me think it could be another one for my to-do list. On top of winning a Moto GP that is.

Anyway, I'm guessing the way forward is race experience, but now I'm caught between enduro and track racing. I know they're complete poles, but they retain the same element that I love, and that which car motorsport is lacking - the ability to overtake.

I certainly don't want to start an argument about which is better, I just want to get involved. At the moment I'm looking for anything that could give me an idea of the competition, and more importantly whether I've got the nuts to compete (which i will do hopefully!) Any ideas? It has to be in the south east and *relatively* inexpensive - ie less than £5k (including bike). I haven't bought a bike yet - so that will be a major factor. Any advice for an utter novice with no biker friends gratefully received!

Cheers,
Paul

With a £5K budget you're not going to get very far in either enduro and certainly not track racing. Your budget will have to include all costs related to the bike i.e. maintainence costs, oil & filter changes after almost every event, tyres, cost of damamge to bike, race entry fees......the list is endless. If youcan do it for £5K then I take my hat off to you.

[Bloquai]

Fair play - I'm obviously being pretty ambitious here with the money. What sort of budget do you reckon would be realistic?

If anything it will be a good reason to go to work in the morning.

[Exige46]

There is a section on club racing on the visordown forums - plenty of helpful chaps on there.

Cheers