Have you ever thought about racing?

[Motoshire747]

Bet you have! So what's holding you back? Here are some inspirational stories of how people got started...

http://www.vrra.ca/board/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=14206


Or check out the VRRA Profiles in Inside Motorcycles.

Do you really want to be sitting on your rocking chair at 80 regretting that you never had the trill of being on the starting grid?

You could have...

[stormcat]

I like TDs, but hate racing. So there ya go. I answered your question.

[invictus43]

I've thought about it...and I decided I a) can't afford it, b) don't want to risk an injury and c) ain't fast enough..

[Jayv]

I've thought about it...and I decided I a) can't afford it, b) don't want to risk an injury and c) ain't fast enough..

Boo you sound like an old fart

[sircastic]

Boo you sound like an old fart

That's no excuse there are old fart classes too.

[invictus43]

Boo you sound like an old fart

Straight truth!

[Snipes20]

Did an endurance last year and will be racing in soar next year

[Motoshire747]

I like TDs, but hate racing. So there ya go. I answered your question.

Trackdays are good. Yikes, why hate? Strong word!! Bad experience?

[R1Guy]

I've never considered racing... Track Days let me do my thing when I wanted to do it (no commitment), I got my speed and adrenaline rush even thou there was no prize at the end.

[Motoshire747]

Did an endurance last year and will be racing in soar next year

Kool, SOAR is a good group I'm sure you will love it!

[Jayv]

I've never considered racing... Track Days let me do my thing when I wanted to do it (no commitment), I got my speed and adrenaline rush even thou there was no prize at the end.

TD's become blah after you've done a race.

Bit of pity you're hanging up the helmet, i think you would enjoy the racing immensely.

[R1Guy]

TD's become blah after you've done a race.

Bit of pity you're hanging up the helmet, i think you would enjoy the racing immensely.

Yeah, I've raced but not motorcycles... I hear ya.

[stormcat]

Trackdays are good. Yikes, why hate? Strong word!! Bad experience?

My only experience with it so far included some very unsafe passes in corners made by people who forced me off the line. E.g., One terrible pass forced me to stand the bike up and slam on the brakes in a corner to keep from hitting him (he clearly didn't have room), and another crappy pass ended up with me off the track (again to keep from hitting some guy when he realized after passing me that he was going in too hot and slammed on the brakes). When it comes to me passing I obsess about doing so safely to an anal retentive point of not being able to commit to making a pass at all. Even when the opportunities are slapping me in the face. So, not the best experience.

[franz131]

I could use an off-colour analogy of the difference between track days and racing but I'll just say;
Racing is the most intense, most amazing thing you can do with a motorcycle and track days are just a facsimile, fun but unrewarding.

Admittedly, I'm a competitor, a racer and I struggle to understand those who aren't.

[franz131]

When it comes to me passing I obsess about doing so safely to an anal retentive point of not being able to commit to making a pass at all. Even when the opportunities are slapping me in the face. So, not the best experience.

Passing isn't a natural process, it's learned like everything else you do on track. It sounds like you need to spend some time with a good instructor to focus on building your skills and confidence. Now is a good time to line someone up for next year.

[Amazon]

I think about it every day and night. I have my walls covered in racing posters and a bunch of little model race bikes. The thing keeping me back is money, it's probably the main thing that keeps most people from achieving their dreams

[invictus43]

I think about it every day and night. I have my walls covered in racing posters and a bunch of little model race bikes. The thing keeping me back is money, it's probably the main thing that keeps most people from achieving their dreams

I think most people who are serious enough find the money but at what cost elsewhere in your life? But it's true, the term "gentlemen racer" was invented a long time ago for people with too much money who want to dabble in some adventure..

[stormcat]

Passing isn't a natural process, it's learned like everything else you do on track. It sounds like you need to spend some time with a good instructor to focus on building your skills and confidence. Now is a good time to line someone up for next year.

It's funny how the word confidence keeps coming up because it's 100% true. I do lack confidence at the track. And after 2 crashes (both at tracks), I lost a lot of confidence on the bike, period.

I have a short list of people I would love to hire for next season to help me out: Donovan, Vinnie and Josée. I don't know Donovan, but heard great things about him. As for Vinnie and Josée, they're both good folks and I felt like I really clicked with them at Calabogie last summer.

[invictus43]

II don't know Donovan, but heard great things about him.

He works for sammidges..it doesn't get much better than that! Franz will work for trinkets and baubles but he'll only make you fast in the rain..

[CrazyKell]

Money holds me back.

That and it's unlikely I'll ever get fast enough really. I might try it one day, but not while I have a lot of other things to pay for. I don't plan on going into debt for racing (or anything else save a house for that matter).

I'm not a competitive person with other people. I'm competitive with myself. It's why I like riding in the first place so I doubt I'd be any good at racing just from that mindset alone.....not to mention how slow I am!