Have you ever thought about racing?

[dricked]

EVERY DAY!
I'll be going for my RACE liscence in the beginning of next year and doing atleast one training course and as many races as I can afford (hopefully all but we'll see). I've wanted to do this for a good 10 years but never had the money and didn't want to risk my bike. I've got a few years left to dedicate to myself and I'm making the most of it.

[reciprocity]

This why they call it racing.

If you didn't hit him, he had room

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.

[stormcat]

This why they call it racing.

If you didn't hit him, he had room

I had to stand the bike up and slam on the brakes to just narrowly miss him. That tells me he was not passing me safely. What if I had maintained my line and speed? We both would have been track debris.

[kellen]

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

this.

[kellen]

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.

sounds like racing. forcing the guy you are passing to hesitate for a split second because you are where he wants to be, that's the only way by

[Mr.Azim]

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!

A race weekend with SOAR is actually cheaper than a full track day (pending how many classes you enter). 2 morning practices (about an hour total), 6 lap qualify and 12 lap race. You get less seat time (explains the cheaper price) but is way more fun

I'm still slow'ish, but always learning. I went from being double lapped in my first race weekend to finishing last and second last in the next two lol - but I'm still happy with my improvement.

You'll learn more in one race weekend than you will in a trackday and you'll see a huge dip in your laptimes.

[Mr.Azim]

sounds like racing

Yes, that's definitely racing lol

[CrazyKell]

Yes, that's definitely racing lol

And yet, she was at a trackday (ie. NOT a race).

[dricked]

To say you HATE racing when you've never done it is like saying you hate women but you've never tried one.

[Fiery254]

I have done some of my worst laps at TDs when trying to chase down another rider. I'm alslo at the stage of my life where i have to minimise risk. I did a mock race at Jennings this year and despite all the promises i made myself the mist descended and I rode like a dick. So i'll stick to track days.

[stormcat]

sounds like racing. forcing the guy you are passing to hesitate for a split second because you are where he wants to be, that's the only way by

I'm going to disagree because 1. we're all in the green group, and 2. the emphasis on the weekend was about passing safely. The rules for passing were laid out. I.e., you cannot force another rider off their line. If you want to pass, you must find another line to do so. You must leave a minimum distance between yourself and the rider you're passing (IIRC, it was 2').

[caboose483]

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

This. It doesn't matter what the event is, I will do everything in my power to destroy you. This is why I'm not allowed to play co-ed softball anymore.

A race weekend with SOAR is actually cheaper than a full track day (pending how many classes you enter). 2 morning practices (about an hour total), 6 lap qualify and 12 lap race. You get less seat time (explains the cheaper price) but is way more fun

I'm still slow'ish, but always learning. I went from being double lapped in my first race weekend to finishing last and second last in the next two lol - but I'm still happy with my improvement.

You'll learn more in one race weekend than you will in a trackday and you'll see a huge dip in your laptimes.

Race weekend cheaper than a trackday... ROFLCOPTER!! Enjoy that while it lasts.

I'm going to disagree because 1. we're all in the green group, and 2. the emphasis on the weekend was about passing safely. The rules for passing were laid out. I.e., you cannot force another rider off their line. If you want to pass, you must find another line to do so. You must leave a minimum distance between yourself and the rider you're passing (IIRC, it was 2').

HOLD ON A MINUTE!! You hate racing because of something that happened in the green group at a trackday?! I know not all orgs use the same colours, by "green group" do you mean beginner?

[AC]

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.

who and how much??

[kellen]

I'm going to disagree because 1. we're all in the green group, and 2. the emphasis on the weekend was about passing safely. The rules for passing were laid out. I.e., you cannot force another rider off their line. If you want to pass, you must find another line to do so. You must leave a minimum distance between yourself and the rider you're passing (IIRC, it was 2').

sorry I thought you were talking about racing experience

[stormcat]

sorry I thought you were talking about racing experience

It was a racing weekend for beginners.

[invictus43]

This. It doesn't matter what the event is, I will do everything in my power to destroy you. This is why I'm not allowed to play co-ed softball anymore.

You're the guy I have to punch out in pick-up hockey every once in a while!! Not everyone wants to be competitive. I played golf with a guy and he wanted to bet on every hole. I was a better golfer and he wanted me to give him strokes and all this kind of stuff. Every hole..on and on..after 3 holes I said "I'm having fun..if you can't shut up about betting, go play with someone else." To him, betting was fun. To me, enjoying the day and trying to hit draws and fades was my thing.

[caboose483]

This sorta brings up a touchy subject for me.

I feel like there is a minimum skillset and competency level that a rider should have before they jump into racing.... and I feel like there are more and more people getting into racing before they have that. At least for me I needed to feel like i was good and ready for it before my first race.

[invictus43]

This sorta brings up a touchy subject for me.

I feel like there is a minimum skillset and competency level that a rider should have before they jump into racing.... and I feel like there are more and more people getting into racing before they have that. At least for me I needed to feel like i was good and ready for it before my first race.

I can remember way back, being at Shannonville with a half-decent bike and doing trackdays to see how fast I could go. I think I was still 6 or 7 seconds off a pole time for 750 Amateur..and I was a little worried about falling off at that point. And I thought, yup, I don't think I have the skills or commitment to go faster and actually be competitive. And if you're riding around 7 seconds off the pace and finishing last..what's the point? Just a moving chicane. I figured mountain bikes were a better thing for me..healthier and cheaper!!

[caboose483]

You're the guy I have to punch out in pick-up hockey every once in a while!! Not everyone wants to be competitive. I played golf with a guy and he wanted to bet on every hole. I was a better golfer and he wanted me to give him strokes and all this kind of stuff. Every hole..on and on..after 3 holes I said "I'm having fun..if you can't shut up about betting, go play with someone else." To him, betting was fun. To me, enjoying the day and trying to hit draws and fades was my thing.

Oh that's fine. Different strokes for different folks and all that. I don't expect everyone to give the level of effort I do but I do hope for them to at least try. One of the things I don't know how to do is "take it easy" in any type of sport. I don't know how to get on my mountain bike and just go for a cruise, my natural pace will have my HR at 150+. Same goes for the road bike, the running shoes and football cleats. Don't even get me started on spin classes... i go in to every one and try to kill myself. ON or OFF, that's all there is.

[caboose483]

I can remember way back, being at Shannonville with a half-decent bike and doing trackdays to see how fast I could go. I think I was still 6 or 7 seconds off a pole time for 750 Amateur..and I was a little worried about falling off at that point. And I thought, yup, I don't think I have the skills or commitment to go faster and actually be competitive. And if you're riding around 7 seconds off the pace and finishing last..what's the point? Just a moving chicane. I figured mountain bikes were a better thing for me..healthier and cheaper!!

Once upon a time there was no Novice class and there were no trackdays. The only way to get better was to go out and try to qualify. It wasn't long ago that even at regionals there would be 100 AM riders showing up for 30-some-odd grid spots. These days being 6-7 seconds off an AM pole pace is pretty decent and would make you a fairly competitive Novice racer. My first Novice race I had the fastest lap which was 4 seconds off the AM Pro Track record, my 2nd Novice race I ran the same time in qualifying and got on Pole.