Want to go racing? How to guide.

[Neil-51]

HOW TO GET STARTED IN RACING

So, ever thought you might like to have a go at racing, but not sure how to start? If you have, give it a go. Racing is an absolute blast. One downside is that afterwards road riding will not seem the same.

WHERE TO START

The first thing you need to do is get out on the track. You can do that on your road bike and the MCRC and Trakdayz are probably the best options. Their websites are here.

www.mcrcwa.com.au

www.trakdayz.com.au

GETTING A LICENSE

If track days give you a taste for it, you may want to get a race license. You get this through MCRC by doing a Racecraft course and passing a test. That requires you to be able to lap at a reasonable pace in a safe controlled way and to demonstrate you can handle passing moves. You also need to do a simple written test of the basic rules...like flags and control of events. You do not need to be able to do fast lap times to get a license. Everyone starts somewhere.

Before they issue a race license, you need to have ambulance cover. Mine comes with my private health fund cover. You also need to join a club - MCRC, Historics or the Motard club.

Historics will let you race on a one day license if you have done appropriate training and can ride safely.

The Historics website is here.

www.historicracing.asn.au

CHOOSING YOUR FIRST EVENT

You can either enter an MCRC or Historics event. Personally I would start with Historics as they run a more relaxed event and you have more time to get familiar with race requirements. You will find other competitors helpful and willing to lend a hand. Historics run a 'moderns' class where you can ride just about anything.

You might also get some value by attending an event and talking with competitors in your chosen class. As historics is lower key this is probably easier at a historics meeting. You can also ask another competitor to help you through the process of your first meeting. The guys I know who race would be happy to do that.

WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN MCRC AND HISTORICS?

MCRC is more serious racing. Expect a higher level of intensity to the preparation and competition. MCRC caters from 600/1000's in superstock and superbike/supersport spec as well as F2. And sidecars. If you are young and determined it is a great place to go racing. MCRC only race at Barbagello.

HCRC (Historics) offer a more relaxed environment that is idea for novices and those of us who are bit older and more interested in having fun and staying on. Historics caters for everything from 1927 singles to modern sports bikes and motards.

HCRC also race at Collie and Barbagello. Collie is a great track and a great weekend away. HCRC are running a two day format at Collie and allow streetbikes to ride on the Saturday. It would be well worth going down to ride on the Saturday, camp out and watch the racing on the Sunday.

GEAR

You need the basics - full face helmet, gloves that cover the wrists, boots, back protector and leathers. Go a one piece suit, not two piece.

BIKE

Views vary, but generally you are best off buying a set up race bike. A lot of the time they'll come with stands, warmers, spare wheels, & other assorted spare parts. You can spend lots setting up a bike from scratch.

More power is probably the last thing you need to spend money on. Spend your money getting the gearing right and setting up your suspension. Marty Moose (on this forum) is highly recommended for suspension set up. You will still need to learn the basics. There are plenty of guides on the web, but the most important think is that you get an exercise book and start making notes of settings and tyre pressures and the result.

You don't need the latest bike to have a go or to be quick. CBRbilly and Seano ran some very quick times on a Honda CBR600f4i that had done a million laps around Barbagello. Your ability, training and what you have between the ears will make more difference to your lap times than the bike you are on. Learn from others at the track - be prepared to ask questions and try things.

If you do want to race your road bike and lots of people do, you need to do some basic things like:

• fibre glass race body work
• good tyres - any of the treaded race tyres will do
• sharkfin, engine covers (DIY will work fine)
• lockwire your sump, calliper bolts, radiator cap, coolant drain bolt, oil filter
• drain the cooling system, flush it and fill it with distilled water
• gearing (-1 +2/3 seems the go)

Apart from that, most stuff is optional.

Also consider some of the other Historics classes. There are plenty of people having a ball on pre 1990 bikes.

COST

People will tell you it is very expensive to race, but it doesn't need to be prohibitive. There have been older race bikes that are still fast and well set up for $3,500-4,500.

A entry fee for historics is $130 + a one day license (if you don't have a race license) is $45 + plus a transponder hire of $15.

I started racing on secondhand tyres that you can usually buy for around $100 a set. I am not much faster on new tyres. Other than that, you will go through oil, filters and brake pads. Many people will change oil and filter every 2 or 3 rides. Front brake pads last 4 or 5 days. Rear pads never wear out. Fuel will cost around $25-30 a day.

At the other end of the spectrum you can buy the latest and greatest, bomb the engine and spend mega $ on suspension. Some people change oil/filter/pads/brake fluid every race day, but that seems a little excessive to me. You probably won't have any more fun.

SO...

It isn't that hard to give racing a go and it doesn't need to be that expensive. It is huge fun. You will find a few recent threads where people have had a go and loved it. Look for 'pottz wants to go racing' and adventures of the Nurse in F2 and His Excellency the Barfridge in 'I like to swing'.

No doubt I have missed things and others have different perspectives to contribute.

See you out there one day!

[Rex Havoc]

That's brilliant. I'm going to have to make the move from track days I think

[BlackFZR]

Awesome work. I think you've pretty much covered the basics there

[mattDC5R]

I'll be out for my first race hopefully sooner than later this year. I was thinking of round 3 of the state series but your not the first person to suggest historics as a good starting point.

So you can race on day licenses with them hey, that makes it a bit easier to get going, does your bike need to be set up to the same level as with MCRC, ie all the same stuff tie wired etc?

[Shady7/8]

If Simmo says it's good then it sure is!!!

I'm planning for round 2 with the Historics on the Supermoto.

[SOLID]

Great thread, just the info I needed. I was shitting myself about racing looming ever closer. The info on historic's has lessened that fear

[96]

Awesome thread is awesome...!

To all those reading this, he hit the nail on the head. Give it a crack, just be aware it's addictive!

Hcmc (historics) is a great, easy going, easy to learn, not to intimidating, club to learn with. Do a day or two there, and you will have a lot more time and less pressure on track and in the pits to get your day sorted out.

Have fun there, and come play at Mcrc. People are just as helpful, although the efficiency with which the club tries to run it's days often means people keep to them selves a little more, so you'll want to at least have a good idea if what to do. But put your hand up and someone will always help you.

Sticky thread please?

[falcon]

Thanks for taking the time to write this up mate Very informative, answered pretty much all the questions I had been meaning to ask someone at some point.

[TurboR1]

Nice work with the write up Neil.

Racing is very addictive, I start middle of last year and have been hooked ever since.

A few things that I would add is that if go racing and wish to obtain a license and want unrestricted options for race meets is that you will need at the very least ambulance cover (something most people already have), be a financial member of a racing club (MCRCWA, HCRC.) and then purchase you race license.

As for over all cost I have not found racing to be far more costly than riding on the road. Setting up a bike from scratch however is far more taxing than buying one where someone else has already done all the hard work for you. When you take into consideration, most of the modifications you do to your bike are those you most likely have already done in the past to your road bike. Getting by on second hand tyres is also a great way to save some cash in your opening year as you find your feet.

[Neil-51]

I'll be out for my first race hopefully sooner than later this year. I was thinking of round 3 of the state series but your not the first person to suggest historics as a good starting point.

So you can race on day licenses with them hey, that makes it a bit easier to get going, does your bike need to be set up to the same level as with MCRC, ie all the same stuff tie wired etc?

Matt I have done sessions with you at Collie. You are well and truly ready to enter a meeting - more than fast enough, but controlled and predictable on lines.

Yes, you need to meet the same scuitineering requirements for MCRC and HCRC. There are covered by the GCR's and are:

• sharkfin, engine covers (DIY will work fine)
• lockwire your sump, calliper bolts, radiator cap, coolant drain bolt, oil filter
• drain the cooling system, flush it and fill it with distilled water
• run overflow hoses into a bottle or your airbox

The next HCMC meeting is at Barbagello in July. If you want support for you first meeting Scott or I would be happy to help.

[Ozboy]

Sticky please Mr Mod.

Nice work Neil.

[Decoy]

very informative thank you

[emrys74]

Just wondering what you pay for a suit and if you need one to do a track day and is there anyewhere that hires them out?

[I Fancy Holidays]

GEAR

You need the basics - full face helmet, gloves that cover the wrists, boots, back protector and leathers. Go a one piece suit, not two piece.

Do you know if theres any problems with MX helmets at MCRC/trackdayz? I have a Racecraft coming up on my tard and my fullface road helmet will most likely fail scrutineering because of surface scratches caused by a crash i had in Race 1 Round 1 of Supermoto's last weekend.

[96]

Call em, but ADR approved should be ok for travkdayz

[Ian]

Were you bored last night Neil?

Good thread mate.

[BlackFZR]

Just wondering what you pay for a suit and if you need one to do a track day and is there anyewhere that hires them out?

Youn can buy suits from as little as $300 off ebay (I wouldn't recommend it), or $800 locally for a recognised brand (Collins, M2R, AGV etc). If you have the money, a custom design & fitted top of the line suit can cost up to $4,500.

Motorcycle Pit Stop (Used to be Pal & Panther, Angove St), have suits for hire, however if you intend to race, buy your own.

For level 1 Trakdayz, you can use draggins/multiple Jeans, however they require full leathers when in level 2 upwards. Ridedays/Racecraft require full leathers to attend.

[The Nurse 40]

VIA MCRC: A limited number of racing leathers can be hired at a cost of $100*, but prior booking is required. *$50 refunded if leathers returned undamaged.(pretty sure this stands: taken from last years booking form)

[Neil-51]

Emrys - what Tim said - also consider a suit from the USA or UK. I picked up a UK made Wolf suit from the UK for about $300 and a Wolf kangaroo suit for about $700 delivered. Both were used but unmarked.

I have a size 56 Dainese suit you can try if you want to give Trakdayz a go.

[emrys74]

Seems the hand is pretty good i might come to one of the next track days and have a look have technic corduras and draggins which might be ok for level 1. the berg probably wont get much past that with out blowing up.