[borzwazie]

...vintage racing!

Seriously, I read this racing forum all the time, and it looks like you guys are having a lot of fun, and I wonder about trying my hand at it.

I've raced a few hare scrambles and "run what you brung" enduro races, but I'm not even an amateur racer - is 36 too old to get started in something like this? If I started, would something like the 150cc to 175cc classes be a good starting point? What's a good starter bike that parts are widely available for when I run it into the tire barriers? What displacement classes/races are active in the PA area?

Also, what is a "Giro" race?

**************************
My own project:
http://www.caferacer.net/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=2827
**************************

 

[joe c]

depending on where you are in pa, there are several tracks within hours of you. summit, mid o, nelson, gingerman, and beaver are within several hours. yes, a 175/160 is perfect. or a cb350 if you want to get real generic. no way youre too old. when it comes to running into tire barriers, youre most likely going to be damaging other stuff not related directly to the make model of the bike you race. cb450 brake on a cb160 for example. it also depends on which clubs youre most likely to run with. so if you want to be up front, a cb350 may not be a good platform if you have to dump tons of $$$ into it to get it there. on the other hand, if you just want to get track time initially, it might be fine. the other impotant thing to keep in mind is that you should pick something youre comfortable working on. like if you have japanese twins, dont try to race a trident.

google giro italy.

its close to the same ting here.



jc

"tex, if your bikes a cheater, its not a very good one"

 

[joe c]

oh, and see here

http://www.faqs.org/faqs/motorcycles/how-to-roadrace/

jc

"tex, if your bikes a cheater, its not a very good one"

 

[texmawby]

borzwazie,

your in elwood city! i spent about 14 years out in new castle. beaverun motorsports park is in wampum dude! nelson ledges is like a half hour from you in ohio. mid ohio is like 3 hours from you in lexington. summit point would be like 4 1/2 hours. buy a cb350 (cause then you can have a bike which you can race in multiple clubs....wera, uscra, vrra, ahrma), keep it a stocker....

read: www.wera.com under the vintage rules sections for cb350.

probably the cheapest way to get started.

see you trackside.

tex

 

[texmawby]

also 36 is the perfect age to race CB350's!

texy

 

[borzwazie]

I know about Beaverun, because I live 5 minutes from there, but I never saw bikes out there, only karts (which are hella fun).

As far as class goes, whatever's cheapest would be best - I don't care about bragging rights, just fun. I was watching that Nisky School build with intent, since those are 350's, and it looks like parts are more readily available than for my 450 (which I never intended for racing).

What do you guys think it would cost to race-prep a running 350? I assume from the eurospares site that I should replace the cam chain and rollers, but what beyond that is priority?

350's would be better all-around I bet - I need the displacement to haul my fat ass around the track. I would need to buy stock in a leather company too <img src=icon_smile_big.gif border=0 align=middle> - motivation to lose weight!

**************************
My own project:
http://www.caferacer.net/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=2827
**************************

 

[JackC]

I am 52 and just started learning this year. I would love to be 36 again. I am real slow, but I still have lots of fun. CL350. Total investment so far in bike, leathers, helmet, etc is under $1200 (add schools and track days, motels, etc makes it closer to 2K). I bought a fully preped race bike. To convert one would be more time and money than I have.

If you are not "height/weight" average, it will be a big pain to get a one piece set of leathers.

The Giro is really fun. Try motogiro.com or race-uscra.com go to events, giro. Basically bikes 305cc or smaller, 69 and older, follow directions on public roads, try to ride thru damned cones at a real slow speeds.

 

[jbranson]

Out of the top ten fastest guys in our race club I bet close to half of them are OVER 60! So no....36 is not too old to get started by a long shot.
Generally the ONLY reason the older guys slow down is because they WANT to, not because they have to. I'm 48 and I go pretty good, and have learned much from following guys as young as 20 and as old as 66. You are in your vintage racing prime years.
JohnnyB

 

[joe c]

and dont let that fool you, just cuz theyre old, doesnt mean you can beat them. lots of those old guys are real fast. im 37...been racing for 10 years.

jc

"tex, if your bikes a cheater, its not a very good one"

 

[borzwazie]

I assume anyone else on the track would be able to embarass me <img src=icon_smile_big.gif border=0 align=middle> I remember when I learned to snowboard (18 years ago! geez it's been a while) that really old guys and really young kids both cursed and told me to get the hell out of the way

<img src=icon_smile_big.gif border=0 align=middle>

**************************
My own project:
http://www.caferacer.net/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=2827
**************************

 

[texmawby]

borz,

one of the guys that will consistantly lap you was a former u.s. senior snowboarding champ (two years straight - i think). i have yet to beat that dude!

find a cb350, sl350, or cl350 (running), remove all street gear, safety wire it, install fresh avons, throw some number boards on it, and attend a race school. fasttracks is excellent and they run nelson like a syndicate. after you have a dependable running bike, and a race license. the board and i will assist you in making it fast!

also www.wera.com is your friend. download the rulebook! read it, cover to cover. check out the wera schedule under sportsman national weekends (vintage runs on saturdays). there is a beaver event and a nelson event coming up this year still. the beaver and nelson grids for vintage are a little anemic, but summit always rocks, and there are three of those per year. your perfect season would be: the two beavers (everyone needs to have a home track), three summits, mid-ohio, mosport, and the labor day loudon (that is your distance event). eight races on some very cool tracks, with some very cool people.

i'll see you trackside.

cheers!

tex

p.s.- visit the other orgs sites as well:

www.race-uscra.com

www.ahrma.org

 

[texmawby]

looks like vrra is using amb 160 transponders. the amb 260 transponder (that wera sanctions) will work on the vrra system. everybody should start lurking over on the wera bbs classifieds for used transponders unless you want to buy new (ouch)!

texy

Edited by - texmawby on Jun 14 2007 06:58:21 AM

 

[texmawby]

vrra website is: www.vrra.ca

(mosport rules!)

texy

 

[texmawby]

borz,

i got something up your alley.....

ping me offline at: [email protected]

texy

 

[borzwazie]

I'd like to state, for the record, that tex rocks.

**************************
My own project:
http://www.caferacer.net/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=2827
**************************