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Buy a bike The 600cc and 1000cc 4 stroke classes
are the most popular but every class of racing is catered for including 125/250cc
2-stroke, twins, 400's, open races (anything goes!) and even road legal only
bikes
(streetstocks). Get something reliable - you don't want to be coming home from a race meeting
because you've broken down half way through (you lose your money aswell!).
Get a popular bike - something
which has loads of spare parts in the breakers and then you can share
information on setup with other racers. We bought a Suzuki 600 SRAD
then upgraded to the 2001 K1 fuel
injected model for 2003. Both insurance write-offs from local dealers - then scouted
round for all the parts we needed. Go to a few race meetings and see what is
running and ask questions. Get on the websites (see useful
links) - some have excellent
forums.
Get your ACU road racing licence
Most motorcycle racing at club level is governed by the
AutoCycle Union. Go online to
www.acu.org.uk and download the
licence application form. Fill it in and send
it, with the ACU fee, to the race club you are going to join (you'll need to include your club membership fee
and club joining application form also - see
below). It costs around £35 to join the ACU + £8ish for your novice orange bib (which you must wear
for 10 meetings). You'll join as an Intermediate Novice if you already
have a road bike licence. Note: from Jan 2004 new racers will
need to attend an approved ACU training day - contact the ACU/race club for more
details.
Join a race club
Check out the race clubs websites
and have a look at which tracks they go to. Popular clubs are North Gloucester, New
Era, BEMSEE etc (you can download the club joining application form direct
from some club websites - link from our "useful
links page"). Cost of entry fees and the race classes offered will also be
there. You'll need to join the club and pay the appropriate joining fee (around
£20ish). A few weeks later you'll receive your Novice licence (from the ACU) and your
club membership card (from the club) - keep them safe and take to the meetings.
Prep your bike
If
you're like me then a standard road
bike will have more than enough power and handling to keep you happy until you outgrow
it. DO NOT spend all your money on fancy race this and that. As your first
race will probably be at a track you've never been to before, you'll still be learning the
track and won't get the benefits of any expensive "must have" race part.
Instead spend your money on getting track time before hand, safety kit (decent one-piece
leathers, boots, back
protector, gloves and lid etc). If you're going to start racing you will, at
some stage, crash (it may not be your
fault!) and it may happen more than once! There's
no insurance so save some money for repairs! Get a spares box - levers, clipons,
footpegs, endcan etc. and take it with you - just in case! Crash
bobbins are good! Get rid of everything
from the bike you don't need - the list is endless from side stand to lights to wiring etc
etc but check your class rules to make sure it's "legal". You will need a set of race bodywork for most classes (ACU rules
say that the bellypan must be
"captured" to prevent oil spillage). All race bodywork should do
this. Fit a removable bung in the bottom to let water out when it
rains (a rubber grommet, for example). Fit decent sticky tyres and
replace the plastic dustcaps on your tyre valves with metal ones.
Check with the club to see if you need a transponder fitted to your bike (a
device which records laptimes/positions etc). Refer also to Scrutineering
below.
Other bits you'll need
Jerry cans for fuel & a funnel, tools, van or trailer, tent (or caravan), spare tyres,
a 2kg fire extinguisher, dog tag with your name and DoB on it (I used a penny washer
and engraved it myself but any pet shop should help), paddock stands, tyre warmers &
genny(?), stopwatch or laptimer(?), footpump & gauge to set your tyre
pressures & spares (including
underpants!). You may eventually want to progress to getting a spare set of wheels (for wets)
as well. Don't forget your keys! A checklist is a very good idea.
Entering your first race
The club secretary will, a
few weeks before the meeting, send you the entry forms or they can be
downloaded from some club's websites. Fill them in (ie
select the races you want to enter) and return will
the appropriate fee - simple as that! You'll get your entry card (fill in your
engine/frame no.) and final instructions (read these!) shortly after that.
Your allocated race number will be on this card. Each class has a separate
number/background colour scheme eg 600cc's have blue numbers with white
backgrounds. You should have also
received your ACU handbook by now (or you can also download it from the ACU website).
This contains all the rules/regs for racing (including race number colour
schemes, flags to learn,race starting procedures) and details of bike preparation -
in my opinion some sections are very difficult to read for the newcomer.
The best way, I feel, is to ask other
riders or the club if you get stuck.
Race weekend Get there early (ie the evening
before)! You'll need time to setup in the paddock and relax! Try to find a
mate that will go up with you - it gets to be hard work on your own.
Check over the bike making sure you've not missed anything and see if you
can find a helpful scrutineer to have do a pre-check over your machine (a
pint usually does the trick!). Then you've got all evening to fix any
problems and are not rushing around on race day. Get prepared -
find out where the assembly area is, where the scrutineering bay is, ask
about the schedule for tomorrow, check the grid for starting positions, sort the fuel out, check your safety gear -
know what you are doing and have everything ready for tomorrow! Get a
good night's kip.
Scrutineering First thing on race day (usually at
around 7am!), you'll need to get your bike and clothing scrutineered (a quick safety check).
So, get in your leathers and take your bike, lid and entry card to the
scrutinnering bay. Wear your dogtag. They'll check the whole
bike over and your safety gear. You must have already lockwired the oil filter (use a jubilee clip around the
filter then lockwire this to the bike), the oil filler cap and the sump plug. I
also lockwire the brake caliper bolts (but this is not mandatory). The lockwire
is
there to prevent the bolt from coming out if it comes loose. The front brake lines
usually must have been changed - the split in the lines must not be below the bottom yoke. Most racers
just change the lines to 2 braided hoses from the calipers straight to the
master cylinder, the split now being at the master cylinder (ie above the
lower yolk). You'll need a rear sprocket guard
(to prevent fingers getting into the rear sprocket). I made mine from a piece
of aluminium and attached it to the swingarm where the paddock stand bobbins go into but
you can buy them for around £20. They'll
check your clothing (one-piece leathers only) for condition, fit and suitability.
You must have a lid with a ACU gold sticker on it (from 2003 with the thin gold line
border). The coolant used must be water - no antifreeze so you need to
have drained it, filled it with
distilled water. Run the bike up and then repeat to make sure you have
got out all of
the antifreeze in the system. This is to prevent any slippery coolant getting onto
the track in a spill. If you pass, the scrutineer will sign your card
and you can "sign on " at the signing on office. If not, you'll have to fix the problem before you can race.
Signing on at the race office
Simple - sign on and
get a race programme. You'll need to take your ACU licence and the
completed race entry card (from scrutineering) with you.
Then what?
Go back to the paddock and listen for the paddock announcer to call
your practice and your race(s) as per the programme. You must do 2
laps of practice to be eligible for racing. While you are waiting for
your race, don't be surprised if you end up at the
loo more than you think is reasonable! When your race is called go to the assembly area - don't be late because they
won't wait for you! The assembly area marshall will
wave you onto the track once the previous race is clear. Follow their
instructions onto the starting grid. You usually get one warm up lap
before the race starts but check in the final instructions beforehand and/or
follow the directions of the grid marshalls.
Other useful info
Usually you'll find that there
are tyre changing facilities from companies who set up stalls at the meeting (they follow
the racers around the circuits) such as A&R Racing/Dennis Trollope Racing Services
etc. They also carry some common spares, tools, tyres, race
numbers/backgrounds etc and are also very useful
for advice! Some tracks have fuel available -
most do not. You'll need to bring your own for the majority of the time. Some
have clubhouses with bars and food but check with the circuit before you go. Track
time/practice is a very good idea. Most racers use track day companies who advertise in the
popular bike press, the ACU practice afternoon at Mallory Park every
Wednesday or some tracks offer a practice day on the preceding day to a race
meeting. TFR racing cancel their Christmas and go to Spain each February instead -
you've got to get your priorities right!!! Good luck...
Click our
USEFUL LINKS or Tips for the new racer for more info...
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