Ducati Sporting Club UK > Sport > Race > Race Bike

[Felix]

Not really wanting to argues this further, but in the end you'll need to decide if you want to give it a try. Period.

You can justify the decision either way in a million different ways, many of them have been written about above. Truth is, if you try to make a logical decision, it'll be against racing. Afterall, racing is completely illogical! So, TP, don't try it!

[TP]

No Ducati race bike would be cheap - I agree, especially in relation to what you can spend on smaller capacity Japanese stuff. I guess its relative. Racing a stock motor would be cheaper than an RS (in maintenance and initial purchase). A damaged repairable is definitely an option. I don't have the money to spend yet or even know whether I would want to go on with it - as WJB says, although I'm pretty certain that I would. I agree with Ray that a testastretta engined beasty would be a very good place to start giving me a HP boost and an easier platform to work from later if more bhp is required (obviously post suspension etc, whatever)

I don't even know how quick I'm going to be, I already know I'm nearly never the fastest bloke on a rideout but thats initially not my concern. If I find that I like racing and want to continue then I'll want to address that - but that was something I was doing anyway with two CSS days currently booked.

Thanks to all for your posts, as I said at the start this was a fact finding mission for an idea that is in an embryonic stage - I just wanted to leverage the benefits of all of your experience out there as many of you have been there done that as far as this is concerned. I may not end up going ahead with it at all but I would never know without having done the exercise.

Logic is for deciding how I'm going to race not necessarily IF I want to. I want to do it - it's as simple as that. It's a matter of finding out which way I'm going to do it that will be the most palatable that is the case. Untimately this would need to be a mutual decision with my wife and I and she's not convinced it's such a good idea yet - if I don't get her buy-in it doesn't get off the ground. We'll see what happens.

At this stage the best thing for me to do is to get my ACU license (started that ball rolling today by filling out my application for a UK license - changeover my Aus one) and to sample the racing taste test on WJB's CB

Then, if the wife is cool (hrmmm, don't know) and I want to go ahead (more than likely) it will be case of deciding from the following options:

1. Racing cheaper Japanese kit
2. Racing a Ducati which involves making a decision on:
2a. Racing my bike and buying something to commute on
2b. Buying a race bike with the kit etc
2c. Buying a damaged repairable and building it up (again depends on the write off circumstances)

Now I need to convince the wife that buying another seat of leathers is a good idea seeing as I only have zip togethers and not a one piece ...

[skidlids]

Originally posted by WeeJohnyB
I wouldn't buy a damaged bike...what's wrong with it, do you really know, do you want to go flat out on it? It looks ok

Or, buy a current race bike for £1500- £2000....there are loads of them for sale in MCN, Bemsee, New Era,

A bit of a contradiction there, There are a huge amount of racebikes out there that have been crashed, and are quite often back out there racing the following weekend, sometimes the following day or even the following race.

I've seen a Ducati have a big highside on a Friday practice day be patched up over night pass scrutineering in the morning and then spend the next 2 days racing (dispite the broken ribs and the bones in Dallas's feet) That same bike was later crashed at Donington, Keevil and Mallory and still its perfectly fine for racing.

But if you go racing expect to crash at some point as WJB says it may not be of your own making but it happens, jujst over a week ago at Thruxton several races were canceled as they ran out of time due to the accidents, the biggest hold up was the guys in the Streetstock race, 8 riders crashed at the complex on one lap, racing was halted for a while as the circuit ran out of ambulances

make your choice wisely, read Weeksy's account of his first ever race a few years back on his Fireblade, its a bit different from his latest reports.

[TP]

Yep, I'm aware of the physical risks of racing - if you decide to race then thats the way it is. I'm not kidding myself on this one.

I know I'll end up going down the road at some point, but I'd rather it be at a track than under a car\truck. More likely to have runoff etc (I know not all tracks do and some have armco etc in stupid places but it's still safer than slipping off a road edge into some trees or oncoming traffic.

[Felix]

Originally posted by tp-996
I have been accused of analysis paralysis before.

Yep, I can see why!

[TP]

make your choice wisely, read Weeksy's account of his first ever race a few years back on his Fireblade, its a bit different from his latest reports.

I've done some searching for that BTW - I can't find it.

Can someone help me out?

Hey Felix, I haven't gotten to analysis paralysis yet - haven't gotten all the facts yet - nearly though. But I'm already developing a decision flow chart in my head ...

[Edited on 20-7-2004 by tp-996]

[TP]

Originally posted by weeksy
TP, drop me a u2u mate, i'd be more than happy to hold onto the bike until October 4th.

If you're interested the bike is more than capable of racing in the DP 750/Twins class and is an AWSOME machine.

we all know the reasons behind me selling mine.....

p.s. it was running top 6 lap times today in DP meetings.

Mate, don't hang on to it for me - I may not even go racing if the wife is not keen. Even if she is I may decide to buy a TZ or something and go racing on the 'cheap' (I guess it's a relative term when it concerns racing!)

I just checked your auction and you've still got three days to go - it could be gone!

Might get a gixxer 750

[Steve M]

Originally posted by tp-996

Mate, don't hang on to it for me - I may not even go racing if the wife is not keen. Even if she is I may decide to buy a TZ or something and go racing on the 'cheap' (I guess it's a relative term when it concerns racing!)

I just checked your auction and you've still got three days to go - it could be gone!

Might get a gixxer 750

TZ and CHEAP. Now there's two words I've never seen used together before.
Rings - 200 miles
Piston and small end 400 miles
Crank rebuild - 800 miles
Plus all the gaskets and seals that go with each strip.
Crash damage is usually easy to fix though as there isn't as much to damage and not much weight bouncing about.
Also they take a bit of getting used to, but once you get the hang of it there is nothing like a true race bike.

[TP]

Originally posted by STEVE M
TZ and CHEAP. Now there's two words I've never seen used together before.
Rings - 200 miles
Piston and small end 400 miles
Crank rebuild - 800 miles
Plus all the gaskets and seals that go with each strip.
Crash damage is usually easy to fix though as there isn't as much to damage and not much weight bouncing about.
Also they take a bit of getting used to, but once you get the hang of it there is nothing like a true race bike.

Good point. I guess it's relative to racing an RS or 99* engined beasty no?

[stumpy1]

Originally posted by skidlids

A bit of a contradiction there, There are a huge amount of racebikes out there that have been crashed, and are quite often back out there racing the following weekend, sometimes the following day or even the following race.

I've seen a Ducati have a big highside on a Friday practice day be patched up over night pass scrutineering in the morning and then spend the next 2 days racing (dispite the broken ribs and the bones in Dallas's feet) That same bike was later crashed at Donington, Keevil and Mallory and still its perfectly fine for racing.

But if you go racing expect to crash at some point as WJB says it may not be of your own making but it happens, jujst over a week ago at Thruxton several races were canceled as they ran out of time due to the accidents, the biggest hold up was the guys in the Streetstock race, 8 riders crashed at the complex on one lap, racing was halted for a while as the circuit ran out of ambulances

make your choice wisely, read Weeksy's account of his first ever race a few years back on his Fireblade, its a bit different from his latest reports.

there are some very good points made by Skidlids..
this season is my first season racing,last year i done about ten trackday and never had one off...and i would say i was riding at 100%..

but you soon find out in your first race you were never riding at 100%......
plus if you go racing you will come off even those it might not be your fault,
so far this season i've had two broken arms after the first one i should of gave myself longer to recover, but you just want to get back out there..
so i gave it six week then on the 31st of may i went back to mallory,in my first race i got 9th in the allcomer which would put me in the a-final.
then in my second race in the F600 i got a good start and was running to the top 10 and i could see the leaders then it all went wrong, i thought i could overtake one of them at gerrard i was nearly flat out in 5th gear when i had a big highside and broke my arm again..
and like skidlids said about the bike..
the damage to my bike was
forks
front wheel
rear wheel
frame - swingarm bend
bodywork
exhaust

I had to replace all of these,but i'm luckier i have two great team m8s who have rebuild the bike for me...when i went to croft to help them out they, said had alook in the garage and there was my baby again..