Ducati Sporting Club UK > DesmoDue Race Series > DesmoDue - General Questions and Chat > Realistic costs for the race series?

[ChrisBushell]

Boys & Girls,

I have subjected myself this morning to reading through this rather long and rambling thread; whilst I realise that there are a lot of points of view that come out of the foregoing, there would seem to be an underlying theme from some people that "Desmo Due" is not a starter class.

Let us be clear; the initial rules have been published, clarification on these has been given and will be incorporated into the final rules that will be sent out just after Christmas (Do not expect any surprises in them) so that you can plan your preparation.

With regard to costs, I think that it is important that we do not get into the relms of fantasy racing here. Yes you will incur entry fees, petrol (to get to the track and participate), servicing costs and tyres will wear out. However have we implied that you need a generator or tyre warmers and all of the other spurious equipment that has been banded about?

Looking at it sensibly, yes your will incur at least £1K for the above basic expenditure. I personally wouldn't count the cost of food, etc whilst I was away from home.

That leaves the bike, I am aware from the people that I have already spoken with that the majority are going after older 600s for about £1500 and are expecting to spend some money on them above basic servicing.

I am sorry but I dont get the idea of a £6-7k budget from this. Yes I am sure that it is possible to spend that, but in all honesty you have to ask what benefit one acheives for the extra expense.

If you need confirmation of any aspect, come back directly to Monty or myself in the 1st instance and we will do our best to answer your questions.

Remember that the Racing and Technical Committee of the DSC decide what is in or out, not public debate. They will respond to the requests and wishes of participating entrants to make the series as good as we can for the benefit of the entrants.

Chris

[NBs996]

so why are you planning on racing the TT then steve? D'you think you're going to win it??

Racing is not about winning, there's very few people on any grid who genuinely believe they can win. As said, the majority of racers are out there to do the best they can with what they've got.

[skidlids]

Originally posted by weeksy
gets onto his lovely dry bike and shoots off on his brand new and fully heated tyres.....

Then gets held for 20 minutes in the assembly area, does his usual warm-up lap then when the lights go off he shoots off down to the 1st corner and tips it in hard as normal, then the front end goes and he is on his butt as his tyres weren't as warm as he thought. Meanwhile the other rider not on tyrewarmers did his usual warm-up lap and left the line in his usual manner arived at the first corner knowing grip would not be as good as it will be later in the race and allows for that as he tips the bike in...oh look he has just passed a guy sliding on his butt.

I have seen far more 1st corner crashes since tyre warmers were introduced than I did before.
We could always make it even and ban tyre warmers

[Edited on 13-12-2004 by skidlids]

[dickieducati]

Originally posted by weeksy
At the end of the day, if winning doesn't matter then WHY BOTHER !!!! stick to trackdays..... it's all the same....

Racing is about winning... it's about being the best you can be... if you don't care about being the best you can be, then why compete... why do it at all....

the reason i'm 'bothering' is purely to give racing a go, its something i fancy trying and for me this is the best/cheapest opportunity.

if winning doesnt matter then why bother??? maybe ask wcm or aprilla in motogp, or some of the privateers in bsb wsb. for alot of people taking part does matter, myself included. dont get me wrong if i get a chance to overtake someone or move up a place i will take it. but i really am out there just so i can say i have been racing and for the experience.

if people only went into an event they thought they could win there would be alot of very small grids/participants: formula 1 - 2 entrants ?
tour de france - 3 entrants?
motogp - half a dozen?

[phoenix n max]

Originally posted by ChrisBushell


With regard to costs, I think that it is important that we do not get into the relms of fantasy racing here.

Exactly

[dickieducati]

weeksy, as you say opinions differ and thats no bad thing.
it will be interesting to come back to this and see who's, if any, opinions have changed. give you your due you have been there and done it so you may well be better placed than most to comment. we'll see.

[Iconic944ss]

Its an interesting debate - with many view points.

I always saw the Desmo Due as a way for riders to have a go at racing as a logical extention of trackdays (eg in that many would already have some basics - leathers, tools, trailer etc).

If someone buys a cheap(ish) bike - only does 3 or 4 rounds and decides its not for them then they will not have a huge loss and might be able to sell the bike on again (but there again - how many guys wanna buy an ex-race bike, nevermind a 600 Duke).

I agree the days of being able to do almost anything motorcycling related - on the 'cheap' are gone. But I think the series is aimed at participation and enjoyment and if peeps want to do it badly enough - i'm sure they will find a way.

Roll on Cadwell.

Frank

[antonye]

Originally posted by weeksy
I don't think i'm going to win the TT mate, the TT is more a dream than a reality.... The manx is the more likely of the two....

Sorry Steve, but you're contradicting yourself now. If you know you're not going to win then why, as you said yourself, are you bothering to enter? Surely you'd be better off sticking to trackdays as well?

I know the reason - it's because you want to take part and have a go at winning and you may be surprised to learn that a lot of us in the DesmoDue series feel exactly the same.

Do I think I'm going to win? It's difficult to say. I don't know the full line up, but from the few that I do know about then I may well be in the running, and at least not last ... I'll leave that to Tony.

Who can predict the outcome anyway? What happens if the hot favourite breaks their leg getting out of the bath half way through the season? If we could do that then we'd all be millionaires through easy bets!

Please don't judge everyone but what you feel is necessary for your racing, just because you've been there. I know a lot of amateur racers and a good friend of mine, who won the Bemsee 250GP championship in 2000, never used tyre warmers when I went and watched him race!

The point is that I'm going to take part and I'm not going to spending anywhere near 5K this season *gauranteed*. I'm keeping a total of costs throughout the season, so it will be interesting to see how much I do spend.

[antonye]

And, of course, if I do spend that much then I will eat my own hat. But if the wife ever finds out then that will probably be the last meal I get anyway

[Ray]

Desmo Due is not the cheapest way of trying racing, BUT it is potentially the cheapest way of doing a championship on a Ducati.

There are always two extremes of Budget in any series. At one end you do get the competitors who get enjoyment from " just being there" they do it on a shoestring, making the best of what they have already, be it a mates motorhome or secondhand tyres. They compete with the spirit of the rules in mind.

At the other end you have the super competitive types with the cash to match, they always use the best tyres, they test before every race meet, the bike has every performance enhancing mod going. They know the spirit of the rules but obey the letter of them.

I have never seen a race series yet where cash doesn't count for something. Don't kid yerself.
I have never seen a race series survive for long where just one big budget effort steamrollers the opposition into submission, year in year out.


You can argue the T055 either way until the cows come home but as long as the grid is viable and this thing is running in three or four years time who cares???


Ray

[Edited on 13-12-2004 by Ray]