Welcome to the Guide on How to go Racing in Desmo Due! Here we give you the quick guide on Desmo Due and racing!
1. What is Desmo Due? Desmo Due (DD) is the name of the race series that is owned by the Ducati Sporting Club UK (the DSC) and run by NG Road Racing Club (NGRRC).
It was started in 2005 and has been running ever since with basically the same rules: race a Ducati on a level playing field against other riders on the best tracks in the UK!
2. Is it a real race series? Yes! We've been running since 2005 and to join us you will need an Auto-Cycle Union (ACU) licence (or SACU if you're in Scotland), just like all other race series.
You score points, get trophies and place in the overall championship.
3. How do I join? You first need to join the Ducati Sporting Club UK as a member.
This costs £25 per year and gives all sorts of benefits, not just allowing you to race in Desmo Due. To do this, either join online via PayPal or fill in the form and send a cheque.
Details here:
https://www.ducatisportingclub.com/i...hp?page=JoinUs Secondly you will need to register for the Desmo Due series.
This costs £20 per year and signs you up for the series to cover the costs of the Desmo Due series, including supplying you with sponsor stickers. To do this, email
desmodue@ducatisportingclub.com and they will send you a form to fill in and send off with a cheque or you can pay online through our online shop.
Thirdly you will need to join the NG Road Racing Club, to allow you to race.
This is done by filling in the form from NGRRC to join. Forms can be found on our website here:
https://www.ducatisportingclub.com/s...d.php?t=427320 Finally you'll need a race licence from the ACU.
This involves doing an on-track assessment with a short exam at the end to prove you're competent enough to race.
Then you can go racing!
4. What bikes are allowed? We race in two classes: "Class A" and "Class B".
Class B is for 583cc ("600") Ducatis, the SuperSport and Monster.
These put out around 50bhp if you're lucky, but still enough to get you into trouble. This class is ideal for first-timers as they have less power and less changes allowed to the bike.
Class A is for 618cc ("620") Ducatis, the fuel injected SuperSport and Monsters, or (if you're really mad) the Multistrada 620.
These put out around 65bhp at most, so are quicker than the Class B bikes. We allow slightly more modifications so the bikes are more competitive but are still able to run on the same grid as Class B.
5. What are the Rules? The rules ("Technical Regulations") are issued each year.
The rules may change each year, so you will want to make sure you're familiar with them. You can find the full rules here:
https://www.ducatisportingclub.com/s...d.php?t=430480 If you buy a bike that is already a Desmo Due race bike, you should be able to check it over to ensure it's legal and then jump on and start racing.
If you start with a road bike, you can simply strip off all the road kit (lights, sidestand, etc) and fit a race fairing and do a bit of lock-wiring (to ACU regulations) and off you go.
6. What are the tyres? Wets? Tyre warmers? We have two tyres, both Dunlops, one for Dry and one for Wet.
Ideally you will need a spare set of wheels and disks for your Wet tyres.
We do not currently allow tyre warmers.
Having all riders on the same tyres without warmers gives a much more level playing field for racing, so you can't just go out and "buy" yourself a finish.
7. Where do you race? All over the UK.
We race in selected events on the NGRRC calendar. You can find the list here:
https://www.desmodueracing.com/ NGRRC will release the forms to sign up for the weekend meeting. You fill it in, giving your DSC, NGRRC and ACU details and tick the boxes for DD racing. Send the cheque off and wait for your entry to be confirmed and your tickets to arrive.
8. Is it expensive? All racing is expensive! We're just less expensive than others!
A typical DD race bike will cost between £2,000 and £3,000 depending upon class and specification. Some have bought and converted bikes for under £1000!
Tyres are subsidised by Dunlop through sponsorship and cost £189 per set. A set of tyres will easily last you a weekend, some push them for three meetings if they're not worn.
A weekend meeting with NGRRC (Sat + Sun) will cost around £250 depending upon the circuit.
The rest is incidentals - travel to the track, food, fuel, etc.
Some DDer's will spend less than £3000 in a year on their race budget (excluding the bike cost) which is less than some teams pay for a weekend in other clubs!
9. Is it competitive? Of course, it's racing!
We've had some serious racers come through DD, not only starting in DD like Sam West (now in BSB) but also retired racers like ex Superbike racer Ian Cobby, and people who have gone on to race at the TT and even Pikes Peak Hill Climb.
But we're also a friendly bunch who enjoy grass-roots racing on a budget. There is a friendly atmosphere in the paddock rather than a competitive one, and we all help each other when needed.
10. What next? Come down to one of the race meetings - if you post on the board we may be able to find you a free ticket or two! - and see what you think. Come and find us, say hello and hang out for the day to see what goes on and if you think you'll like it!
If you're bored of track days and have always wanted to try racing, there's no better or cheaper way to start than with Desmo Due!