Super street bike class next year in the MRA

[Bueller]

I don't have resentments, I think business has been handled poorly, and I feel people should enter into this eyes wide open.

[hcr25]

I don't have resentments, I think business has been handled poorly, and I feel people should enter into this eyes wide open.

I have known you for a few years and respect your opinion. I have been on the MRA board the past few years and rarely do i agree with all the decisions we make as a board. I do get to voice my opinion and I am happy to bring anyones to the board aswell.

Times change and so will the board members, all we have to do is voice our ideas, opinions and vote!

Like i said please PM me anything you want brought to the MRA boards attention and i will read it to them word for word.
Mike

[eklew]

I believe that 303Cycles has a fully prepped race bike available for rent. Contact Konichd to find out for sure.

I don't know if he got a new one but the R6 that he had has been sold and is currently racing in the MRA.

[rforsythe]

Not exactly true, we had over 70 people take the race school. A few were licenesed racers but most were not and they bought licenses but have not come out to race.

Then it stands to reason they're probably not surfing the MRA forums every day either, so you're still mainly just hitting the same old crowd there.

Now'd be a great time for rider reps to start calling each of them up personally and asking why they didn't come race. Just a thought.

[Matrix]

I was actually a little suprised that after I took the class last year no one ever reached out to me.

Then it stands to reason they're probably not surfing the MRA forums every day either, so you're still mainly just hitting the same old crowd there.

Now'd be a great time for rider reps to start calling each of them up personally and asking why they didn't come race. Just a thought.

[eklew]

I was actually a little suprised that after I took the class last year no one ever reached out to me.

Joe, I took the class back in 2006 and just recently started racing late last year and this year. I believe it is valid for 3 years before you need to take the class again. Back when I took the class, no one reached out to me to see why I was not going to race. I think the MRA was just interested to see new blood taking the class and maybe hoping to see me in the paddock sooner or later. I do think that it would be a good idea to see why the people that took the class are not racing. It could be as simple as bike prep, not thinking they are fast enough to race, etc... But at least the MRA would get an idea of what some of the hurdles are. If the people were willing to take the school in the first place, maybe they just need that extra push to get them on the grid. I know the MRA has an adopt a Novice program in where an expert racer mentors a novice with any questions about racing. Not only about bike prep but the routine to go through on a race weekend and even the etiquette to have around the paddock. Hell, I am no expert racer, but I am willing to help anyone that is on the fence about racing and assist them so that they feel comforatable being on the grid.

Joe, so I will make the first step and reach out to you now. Come on out and race at HPR and let me know if I can help you in any way to make the grid. I know you are fast enough, now especially since you have some new Klucky Pucks and all!!!!!

[hcr25]

Then it stands to reason they're probably not surfing the MRA forums every day either, so you're still mainly just hitting the same old crowd there.

Now'd be a great time for rider reps to start calling each of them up personally and asking why they didn't come race. Just a thought.

Very true. As i rider rep i have talked with a number of people that took the school. Most of them said they are not racing because of the economy, lack of $$$. The start of the year was tight and it continued to get worse. One even said it wasn't what he thought and he was scared to ride so close to others on the track. For a couple it was medical insurance more then anything else.

For the racers that have been racing before this year it seems for a lot of them priorities have changed. Buying houses, more time with family or new cheaper hobbies.

The MRA board is working on a mailer as well as a potential e mail blast questionnaire type thing.

[Matrix]

Ohhh the peer pressure...I cant take it! ok I'm in. haha Bike is in the process of being saftey wired now and I should have the new plastics mounted up by end of the weekend. I will hit you up next week to check it out to see if everything looks good and if so then you will see me out there. If not I will make the next round for sure.
Somebody has to bring up the rear.

Joe, I took the class back in 2006 and just recently started racing late last year and this year. I believe it is valid for 3 years before you need to take the class again. Back when I took the class, no one reached out to me to see why I was not going to race. I think the MRA was just interested to see new blood taking the class and maybe hoping to see me in the paddock sooner or later. I do think that it would be a good idea to see why the people that took the class are not racing. It could be as simple as bike prep, not thinking they are fast enough to race, etc... But at least the MRA would get an idea of what some of the hurdles are. If the people were willing to take the school in the first place, maybe they just need that extra push to get them on the grid. I know the MRA has an adopt a Novice program in where an expert racer mentors a novice with any questions about racing. Not only about bike prep but the routine to go through on a race weekend and even the etiquette to have around the paddock. Hell, I am no expert racer, but I am willing to help anyone that is on the fence about racing and assist them so that they feel comforatable being on the grid.

Joe, so I will make the first step and reach out to you now. Come on out and race at HPR and let me know if I can help you in any way to make the grid. I know you are fast enough, now especially since you have some new Klucky Pucks and all!!!!!

[eklew]

Ohhh the peer pressure...I cant take it! ok I'm in. haha Bike is in the process of being saftey wired now and I should have the new plastics mounted up by end of the weekend. I will hit you up next week to check it out to see if everything looks good and if so then you will see me out there. If not I will make the next round for sure.
Somebody has to bring up the rear.

That is awesome to hear!!!! Let me know when or if you need help and I will be there.

This offer obviously goes out to anyone that is on the fence about trying to get out there and race.

[rybo]

While I will only be there on Saturday, anyone who wants to come hang out by my pits and see how the "old and slow" guys do it is welcome.

As always the cooler will be stocked with refreshments and there will be a couple of chairs around. The only condition is that if you hang in my pits, you gotta cheer for me and not those pesky EKLEW or RFORSYTHE characters.

[GNGSXR]

What is the point of this suggestion? I have friends that have one bike and want to get on the track, be involved with the club, but don't want to give up their ability to ride their streetbike on the street. These guys/gals also don't have the budget to race full tilt.

I started racing with only one bike and still only have one bike. my street bike became my race bike.
I also still continue to use my bike as a street bike. It takes about 20 minutes to swap plastics from race to street and it is not a PITA what so ever. It would be wise though to invest in some race plastics instead of destroying $1400+ stock plastics/lights. you can find some cheap $300 plastics on ebay and make those work/look awesome.

once your bike is setup racing really is not THAT expensive.
if the entry fees, license, AMA membership, MRA school etc is to much for you to spend then racing is not for you. stick to track days.
I love track days, but the thrill of being around other riders who are all fighting to cross the finish line first is a thrill i can't live without. yes it is exactly like heroine. . . i think.

I used to spend $50 on a set of tires that would last me one full practice day, 3 15 minute practice sessions Saturday morning, one sprint race on saturday, 2 practice sessions on Sunday, and one race on Sunday. Those were take off tires I was using and i was still able to do low minute forties at pueblo. I would then use those same tires on the street for about 500-800 miles until the next time i swapped on another set of take offs. you can get more than your moneys worth on a set of take offs.

case covers are essential. I have wrecked. . . i mean my bike has done a double front flip, bounced side to side and scrapped both sides all in the same mishap and the case covers held up great. the same case covers are still in good condition and im sure could take more of a beating, but i dont really want to test them out anymore. I would even get some case covers for a bike that i only rode on the street. Anything to protect my engine from all the idiots out on the streets today.
case covers look good on any bike. everyone else on the street will just be jealous of you if you rock some covers when youre out riding around town.
Most bikes only need a complete cover on the stator side and just a puck/slider/plate/thingy dealy attachment on the clutch side so covers may not be as pricey as you think.

safety wiring is not some black art that only experienced racers can do. Yes it is a pain and takes a lot of patience to do. If you don't have the patience to watch 5-15 drill bits break off in your face then there are other options. I don't have patience so i took all the bolts that needed to be drilled to a local machine shop. Cost me about $40 to have someone drill all the bolts i needed. i think it was like 20 bolts or something like that to be fully race legal.

you do not need all the trick stuff to go fast. the guy leading the Novice o/u and Amateur o/u classes is on a basically stock kawi 600.
focus on improving your skills before pissing away your money on parts.

[Bashed]

What class(es) ya racing Bash?

Meat Grinder aka MW endurance.
I will see you on the back row my friend!

No sh*t, it's called the meat grinder?
Cr*p, I just am starting to feel better
from my last/latest surgery.
Oh well, it's well worth the rush.
See you'all on saturday!

Bash

[MRA 32]

Sorry for the confusion on the case covers, to my knowledge the inline 4's (CBR,GSXR,ZX, and YZF) have case armor available and should be used. I am not trying to pick on anybody.

Here is why I posted this thread: When I took the race school 7 years ago I did it on a liter bike. I did NOT want to race it nor would it have done me any good in my development as a racer. I have always had a love affair with MOTO GP and therefore I have and always will race GP bikes. I was not able to buy a GP bike at the time I took the school so I sat out most of the season. Near the end of the season an RS 125 became available and I purchased it. I only raced the final weekend at SCR. But if there had been a streetbike class....I could have still gone to the track, got some racing done on my streetbike, and not sit out most of the season.

Also

I ride with a bunch of long time friends in the Greeley area. These guys bought there street bikes to be just that, streetbikes. But all have interest in hanging out with me at the races and want to do some racing. None of them want to fully commit their streetbike to the track and I don't blame them. A streetbike class would be great to get them involved in a cheaper form of racing. Plus none of my riding buddies have the budget to be full tilt racers. I want to offer this class with no strings attached, just come and race.

I hope this makes sense what I am about to say: But supersport racing is supposed to be cheaper than superbike classes. But really what is different is DOT's and slicks. To you CSC members this may not mean much to you being that most of you do not race and know our rulebook inside and out. The MRA ALWAYS has exhausting discussions at the rule change meetings about the supersport classes. The new streetbike class could or could not be a prelude to a true production class race bike class. By this I mean the bike must race truly showroom stock no powercommanders, kit brakes or wheels, no after market exhaust, just a true showroom stock bike. I am probably getting ahead of myself and I am expressing my opinion.

I want everyone to know that I am trying to bridge any kind of gap that exists between the CSC and the MRA. I have not attacked anyone here nor have I been rude in person to anybody in this club. I have met you Terri at the Moto Haus and I think you are a great person from my first impression. Terri if you have any questions about anything involved with the MRA swing into my pits I am number 927. I have and always will be open to help anyone with racing (at least what I am capable of). I have had nothing but a wonderful time racing in the MRA and I have done so on a small budget.

I did not post this thread so that I can read how bad the MRA is in some peoples eyes. Nor do I have any ill feelings towards the CSC.

I welcome anyone to stop in at my pits. I race a yellow Honda RSF 450 and have a giant Interstate Honda sticker on my trailer.

I will use the poll as additional info at our rule change meeting to help or not help with creation of a new class for 2010.

Thanks, Jeff Winter MRA # 927

[eklew]

While I will only be there on Saturday, anyone who wants to come hang out by my pits and see how the "old and slow" guys do it is welcome.

As always the cooler will be stocked with refreshments and there will be a couple of chairs around. The only condition is that if you hang in my pits, you gotta cheer for me and not those pesky EKLEW or RFORSYTHE characters.

Blasphemy!!!!

[nwatkins]

My first piece of racing crack was given to me in New Mexico. I took a class and with that class came one race in their beginner class. The bike prep on that race was minimmal, I used street body work, stock case covers, and I safty wired the oil, and drained the coolant. The beginner class was free with the class. That race was a lot of fun, and the rules were if you finished in the top two of that class you were no longer a beginner. I finished second and I was kicked out of the class. I even got a plaque for 2nd place in the beginner class.

Here is my question having to do with bike prep. When was the last time a track got oiled by a broken case cover? I am sure it does happen, but if we do this race and the track does get oiled, I volunteer to help clean it up. Since it will be at the end of the day on Saturday we can get it clean. Lets make it easy, and have track day prep.

[MRA 32]

Here is an example of why we require case covers: Racer Jim Bob comes over from Utah to race with us, he has a minimum of 1k invested in entry fees, travel, hotel, tires, fuel, and machinery. On Saturday afternoon a bike with unprotected cases crashes and oils the track and despite our best efforts to clean the track Saturday evening our Sunday schedule is shortened or worse cancelled (this has actually happened). Is it fair to the guys who travel long distances to race with us to cancel the whole weekend or even maybe cancel a few races? Granted a fully prepped bike could have this same effect BUT there was some effort to stop it ahead.

Or

You are right behind the incident and don't have time to react to spilled oil on the track and you go down as well. Is it fair to you! Are you the paying rider going to be upset that your bike is a mess in the weeds because we didn't enforce rules that could have protected you? Being on the track is dangerous enough, lets not add to it.

How many street bikes have an after market slip on exhaust? How many people are upset about spending $100-$400 for case covers that have a $600 aftermarket exhaust on their bike?

I will propose the rule without case guards.....but I know the case guards will have to be added in order for the class to pass.

[Bashed]

This offer obviously goes out to anyone that is on the fence about trying to get out there and race.

Elden, I will be there on Saturday to race in the "meatgrinder",
as Applehans put it middleweight solo endurance.
I will need the following help to enhance my experiance.
First off I need you to do all my bike prep
Then I will need you to go get all my paperwork sorted
this might include you paying for my entries
Then after that I will need new tires payed for and installed
Next I guess will be the practice sessions, showing me all the secert lines and overtaking spots so I will know where to look for others stuffing me.
After practince if I dont throw myself in the asphalt and dirt yet I will need some debriefing on my posture and lack of skill.
Maybe a massage before the race to help be relaxed when I hit the ground,
Being tense might make be more suseptible to breaking something.
Then the race, I will need you to tell me where to grid and check my bike over once more, refueling with your special race gas.
After that I will expect you to pack all my stuff up and drive me home, I like to take a nap in the truck.
Unload all my stuff at home and then fix me a nice steak dinner.
That should be enough for my first day racing, the following races I would expect more of you as you will be more in tune with my individual needs by then.
Thanks for you invitation to do all of this for me, your the best.

Bash
MRA #112

[nwatkins]

Elden, I will be there on Saturday to race in the "meatgrinder",
as Applehans put it middleweight solo endurance.
I will need the following help to enhance my experiance.
First off I need you to do all my bike prep
Then I will need you to go get all my paperwork sorted
this might include you paying for my entries
Then after that I will need new tires payed for and installed
Next I guess will be the practice sessions, showing me all the secert lines and overtaking spots so I will know where to look for others stuffing me.
After practince if I dont throw myself in the asphalt and dirt yet I will need some debriefing on my posture and lack of skill.
Maybe a massage before the race to help be relaxed when I hit the ground,
Being tense might make be more suseptible to breaking something.
Then the race, I will need you to tell me where to grid and check my bike over once more, refueling with your special race gas.
After that I will expect you to pack all my stuff up and drive me home, I like to take a nap in the truck.
Unload all my stuff at home and then fix me a nice steak dinner.
That should be enough for my first day racing, the following races I would expect more of you as you will be more in tune with my individual needs by then.
Thanks for you invitation to do all of this for me, your the best.

Bash
MRA #112

so that is what it is like to be a factory racer. Sign me up!

[nwatkins]

Here is an example of why we require case covers: Racer Jim Bob comes over from Utah to race with us, he has a minimum of 1k invested in entry fees, travel, hotel, tires, fuel, and machinery. On Saturday afternoon a bike with unprotected cases crashes and oils the track and despite our best efforts to clean the track Saturday evening our Sunday schedule is shortened or worse cancelled (this has actually happened). Is it fair to the guys who travel long distances to race with us to cancel the whole weekend or even maybe cancel a few races? Granted a fully prepped bike could have this same effect BUT there was some effort to stop it ahead.

Or

You are right behind the incident and don't have time to react to spilled oil on the track and you go down as well. Is it fair to you! Are you the paying rider going to be upset that your bike is a mess in the weeds because we didn't enforce rules that could have protected you? Being on the track is dangerous enough, lets not add to it.

How many street bikes have an after market slip on exhaust? How many people are upset about spending $100-$400 for case covers that have a $600 aftermarket exhaust on their bike?

I will propose the rule without case guards.....but I know the case guards will have to be added in order for the class to pass.

I was just thinking, make it as easy as possible for people to get their first piece of crack and watch how quick their bikes get preppred correctly for the next weekend.

If it raises the participant count in the club, I am willing to clean the track up. For people in that race, that is a risk. I don't like it either, but it is bettern then having to spend all my money travelling to Miller or down to ASMI to race.

[eklew]

Elden, I will be there on Saturday to race in the "meatgrinder",
as Applehans put it middleweight solo endurance.
I will need the following help to enhance my experiance.
First off I need you to do all my bike prep
Then I will need you to go get all my paperwork sorted
this might include you paying for my entries
Then after that I will need new tires payed for and installed
Next I guess will be the practice sessions, showing me all the secert lines and overtaking spots so I will know where to look for others stuffing me.
After practince if I dont throw myself in the asphalt and dirt yet I will need some debriefing on my posture and lack of skill.
Maybe a massage before the race to help be relaxed when I hit the ground,
Being tense might make be more suseptible to breaking something.
Then the race, I will need you to tell me where to grid and check my bike over once more, refueling with your special race gas.
After that I will expect you to pack all my stuff up and drive me home, I like to take a nap in the truck.
Unload all my stuff at home and then fix me a nice steak dinner.
That should be enough for my first day racing, the following races I would expect more of you as you will be more in tune with my individual needs by then.
Thanks for you invitation to do all of this for me, your the best.

Bash
MRA #112

DUDE!!!! You must have hit your head way too hard on your last crash!!! Seriously though, it is going to be awesome to have you on the grid

[The GECCO]

Terrific, now you have a track but the MRA has been in a tailspin for years now under his admin. Maybe he should have paid more attention to business of the MRA and not alienating current members and not setting up his own employment future. the MRA has been in financial trouble since way before this economic downturn. The failure of the MRA can only rest on the leadership. I like most of the Board members but they have failed.

So, I have no idea what I've done to Mr Bueller, and frankly, I have much more important things to worry about, but I feel this BS needs a response.

When I was elected President of the MRA 6 years ago it was literally broke as the previous president had embezzled 10's of thousands of dollars and is now a fugitive from a felony warrant. Since then, we have done well enough to buy a new equipment truck, two ATV's, two dirtbikes, trailers for the airfence, a new broadcasting system, a transponder system....I could keep going, but the point has been made.

The MRA treasury was also able to donate $50,000 directly to HPR, something that all five CAMA clubs committed to doing.

I would hardly consider that a tailspin.

As for setting up my own future employment - first, I'm sorry you see it as a bad thing that I donated hundreds of hours of my personal time and literally thousands of dollars in fuel and other expenses (yes, un-reimbursed) in order to see that a new track was built in Colorado. Given the current financial climate you can imagine the "tailspin" ALL of the Colorado clubs would be in if we didn't have a new track to draw in participants. Second - last fall when the CAMA board realized that the track was going to be reality there was one board member who was quite adamant that he wanted me to be the manager. I said "no". I had a good job, a house and a great social life in Fort Collins. So, we searched and ended up hiring someone. He started January 1st and by the middle of March we realized he wasn't the guy. The problem was that it was two weeks till opening day and we had no one to replace him and take over. I stepped up. I quit a job I had held for over ten years, bought a new 5th wheel trailer and moved to the track to take over. I'm still making payments on my house, even though I haven't slept there since March 30, simply because I haven't had any time to finish moving out and prepping it to go on the market. Since I took a rather large pay cut to do this I can't buy another house until that one sells, which means I have no choice right now but to live at the track. It isn't all bad, don't get me wrong, but as a single guy you can imagine what it's done to my social life. This wasn't my plan, so don't make it out like I set everything up so I could run HPR and ignored everything else in the process.

[supermoto]

This sounds great for all those that have to keep their bike set up for a commuter bike as well. The safety issues must be addressed with taping the glass really well and removing all ANTI FREEZE. Good tires and brakes are a must. Safety wire is of course for everyones safety---

Coming up Aug 3rd at High Plains Raceway is an open track day. A great way to get started on your street bike. We willl be there for orientation and instruction of new riders. The introduction is $50.00 and is very low key. We'll cover safety issues, track rules, review the track map with you, discuss track riding skills and help other riders to further develop the skills they already have.

We want to get more people out to the track share in the passion. We will work on proper body position and picking the best lines, we will help you set up your bikes suspension if necessary.

Former AMA Pro and MRA racer, is MSF and TOTAL CONTROL Instructor certified. He is here for group track sessions or one on one training Please ask him to help, he loves this stuff.

Contact:
Ty Piz --supermoto-- ty_piz@hotmail.com --303 349 7177

or visit the web site www.highplainsraceway.com for more information, for a track map and take a track ride with the onboard camera

This day is going to be a hoot!

[hcr25]

I have been racing in the MRA for 14 years now. Ty Piz is one of the reasons I made it so long. Early in my racing he help me numerous times at the track. He has a wealth of knowledge and is a great teacher.

Mike Applehans #25