TIME FOR A TRACK BIKE... just kidding, I got a GoKart

[Sean]

In comparison, this is what my effort cost in 2008 when I got the #3 plate,(and there were plenty of others that spent much more than I did):
Tires: $8000
Entrance Fees: $2300
Bike: $10000 purchase new 2005
General equip: $4000
New gear: $2000
Bike mods: $12000
Race Fuel: $1200

Ouch!
I guess the old saying is true. "Speed costs money. How fast do you want to go?"

[Bueller]

You can spend as much $ as you want but if you got no skillz you won't go faster than a guy on a clapped out pos and if you get upset you didn't win, your racing career will end prematurely and bitterly. You have to have fun. If it isn't fun you won't do it very long. My first go around with the MRA started to not be fun so I hung it up for a few years and came back with a different attitude this time. I am out there having fun and podiums are great but the racing is the best part no matter how I do.

[Snowman]

Do you want to guess how much Boulder Motor Sports put into Shane Turpin just to win a club level class, Race of the Rockies last year?

[UglyDogRacing]

Do you want to guess how much Boulder Motor Sports put into Shane Turpin just to win a club level class, Race of the Rockies last year?

Including the cost of the Ducati factory world superbike he rode?

[dirkterrell]

Now I love sports, but anyone that puts everything into thinking they can make a living for life in sports without a fall back plan is pretty crazy to me. The fact is most people don't get to the big leagues where they make a ton of money. Even the ones that do don't make enough unless they are the main stars (since time is limited in pro sports).

So saying to not do college because you need to focus all attention on racing to be a pro is wild to me. Go to college and if you are good enough to make a living racing, even better.

Not going to college right after high school doesn't mean that someone lacks a backup plan. To reach the top levels of racing requires a tremendous time input from an early age according to those that have reached those levels. And I'd bet that they'd say that the 17-21 age range is crucial to the final development to the top level of skills. If it's clear you have the aptitude to reach those levels, you'd be crazy to spend time in school. If it doesn't work out, college will still be there.

[Snowman]

Including the cost of the Ducati factory world superbike he rode?

A bit like shooting fish in a barrel,with an RPG...

[UglyDogRacing]

A bit like shooting fish in a barrel,with an RPG...

I doubt most knew that bike cost more than their homes....

[bulldog]

Not going to college right after high school doesn't mean that someone lacks a backup plan. To reach the top levels of racing requires a tremendous time input from an early age according to those that have reached those levels. And I'd bet that they'd say that the 17-21 age range is crucial to the final development to the top level of skills. If it's clear you have the aptitude to reach those levels, you'd be crazy to spend time in school. If it doesn't work out, college will still be there.

So will Medicaid and welfare! The new American dream...YOLO!

I wish they showed for sportbike riding, but the % of people to actually go pro in sports is very low. I imagine it is similar for sportbike riding http://www.businessinsider.com/odds-...ls-2012-2?op=1

[dirkterrell]

So will Medicaid and welfare! The new American dream...YOLO!

I wish they showed for sportbike riding, but the % of people to actually go pro in sports is very low. I imagine it is similar for sportbike riding http://www.businessinsider.com/odds-...ls-2012-2?op=1

I think you and I are arguing about different situations. Note that I said "If it's clear you have the aptitude to reach those levels". I'm not saying that everyone with a dream of racing in MotoGP should abandon college. I'm saying, if you're 17 and being successful at a national level, it might be worth your while to pursue it full time rather than go to college right away. It's the same argument about someone with the skills to play in the NFL leaving college early: I say you're stupid not to do it. If you can make big money now, do it. You can come back to college when that earning ability is over.

[bulldog]

I think you and I are arguing about different situations. Note that I said "If it's clear you have the aptitude to reach those levels". I'm not saying that everyone with a dream of racing in MotoGP should abandon college. I'm saying, if you're 17 and being successful at a national level, it might be worth your while to pursue it full time rather than go to college right away. It's the same argument about someone with the skills to play in the NFL leaving college early: I say you're stupid not to do it. If you can make big money now, do it. You can come back to college when that earning ability is over.

Who knows for sure about anything. A million people think they are good enough to get into pros, but doesn't mean they will get in....stats showed about 1% make it. Huge risk is all I am saying!

College is still there if you can afford it. Most people don't end up going back because they have a house/rent and other bills to pay by that time. I like you man, but please do not become a High School guidance counselor

[TransNone13]

Wow, nice stuff on here:

$525 right now, I don't understand how this is a total loss.

http://www.crashedtoys.com/Inventory...d14122f4cfc822

[dirkterrell]

Who knows for sure about anything. A million people think they are good enough to get into pros, but doesn't mean they will get in....stats showed about 1% make it. Huge risk is all I am saying!

You're still completely missing what I'm saying. Let me try one last time: I said " if you're 17 and being successful at a national level". There aren't "a million people" doing that. For the few that are, it might be worthwhile to pursue it instead of college immediately.


A 17 y.o. kid comes to me and says "I want to race motorcycles for a living instead of going to college." I ask "What's your racing history?"

If he says "I ride in the canyons." or "I won Nov-U in the MRA." I'd say "You'd better pursue a backup plan."

If he says "I won national championships five times starting when I was eight years old.", I'd say "Yep, you might want to concentrate on racing instead of college for a few years and see what happens."

[FZRguy]

"if you're 17 and being successful at a national level". There aren't "a million people" doing that. For the few that are, it might be worthwhile to pursue it instead of college immediately.

Cameron Beaubier comes to mind.

[maktastik_jr.]

Well, now hold on. Let me relay my own experience with being a poor/broke college student. I worked full-time+ and went to school full time. It was a brutal schedule and was clearly taking its toll on me mentally after my freshman year. Then the '84 500 Interceptor came out and I bought one. It made the financial situation harder, and there were times when I had to skip a meal or two.

Despite the financial difficulties, that bike saved me. I had something that kept my fire lit: riding when I needed a break. I'm pretty sure I wouldn't have made it through school without it, so I look at it as a great investment in my sanity during what was the most stressful period of my life, even though it required sacrifices in ways I now don't even remember. To motorcycle riders, a motorcycle is a hobby that can come or go, there is a "riding season", etc. To a motorcyclist, it is a vital part of life, like eating or breathing. So, let's not be too quick to make pronouncements about other people's priorities.

Mak, enjoy your shifter cart. Work hard. Play hard.

thanks dirk, will do. and i still ride street bikes, so banning me would be stupid. assholes. lets go to IMI so i can spank all your asses in my kart.

[Bueller]

thanks dirk, will do. and i still ride street bikes, so banning me would be stupid. assholes. lets go to IMI so i can spank all your asses in my kart.

The banning was sarcasm, you need to do much worse than ride something with training wheels to get shit canned around here.
So bring that thing out to a real track and see who gets spanked
Oh wait they don't allow toys on the big track

[mauser72]

[QUOTE]

[/The banning was sarcasm, you need to do much worse than ride something with training wheels to get shit canned around here.
So bring that thing out to a real track and see who gets spanked
Oh wait they don't allow toys on the big track QUOTE]

nicely done bueller

[madvlad]

I'm serious man, reason why I backed out of the CBR600RR race bike because economically for me at this point to race is just not even an option and nothing but a daydream. I am driven and make things happen on tight budget as I've been doing for years but I don't do miracles plus gotta count with the unexpected stuff, not only the base costs you have put down on paper. Just had a cold head and didn't let my love for bikes and speed carry me, gotta be realistic sometimes.

The reality is it comes down to what you want to spend and the resources you have. We have local racers that will spend what an AMA team will spend on their club racing effort. But that is not the norm. You can do it cheap by running the 250 class or picking up a bike like the F2 that Bueller found.
This is what Amber's 250 effort cost this past season-

Tires: $150 (2 sets of used take offs)
Entrance Fees: $1750
Bike: $3500 purchase new 2009
General equip: $0 (i have everything)
New gear: $800 (used leathers, new boots, helmet gloves)
Bike mods: $1200
Pump Fuel: $125

In comparison, this is what my effort cost in 2008 when I got the #3 plate,(and there were plenty of others that spent much more than I did):
Tires: $8000
Entrance Fees: $2300
Bike: $10000 purchase new 2005
General equip: $4000
New gear: $2000
Bike mods: $12000
Race Fuel: $1200

Ummm yea this proves my point above lol... Just on your expenses you threw out almost what I make a year lol.... Crazy. Hopefully someday I'll be there but if not well there's always lapping days for some good ol' fashioned fun!

[diz]

There's a lot of wisdom in a few of Dirk's posts.

Yup, http://www.visordown.com/discount-ra...yer/21319.html

So saying to not do college because you need to focus all attention on racing to be a pro is wild to me. Go to college and if you are good enough to make a living racing, even better.

I think a lot of people think like this and end up having miserable lives. If you're not willing to risk everything for something then obviously it isn't very important to you. It seems to me, because of the way racing is structured, someone will know if you have the talent to make it to the top at a very young age. How does college benefit anyone when they race? To be honest college is a little overrated. I have several friends who have recently graduated and are struggling to find decent paying jobs. At the same time, we have middle school drop outs, rapping about tits and ass, making more money than most of us will ever see. Do you really want to find yourself at a 9-5 wondering if you could have made it?

As a college student, I was contemplating whether or not racing next season was wise. Between classes, work, and volunteer/research, I don't have much free time. It basically came down to me saying "Fuck it". One of the biggest reasons that I was hesitant is because I'm too old and inexperienced to ever make it to Motogp. I was talking to someone about this and they said "That's like saying you don't want to race because you can't race Formula One cars." So, next season is basically to see if I sink or swim. If I swim great. If I sink, I'm still going to race, but I'm not going to make the sacrifices I'm making now. You really don't need to spend all that much especially when you first start out. My biggest costs are on general equipment which will amortize over the years. Plus, I'm not racing to win, I'm racing to learn. There isn't any amount of talent that will turn someone into a winner overnight. I don't even know how to ride right. With that said, racing will only ever be a hobby for me. I'm not going to go into debt or spend a massive amount of money to win races. Besides, the world probably doesn't need another professional racer.

I also don't think Karel Abraham is a fair example. That guy's parents own one of the Motogp tracks.

[bulldog]

I'm serious man, reason why I backed out of the CBR600RR race bike because economically for me at this point to race is just not even an option and nothing but a daydream. I am driven and make things happen on tight budget as I've been doing for years but I don't do miracles plus gotta count with the unexpected stuff, not only the base costs you have put down on paper. Just had a cold head and didn't let my love for bikes and speed carry me, gotta be realistic sometimes.



Ummm yea this proves my point above lol... Just on your expenses you threw out almost what I make a year lol.... Crazy. Hopefully someday I'll be there but if not well there's always lapping days for some good ol' fashioned fun!

Funny thing is when I left here on Friday I went to the gym and ran into Frank (Shane Turpins old partner) so I had to ask him "hey I was having a discusion with some guys today on if it is cheap to race, so wondering how much you spent the last year you raced". He said "over $60K"!!!!!

[Radek]

even if you pass Shane Turpin on junk bike , he still got to go race to England

[FZRguy]

I beat Ricky O. around IMI for a few laps. He had a student in tow.