track license

[granty92]

so basically me and a few friends with the help of my dad want to all get track licenses so we can do a bit of racing but i dont know which license to apply for because there are so many, do i need the acu competition license road race? or track racing? any help is much appreciated

[Elliott]

Track racing acu

[granty92]

thankyou :) now to buy the track bike ha, is a 2004 zx6r B1h okay for a start bike?

[jambo]

I've had a few friends do this and I think it's great you're looking to have a go.

My suggestions would be:
Find a series you want to compete in, and then get an idea of the average bikes in that. Minitwins, for instance is run by 2 or 3 clubs in the UK alone (Bemsee, north west Uk etc etc). Each club will have it's own rules and requirements.

I'd buy a bike that suits the class you want to race in, then do some track days to get used to it, I've seen a couple of people try racing without having done track days and generally I'd say it's too much to get used to at once. (The first time out people will be trying to pass pretty close)

The club (i.e. bemsee) will be able to tell you exactly which ACU licence you need.

Jambo

[The Idle Biker]

Like Jambo, I wouldn't recommend racing until you've done a good few trackdays in the Inters group as a minimum. Do some trackdays (if you haven't already) before winter sets in on whatever bike you can lay your hands on, then spend the winter planning, buying and preparing for the bike/ class you plan to enter.

ZX6R is a great trackday bike.

Bemsee/ Minitwins Novice is a great start considering you're down South.

[granty92]

i do plan on getting the bike next month as i now have a triple garage :D :D so can do the work over the winter and get out on some trackdays beginning on next year, what should i expect riding an inline four? obviously i have an sv at the moment and know there is a difference between the engines

[speedyandypandy]

My first thought when I sat on my first inline 4 it felt bigger. But riding the 600 the first thought was "Where tha *uck is the enigne break", then after a few miles I was thinking how nice it would be to have this kind of power in the SV.

[speedyandypandy]

Oh and a guy I kown thats been classic racing all over the place once told me, "Race something you like and want to have fun on, that's all that matters, don't think about this bike has 1 more bhp than that one etc etc, just go have fun"

[granty92]

one thing i love with the sv is i rarely use the brakes because of engine brake so may take some getting used to, it could be quite fun i think :)

[Whitty]

Back end of season now. I did at this time of year last year and only got to one meeting. Renewal is in January regardless of when you got it. Maybe worth hanging on unless you are keen to get stuck in. The fact you haven't yet fully decided on a bike points that way? 04 zx6 is a 636 unless you have the rr? Although a great track bike it makes it ineligible for 600 classes so you would be limited to what classes it could enter with some clubs. On more positive note its best thing I ever did on a bike and can't get enough!

[granty92]

yeah its the 636 one, i wont start til next year now but want to get a bike sorted so i can set it up to my liking and get a few bits put on it

[jambo]

There's little point getting a bike setup just right, and then finding you can't compete in a competitive class.

This is why I said you may be best off finding a class to compete in, and buying a bike that suits this. If you buy a 636, and can only compete with GSXR750s or Litre bikes you'll end up selling it and doing all the prep work again :)

What about the steel chassis classes (up to about a 98 CBR600), could be a cheap-ish class to race in and you're not going to be going up against 2012 models.

Jambo

Edit: Roadstocks can be good too :)

[granty92]

will have a look now :D im happy with any bike really, just want to get out on the track tbh

[Elliott]

For beginers the SV is more than enough bike and the minitwin clubs are one of the cheapest to compete in!

[granty92]

i dont really wanna take my sv on the track though, what are they like price wise to buy second hand?

[Whitty]

Steel frame class is an excellent class for the money. I race an old srad gsxr 600 in rookie and pre injection 600. I already had it that's why but after this year in rookies it will only be eligible for pre inj, f600 (pre inj+f600 run together there) or open class so I'm considering changing. It does ok at 3 sisters as it is so tight and twisty but gets left by bigger or newer stuff on 'big' tracks. A 636 could do a season with Preston dmc at three sisters in rookies but then you be up against bigger engined and newer stuff. You need to do homework on what classes are available and if any run together.