Getting stated with racing.

"hi everyone, I’m keen to get into racing; I have £3500 saved, and can add an extra £300 each month after which I survive. I am willing to make sacrifices, to race and by working hard and saving I’m doing that right now. Would anyone be interested in helping me get finances to go racing, or to help minimalise the cost of going racing? Does anyone know how I might attract some sponsership as well?

http://forums.sv650.org/showthread.php?t=101996

I've never raced before and have no intention of racing.......having said that;

With regards to sponsorship, your best bet is to ask your employers if they will sponsor you. If its a medium-large company then they may already have schemes in place.

You might also try asking local business' if they want to get involved. Another option is to try and get a discount for consumables(chain/sprockets, tyres, brake pads etc) from the manufacturers. I wouldn't hold your breath though as i imagine every would be racer tries it on.

IMO your biggest obstacle will be that as you're a new rider, you will have a low profile. Quite simply you won't provide enough exposure to justify any significant investment. Therfore the people most likely to sponsor you will probably do so as a matter of goodwill, as opposed to any financial benefits.

I reckon you're employer is your best bet and other than that you might have to carry the cost yourself.

When Blue collected my mashed up sv earlier this year, he mentioned that one of the reasons he doesn't race anymore is the cost.

Being your own spannerman will be essential if you're racing on a budget, but then i imagine you knew that.

Buying in bulk might also save you some £'s.

Also make sure there is some flexibility in your budget, as things can and do go wrong.

I'm sure race veterans will be along shortly to give you some better advice than my own.

[JediGoat]

Good luck in trying to get sponsorship Chris. Bear in mind that motorbike businesses get constant requests for sponsorship. Even my humble little operation gets about one email a fortnight asking me to sponsor someone's son/daughter/great-grandmother in their racing career.

Know what it is you want from a sponsor, and know what you can give them - after all, sponsorship is just part of the marketing budget, and that budget is spent where it will have most impact.

Jo

Thanks guys, I won't get sponorship from work, I'm a government employee so that what happen,I'm sure most of you know what I do for a job, they aren't intertested.

I asked to carry extra 5 days hoilday over, they won't allow it, I think I may enough I have worked in hopefully 34 days hoilday into next year. They said racing isn't a good enough reason, why should the job suppourt it!

I have about £500 of overtime (before tax) coming my way at rough calauation, but the main problem is no matter how hard I work it just isn't enough! I figure I have enough to buy a race bike, but nothing else, so that won't work.

Any other ideas?

Go on the game?

No?

[Red Herring]

Originally Posted by bluethunder

Thanks guys, I won't get sponorship from work, I'm a government employee so that what happen,I'm sure most of you know what I do for a job, they aren't intertested.

I asked to carry extra 5 days hoilday over, they won't allow it, I think I may enough I have worked in hopefully 34 days hoilday into next year. They said racing isn't a good enough reason, why should the job suppourt it!

There's a couple of clues there as to occupation there, and if I'm right I think you'll find you have a very active motor sports section to your social club and they might be more help then you currently think. The other thing about sponsorship is to understand the tax break situation very well, and what can and cannot be written off by companies as "advertising". I think the days of brown envelopes full of cash changing hands are gone but it's quite surprising how expensive racing can look on paper if you want it to. You just need to find the right company......

If its any help I'm a Met police officer, thats my job off to work in a few hours.

Well you can get a fully sorted race bike with tyre warmers and spare wheels for around £2000 if your looking to race in the minitwins. I picked my bike up for £1750 without spare wheels for example.

I'm doing my first season on the super cheap, I'm not cutting corners on the bike or tyres but I am scrimping on the luxury side. I'm taking a huge frame tent I got for free from a relative rather than buy an awning. I've already got a trailer and tow hitch so I'll use that rather than buy a van. I was given plenty of other gumpf at Christmas, generator, tools, paddock stands. The only place I'm not saving money is on tyres and the bike. I'm re-using all my road safety gear for the track, 1-piece leathers, gloves, boots and helmet. It's all in good order and less than a year old so I'm not compromising on safety for this. I've bought a 2nd hand transponder and 2nd hand jerry cans and 2nd hand camping gear and cheap inflatable mattress from Tesco. It all saves the pennies.

However despite all these cut backs I've aleady spent £2800 without turning a wheel. I'm still expecting to spend at least £2000 on tyres this year. Another £2000 on entrie fees and practise days and another £700-£900 on petrol for travel, generator and race bike.

I'd seriously suggest saving for 1 more year in your case and aim for a 2009 season start or you'l have to make the supreme sacrifice and sell your road bike to fund the racing. Is it possible for you to cut back on your living costs at home? I managed to shave my food budget for my girlfriend and I down from £60 a week to under £40. We got rid of the sky TV and I went to pay as you go mobile and barely use it (£10 a month tops). We changed utility suppliers and now save another £15 a month. It all adds up.

I had £3000 saved in August when I bought the bike, that is now all gone. I am putting just over £600 a month into the racing kitty at the moment and only just scrape above the overdraft mark each month.

Your experience may vary, don't let it sound like I'm trying to put you off, just realise what it might take to go racing if your not as relatively well off as others.

What about if a couple of you get together and support each other?

Matt

[yorkie_chris]

Instead of racing an SV, what about a CB500 or something like that? less glamorous sure but it'll be cheaper.