Track Costs 2017

[Topaz]

Originally Posted by Zaph42

Let me rephrase this for people who are reading it the wrong way: Ambulances are not needed at kart tracks. Of course personal safety is the responsibility of each and every rider. Is that better?

+1

I would ride any track, any place. A safe track, not so safe track, abandoned track, highway, desert, parking lot, you name it.
Just be careful and have a plan.

Re ass-hats, they're everywhere, on two wheels, four wheels, and even on foot. It's part of the risk. It's impossible to get rid of them.

[JustRidin]

Originally Posted by csmith12

@Zaph42 -

I will be 100%honest, I did add up my expenses ONCE... in 2014, it was over 20k. I never done it again and never will. Lesson learned. lol

Doing what we do is expensive, it's a gear intensive hobby/sport. Like scuba, skydiving, ect... ect.. The memories and friends we make are priceless though.

Originally Posted by Zaph42

Kart tracks are the "non-orgs" and I love it, and hope they stay that way. Thankfully, track time can be bought directly from the owners, with no orgs involved to increase the cost and impose their will on the riders.

These two things.

$20k/year on motorcycle expenses is simply not possible for many people (such as myself). I view track time as equally dangerous to riding off-road despite which everyone who rides does without external services on site.

That being said, as many mentioned, we all have our own tolerance for risk.

I do, however, make it a point to always ride with a buddy who can contact medical services if necessary.

If my own tolerance wasn't high enough to ride at kart tracks you'd likely see me on any track only once or twice a year. For the moment I just have to savor the one or two times I am on a "real" track each year while still enjoying my time at the kart track.

But csmith12 is absolutely right, whatever you spend, these types of experiences are priceless.

[sharky nrk]

$350 annual membership to my local kart track - GCKI and on average I get there around 20 times a year for the last two years.

On average I rack up around an hour of on track time each visit making it around $18 an hour of track time. It could be MUCH MUCH less if I could get out there more often, or dedicate more than a few hours a day when I go but its a bit of a drive away.

Most "track days" your lucky if you get 6 20 minute sessions 2 hours of track time for $200 or so or $100 an hour.

I LOVE hitting the kart track but it is not quite the same as a full size track and I need to do both to scratch the itch.

[DannoXYZ]

Originally Posted by csmith12

@Zaph42Doing what we do is expensive, it's a gear intensive hobby/sport. Like scuba, skydiving, ect... ect.. The memories and friends we make are priceless though.

Actually skydiving is way less than motorcycles. Once you get certified, most places will charge you just cost of fuel for plane and little on top. I was doing 6-10 jumps per day @ $25/ea with original Air Adventures West in Taft (not current outfit). I actually got bored of skydiving because adrenaline didn't last long enough... so got into auto-racing!

Yeah, memories of beach parties and campfires last forever! I also want to leave behind good memories of me when I'm gone.

[tgold]

My budget for an entire year of endurance racing with Southern Ontario Association of Racing on a 250 Ninja is approximately $2700.00. Running an SV650 for the same amount of races in 2008 was more than double the cost of racing the little Ninja. One set of tires for every race with the SV.
With the Ninjette it's a different story. I've been running one set of A-13 MotoAmerica takeoffs and one set of well-used Pirelli rains all season. The A-13s are working ok and to be honest, I prefer the Pirelli Supercorsas and they really wouldn't make that much of a difference in the overall budget, but we are leading the championship, so no need to spend the extra dough. The Pirelli rains are fantastic tires, but we tend to have several races with at least some rain, so I'm not sure if they'll last the rest of the season. If I were doing trackdays on a 250 Ninja I would definitely have a spare set of wheels with rains because it would maximize my on-track time and riding the 250 Ninja on real rain tires is extremely fun. Like I actually look forward to racing in the rain it's so fun!

Splitting the costs with my teammates has definitely helped me maximize my budget. That, along with all of the maintenance and modifications being done by me has helped. Even the performance parts I buy, I scour the internet for deals. A lightly used EBC floating rotor for $125.00, A dry break valve from an Indy car for $50.00. This stuff can be done fairly cheaply but it takes work.

[GregS]

Originally Posted by sharky nrk

Most "track days" your lucky if you get 6 20 minute sessions 2 hours of track time for $200 or so or $100 an hour.

I LOVE hitting the kart track but it is not quite the same as a full size track and I need to do both to scratch the itch.

Come to the Hill Sharky

[cbinker]

Ive said it once and I will say it again(not in this post), riding on the track is an insurance plan that gives you all the opportunity to explore the potential of you and the bike. It costs far less then a ticket, including insurance premiums taking a jump, and a trip to the ER and potentially ending riding all together.

[adouglas]

Originally Posted by sharky nrk

Most "track days" your lucky if you get 6 20 minute sessions 2 hours of track time for $200 or so or $100 an hour.
.

If you're not exhausted after six 20 minute sessions you're doing it wrong.

[sharky nrk]

Originally Posted by adouglas

If you're not exhausted after six 20 minute sessions you're doing it wrong.

LOL, most the time I don't do 6 20s cause I am beat - Personally I skip most morning sessions as the track is green and more risky, I just wanted to compare "available" time .

[sharky nrk]

Originally Posted by GregS

Come to the Hill Sharky

I know I know ..... I need to badly. My brother and I have been talking about it forever. It is mostly cause my day job isn't friendly to Mondays off . I need to come out and do a $150 guest day and get hooked lol.

[adouglas]

Originally Posted by sharky nrk

LOL, most the time I don't do 6 20s cause I am beat - Personally I skip most morning sessions as the track is green and more risky, I just wanted to compare "available" time .

First session is always slower to get into the groove, so I always ride it but never push.

From what I've seen, aside from the one or two doofuses who bin it right out of the box in the morning, most crashes happen later on... often after lunch, when people are digesting but also antsy to get back out there.

On a two-day, I'll often skip either the last session or the penultimate one. Saves energy for the following day. Last session is always lighter because people start leaving.

On a one-day or the second day of a two-day, I'll often skip the post-lunch session and start packing up... cooking stuff, table, etc. That way packing is easier overall... by the time the last session rolls around almost everything is already stowed. It also makes for a long, leisurely break in the middle of the day. Can even take a bit of a siesta and be refreshed for the rest of the afternoon.

[Abu_Mishary]

Approx. around US$ 85 for about 2 1/2 hours or three hours. Sometimes there is a slot for under 400cc for US$ 23 for one hour. That's in Malaysia, for trackday at the Sepang International Circuit.

[DannoXYZ]

Originally Posted by Abu_Mishary

Approx. around US$ 85 for about 2 1/2 hours or three hours. Sometimes there is a slot for under 400cc for US$ 23 for one hour. That's in Malaysia, for trackday at the Sepang International Circuit.

I'm moving to Malaysia!

[Abu_Mishary]

Originally Posted by JacRyann

I'm moving to Malaysia!

https://www.facebook.com/events/800080820174500/?ti=cl

The last session i went.

[sharky nrk]

Originally Posted by adouglas

First session is always slower to get into the groove, so I always ride it but never push.

From what I've seen, aside from the one or two doofuses who bin it right out of the box in the morning, most crashes happen later on... often after lunch, when people are digesting but also antsy to get back out there.

On a two-day, I'll often skip either the last session or the penultimate one. Saves energy for the following day. Last session is always lighter because people start leaving.

On a one-day or the second day of a two-day, I'll often skip the post-lunch session and start packing up... cooking stuff, table, etc. That way packing is easier overall... by the time the last session rolls around almost everything is already stowed. It also makes for a long, leisurely break in the middle of the day. Can even take a bit of a siesta and be refreshed for the rest of the afternoon.

Yeah that makes some sense. Most days the first sessions are follow the leader "learn the track" type sessions with the local org and I find that they just don't work on a 250 anyways when your in the middle group as its REALLY slow in corners and accelerate on the straights and no passing. I find them more frustrating then helpful for warming up and getting a rhythm setup lol. I will normally skip the first session and then one during the later part of the day (sometimes the last one to get packed).

[csmith12]

Originally Posted by sharky nrk

I find them more frustrating.

Hear that all..... the time.

As expensive as this is, I tell my riders and friends this;

There are no wasted laps on my race track. If you don't find enjoyment, practice or learn something with each session. You didn't want to ride it in the first place and the sun tan your getting in the paddock is only slightly cheaper per hour as your local tanning salon.

[adouglas]

The whole point of FTL sessions is to learn the line and pick up reference points. It's not about going fast. Use the time wisely (read productively) and it pays off later, at pace.

If you're getting frustrated, that's mental energy you could be using to nail down those cues, right? Frustration is waste. I'm paying too much to waste energy on useless things.

My org only requires full-session FTL in slow group; everyone else gets two laps and then it's open. But even those two laps are valuable scouting time.

[sharky nrk]

Originally Posted by csmith12

Hear that all..... the time.

As expensive as this is, I tell my riders and friends this;

While I can appreciate that and at times its true. I am sure you can also appreciate that time at the track is not all about the "track time" but also about the "experience of being at the track".

For me, at tracks I have ridden dozens and dozens of days at, I find I get more value out of taking off the first session and taking my time to go over the bike and get setup and BS with friends around the paddock at a leisurely pace then I do following the conga line in a mandatory FTL session if your on track.

You don't have to do that in Advanced but they do not let 250s in Advanced due to the speed differential, so most days are done in Intermediate. And even so, on the bigger bike in Advanced I normally skip the first session as well so .

[sharky nrk]

Originally Posted by adouglas

The whole point of FTL sessions is to learn the line and pick up reference points. It's not about going fast. Use the time wisely (read productively) and it pays off later, at pace.

If you're getting frustrated, that's mental energy you could be using to nail down those cues, right? Frustration is waste. I'm paying too much to waste energy on useless things.

My org only requires full-session FTL in slow group; everyone else gets two laps and then it's open. But even those two laps are valuable scouting time.

Well to be fair, if I have been away from a particular track for a while, it is a "new to me" track, or I need a shakedown cause I have done work on the bike or something... sure there can definitely be applied value in the FTL session. For me when I have done enough days and turned enough laps around a specific track that I can do the "visual lap with reference points" or the "draw the lap with RPs" then I feel comfortable nailing down those cues in session 2 at 60-70% pace and then ease into hard riding as I get comfortable.

There is no "right" and "wrong" here and different approaches can work well for different riders. This approach seems to work for making for an enjoyable day for me. For others, missing a session would make them stressed and out of sync.