Racing

Race Days

What is involved

Racing is the next step after doing some track days if you wish to go this way. There is a class of racing to suit just about every type of motorcycle out there though most would have only heard of the most popular categories. You can start out racing an 80cc Moriwaki special at the age of 12 to 15, classed as juniors. There is a new series starting next season which is using 125cc 4 strokes for the younger riders also. There are classes for nakeds, twins, older models (new era, post classic etc), 125 & 250 gp bikes the list goes on up to the Superbikes. There is a class of racing to suit all budgets with some classes only allowing very minor engine modifications to keep the racing close but also to keep the cost way down. The weekend consists off practice day & sometimes qualifying on Saturday, Sunday warm up, qualifying, rookies race & then each individual race, normally 5 to 8 laps in duration. You can generally cross enter some classes to maximise your weekends racing depending on type of bike & series being run.

What you need

To race you need to have a Motorcycling Australia license & be the member of one the various clubs. To obtain your racing license you need to have done an advanced rider course & have a certificate to proof it. What ever bike you choose needs to be race prepared as there are a lot things that road bikes use that need to be removed & lock wired closed. This is done to prevent injuries & also to limit the amount of debris on a track if an accident occurs. Radiator coolant must be replaced with water, headlights, blinkers etc removed, the list is quite large but Motorcycling Australia have more details on their website.

You will also need full leathers (one or 2 piece as long as they are zipped together), AS100 approved helmet in good condition, proper bike boots that cover your ankle as a minimum, a back protector & gloves, preferably a pair that are designed to be used at the race track as they provide better durability & comfort.

How to book

Booking for a race meeting is done through your club. They send out the registration forms to you. A weekend of racing is upwards of $300 for entry fees alone plus then you have practice, tyres, fuel, spares etc. It can be expensive but the best way to go about it is set yourself a specific budget to include entry fees, tyres, fuel, miscellaneous items, crash repairs, practice days etc. Once you get close to breaking the budget you just need to have some common sense & miss a meeting or 2.

Tracks and organisers

Motorcycling Australia website

http://www.ma.org.au/AM/Template.cfm?Section=Home

Motorcycling NSW website - Has a full list of how to start, get a license, list of affiliated clubs. Everything that is needed to go racing

http://www.motorcycling.com.au/

Oran park homage

http://www.oranpark.com/

Eastern Creek homepage

http://www.eastern-creek-raceway.com/

Wakefield Park homepage

http://www.wakefieldpark.com.au/

Broadford State Motorcycling Complex - Victoria