Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/126464
ERacing on a ; budget E o 00 0') ....-4 20 By Larry D. Thill With the rising cost of racing it's getting pretty tough for many racers to continue their involvement in the sport. Clubs promoting motocross, desert and enduro events all report declining turnouts. The reasons are obvious: real income is down, costs for European and Japan· ese racing equipment are tied directly to the dwindling value of the dollar, gas is heading for $2 per gallon, and Junior needs braces. Need I continue? The current economic woes of the nation are going to have to be solved through the combined efforts of govern· ment, business, labor, and an aroused public. In the meantime there are some things you can do to cut racing costs: Consider the following: Bike selection. Think about the utility and resale value when you buy a new bike. There comes a time in every racing bike's life when it is over· the· hill, competitively speaking. The own· er has two choices: continue to ride it or sell it. The market for racing bikes which aren't competitive is not very strong. Their value is enhanced if the manufacturer has an established mar· ket for street bikes. An old dirt bike also becomes more valuable if it can be put to some other use. Many enduro mounts can be made street legal with little or no effort. A horn, mirror, rectifier and a battery is all it takes for most. An elec· trical outlet box makes a perfect hold· er for a Yamaha DT·I battery. Think of the fun you'll have riding your old PE 250 to the officel Shop carefully. Is that leftover model from last year as good as the cur· rent one? Have you checked every shop in town tha t offers the type of bike you want? Will any of the dealers give you a discount on parts and accessories? Don't forget to check discount stores and motorcycle junk y.ards of bargains. One discount store supplier markets four· ply Cheng Shins under a different name. (Check for signs that the original name has been buffed out.) The patient racer can find many needed parts at the local motorcycle salvage house for 25·50% of their new price. The prices some dealers charge for parts border on being criminal. Don't become a victim. Your dealer is malting all the profit he needs keeping up with the boom in fuel·efficient street machinery. Work on your bike. Most dirt bikes come with an excellent owner's manual. The IT Yamaha manual tells you how to do everything but split the cases, and that's not too difficult. If you don't have a manual, check with the dealer or your local book store. Be inventive when it comes to special tools. Often you can fabricate your own just from looking at a picture of the real thing. Case·splitters and clutch and nywheel holding tools can easily be made from a few old bolts and some angle iron. Lubricate and maintain your bike meticulously. This will add to its life, reduce replacement and reo pair costs and save you a lot of pushing. Ride a variety of events. Chances are your area has more than one type of competition, You can save a lot of money on transportation by concen· trating on local events. Many trials clubs have a class for enduro bikes. Talk to your local MX promoter about setting up a klunker or enduro class. Add a tooth to the countershaft and run your motocrosser in the desert. Enter anything in a hare scrambles. See if the local enduro event has a "seat of the pants" class. Enter even if it doesn't and hope you start with someone who knows how to keep time. Don't pass anyone who has a computer and a lower number than you. Concentrate on your specialty event, but know how to set your bike up for other forms of competition. Get a buddy. It is dangerous to trail· ride alone. It is also unwise to enter a cross-country event without having someone to make sure you return to the pits safely. Beyond that, having a racing buddy can save you a lot in transportation and lodging costs. Camp out. Get a good sleeping bag and a tent or camper. Cook out to avoid expensive restaurant chow. You'll meet more people and have more fun. Drive an efficient vehicle. Consider gas mileage as well as power, conven· ience and utility when you buy your next truck. A good used truck from the 60s is generally more powerfu I and gets better gas mileage than its newer counterpart of the same size. Stay away from troublesome, gas-robbing equip· ment like automatic transmissions, four· wheel·drive, and power steering. Rancheros and EI Caminos get better mileage than their bigger brothers, but they need air shocks. If you're thinking of trading in your gas guzzler for a new model, don't! The interest on a new vehicle loan is probably more than you're spending on gas now. If you have an economical car, get rid of your truck and buy a trailer. Become a scavenger. Pick up things on the trail. I once saw a 38mm Mikuni lying on the trail a mile past the fourth check. I still haven't figured out where it came from. When your event is over send the kids around to collect alumino um cans. They're worth 25~ a pound at your local recycling center. Combined other activities with racing. Let's face it, the family deserves a vacation now and then. Check your favorite weekly motorcycle paper and get Aunt Bertha in Colorado to put you up while you tackle some new ter· rain. Try to talk your boss into sending you to a seminar in Florida during Speed Week. Show up at your sister's wedding with your van and two buddies. Don't practice. One way to save money is to cut down on unnecessary practice and random trailriding. If you Live in a metroROlitan area it probably costs you quite a bit just to get to a riding area, not to mention the wear and tear on your machine. Consider other alternatives for staying in shape: jogging. exercise. bicycling, etc. If you race regularly you'll only need a few warm·up laps to be ready for anything. Look for other ways to save money. Remember motorcycling is part of your total entertainment budget. Only you can determine what sacrifices are necessary to continue your sport. Are eating out, chasing women, and party· ing more important? Yau must decide. • "It was the first time I had to race in the rain on my ContiIWins:' "So I pushed the tires aI out for the last half lap. I caught the leader 20 seconds from the finish line. He saw me and he pushed his Dunlop K-815 into one of the last turns. He slid so badly that he had to put his foot down, and because he was a flattracker he saved it. "We ended up side by side, literally bumping handlebars at 110 mph trying to get set up for the fastest tum. "After the race I went up to him and said, 'You need a pair of Continentals.' And he said, '#!""&#' and that he would run me off the track if we ever raced each other again. "I said, 'Well, ex-e:uuu-sss-eee me,' and walked away. "I could not have won that race without Continentals. When it came down to it I stayed on the gas. He didn't. I won." Jody Frenak Winner of aI 2SOcc Production races and both G-38Occ Production and Mod. Production AMA Amateur National Cham~ races held at Nelson Ledges, OhIO.