Am I dreaming?

[Illest]

Ok so I really don't know if this is even the right place for a thread like this. Well I've been riding dirt bikes since I was little, but never raced.

Well I guess what I'm trying to get at.. I'm 22 years old and this 2012 season would want to start racing sportbikes. Saying I have enough money and support do you think it's possible for me to start racing and excel in the sport? Or will I be wasting my time.. My goal is to get a pro license.

I want to give this my all. So lay it out for me Ducati.ms. Is it possible? Or would I have to been racing since I was 4 ?



Im sorry if has been posted before or is just a ignorant post. But thank you for your time.

[Chuckracer]

Sure - anything is possible. Max Biaggi never rode motorcycle until he was 17 years old. One year later he was an Italian 125 champion. Five years into his racing career he was 250 World Champion.

Is it likely? No. Could you get an AMA Pro license? Maybe...gotta win some races first.

Go race.

[DuckMan]

I say you'll probably be better than most of the people who don't have dirt riding experience. I rode my first motorcycle when I was 17 and didn't ride one again until I bought my first one at 27. it's been a long hard road but I'm doing ok after 33 years of practice. I started my two sons riding at three and racing at five which they did for about 12 years. The times we've gone riding on the Ducs it's pretty obvious that I have more experience but it's also obvious that if turned loose they could smoke me.

[DucmanST3]

pursue your dreams it's better than a life of would have could have should have

[ducati2242]

Originally Posted by DucmanST3

pursue your dreams it's better than a life of would have could have should have

Totally agree. Better to have tried and failed as to never try at all .

[tweek]

Best case: you win the MotoGP championship a few times, earn millions in endorsements and have a great time

Worst case: you suck and end up deeply in debt with a pile of racing gear but had a great time and spend the rest of your life club racing, doing track days and talking smack to your other riding friends.

Seems like a win/win to me.

Actual worst case: you don't even bother trying but spend the rest of your life regretting not trying. If you are clever enough and work hard enough to get yourself to the race then you should do it if that is what you want.

[whistle]

Have you done a track day yet? Do you have a bike? Perhaps you will get closer to a plausible answer once you have gone through those "preliminary" steps.

Cheers,

[Varmitcong]

Originally Posted by Illest

Well I guess what I'm trying to get at.. I'm 22 years old and this 2012 season would want to start racing sportbikes. Saying I have enough money and support do you think it's possible for me to start racing and excel in the sport? Or will I be wasting my time.. My goal is to get a pro license.

I think that for most people, the experience vastly exceeds their expectations. I've found nothing like the rush of the speed. However, racing is a whole different ball game. The competition of close racing is right up there too, but there are no friends while racing. The competition even at novice club level, I'd bet, will surprise you.

To "excel" means different things to different people. For me, an excel-lent day is gridding up, racing close with somebody, and then going home in one piece. Race for fun and that will be enough unless you have "the gene", and then the gene will take care of the rest. The gene is discussed on other boards in tremendous depth, but, read up on Garrett Gerloff and Jake Lewis and you will understand. This is one of my favorite videos of Jake. I think this is when he was 14 last year.

Jake Lewis passes me at Road Atlanta - YouTube

Jake Lewis passes me at Road Atlanta - YouTube

Get some track time and learn the procedures so that you will not be a hazard to yourself and others. Things happen fast and lots of bad things happen because somebody didn't understand the procedures. I recommend starting on the smallest, dumbest bike that you can stomach. Sell what you have and buy a new ninja 250. Sounds dumb, huh? You want to learn corner speed. That is where you "do your part". The bike does all the high speed stuff on the straights, not you. Spend your money on new top shelf rubber.

If you have a chance, watch Opie Caylor race. His racing bio goes back to 1995! At the GNF I think that he came into the pits during the race to get a sandwich before going back out for the win. Take the school where he teaches if you can.http://www.bbcracing.com/opie/Opie.ht

One thing that you must take into consideration is the crash. The standard line is that it is not a question of if you will crash, but when. In my mind, I thought that one did not "have" to crash, and so I didn't "have" to crash. I didn't listen to that. They were right. You will crash and you may even crash a lot. You have to accept that FACT right up front, that you are going to be injured. You may be killed, you may be injured so bad that you will never ride again. So a full assessment as to what you are willing to risk is in order. Look up what happened to novice rider Quent Fitzcharles at Tally this summer on an SV650. Took the helo ride. I think that he had 2 broken verts, broken scapula, broken pelvis, and some other "lesser" stuff. He went down and then two racers behind him ran over him. Yet, from what I hear, he's getting ready to go again this spring.

So, along that line, make sure that you buy the best protection in both gear and bike prep. You don't want to be injured where better gear could have prevented it and you NEVER want to be injured because your bike was not perfect. There are plenty of other things against you, so you don't need those. Also, make sure that you have the money and insurance to pay for your med bills. Simple things can cost $40k at the doctor. If you don't have the insurance and cash, then don't race.

Originally Posted by tweek

Actual worst case: you don't even bother trying but spend the rest of your life regretting not trying.

That's way up there in the WCS, but not what I'd call the worst. The worst would be turning 23 in a wheelchair, never being able to ride again.

Best wishes Illest!

[Illest]

Thank you all for the positive input. I'm taking everything you guys say very seriously.

Originally Posted by whistle

Have you done a track day yet? Do you have a bike? Perhaps you will get closer to a plausible answer once you have gone through those "preliminary" steps.

Cheers,

Whistle: No i have not attended a track day yet, Ducati Indianapolis is having there first one this April and i will be at that one.

I do have a bike its a 07 r6. Thank you again for your input.

Originally Posted by Varmitcong

I think that for most people, the experience vastly exceeds their expectations. I've found nothing like the rush of the speed. However, racing is a whole different ball game. The competition of close racing is right up there too, but there are no friends while racing. The competition even at novice club level, I'd bet, will surprise you.

To "excel" means different things to different people. For me, an excel-lent day is gridding up, racing close with somebody, and then going home in one piece. Race for fun and that will be enough unless you have "the gene", and then the gene will take care of the rest. The gene is discussed on other boards in tremendous depth, but, read up on Garrett Gerloff and Jake Lewis and you will understand. This is one of my favorite videos of Jake. I think this is when he was 14 last year.Jake Lewis passes me at Road Atlanta - YouTube


Get some track time and learn the procedures so that you will not be a hazard to yourself and others. Things happen fast and lots of bad things happen because somebody didn't understand the procedures. I recommend starting on the smallest, dumbest bike that you can stomach. Sell what you have and buy a new ninja 250. Sounds dumb, huh? You want to learn corner speed. That is where you "do your part". The bike does all the high speed stuff on the straights, not you. Spend your money on new top shelf rubber.

If you have a chance, watch Opie Caylor race. His racing bio goes back to 1995! At the GNF I think that he came into the pits during the race to get a sandwich before going back out for the win. Take the school where he teaches if you can.http://www.bbcracing.com/opie/Opie.ht

One thing that you must take into consideration is the crash. The standard line is that it is not a question of if you will crash, but when. In my mind, I thought that one did not "have" to crash, and so I didn't "have" to crash. I didn't listen to that. They were right. You will crash and you may even crash a lot. You have to accept that FACT right up front, that you are going to be injured. You may be killed, you may be injured so bad that you will never ride again. So a full assessment as to what you are willing to risk is in order. Look up what happened to novice rider Quent Fitzcharles at Tally this summer on an SV650. Took the helo ride. I think that he had 2 broken verts, broken scapula, broken pelvis, and some other "lesser" stuff. He went down and then two racers behind him ran over him. Yet, from what I hear, he's getting ready to go again this spring.

So, along that line, make sure that you buy the best protection in both gear and bike prep. You don't want to be injured where better gear could have prevented it and you NEVER want to be injured because your bike was not perfect. There are plenty of other things against you, so you don't need those. Also, make sure that you have the money and insurance to pay for your med bills. Simple things can cost $40k at the doctor. If you don't have the insurance and cash, then don't race.



That's way up there in the WCS, but not what I'd call the worst. The worst would be turning 23 in a wheelchair, never being able to ride again.

Best wishes Illest!

Thank you Varmitcong!!, all this info you have provided is GREAT! I do want to do this the proper way (as in taking a riding school, track days, exc.. I dont want to be "That guy". so no cutting corners), i am pretty fortunate to have a decent job working construction and i do have insurance.

I do agree with you about getting a smaller bike like the 250, i was hoping to find something someone has already made track ready.

I did a quick search on those two kids you talked about. Jake lewis- hes a beast!! pretty much just like me only younger, Thats where i sometimes get discouraged, i read about these kids that started racing when they were 5,6... and at 14 about to go Pro, and here i am 22 just now getting into it... i know there family probably had a HUGE influence on that. It just bums me out sometimes... But that's just a reason to try harder right?!

If you could maybe shoot me some forums or website more specific to racing info that would be awesome! Thanks for the link to the School

I really appreciate you guys coming in and taking your time to help me.

Chuckracer, DuckMan, DucmanST3, Ducati2242, tweek. Thank you.

[CAlexio]

GREAT post varmitcong... See you at ECM!