Average cost for privateer to race outdoors

Fearo
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BE
10/22/2014 12:41am
I have no idea on total cost, I just remember Derek Anderson in his "Driven to Ride" series, saying they spent over 9 grand in fuel alone.
hillbilly
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Afton, TN US
10/22/2014 4:49am
I always say that I spent a million bucks to race the 35 or 38 yrs of my life, may be high,hell,it could be low.

I was broke the entire time,no matter how much other work I did it was always poured back into the program.

Would not trade or go back to stick that million in my pocket,you cant buy that at any price.

Saw a Steve McQueen quote in racerX, " racing is life,everything else is just waiting"

I think everyone that does this with the passion would feel that way.
1
IWreckALot
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Fort Worth, TX US
10/22/2014 5:35am
Kawaboy14 wrote:
1 year.......$30,000.00
Sounds REALLY low. Maybe you left off a 0?

$30,000 doesn't pay rent on a truck and trailer, mechanic, bike, parts, fuel (said above at $9k), food and training.

The Shop

dgmx
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Salt lake city, UT US
10/22/2014 5:39am
IWreckALot wrote:
Sounds REALLY low. Maybe you left off a 0? $30,000 doesn't pay rent on a truck and trailer, mechanic, bike, parts, fuel (said above at $9k)...
Sounds REALLY low. Maybe you left off a 0?

$30,000 doesn't pay rent on a truck and trailer, mechanic, bike, parts, fuel (said above at $9k), food and training.
i feel like truck and trailer doesnt count if you already have those, same with food. weather you are on the road racing or not you still have to eat. entries, credential, hotels, fuel, i wouldnt even count the bike because again, you would already have a bike regardless
Gringoe
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10/22/2014 5:42am Edited Date/Time 10/22/2014 5:43am
If done right most likely well over 50k and that's assuming you have a motorhome bikes and parts already paid for

Now if you're only doing the east coast or west coast rounds close to you you may be able to get away with 15k before bikes and parts

Shit is expensive
huck
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Mountain Home, AR US
10/22/2014 5:48am
Maybe Top Jimmy's dad will weigh in on this...I'm sure Jimmy and Gregg have a pretty good idea how much it costs....
KlootZak
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Brussels BE
10/22/2014 5:52am
Well depends on the assumptions you are making.:

Cost for transport: will be a big cost, somebody said $9000. If you calculate the total distance then you have a decent estimation about fuel costs. But there is also maintenance, insurance, ... Does he already has a truck or van? Or do you have to purchase as well?
Bike: is the bike paid by the sponsor or does he has to pay himself? Same story about maintenance and parts? Also factor in some oil and fuel? Tyres?
Living costs: like sleeping in a hotel or do you sleep in van / truck? Costs to park your van/truck? food, drink?
Staff: do you have a mechanic? Or do you do it by yourself or your dad? Other people you use (like a driver)?

I think those are the big 4 costs (transport and bike higher than living and perhaps staff) I think.

Kawaboy14
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Austin, TX US
10/22/2014 6:25am
Gringoe wrote:
If done right most likely well over 50k and that's assuming you have a motorhome bikes and parts already paid for Now if you're only doing...
If done right most likely well over 50k and that's assuming you have a motorhome bikes and parts already paid for

Now if you're only doing the east coast or west coast rounds close to you you may be able to get away with 15k before bikes and parts

Shit is expensive
$50,000 That's assuming you have zero help.......if a guy is fast enough to qualify he's getting help
mxtech1
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Galesburg, IL US
10/22/2014 7:38am
Trying to think back to 2008 and our costs...

2 Hondas - $16K
1 Race Motor - $3500
1 Showa A Kit for race bike - $8500
Suspension for practice bike - $1000
Wheels - $1800
Spare parts - $2000
55 gallons of VP - $550
Fuel costs - ~$6500
Occasional Hotels - $1000
Mechanic Pay $450 per week = $450 * 16wks = $7200
Fees per round - About $100 * 12 races = $1200
Weekday practice fees $100/wk*16 = $1600
Groceries and living expenses $150 wk*16 = $2400
Truck payment = $600*4= $2400
Toy hauler w/ living quarters = $450/month*4 = $1800

Probably missing some stuff but that's the big expenses. That adds up to almost $58,000 for a 12 week series. We had a tire, goggle, and gear sponsor. That was the only stuff we got for free.

As with any scenario, it can always be done cheaper or it could always cost more. We had a decent setup, but was by no means luxurious.

For privateers, the Washougal round is a killer coming from the east coast, doing 1 race, and then having to go east halfway back across the country.
1
Gringoe
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10/22/2014 6:18pm
Gringoe wrote:
If done right most likely well over 50k and that's assuming you have a motorhome bikes and parts already paid for Now if you're only doing...
If done right most likely well over 50k and that's assuming you have a motorhome bikes and parts already paid for

Now if you're only doing the east coast or west coast rounds close to you you may be able to get away with 15k before bikes and parts

Shit is expensive
Kawaboy14 wrote:
$50,000 That's assuming you have zero help.......if a guy is fast enough to qualify he's getting help
Don't assume so much
Bearuno
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AU
10/22/2014 6:41pm Edited Date/Time 10/22/2014 6:43pm
mxtech1, I'm sure there would be a lot of people here wanting to find out where they could get 1 Race Motor for $3500. Quite the bargain, that price. Care to share your source for such a thing?
rrdecals
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Durango, CO US
10/22/2014 7:40pm
2014 series

$2500 -Guss
$7000 yz450 stk motor (already had bike)
$1000 Parts-changed piston after mud race at indy parts mostly chains and sprockets
$1500 Hotels- every 3rd night free and sleep in airports stay with friends and friend of friends
$1000 Rental car (Priceline name your own price generally half of list price)
$4800 flights- (+airline credit card miles- sign up for every card out there)
$200 Race Gas- Shell 91 pump gas ( it's a 450)
$3000 Entries ( ouch! )
$250 Race Lic (ouch again !!)
$1000 Food & misc
not going to add it all up because I don't want to know

19th in series top privateer! yeah!!!


burn1986
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bossier city, LA US
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10/22/2014 7:49pm
It's crazy for a privateer to pay all that. It's kind of a wash.
BobPA
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PA US
10/22/2014 8:13pm
50k seems on the low side for a true privateer. If you are starting from scratch with no bike/transport I can seen double that in a heartbeat.
824 Dad
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Murrieta, CA US
10/22/2014 8:33pm
That's cheap, we spent $75k to race a late model stock car at a "Local" track 75 miles from home, only spent 1 night per race in a hotel and brought most of our meals...

Moto is really pretty cheap when you compare it to other forms of motorsports racing.
mx510
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10/22/2014 9:35pm
mxtech1 wrote:
Trying to think back to 2008 and our costs... 2 Hondas - $16K 1 Race Motor - $3500 1 Showa A Kit for race bike -...
Trying to think back to 2008 and our costs...

2 Hondas - $16K
1 Race Motor - $3500
1 Showa A Kit for race bike - $8500
Suspension for practice bike - $1000
Wheels - $1800
Spare parts - $2000
55 gallons of VP - $550
Fuel costs - ~$6500
Occasional Hotels - $1000
Mechanic Pay $450 per week = $450 * 16wks = $7200
Fees per round - About $100 * 12 races = $1200
Weekday practice fees $100/wk*16 = $1600
Groceries and living expenses $150 wk*16 = $2400
Truck payment = $600*4= $2400
Toy hauler w/ living quarters = $450/month*4 = $1800

Probably missing some stuff but that's the big expenses. That adds up to almost $58,000 for a 12 week series. We had a tire, goggle, and gear sponsor. That was the only stuff we got for free.

As with any scenario, it can always be done cheaper or it could always cost more. We had a decent setup, but was by no means luxurious.

For privateers, the Washougal round is a killer coming from the east coast, doing 1 race, and then having to go east halfway back across the country.
Washougal wouldnt be a killer if they could figure out something close to decent when it comes to scheduling. The current layout of the schedule is rediculous.
teggers
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Winter Park, FL US
10/22/2014 10:00pm
hillbilly wrote:
I always say that I spent a million bucks to race the 35 or 38 yrs of my life, may be high,hell,it could be low. I...
I always say that I spent a million bucks to race the 35 or 38 yrs of my life, may be high,hell,it could be low.

I was broke the entire time,no matter how much other work I did it was always poured back into the program.

Would not trade or go back to stick that million in my pocket,you cant buy that at any price.

Saw a Steve McQueen quote in racerX, " racing is life,everything else is just waiting"

I think everyone that does this with the passion would feel that way.
Yup.

Not near that kind of money, but I didn't race from 18-31
hvaughn88
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Conway, AR US
10/23/2014 5:12am
824 Dad wrote:
That's cheap, we spent $75k to race a late model stock car at a "Local" track 75 miles from home, only spent 1 night per race...
That's cheap, we spent $75k to race a late model stock car at a "Local" track 75 miles from home, only spent 1 night per race in a hotel and brought most of our meals...

Moto is really pretty cheap when you compare it to other forms of motorsports racing.
That's so true. Back when my dad was racing late models, he opened another business building late models for other guys and doing custom fab work just to support his racing. He's been out if it a while now so I can only imagine how much more the costs have gone up.
10/23/2014 5:35am
it amazes me when you hear of the amount of money some privateers (families) throw at it!!! i would be a large percentage of them have to remortgage houses/ borrow money to do it too. Just makes you realise there aren't that many guys making a living out of the sport! a few of the top riders at the front making a good living, then the rest living out of daddys wallet!
Grizz
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Los Angeles, CA US
10/23/2014 5:47am
rrdecals wrote:
2014 series $2500 -Guss $7000 yz450 stk motor (already had bike) $1000 Parts-changed piston after mud race at indy [i]parts mostly chains and sprockets[/i] $1500 Hotels-...
2014 series

$2500 -Guss
$7000 yz450 stk motor (already had bike)
$1000 Parts-changed piston after mud race at indy parts mostly chains and sprockets
$1500 Hotels- every 3rd night free and sleep in airports stay with friends and friend of friends
$1000 Rental car (Priceline name your own price generally half of list price)
$4800 flights- (+airline credit card miles- sign up for every card out there)
$200 Race Gas- Shell 91 pump gas ( it's a 450)
$3000 Entries ( ouch! )
$250 Race Lic (ouch again !!)
$1000 Food & misc
not going to add it all up because I don't want to know

19th in series top privateer! yeah!!!


And if you qualified for every round you would get back $4800 at the minimum from purse money.
71Fish
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Ogden, UT US
10/23/2014 5:54am
IWreckALot wrote:
Sounds REALLY low. Maybe you left off a 0? $30,000 doesn't pay rent on a truck and trailer, mechanic, bike, parts, fuel (said above at $9k)...
Sounds REALLY low. Maybe you left off a 0?

$30,000 doesn't pay rent on a truck and trailer, mechanic, bike, parts, fuel (said above at $9k), food and training.
dgmx wrote:
i feel like truck and trailer doesnt count if you already have those, same with food. weather you are on the road racing or not you...
i feel like truck and trailer doesnt count if you already have those, same with food. weather you are on the road racing or not you still have to eat. entries, credential, hotels, fuel, i wouldnt even count the bike because again, you would already have a bike regardless
Those things still need to be factored into the budget. Sure you need to eat anyway, but someone has to feed the team. What quality of food do you want?
The truck needs maintenance and upkeep, ie, tires, oil, fuel etc. You also had to buy the truck and/or make payments.
Same with the bike, those expenses need to be budgeted for, or else you don't race. Mechanics, tires, spare parts, fuel oil etc, etc, etc.

My ex-wife is also from Hopatcong.
holeshot100
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Billings, MO US
10/23/2014 7:03am
huck wrote:
Maybe Top Jimmy's dad will weigh in on this...I'm sure Jimmy and Gregg have a pretty good idea how much it costs....
Running the full series figure $3k a round plus bikes, mods, and parts. It is very easy to spend more.
mxtech1
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Galesburg, IL US
10/23/2014 7:08am
Bearuno wrote:
[b]mxtech1[/b], I'm sure there would be a [i]lot [/i] of people here wanting to find out where they could get [b] 1 Race Motor[/b] for $3500...
mxtech1, I'm sure there would be a lot of people here wanting to find out where they could get 1 Race Motor for $3500. Quite the bargain, that price. Care to share your source for such a thing?
When I say "race motor" I meant the motor we only used in the race bike. It wasn't what you're thinking a full-blown PC or Yosh motor.

It had a high comp piston, Ti valves and Cu seats, Yosh Cam, polished tranny, stock crank, and Hinson clutch. We did have a really good port job done on it, but we were definitely down on HP compared to a lot of the bikes on the track. Doing all the motor labor myself saves quite a bit of the typical costs.

We also ran 450's, so the cost was a little less than having to build a wicked 250F motor to be competitive.
hvaughn88
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Conway, AR US
10/23/2014 7:15am
huck wrote:
Maybe Top Jimmy's dad will weigh in on this...I'm sure Jimmy and Gregg have a pretty good idea how much it costs....
Running the full series figure $3k a round plus bikes, mods, and parts. It is very easy to spend more.
Is jimmy gonna be doing the video series again this year? I always looked forward to watching those every week.
holeshot100
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Billings, MO US
10/23/2014 7:21am
IWreckALot wrote:
Sounds REALLY low. Maybe you left off a 0? $30,000 doesn't pay rent on a truck and trailer, mechanic, bike, parts, fuel (said above at $9k)...
Sounds REALLY low. Maybe you left off a 0?

$30,000 doesn't pay rent on a truck and trailer, mechanic, bike, parts, fuel (said above at $9k), food and training.
dgmx wrote:
i feel like truck and trailer doesnt count if you already have those, same with food. weather you are on the road racing or not you...
i feel like truck and trailer doesnt count if you already have those, same with food. weather you are on the road racing or not you still have to eat. entries, credential, hotels, fuel, i wouldnt even count the bike because again, you would already have a bike regardless
71Fish wrote:
Those things still need to be factored into the budget. Sure you need to eat anyway, but someone has to feed the team. What quality of...
Those things still need to be factored into the budget. Sure you need to eat anyway, but someone has to feed the team. What quality of food do you want?
The truck needs maintenance and upkeep, ie, tires, oil, fuel etc. You also had to buy the truck and/or make payments.
Same with the bike, those expenses need to be budgeted for, or else you don't race. Mechanics, tires, spare parts, fuel oil etc, etc, etc.

My ex-wife is also from Hopatcong.
Vehicle and maintenance is another hidden cost. The Albee Bros lost a motor on their Sprinter trying to make it from Hangtown to Colorado. To get a warrantied remanufactured motor with a new turbo and a couple injectors with labor was over $14,000. If it wasn't for help from his fans...the season would have been over. I would like to personally thank every one of those who helped out! Those kids never stop trying their very best. Even though his results are not where he wants them to be, he just keeps pushing harder. They live, love, and breathe MX...I made them promise me they would take one day a week and enjoy themselves(see a site) on their road journey doing the nationals this year......PROUD DAD.
dl117
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Cambridge, MN US
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10/23/2014 10:22am
Vehicle and maintenance is another hidden cost. The Albee Bros lost a motor on their Sprinter trying to make it from Hangtown to Colorado. To get...
Vehicle and maintenance is another hidden cost. The Albee Bros lost a motor on their Sprinter trying to make it from Hangtown to Colorado. To get a warrantied remanufactured motor with a new turbo and a couple injectors with labor was over $14,000. If it wasn't for help from his fans...the season would have been over. I would like to personally thank every one of those who helped out! Those kids never stop trying their very best. Even though his results are not where he wants them to be, he just keeps pushing harder. They live, love, and breathe MX...I made them promise me they would take one day a week and enjoy themselves(see a site) on their road journey doing the nationals this year......PROUD DAD.
They seem to be very down to earth guys you got there, having fun and living a dream. And if I wasnt a huge jimmy fan anyway....to help out Mitch for MEC was on the next level of cool.

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