Racing on a budget

jsmi33966
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jsmi33966
Edited Date/Time 10/23/2018 2:04pm
Anyone here racing on less than 50K a year. Excluding people racing daddys bike.

Anyone lining up with A.R.C gear on the gate?

I just bought all mismatched clearance gear and I'm about to race Sunday
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mattyhamz2
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mattyhamz2 10/19/2018 10:12am
10/19/2018 10:12am
jsmi33966 wrote:
Anyone here racing on less than 50K a year. Excluding people racing daddys bike. Anyone lining up with A.R.C gear on the gate? I just bought...
Anyone here racing on less than 50K a year. Excluding people racing daddys bike.

Anyone lining up with A.R.C gear on the gate?

I just bought all mismatched clearance gear and I'm about to race Sunday
Look pro go slow, bro!

JK. Doesn't matter what you wear for gear as long as you line up and have fun. $50k a year won't do crap for anyone here unless they are living rent free without a family, but should go much further in other states.
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Spudnut
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Spudnut 10/19/2018 10:21am
10/19/2018 10:21am
I make a littler over half of 50k and am able to ride or race basically every weekend. I do all my own mechanical work and only replace gear if I must. Once you have everything you need it’s really not all that expensive, the worst expense is entry fees if you can keep from having a big break down. This weekend it will cost me about 50 bucks when you add in pre mix, track entry and gas for the bike and truck

I bought my YZ250 for 2k and put another 1200 into it rebuilding the engine, suspension and a few bearings replaced. Just stay on top of maintenance and don’t worry about your gear looking funky no one is going to judge the guy out there with mismatched gear and if they do fuck em!
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Spudnut
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Spudnut 10/19/2018 10:22am
10/19/2018 10:22am
mattyhamz2 wrote:
Look pro go slow, bro! JK. Doesn't matter what you wear for gear as long as you line up and have fun. $50k a year won't...
Look pro go slow, bro!

JK. Doesn't matter what you wear for gear as long as you line up and have fun. $50k a year won't do crap for anyone here unless they are living rent free without a family, but should go much further in other states.
California?? Lol!
mattyhamz2
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mattyhamz2 10/19/2018 10:24am
10/19/2018 10:24am
mattyhamz2 wrote:
Look pro go slow, bro! JK. Doesn't matter what you wear for gear as long as you line up and have fun. $50k a year won't...
Look pro go slow, bro!

JK. Doesn't matter what you wear for gear as long as you line up and have fun. $50k a year won't do crap for anyone here unless they are living rent free without a family, but should go much further in other states.
Spudnut wrote:
California?? Lol!
Yup!!!!

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Spudnut
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Spudnut 10/19/2018 10:35am
10/19/2018 10:35am
Oh yeah California can get expensive fast! My fiancé grew up there and she was blown away by the price of rentals and groceries here in wa
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KDXGarage
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KDXGarage 10/19/2018 10:38am
10/19/2018 10:38am
You don't need a ton of money to race or even be competitive. Clothes don't make the racer.

Most here don't race.
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craigathan404 10/19/2018 10:39am
10/19/2018 10:39am
If your concerned about your gear, don’t be!!! Just get a nice helmet and nice boots. A jersey won’t protect you any better than a sweatshirt in a crash. I know some guys at my local tracks that race in hoodies all the time. Looks kinda silly but they stay warm and they’re cheaper than most riding gear!
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Brad460
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Brad460 10/19/2018 11:03am
10/19/2018 11:03am
I think it's just great you're going racing!

Who cares about your gear..I remember back in the day kids (who's dad's paid for everything) gave me shit about my cheap ass ugly gear and old bike. My first race in 1990 was on a 1983 bike I bought for $150! I was so poor I had to make the rear chain guide out of wood Laughing Ran Fleet Farm two stroke oil..

Someday you'll be able to afford new gear, bikes..ect..
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Sheriff245 10/19/2018 11:14am
10/19/2018 11:14am
I have more respect for a guy that goes racing in cheap gear than for daddy's boy hanging out in the pits complaining about the mud on the track and not getting his bike dirty.

Just go racing, don't waste your time with what others think.
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BR8ES
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BR8ES 10/19/2018 11:25am
10/19/2018 11:25am Edited Date/Time 10/19/2018 11:37am
jsmi33966 wrote:
Anyone here racing on less than 50K a year. Excluding people racing daddys bike. Anyone lining up with A.R.C gear on the gate? I just bought...
Anyone here racing on less than 50K a year. Excluding people racing daddys bike.

Anyone lining up with A.R.C gear on the gate?

I just bought all mismatched clearance gear and I'm about to race Sunday
it can be done, is being done and many of those guys are having a great time too. Even beating those with all the bells and whistles. Enjoy!
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Brap!
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Brap! 10/19/2018 11:36am
10/19/2018 11:36am
I make 45k a year and I’m married with three small children. My wife stays at home with the kids. My house is paid off. We only have one vehicle (besides my work vehicle). I still race, but not on a consistent basis. Maybe 6 or 7 times a year tops. I ride several times a month, though.

I live in rural Kentucky so the cost of living is low. I’m not trying to keep up with the Jones’s but we live comfortably.
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Spudnut
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Spudnut 10/19/2018 11:44am
10/19/2018 11:44am
Brap! wrote:
I make 45k a year and I’m married with three small children. My wife stays at home with the kids. My house is paid off. We...
I make 45k a year and I’m married with three small children. My wife stays at home with the kids. My house is paid off. We only have one vehicle (besides my work vehicle). I still race, but not on a consistent basis. Maybe 6 or 7 times a year tops. I ride several times a month, though.

I live in rural Kentucky so the cost of living is low. I’m not trying to keep up with the Jones’s but we live comfortably.
House already paid off?! Good on you!!
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FWYT
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FWYT 10/19/2018 11:47am
10/19/2018 11:47am
Is that $50k the race budget? Or the annual income? Laughing
LaughingLaughing

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jsmi33966
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jsmi33966 10/19/2018 11:47am
10/19/2018 11:47am
Cheep helmets last me a long time. Boots I feel are important but price does not mean they are good boots. I will never buy a cheep piston again. Gloves and goggles go fast so I will never spend a lot ob those. I feel good on some brand new chinese tires and most of them are hard as a rock.
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BobPA
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BobPA 10/19/2018 11:51am
10/19/2018 11:51am
FWYT wrote:
Is that $50k the race budget? Or the annual income? Laughing
LaughingLaughing

A $50k/year race budget would include numerous sets of A-kit suspension....None of which ML could bottom.
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mattyhamz2
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mattyhamz2 10/19/2018 12:02pm
10/19/2018 12:02pm
jsmi33966 wrote:
Cheep helmets last me a long time. Boots I feel are important but price does not mean they are good boots. I will never buy a...
Cheep helmets last me a long time. Boots I feel are important but price does not mean they are good boots. I will never buy a cheep piston again. Gloves and goggles go fast so I will never spend a lot ob those. I feel good on some brand new chinese tires and most of them are hard as a rock.
Spend money on a helmet. If there's ever a place to spend a big chunk, it's on a helmet!
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DTR830
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DTR830 10/19/2018 12:12pm
10/19/2018 12:12pm
I do side gigs to support my riding.

Detailing cars
Sell Gaerne
Rocky Mountain account used to be good.
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murph783
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murph783 10/19/2018 12:18pm
10/19/2018 12:18pm
It’s do-able. Tough though. I’m running off gear from 5 years back, sponsors help a ton, I do all of my own work and wrench on other people’s stuff for a little extra coin. Make it happen however you have to. Means more to you that way. Or does for me at least
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kb228
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kb228 10/19/2018 12:19pm
10/19/2018 12:19pm
Keep in mind i live in ohio... but 30-40k is more than enough for me to ride or race as much as i want. My bikes are always fresh and i have no limitations. Its all about how you spend your money. moto is #1 in my life so my spare money goes to it. I dont go waste $50 at bars or restaurants on friday nights and i dont go on wild road trips on the weekends. Pound work mon-fri and go ride saturday or sunday. Even then i still have over $1000 to save or do whatever with.

Probably wont work on california though.
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mark_swart
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mark_swart 10/19/2018 1:08pm
10/19/2018 1:08pm
Avoid all of the extra status symbol BS that people buy into and you should be fine. A 2-3 year old bike is great and you can get them as demos or low hours from guys who have already sunk in some money on upgrades. Gear goes on clearance at the end of each season, or put together a resume and apply for sponsorship.

You don't need: big truck with rims, toy hauler, $600 helmet and $600 boots, etc. In my 20-something lean years I pulled my newish bike with a Chevy Celebrity on an open trailer. It was ugly but it got me to the races.

And of course, learn to do your own maintenance. Tires, top ends, fork oil, as much as you can. A $20 service manual that saves you from even one trip to the dealer at $99/hour pays for itself pretty quick.

Now I'm not saying you can do the national series or go to Loretta's with that type of program, but if you are just talking about weekend warrior stuff, I think it's easily doable.
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magoo1982
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magoo1982 10/19/2018 2:02pm
10/19/2018 2:02pm Edited Date/Time 10/19/2018 2:03pm
jsmi33966 wrote:
Cheep helmets last me a long time. Boots I feel are important but price does not mean they are good boots. I will never buy a...
Cheep helmets last me a long time. Boots I feel are important but price does not mean they are good boots. I will never buy a cheep piston again. Gloves and goggles go fast so I will never spend a lot ob those. I feel good on some brand new chinese tires and most of them are hard as a rock.
Been seeing some good deals on CL, like new sg12 boots $100 , good used Dunlops $ 20 Hockey chest protector shoulder pads $15 knee ,shin guards $15 . Back in the day when used to race flat track, they started sellin the goodyear dirt track tires for about $100 up and I was using a $10 Carlisle, I bought at garage sale and winning races . other riders tuners were comin over to check out my $10 tire and asking where the hell I found that old 1960s tire at . Felt pretty good to tell them what I paid 4 it .
jsmi33966
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jsmi33966 10/19/2018 3:01pm
10/19/2018 3:01pm
I would not buy used boots or anything like that since I recently had a bad experience with some used sidi boots.
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mattyhamz2
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mattyhamz2 10/19/2018 3:08pm
10/19/2018 3:08pm
jsmi33966 wrote:
I would not buy used boots or anything like that since I recently had a bad experience with some used sidi boots.
Did they come from GBR?
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Brad460
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Brad460 10/19/2018 3:19pm
10/19/2018 3:19pm
jsmi33966 wrote:
I would not buy used boots or anything like that since I recently had a bad experience with some used sidi boots.
mattyhamz2 wrote:
Did they come from GBR?
Derbyshire perhaps....used, but very clean?
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kage173
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kage173 10/19/2018 3:39pm
10/19/2018 3:39pm
Right here bro. Just can't get myself to throw all the big money and brand new stuff when I can get it so much cheaper after a year or two. This sport is insanely expensive and will run you into the ground without blinking an eye.

I pinch every penny I can. Paying for a brand new bike won't make me any faster. Buying a $200 set of gear won't make me any faster. I think the only place I don't spend money that I should is on the Helmet.

Gravel
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Gravel 10/19/2018 3:54pm
10/19/2018 3:54pm Edited Date/Time 10/19/2018 3:56pm
I raced for years on a shoestring. Focus on fresh tires, engines and suspension, not a penny for graphics or anything appearance related.. if it doesn’t directly make the bike work better then you don’t need it.. closeout gear from head to toe, old truck, etc. Its a lot of fun to use a 5 year old bike with cracked plastic and beat guys with the high dollar bikes..

Staying in good shape is really cheap if you’re motivated and it’ll help more than anything else..

Slightly used KX500s were reliable and dirt cheap in the late 80s through the mid 90s so that’s what I rode. I’d pull up to the start and look for guys with worn tires to line up next to, it was amazing how many guys had shiny graphics and new gear but crap tires.. Made it easy to get good starts...
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GregDVT
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GregDVT 10/19/2018 5:01pm
10/19/2018 5:01pm
I don’t race but I’m able to hit the track regularly and have decent equipment while bartending as my main income. I will admit I use a Subaru Forester with 200k and a tiny hand assembled trailer so I’m roughing it as far as transportation. It was all on my own dime up until this April with my old crf, but the old man split a freshie with me this year.

I buy Gatorade in bulk, get ice from my restaurant and eat PB and J at the track, nothing fancy at all. No generator or ez-up; Just a power converter and a Vornado fan for 5 min when I pull off the track. My biggest expense is the tolls with a trailer going up 95 to hit Millville and ETown. I’m able to keep a track day to about $80 including gas/tolls/food (I live atleast 90 minutes from all the tracks I ride.)

P.S. Bringing females adds atleast another $20 a day in twisted teas and chicken tenders.
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Sir Roostsalot 10/19/2018 6:10pm
10/19/2018 6:10pm
I know two local racers who rose through the llocal ranks to then turn pro and each win AMA championships and it wasn't becsuse they had silver spoons. Money will not make you fast, most posers are actually real slow. Hard work, perserverance and desire will.
Graybeard
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Graybeard 10/19/2018 6:28pm
10/19/2018 6:28pm
It's easy to race on less than your budget, but as someone else already stated, invest in a good helmet--it doesn't have to be the most expensive, but have the best safety technology.
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