race prep questions

[arnetcrf250]

I'm trying to figure out what I need to do to get my crf 250 to get through the tech inspection at the races held at pats acres in canby oregon. I read the ama supermoto rules but I'm sure there are things there that don't apply. I assume you have to safety wire the oil drain bolts. Can you run antifreeze or do you need the water and water wetter deal. For any of you who ride out there, any help would be appreciated. Also I have a current motocross racing card. Do I need any type of a racing license to participate on 1. race days or 2. practice days. I may just do a practice first and see how it goes before I decide to race.

Thanks, Charlie

[PeteN]

Hi Charlie, generally, the SupermotoUSA people are really helpful in getting you up and running, so don't be afraid to ask questions. The main things you'll need to do are safety wire the oil drain and filler plugs, replace the antifreeze with water/wetter, and wire the radiator cap. You should also get an overflow bottle for the carb, angine and radiator vent lines to go into, but this was not required last year. I think you'll need a SupermotoUSA license to ride, but you can get details at www.supermotousa.net

Good luck and have fun!

[RAD]

And listen to PeteN, he knows his stuff, he got us started this time last year by answering a bunch of similar questions. Thanks again Pete for all the help. ?

[arnetcrf250]

Not much going on, on the supermotousa website. It must still be under construction. Does anyone know who I need to contact to get the license process going? All the rules right now on the sight are for the ama pro events. Don't think I'll be needing my pro license just yet. Ben Bostrom is breathing a sigh of relief.

Thanks, Charlie

[ronwest99]

Yes, the supermotousa.net site is still under construction.

Don't worry about the license until the first race-- you can take care of it there.

If you are really worried about it, you can call Carl at the office. You can get the phone # from www.occcranks.com

[RAD]

These organizations need to join the AMA so people don't have to join all these mom & pop organizations.

[rogerb]

Hey, Charlie...

If you plan on going to Pat's at the end of the month...plan on racing!

I did my first race there last August, and trust me...practicing will not be enough to "feed-the-need".

All the guys involved with the NW series are/were incedibly helpful and very easy to talk too. ? (The "NW Gang"

helped answer a lot of my questions and convinced me "just race" and I'm glad they did!

They/we just want/need more guys out there!!!

Hope to see you on Jan 31.

[Motarded]

Hey RAD, who do you think the AMA went to for help when they decided to start running motard races? AMA Proracing is a business, so you think they would have ever started a Supermoto series if they did not see a way to make some cash from it?

SupermotoUSA aka Mr. and Mrs. Rainman, Brok and Piper have done more for the Supermoto scene on the west coast the everyone else combined. A lot of people give Don credit, (he deserves some) but in reality it is the Mom and Pop organizations that are building the sport.

I always have paid less to race at a just SupermotoUSA event than any AMA event I have ever been too. Most of the people in the NW race supermoto because it is more affordable than road racing and you get 10X's the amount of track time. Living in the Great North Wet without someone like Rainman to put on races I wouldn't get to race or I would have to travel to S. Cal to race or get any track time in and that is not feasible for my budget when you factor in house payment, bike, wife, son, gas, food, insurance, truck and everything else that is needed to survive in 2004.

SupermotoUSA charged $35 for a license that is good all year at any race in the NW or SW or Mesa Marin (3 series, not a bad deal). Then $65 for Premier (money class) and then $35 for each additional class after that. I would race either 2 or 3 classes so I averaged about $120 a weekend in fees, but in return I get lot's of practice time, heat races, qualifiers and mains to ride in, that is a damn good bargin if you ask me.

Additionally the AMA has 2 classes, 450 and Unlimited, that of weeds out a lot of people. SupermotoUSA usually has 8 to 10 classes with something for everyone, bring a bike and they will find a class for you to race in. For me Supermoto racing is something my family enjoys, I can bring my 9 year old son out to the track and Kim always finds either a class for him to ride in or gives him some track time at lunch. That makes it a little easier to say "Honey, I want to go racing this weekend, lets spend it at the track in the rain" (remember I live in Seattle?) Where would all of the kids race? Maybe you should show up at Stockton and look at 5 Year old Josh get off his 50, see the smile on his face, then tell him that his Dad shouldn't spend his money with the "Mom and Pop's" because they can't lobby? What about all of the other kids that are up and coming, how is new talent going to be developed without something like SupermotoUSA?

The Mom and Pop organizations are not getting rich off this, both Carl and Brok have other businesses that are generating their income. It has taken years for the NW series to get enough riders to break even and maybe put a little bit of cash back into the promoters pocket. Think about all of the expenses they have to run a race: Insurance, renting the track, corner workers, scorekeepers, trophies, purse, software to track entries, website, advertising, etc I am sure that only scratches the list of what it takes to put on a race.

I ride motorcycles because my father got me into it (THANKS DAD!) I spent many weekends riding with him growing up. This is something I want to share with my son and the AMA does not provide a way to do that. Overall I think being asked to spend $35 for a license is a great deal, I would gladly pay more because being able to race locally and spend time with my family and friends doing something I love is worth every penny.

It is the local Mom and Pop people that have provided a way for the AMA to start this series, the AMA is standing on the little guys shoulders. If you cheap out over a few dollars on licensing with the Mom and Pops there will be no Mom and Pops. I don't think Carl or Brok have a magical checkbook that is bottomless like the AMA. WRITE THE CHECK OUT AND SUPPORT THEM!

Thanks to SupermotoUSA :thumbsup:and all of the "Mom and Pops" running races out there, I will continue to spend my money with you.

[TeamScream]

I gotta say I whole heartedly agree with all of that, I witnessed the Wood family this weekend with racers ranging from 12 years old up to 19, and then there was another guy out there with his 11 year old kid, the kid was classic, I interviewed him on camera and he really didnt have an answer for what supermota was to him but he smiled at the camera and talked about the road race tires on his bike and he was happier than a pig in poo poo just to be there and to get out on the track.

The AMA has NOTHING of the sort for family oriented "get your kids out there and race for the fun of it" programs.

Don, Carl and the others deserve every single penny they charge which isnt much compared to other forms of racing I have done.

I used to spend $1400.00 a weekend to road race once a month at the club level, and of course that counted tires, fuel, travel, food etc. but the race fees were as follows:

$75.00 to practice on Saturday

$75.00 for the first event I entered and $60.00 per event after that, I raced 4 events on Sunday.

Another thing that totaly blows with the AMA SuperMoto thing is the total lack of practice time per event.

2 - 10 minute sessions to get my bike set up prior to a race is total BS, if I am expected to drive sometimes a couple thousand miles to get to an event (South Boston) for example only to get 20 minutes to learn the track, then go out and expect to win, I am living in la la land.

Yes there are many other factors but the best analogy I can give is this:

Sunday January 4th 2004, I and a whole bunch of really really cool people were at a race track, an "event" hosted by a "mom and pop" organization(s) and we were racing, what was the AMA SuperMoto crew doing on that very same day?

The AMA is cool I guess, yes they have some cool stickers and a big budget, but they were NOT racing or hosting an event on 1/4/2004 like STTars/Moto-Connection was and I doubt they will be hosting an "event" on 1/30/2004 either, but I know of one "mom and pop" organization that will come hell or high water, and we will also be out at Grange' for race # 2 of the "Winter" series towards the end of January.

[craigincali]

I would agree with the last two guys. I personaly dislike the AMA. The main reason is, I WAS a 250GP racer. The AMA screwed me over twice on that! If you dont kow the story ask me off forum.

The Mom and Pop series still supports the 250GP class and probably will until there arent anymore out there.

The AMA Racing orginazation leaves a lot to be desired. I will admit that I dont even belong to the AMA anymore and I have no plans on giving them my money any time soon. I am happy to support Moms and Dads who support our sport. The only reason the AMA got into SM racing is because it got popular. Who do you think made it popular, not the AMA. The AMA waited until others did the dirty work and they jumped it to collect the cash.

Picture me calmly explaining this to you with a nice warm smile on my face....I dont mean it as an attack on anyone, just my 2 cents....I am still licking my 250GP wounds.. ?

[rogerb]

If it wasn't for the Blake's (Mom & Pop of the NW series!)

I'd never have gotten into Supermoto racing...I'd ended up a 'Sunday Bench-racer' ?...

Not everyone can or wants to race at AMA Pro levels...

(man did we get off the subject here or what? )

[SuperMoto_Hookup]

Some food for thought:

SupermotoUSA aka Mr. and Mrs. Rainman, Brok and Piper have done more for the Supermoto scene on the west coast the everyone else combined. A lot of people give Don credit, (he deserves some) but in reality it is the Mom and Pop organizations that are building the sport.

Don deserves a majority of the credit!

These guys all raced Don's series before they ever considered their own.

It was Don's April 2003 event during AMA superbike weekend that opened Andy Leisner's (AMA proracing director)eyes to the validity of an AMA series... that's why Don runs that program as well.

Don Canet single handedly brought SuperMoto back to the US 6 years ago. We ALL have him to thank for the sport growing to the level it is today.

I have said my peice...thank you.

?-TK

[Donkeyjyna]

I agree with you Craig, the AMA is a pitiful organization. ?

[Butterman]

OH come on guys, the AMA at the amateur level is great. We (SMRI) here in NM are an AMA sanctioned club and they have really helped us out with risk management and insurance. We set our pricing $60 for your first class entered and $30 for the 2'nd,$15ea for any more, the SuperMoto practice and racing is only a small part of our normal race weekend and most SM guys also race lightweight SB on the full course.

AHRMA (also AMA)is making SuperMoto a premere event this may here in Albq. $1000.- purse for SM. Granted this is not the kind of track time most SM guys are looking for, but we have a SuperMoto track day scheduled for 2/15 10:00am to 3:00. The AMA for the amateur level clubs out there helps make the safe running of these events pretty turn-key. The AMA sports also holds the amateur Grand Championships at MidOhio, they invite clubs to feild a team of 3 riders to compete against other teams from other parts of the country, Pros are allowed to attend as long as they have not placed top 3 at any pro event in the previous couple years. We attended this event last summer, it was wed. and thurs. before the National. Lots of pros getting extra practice with us those 2 days , Steve Rapp passed me on the fast section like I was tied on my R6 and I was doing 160!And they do SuperMoto there too. I believe there is still some good coming out of the AMA. ?

[RAD]

You don't have to go off, I don't know anything about your series out west, I am sure it is a great deal but

here is what I think.

The AMA does a ton of good for the motorcycling industry through lobbying, insurance & legal maters. The laws are jeopardizing motorcycling every day especially out west where your group is and the AMA is fighting for our rights.

I think it would be a great idea if all these small clubs would unite under one tent right from the start. Maybe I am an idealist but if it weren't for the AMA we would be in deep trouble with all the environmental nuts out there. When I pay my AMA dues I know they are going to fight for motorcycle rights & I feel pretty good about it, I don't see how by paying other groups helps the end cause.

The promoters still get their cut and are allowed to charge what they want. Sure some small promoters along the way helped get the sport going, but no one really cared and it was small bananas till the AMA got involved. Now look what happened and how big the sport is getting in only the last 9 months or so. The sport has exploded mostly because of the AMA.

Go ahead & piss & moan now, I know some of you are even proud not to be AMA members to me that is foolish, in the overall picture you are going down the path to loose all our rights. Racers always pose the AMA as the villain but I don't feel that way. Sure I like to complain as much as everyone else, how they run on the fly, in the long run I feel really passionate about what the AMA is doing is in the best interest of it's members and preserving there rights.

I really don't want to join these other groups, we have been racing under AMA Motocross tracks for years and I know what to expect. The anything goes rule doesn't apply with a unified rule book and procedures for classes and equipment and suspensions are followed from track to track.

You really would have to be a fool not to recognize the differences the AMA has made to keep motorcycling healthy.

[chuckie108]

You know, you are all right(except the guy who thinks Don Canet only deserves a little credit). The AMA is a totally vital organization that is needed as a national membership to pool our resources to fight those who would like to see all motorcycling stopped. For that reason alone I have always been a member of the AMA and feel anyone who rides should be. On the flip side, local race organizations are the only ones close enough to the local scene to really set up a series that works for all the local raceers. STTARS, SupertmotoUSA, etc... all all needed groups. As far as AMA Pro Racing, I have criticized them many times on this forum for what I feel are bonehead decisions they make. I merely comment though in the hopes that someone will read it who cares and maybe it will influence some kind of improvement. But to totally write them off is being a little critical if you ask me. The effort and organization needed to pull off a national series must be gnarly. It's really easy for us to sit here and criticize when we have no clue what all the circumstances are. Lets just all be thankful we have the AMA, Don Canet, Broc etc. ?

[TeamScream]

Great points Chuckie, and I totaly agree with that, I am an AMA member as well and proud of that, and do totaly agree with you and RAD.

My post may have sounded a little critical of them but was more meant as a general comparison of my opinion on the mom and pop issue and my support for it/them.

I imagine that with the slim to ZERO margins of return that these smaller operations "enjoy" to have to pony up the dollars required to become an AMA "sanctioned" operation would drive up the costs and be absolutely prohibitive up to this point.

Remember....until you have 20-30 guys commited to the event all paying $150.00 or so for the festivities it's a losing battle and the money to pay the track and the corner workers comes out of someones pocket, we are just now getting to the point where there are 50 racers stepping up to the plate.

I agree that the exposure the AMA brought with the series last season has been largely responsible for the short term growth of the sport but also agree that it would have grown without the AMA series as well, just maybe not as fast as it did.

I am sure that if the growth and commitment of the racers continues as it is the smaller organizations will entertain the idea of becomming AMA sanctioned if they are making money and it looks like the next logical step.

[Supermotarder]

Being a person who started two racing orgs in the past 5 years (non supermoto related) and knowing all the work and money that goes into it with little or no return other than getting a few local riders out to a track to have a good time.. Its disturbing to me to read how un'apreciative or maby just misinformed some are torward the local club scene..

While AMA has its place, so do the local clubs.. If it werent for the local clubs there wouldnt be half the racers there are accross the country and the price to race would be more than the average person could afford..

[craigincali]

I think one thing we are leaving out is this. The AMA has two different "companies" with in it. There is the AMA that is a non-profit "fight for your right to ride" and battle legal issues and other great things that benifit ALL motorcyclist in the USA.

Then there is the AMA racing orginazation. The racing part of the AMA is a profit making company run by a seperate set of rules, different people etc. This is the AMA which I have become totally frustrated with. I dont think they deserve any of the credit for getting Supermoto strated or even recognized in the USA.

Does the AMA do good things for motorcyclist, yes. Are they a huge asset to us, yes. Will I ever support the AMA Racing Orginazation....maybe some day ?. I dont even go to AMA races to watch. I am not proud of it or trying to sway anyones opinion. I got dicked by them on plenty of occassions, wasted tons of money and time on them for nothing. It is a personal thing with me.

I have no problem with guys racing in the AMA. I will join them again eventually, when my private protest is over...

[arnetcrf250]

Thanks Ron. No worries. Just wanted to make sure I can ride when I show up with all my supermoto bling bling for the first time.

Charlie