We can be very proud of all the British riders competing at the top levels of motorcycle racing. I'm talking about guys like James Toseland, Neil Hodgson and Shakey Byrne. How come us Brits are so good at riding bikes? Well it's the organisation and continual development of bikesport here in the UK that produces these quality riders. Of course, all these guys above have been (and still are) members of British amateur racing clubs. Long may this continue.
The organisation of motorcycle racing is structured in a straightforward way here in the UK. The Auto Cycle Union (ACU) is the governing body looking out for all forms of bike racing including Motocross and trails events etc. You apply to these guys for your road-racing license. You will need to have passed your full bike test to do this. If not, you are a junior and your parents will have to countersign your application. You will now become a member for the year. There's just the small matter of getting an eye test done and a medical declaration.
Under the ACU are the UK racing clubs, large and small. All their race events must comply with the ACU regulations and should provide adequate Marshalling and medical support. The ACU have a list of all the UK clubs and you need to chose on and join. The ACU and the Clubs take your money but in return let you race as much as you want to. Of course, you can be a member of more than one club. Popular road racing clubs are Bemsee (BMCRC) and New Era who both run events nationwide. Other, more localised clubs like North Gloucester, Derby Phoenix and Auto66 run events at local tracks but often put on killer events like races at Donington Park.
So you've joined the ACU and a road-racing club but there's one more box to tick. You are required to attend a race school and earn an ACU test certificate. This is a recent addition to license requirements seen as improving the knowledge of complete novices. In the past, you could get yourself on the grid without knowing what a red flag was for! The race schools are usually run in the first months of the year either by trackday organisers, like the European Superbike School, or the clubs themselves. Your club will advise you when the next race school is scheduled and how to go about getting your certificate. You will get track time at the school and a chance to do a practice grid start. Your knowledge of flags and stuff will be tested either on the day or you can attend at ACU House where they hold the tests separately on one day every month.
Nearly all clubs I know now require competitors to fit a transponder to their machine. These are supplied by the clubs and will cost you around £200. This gismo speaks to the circuit receiver and will time your races and any qualifying sessions you enter. In my opinion, transponders aren't important for races, as everyone knows who's won. Knowing your exact laptimes is a little academic but that's the way things are going nowadays. At least timing disputes can be settled more easily. The transponder, race school and memberships will cost you the best part of £500. So you can wipe that from your budget.
Take some time to find out as much information as you can before deciding which club you want to join and on what bike. Don't just listen to what your mate says or what I say. After all, it's you who's going to be hacking around a fast and tricky corner in dodgy conditions during your first ever race meeting. You want to make sure that you are comfortable with what the club offers in terms of safety. Also your bike should be well prepared and compatible with your riding skills. When I say safety, I'm talking about things like does the club give you adequate warm-up/practice sessions? Do they give you enough warning time if a wet race is declared? Will you be in the same race with different class bikes from yours? Will you get two warm-up laps if held on the grid for a long time? How many marshals do you see from the corners of your eye around the circuit? After all, road-racing is a hard and cruel sport with little reward. Badger the clubs with questions and get onto their internet forums and ask there as well.
You are doing this because you want to race. Which bike you race on is a very personal thing. If unsure, you are spoilt for choice here in the UK. There are lots of tuned classes including all the 2 strokes machines and the 4 stroke bikes from 400s to the powerbikes. There are the one make series like Hornets, CB500s. There are the classic classes as well like TZRs and LCs for example. Basically, you can race anything you fancy just check with your club what they will be organising for next season. It's up to you whether you get a second hand race bike or would prefer to organise a conversion yourself. There's pros and cons to both options. This topic will be explored further in Part 2. Think about your own background and aspirations. 600 Supersports is a very popular class for obvious reasons. But remember that any bike class will offer you the thrill of racing and mixing it with the pack.
These early decisions are very important to get right. They could leave you with a sour taste in your mouth or gagging for more at the end of your first season. For more information see the list of a few useful web addresses at the bottom. Just for fun, I've set a questionnaire (you don't need send it in) that asks you to think about what you want from club racing and what preconceptions you hold.
You want to spend lots of time working on your race bike
You want to race to improve your riding skills
You want to race because your riding skills are at a high level already
Your tyre bill alone will be £1,000 next season. Is this a problem?
Having the best/fastest bike means you are the best/fastest rider
You will win a race/championship in your 2nd season
You want to race at tracks local to where you live
You will focus on the fun and social aspect of race meetings
Your mates will respect you more if you enter the Supersport 600 class
If one of your competitors needs help with his bike, you'd offer a hand
You want to race at the best tracks in the UK and are willing to travel
You would stop racing if you came last
The organisation/safety aspects of race meetings are important to you
Useful websites;
www.acu.org.uk
ACU site has a raft of information including all UK Club contact details, downloadable application forms and the ACU Handbook that contains all the road racing regs.
www.bemsee.net
The BMCRC is the UKs largest amateur racing club. All membership info available to download and details of the various classes and provisional dates for next season. BMCRC runs events right across the UK and one in France.
www.neweramcc.org
New Era is another large UK club who run lots of different classes. There's good information for beginners available on their website.
www.derby-phoenix.co.uk
Road racing club who race the majority of familiar BSB circuits across the UK.
www.ngroadracing.org
North Gloucester racing club who hold events mainly in the South West.
www.auto66.com
Road racing club based in the North East. They hold events at local circuits including Cadwell Park.
www.fim.ch
The FIM site is a good source for up-to-date technical regulations for Superstock and Superport classes. The ACU and clubs adopt these regs for consistency and convenience.
Matt Goswell
In Part 2, we will look at preparing you and your race bike for the coming season, and in Part 3 we will focus on what (and how much) is involved in a season's racing.
