Old school transport; Ride to races then race.

[riffraffracer]

Anyone ride a bike to the races then race it? Seems like it used to be more prevalent in the old days (70's AFM). Back then, it was common to have announcements asking if anyone could transport a rider and bike home (after either a mechanical or riding mishap). I rode up and raced the my first two seasons. Once you got to the track, you taped the headlight and removed the rear light. Looking back, it just doesn't seem like a good idea. At the time, I probably thought that it was no worse than going off on Grizzly Peak. Just a disclaimer, there were no such things as track days back then. You needed a racing license to get on a racetrack. A chicken and egg problem. There are so many great options now (other than the open roads) to hone your riding skills.

Then next bike I raced was a TZ250 so I needed a transporter. I took the faring off and slid it in sideways into my mom's LTD 390CID station wagon.

Here are some photos from 1975 of the self transporting race bike. Kawasaki S2 (350 triple, two stroke, kick start). The first photo is probably after school let out when I thought studying Kenny Roberts style was more important than math. The second photo is turn two at Sears Point.

 

[thedub]

People definitely still do for track days, but not that I know of for racing.

I think that, these days, the minimum stuff anyone would consider essential for a race weekend is way more than you could carry on your back.
I guess if you were pitting with someone else you could ride a street legal bike to the track and race with minimal prep, but why would you?

 

[sckego]

I'd considered it back when I was racing my street-legal R6 a few years ago. The deal-breaker was that I think it is required to remove the kickstand, so unless you're hauling a rearstand with you, that doesn't work. Guess you could put next to a pillar or wall and just lean it up against...

 

[thedub]

Guess you could put next to a pillar or wall and just lean it up against...

lol, that would be hardcore. Just lean your bike against a wall and sit on the ground while waiting for your races to start.

 

[Holeshot]

Those are cool pics!

 

[Alexey]

I thought this would be about using a motorcycle to tow your racing stuff:

 

[riffraffracer]

I forgot about taking the kick stand off. Now I remember I used to come into the pits and put the kick stand on without the spring or nut. Here is a photo of the bike the pits during my very first race. Oh by the way, back then the pits were not paved, it was dirt.



Riding up to the races and racing was not by choice. Did what I had to do to get there.

I think the towing by motorcycle is awesome!

 

[Junkie]

I'd considered it back when I was racing my street-legal R6 a few years ago. The deal-breaker was that I think it is required to remove the kickstand, so unless you're hauling a rearstand with you, that doesn't work. Guess you could put next to a pillar or wall and just lean it up against...

I generally lean my supermoto against things instead of putting it on a stand (unless I'm using warmers)

 

[Honey Badger]

I would imagine it is far less do-able these days. Maybe not impossible depending on what you're willing to sacrifice....

For one, my race bike has a race wiring harness (factory kit) that eliminates the ability to have lights or the like. Add in things like the fact that modern race tires are designed to be used with warmers (meaning trying to get them up to temp would be at best a challenge and depending on the tire, very difficult to accomplish before a race start) and you start adding to the piles of stuff potentially needed.

Love the pics though, and I bet the stories are epic!!

 

[Ducati_Scott]

Racing flat track last year with SCFTA there were a few guys who rode the bikes in and raced them then rode out. Always a little sketchy to me when there were crashes.

With all the S%$t I carry for road racing there is just no way I could do it. :ride

 

[riffraffracer]

The stuff I hauled up to the races did increase each year as resources increased. At the end of my racing career, we hauled stuff up to the races that was not "really" required, but made things "nicer". Note an actual table in the photo. Here are some photos of the setup from some of the last years I raced.