Info on Racing an SR500 | Yamaha SR500 Forum

pcnsd
Full Member

Posts: 113

Info on Racing an SR500 Oct 1, 2008 21:55:20 GMT -5

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Post by pcnsd on Oct 1, 2008 21:55:20 GMT -5

AHRMA (American Historic Racing Motorcycle Association) is the national organization for vintage racing in the US. They are part of the AMA so you will need to join both to collect event point in your class.

Here is the link to their website.
www.ahrma.org/

You can download the handbook as a PDF. It contains all rules for all classes. There are also a number of regional vintage race clubs. Check with the local cycle junk yard to find who is in your area. Most of the clubs follow the AHRMA class format, but not usually so strictly enforced. All AHRMA races require a technical inspection for all bikes raced. Road race bikes are the toughest for safety reasons. Be aware that not all rules are in the same place in the ARHMA book. So check both your class and specific bike if listed.
It hasn't been mentioned yet, so I advise conditioning yourself as much, if not more than your bike. You will be faster for it. Strength and endurance are important. If you haven't raced before and even if you have, you can also look into race schools. You will learn much quickly.

Good luck, ride safe and remember you can't win, if you don't finish. Crashing is the fast way to last place

PC

Michael Moore
New Member

Posts: 3

Info on Racing an SR500 Oct 14, 2008 20:42:05 GMT -5

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Post by Michael Moore on Oct 14, 2008 20:42:05 GMT -5

Doug, back when I was getting my start in pavement stuff building a Ducati 350 cafe racer in Albuquerque in the early 1970s (I didn't get the nice bodywork until I moved to California)

we could either go out to Tramway (with a jump over the RR tracks near 4th street) or go up to the Crest or south through the Manzanos. You are lucky that you now have some race tracks to go to.

I think the best way to learn how to go fast on the track is to start with a slow bike. With something like the R1 you'll be riding around at about 30% of the bike's capability. Start with an SR or something like an EX250 Kawasaki (another really fun bike for the track) and you'll be learning how to keep up corner speed and hit your lines instead of just turning up the throttle to make up time.

Go to lots of track days, and if you can afford it take a riding school from someone reputable so you don't do like many of us did and have to try and guess what we should be doing on the track, and so learning a lot of bad habits.

cheers,
Michael

phoebeisis
Junior Member

Posts: 49

Info on Racing an SR500 Oct 15, 2008 15:50:30 GMT -5

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Post by phoebeisis on Oct 15, 2008 15:50:30 GMT -5

If you go the wire spoke wheels, in stock sizes, you will only save about 3 lbs total , if you use the XS650 front and XT500 rear. My rear wheel is a 2.5" not 2.15" like the XT500 but it is j
. The stock 19"front is just under 13 lbs-rears are a bit heavier-. Several other Yamaha's(maybe XS400's) of the same vintage used 18" front wheels, if you want quicker steering you might want to go to an 18" front.
It might make most sense to just use the stock wheels until you get some track time and see what other SR500's racers use. Just copy the fast guys.
If you become a "weight weenie" like bicycle racers are you can trim 3-+ lbs pretty easily.
1)Stock exhaust+ stock airbox+ stock carb is about 13lbs
2) 520 chain+ aluminum rear sprocket+ 15 tooth front-about 2 lbs.
3)SV650 disc and caliper-2 lbs
4)Rear pegs+ tool bag-2.5 lbs
5)Battery eliminator 6.5 lbs
60Battery box~.5 lbs
7)Centerstand-3 lbs
8)front fender 3 lbs

Other items-speedometer, kill switch, sidecovers,alloy body shocks, lighter bars without the "plug" in the end.
I have all the weight figures somewhere-these are from memory. On crazy FSSNOC member actually weighed EVERY PART and posted them in a FSSNOC issue. I weighed the above parts.
Luck,
Charlie