Getting under 16's started in racing

**tarmacsurfer** · 12-08-19, 19:00

Hi,
Does anyone have knowledge or experience of the best route to track racing for kids?
My 13 year old has done the RH training on a CBR300 and mad keen to get more riding experience.
Ideally I see him as doing a year of trackday/testing before even thinking of doing anything competitive (I've been there) but it looks like trackday companies require you to be either over 18 and/or have a road license?
Cheers.

**KungFooBob** · 12-08-19, 20:20

Most track days companies will accept an ACU licence rather than a road licence... I imagine that them getting insurance for events that allow under 18yo's is the biggest issue.

**Yorick** · 12-08-19, 20:35

IMHO, I'd get him into Motocross to learn how to handle a loose bike. All the top stars learned that way and all still ride MX to keep fit and keep sharp.

Then sell your house and a kidney to pay for his racing career

I wish I'd had a dad who gave a shit about me.

**tarmacsurfer** · 12-08-19, 21:01

I know from 5 years of it how bloody expensive racing is! Can't say he needs any encouragement though.

I'll run the MotoX by him thanks. He's never had any interest in the off road stuff though, seems to just want to be on a track.

You do get some quick kids on 125s,CB500s etc so I wonder how they get track time without haemorrhaging cash.

**Julian_Boolean** · 13-08-19, 07:13

MX is massively cheaper than Road Racing, get him on an MX try out day.

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**Noggin** · 13-08-19, 09:04

When i did the ACU training (with No Limits), there was a kid there and pretty sure he was under 16 (I seem to remember 12, but that could be my brain going mad!). He was pretty quick too! LOL Give some of the TDO's a call and see if they accept under 16's with ACU licences?

But - one thing I REALLY wish I'd learnt was off road skills. For all kinds of riding I think that would help me. So if he can be persuaded, I'd go with what Yorick says and get him to have a go and see he if agrees that he can learn different skills. So many times I've been told that off road skills would help me on track!!!

**GiantPygmy** · 13-08-19, 09:28

Ask Trog, he took his son (Trog minor) from mini moto racing through to Aprilia 450s or whatever.

**Weeksy** · 13-08-19, 09:30

I know Phil Bevan trackdays were talking about running a day for 13-16s, they would need an ACU licence though. Most TDO accept ACU licences as well as driving licence.
So getting one of them is first step from what I can see

**KungFooBob** · 13-08-19, 09:36

Interesting note, when I renewed my ACU licence after a 5 year lay off I had to do the CTC.. I was told on the course that a large percentage of people taking the course do it to get an ACU licence just for track days after they've been banned and lost their road licence.

**tarmacsurfer** · 13-08-19, 17:50

Thanks for the responses. I have a few avenues to try!

**tarmacsurfer** · 28-11-19, 13:01

Small follow-up...
We went to watch a minibike/ pit bike race last month organised by BMB. It seemed really well run and pretty competitive at the front (some of the riders do a bit of minibikes in parallel with British championship races).

I was also surprised that about 60% of the riders were adults!

A new competitive 'supermoto style' bike is ~£1200 and they crash well so this is the route we're going next season. They're not the fastest (75mph ish) but it will teach my lad a lot about race craft before going to bigger bikes and tracks.

https://www.britishminibikes.com/

(Also some good podcasts about how to start racing them on Spotify)

**tarmacsurfer** · 28-11-19, 13:06

Incidentally, No Limits will take 14 year olds at Anglesey, Mallory and Croft.

**Tomcat** · 28-11-19, 13:10

You can race minimotos from quite a young age, though you'll be on little scrappy circuits not "real" tracks. Still, it's a popular activity and has been the way to proper racing for quite a few youngsters: http://www.coolfabracing.com/classes-and-regulations/

You can hold an ACU licence from age 16, there are various clubs and classes and this gets you into the world of adult racing.

Or you can do what we did and go into schoolboy motocross. It remains probably "the" most popular way to get into motorcycle sport, and also one of the cheapest. There are practice tracks all round the country, entries to races are cheap and the bikes are pretty cheap too (relatively speaking).

**Bladerideressex** · 28-11-19, 14:46

I have been sponsoring a 14 year old this year in her first season of racing with NG on board a KTM RC390 - switching to a Yamaha R3 for 2020! Runs in the 400 class and is out on track/races at the same time as me on my DesmoDue bike!

**Julian_Boolean** · 28-11-19, 15:32

Originally Posted by Bladerideressex

I have been sponsoring a 14 year old this year in her first season of racing with NG on board a KTM RC390 - switching to a Yamaha R3 for 2020! Runs in the 400 class and is out on track/races at the same time as me on my DesmoDue bike!

Are her lap times better than yours yet?