How does one decided which classes they plan to compete throughout the year?

[roadracer162]

In Amateur the rider is the biggest factor, but then as you get faster and to the frontincluding expert the bikes get a lot faster. Most likely any HW machine that an expert owns is usually pretty dialed in and it will be tough to keep up if you are on a 600. Not saying it can't be done but it does make it a bit tougher.

For me I start with a $5000 budget and make my plans from their. Here is Florida we get an all day Saturday practice for $75 and I then race two races for $55 each. I am also racing a Ultralight machine and I will compete up a class into the GT lights category.

I shoot for the tire contingency money and Bridgestone has been good to me. I am able to rotate my tires and make them last two weekends (100 laps avg.). Tires cost around $400 for the set and so my tire cost is about $200 per weekend. I do well in Ultralight and have received $150 from that race and sometimes better if I add a couple other races. With that in mind tires are usually almost all paid for through contingency. Michelin on the Ducati has been really good too.

In 2009 the GT lights have been almost a freebie race with a payout of $50 for 5th place and I finished there occasionally even against the DS1000 and Bimota.Then again there wasn't a lot of competition. In 2010 there will be less payout going back to 3rd place and that will be a little more difficult.

Hope this helps.

Mark