How cheap should professional racing be?

[EvilSteve]

http://www.motorcycle-usa.com/289/11546/Motorcycle-Article/Memorable-Motorcycle--Yamaha-OW01.aspx

I read this article that said that Padgetts was able to spend ~$18k on hardware (plus employment, etc) and get podiums in WSBK on a Yamaha OW01 in 1989. That got me thinking, how cheap should professional racing be? To me, I took that to read that the other teams were really crap, that Padgetts did a great job and that competition at the highest level should be that, not something anyone can wander into and win. Clearly my opinion but in light of ongoing discussions on the cost of racing in WSBK and MotoGP in particular I was interested to see what you guys thought of this.

[zooom]

keep in mind what $18K could buy back then versus now, and then add in travel expense, registration expense, and all that other beaurocratic muckity muck that goes along in the whole shebang nowadays....


it is hard to put a figure that seems to cover that all reasonably...but if I had to considering all that....including transport and race expendables ( tires, fuel, repair parts, etc) I'd have to say 8-10 million a year...but I guess it is probably closer to 15 million a year after covering all the salaries and everything else....

[Raux]

$18,000 in 1989  = $32,740.43 in 2011

[EvilSteve]

$18,000 in 1989  = $32,740.43 in 2011

Let's take this $32k and go racing in... (not arguing with you here Raux)

You need a lot more than that to go racing. You can buy (in the US) a Ducati 1199 Panigale S Tricolore for around that but you're sure as hell not going to be competitive on it in Super Stock let alone WSBK. The "R" version, if/when it comes out, will be at least that much. The RS versions are a hell of a lot more.

IIRC I think someone mentioned that for $2mil EU you could go racing in Moto2 but who knows if you'd win. There's a big difference there. There was an article out the other day around saving money in WSBK too, do we need to be saying that WSBK should be stock motors and tuned suspension?

[Jester]

Raux is right.  One dollar in 89' is roughly equal to $1.82 now.  So regardless of travel expense and bikes/parts, the cost of racing has exponentially grown ahead of inflation costs.  Back then a few hundred grand would get you around.  Now it costs millions upon millions of dollars to field a decent team, not to mention the ridiculous amount of money being thrown around to a top flight rider.  Technology/electronics are so advanced now though, you don't have much choice.  The bikes back then were easier to fart with and you weren't spending fortunes on electronics/engineers.  I'm sure the globalization of media, advertising, riders turning into global instead of local rockstars, etc hasn't helped keep the price down either.

[Drunken Monkey]

WSBK and racing in general is getting more airtime / eyeballs watching it.

In turn this means more sponsorship $$$

In turn this means more interest in that $$$

In turn this means more competition

In turn this means higher salaries for riders

In turn this means more money spent on bikes to be competitive.

Compare what Doug Polen made racing to what Carlos Checa is making now.

[zarn02]

↑

True. Things are generally cheaper when almost nobody notices or gives a shit about 'em.

[lazylightnin717]

In my latest Roadracing mag, there was an article about the KTM RC8R getting an electronics package.....



....that cost 30k

[gm2]

the seamless shift gearbox on the RC213v customer bikes costs 650,000 euros.  that's $874,315 for .2 or .3 seconds.

[fastwin]

That's ridiculous. You could make up that time down the front straight with a good tail wind for free.

[derby]

That's ridiculous. You could make up that time down the front straight with a good tail wind for free.

not when the guys you're racing get the same tailwind.

[ducatiz]

not when the guys you're racing get the same tailwind.

the other guys are getting the same gearboxes as well, or similar ones..

[ducatiz]

This is why I say that every race should be preceded by a sumo wrestling match and game of beer pong -- by the racers.

throw a little randomness in the riding.

[derby]

the other guys are getting the same gearboxes as well, or similar ones..

there were two, maybe three bikes on the grid last year with a gearbox of that type.

there was even a question at the beginning of the season as to whether it was even legal, so apparently none of the other manufacturers were even attempting to run around the spirit of the rule.

afaik, nobody outside of honda knows what that configuration is.

assuming that other manufacturers will catch up for 2012 is really just speculation.

[ducatiz]

assuming that other manufacturers will catch up for 2012 is really just speculation.

it's reasonable speculation.  that's the history of the sport.  one gets some technical advantage and the others steal it in the following year(s)