u/A_Bot_A_Bot_A_Bot

tl;dr: No, the stuff doesn't meet current safety standards at all.

Now watch the video and learn something:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x5bMHOS25Mk

Series: So You Want To Race Or Do Trackdays? Part 5: Tools, Tires, Pit Gear, Etc.

Briefly: I’ve been riding over 40 years, raced for 11 (with varying degrees of success), and just hit the track again recently. While lots of people post some of this information, I’m trying to put it in a way that anybody can follow. Some of it may be obvious, some of the info may be new to you, some parts may be short, some long. Here goes (this one is, again, long!):

tl;dr: You don’t need a garage with a complete MotoGP pit setup...but there are things you do need, and some that I strongly recommend.

This is primarily aimed at first-timers, but I think anybody might pick up at least an idea or tip or two.

So: what do you bring to the track with you besides your motorcycle and your riding gear?

#1: Spare keys for your motorcycle (unless you have a key-less start switch) AND for your transport vehicle. Put them somewhere safe and outside of your vehicle, like in the bottom of your tool box (we’ll get to tool boxes and tools in a bit). You absolutely don’t want to be at the track and not able to start your motorcycle, nor be far from home and not be able to start your transport vehicle at the end of the day. Funny story: I did take spares the last trackdays and needed my spare van key because...I forgot where I stashed it! D’OH!

# 2: Necessary tools: This will vary from person to person, depending on what you know will need adjusting at the track, what may need adjusting or removing and replacing, and what you are capable of adjusting or repairing at the track. Tools to adjust your valves? Unless you’re the mechanic for a professional team, then “no.” But here are the bare minimum of what you should bring with you:

• all tools for removing your brake calipers and wheels, including your chain adjusters
• all tools for adjusting your suspension, front and rear (unless you happen to have suspension that is fully non-adjustable, but I’ve never seen a shock absorber that didn’t at least have a stepped pre-load adjuster at the minimum)
• all tools for adjusting your handlebars, brake, clutch and shift levers (and rear brake)
• necessary torque wrenches (usually 3/8” and ½” to properly tighten things back up)
• something for adding air to your tires: a hand-held bicycle pump, a stand-up pump, an electric air inflator (my current choice—I bought an inexpensive one and it’s actually fantastic!), an air tank (make sure you filled it before leaving for the track), or an air compressor (but you’ll need an adequate source (enough watts) of 120V power.

Beyond that, you can’t go wrong with having tools that can tighten up any bolts or other fasteners that might come loose. I’ll show you what I bring in Part 6: Checklists (coming soon!).

In addition to the tools, make and BRING WITH YOU a list of those critical fasteners and the proper torque specification for each one. You probably won’t have a manual with you and you really don’t want to waste time going through 450 pages to find the info you want. I put my list in one of those clear vinyl sleeves that fits a couple of sheets of 8-1/2”x11” paper (or, I think A10 in Europe?). There’s no point in having torque wrenches with you if you don’t know how tight to make stuff.

#3: Cleaning, Lubrication and Adhesives/Etc., Tape, Shop Towels, Helmet Cleaning Supplies: Again, think of the stuff you might use at the track: whatever lube you use for axles (if you need to change tires), spray cleaner, hand cleaner, chain lube (although, if you did that before you left home, you wouldn’t need it at the track), blue threadlocker, maybe JB Weld Original and JB Weld PlasticBonder (really amazing stuff!), painters tape, duct tape, shop towels. microfiber towels for your windscreen and faceshield, paper towels, and a bunch of nitrile gloves if you have to handle greasy stuff like axles. I put this all in a plastic bin but I keep my faceshield cleaning spray, towels, ear plugs (bring extras!) and nasal strips in my helmet bag…

#4: Tires: If I’m putting on new tires for the first day, I like to have this done before I leave for the track. That’s my recommendation for all of you. However, if you are going to need to buy and mount/balance tires at the track, make sure you know which tire track vendor will be on site (Dunlop, Pirelli, etc.) and try to arrange with them beforehand for which tires you’ll be buying from them. Definitely get to the tire vendor first thing in the morning because it’s usually first come, first served and you don’t want to miss out on any track time, or worse, miss a race due to poor planning and bad time management. If you plan on getting fresh tires for the second day, then be sure to drop off your wheels as soon as possible after your last session on day one.

For novices and C group (slower) riders, you do not need the latest racing slicks, tire warmers and a generator. There are quite few performance tires that warm up very fast and they don’t need to be on tire warmers because they can easily handle many heat-cycles. In fact, for most B group riders, you don’t need that stuff.

#5: Pit Gear: What is this? The extra stuff you bring to the track. At a bare minimum, you should have a rear stand or one of those roll-in front wheel chocks to hold your bike up in the pits (especially if you’ve removed the sidestand!). I bring front and rear stands in case I need to remove either wheel. At least one folding chair for you to sit on. I bring two—invite people to sit with you! A piece of cheap/old carpet to put down in your pits (I used to use cheap astroturf but that's gotten ridiculously expensive). It’s much nicer to have if you need to work on your bike than kneeling on hot asphalt. And, to that end, I highly recommend a pop-up canopy (like an EZ-Up), at least a 10’x10’, to keep the merciless sun off of you. One more thing: bring your own first aid kit.

Nice extras to have include: a small table: a fan: a small one that you can use to help dry your leathers and/or helmet and to cool you; some people bring a box fan to cool their bikes down after a session (and you’ll need 120V power source for this). Some people also buy canopy walls to block the sun and wind, and even four walls to use their canopy as a tent at night.

#6: Food and Cooking Gear: So: you’re definitely going to need food, whether you camp at track or stay in a motel. Most important: gallons of water and hydration/electrolyte fluid. When it’s temperate, plan on at least two gallons of fluid just for you. If someone is joining you, make sure they have just as much available to them. And when it’s hot? You can easily go through up to three gallons a day. You do not want to run out.

As for food, for breakfasts and lunch, go with stuff that’s easy to prepare, not “heavy” and hard to digest, and don’t stuff yourself. It’s better to eat light and snack through the day. Avoid foods that will spike your blood-sugar level...or cause it to drop. You want to maintain a good energy level throughout the dinner. Dinners are variable—depending on track location, there may be nearby restaurants, so that may be an option. Otherwise, go wild, as long as it’s something you can actually prepare in a short amount of time. You don’t want to spend an hour or so making dinner. For those in motorhomes or travel trailers, you do you!

And, you’re going to want to keep your beverages and perishable food cold. Get a good cooler and if possible, buy block ice, not cubed or crushed, it lasts longer. If you know there’s a nearby gas station where you can buy ice, you can refill it after the first day.

I lucked out with the rental campervan I bought, it has a Dometic refrigerator drawer. It can hold three one-gallon jugs of water, a 1.5 liter soda, sandwiches, fruit, etc. It was my first time having this luxury and it was awesome! But they aren’t cheap and you’re going to need something to power it other than your vehicle’s battery, either solar panels or a hefty battery system or both.

And, don’t forget plates, cups, utensils, any spices or oil you’ll need, and napkins.

If you are using a camping stove, make sure you have fuel for it and LOTS of matches (or a good lighter) to light it.

#7: Toiletries and Sleep Gear: Think about everything you’ll need: toothpaste and brush, soap, shampoo, deodorant, any medications you take, contact lens case and cleaning fluid, and anything else you think you need. Bring a towel for showering (if the track or your trailer/camper has a shower) as well as flip-flops to wear if it’s the track showers. I recommend showering as soon as you finish your last track session: the shower will be cleaner, there will by less of, or no, wait, and you’ll feel relaxed afterwards.

For sleeping, if you wear pajamas, bring them. If your camping in a tent or utility trailer, bring an inflatable air mattress, a cot (optional—that depends on what you like), pillow, sleeping bag, or sheets and blankets. Same for travel trailer and motorhome users: you don’t want to go to bed and realize you forgot bedding. Also: bring earplugs and an eye mask for sleeping. Some tracks have bright security lights on all night, the sun may be up earlier than you want it to, and it can be noisy before everyone else goes to sleep.

And, an alarm! Maybe you don’t need one and pop awake every morning at the same time but I don’t. I usually get up about 45 minutes to an hour before tech opens in the morning.

#8: Clothing: Bring enough clothing for the whole trip. I like having clean clothing to put on before my drive home, too (if it’s far from the track); otherwise, at least a clean shirt. And absolutely bring a wide-brimmed hat to protect you from the sun—it’ll shade your head, face, ears and neck. Future skin cancer is something you want to avoid, so bring sunscreen, too, and use it.

#9: Bonus Item: If you’re already discovered that when you walk around with the top half of your leathers hanging off that you need a hand or two to hold them up, do this: get a bungee cord that is snug around your waist to hold them up, works like a charm. You’re welcome!

Next: Part 6: Packing Lists! I can feel your excitement about that but it’ll be worth a read and it’ll be short, I promise!

Briefly: I’ve been riding over 40 years, raced for 11 (with varying degrees of success), and just hit the track again recently. While lots of people post some of this information, I’m trying to put it in a way that anybody can follow. Some of it may be obvious, some of the info is new, some parts may be short, some long. Here goes (this one's long!):

tl;dr: you can race or track almost any motorcycle you want, as long as it’s in good condition, with good tires and meets whatever tech rules the trackday organization or racing regs and race classes the racing club has...but you might want to choose something sporty!

I want to insert an important note here: many people think that in order to go racing, they need to already be fast enough to win races. Some of them do trackdays for years before they even try racing.

That is not true. That is not a requirement of any racing organization.

Sure, if you are terribly slow, getting lapped twice in a six lap race, you might get black flagged off of the track. But that kind of thing is rare.

If you want to race, DO IT! You’ll learn a lot more in each race (6-10 laps depending on the club and the track) trying to keep up with the faster racers then you will continually doing track days. And, maybe, you might actually be one of the faster racers right off the bat!

Really: you can take almost any motorcycle on track. I’ve seen all kinds of stuff on track: Honda Goldwings, BMW touring bikes, Harley-Davidsons, dual-sports, supermotos, standards and sportbikes. That said, just because you can, doesn’t mean you should.

I think that the experience is a lot more fun when you don’t have to worry (much) about dragging any hard parts on the track (footpegs, exhaust, belly pan, etc.) and your brakes are more than “enough to meet a DOT regulation.” But you’re welcome to it if you want to take your 1982 Honda Shadow VT750C on track! Here’s what I think is better:

It depends on you, what you can afford, and what your goals are.

For a lot of riders, the only choice is the motorcycle they already own. When I first raced in 1988, I owned a 1986 Kawasaki EX250R (seen in the photo above at Sears Point International Raceway, aka “Sonoma Raceway”). I raced it in 250 Production and 250 Superstreet. Then, back at home, I put all the lights and license plate back on it and used it for commuting, running errands, and weekend rides. There was no way back then that I could afford a dedicated racebike or really any second motorcycle.

If you have something that you like riding, then ride that.

You don’t need Ohlins suspension on it. You don’t need a bunch of titanium parts. You don’t need to get it tuned on a dynamometer. You don’t need race bodywork. You don’t need racing slicks. You just need to make sure that your tires provide decent grip and have lots of tread (most orgs will specify at least 50% or even 75% of tread left). You do need to make sure all of your fluids—oil, coolant and brake fluid are fairly fresh. And that your brake pads have lots of material left. And, you’ll need to check the trackday FAQs or racing club’s rules for all the things you’ll need to do to the bike (e.g. taping over/disconnecting lights or safety wiring brake caliper mounting bolts) to pass a technical inspection.

Make sure that you meet those specifications or tech inspection will send you back to your pit area to fix any issues.

The general recommendation, regardless of rider/racer skill level, is to start on a small sportbike, such as a Kawasaki 250/300/400/500, KTM RC390, or a Yamaha R-3, OR a supermoto bike or even a dual-sport (but with full street tires). If you’re already riding around on a middle-weight or liter bike, you might wonder “how could that be fun?” And you’d be surprised!

Here are the reasons to go “small”: the motorcycle is less expensive than a larger bike; tires will last a long time; crash repairs are less expensive; maintenance is easier; there’s lots of aftermarket accessories for those bikes (especially the Ninja 400); and, you’ll learn to increase your skills a lot more than just twisting the throttle on a bigger bike and slamming on the brakes at the end of each straightaway. You’ll learn much more trying to maintain momentum going into and through turns and how to trust your tires and lean further than you ever had. And, whether you’re doing trackdays or racing, you’re going to find a LOT of extremely fast riders on those small bikes. Also: a lot of tracks are tight and twisty and top speeds are much lower than you might think, plus you’ll spend more time shifting up and down and learning to get the maximum performance out of your engine.

However, if you’re comfortable, or it’s your only bike, sure, go out on a ZX-6R, R-1, or a BMW M1000RR with every possible accessory in the catalog!

So, if your goal is to race, then I recommend that you look at your local club’s different racing classes and what your bike can enter in, or what classes you would like to compete in with a different motorcycle(s) (that you can afford to buy). Starting out, I recommend racing one bike in multiple classes. This is even if you have national (or international) racing aspirations. Even Kevin Schwantz started on a Yamaha RZ350 two-stroke and FJ600 (which would be a sport-tourer if they still made it today but was a hot sportbike for a time).

A caveat regarding racing: depending on what motorcycle you are riding, how often it needs new tires, and how many classes you’re racing, that racing is generally more expensive than doing trackdays. Also, on a race weekend, and this depends on the club, you’ll probably get in a lot fewer track miles than you would doing trackdays. But if you have the competitive urge, go do it! And, be warned: racing is highly addictive.

Okay, so now you know what bike you’re going to use. Like I said, it needs to meet some technical regulations. Racing clubs usually require a belly pan that can hold several quarts of oil if your engine explodes and pukes out all of it’s oil. Also, racing clubs usually require that you don’t use standard propylene glycol or ethylene glycol coolants because if you spill coolant, it is very difficult to clean it from the track surface as it greatly reduces traction and will require the track shutdown until it’s cleaned off. Racing clubs will require a bunch of fasteners on your bike to be safety wired (Google “motorcycle safety wire” if you don’t know what that is or how to do it). Racing clubs will also require the removal of mirrors, license plates, sidestands, and some other parts. Trackday organizations are not so strict (though it absolutely doesn’t hurt to prepare your bike like a racebike).

What about other stuff? There are just so many variables that I’m not going to spend much time on this, everybody has a different budget to work with and different goals. Some “standard” upgrades include: steel-braided brake lines, grippier brake pads, rearsets for increased lean angle, an exhaust system (or at least an aftermarket slip-on exhaust canister) for reduced weight and slight power improvement, an ECU tune (“flash”) for better performance, and, of course, sticky track tires, from sport tires to DOT race tires (basically like a slick but with enough tread to be road legal) and racing slicks.

Regarding tires: you don’t need the stickiest tires your first time out. And, if you actually are having traction issues, then you’ll know to get stickier tires for the next time. The stickier the tire, the more it costs, too. And, on that note: if you are just running regular street tires (not the DOT race tires or slicks), you do NOT need tire warmers (plus the generator to run them), especially as a new track rider or racer. While there are benefits to running tire warmers, there are lots of excellent tires that are capable of many heat cycles (getting hot on track, cooling down in the pits, repeat, repeat, repeat) and that warm up within a lap (or less) of being back on track (either your out-lap on a trackday, or your warmup lap when racing). I never had a race where I had to wait a lap before I could give it a 100%, the tires were always ready from the green flag.

Of course, as I said early on, there are a lot of things that you don’t need to go on track. However, if you’re serious about being competitive in club racing, or have reached a point skill-wise that you can tell the difference: the MOST important modification you can make is: suspension. Hands down, suspension will do more to improve your lap times and confidence level around the track than anything else. There are a lot of levels, too: actually using the adjustments on the suspension your bike already has; changing fork springs and fork oil; getting a better shock absorber; different fork damping components; different fork cartridges; possibly putting on a better quality front end from a different motorcycle (like a GSX-R600/750 forks on a Suzuki SV650 is pretty popular); and lastly, getting high end stuff like Ohlins forks and a shock (which, your bike might have).

Second best upgrade: steel-braided brake lines and grippier pads.

After that? It’s all up to you and your budget what you want to do to your motorcycle.

Next: Part 4: Riding Gear (will likely be posted on Monday, May 18th)

Series: So You Want To Race Or Do Trackdays? Part 1: Cost

Briefly: I’ve been riding over 40 years, raced for 11 (with varying degrees of success), just hit the track again recently. While lots of people post some of this information, I’m trying to put it in a way that anybody can follow. Some of it may be obvious, some of the info is new, some parts may be short, some long. Here goes (this one is long!):

So You Want To Race Or Do Trackdays? Awesome!

But first things first: can you afford it?

tl;dr: five weekends of racing or five double-trackdays will run you a bare minimum of $3,000, and likely more than that.

You need to know upfront what it’s going to cost you so let’s take a look.

Note that I’m not going to talk about what it will cost to take some 10 year-old kid and give them a shot at getting to the Moto3 World Championship. Former racer Taylor Mackenzie has a really good podcast on this. tl;dr: it’s incredibly expensive and you’ll really need to live in Europe and it will be a long-shot regardless of how much money your spend.

So, obviously, you need a motorcycle:

For trackdays, and even racing, you can ride just about anything. Riding bikes like Groms on kart tracks is not going to be covered here. I’ve seen all kinds of bikes on track, from purpose-built Kramers to top level Ducatis, all the Yamaha R-bikes (3/6/7/9/1), Ninjas (250cc on up), to dual-sports, supermotos, and even some touring-oriented bikes. As long as you meet the racing rules or trackday requirements, and have good pavement tires, you can ride it at trackdays or race it as long as your bike fits a racing class.

That means that the bike you currently own will be enough to get started. You don’t need to go out and buy a new motorcycle and spend thousands of dollars making it track-ready. Speaking of track-ready: if you are interested in racing? You don’t need to do years of trackdays in advance. You don’t need to start out racing already being a fast-guy (or fast-woman). That’s ridiculous—if you want to race, start racing.

But let’s say you ride a BMW GS1250. Sure, you could take that on track but you’ll probably be happier on something sportier. And, in that vein, a perfect trackbike for starting is the Suzuki SV650 and the Kawasaki Ninja 400 (or now: 500). You can find lots of these on the used market and even a lot of them already built for the track. At my most recent trackday, there was a guy with a very cool bike painted like the Martini & Rossi livery—it was a track-built SV650 with Ducati 749 race bodywork. And the guy only had about $1,500 into the whole thing! So you do NOT need to spend a ton of money to put together a track-worthy bike.

So, that’s expense #1 and it is highly variable what you’ll spend on that. Essentially, $0 if it’s the bike you already own. I’ll talk more about bikes another time.

Expense #2 is how you get your bike and gear to the track. If you already have a truck, cargo van or trailer, you’re good to go. Or perhaps you can pull a trailer with your car, so the best option there is to rent a U-Haul motorcycle trailer—only $19/day (not including insurance if you choose it). Don’t overlook that option. Or, you might have a buddy who can haul you, your bike and gear to and from the track. Again, you don’t need to buy a Ford F-250 and a $75,000 toy hauler trailer to get to the track. But you do need a way to get there.

Why can’t you ride there on your own bike? First, you’ll have no way to bring any gear with you—tools, food, extra fuel for the bike, etc. Second, and even bigger: if your bike breaks or your crash it and/or get hurt, you won’t be able to get home. Do not count on the kindness of strangers to help you!

So, that’s expense #2 and is also highly variable. If you already have the transportation, then it’s almost zero. Why almost? Because you have to pay for gas. And right now, gas is very expensive. Last week, I drove 748 miles round-trip and gas for my van ran me $331! Obviously, if you live closer to the track you want to go to, it will be less but there’s no getting around paying for gas.

Expense #3 is your riding gear. Again, that’s highly variable and you may already have everything you need: helmet (I recommend either SNELL 2020 or 2025, ECE 22.05 or 22.06, or even FIM-1 or the new FIM-2 standard.), gauntlet (long) gloves, full boots (not riding shoes), a two-piece or one-piece (better) riding suit, a back protector or airbag (either built-in or added-in to the suit), and a chest protector (thoracic injuries are common to motorcyclists, so wear one of these even with an airbag). You don’t need to spend the maximum amount of money. You don’t need the most expensive helmet with MotoGP racer-replica graphics. You don’t need the most expensive, custom made, kangaroo-hide leathers. I’ll talk more about riding gear another time.

Expense #4: unless the track is nearby, you’ll need some place to stay. Most tracks allow camping at the track and many even have available showers (and you’re going to want one at the end of the day!). Some tracks are not near to any motels so camping is the only option. Some tracks do have nearby motels. So, camping costs you nothing if you already have a sleeping bag, sleeping pad and tarp (at a minimum). Add a tent while you’re at it. Motels, will run you at least $100/night, maybe you’ll be able to split the cost with a friend.

Expense #5: food and drink. This is the least of your expenses but make sure you bring enough for the the whole weekend. At my recent trackdays, it was 80F on day one and 66F on day two and I still drank about three gallons of water and hydration fluid. If it’s hotter than that, bring three gallons per day to make sure you don’t run out. If you don’t have a large cooler, buy one, fill it with ice (get block ice if possible) and you’re set. You also want meals and I recommend keeping it simple. I used some old freeze dried camping meals and made sandwiches ahead of time for all three days.

Expense #6: trackdays and racing aren’t free. Again, prices vary from trackday provider to provider and with different club racing organizations. Plus, if you’re going to race, you’ll need to take their race school to get your novice racing license (some have teamed up with trackday providers so you can get your license that way—it’s still going to cost you money). And you’ll need to join the club itself. And then you’re going to have to pay for each racing class you enter. So check with the club you want to race with to see what that’s going to run you for the season.

For example, my former club, the American Federation of Motorcyclists (in California), currently charges $195 for the full season racing license (not including getting your novice license). Then each event has a $100 registration fee, and $80 for each race you enter (and it’s $200 if you compete in the top Formula Pacific class). So multiply that by their five events for the year.

Expense #7: tires, maintenance and repairs. You’re going to need some good tires. Depending on how powerful your bike is, you might get a dozen days or more with a set of tires, or they might only last for the weekend (or even just race day!). That makes a bike like a Ninja 400 very attractive to ride instead of jumping on a Yamaha R-1. You’ll change the oil and filter more often. You may need to change brake pads more often. And, if you do crash, maybe you get lucky and it’s a low-speed slide and the bike just gets a little rash, or maybe it tumbles and destroys the bodywork and forks (or worse: the frame). So you’ll want to have some money set aside for all of that.

Expense #8: track gear. I recommend a 10’x10’ pop-up awning, at least one folding chair, and get yourself a cheap (or free) piece of carpet for your pits—it’s a lot nicer to kneel on when you’re working on your bike or stretching before a track session or race than on the hot asphalt.

Expense #9: tools! You will need some tools for adjusting suspension and possibly removing brakes and wheels. So you’re going to also want a front lift stand and a rear lift stand. If you don’t have those things, you’ll need to buy those.

So, how much?

Maybe you have all of the gear, bike, transportation, tools, etc., so you’re expenses are gas for transportation, gas for your bike (I went through nearly 8 gallons of fuel, about 21 mpg on a ZX-4RR), food, probably tires, and trackday costs / racing fees. For two days, you’re looking at an absolute bare minimum of about $600 (I’m amortizing in $500 for a set of tires for 8 days for a small bike, so $125 per two days).

Per two days of track time or a two-day race event, all times the number that you do for the year.

So for five race events or five two-day trackdays, that’s at least $3,000 for the year.

However, I guarantee you that it’s going to cost more than that. Many trackdays cost $300+ per day. Drive farther, pay more for gas. Ride a bigger bike, more gas, more tires. Crash—repairs for the bike...and probably for your riding gear, too.

Consider yourself lucky if you can do it at only $3,000 per year.

My recent trackday cost me $3,850.70 (not including pet sitting for my dog), but that includes race bodywork, a new set of tires (good for at least for events), new helmet, and used set of Spidi leathers (only $323!). But the "per event" cost was still $1,051.69.

Next: Part 2: Your Body (it’ll be much shorter!).

EDIT!!!!! I did forget one thing: many trackday providers and racing orgs require riders/racers to have medical insurance. So, this can vary widely from being lucky and having an employer-paid plan to private plans and finding medical insurance through the Affordable Care Act. This is for the US. In civilized countries (the EU and UK and some others), they have single-payer healthcare and you don't even have to think about this at all. Thanks to u/Magmadragoon24 for bringing this up in a comment.

Since buying it in mid-December, this is the first time I've used it. It needed a new steering gearbox and ball joints everywhere on the front end (it was an ordeal, I did most of it myself, first time--no steering fluid leaks! :-). And the headlight housings were seriously dull, so I had to polish those as best as possible. Then the headlight bulbs were dim so I had to get some LEDs (which I discovered on the way home from this trip were not in fact aimed properly, like high beam all the time and on high beam, they illuminated the trees down the road!).

A round-trip of 748 miles. Lost one of the wheel covers. Quickly discovered that the AC is in fact in need of a recharge (or worse, I hope not--obviously when I tested it on pickup in December, it was cold so I thought it was working...). Also, the heat/AC fan doesn't always come on and takes a few tries, even a few minutes. And, the Dual Electronics stereo and Ford speakers are very much not good (at least the unit has Bluetooth to play my own music!)

But what was good? Oh, my gosh! All the interior room. The roof top tent although the mattress is much too soft. I wonder how much a better, firmer replacement might cost? Also, I'm only 5'3.5" and that tent is kind of short from front to back. Not all of the space is actually usable when you're lying down.

But more than anything?

That Dometic refrigerator box is the greatest thing since slice bread! It's just awesome. I was able to fit three 1-gallon jugs of water, a 1.5 liter soda bottle, three turkey sandwiches (not very big ones), a bag of grapes, and during the two day, I was able to safely store leftover food from breakfasts and dinner. And it keeps everything COLD!

I'm actually trying to sell the bench seat and seatbelts and the entire kitchen unit (minus the fridge--I'm keeping that!) so I can put a motorcycle inside and not have to rent a trailer. I'm going to move the front "cushion storage" longitudinally on the left side as well as the wooden storage units that are currently behing the bench seat. I will say this: that bench seat is awfully comfortable to lie on, better than the RTT mattress.

One of the tent main side zippers is kind of wonky. Seems like it'd be very difficult to find someone capable of doing repairs with the tent on the roof. And, it's a bit of a pain to close the thing with having to quickly move the ladder to stuff in each side before the tent fully opens up again.

Another nice thing: l found a 3 AAA-battery-powered LED lantern Velcro'd inside the tent! Bad thing: the tent roof fan (that sucks out air to draw in fresh air from the bottom) was working at night but had stopped working by the morning. I assume that it's solar powered (there's no on-off switch on it on the inside). Any ideas for how to fix it?

Last bad thing: crap mileage, calculated 13.7 mpg...and I had to refill it in California where gas cost over a $1/gallon more than where I live in Oregon. Fill up for 29.1 gallons...$188.83! Damn! That war of his cost me an extra $120 just for this trip.

https://www.roadracingworld.com/news/world-moto-clash-will-reality-tv-huge-money-change-racing/

Basically: BIG money ($1M to win, $500K for second, pay down to 30th). 48 invited riders (mostly USA riders). Only tech safety rules, NO other bike rules. Heat races and last chance shoot-out, 30 racers in the main event. Two races semi-planned for 2026.

But the focus is on making this like a UFC event--drama, back stories, all that kind of crap that seems more popular these days then the actual sport--fighting, F1, etc.

You can tell, my use of "crap", what I think of this. The racing? Great! The other stuff? Pass.

Read the article (or not) and comment.