Ride share ideas and track day costs 101...

[Moto-Brian]

Hello, all... I thought about starting a ride share thread within our STT sponsor area. If you feel the need to post there, that works great.

Here's the link:

http://www.ohio-riders.com/showthread.php?p=400109#post400109

I had some ideas to make the rides to STT events seem more logical. It's easy to look at a venue and feel that it is closer and that it makes more sense to go there as opposed to trying out further distant tracks.

What eventually happens is that you never get to those different tracks and therefore, do not seem to advanced your packet of abilities.

Take for example, Grattan.

We will use my truck and trailer setup for this example. Realize that this can take the number to whatever you have in your possession - two railed trailer and split two ways, three rail and split three ways, etc...

My setup is a truck and trailer enclosed and can haul up to 6 machines, but only really can handle carrying 4 total people and possibly 5 if need be comfortably...

Grattan from Columbus is 300 miles one way.

A few notes about Grattan, too:

-Grattan has a rain policy. We don't ride, you don't have to and you get a FULL refund. Not at every track we visit, but my example with Grattan is such.

-Grattan has a huge swimming pool and allows camping. So, my examples below with hotels can be avoided up there. BBQs are common and up all night having fun going in and out of the track up until I think Mid-night... Monte can verify that one...

-Finally, as a note for ALLLLLL our STT events. MOST are weekends. The totals below are also based on leaving after work Friday and being home late Sunday for work on Monday. No time off needed for the regular Joe who has a M-F work schedule. Days off work are a value as well and hard to total below, but just a note...

So...

-Grattan from CBus is about 600 miles round trip. That's about two tanks of fuel in total. So, 50-70 gallons at $2.75 (Figure gas will be more next year) is $137-$190...

-Hotel is typically about $100 a night at most. That would be one night as we'd leave early AM on Saturday to get up there. Could go up late and stay which is what a lot of people do anyways... So, we will use $200.

-Food is easy. Pack it all. No matter where you ride, if you do two days, you consume the same amount of food. Food is a wash and not figured... If you go out to eat, same deal. You will go out no matter where you travel...

-Track fees and such are also the same. However, if we were to take a competing track, we could easily show where certain venues can be MUCH cheaper and that is fair to use against. However, I will not do that yet.

So, there is a total of $400 MAX that you'd run into. On my setup, it would be $100 each person.

Now, if we compare the closest track to CBus, it would be about 120 miles round trip. So, one tank of gas. You'd hotel it the same number of days so, that's a wash.

Your total would be about (my setup) $50 in fuel and $200 hotel. That's $250. EVEN if you used another buddy to travel with - typically, most locals go by themselves and spend the money on their own - That would be $125 each. 4 guys, would be $63 each.

So, if using 4 riders in the same trailer, same hotel, etc., you'd be about $37 cheaper to travel to the closest track. However, remember those track day costs when totalling up your amounts... If each rider saves $60 per day, that's a total savings that takes that $100 vs. $60 and actually SAVES you money to try out different tracks and take in different things to advance your riding ability...

The other factors like it being on a weekend and not using vacation days, etc is a value.

Not to mention a track like Putnam that's even closer to CBus and BG when it gets opened.

Just some thoughts to keep in mind...

[Todd#43]

But you're going anyway, why can't you haul me and my shit for free?

[Moto-Brian]

Getting close to the start of the track day season... bump...