What do you do when you love racing motorcycles, but the demands of family life take precedence over weekends away at the track? You start a local pit-bike racing series, of course! At least that is what Michael “Doc” Lemire of Burlington had in mind when he started Vermont Pit Bike Racing (VTPBR) this summer.
Vermont Pit Bike Racing held its inaugural event September 20th at Rocky Ridge Raceway in Barre VT. The purpose of this initial track day event was simply to get riders out on the track let them see what pit bikes are like. “I just want to get everyone out on the track and let them see how much fun it is”, said Lemire.
For the twenty or so riders who came out for the day, fun was obviously had by all. Mark from Burlington was initially hesitant to get on the bike, thinking that his 6’4’ frame would be too big for the 120cc motorcycle. But after watching his friends take a few turns, curiosity won out and he took the bike out for the longest session of the day. His post ride enthusiasm showed he had become one of the converted.
“Eventually, I’d like it to have a real track day atmosphere”, Doc said. “There would be practice in the morning, with open riding; in the afternoon there would be an informal race format. If things really get going, we’ll divide up in to classes to keep things interesting and fair”.
The focus is clearly on having fun, however and the high quality of the Rocky Ridge Raceway is one of the key ingredients of the fun. The go kart track has seven turns, includes changes in elevation and can be run in either direction. The track has a “large”, banking sweeper that is reminiscent of Loudon’s turn six, which is familiar to many local track day enthusiasts and racers. The pavement is virtually flawless and very well maintained.
Pit bikes are small motorcycles –generally under 130cc -- with 10, 12 or 14 inch wheels. Seat height is low, with 25 to 27 inches being the norm. There are both 2 and 4 stroke versions and typical engine sizes are 50, 70, 80, 110 and 120 and 125cc. The bikes were originally used by racers or track day riders to get around the pits, hence the name “pit bike”.
Riding the small bikes on the Rocky Ridge track requires the same skills as riding a regular bike on the track. Riders need to shift their weight to gain cornering clearance and dragging a knee is not uncommon for the best riders. One racer I spoke with said that he likes to get out on his pit bike before heading to the track, since it provides him with a warm up.
Because the speeds are lower, riders are less likely to get hurt when they go down. Riders are still required to wear full gear for protection, however, since falling off is also more likely. Although the bikes are slower than full sized motorcycles, sliding across pavement at 30 mph can cause significant damage.
Look for more VTPBR events this fall and next summer. Next season’s track and racing series will be planned over the winter and VTPBR hopes to begin a regular schedule in early spring. For more information, contact, Michael Lemire (DucatiBoy@Hotmail.com ). For more on the Rocky Ridge Raceway go kart track, see www.VTShifterKarts.com .
The track is located at 400 Baptist Street, Graniteville VT (South Barre).
