motorcycle racers

Five Minutes with Daniel North, Thunderbike 500 Racer

Welcome to our ‘Five Minutes With' series, where we sit down with the riders, racers and builders who rely on Venhill control cables and hoses to help them perform at their best. This time, we caught up with Daniel North, who - as we spoke to him - was leading the the newly formed Thunderbike 500 class in the British Motorcycle Racing Club also known as (BEMSEE) - one of the UK’s biggest and most competitive club racing series.

Daniel’s season has already been packed with ups, downs, and plenty of hard work in the garage. We wanted to find out more about what life is really like for a club racer: the long weekends away, the hours spent prepping bikes, the budget challenges, and the thrill of competing on track.

How long have you been racing, and what first got you into it?

I've been racing since 2021 on the CB500, however up until this year I only ever completed in a few rounds each season. I've always been in awe of motorcycle racing and never thought I would get the opportunity to taste it myself until an opportunity presented itself in 2020. The MZ250 class in BEMSEE had a 'rent a racer' bike, where you pay your money and turn up like a rockstar, with the bike waiting for you. We managed to get a few quid together from my birthday and then it was down to me getting my race licence and choosing what track I wanted to race at. I chose Cadwell Park and we had an incredible weekend, not just the experience but the results also - I was the top rookie in every race. We realised that maybe I had something there, so we looked at the next cheapest form of bike racing, which was the CB500.

What’s the atmosphere like in the Bemsee paddock — is it competitive, supportive, or a mix of both?

One of the main reasons I race in BEMSEE is the paddock life. I've raced in other championships, but I would say BEMSEE is the friendliest and most supportive, especially the Thunderbike 500 class; everyone helps out if you have any bike problems or general queries. The last round at Snetterton, I took a tumble in Race 3 and I had four or five other riders (my competitors) helping me out with parts and fixing the bike.

Club racing has a reputation for being one of the most accessible ways into the sport, but it still takes a lot of commitment. How do you go about finding the budget to compete?

Budget has always been a problem for me, hence why I only managed at most half a season in entries. I always find it’s more the people you know rather than businesses. Social media is a great way to explore other opportunities, but I’d say it's more the people you know that might have a few quid spare to help you out.

What are some of the biggest expenses people might not think about when they imagine club racing?

Apart from the obvious with entries and tyres, everything else is down to personal preference. If you sleep in your van then it's free, if you want a bit more comfort at a hotel then you can pay £70+ a night. Food and drink you can save by bringing food from home rather than eating trackside etc .

How do you fit racing and practice around work, family life, and everything else?

Having an understanding wife makes life a lot easier! However, we have now a one-year old, which makes things a little more difficult for sure. There's only 3-4 weeks between rounds and usually one of the weekends is sorting the bike out with maintenance etc. As long as the other weekends are spent with the family, I think it's a nice balance. I also have the family come to support me on the weekends, which is nice to have. This year I haven't had any practice away from a race weekend; this is a mixture of having a family now and finances. In my first couple of years racing I would participate in the test day as being new I needed to learn the tracks. 

What’s been your best race or most memorable moment so far?

In my rookie year I managed to get myself an unexpected win. During the year I would get consistent top 10's in the rookie category, however at the last round at Cadwell Park in the rain I managed to pull off a win! 

What’s the toughest challenge you’ve faced on track?

I would say the most difficult part is after you've had a crash, getting it out of your head and going back out there. Fortunately for me this hasn't happened on too many occasions, but like last round at Snetterton I went back out and managed to equal my best finish from the earlier result in the weekend.

Venhill supplies you with control cables / hoses — how have they helped your bike set-up?

This year I‘ve been using Venhill Brake hoses, Clutch and Throttle cables, and I’ve no doubt these have contributed to my success. For me one of my strongest attributes is hard braking and having the Venhill Brake hoses has given me the extra confidence when overtaking my competitors. The Venhill Throttle cables allow me to have a good feeling with the throttle. When you're riding a 50hp bike you have to use every inch of the circuit: getting on the power as soon as you dare. The Venhill cable means I've got a good connection with the throttle, allowing me to have confidence in my machine and knowing I'm getting the maximum out of my bike.

Do you think kit like Venhill's makes club racing a little more manageable for privateers like yourself?

Venhill products are well priced compared to the competitors and for the quality and reliability of the product, I wouldn't go anywhere else. I also love the colour-coded brake hoses, clutch and throttle cables as they give it a factory-like finish, which is a nice touch when you're a privateer.

Any advice you’d give someone thinking about making the jump into club racing?

To anyone out there deciding whether to give it a go or not, I would highly recommend doing whatever it takes just to at least compete in a few rounds - however be warned: it is addictive, there is no other feeling like it! From your first weekend you'll make friends for life and what better way to finish a day's racing than a BBQ and a couple of beers whilst you discuss the day's events? If you are unsure where to start or what class to race in, there are social media pages and forums where if you reach out for information there will be an endless amount of people to advise you. For me you wont find a better bunch of lads than the UK Honda CB500 Racing facebook page.