National Secondary Schools Pocket Bike Racing

[prettybillie]

The Mini Bike Challenge is on! Our Tools 4 Work programme (www.tools4work.co.nz) supports kids at High Schools to get their level2 engineering certificate through the use of pocket bikes. The ultimate aim, other than the certificate, is the kids get to race their bikes and an event this year at Manfield. This is an awesome event so if anyone is keen to get along and have a look or support I can highly recommend it.

For the Minibikes Challenge, students "reverse engineer" a standardised kitset bike to industry-based Level 2 unit standards, and they can also make specialised components in their school workshops. The students then race their bikes in a range of events at Manfeild raceway in Feilding. The 2008 inaugural event was such a success that more than 20 schools are keen to enter the two-day event starting 20 October 2010.

The organisers, engineering teachers Roger Emmerson (Feilding High School), Richard Dawson (Central Hawke's Bay College) and Ross McDonald (Lytton High School) say minibikes - also known as pocket bikes - are an affordable and compelling way of getting students involved and developing their practical skills in mechanical engineering.

[mohawk]

http://newmanz.co.nz/shop/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=56&products_id=195



http://newmanz.co.nz/shop/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=56&products_id=233

[sunhuntin]

we have students at work who are in the final stages of building their bikes. they even had one going the other day. i sure hope they at least have knee protectors! i wouldnt mind going along, just depends on what day it is.

[CookMySock]

We spent all weekend with the WHS crew getting their bugs ironed out, and some training on the track and on the technical aspects of their bikes. They came and introduced themselves so we pitched in and made them feel welcome and did everything we could for them. All of their machinery, bar none, is a work of art.

I was very grateful for being able to help them. The biggest problem they are going to have, is still having tyres on their bikes come race day. ;)

Steve

[Gadgit]

Hay DB we did the same for a bunch of Manawatu kids at Tam.. had almost 30 of them come up for a day on the track.. some neat stuff going on there.

[Z1_ZPF_BOY]

The Mini Bike Challenge is on! Our Tools 4 Work programme (www.tools4work.co.nz) supports kids at High Schools to get their level2 engineering certificate through the use of pocket bikes. The ultimate aim, other than the certificate, is the kids get to race their bikes and an event this year at Manfield. This is an awesome event so if anyone is keen to get along and have a look or support I can highly recommend it.

For the Minibikes Challenge, students "reverse engineer" a standardised kitset bike to industry-based Level 2 unit standards, and they can also make specialised components in their school workshops. The students then race their bikes in a range of events at Manfeild raceway in Feilding. The 2008 inaugural event was such a success that more than 20 schools are keen to enter the two-day event starting 20 October 2010.

The organisers, engineering teachers Roger Emmerson (Feilding High School), Richard Dawson (Central Hawke's Bay College) and Ross McDonald (Lytton High School) say minibikes - also known as pocket bikes - are an affordable and compelling way of getting students involved and developing their practical skills in mechanical engineering.

Are any of us allowed to go down and race these kids?

[DELLORTO]

Are any of us allowed to go down and race these kids?

ha just cos you want to go down there and wip them with your blata and sava's....:clap:, im going next year with my school.

[u4ea]

Wow I am out of the loop with whats happening at schools these days..this sounds fantastic and has put a grin on my face after all the ACC carry-on..Well done to all who help out with our young ones.They are certainly going to have the upper hand with this sort of engineering they are learning..Just awesome!!!:clap::2thumbsup

[Z1_ZPF_BOY]

ha just cos you want to go down there and wip them with your blata and sava's....:clap:, im going next year with my school.

I might see if i can go down next year. so what do you have to do to do it? im guessing you have to buy a kit set from someone or can you bring your own parts.

this guy on TM has a kit set minus the frame

http://www.trademe.co.nz/Trade-Me-Motors/Motorbikes/Parts-for-sale/Complete-engines/auction-247440867.htm

[prettybillie]

Newmanz are the ones that supply the kitsets for the tools4work programme.

We have a professional film crew down there at the moment so I'll post the videos as soon as they come through.

[CookMySock]

Hay DB we did the same for a bunch of Manawatu kids at Tam.. had almost 30 of them come up for a day on the track.. some neat stuff going on there.Mean az bro! Yeah they are good fun ay!

Steve

[Willdat?]

I'm a Tech teacher at a school that uses the tools4work stuff. I'm interested in looking at the feasability of this project (and maybe building one too!). What do the actual kits cost?

[prettybillie]

I'm a Tech teacher at a school that uses the tools4work stuff. I'm interested in looking at the feasability of this project (and maybe building one too!). What do the actual kits cost?

PM sent but also check out www.tools4work.co.nz

[DELLORTO]

when i do this im going to borrow a banshee motor off brett and blood thrash everyone.....:whistle:

might need sava's aswel......:woohoo:

[Gadgit]

when i do this im going to borrow a banshee motor off brett and blood thrash everyone.....:whistle:

might need sava's aswel......:woohoo:

Might find it a bit hard when you only get an option of a 49cc air cooled kit or a B1 kit from newmans. As these are the fixed options for the project.

[sunhuntin]

I'm a Tech teacher at a school that uses the tools4work stuff. I'm interested in looking at the feasability of this project (and maybe building one too!). What do the actual kits cost?

one of the auto tutors at work who took the students for this said the kits were $300 each, which the students had to pay for, minus the frame. so what the tutor did was got a frame and cut it up then rewelded it step by step so the students knew what to do. i dunno where they got the frames from though

[CookMySock]

The frames I saw were exclusively engineered from scratch, each the students own design. They varied dramatically, one of them a beautifully ducati-ish lattice frame, and others polished stainless steel, all of them lightweight works of art, and a delight to own and race.

There was nothing looking anything at all like a standard daytona frame.

Steve

[prettybillie]

Oh man - they are selling them already!

http://www.trademe.co.nz/Trade-Me-Motors/Motorbikes/Motorbikes/Pocket-pit-bikes/auction-250610417.htm

[CookMySock]

Fark what a list of hot-up bits. I thought they were supposed to be standard though.. maybe there was a modified class..

Steve