SMC Rocketeer Rides

[motorbyclist]

we have two mint carparks and several working pocket rockets

so grab your rocket and get on ya bike!

Rocket Ride this Xxxday xxth Xxxtember


after brief discussion with squiggles we've decided it might be best if these are done on a 'BYO' basis. frankly it's not fair on those who spend the time/effort maintaining their beasts to turn up to watch a whole lot of random bikers ride/smash them without getting a decent ride themselves - plus while one extra person is fine, 5 is going to get boring

[PirateJafa]

I'm not sure if my minimoto is still mine - I think currently it's a combination of "mine" and "Hanne's" lol.

[Ixion]

Bah. I have a good mind to report this post for misleading advertising. I thought you meant rockets

[motorbyclist]

well, with a bit of modification.....

[Squiggles]

I'm not sure if my minimoto is still mine - I think currently it's a combination of "mine" and "Hanne's" lol.

I'll be refitting your motor to ya frame momentarily :whistle:

[PirateJafa]

I'll be refitting your motor to ya frame momentarily :whistle:

Putting the peppier engine in?

Hanne's gonna be wheelieing past the checkered flag. ;)

[Slyer]

Is mine actually going at the moment? :P

[Squiggles]

Is mine actually going at the moment? :P

Yep, and Hannes sis completed the running in yesterday :)

[Slyer]

Wicked, not pissing fuel everywhere then?
How are we going to bin constantly without it the extra fuel on the track? :bleh:

[motorbyclist]

i'm sure we'll find a way... just keep leaning til the pegs lever the wheels off the road:msn-wink:

[bomma]

im really REALLY keen on getting one these holidays but i know theyre made in china which means they're pieces of crap and i DONT want to have to keep fixing it every half hour of riding!!!

squiggs, motorb, any insight??

[motorbyclist]

mine is a minter now it's sussed. only issues i have is forgetting to do things after i "fix" it or when a bit of quality chinese fuel filter breaks free and blocks the fuel jet.

Be sure to tighten up the motor before riding, get a decent pullstart rope and i'll sell you an NGK plug for $6 if you think your "JL" one is the problem.

otherwise they aren't that bad..... just remember to pump up the tyres before riding

[2wheeljunkie]

mine is a minter now it's sussed. only issues i have is forgetting to do things after i "fix" it or when a bit of quality chinese fuel filter breaks free and blocks the fuel jet.

Be sure to tighten up the motor before riding, get a decent pullstart rope and i'll sell you an NGK plug for $6 if you think your "JL" one is the problem.

otherwise they aren't that bad..... just remember to pump up the tyres before riding

and hold on..!! :headbang:

[Slyer]

Anyone can use mine while I'm not there on the basis that it is still running when you're done with it!

[Zim_Invader]

please say this will be o a day that i can make it!!!??? i'm dead keen to buy one too.... but with the whole parents issue... i'm worried. i could say my vtr had a baby, but that prob wouldn't go down too well. if i buy one, would one of u guys be able to provide it with a permanent(ly temporary) home, while i formulate a means for breaking the news to the parents... perhaps i cold tell them it's the delayed, accumulated birthday gift of teh many ppl i know....? hmm... options, options...

[motorbyclist]

i can house small bikes, but if you leave them here in pieces i cannot guarantee things will not be lost.

anything intact will be left intact, dry and secure... which is more than we can say for the rockets left in stephen's care!

[Zim_Invader]

hahah... sweetness! i'll now scrounge through the funds and leech away 200 without it being to obvious. slowly we will take over my parent's misguided preconceptions of all 2-wheel vehicles, and be free from this mild form of tyrany (tyrany, love, same diff)!

btw, lovin the new bike.... it's all red whit and blue, but that's all good... we can all IMAGINE it's in repsol colours instead. that aside, i like the front end of it more than the vfr's. square-ish lights look nicer.

[Squiggles]

About an hour ago me and unisafe met in battle, while riding around epsom carpark with ruth (hanne's littlest sister) they saw fit to lock the gates at the entrance.
Now, that'd be fine, if they had closing times, but they dont, and when i went to the security office to get it opened i was told they'd locked it because we were up there.
The guy i was talking to (the one who locked it) thought this was just, i pointed out there are no signs up there. He asked who said we could ride round up there, i asked who said we couldnt. I then reminded him they had just closed a student carpark with no hours and a vehicle was locked in. I was told to go for a walk and they might unlock it later... :angry:

So a couple of minutes after i'd got back to the car and put the rockets in another car on the outside, the dude arrived and unlocked it, more words etc etc. I've said ill be in to see his boss tomorrow, i dont think he believes me :yes:

If they want to try to tell us we cant use the carpark, they can try, but they went the wrong way about that one!

[Slyer]

Did they notice the petrol everywhere? :D

[Squiggles]

Did they notice the petrol everywhere? :D

Nar, i fixed these rockets, none leak anymore, the exhaust fell off Ruth's one at one point tho :eek: And yours needs the fuel filter tied up as its showing the same symptoms as andrews did, with the filter slightly above the rest of the line

[Slyer]

Which one is ruths one? Jafas?

[Hanne]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=27VzTRmbL7o

Heheh some action shots from this afternoon

[Ragingrob]

Awesome! Haha Stephen mint pushing there I don't think ya even need a motor ay.

[Patar]

Scouring tardme I noticed that you can get the cheap chinese pocket rockets for ~ $200 but I also noticed you can get other one's for like 2-6k ?!?! WTF! is there something special about these ones? do they run on pixie juice and have 22unicorn power or some such shit????

[motorbyclist]

Scouring tardme I noticed that you can get the cheap chinese pocket rockets for ~ $200 but I also noticed you can get other one's for like 2-6k ?!?! WTF! is there something special about these ones? do they run on pixie juice and have 22unicorn power or some such shit????

cinese range from our $200 jobs to $500 watercooled to "rather more pricey" replicas of:
the italian pocket rockets which cost $1500 upwards

[motorbyclist]

So a couple of minutes after i'd got back to the car and put the rockets in another car on the outside, the dude arrived and unlocked it, more words etc etc. I've said ill be in to see his boss tomorrow, i dont think he believes me :yes:

If they want to try to tell us we cant use the carpark, they can try, but they went the wrong way about that one!

what an asshat

had he been reasonable and asked/warned you this would've been fine and could have been organised nicely, but NO they alwaays have to go ahead and be dicks about it.

[PirateJafa]

Yet another reason the Thrashmobile needs bullbars!

They've locked the gate? Ramming speed!

[bomma]

bring back the biff!!

[Slyer]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=27VzTRmbL7o

Heheh some action shots from this afternoon

Nice commentating! Haha

[PirateJafa]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=27VzTRmbL7o

Heheh some action shots from this afternoon

Need moar bins! :sunny:

[Hanne]

Need moar bins! :sunny:

haha nope, I wasn't riding yesterday so no such luck!..... ><

[motorbyclist]

so, this saturday feels like a rocket day...

[Zim_Invader]

haha.... we do it after the piha ride!!! we rocket around the driveways of one tree hill!!!! who's in? every1 say yes!! i really wanna rde pocket with an engine (tht actually starts).!!!!:angry2:(mummble, steve makes me pull stupid chord... mumble, bloody pocket rocket hybrid of hanne's and jaffas still doesnt even start... mumble, the other's are just pieces of scraps... mumble mumble....hahah.... gotta do it!

[motorbyclist]

in light of saturday's plans might move rockets to sunday

[Zim_Invader]

NOOOOOOO!!!! then i won't make it! :( got work on... i vote we keep it to sat. it's now spring-ish. the sun sets after 7. i say we go ride, then picnic for those keen, - a chance to rest up a bit. then down for some rocketing! it can be the big smc day, wher we just get together, (lol...)... MOB...(hehe, love that tern), and do what clubber-bikers do! mayb pas bye squigs, and watch a bike fix perhaps... haha. i say we make it a MASSIVE SMC SAT!!!!

[PirateJafa]

in light of saturday's plans might move rockets to sunday

Sounds like a excellent idea. We'll just have to remember to fill us a gas can beforehand. ;)

Will be there once I've sobered up!

[racefactory]

lol what come on dude!!! Just don't tell em if it's that hard!

[BANZAI]

so, this saturday feels like a rocket day...

Ah, is that why you commented about Saturday ride...

Ummm but so far none of pocket rocket riders are coming to Sat ride.

[motorbyclist]

in light of saturday's plans might move rockets to sunday


Ah, is that why you commented about Saturday ride...

Ummm but so far none of pocket rocket riders are coming to Sat ride.

rockets on sunday

piha on saturday

[motorbyclist]

Rocket Ride this Sunday 28th September

Bring yer own rocket.

Meet at Stephen's place say 10 or 11am, leave as soon as everything is running, about noon, for carpark in epsom or maybe unitec.

My car can carry three maybe four rockets with one passenger, so maybe bring another car if needs be.

In the even of rain I'm wimping out and getting the dirtbike out instead.

[Slyer]

Woot! I shall attend.

[Squiggles]

I'll tryto have the rockets moved from Hanne's to mine before then, but might be out riding on the day

[EJK]

Unitec is always quiet on Sundays.

Unitec GP Anyone? ;)

[EJK]

Text me where it will be held, I will later join you guys. Just to watch...

[motorbyclist]

forecast looks good

you guys have to txt me as i lost all your numbers when my old phone died

[BANZAI]

forecast looks good

you guys have to txt me as i lost all your numbers when my old phone died

What's ur new phone number.... I only have your old number. Voda or Telecom?

[motorbyclist]

same number

[Slyer]

I should be there with the car to help carry some around.

[motorbyclist]

i'm running a *tad* late

[Slyer]

Well unitec FAIL

[EJK]

Epic fail
.

[Zim_Invader]

which means we should do it next sat! maybe after corro, and before orchestra recital!

[EJK]

Or try somewhere else.... <_<

[Squiggles]

We'll park outside, and ride/snatch and run when they try to catch us

[BANZAI]

So, what's the story?

[motorbyclist]

should get epsom back - unitec has too many learners in cars for my liking

[motorbyclist]

LOL awesome rocket day today with feature sidecar...

got a bit wet though - see 1st/main post for pics

[motorbyclist]

so in another epic effort i got all three going reasonably well... it would seem the little beasties just drink so much fuel the bowls can hardly keep up! "aggressive float height adjustment" seems to be the fix.

now to fix the tyre issue - the result of one afternoon's antics, it would appear the one spare wasn't enough. all three tyres went within a three hour period

i am hoping they are only $30 to replace... does the smc care to maintain their fleet?

[Squiggles]

the result of one afternoon's antics, it would appear the one spare wasn't enough.

The spare still good?

[Slyer]

Well to be fair the ones doing all the riding should be replacing the tyres. :bleh:

[motorbyclist]

the spare tyre is still good and now has a good 2 hours hard use on it :innocent:

i guess we've managed to get a good use out of those rockets. two of those tyres were showing fibres after me and jafa last rode them.

so i think we should really discuss where we're going with these. if it's worth putting tyres on, that means we plan to continue the cycle of fix-ride-fix-ride-fix (admittedly i think the fix part is getting acceptably short compared to the ride part, but whenever i say that a pullstart breaks), but as soon as we spend money on anything other than petrol, it kinda seems prudent to have me make up some more nylon pegs.... and once that's done i reckon an instant fix to 95% of our fuel leak and reliability problems would be to buy some carbs.
then we may as well slap on a big bore kit etc etc and before you know it you may as well have bought a bucket bike

although, with the latest f3 developments in the club, just buying the carbs could be acceptable. just for munting around carparks etc

yeah.... i just can't bear to spend money on them, especially cause once i start i'll buy the best bits and keep on doing so. then again being broke will help fix that :rolleyes:

$35 tyres plus fitting (http://newmanz.co.nz/shop/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=4_39&products_id=79)
$35 carby that looks too much like the stock one simply bored out (http://newmanz.co.nz/shop/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=55&products_id=117)
$55 flatside carby with billet manifold and pod filter (http://newmanz.co.nz/shop/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=55&products_id=158)

so basically i'd say $100 per rocket to get them reliable. this is half of the price of a new one, and may not fix the underlying problems which seem to centre around fuel delivery to the carby bowls which could be in the carby or in the tank. they will have moar power though....

i would love to experiment further, but with only one tyre it becomes a bit tedious. it seems at their peak the motor will last about 8-10 minutes of my circut (in video above) before they start cutting out at open throttle. idle or half throttle a bit and she comes right for a few more minutes, i can only assume as the bowls fill back up. this could be for any reason, including low head pressure from the tank as it gets around half empty, but this could be fixed with a better built carby with assumedly better valving

there are leaks that magically appear despite the fuel being turned off. one insists on dumping fuel out the overflow for some reason, but runs fine and doesn't leak so much while riding

oh, and fairings are very good at catching bolts as they rattle loose

edit: and without hitting the track quite yet, i think gearing these down (add a tooth or two to the rear) could be a good idea. the red one is slow but with a mean power band, but you only ever hit the power on an entry to a corner

[motorbyclist]

oh shit, i meant to post all this in the SMC racing thread thingy.... meh. aforementioned video is there

[Slyer]

That carb is meeeean.
I'll invest but not this month.

[motorbyclist]

That carb is meeeean.
I'll invest but not this month.

lol

i was thinking we'd buy each other a birthday pressie

[Slyer]

I might be convinced if I actually got to ride mine on occasion. ;)

[Slyer]

Man, buying pocket bike parts is a pretty cheap way to add bling. :D
http://newmanz.co.nz/shop/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=55&products_id=186
Wonder how much better these are?

http://newmanz.co.nz/shop/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=55&products_id=191

Newmanz Nitros Oxide kit. Well what can I say? Want to add 200% power to your engine for 6 seconds?.... Yes?..... glad to see I am not the only one crazy enough to try it.
:D

[motorbyclist]

I might be convinced if I actually got to ride mine on occasion. ;)

well if you would come riding them once in a while..... unfortunately they aren't going anywhere until the tyres are replaced


tbh this is the first time they've been out since me and jafa liberated them, and even then we were only riding for a few hours tops

[Slyer]

Just because you guys play with them during the week...

[motorbyclist]

Just because you guys play with them during the week...

actually our most successful trips have been after 6pm on a weeknight when the testing station down the road from me is closed. the day is spent working on them

the exception being at ellerslie... dunno when we did that

[PirateJafa]

tbh this is the first time they've been out since me and jafa liberated them, and even then we were only riding for a few hours tops


actually our most successful trips have been after 6pm on a weeknight when the testing station down the road from me is closed. the day is spent working on them

the exception being at ellerslie... dunno when we did that

Yes, that testing station does seem to have something "right" about it for pocketrockets.

Maybe it is a optimum focus point for the good fung shui energies?

Unlike Mt. Wellington, of course. Out of the three times we have been there: the first time it was open except of course we didn't have any pocketrockets with us, the second time it was open, except the pocketrockets were not running, and the third time the pocketrockets were running, but the track wasn't open. :slap:

[Slyer]

Well then invite me fuckers. I still haven't watched that video you guys made, guess I should get onto that.

[motorbyclist]

oh, and there's rocket racing at mt wellington this sunday

who wants to go spectate? i would say race but without tyres that could be a bit tricky...

all that said, there might be bits available there and maybe some good advice as to fixing problems

[motorbyclist]

oh, and there's rocket racing at mt wellington this sunday

who wants to go spectate? i would say race but without tyres that could be a bit tricky...

all that said, there might be bits available there and maybe some good advice as to fixing problems

sorry, racing is this SATURDAY

i'm going to go check it out and might bring a rocket with me

[motorbyclist]

so gave a final fiddle and went for an endurance test to see if i could last a whole race without failing

if it beat 15 minutes i was going to take it to mt wellington tomorrow to race

got 30 minutes solid mechanically flawless riding until the last of our rear tyres blew out :angry2:

[Squiggles]

got 30 minutes solid mechanically flawless riding until the last of our rear tyres blew out :angry2:

Your testing location eats tyres.

[motorbyclist]

no, this one didn't wear out to the fibres before blowing out like the other ones

i did crash at 20 minutes after locking up the rear into a corner - gave the still running bike a check over and all was good, including the tyre.

this one seems to have split on a defect in the tyre - looking at it it had a few holes other where poor quality would've cause it to leak a lot of air was it not full of sealant. when i got that full of sealant the tyre guy showed me that in a bucket of water the whole tyre was porus

[motorbyclist]

green splodge of sealant is the leak/puncture/split

no fibres showing anywhere and a reasonable amount of rubber left