The best thing about bucket racing?

[Number One]

After a very long break from buckets (2ish years)I had a few circulations of the Kaitoke go kart track on a very kindly lent fxr150. Having only ridden Kaitoke a few times awkwardly and on my last occasion going away in n ambulance I wasn't able to recapture my knee down, 2nd in Bgrade of long ago, former self.

Despite knowing how slow I was (4 me) and that was frustrating, STILL I loved it again all the same.

But as I now recall from my days of racing buckets efore, the bit I love the mostest is the day after ride on my road baby. Mmmm Rocco and me had fun today. Yay buckets!

Whats the best thing for you about racing buckets :)

[Clivoris]

Mmmm. There are many things I enjoy about buckets and the best thing for me at the moment is sharing it with my girls.

[Number One]

Mmmm. There are many things I enjoy about buckets and the best thing for me at the moment is sharing it with my girls.

Hel yeah daddio! U Rock that one

[Kendog]

I love the next day riding the Hornet as well. It's so much easier to ride after a day racing buckets. To say my road riding has improved since I discovered buckets is a huge understatement.

[Drew]

The beer, and the bitches.

[Rick 52]

The great people we get to meet ,The hard racing is magic but "port on the corner" is the most fun !!

[Henk]

The best things?
I'd have to go with the people and the trips away, because of the people.

[bucketracer]

The thing I love about Buckets is that there is a fun level for everyone, anyone can find a slot where they fit in.

Not only riding at whatever level that suits but there is also bike building, tuning, mechanicing, organizing and flagging, there is something for anyone with a positive attitude.

[F5 Dave]

Deep in that corner where you've found that slightly banked rail, the rear suspension has compressed but the rear wheel has dug in & you can give it some fat knowing it's going to take it. Then that BRRAAAP 2 stroke power coming in.

Some days it just comes together:yes:

[ellipsis]

.....everything....

[White trash]

Finding new and inventive ways of making shit fit.

[hmurphy]

Thrashing something I built, good bunch of people, competitive racing - but still being able to talk shit n have a laugh in the pits straight after. I also like how generous people are with lending their bikes out for a few 'careful' laps ;). I also like how buckets has improved my riding skills for road riding and not just racing. It also stops me from having any desire to race on the road at all (except for a few wheelies, but that's not racing).

[crazy man]

l like the close racing , the building of the bike ( you can do most things) the cheapness of the everything(some times) and getting told of lol

[Edbear]

Now here I was thinking buckets were for hauling water. Seems you can thrash them, share them with your children, make them fit anything and even race them!

I reckon the only thing you shouldn't do with one is kick it... :pinch:

[F5 Dave]

ok heres another one, inspiration taken from another thread:

The best thing about bucket racing; -Standing next to my 50, I'm a strapping bruiser.

. . .but I'm not getting my cock out unless I buy a pocket bike to pose by:blink:.

[TZ350]

Finding new and inventive ways of making shit fit.

Just like that Man said .......... :niceone:

[Trudes]

Riding about on something that I had a major hand in building, generally knowing how to fix it when it breaks (or am friends with someone who does if I don't) and can maintain and keep it going on my own. Buckets has made me more mechanically savvy, although I think it has also made me more mechanically sympathetic and I spend wayyyyy too much time worrying about all the little tinking and chuggy noises that go on when I'm meant to be racing!
It would also take me about 10 minutes to tell you "what it is" as Rangi is a true mongrel bucket. Many hours and dollars spent sourcing the correct parts and bits that may or may not fit!:facepalm:

[richban]

Adrenalin hands down for me. Only problem is the come down on Monday. It really is an addiction. Always been addicted, long may it continue.

[Duke Stealth]

I'm with you Rich, post race mondays are quite the comedown, being so up, wired and fired on sunday only to return to mundane life on monday is tough. On the positive side of things nothing makes me get perspective back after a hard time like a good tough race or two in the weekend.

All the building stuff is what I'd be doing anyway but Buckets allow so much scope, especially because you just cannot buy half the stuff you need, I mean who could you buy a tri oval underslung muffler for a CB125t from?

On the track it's similar to what F5 said but I get my kicks from riding the front hard into the turns and feeling the scrub, oh the scrub!

[Number One]

On the track it's similar to what F5 said but I get my kicks from riding the front hard into the turns and feeling the scrub, oh the scrub!

I like watching you scrub your front too....mmm grrrrrowwwil

[ellipsis]

....'cos you meet the nicest people on a chinese powered honda...

[Trudes]

Seeing as we were just discussing it on Facebook.....
Hot sweaty man meat.:drool: Long hot days of racing about in leathers and then everyone strips off at the end and has a beer. Ok, admittedly, some of the sights in the pits can be a bit scary (me included), :crazy: but it's part of that sharing attitude of bucketers! ;) :killingme

[Gigglebutton]

Those "Oh Fuck" moments.
Like when you lean back off a chair and just catch it, that moment.
The closer to death I get, the more alive I feel :shit:

[cotswold]

Being over 50 and still being able to get my leg over, it takes me back to my yoof

[Bert]

It has to be the people;
its been a great environment to grow up with...its a real diverse group of relaxed people: Sharing / teaching / resolving problems. Everyone is willing to help.

(though I did learn some bad habits along the way starting with; drinking in the officers mess at 16/17 after GPs; 17/18 taken on all night drinking sessions by RW and few other PN boys; half the time, the night before meetings:sick:).
And by the sounds of it nothing has changed: "PORT CORNER" :drinknsin

The racing is sooooo much fun (and hard) and the amount of track time is great; the skills are transposable to higher levels.
And most importantly you can still to tinker/build/design and race whatever you've got; F4 & F5 are really the only true formula class's left in NZ and really suits/matches the our inner Kiwi'ness (the willingness to think outside the square and actually make stuff from sh!t lying around long forgotten or discarded)..:woohoo:

Interesting Sidenote:
I had an interesting conversation with someone (bit older than me) recently about racers (and buckets), there are two types of racers apparently (paraphrased a bit):
1. one's that like use speed & horsepower to make up for abilities
2. one's that like use abilities to make up for speed & horsepower
The conversation continued on too: those that fall into "2" generally love riding smaller bikes and thrash them well beyond the bikes capabilities, then love to tinker to attempt to make to bikes better.
And finished up with: apparently those that stay and play in buckets (for any length of time) are more likely to be the number 2's in the bigger scheme of things (as the buzz from achieving well; out weighs going super fast; its all about the personal challenge).

[Drew]

And most importantly you can still to tinker/build/design and race whatever you've got; F4 & F5 are really the only true formula class's left in NZ and really suits/matches the our inner Kiwi'ness (the willingness to think outside the square and actually make stuff from sh!t lying around long forgotten or discarded)..:woohoo:Only true formula class? Better not tell that to the guys building 450cc machines from 600's. Or Glen Williams with his SV, that had a home made frame for a season or more. The TigCraft bikes also.

Buckets are great, the people are great, and the racing is great. But there's a whole other world of bike racing that is no less great, I think everyone in any class would do well to remember that.

[TZ350]

""tinker/build/design and race whatever you've got; F4 & F5 are really the only true formula class's left in NZ""

Only True Formula Class left, its possibly true ..... it certainly is the most accesable, I would think more tinkering and modifying goes on in F4 than the other open classes where only one or two may build real specials.

[crazy man]

Only true formula class? Better not tell that to the guys building 450cc machines from 600's. Or Glen Williams with his SV, that had a home made frame for a season or more. The TigCraft bikes also.

Buckets are great, the people are great, and the racing is great. But there's a whole other world of bike racing that is no less great, I think everyone in any class would do well to remember that.building a 450cc machine from a 600 is nothing but as for the other 2 that is along the same lines and the only thing l now like about f3

[Drew]

building a 450cc machine from a 600 is nothingNothing ya reckon? Have a go at it, and see if you can make a competitive one.

There are a few different options on how to do it, with pro's and con's to each. Sleeve it and stroke it down, lop out an injector and exhaust valves (I'd leve the inlet valves in and remove the shim buckets), or take out a slug and rod, then balance the crank, (this would be how I'd to do it, but there are variables to be taken into account).

[crazy man]

Nothing ya reckon? Have a go at it, and see if you can make a competitive one.

There are a few different options on how to do it, with pro's and con's to each. Sleeve it and stroke it down, lop out an injector and exhaust valves (I'd leve the inlet valves in and remove the shim buckets), or take out a slug and rod, then balance the crank, (this would be how I'd to do it, but there are variables to be taken into account).l know there are lots of variables but have worked on some myself and have gone as fast as any . compaired f3 bikes l'v work on its a walk in the park

[jasonu]

Nothing ya reckon? Have a go at it, and see if you can make a competitive one.

There are a few different options on how to do it, with pro's and con's to each. Sleeve it and stroke it down, lop out an injector and exhaust valves (I'd leve the inlet valves in and remove the shim buckets), or take out a slug and rod, then balance the crank, (this would be how I'd to do it, but there are variables to be taken into account).

Why can't you just leave a spark plug cap off? :confused:

[crazy man]

Why can't you just leave a spark plug cap off? :confused:now that would be to hard:shit:

[Bert]

Only true formula class? Better not tell that to the guys building 450cc machines from 600's. Or Glen Williams with his SV, that had a home made frame for a season or more. The TigCraft bikes also.

Buckets are great, the people are great, and the racing is great. But there's a whole other world of bike racing that is no less great, I think everyone in any class would do well to remember that.

Yes Drew; I haven't forgotten about the very select few people that have built and/or raced specials in F3 (and other classes for that matter) in NZ (Current and past); but they are a select few (in fact I was having a drink or three last Friday night; with one involved with your fore mentioned list).
And I'm currently & have been involved in other classes over past two decades; and still consider the most fun to be buckets (followed closely by sidecars).
The premise of this thread was peoples views/reflections on this matter; not bagging out other classes or the people involved in them (If you read that into my post then I can't have written my views on it well enough:confused:).


""tinker/build/design and race whatever you've got; F4 & F5 are really the only true formula class's left in NZ""
..... it certainly is the most accesable, I would think more tinkering and modifying goes on in F4 than the other open classes where only one or two may build real specials.

I guess there is almost an total expectation of tinkering/designing/building race bikes in F4/F5 as nothing is off the shelf...


Sidenote:
It will be interesting to see where Moto3 go's in New Zealand over the next few years; it might bring back a number of "older tinkerers" (read: quality Engineers) to racing (with likely their light weight kids/grand-kids racing bikes they build).. here's hope'ing.

[Str8 Jacket]

Yes Drew

Wouldn't worry about 'im. Seems to have his panties all twisted these days.

[Drew]

Wouldn't worry about 'im. Seems to have his panties all twisted these days.So twisted you have no idea.

[Number One]

Twisted panties.... That's something about bucket racing that I don't like!

Also when you hit the track you get bruises where your panty twists are located. Not nice!

Note to self: must race commando :msn-wink:

[goivy26]

I like the following but not in any particular order....
Crashing and still being able to keep racing
Crashing with no repair bills
Crashing with no or minimal injury (to body not pride)
Getting hooked and selling my motard to get an FXR ("no honey its not serious I just want to have some fun")
Getting some of my mates to have a go and now they have brought a bucket to (choice Addo, Mike and Guy)
Meeting you crazy bucket racers (Helen is a name that springs to mind for some reason?)
But most of all going racing/camping and just hanging with my 5-year-old son, 20-month old daughter and wonder-fool wife ("no honey it's not serious I just want to have some fun").

Thanks buckets !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

True Story....

At TePuke during the 1st raining yucky wet race the mighty motard on slicks grooved with an angle grinder got scared and laid down on the track twice. Me the rider who is also easily scared called it quits and road back to the pits.

I took my saturated leathers off and said "thats it, no more racing for me".

My above mentioned 5-year-old looked at me like he just found out there is no such thing as santa and said "is that it?" " Are you going to give up that easy?);

I paused shortly before putting back on my saturated leathers and gear and going out for the remainder of the day. PRICLESS!!!

Thanks Riley and

Thanks Buckets!!!!!!!!!!!!:niceone:

[Str8 Jacket]

Meeting you crazy bucket racers (Helen is a name that springs to mind for some reason?)


I have no idea what you're talking about........ :laugh:

[javawocky]

$2 shops suddenly become interesting, trying to hunt for that custom part.