A few questions

[Davenc30]

Hi all,

You probably get this all the time, but im keen to have a go at buckets ive just got a couple of questions.
I have a old early 80's gs125 in the shed that runs and that's about it.... is it worth using that? by the time I upgrade to disc front (if that's even possible, id imagine id need forks with calliper mounts and different wheel etc) and make the suspension usable, I suspect I could have gotten into a better bike to start with?
Also I am a big boy at 93 kg. what would be the best option for a entry level bike id be very happy in mid pack b grade. I've raced my 600 in clubman's and enjoyed it but prefer closer racing and lower costs to a battle of the cheque book.

Im a qualified car mechanic and im currently a motorcycle salesman in the Waikato so pretty lucky as far as parts and building bikes goes.

Ill be coming to the next round in Auckland to see them in action and to pick some brains.

Thanks in advance.

[quallman1234]

If you want to go racing, without too much fluffing about in the garage.
There is one bike for your needs, and it is by far the most popular.
FXR150 <- You can't really go passed them for ease of racing/reliability and pretty good handling/potential.

Its the bike for you.

[Yow Ling]

FXR150 is the bike to get !

PM Pumba if you want help with transporting
950 FXR here in Cambridge. If anyone wants it and needs a hand yell out http://www.trademe.co.nz/a.aspx?id=733318622

There is another one for $1250 as well http://www.trademe.co.nz/a.aspx?id=733700636

[Davenc30]

Haha a fxr was my first bike. poor old things. so gs125 is a waste of time even if its bumped out to 150cc?

What mods would you do to a fxr obviously a weight reduction, exhaust, intake and jetting, tyres, gearing?

Thanks guys

[quallman1234]

Haha a fxr was my first bike. poor old things. so gs125 is a waste of time even if its bumped out to 150cc?

What mods would you do to a fxr obviously a weight reduction, exhaust, intake and jetting, tyres, gearing?

Thanks guys

Not a complete waste of time. But your stuck with crappy wheels, crappy suspension, crappy tires (because of the crappy wheel sizes), and underpowered. Where as the FXR standard has a okay level for all of these.
The FXR150 provides good feedback.

Standard mods, are underneath exhaust (the stock one will drag on the ground at a large lean angle), there's a thread about how to do this. Its quite easy. Shit lines up well with old fairing mounts etc.
New Carb to remove the CV carb (Poor throttle response) - You can get them for sub 100$. Obviously jetted to suit.
Gearing isn't a huge issue, but most people will shorten them up alot. I'm running 11/45, standard is 14/49 i believe.
Oh and you will need to raise the pegs and buy some cheap clipons, or put them under the top triple clamp (reverse the sides to make fit).
To get it in a more agressive postion.

Again, if you wanna mess about in the garage, go ahead and do a big ass conversion on the GS125, big bore it, new wheels tires, piss about with the forks abit. And after all that your'll be lucky if its as good as a stock FXR150 (4 valve DOHC btw). Actually you wont be, FXR150's can be ridden seriously hard in pretty stock condition. Awesome bikes.
If you want to go further you can contact GPRnz and they will get you a little above 20hp (stock is about 12.5), for a reasonable price. (Porting/CAMS/Carb/Big bore to the biggest limit).

The FXR150, saved buckets from dieing away.

[Davenc30]

I see, well I guess ill head along to your next round and see if its for me, do they have 'have go days' or practise days? I could attend?

[quallman1234]

I see, well I guess ill head along to your next round and see if its for me, do they have 'have go days' or practise days? I could attend?

http://www.amcc.org.nz/index.php/menu-bucketracing.html

I'm not sure there format up there but i believe there is usually a practice day before the race day. Contact them and they will probably sort you out a bike to give it a go :).

"Try out rides can be arranged. The club has a bike (a Suzuki FXR150) that may be used, by arrangement with organisers, on practice days. Racing licences are required for competition but you can try out on practice days without one. On race day, one-day licences are available at the discretion of the steward on the day subject to MNZ rules."

"Contact Tim Fraser 021 963 280 or email: mit.resarf@gmail.com"

[Davenc30]

Thanks heaps mate.
ill flick them an email.

[Davenc30]

Unfortunately next practise day is the Saturday of Fieldays, so ill be working........ Guess ill have to just go watch on Sunday if I still want to be around people after 4 days at fieldays.

[ac3_snow]

Unfortunately next practise day is the Saturday of Fieldays, so ill be working........ and that's the last round of the year as well. Guess ill have to just go watch on Sunday if I still want to be around people after 4 days at fieldays.

you don't have to wait long though for round 1 of the next season; 5th-6th July. So gives you a couple of weeks to put some nylon on, wire the sump plug on your GS and come along. Yeah FXR's are great and you may well end up on one very soon. I would definatly say invest a bit of your time and $30 bucks on some nylon and get your GS up to scratch. Heaps cheaper than an fxr gives you a good chance to figure it all out before investing $1000 + on another bike.

[Davenc30]

you don't have to wait long though for round 1 of the next season; 5th-6th July. So gives you a couple of weeks to put some nylon on, wire the sump plug on your GS and come along. Yeah FXR's are great and you may well end up on one very soon. I would definatly say invest a bit of your time and $30 bucks on some nylon and get your GS up to scratch. Heaps cheaper than an fxr gives you a good chance to figure it all out before investing $1000 + on another bike.

Good call, are there many under powered bikes like the gs125 in c and b grade? or would I be the only one out there with crap suspension and drum brakes? I think I would need to do tyres at a minimum.

[quallman1234]

Good call, are there many under powered bikes like the gs125 in c and b grade? or would I be the only one out there with crap suspension and drum brakes? I think I would need to do tyres at a minimum.

Yeah sorry i was a bit negative of the GS125, if you get it track ready, you'll still have lots of fun and with some good riding might get to peaky point of B grade.

[Davenc30]

Yeah sorry i was a bit negative of the GS125, if you get it track ready, you'll still have lots of fun and with some good riding might get to peaky point of B grade.

haha nah its ok man, your probably right it would be a fine line between wasting money and having cheap fun. could go either way, would be a great option for a 50 kg kid, but may be a different story for me....

[Pumba]

.....it would be a fine line between wasting money and having cheap fun.........

And there you have hit the nail on the head. I personally really hate the standard answer of "just get an FXR" when guys starting out ask. But truth be told, even though the outlay is more up front, the effort required to get some of the old bikes track ready just is not worth the effort.

Sure make the GS safe for racing and go out and have some fun if you want, but personally I would even think of going any further with it, because if you enjoy it you will very quickly tyre of the limitations of the bike and either be making major mods (engine, wheels, suspension.......) or buying somthing better. Unless of course you are one of those guys that likes to be different and wants a challenge, and lets face it there are a few guys out there that make ther old shitters go just as well (sometimes better) than a standard FXR, but it is not an overnight process.

I dont think on a GS you would get anywhere near the pointly end of B Grade in Auckland at the moment though.

In terms of what needs doing to get an FXR race ready. Do a search there are a shit load of threads. Also I am in Cambridge so if you want to come round and look at a race preped bike and talk shit about bikes in general just yell out.

[Davenc30]

Is the field literally full of fxrs and modded/hybrids? Is there nobody out there on old standard shitters with drum brakes?

[Henk]

There were a few old shitters with drum brakes running around at the back of B when I started around five years ago, haven't seen any for a while, but that doesn't mean you couldn't have a bunch of fun on one and show up some of the B and C graders with better kit.

[F5 Dave]

Old tyres are the pits, you'll need to replace them or just spend time falling off which gets boring real fast. By the time you've nylons the GS and bought tyres you've already overcapitalised it. I hate 4 strokes but buy an FXR. Worst case if racing snot for you it will sell no drama.

[quallman1234]

Old tyres are the pits, you'll need to replace them or just spend time falling off which gets boring real fast. By the time you've nylons the GS and bought tyres you've already overcapitalised it. I hate 4 strokes but buy an FXR. Worst case if racing snot for you it will sell no drama.

I agree, you will fall on your ass. Probably wont hurt because your going so slow though.

It'll probably go along the lines of, hey if that guy in front of me on a FXR with slicks on can go that fast through a corner, why cant i?... Follows him in, boom on your ass.

Super fine line, but i think the FXR will always be the better option. Its pretty darn easy to have a competitive bike. PS Dont waste your time buying road tires, they are more expensive and worse than Slicks.

[Davenc30]

PS Dont waste your time buying road tires, they are more expensive and worse than Slicks.

Thanks its little gems of info like that that i need. I thought that might be the case. You guys dont have issues with geting slicks upto temp and working properly?

[Henk]

Thanks its little gems of info like that that i need. I thought that might be the case. You guys dont have issues with geting slicks upto temp and working properly?

Two laps is usually enough, we run pretty low pressures 18 - 20 pounds.

[quallman1234]

Thanks its little gems of info like that that i need. I thought that might be the case. You guys dont have issues with geting slicks upto temp and working properly?

First i'm only talking about 17" wheels, you can't really get slicks for 18's these days. (One massive advantage a FXR will have over your GS). The slicks are that incredible that they soak up alot of the negatives of a FXR.
Now your overthinking things ;). Techincally yes, most people dont get them up to temp, and the auckland guys have fluffed around with grooving them to produce some extra heat from the added resistance of more edges to roll over (no idea how well that went?)

Does it really matter at the end of the day in B-grade or Mid pack A? No not at all. Even quite cold, they stick like shit. Seriously stick. You can get a set off the 125GP guys for around 100 - 200$ the latter being only a weekend old (almost brand new even the cheap ones are amazing). New they around 350 - 400. You might go through a set every year.

Anyway, stop overthinking shit and orgainse yourself a go on the club FXR. They might let you out on the sunday @ lunch time? Contact them. :yes:

[Henk]

Kyle

The only reason we played with a groover is because we had one.
Result was, unsurprisingly, that slicks are better in the dry and wets are better in the wet.

Rock on up on a Saturday, you should be able to bludge a ride on someone's bike if you haven't organised the club hack ahead of time.
I have an ugly FXR for sale for $1k or $1200 with two sets of wheels by the way.

[husaberg]

Where is kicks 2 pages talking about a Suzuki 125 and no kicka :eek5:

[F5 Dave]

That's cause the GS is the sports model not the kustum GN. As is befitting a man of his age. . .