What bike to start racing on

[nickname]

I want to start racing in the Street Stock class. I plan to buy a bike dedicated for racing ie no WoF or rego, lights, rear pegs, custom loom etc.

I'm not sure what bikes to look for and what to avoid. I'm a big guy - 6'2 85Kg so would need one I could fit on. Being new to racing I expect to drop it a couple of times so I'd also like a bike with heaps of spares available on the market, or something that fits universal parts. Oh yeah, and the easier to work on, the better.

What would people recommend, or avoid? A more difficult question, what would people recommend spending on a first racing bike (almost like asking how long a piece of string is). Less $ is better.

Thanks.

[kickingzebra]

Just get a little RG or kr 150 and give it heaps, don't worry about looms etc, the whole idea of street stock is "run what you brung"
Otherwise, the more expensive route is the older 250 4s
Theory of the class is stock standard, so looms etc may be over the top, and in theory, pegs, exhaust pipes etc should also be ex factory, or very close.

[Coyote]

Well streetstock allows for 2 types of bikes:
250cc 4 stroke (CBR, ZXR, etc.)
150cc 2 stroke (RG, KR, that's pretty much it)

I used to have a CBR250 after all the bike stores said they're the fatest bikes and would be better for racing. In many ways they were right, but in reality they just wanted to sell me an expensive 250. It was fast and I had the advantage over the 150s, only I crashed and realised it was too expensive to race at this level. So I sold it and got the RG. Now I only risk totaling $1500 worth of bike, not $5500.

So I suggest getting either a Suzuki RG150 or a KR150. If you can find a cheap CBR250 that would be a better bet. Just don't do the same mistake as me and race an overpriced bike in a learner racing level. I was lucky enough that the damage was repairable and I could sell it for the original price I got it for (but it did cost $1000 and 6 months to repair)

EDIT: And the bikes must be stock, except you are allowed to take parts off and use fibreglass fairings

[kiwifruit]

there is a cheap kr150 on trade me at the mo!
http://www.trademe.co.nz/Trade-Me-Motors/Motorbikes/Motorbikes/Sports/auction-65143075.htm
they crash well

[texmo]

you wont fit on a 150 so dont even bother contact frosty quick about the zxr250 for $1200.

[Coyote]

you wont fit on a 150 so dont even bother contact frosty quick about the zxr250 for $1200.
I certainly don't fit one. Still does me alright

Here's some streetstock info: http://www.vicclub.co.nz/tiki-read_article.php?articleId=68

[onearmedbandit]

alarumba, that chain looks very slack in that pic.

[vtec]

I say that if you are 85kg, then you want a 250cc four stroke. Some of the guys on 150's have spent a fair bit of money tuning and maintaining their 2 strokes, and they still aren't as fast on the straights as the 250's that we are running with no tuning. If you are big, the ZXR might suit you better, but I swear by the CBR, probably just because that's what I've been riding on the road for the last 2.5 years.

Another option if you aren't worried about being competitive would be to get a 400 and race it in F3. I'm personally not a fan of the SV650s just because I'm not a fan of anything less than 4 cylinders. I love the VFR400's, but apparently the ZXR400 is the bike to get (an SP one if you can find it might be competitive). Nah, go with the VFR 400 they are so beautiful, and the highperformance V4 is just a cool thing.