Tell me about Road Racing in NZ

[Dai]

OK here goes.

I havent raced trackside in NZ since 1976. Then it was RD350's and Kwaka 750's

Did a bit of circuit racing in the 80's in UK at Brands Hatch and one meet at Aberdare Park.

In the 90's I felt too old and too unfit to last a full event so I switched to drag racing at Santa Pod.

Now I am home in NZ, back on bikes again and have this yearning to go fast again but not on the roads.

I'm looking at racing but sort of lost as to classes. Too fat for a 125 at 90kg and 5' 10".

I have been trying to make head or tail oout of the racing classes here. Please would someone explain them to me.

I'm not looking to be a winner. I would be really content to be one of the also rans without whom there would be no racing. Whats the win in comming first in a one horse race?

I've tried looking at the racing sites but they dont really give specs for the bikes so I am looking to you lot to help an old man out here.

Feel free to dump whatever info you want on me and leave me to sort it out.

[vtec]

If you have some experience as a racer, and want a bike that will be fun, relatively quick, and have plenty of numbers in your class. Then the classes for you are either F3 or PostClassics.

I give you a quick rundown on the most important rules for the classes.

F3: Recently it has been 450cc 4 cylinders or 650 vtwins, but it might be getting split up soon. My advice would be to get a cheap 400 cc such as a VFR400 or ZXR400SP or if you want to do postclassics aswell on the same bike, then there's a lot to be said for an 89 CBR400 (ask HDTBoy)

Post Classics: There's not too many rules in this class apart from, must be 1989 or older. Personally I would feel embarrassed to chuck a really powerful 80's superbike in this class, as you could probably quite easily rob it.

A possibility for the future is 650 vtwin production racing. It may or may not be getting introduced next year. Your options are Kwaka ER650, or Suzuki SV650, or Hyosung GT650. The tried and tested option is the SV650, and it has become one of the most popular race bikes in NZ. If you have the money to jump on one of these, then I would say this might be an easy reasonably cost effective way to go racing. You will find the full range of riders on these bikes from beginner to expert, so you should always have someone to dice with. Anybody know what's happening with the 650's next year?

[HDTboy]

Your GS1200 would be eligible for clubmans, or if you wanted, you could buy my CBR400, and go racing in F2, F3, and Post Classics (pre89). all of which you will have fun in.
The best way to get a feel for what's what, is to show up at a club meet, and have a wander around the pits. Most people are fairly approachable. Maybe not the short ginga though

[oyster]

Are you in the South Island? If so, visit www.motorcyclingcanterbury.org
and you'll gets contacts and info to get started with our induction and training programme.
A general question, where can you get a copy of the pre '89 rules? Are they MNZ officially approved, or do various clubs use Supplementary rules to cover this class? If so, I'd be keen to see what they are. I contacted a few clubs up north last year, no one seemed to know. Maybe today there is something written. Thanks

[HDTboy]

So far as I'm aware, they run under the same rules as pre '82. That's the way I've seen Pacific and Victoria clubs run them anyway

[Kickaha]

A general question, where can you get a copy of the pre '89 rules? Are they MNZ officially approved, or do various clubs use Supplementary rules to cover this class? If so, I'd be keen to see what they are.

It isn't an "official" MNZ class yet.

[FROSTY]

If you wanna go racing its a case of wadda ya wanna race?
f3 has been explained
F2 is for 600's at club level or junior production -in a nutshell they are sorta the same class except in junior proddy you cant modify the bike

[Dai]

If you wanna go racing its a case of wadda ya wanna race?
f3 has been explained
F2 is for 600's at club level or junior production -in a nutshell they are sorta the same class except in junior proddy you cant modify the bike

Something that an overweight (90kg), shortish (5'10"), balding (very) 50 year old man can have fun on again.

Obviously 125 classes are out as I would probably break the bike.

Gone are the days where I expect to live for ever and excel at all I do. Now I just want to enjoy pitting myself against myself to the best I can. It would be a real bonus if it was doing something I have loved since I got my bike licence at the age of 15 here in NZ.

Never had a car licence, always ridden bikes.

I have always had a passion for speed but have tempered myself on the roads enough.

From what I have seen here it looks as though F3 and post classic are the way for me to go.

The rules for these events would help but for the moment I will be looking around for a bike that can lug my carcass round the track with enough credibility to not embarass me too much. I dont even mind comming last (someone has too).

I fully intend to get to the track and race. I may not be a regular but I will be there.

On the other hand I also fully expect me to get to the 1/4 mile. Pure adrenilin rush and I dont need to be as fit as one does for the road. Done 10 second runs and would love to drop that to an 8 second quarter mile.

Now to sort out the cash and start buying and building for both. It helps that I am virtually on my own now with as they used to say in my pup in the UK "only my prick to keep".

[HDTboy]

If you're not doing anything this weekend, get to the Taupo race track

[dangerous]

I havent raced trackside in NZ since 1976. Then it was RD350's and Kwaka 750's

I'm looking at racing but sort of lost as to classes.

Well why not start back were you left off?
I race post classic (pre 82) on a 750 Katana, and race up against RD250/350 and Kawa 750/1100's its not serious shit and it is dame good fun.

Now your profile says you are in 'On Two Wheels' now I have no bloody idea were that is dosnt make sence to me, but down south here race rules are fairly lax, but in the North Is I believe they play more to the rules and they also have the numbers for pre 89.