What bike makes the best bucket racer? [Archive]

bucketracer

27th January 2009, 20:12

"What bike makes the best bucket racer?"

Please define best!

Someone once said, that if they were me, they would make the best bucket racer possible, as if I wasn't.

Your right, to get started you need to know/findout/define what "best" means to you.

Zip together with the zip in good condition is OK. Boots, gloves, backprotector and good (not necessarily super expensive) helmet less than 10 years old is required.

Join a motorcycle club like AMCC $50 (usually can be done at Buckets if Wendys there on the day) and get a $100 Motorcycling New Zealand racing license (day licenses available on the day at Buckets).

These rules are waived if you want to have a freebe tryout ride in the practice sessions and prelim races (at the discretion of the organizer). Although without the club membership and MNZ licence you can't ride in any points races.

Everything is geared to helping newly interested people get started and is a very friendly group of people.

I am still building my bike, more work than you would think but then you want the best Right!

Some of my mates have been along for a ride, every one was very friendly to them and I have been down to look a few times.

Trudes

27th January 2009, 20:18

Surely it has a lot to do with personal preference?

Gareth123

27th January 2009, 20:18

One that performs the best. eg fastest top speed and easiest to flick round corners.

EJK

27th January 2009, 20:22

I was wondering... How about a RS125? Honda or Aprilia...

Rodney007

27th January 2009, 20:25

im sure there out of buckets league?

40hp ?

EJK

27th January 2009, 20:27

im sure there out of buckets league?

40hp ?

Aah so they do have some regulations on the power too...

wbks

27th January 2009, 20:28

RS framed buckets are probably the best. Haven't rode them but comparing ag bike frames and old commuter bike frames to a gp bike. A custom made frame specifically for buckets would probably be a lot more "flickable" for the shorter sharper, slower corners on the cart track, not fast sweepers like on a road race track/what the rs is designed for

Coyote

27th January 2009, 20:29

One that performs the best. eg fastest top speed and easiest to flick round corners.
The best one probably hasn't been made yet.

Kickaha

27th January 2009, 20:36

I was wondering... How about a RS125? Honda or Aprilia...

Not eligible

wbks

27th January 2009, 20:39

Aah so they do have some regulations on the power too...
No. Competition motors aka a GP built 125 are illegal. 100cc's the limit for watercooled two strokes, anyway

TZ350

27th January 2009, 20:40

The fastest bucket has got to be a Suzuki GP125 engine built by Team ESE fitted to a Honda RS125 rolling chasis. ;)

Gareth123

27th January 2009, 20:41

The best one probably hasn't been made yet.

Can't fault that logic. Guess i'll just have to invent the best and sell it at a ridiculously marked up price
(But still affordable) and make heaps of money

Pumba

27th January 2009, 20:47

No. Competition motors aka a GP built 125 are illegal. 100cc's the limit for watercooled two strokes, anyway

GPbuilt 125's are illegal, true. However I see no reason why a road going RS125, if it fitted in the engine capacity regulations, would not be allowed.

wbks

27th January 2009, 20:48

wbks

27th January 2009, 20:50

GPbuilt 125's are illegal, true. However I see no reason why a road going RS125, if it fitted in the engine capacity regulations, would not be allowed.Yea but taking it down to a 100<_<
Would be a waste of a 8k bike but I guess price wasn't mentioned in the thread topic:shifty:

James Deuce

27th January 2009, 20:57

One with a 45kg rider and no brakes.

bucketracer

27th January 2009, 21:47

I've heard of some airforce guy from someone on here that made his own frame for a cb125 and cleaned up. So a custom frame, cb125-cb750 piston, custom swingarm for monoshock, some sort of disk braked front end=145cc beast! lol Yes, I've been day dreaming while working on my cb. Just out of curiousity, what does "Team E.S.E" stand for?

Team E.S.E they are a bunch of guys who seem to know a thing or two about getting air cooled Suzuki GP125 rotary valve, late 70's road bikes going very well.

Tomas the Vietnamese race bike engine tuner works with them. They have been very open and helpfully with tips for my super quick (hopefully) water cooled, 14,000rpm 32hp GP100.

wbks

27th January 2009, 21:54

I see... Perhaps they can help me with my kawasaki H1 running all three cylenders, just detuned, in the desmocedici frame on carbon rims and bridgestone 09 motogp tires. My homie Hopper is coming over soon to help me start development

all4A50s

27th January 2009, 23:46

I'm taking a Yamaha RX125 (air cooled two stroke) and putting it into a Suzuki RG50 rolling frame and fitting it with a RS125 fairing. Motor been a bit of a B":{ch to fit in and the fairing is putting up an argument about where it wants to sit.

As to the best bucket i think the Suzuki RG50 is a good starter bucket (especially if you are racing on a tight) track then moving onto a 100 -125 commuter when you feel more confident.

As to the gear, trade me for second hand leathers. I started with a two-piece which cost me $70 and when I decided I was going to continue I found a one-piece for $80 (with knee sliders).:banana:

gav

28th January 2009, 05:55

Probably the best bucket if you're just starting out is, something that is reliable and easy to ride. Its hard to go past an FXR150 for this. You'll have alot of fun and reasonably competitive on a standard bike, once you've been racing for a bit, you'll think of things you want want to change or try and improve.
The other option is to buy a properly sorted bucket racer. This means one that has had plenty of track time, not like some you see Trade Me, advertised as a bucket, and its just had street gear removed and a set of handle bars fitted.

Yow Ling

28th January 2009, 06:01

If you are mechanicaly retarded then an FXR150 is probably the best bike as it needs not much work or attention. if you got heaps of time and mechanical aptitude then some sort of special is going to be best. The rules are a great leveler, as there is always going to be a handicap for whatever grand scheme you can come up with. Read the ese thread and you might start to understad that even simple shit isnt. A sleeved down 150 2 stroke can be a wicked engine but it either costs money or time (choose one ). The ability to test your creations is a factor too, if you make a change are you able to test it before you race it. Not everyone can go to the track twice a week for testing ! One thing I have noticed i it is alot easier to say put this piston in with this ignition and this carb and she will be sweet . Selecting and testing parts for a frankenengine is really time consuming and disapointing (heartbreaking?)
Stick with a stock FXR untill you can ride it fast and move to something else .
compared to riding fast selecting a good bucket is easy

Sideways Sam

28th January 2009, 08:07

OK, I'm gonna put my 2 cents in.........

Rumour has it (from several separate reliable sources) that the CBR150's from Thailand cleanup eveything in the South Island and Australia..... I'm having trouble seeing this because the FXR150s have much better specs from the factory plus a few differences that make them easier to tune etc.

We're running a stock standard FXR150 (well it's stock this month anyway) and it's really competitive as long as I'm not riding it.... The stock FXRs just go and go and go and go.... A good bet if you want a competitive bike that you don't need to spend all month rebuilding

The big questions you have to ask are:
* How much time do I want to spend working on the bike
* What track am I going to spend the most time on

For instance, at Mt Welly, top end power doesn't give you much of an advantage unless you've got really big balls (to hold it open that little bit longer). Much more use getting some serious torque happening in the low and mid range, that's why the 2 strokes have struggled to place there in recent years.... Get the 2 strokes on a bigger track like Taupo and it's a whole different ballgame (just ask Team ESE)

My own dream bucket is about 5'6", dark and weighs about 50Kg but I gues that doesn't help you guys much..... Seriously, if I had plenty of time, I'd be trying to squeeze a seriously worked CB125T engine into an RS125 frame, I've had a good look without the measuring stick and I reckon I could do it......

Gareth123

28th January 2009, 16:39

wbks

28th January 2009, 18:00

Just remove guages, lights, numberplate, indicators, everything you can that is required for the road, take the PSI down a little bit so the tires warm up faster. And if you have bars mounted to the forks, not the clamp (never seen a gl145 so I don't know) probably lower them a couple cm's so you don't sit so upright

speedpro

28th January 2009, 18:47

super quick (hopefully) water cooled, 14,000rpm 32hp GP100.

How do you like your humble pie sir? With cream?

speedpro

28th January 2009, 18:58

And if you have bars mounted to the forks, not the clamp (never seen a gl145 so I don't know) probably lower them a couple cm's so you don't sit so upright

The seriously fast guys just about all have a nice comfy riding position with the bars not set any lower than a stock bike. Karl, Nigel,and a few others. Buckets just aren't fast enough at Mt Welly to require being able to tuck in. What you need is to be able to wrestle the damn thing in the tight stuff and be able to switch sides easily. I've got a few sore/stiff joints now but even so I don't think I would lower the handlebars back to their stock position below the triple clamp. It's sweet with them above.

wbks

28th January 2009, 19:45

I wasn't meaning for tucking in, I was meaning to make it easyer to hang off. Unless you've got abnormally long arms or are really tall it's kind of hard, just a little easeyer to use lower bars. Imagine getting your knee down with a harley with apehangers. Then imagine it on a pocket rocket. Its like that IMO only not such an extreme difference if you know what I mean?

koba

28th January 2009, 21:03

I must add a vote for the FXR!
Great way to start out in buckets!

koba

28th January 2009, 21:13

So if I get this GL145 what would be the best thing to do to it to make it faster/better? It has to remain road legal so that I can ride it to the track. When I get there I'm gonna have to spend a fair bit of time whipping bits and peices off but oh well.

Ride it.
Good practice and track time will lower your times further, faster, cheaper, and with more fun than almost any mechanical work.

R6_kid

28th January 2009, 21:18

Ride it.
Good practice and track time will lower your times further, faster, cheaper, and with more fun than almost any mechanical work.

Agreed! You can't argue with a guy that has a mullet. Can you? :sweatdrop

wbks

28th January 2009, 21:22

Just bathe in the glory that is the mighty paddle!!!!!!!! Ratty's are still pretty gangsta, tho

bucketracer

28th January 2009, 21:28

How do you like your humble pie sir? With cream?

In smaller helpings please. :whistle: but some times I find myself being offered seconds.

speedpro

28th January 2009, 21:43

In smaller helpings please. :whistle: but some times I find myself being offered seconds.

I'm pretty sure that's why I'm putting on weight.

TZ350

29th January 2009, 06:57

Putting on weight, me to, darn that humble pie is fattening!

motorbyclist

29th January 2009, 07:54

http://www.trademe.co.nz/Browse/Listing.aspx?id=200169570

any good?

(i am soooo regretting selling my old fxr to a bucket racer right now)

wbks

29th January 2009, 09:05

http://www.trademe.co.nz/Browse/Listing.aspx?id=200169570

any good?

(i am soooo regretting selling my old fxr to a bucket racer right now)Haha, thats awesome! That's pretty badass man:2thumbsup
I'm sure Sully60 and a few others here can tell you more if thats a good bucket but from what I know, the cb125 twin motor (cb125t) is pretty much the best motor. Thats judging by the people I have heard talking about buying a cb twin to put in their cb single and the amount of them racing fxrs

SHELRACING

29th January 2009, 11:07

The fastest bucket has got to be a Suzuki GP125 engine built by Team ESE fitted to a Honda RS125 rolling chasis. ;)

:killingme:

Oh, Is that the one that was sitting on the grass at Taupo as we all screamed past......

Or maybe it was the one that dropped it's tail pipe in the middle of the track as we were heading into the bottom corner at the same meeting !!!!

:lol::lol::lol:

nudemetalz

29th January 2009, 11:11

:killingme:

Oh, Is that the one that was sitting on the grass at Taupo as we all screamed past......

Or maybe it was the one that dropped it's tail pipe in the middle of the track as we were heading into the bottom corner at the same meeting !!!!

:lol::lol::lol:

the old saying....
"To finish first, first you have to finish !!!"

My opinion is reliability is more important than outright power.
That's why I have a Team Loncin 145cc Grand Prix engine... :laugh:

SHELRACING

29th January 2009, 11:12

http://www.trademe.co.nz/Browse/Listing.aspx?id=200169570

any good?

(i am soooo regretting selling my old fxr to a bucket racer right now)

Gotta be worth the $400 reserve price. If I didn't have a double garage full of bikes i'd put in a bid

F5 Dave

29th January 2009, 14:45

..... Seriously, if I had plenty of time, I'd be trying to squeeze a seriously worked CB125T engine into an RS125 frame, I've had a good look without the measuring stick and I reckon I could do it......
Hahahahaha [Insert Tui add here]

The 50 engine goes in because it is so small, others really struggle esp with width.. I think you'd have as much luck with a 202 Tri-matic ;)(youngsters might have to google that)

Sideways Sam

29th January 2009, 14:54

Hahahahaha [Insert Tui add here]

The 50 engine goes in because it is so small, others really struggle esp with width.. I think you'd have as much luck with a 202 Tri-matic ;)(youngsters might have to google that)
LoL, You might be right...... The CB125T isn't very tall so I had thought I might be able to sit it a little forward and under the rails..

Anyway, nothing wrong with dreamin'.........

Actually the 202 might not qualify under bucket rules, quite handy to stop the gazebo blowing away though......

TZ350

29th January 2009, 16:25

:killingme:

Oh, Is that the one that was sitting on the grass at Taupo as we all screamed past......

Or maybe it was the one that dropped it's tail pipe in the middle of the track as we were heading into the bottom corner at the same meeting !!!!

:lol::lol::lol:

So you saw that! Darn! please pass another helping of humble pie over here. :lol:

SHELRACING

29th January 2009, 21:05

Granma here.

Well I've seen some pretty fast bikes at Buckets. Probably the two fastest buckets in NZ didn't get to finish a race for the National Grand Prix, at Taupo Road Race Spectacular, at xmas. I started and finished all practices/races and was totally buggered at the end of the weekend. Boy did I have a blast! :done:
Bucket racing is about how good you can ride, not necessarily how fast your bike is. The Kart track is all corners and very short straights.
Yep the CBT 125 and the FXR are great 4 strokes and then the GP100 and all the two strokes are equally as great.
Do you prefer a 2 or 4 stroke?
Do you like to work on your bikes after each meeting?
Do you want to park it in the shed till next meet?

motorbyclist

29th January 2009, 23:52

Gotta be worth the $400 reserve price. If I didn't have a double garage full of bikes i'd put in a bid

if i had $400 i'd put in a bid too

all4A50s

30th January 2009, 00:52

Gareth123

30th January 2009, 14:05

Not being to mechanically minded I think i'd just like to park it in the shed. Plus when it comes down to it i'm a really lazy bugger.

nudemetalz

30th January 2009, 14:25

Not being to mechanically minded I think i'd just like to park it in the shed. Plus when it comes down to it i'm a really lazy bugger.

If that's the case then I reckon an FXR would do the trick.

craisin

31st January 2009, 00:27

and if you havent figured it out yet :whistle:2,3 or even 4 buckets would suit the different tracks

all4A50s

31st January 2009, 07:31

Not being to mechanically minded I think i'd just like to park it in the shed. Plus when it comes down to it i'm a really lazy bugger.

How about an old 70's commuter 2-stroke? Most keep are like energiser bunnies.

If that's the case then I reckon an FXR would do the trick.

As a first bucket I think that an FXR while being a great choice, are too nice and I would most likely cry while picking up the broken bits.

Yow Ling

31st January 2009, 07:53

How about an old 70's commuter 2-stroke? Most keep are like energiser bunnies.

As a first bucket I think that an FXR while being a great choice, are too nice and I would most likely cry while picking up the broken bits.

Take all the plastic bits off , then they crash OK. They are pretty toughlittle bikes , except for the stock footpeg brackets

Pumba

31st January 2009, 10:56

As a first bucket I think that an FXR while being a great choice, are too nice and I would most likely cry while picking up the broken bits.

Thats why you find one that some Noob has already smashed all the pretty expesive bits of on as they hit the side of the car that pulled out in front of them.:devil2:

gav

31st January 2009, 15:38

Take all the plastic bits off , then they crash OK. They are pretty toughlittle bikes , except for the stock footpeg brackets
In fact have been known to crash and survive better then their owners? Right Yow Ling? :shifty:

SHELRACING

31st January 2009, 17:46

[As a first bucket I think that an FXR while being a great choice, are too nice and I would most likely cry while picking up the broken bits.[/QUOTE]

Nahhh, once the adrenalin kicks in on the track all thoughts of the bikes looks go out the window! :yes: The one thought is to catch the guy in front and pass him.

FXR motors have very smooth power and if you stuff up a corner they are pretty forgiving.

If you come down with tooo flash a bucket, you will get a bit of jovial stick though.

nudemetalz

31st January 2009, 18:09

If you come down with tooo flash a bucket, you will get a bit of jovial stick though.

I'm already getting a bit of stick for my new paintjob on Lady P courtesy of Crazefox... :2guns:

wbks

31st January 2009, 18:13

You guys get crap for having a bike that looks TOO nice? :/

nudemetalz

31st January 2009, 18:26

You guys get crap for having a bike that looks TOO nice? :/

Oh yes, that's how we work in Bucketing.
Give crap before and after the racing to each other !!

wbks

31st January 2009, 18:30

I wouldn't get much if I turned up with my cb, would I... lol

nudemetalz

31st January 2009, 18:44

Hey it's all in jest.
You wil find just about everyone is supportive and helpful to each other.
It's a lot of fun and thoroughly addictive !!

wbks

31st January 2009, 18:48

Yea I didn't think it would be too serious. I'm sure the whole experience will be fun... If I ever get out there

Yow Ling

31st January 2009, 19:19

In fact have been known to crash and survive better then their owners? Right Yow Ling? :shifty:

I healed up, sold the bike had a good time while not at Greymouth

TZ350

31st January 2009, 19:38

.

Here is a good one on Trademe.

http://www.trademe.co.nz/Browse/Listing.aspx?id=200169570

.

Buckets4Me

31st January 2009, 21:32

Yea I didn't think it would be too serious. I'm sure the whole experience will be fun... If I ever get out there

you got to be kidding arn't you

we take our f4/f5 racing seriosly here

no joking allowed and you have to turn up with a well presented bike

or finish behind me :dodge:

wbks

31st January 2009, 21:51

I mean't the joking part. I could tell by your development HQ/Garage you're very well organized with that rs... :whistle:

EDIT: Hey carl (is your name, right?) check your visitors messages, I asked you a question

Pumba

31st January 2009, 23:04

you got to be kidding arn't you

we take our f4/f5 racing seriosly here

no joking allowed and you have to turn up with a well presented bike

or finish behind me :dodge:

Come on give the guy a break. If he doesnt get the bike running and pushes it round he should still finish ahead of you:whistle::lol:

All fun and games and support in the pits, but it is all buisn4ess once on that track and racing. Just be carefull if TZ350 says he will knock you off and sit on you, he may not be joking:eek5: