F3, pre89 or pro twin?

[xr-rider]

i am looking at moving up to a new class after 2 seasons in the streetstock 150s. what would be better pro twins on an SV650 or F3 and pre 89 junior on a 400? which 400s are best VFR, ZXR, GSXR or FZR?

[FROSTY:Me]

Purely on the basis of laps I'd pick F3/posties.

[R6_kid:Me]

Why not get an 89 Honda Bros 650 and do all three!!!

[xr-rider]

Why not get an 89 Honda Bros 650 and do all three!!!

the vic club run F3 and pro twin together so wouldn't be able to

[Sketchy_Racer]

The question is really, how big is your budget and how competitive do you want to be?

If you go old school 400 route you will have a cheap to purchase bike, but as all things as they get older, it will become unreliable unless you spend large amounts of $$ on them, also they are not competitive in F3 these days.

Pro Twin will cost more for a bike, but you can pick up a very good bike for around the 8-10k mark or a cheaper but not as reliable one for about 6-7k and it will cost you a couple of sets of tyres to do a winter series.

I don't really know about pre 89, but again old bikes that will require large amounts of maintenance and quite likely unreliable.

I would suggest 650 Pro Twins as I think it would be the best option for you, but if the budget allows one of the awesome Ozzy 450's is currently the best bang for buck if you want to win!

[mossy1200]

The question is really, how big is your budget and how competitive do you want to be?

If you go old school 400 route you will have a cheap to purchase bike, but as all things as they get older, it will become unreliable unless you spend large amounts of $$ on them, also they are not competitive in F3 these days.

Pro Twin will cost more for a bike, but you can pick up a very good bike for around the 8-10k mark or a cheaper but not as reliable one for about 6-7k and it will cost you a couple of sets of tyres to do a winter series.

I don't really know about pre 89, but again old bikes that will require large amounts of maintenance and quite likely unreliable.

I would suggest 650 Pro Twins as I think it would be the best option for you, but if the budget allows one of the awesome Ozzy 450's is currently the best bang for buck if you want to win!

+1
I have spent almost 2 protwins on my post classic senior in the last two years.Its getting close to perfect but being in the top few on a 400 pre89 is going to cost money.450 kits ,17inch wheels ,engine work and maintence all add up if you want to win races.
If your after semi comp bike then smaller budget will get you good races in that class.

[Clivoris]

I agree with the above Jeff. It does depend a bit on your start-up budget but if I was starting again I would look closely at a pro-twin or Ozzy 450. Greater initial cost, but less monkeying around to get competitive in your chosen class. However, it is bloody hard to find someone racing posties and f3 on an old 400, who isn't having a bloody ball. Roadracingoldfart's 400 would have been ideal for you. Soooo cheap. Good luck mate.

[quickbuck]

If you go old school 400 route you will have a cheap to purchase bike, but as all things as they get older, it will become unreliable unless you spend large amounts of $$ on them, also they are not competitive in F3 these days.

Are you sure about that???

Somebody forgot to tell Chappy.....

It isn't so much money that improves reliability...
Well NOTHING improves reliability, all you can do is maintain the inherent reliability. This can be achieved my a solid methodical maintenance plan, and not crashing.

As for not competitive... well.... Rider ability comes into it A LOT!

My ten cents is if you are starting out, then get a pre 89 and cross enter into F3. Bang for buck has to be ZXR. Upside down forks and all..... For stopping power get a CBR... VFR if you love the torque, but 18" wheel, and almost totally limited to 400cc, and standard carbs are the down fall... FZR.. .Well there is an old one sitting at the back of the shop
SV650's are a newish bike, were never designed as a race bike, and it actually costs quite a lot to get thm to the pointy end of the field...
Ozzy 450's well, I actually have mny own opinions on them... and sorry to say, if you do that, go Supersport racing with a real 600... Sorry, but that is the opinion I give for ten cents.

[Sketchy_Racer]

Are you sure about that???

Somebody forgot to tell Chappy.....

It isn't so much money that improves reliability...
Well NOTHING improves reliability, all you can do is maintain the inherent reliability. This can be achieved my a solid methodical maintenance plan, and not crashing.

As for not competitive... well.... Rider ability comes into it A LOT!

Hmm, I struggle to believe that Neils ZXR is anything near standard, and I've seen it not finish races before, and not make it to the start of races before. I have also seen some seriously shagged cams that have come from that motor. Reliable? Define reliable. To me it means change the oil, put fuel in it and push the start button. You can't do that with an old bike, simple.

Ozzy 450's well, I actually have mny own opinions on them... and sorry to say, if you do that, go Supersport racing with a real 600... Sorry, but that is the opinion I give for ten cents.

Is there any reasoning behind this? I think it's be well proved on two occasions that the Ozzy 450 is a brilliant F3 concept and is great way into competitive racing in F3 at well under half the cost of developing a competitive 650 or older 400. Not everyone wants the tyre bill of racing a 600 competitively!

[k14]

Is there any reasoning behind this? I think it's be well proved on two occasions that the Ozzy 450 is a brilliant F3 concept and is great way into competitive racing in F3 at well under half the cost of developing a competitive 650 or older 400. Not everyone wants the tyre bill of racing a 600 competitively!

Yes I struggle to see his logic too. He better be careful what he wishes for, at the current rate (and if the ozzy 450 wasn't "invented") there would be no bikes apart from SV's in 5 years time. Bang for buck you can't go past a 450. Race ready for under a grand and you can put it back to a 600 to race a season after you get to grips with the 450!

[Whitebait]

What about staying on a 2-stroke???

After spending a year and a half on a NSR250 with very little problems, a good source of pars for them.

Sure they're not the most competetive bike in the class but they're fun to ride and a hell of a lot lighter than those beef-cake 400's.

Check out www.motorcyclesonline.net or give Bill a call on 0274 311 378.

He has a couple of NSR's in stock at the mo and is always keen to help out young racers!

[xr-rider]

what ever bike i get it will need to be road legal so it can be used on the road by my old man. the motor will be remaining standard. only thing that will be done to it is have slicks put on it and maybe fairings.

[xr-rider]

What about staying on a 2-stroke???

After spending a year and a half on a NSR250 with very little problems, a good source of pars for them.

Sure they're not the most competetive bike in the class but they're fun to ride and a hell of a lot lighter than those beef-cake 400's.

Check out www.motorcyclesonline.net or give Bill a call on 0274 311 378.

He has a couple of NSR's in stock at the mo and is always keen to help out young racers!

i would like to stay on a 2 stroke but it would be no good on the road.

[xr-rider]

The question is really, how big is your budget and how competitive do you want to be?

If you go old school 400 route you will have a cheap to purchase bike, but as all things as they get older, it will become unreliable unless you spend large amounts of $$ on them, also they are not competitive in F3 these days.

Pro Twin will cost more for a bike, but you can pick up a very good bike for around the 8-10k mark or a cheaper but not as reliable one for about 6-7k and it will cost you a couple of sets of tyres to do a winter series.

I don't really know about pre 89, but again old bikes that will require large amounts of maintenance and quite likely unreliable.

I would suggest 650 Pro Twins as I think it would be the best option for you, but if the budget allows one of the awesome Ozzy 450's is currently the best bang for buck if you want to win!

we have a very small budget probably about 4k for the bike max plus some rims and slicks. possibly spare fairings as well. dont care how competitive i am(as long as i can keep up with russell)

[neil_cb125t]

Hmm, I struggle to believe that Neils ZXR is anything near standard, and I've seen it not finish races before, and not make it to the start of races before. I have also seen some seriously shagged cams that have come from that motor. Reliable? Define reliable. To me it means change the oil, put fuel in it and push the start button. You can't do that with an old bike, simple.

Haha the mud goes flying..... reliable - the Ozzy bike has dropped more valves than mine... as mine hasn;t dropped any.

my cam prob got fixed nice and easy - but im sure something else will pop up in the future.

We pulled out the fuel pump wire when we replaced a shock spring so thats why we didnt finish a race - oh and i ran out of gas in the other race.

Old bikes are that - there old - but you can hold onto it and develope it, instead of swapping bikes every year. You'll hit snags like my cam problem with 30% more power at the back end than its suppose to have!!

I would also put money on your bike gets more than an oil change before you race. Any championship contender needs to check everything all the time that why both of us are top, 3 in our classes!!

Back on topic -don't race a road bike, have a race/track bike. In posties and F3 you will always have someone to compete against even if its BOG standard, and there are many that are standard. Also all the F3 and postie guys are simply awesome - the all help each other out - hell Aj had 3 bikes offered to him last round.

Where as Pro twin machines will all have the MAX mods allowed ALL of them.