Mini-motard for bucket racing?

[Ivan]

when did slicks and wets become the have to be in buckets? Im going to race on the tires ive got till they are fucked then replace em much like what i did in F2 as well

[Pumba]

So if I had $1000 a year to race with. And that had to include entry fees, tyres, gas and a bike. The whole lot.
What should I race?

I purposely did not put a $ figure on "affordable". The definition of affordable is fluid depending on peoples personal circumstances, case in point my definition of what is affordable as far as racing goes has significantly changed in the last month with the arrival of my kid. If I did not already have the bike, leathers etc then buckets would probably not be affordable to me at this stage of my life.

It is not a god given right to race. If you cannot afford it you cannot afford it. Tough.

Back in the bad old days I used to be able to race a car for that kind of money. That included buying a car and getting a frame welded into it. The guys I was against had similar budgets (or less).

What do you mean by bad old days? How long ago? Inflation is unavoidable and there is always someone willing to spend more for there own enjoyment.

Last bucket meet I went too had more money in tyres and motors than I have in my whole current bike. Just sayin - best not to dismiss him without hearing out some alternatives.

I could fall into this camp, but i know a lot of others that have spent more. I don't apologize to anyone for what I have spent on my bike. My money my choice.

I have dismissed it as a class I would be interested in being involved in. Once again my choice.

[Dutchee]

All our bikes have cost under a grand to buy, a bit more for body work, and a couple of cans of spray paint. Wheels have cost a bit, and apparently they make a difference (compared to stock).

Talking to Dobbsy a couple of years back, he was commenting that tyres for his weekend were about a grand (on the ducati). That's our tyre budget for a few years. We've bought 2nd hand tyres.

If you guys want to start a new class, you do the legwork, others will help, but don't expect them to organise it for you. They've all got real jobs and limited time. Guys with vested interest should do the hard yards, and if that comes across as rude, tough. It's not that you're not welcome, it's either conform to the rules, or work towards getting them changed yourselves.

Buckets are expensive as you want. Your competitiveness is in relation to your budget and ability. You won't be mocked (unless you're captian_soup) because your bike falls apart (unless it then is too loud or damages the track). You'll be helped by a lot of people.

Good gear is another story though, you do need full leathers (one or two piece, no cordura), helmet, gloves, boots and a back protector. But leathers can be had cheap enough on tardme, so long as you're prepared to wait for the right one to come along, and back protectors are also often available 2nd hand. The rest you should have if you're riding on the road anyway.

If you come along to a fun meeting with all your gear, if you ask you could well end up going for a taste ride (somehow we're not keen to lend bikes to unknowns for races), or contact John Connor and see if you can book the club bike for a day/weekend.

[Moooools]

when did slicks and wets become the have to be in buckets? Im going to race on the tires ive got till they are fucked then replace em much like what i did in F2 as well

About the time when people realized that 125 GP riders didn't want them after a few heat cycles, and were still plenty sticky for buckets. Oh and cheaper than road tyres.
And as for wets (in Wellington at least) they double the number of race days each year that you can actually race properly.

But I agree with what others have said, your budget is what you have to work with. You can have a shit load of fun with a huge range of monetary inputs. If you want to be racing at the front of A-Grade, you need to be prepared to put a bit of money, or a whole lot of time into your bike (oh and that funny thing that sits on top holding onto the bars).

It is a formula class so it really is to be expected that bikes keep improving.

[Henk]

About the time when people realized that 125 GP riders didn't want them after a few heat cycles, and were still plenty sticky for buckets. Oh and cheaper than road tyres.
And as for wets (in Wellington at least) they double the number of race days each year that you can actually race properly.

But I agree with what others have said, your budget is what you have to work with. You can have a shit load of fun with a huge range of monetary inputs. If you want to be racing at the front of A-Grade, you need to be prepared to put a bit of money, or a whole lot of time into your bike (oh and that funny thing that sits on top holding onto the bars).

It is a formula class so it really is to be expected that bikes keep improving.

The most I have shelled out for tyres is $200 for a set of one race old YDC Bridgestones, compare that to BT39SS road tyres on special at Treads at the moment for around $300 and slicks make sense. As for wets, in Wellington on a damp day they do let you race harder, in Auckland they let you race, splashing through puddles at the the December fun day I managaged to get my knee down a couple of times and push pretty hard for the conditions, on treaded road tyres (which aren't much better than slicks in the wet) at around 65% of that I suspect I would have been getting my whole body down, Mt Wellington is that slippery, before I got a decent set of wets I was running BT39SS to start with followed by a set of super old and trashed wets that were worth about the free that I paid for them, at that stage my average was three crashes per wet day. Now I usually manage to keep it on its wheels.

[Buckets4Me]

So if I had $1000 a year to race with. And that had to include entry fees, tyres, gas and a bike. The whole lot.
What should I race?

http://www.trademe.co.nz/motors/moto...-435258956.htm blowen the buget this season but you can always come back next season

[jasonu]

Buckets is motor raceing and just like anyother class it is going to cost something. How much is up to you and what you want to achieve.
As for the Forza, I for one am dead against them as an additional class at bucket meetings or as an F4 bike (even off the back of the grid no points), even if there is enough of them for a new class. As someone already said, if they open a new class for them, there is a good chance of the numbers dwindleing over time as the pocket bikes did and then the owners will want to ride in F4.
Also, you might want to ask the organisers if there is in fact enough time any given race day for another class.
The easiest way to enter buckets is to get an already built LEGAL bike.

[F5 Dave]

So if I had $1000 a year to race with. And that had to include entry fees, tyres, gas and a bike. The whole lot.
What should I race?

Back in the bad old days I used to be able to race a car for that kind of money. That included buying a car and getting a frame welded into it. The guys I was against had similar budgets (or less).

Last bucket meet I went too had more money in tyres and motors than I have in my whole current bike. Just sayin - best not to dismiss him without hearing out some alternatives.

well buy a car & fall asleep at the wheel.

[ajturbo]

when did slicks and wets become the have to be in buckets? Im going to race on the tires ive got till they are fucked then replace em much like what i did in F2 as well

it would be nice to have slicks..
but like Ivan, i am not going to use them (unless i get given them) and my bikes are not brought for any more than $150ish each and then i do spend around $200ish on getting them tuned

so for LESS than $1000 you CAN still get a bike and race it...there are A B and C classes in Wellington.. if you or your bike is slow (=me) you go in the right class for YOU and the racing is just as much fun.. and close and sometimes touchy..mmmm love the touchy feely

AJ

[Ivan]

5 year old pirelli mt75 on the front and thrown away pirelli front 675 tire on the rear chur tu meke

[gav]

Cheap FXR150 right here http://www.trademe.co.nz/motors/moto...-435510347.htm

As for tyres, guess it depends where you race. Down here in Chch, Ruapuna is pretty grippy in the wet, so slicks on a bucket seem to work fine. Even Levels in Timaru isnt too bad, but as Ive crashed there on slicks in the wet, it might not be quite as grippy as Ruapuna

[gav]

As for the FXR/TZR I think its safe to say its going to a good home.

[koba]

Cheap FXR150 right here http://www.trademe.co.nz/motors/moto...-435510347.htm

As for tyres, guess it depends where you race. Down here in Chch, Ruapuna is pretty grippy in the wet, so slicks on a bucket seem to work fine. Even Levels in Timaru isnt too bad, but as Ive crashed there on slicks in the wet, it might not be quite as grippy as Ruapuna

I've noticed it's easier to keep up on wet-shod bikes on my slicks at longer tracks.

[Henk]

I've noticed it's easier to keep up on wet-shod bikes on my slicks at longer tracks.

We need to get you to Mt Wellington on a wet day at some stage, we'll put you out on slicks to start with and take wagers.

[koba]

We need to get you to Mt Wellington on a wet day at some stage, we'll put you out on slicks to start with and take wagers.

I don't mind falling off, just need a bit more healing time though.