What kind of bike for F3/Clubmans?

[gav]

For a first off club/F3 racer a ZXR400L is the way to go, they are cheap, still reasonably competitive and as reliable as a race bike can be. With the 120/60 17 and 160/60 17 combo tyres you can pick up second hand SV race tyres if youre on a tight budget. The bike seems to fit most people pretty good. Best to see if you can pick up an ex race bike with all the mods done, prob around $3Kish? next choice would be a FZR or an NC30 if you fit one, they are a bit smaller than the ZXR and FZR. I used to race a 93 ZXR so I'm possibly a little one eyed, but looked around at alot and the ZXR was the best choice.

[Kwaka-Kid]

diff between RVF and VFR (NC35 and NC30) engine wise is the RVF is slightly less compression but has the flatslide carbs that give a definate better midrange and possibly a bit better top end.

dunno about ZXR, yeah why not, they are expensive - i guess that can be said about the honda though...just get out there! and hoon you dont need the 450cc trust me, gary is considering it for his rvf engine but unless you have a shitload of money just learn to ride faster - which u alraedy do really well, so i think youll have it sorted.

[Hoon]

Yeah the 450cc upgrade was just something that I will consider at the end of next season only if I require a engine rebuild and only if I need the extra power. My engine has already done 38K on the street. I just finished putting in a new cam chain and semi-blueprinted the head while I was at it. Compression went from 100-120PSI up to 190-210PSI now!! The top end was very worn but not damaged so I'm expecting the bottom end to look the same but I'm still down on a little power (topping out at 200-210kph instead of the claimed 225kph).
I've got to retune the carbs again and then its going onto the AMPS dyno next week to see how far off the factory 65bhp it is in its current stock form. I'll be happy with anything over 60bhp!

However one thing I've learnt from the ZXR400L's is poor parts availability at horrendous costs. Almost everything I need I have to wait a day for it turn up. Non-standard sprocket sizes are out of the question (had to order online from AU). I've lost faith it getting parts thru my local Kwaka dealer so I have resort to purchasing online from AU/US.

[Kwaka-Kid]

std 65HP?! no way, i cant beleive it? none of the 400's broke that far from 60hp dead stock did they?! the VFR's certainly didnt. and man what an up on compression! crazy - did you skim the head in the end?... gl on the dyno dude, we need to find a KB'er with one so we can get some cheap runs in.

[gav]

Hoon, try Colin Clyne Motorcycles in Oamaru
Colin Clyne Motorcycles Oamaru
419 Thames Highway Oamaru
03-437 0559
Andy Bolwell knows a thing or two about racing ZXR400's and can probably sort you out on parts etc

[Kwaka-Kid]

oh and hoon - yeah the RVF claims 227.5kmph top speed, but i can only get to 13,500rpm in top, guessing that would be about 215ish dunno, and my top speed gets worse further and further into the race, as she heats up i GUESS, last lap shell barely pull 13,000 etc. crazy.

[Hoon]

Sorry, 65ps the book says which equals 64.11 hp.
I didn't do any mods...the compression improvements are all due to fixing the worn cam chain, bad valve seats, way tight valve clearances and the removal of 38K worth of carbon buildup from the ports and chambers. I also wanted to do the valve guides and seals too but couldn't get the parts (not for a reasonable price anyway) so they'll have to wait til next time.

But the 2 weeks of slaving over that head every night sure did pay off. It amazes me how slack the factory tolerances can be! I've had the ZXR for just over a month now but its spent most of that time on the garage bench!! Yesterday was the first real ride I had where I could thrash the shit out of it with confidence......all a big rush for this weekends track day which isn't to be now

Yeah KK I can do 14K in 5th but only 12.5-13K in 6th (which barely pulls at all).

Ohh and thanks Gav, do you have any tips for the ZXR400L, especially in the suspension dept?

[Kwaka-Kid]

yeah - be thankful, you have the best stock suspension over the whole F3 grid!

and nice dude, the manual actually claims 65ps?! feck, my manual for my rvf motor claims 53ps - and like i said i always beleive it was the agreement with govt, but obviously not if kwaka claim it?.. could it be true? my 1994 rvf motor nearly 10hp down on a 1991(?) zxr? i dunno about that, i know alot of those 400's up front are making more power as the backstraight proves it, but im sure it doesnt feel like nearing 20% or so extra power they have over me, man figures are so hard to judge sometimes, we all need to dyno on the same dyno on the same day.

[gpercivl]

Hi F3 racer dudes...Paul Stewart is the new Road Race Commissioner for MNZ and I emailled him to see if there would be any more rule or class changes for F3 this year as the previous commissioner was thinking about. Paul responded saying that things would remain the same as last year for F3 and that he'd try to give at least 18months notice of changes in the future to allow plenty of time to adapt. So, if you're planning on doing the National's this year it might be better to run an SV-650...they out grunt the std 400's coming out of corners which gives lots of advantage. Andy Bolwell's 450 was a match for them, but his was the only reliable 450 racing over last summer. My 3TJ FZR400 with radical cams could pull them back at the end of the straight's at Ruapuna & Teretonga but reliability was an issue, the engine lasted only 2 more meetings after the Nat's finished. I'l be looking at building a 450 over the winter but it's a 3mm bore for the FZR which needs piston kit, liners, and head work...so it may be out of my price range this year.

Hope to see y'all at the track anyway, cheers Greg

No Hair Racing
http://www.nohair.co.nz

[FROSTY:Me]

Sorry, 65ps the book says which equals 64.11 hp.
I didn't do any mods...the compression improvements are all due to fixing the worn cam chain, bad valve seats, way tight valve clearances and the removal of 38K worth of carbon buildup from the ports and chambers. I also wanted to do the valve guides and seals too but couldn't get the parts (not for a reasonable price anyway) so they'll have to wait til next time.

But the 2 weeks of slaving over that head every night sure did pay off. It amazes me how slack the factory tolerances can be! I've had the ZXR for just over a month now but its spent most of that time on the garage bench!! Yesterday was the first real ride I had where I could thrash the shit out of it with confidence......all a big rush for this weekends track day which isn't to be now

Yeah KK I can do 14K in 5th but only 12.5-13K in 6th (which barely pulls at all).

Ohh and thanks Gav, do you have any tips for the ZXR400L, especially in the suspension dept?

Dude just one bit of advise i got from guys running zxr400's --dont go for more than 14000 rpm--aparently then start pulling valves through the head.
I was having a hell of a job with the rear shock on mine to get the damping working properly.
Im thinking the olins out of the 750 might find its way in there

[F5 Dave]

I haven't bothered reading the rest of this so hope it isn't repeated, apparently ZXR400s like FZR valves fitted to stop their valve eating habits.