Another racing debut - Buckets

[Eddieb]

Well I finally picked the bike up on saturday morning, it's a gs125 single (oh the power!) $300 for the bike, enough bits to make several spare motors and 2 sets of spare tyres.
The bike has been played with a bit, DR200 carb, raised compression and a bit of porting.

Come sunday and first up were 2 practice sessions, the first time I'd ridden the bike more than about 30 metres. Not much more than a slow wobble around the track as I missed gears, couldn't find the brake pedal, bogged down etc.

Race 1 was a fun race and as the entire track was in shadow it was slippery as anything. I had 5 or 6 times I thought I was going to be the one wearing the butt boxers. (The reward of crashing at Wellington buckets, having to wear a pair of boxer shorts with a plastic butt on them until someone else crashes.) I started getting into things and managed to keep pace with at least 1 rider and finished 9th out of 10, Woohoo!! 1 position better than expected.

Race 2 was a points race and everyone was a bit more keen, I drew a row 1 start position which I wasn't thrilled as I considered myself a moving roadblock, luckily it was an outside position. Having a bit of time with the rest of the field showed me the bike was fairly capable in terms of speed, it was just me slowing it down. The track was still a bit slippery and I was still bodging my lines and getting bogged out of corners. Also I noted I could keep with a few people on the straights, but come the next corner I was way slower. Come the finish line and I'm not sure exactly where I was, either 2nd or 3rd to last out of a field of ten. By this time I was exhausted, I never realised how much effort even the buckets would be.

Race 3 also a points race and a back row start this time. The track was dry so I was more comfortable pushing things a bit (for me anyway). My corner speed and general ability meant I was slower than most others. Still had a good dice with another rider for most of the 2nd half of the race, managing to hold him off to the line. Again 7th or 8th out of ten.

I've found a few things that need adjusting for the bike, nothing major though. The fuelling is really bad below 5k and gets worse as the race goes on. I managed to get the bike to idle during the day as it wouldn't when I got it. The rear brakes were way out of adjustment also.

I had a fantastic day and for $300 huge value for money. I didn't fall off and didn't break or blow anything up.
Special thanks to MarkNZ for loan of the leathers and F5 Dave for putting up with all my questions last month when I was checking things out.

Final positions and points are being emailed out later this week when they have been collated.

[Cajun]

thats awsome price for a bike to get started, thats what i need to fine so i can get started

[sAsLEX]

Thats sounds like a wiked deal for 300$$, a bike you can have a whole heap of fun on all for less than a decent ticket!!

[FROSTY:Me]

good onya mate.Anyone that says "just Buckets" has never done it --those guys are total nutters.
You will learn a hell of a lot of really good racecraft racing buckets--hey you will need elbow pads--for all the josssling into turn one

[k14]

Good stuff there eddie. Damn that was a bargain. Need to find one of those bargain myself. Saw kichaha out at the track yesterday, didnt go too bad on a borrowed cb125. The GN140 is still getting modded, he will be out in force at timaru in a few weeks though. Might be able to get out there myself in the non race licence class, hopefully.

[k14]

good onya mate.Anyone that says "just Buckets" has never done it --those guys are total nutters.
You will learn a hell of a lot of really good racecraft racing buckets--hey you will need elbow pads--for all the josssling into turn one

Well to put it in perspective, the fastest bucket was lapping 6 secs slower than the guy on the Duc 999. Thats on the B track at ruapuna. They are definately not slow at all.

[Eddieb]

#33 is me.

[Motoracer]

Good on ya, Eddieb!

Any form of motorcycle racing is great for our community. It is getting more and more people involved which makes it better for all of us.

Great to hear that a few others like Cajun and K14 are keen to give it a go too!

[Cajun]

only thing i am missing now is the bike and the back protector, i have everything else.

[Kickaha]

Well I finally picked the bike up on saturday morning, it's a gs125 single (oh the power!) $300 for the bike, enough bits to make several spare motors and 2 sets of spare tyres.
The bike has been played with a bit, DR200 carb, raised compression and a bit of porting.

Congratulations on your race debut,at least you got the right type of bike instead of one of those dodgy Hondas

What type of DR200 carb has it got the flatslide or the earlier roundslide?
just got a flatslide DR carb for mine.

When we did the GN head we took 3mm off to get the compression to where we wanted and a DR200 cam goes straight in,slightly more duration and lift,you can also convert to total loss ignition and machine down the flywheel so it spins up quicker.

At the BEARs meetings we run at,the comment has been made we ride to agressively to let us do races mixed with the other classes

[dangerous]

$300 thats awsome price for a bike to get started, thats what i need to fine so i can get started

A couple of my mates brought H100's for $100 and $200 and only realy needed to spend a little time on them.
I'm thinking of joining this elite comunty of buckets a shit myself.

Congratulations on your race debut,at least you got the right type of bike instead of one of those dodgy Honda

watch ya mouth mate....... I seem to remember on Sunday that you were wering a big smile, and what were you riding........ CB125 and a CBX550.... both HONDA'S, admit it you have a soft spot there

[Kickaha]

A couple of my mates brought H100's for $100 and $200 and only realy needed to spend a little time on them.
I'm thinking of joining this elite comunty of buckets a shit myself.:

Yep,come out and get your arse handed to you on a plate by the Suzukis

watch ya mouth mate....... I seem to remember on Sunday that you were wering a big smile, and what were you riding........ CB125 and a CBX550.... both HONDA'S, admit it you have a soft spot there

I rather optimisticaly predicted to K14 that I could run thirds after first practive,the CB125T requires a different launch technique than the GN and my normally crap starts on the GN turned into fucken awful starts on the CB,so I only managed a 5th and 6th,although once I caught them I had a good race with Darryl and Brent(more poxy hondas)

The CBX550 (period 82)was a good bike,nice linear power delivery,turns good,stops good,the highlight of the day was 2nd in the 2nd race(riding a Suzuki I would have won)got a good start and held second the whole way to the flag,had a good race with the Waterbus in the first race as well.

[Marknz]

Congratulations on your race debut,at least you got the right type of bike instead of one of those dodgy Hondas

Oi!

[Marknz]

The rear brakes were way out of adjustment also.

Special thanks to MarkNZ for loan of the leathers and F5 Dave for putting up with all my questions last month when I was checking things out.

Forget the rear brake, it's only there for decoration on a bucket.

And no worries about the leathers, I'm pleased you were able to get out there and enjoy your first day, even if they were a couple of sizes too big for you.

[speedpro]

Good to see more riders trying buckets. It always seemed that there was an element of ego stopping some riders giving it a go. Good on you Eddie. Keep in touch with F5 and cadge a ride up to Auckland for the 2-hour race. Could fit a few more in at my place.