Question on which Honda for F3

[glice]

Gah...and I was thinking of joining the F3 fags. Obviously I'm not a butch fag like you

Chet and SVR are onto it though. If you've got less than 5 or 6 grand get a cheap 400 and spend another few hundred (cough) getting it sorted. If you've got the money then get an SV. If you're dipping your toes in the water then you can't really go wrong with the 400's though as you won't loose money on them. If you're a good rider in F3 it'll show regardless of what you're on.....and the reverse is true....sigh.

cool. I was hopeing to get an sv but I dont think I'll be able to afford it, so cheap 400 sounds like my best bet, or maby a 2stroke? or is that just a bad idea.
how much prep from stock do you guys do in f3?

[scracha]

cool. I was hopeing to get an sv but I dont think I'll be able to afford it, so cheap 400 sounds like my best bet, or maby a 2stroke? or is that just a bad idea.
how much prep from stock do you guys do in f3?

Cheap 2 stroke 250? I should coco. The SV is probably a better base to start with if you can stretch to it. Probably cheaper in the long run too :-) I'm sure some guys were racing Hyosung 650's last year too but maybe they blew up. 400's...they go for stupid prices in summer. Spend a couple of grand on one and then budget on another grand on rubber, spare levers, a decent service, etc.

Prep? Just get out there. When you start reaching the bike's limits then do more fettling. Ditch the lights, put on sticky tyres (I learn't the hard way that being a mean Scotsman on $hite old tyres means you'll probably crash), fit good brake pads and stiffen up the front end (all the 400's seem designed for 60Kg short Japanese guys) and go racing. If you've got a nice stock fairing in reasonable condition then sell it and buy a cheapo fibreglass one. Oh...and it doesn't hurt to bring spare footpegs, handlebars and brake/clutch levers.

The racers are a bloody nice crowd, very helpful, full of advice. You'll learn loads. Hell, I wish I'd done this racing malarky 15 years ago when I started riding. Be warned though, it's addictive and most racers have (un)healthy credit card balances.

[roadracingoldfart]

Cheap 2 stroke 250? I should coco. The SV is probably a better base to start with if you can stretch to it. Probably cheaper in the long run too :-) I'm sure some guys were racing Hyosung 650's last year too but maybe they blew up. 400's...they go for stupid prices in summer. Spend a couple of grand on one and then budget on another grand on rubber, spare levers, a decent service, etc.

Prep? Just get out there. When you start reaching the bike's limits then do more fettling. Ditch the lights, put on sticky tyres (I learn't the hard way that being a mean Scotsman on $hite old tyres means you'll probably crash), fit good brake pads and stiffen up the front end (all the 400's seem designed for 60Kg short Japanese guys) and go racing. If you've got a nice stock fairing in reasonable condition then sell it and buy a cheapo fibreglass one. Oh...and it doesn't hurt to bring spare footpegs, handlebars and brake/clutch levers.

The racers are a bloody nice crowd, very helpful, full of advice. You'll learn loads. Hell, I wish I'd done this racing malarky 15 years ago when I started riding. Be warned though, it's addictive and most racers have (un)healthy credit card balances.

Two strokes are quite expensive to race as anyone that has had one will tell you. Its a maintenance factor you have to build into the budget .
Most 400s are quite competative in amoungst the other 400s but the rider can make the diff to results. A well set up but not costly 400 will be hard to beat and even some of the fast 450s that appeared a few years ago didnt really have much of an advantage over my bike. (if 400s sell for silly prices im keen on a silly offer )

As for credit card balances then Steevie will be the guru on that subject , i have been gluing his bike back together all year and its still not quitye finished lol .

[roadracingoldfart]

Cheap 2 stroke 250? I should coco. The SV is probably a better base to start with if you can stretch to it. Probably cheaper in the long run too :-) I'm sure some guys were racing Hyosung 650's last year too but maybe they blew up. 400's...they go for stupid prices in summer. Spend a couple of grand on one and then budget on another grand on rubber, spare levers, a decent service, etc.

Prep? Just get out there. When you start reaching the bike's limits then do more fettling. Ditch the lights, put on sticky tyres (I learn't the hard way that being a mean Scotsman on $hite old tyres means you'll probably crash), fit good brake pads and stiffen up the front end (all the 400's seem designed for 60Kg short Japanese guys) and go racing. If you've got a nice stock fairing in reasonable condition then sell it and buy a cheapo fibreglass one. Oh...and it doesn't hurt to bring spare footpegs, handlebars and brake/clutch levers.

The racers are a bloody nice crowd, very helpful, full of advice. You'll learn loads. Hell, I wish I'd done this racing malarky 15 years ago when I started riding. Be warned though, it's addictive and most racers have (un)healthy credit card balances.

Two strokes are quite expensive to race as anyone that has had one will tell you. Its a maintenance factor you have to build into the budget .
Most 400s are quite competative in amoungst the other 400s but the rider can make the diff to results. A well set up but not costly 400 will be hard to beat and even some of the fast 450s that appeared a few years ago didnt really have much of an advantage over my bike. (if 400s sell for silly prices im keen on a silly offer )

As for credit card balances then Steevie will be the guru on that subject , i have been gluing his bike back together all year and its still not quite finished lol .

Paul.

[svr]

Two strokes are quite expensive to race as anyone that has had one will tell you. Its a maintenance factor you have to build into the budget .

Depends on the state of tune, of course, for 2 and 4 strokes. Standard 2 strokes can be cheap as to race.
70 hp SV - reliable, cheap, slow.
60 hp RGV (with fresh engine - not a 20yrs of `never been raced!' engine) - reliable, cheap, slow.
85hp SV - high maintenance, expensive, less slow.
70hp RGV - high maintenance, expensive, less slow.

Reliability is related to maintenance is related to speed to budget etc.

[glice]

Cheap 2 stroke 250? I should coco. The SV is probably a better base to start with if you can stretch to it. Probably cheaper in the long run too :-) I'm sure some guys were racing Hyosung 650's last year too but maybe they blew up. 400's...they go for stupid prices in summer. Spend a couple of grand on one and then budget on another grand on rubber, spare levers, a decent service, etc.

Prep? Just get out there. When you start reaching the bike's limits then do more fettling. Ditch the lights, put on sticky tyres (I learn't the hard way that being a mean Scotsman on $hite old tyres means you'll probably crash), fit good brake pads and stiffen up the front end (all the 400's seem designed for 60Kg short Japanese guys) and go racing. If you've got a nice stock fairing in reasonable condition then sell it and buy a cheapo fibreglass one. Oh...and it doesn't hurt to bring spare footpegs, handlebars and brake/clutch levers.

The racers are a bloody nice crowd, very helpful, full of advice. You'll learn loads. Hell, I wish I'd done this racing malarky 15 years ago when I started riding. Be warned though, it's addictive and most racers have (un)healthy credit card balances.

I'm thinking 400, unless that 2stroke comes through. and I'm pretty short and 60kg, so I rekon I'll be right.
how many guys are out there running stokers. what sort of maintinace do you lot do?

[Ivan]

my SV was 5 grand in pro twin setup,


that had

2001 SV K5 Gixxer 6er fairings Emualtors in front and GSXR750 shock not bad price and reliable as the days and very fast, Alot more top speed than my old 125

[t3mp0r4ry nzr]

I want to get into f3 but cant afford much and was thinking a 2stroke might be a good way to do it. do people really spend 30k in f3. I cant afford anywhere near that.

probabley best to stick with trackdays then matey, WAY cheaper and just as fun IMHO. Find a cheaper sport and just do track days for a laugh and to improve your riding and for meeting people, cos racing aint a poor mans sport!

[koba]

probabley best to stick with trackdays then matey, WAY cheaper and just as fun IMHO. Find a cheaper sport and just do track days for a laugh and to improve your riding and for meeting people, cos racing aint a poor mans sport!

I race on a reasonably tight budget.
Streetstock!
Cheap and fun.

[lostinflyz]

I race on a reasonably tight budget.
Streetstock!
Cheap and fun.

i race on a tight budget too. A little bitta cash and a whole lotta debt.

but to start out isn't that much. you can pretty much spend as much or little as you like. within reason.

but streetstocks perfect if your worried about money cause theres only so much you can actually dosh out within the regs. just rem to have money for entry fees and petrol and your pretty sorted.

[t3mp0r4ry nzr]

I race on a reasonably tight budget.
Streetstock!
Cheap and fun.

Ive raced in streetstock as well, but racing is an expensive way to get track time. also factor in crash expenses.

"expensive" is all relative to income, if you dont have a lot of income, then even streetstock racing is expensive. So if you dont have the income, then dont even think of going racing

[koba]

Ive raced in streetstock as well, but racing is an expensive way to get track time. also factor in crash expenses.

"expensive" is all relative to income, if you dont have a lot of income, then even streetstock racing is expensive. So if you dont have the income, then dont even think of going racing

True, except crash expenses are cheap as if you can weld, beuty of an RG150 is steel construction. Unless you totally munt the forks or somthing they are cheap as to repair IF you have the access to the gear and basic welding ability.
I have old waterpipe for my spare clipons.

[scracha]

Fit crashbars...you'll save loads. Budget racing. If you're handy with a spanner (like Koba and OldRoadRacingFart) then you can do it with limited resources. There are a few guys doing post classics that have spent less than a grand on their bikes. If you're not handy and/or want to be competitive then get ready to watch most of your earnt kiwi peso's going towards racing.

[glice]

my SV was 5 grand in pro twin setup,


that had

2001 SV K5 Gixxer 6er fairings Emualtors in front and GSXR750 shock not bad price and reliable as the days and very fast, Alot more top speed than my old 125

cricky, I could afford 5g. thats what I was wanting to get untill I heard 30g, thats more like it.

[glice]

probabley best to stick with trackdays then matey, WAY cheaper and just as fun IMHO. Find a cheaper sport and just do track days for a laugh and to improve your riding and for meeting people, cos racing aint a poor mans sport!

yea, but I really want to give racing a go. and I was talking about 30 grand being off putting, I think I can afford to do it on the cheap and still have some fun.