What happens to old race bikes?

**McDuck** · 21st January 2009, 20:29

I was wondering, what happens to race bikes once they have 'done there time'? IE spent 5 years as a race bike now the engine is tyred, the bike needs a lot of work to keep competitive, no longer competitive dew to tech etc?

Thanks

**WarrenW** · 21st January 2009, 20:46

In the case of 600cc bikes they loose a cylinder and become F3 bikes! There is no such thing as a too old race bike, look at the classic class and post classic class. Resurrected older bikes RULE. Hell my zx4 /zxr400 is now 21 years old and is still pretty damn quick, Ok it's not at the pointy end of the feild but I am still having one hell of a lot of fun on it.

**Frenchy** · 21st January 2009, 20:48

they go to a very special place in race bike Heaven!! or they get put back in road trim and sold as "one lady owner, only ridden in weekends!" or Drew buys them and proper wrecks them!!

then they go to bike Hell!!!!

**MadDuck** · 21st January 2009, 21:01

....or they have some Decals and tassles put on them and are sold off to the NZ market as Harleys

**AllanB** · 21st January 2009, 21:01

In Christchurch if they are interesting Don at Pit LAne appears to buy them. he he. He has a wee collections of specials.

**koba** · 21st January 2009, 21:04

My road bike was raced.
It was well looked after, is standard, HAD low kays, still runs great and is good fun and great value.

**slowpoke** · 22nd January 2009, 00:23

I've had an ex-race VTR1000F full of HRC goodies complete with new road trim and race fairings. Brilliant road bike with all the VTR shortcomings (suspension, power) corrected except for small OEM tank. Did my first trackday on it and it sounded SUPERB!

Sold it to buy a 954 fireblade, which I sold 12months later when I missed the twin thing. I then bought an ex-race 916SP, complete with full carbon fairings, big carbon air-box, cams etc. If you've seen Peter Martin's (Sportsbike Tyrewarmers/Racing) 999S featured in the latest Rapid magazine, my bike was the bike he built/raced before that. Grumpy as fuck, didn't like traffic, but a blast ride. Only sold when we returned to NZ.

When I figured out I really wanted to spend more time on the track I liked the 916 too much to risk crashing it (Duc's are worth much more in Oz compared to NZ) and ended up buying a cheap ex-race '00 R1 through a friend for my missus to use on the road and me to use at the track. We had to do a fair bit of work to civilise it for the road (fit starter/gears, alternator, road loom etc) but it also came with unused road fairings and great suspension etc. To set up for track mode took me about 4 hours (fairings/brace, tank, wheels, exhaust and meant I could ride/race with much less concern. Great way to get into Clubman's. This is the only bike I've had any mechanical problems with but it's also done by far the most work. Now retired to the road it's still sharp compared to modern machinery.

By and large a well looked after race bike makes a great road bike, with brilliant suspension, braided lines, exhaust etc all adding up to a better performer than a standard bike. Not to mention having track fairings on hand for track/race days.

**LBD** · 22nd January 2009, 03:00

Originally Posted by Frenchy

...or Drew buys them and proper wrecks them!!

then they go to bike Hell!!!!

I reckon that a bike, wrecked by Drew, would go straight to bike heaven after meeting St Peter at the Gates. After all St Peter is a decient chap and would recognise a bike thats already been through Hell

I dont know Drew but judging by others comments the above cannot be far from the mark.....

**Nicksta** · 22nd January 2009, 06:14

either race bike heaven..... or put back to road trim

depending on how badly crashed they've been....

**Maido** · 22nd January 2009, 07:14

My old cbr400 was sold to a guy who crashed the shit out of it (it used to look great, now not so good!)

My RS250 I sold to a guy in Washington DC

My CBR600RR4 I sold to a local in race trim, he sold it on to a karting guy (who claimed to be one of the best in NZ) who was gunna set the world on fire with it (I saw him wobbling round 2 track days and never saw him again, I guess riding a bike is harder than karting? lol)

My CBR600RR5 was sold to the apprentice at my work in road trim (although I wired in the Race ECU and left the air filter, exhaust system and raised compression the way it was) Sweet 10 second bike for the street.

My current CBR600RR7 will be for sale at the end of nationals if anyone is keen either a sorted race bike or a trick road bike. (if it goes as a race bike I am keen to sell the goodies separate if anyone is keen.

**cowpoos** · 22nd January 2009, 10:57

Originally Posted by slowpoke

I've had an ex-race VTR1000F full of HRC goodies complete with new road trim and race fairings. Brilliant road bike with all the VTR shortcomings (suspension, power) corrected except for small OEM tank. Did my first trackday on it and it sounded SUPERB!

Sold it to buy a 954 fireblade, which I sold 12months later when I missed the twin thing. I then bought an ex-race 916SP, complete with full carbon fairings, big carbon air-box, cams etc. If you've seen Peter Martin's (Sportsbike Tyrewarmers/Racing) 999S featured in the latest Rapid magazine, my bike was the bike he built/raced before that. Grumpy as fuck, didn't like traffic, but a blast ride. Only sold when we returned to NZ.

When I figured out I really wanted to spend more time on the track I liked the 916 too much to risk crashing it (Duc's are worth much more in Oz compared to NZ) and ended up buying a cheap ex-race '00 R1 through a friend for my missus to use on the road and me to use at the track. We had to do a fair bit of work to civilise it for the road (fit starter/gears, alternator, road loom etc) but it also came with unused road fairings and great suspension etc. To set up for track mode took me about 4 hours (fairings/brace, tank, wheels, exhaust and meant I could ride/race with much less concern. Great way to get into Clubman's. This is the only bike I've had any mechanical problems with but it's also done by far the most work. Now retired to the road it's still sharp compared to modern machinery.

By and large a well looked after race bike makes a great road bike, with brilliant suspension, braided lines, exhaust etc all adding up to a better performer than a standard bike. Not to mention having track fairings on hand for track/race days.

I have a mint GSXR810 for ya sunshine!! be a great upgrade on the hon-duh!!

**svr** · 22nd January 2009, 11:53

Register your new racebike under your girlfriends name. Standard fairings back on, 500kms on the clock, good as new! Although sometimes the new fairings have to be re-drilled to fit the old chassis, ahem...
Have also been on the other side of the fence. My first roadbike was an RZ350 - previous owner T. Fitzgerald (who?). Twas faster than other RZs but wobbled like hell. Was later shown a picture of it 10ft off the gound upside-down during its second castrol 6 hour. Hmmm.

**Frenchy** · 22nd January 2009, 19:43

Originally Posted by LBD

I reckon that a bike, wrecked by Drew, would go straight to bike heaven after meeting St Peter at the Gates. After all St Peter is a decient chap and would recognise a bike thats already been through Hell

I dont know Drew but judging by others comments the above cannot be far from the mark.....

Your spot on the money there