What's to know?

[imdying]

Turns out investigating mini motos in NZ is a bit of a mission through various dead links and odd websites.

A mate has suggested we get a couple of bikes from trademe, and take em for a bash through industrial areas, although I did see on the supakarts site that they have the track open for bikes on a Monday night. Sounds like a plan I so I thought...

But, a few unanswered questions...

- Is there anywhere in NZ that specializes in them (i.e. somewhere other than trademe to buy them)
- Any of the trademe sellers that are preferred, or any to avoid?
- Any particular bikes to avoid? (assuming we've accepted they're cheap junk already) Any to look for?
- Supakarts still open to bikes on a Monday night?
- Anywhere else in Christchurch to ride/race them?
- Any others FAQs?

[DELLORTO]

as far as i know there is a big group of people racing at supakarts.......unless you buy a polini or other italian bikes there is some techincal knowledge needed to get chinese bike reliable.... check www.nzmmrc.co.nz there is some bikes for sale on there that are good. thanks

[Z1_ZPF_BOY]

the best place to buy Minimoto's is from Greg in Wellington, www.xminimoto.co.nz, and he has all the parts for the bikes.

[DELLORTO]

the best place to buy Minimoto's is from Greg in Wellington, www.xminimoto.co.nz, and he has all the parts for the bikes.

accept his cheapest bike is $600........

[Z1_ZPF_BOY]

If you go through Greg you know that your buying Quality, and if anything does go wrong he's more than willing to help.

[DELLORTO]

even though he sells the best chinese bikes around there still not good quality i think greg knows that and he trys his best to make them as reliable as possible....but still their chinese and all chinese motor bikes are trouble unless you have the technical knowlege to work on them......

i dont think quality is the right word to use i think more like "good value for money is a better"

[Z1_ZPF_BOY]

fair enough... the best chinese bike out there is arguably the ZPF Rep, and Gregs Price on them is Rather reasonable. So i guess you could call them (as you say) "Good value for money". LOL

[DELLORTO]

fair enough... the best chinese bike out there is arguably the ZPF Rep, and Gregs Price on them is Rather reasonable. So i guess you could call them (as you say) "Good value for money". LOL

most people know the best chinese replica is the DM rep.....bretts bringing them in, im sort of out of the sport now but if i was still hard out racing id buy one.......im going to try keep my points up...gotta have that trophy...

[Z1_ZPF_BOY]

when you say"keep your points up" do you mean in Daytona or Open??

[DELLORTO]

open...... trying to figure out a ride at the moment......

[Z1_ZPF_BOY]

i thought you wernt going to run Taumarunui

[DELLORTO]

i thought you wernt going to run Taumarunui

only the reverse track weekend.......maybe more depending if blayes is racing i still dont know yet......

[imdying]

Ok, so buy a cheap one, but be prepared to tinker, and be uncompetitve.

That's cool, I like to tinker, and I don't need another all consuming hobby, we just want to have some fun.

What are the key things to note to ensure some sort of reliability out of these $300 wonders?

[motorbyclist]

out of my $200 wonder: every one of these are different so hopefully you get a quick one

replace the fuel line and filter. i ditched the filter entirely once the tank stopped flaking apart (at the mould seams)
get lots of spare pullstart chord
keep the tank as full as possible
expect leaks
make a sacrifice to the biker gods

and tighten EVERY bolt, including those holding the motor together. it also helps to replace those that you can to ensure they are in fact high tensile

[imdying]

Oh sweet, so just the regular biker bullshit then

No worries, blat round the carpark one night (or earlier if it breaks) to run it in, then strip and prep it with some Loctite etc