Would you race superbike?

[aff-man]

haha nice! I didnt even get the dvd player, its a lucky dip... Yeah your on the right track, my main point im trying to make is everyone always says superbikes is too expensive but its only as expensive as you want it to be so its just an excuse....

unfortunately not chop...

And the main reason is...tyres.

Sure a super competative sv rider may change thier tyres every race but they don't need to.

You look at your tyres after a couple races and an f3 riders tyres? Never raced on new slicks for this reason.

Also (and this goes for every level) but the bigger and faster and more powerfull the bike the more cash you need to put into it to keep you safe with regards to suspension etc. You know what its like pushing a machine that starts doing interesting things in the corners...

That being said id do it. Started my racing from the deep end and its a good way to learn if you've got a level head.

[Drew]

Getting a bike can be cheap, if you're in the right place right time. But running the bike does cost a bit more mate.

Tyres is just the start, I've got a 4 year old bike, that is semi competitive, but unless something happens pretty soon, I'll have to sit some rounds out ot pay for the head to be serviced.

[Tony.OK]

Getting a bike can be cheap, if you're in the right place right time. But running the bike does cost a bit more mate.

Tyres is just the start, I've got a 4 year old bike, that is semi competitive, but unless something happens pretty soon, I'll have to sit some rounds out ot pay for the head to be serviced.

Let me know which races your sitting out bro..........................might have to enter those ones hahaaa

I can see what Chop's saying in regard to F2 v's F1, the difference in running costs would be very similar, especially given that F2 can have an extra race per meeting.

There are ways around some costs............tyres can be second hand ones, but that can be dodgey if they're past their best....................aye Drew?
I ran with a stock engine last season and my only running cost was some oil, filters and you guessed it............tyres.
I guess it all boils down to where you want to be in the field, if your happy to just be there then costs can be reduced by a good amount, if ya wanna be at the sharp end.............in any class............it's going to cost money at some stage...................welcome to racing

[scrivy]

Ok, here it is.....

You solo boys are all poofters..........

Why complain about tyre wear, suspension, costs involved and the like, when you all know the answer is right in front of you.

Go racing sidecars!!!
I used a near canvas rear tyre to set the lap record at Timaru last year, against ultra competitve machinery too.
I use 1 front tyre every 18 months, 2 rears a year, brake pads... what the feck are they?? 1 chain a year. Brake fluid and oil changes??? WTF?? Don't do enough miles to warrant it.....
..........and........ we have more Hp than your superbikes too!!! We're allowed 1300cc!!! Why settle for anything less???

It just leaves ya extra money for travel and accommodation, beer and debauchery................

[wharfy]

If money wasn't a concern (like I won lotto : ) Yeah I'd do it, I'd be fuckn slow but hey SOMEONE has to come last

I probably wouldn't do the nats though - way to slow for that just get in the way.

[CHOPPA]

But does that not depend on weather you wish to be competitive or not??

I dont think its an excuse - more a reality. If I could run a one litre and do it as cheap as what it costs me to run my 400 - then obviously I would. But reality is, thats not possible. Even just in the tyre dept. Or perhaps you just dont realise how smaller budget some people have to run on.

You guys are agreeing with me in a sense, the reason behind it is not the money but the fact your gonna get beaten. Whats wrong with an older apparently uncompetitive bike? Do you think you would be able to win if you were on a new bike?

You dont have to have new tyres, the tyres im running in oz are as hard as fuck, i did a full practice day on stock suspension running good lap times and at the end of the day they were fine. I actually used them the next day for practice and qualifying and i sold them for $300au cause they still were mint for a road tyre.

[CHOPPA]

BTW im not saying to all the F3 riders go race superbike lol I think all the other classes are really good but if you really want to race superbike theres always a way. Theres heaps of threads on here complaining that superbike is too expensive. It doesnt have to be at club level and if there were more 1000cc bikes then its more likely that they will add a pre 2000 class to run combined as so many want. They aint gonna make a new class and say oh all you guys that said you wanted this can race now cause those people are full of shite

[Deano]

You guys are agreeing with me in a sense, the reason behind it is not the money but the fact your gonna get beaten.

For me it is simply the cost - refer my earlier post with my costs for the SV650. I would use at least twice as many tyres on a thou.

I don't race my CBR thou cause it's my baby and I don't want to risk binning it.

I know I would get beaten but I reckon I would do alright on a thou.

[Clivoris]

Great thread Chop. I can't get my hollow head around a (old and uncompetitive) 600 yet so I can't even contemplate racing a Superbike. Part of me would love to but I think the chickenitis will bite hard first.

[Shaun P]

I would only consider superstock 1000 funded primarily by myself again, main reason being cost and availability of slicks.

[CHOPPA]

For me it is simply the cost - refer my earlier post with my costs for the SV650. I would use at least twice as many tyres on a thou.

I don't race my CBR thou cause it's my baby and I don't want to risk binning it.

I know I would get beaten but I reckon I would do alright on a thou.

Yeah i hear ya, someone in your situation would cost more because you have the ability to out ride a sub standard thou... But.... I might even try prove my theory at testing next friday cause ill be testing on my ozzy rubber, but if you run these road compound tyres they arnt too much of a disadvantage and they would last 3 rounds so 2 sets over the whole series and you wouldnt need wets*

Apart from the tyre situation i really dont see how a 1000cc bike cost more then an sv and there is an answer to the tyre argument. Personally id rather run a thou on the harder tyre then ride an sv would be good to see you on a thou! You were f*cken fast at that hillclimb, maybe you should see tony about some fairings or something

[Deano]

Yeah i hear ya, someone in your situation would cost more because you have the ability to out ride a sub standard thou... But.... I might even try prove my theory at testing next friday cause ill be testing on my ozzy rubber, but if you run these road compound tyres they arnt too much of a disadvantage and they would last 3 rounds so 2 sets over the whole series and you wouldnt need wets*

Apart from the tyre situation i really dont see how a 1000cc bike cost more then an sv and there is an answer to the tyre argument. Personally id rather run a thou on the harder tyre then ride an sv would be good to see you on a thou! You were f*cken fast at that hillclimb, maybe you should see tony about some fairings or something

Cheers bro - appreciate that.

I reckon I'll get there one day in the not too distant future...maybe a couple of years.

[DEATH_INC.]

You guys are agreeing with me in a sense, the reason behind it is not the money but the fact your gonna get beaten.

No, it's simply the money for me. I can't afford a bucket budget, let alone F1...
I raced the old SRAD for a bit, I think I got 2nd to last at manfield most of the time, when I didn't crash....after the first round I knew there was no chance of a good finish...

Whats wrong with an older apparently uncompetitive bike?

When you're a competitive person, it's massively frustrating having guys you know you can outride blast past you on all the straight bits....

Do you think you would be able to win if you were on a new bike?

Maybe not win, but I think I could run near the sharp end...

[CHOPPA]

No, it's simply the money for me. I can't afford a bucket budget, let alone F1...
I raced the old SRAD for a bit, I think I got 2nd to last at manfield most of the time, when I didn't crash....after the first round I knew there was no chance of a good finish...

WELL ITS CERTAINLY MORE EXPENSIVE THEN NOT RACING LOL

When you're a competitive person, it's massively frustrating having guys you know you can outride blast past you on all the straight bits....

YES TRUE BUT ITS FUN AS WELL, I RACED A 600 IN F1 LAST YEAR

Maybe not win, but I think I could run near the sharp end...

If you can run at the pointy end on a good bike then on a $10k bike with hard tyres you could as well. Thats all it cost to set up my k7 superstock bike, also i have a 180hp k7 in race trim for 10k over here. Thats about the same price as a half decent sv. Still thats more then a bucket hahaha

[brads]

Im not sure I buy into all this about tyres being the main reason SBK is to expensive,last year I did 2 club days,1 track day and half a day of friday practice at teretonga on 1 set of tyres,aound 80 laps all up,soft front,medium rear,the left overs from the nats are going to be used up during the winter series where the conditions are going to be colder so times will be slower,no point in tearing up new tyres if your not going to gain from it,just have to use your head.Yes the top guys in most classes change there tyres every race(during the nats),doesnt mean everyone has to,problem is, people think to stay competitive you have to,but are they competitve to start with?