VT Pitbike racing

[Baggey22]

Since the Super Cycle Showcase thread has been turned into the pitbike racing thread I thought I'd start a new one.
At the showcase Doc had his pitbikes, everyone liked them and now wants to get into racing them.
My question (mostly to Doc) how often, expensive, practical, etc is pitbike racing? Like if three or four of us got pitbikes how often would we go? How much would it cost us like "per race"? Where can we go to race?

Discuss. . .

[Doc]

I did this a couple years ago. (or was it last year?)

I have an in at a Track in Barre. It is $50 a person for the track ALL DAY. I had it scheduled for once a month but we could do more. (or less)

[NobodySpecific]

I did this a couple years ago. (or was it last year?)

I have an in at a Track in Barre. It is $50 a person for the tracl ALL DAY. I had it scheduled for once a month but we could do more. (or less)

My question (mostly to Doc) how often, expensive, practical, etc is pitbike racing?

As in, how much does it cost to get the street rims/tires, what other mods need to be done to convert a stock XR70/XR100 to pit bike racer? How much is this going to cost from empty garage to true pit bike racer? You gave a bunch of links, but they all had dirt tires and weren't set up for pit bike racing, so there are obviously some additional expenses.

[Doc]

http://www.nestreetriders.com/forum/...s-vermont.html

http://www.nestreetriders.com/forum/...nt-2009-a.html

http://www.nestreetriders.com/forum/...th-2008-a.html

http://www.nestreetriders.com/forum/...ke-racing.html

[Baggey22]

Also what is a good starting platform for a pitbike? I know next to nothing about tiny dirt bikes.

[Doc]

As in, how much does it cost to get the street rims/tires, what other mods need to be done to convert a stock XR70/XR100 to pit bike racer? How much is this going to cost from empty garage to true pit bike racer? You gave a bunch of links, but they all had dirt tires and weren't set up for pit bike racing, so there are obviously some additional expenses.

You can get Pitbikes set up with tires and rims for the same money you just have to look.

Some of the threads I just posted have some great info.

Where were you guys in 2009? I had an extra bike and everything!

[Baggey22]

Parker and I had just started coming to Bike Night in late 2009. Our first one was the first week of August.

And buying a "built" pitbike isn't as much fun (in my mind) as building it up yourself.

[Doc]

Also what is a good starting platform for a pitbike? I know next to nothing about tiny dirt bikes.

Depends on who you ask.

I would buy one before I built one.

Thumpstar, Orion, Pitster Pro, SSR are a good start.

For the track we run, no bigger than 14 inch tires are what works best (imho)

I have heard some people have run XR100's with 17's but I can't imagine they corner all that great.

[NobodySpecific]

You can get Pitbikes set up with tires and rims for the same money you just have to look.

Some of the threads I just posted have some great info.

Where were you guys in 2009? I had an extra bike and everything!

I'm still don't actually have the money, so for me so I'm just looking for info at this point (damn, houses are expensive), though I could probably store anybody's pitbike should they need space.

[Doc]

Parker and I had just started coming to Bike Night in late 2009. Our first one was the first week of August.

And buying a "built" pitbike isn't as much fun (in my mind) as building it up yourself.

Building it yourself will cost more. Mine has $1300 in the tranny alone!

I started with a Thumpstar.




Even Had a lil crf50 that Bill got his knee down on for the 1st time...



Put the YSR on the track too.



Vid of Bill at the track.
http://s114.photobucket.com/albums/n...t=DSCF3966.flv

I couldn't get Mark off the damn thing!

[Doc]

Ken (on a 2 stroke) and Kosta on my Old thumpstar.

[Baggey22]

From the video and the pictures I feel like it would be a lot more fun if more people were there.
So buying one "built" what needs to be done to a bike? Like if you find a little 80CC bike what needs to be done to make it pitbike worthy besides "street" tires?

[butcher bergs]

Now I HAVE to get mine finished!

Got one of those Chinese jobbies that is going thru a bit of a transformation at the moment. They did some weird things when designing it....things like right side chain drive even though it already has the "industry standard" left side chain drive engine. Glad to discover that the conversion is quite simple....$12 for a real rear rim. Of course there are some go-fast goodies going on as well. Thing should screw along just fine once the transformation is complete.

Any of this take place during the weekends?

[Doc]

Now I HAVE to get mine finished!

Got one of those Chinese jobbies that is going thru a bit of a transformation at the moment. They did some weird things when designing it....things like right side chain drive even though it already has the "industry standard" left side chain drive engine. Glad to discover that the conversion is quite simple....$12 for a real rear rim. Of course there are some go-fast goodies going on as well. Thing should screw along just fine once the transformation is complete.

Any of this take place during the weekends?

Always on the weekends. Hasn't happened this year due to life and nobody with Pitbikes to run with.

[Doc]

From the video and the pictures I feel like it would be a lot more fun if more people were there.
So buying one "built" what needs to be done to a bike? Like if you find a little 80CC bike what needs to be done to make it pitbike worthy besides "street" tires?

It is more fun with more people... Get a pitbike!

Get this and $100 in tires and you are good to go.

http://nh.craigslist.org/mcy/1868071400.html

[markbvt]

I think the trick to getting people into this is going to be to make it as cheap as possible. For example, if we don't find a place to ride for free, I won't do it because $50 per session is kind of expensive. I know it's not much for a track day, but $50 is 1000 miles worth of gas for the V-Strom.

That's why I like the idea of riding around an office park on a weekend. Plus that way we can make the course a little bigger and more interesting... and we don't have to drive all the way to Graniteville.

Setting up a dirt/grass pit bike track and leaving knobbies on the bikes would be fun too. Just need to figure out where to do it.

I know I'd be more willing to make the initial investment in a pit bike if I knew the only further expenses would be gas and maintenance. I expect other people probably feel the same.

--mark

[Baggey22]

There's a camp ground in Hyde Park that has go-karts. Maybe they would let us use their track.

[butcher bergs]

Turns out I don't have a "pit" bike....it's a "pocket" bike. Apparently there's a difference.

What ever the case, I'll be placing an order with these guys tomorrow. Not sure what size the 50cc-type dirty bikes use but the pricing at that website seems pretty decent....and if you call you get to talk to human PEOPLE!

Doc - Are pocket bikes accepted at this venue?

[Doc]

I think the trick to getting people into this is going to be to make it as cheap as possible. For example, if we don't find a place to ride for free, I won't do it because $50 per session is kind of expensive. I know it's not much for a track day, but $50 is 1000 miles worth of gas for the V-Strom.

That's why I like the idea of riding around an office park on a weekend. Plus that way we can make the course a little bigger and more interesting... and we don't have to drive all the way to Graniteville.

Setting up a dirt/grass pit bike track and leaving knobbies on the bikes would be fun too. Just need to figure out where to do it.

I know I'd be more willing to make the initial investment in a pit bike if I knew the only further expenses would be gas and maintenance. I expect other people probably feel the same.

--mark

Could be Mark. But for $50 you get a paved, taken care of track with elevation changes, run off and medical people on hand. Plus you don't have to worry about pissing people off with the noise and there is No gravel or sand on the track. 1 hour away is not all that far.

Free is good, but there is a liability to the property owner if someone is hurt on his property. Hence my "stunt spot" not taking off just yet. Needing to work something out with the property owner is the biggest issue. This track carries insurance and has you sign legal waivers and stuff. I think $50 is a good deal, I might be able to get a group rate if we get enough people interested, but until then...

If you want to set something up in a more local parking lot with the owners permission I am there!

[Doc]

Turns out I don't have a "pit" bike....it's a "pocket" bike. Apparently there's a difference.

What ever the case, I'll be placing an order with these guys tomorrow. Not sure what size the 50cc-type dirty bikes use but the pricing at that website seems pretty decent....and if you call you get to talk to human PEOPLE!

Doc - Are pocket bikes accepted at this venue?

Yes Bergs you can come up with your pocketbike. You will get SMOKED but you can run what you brung... If I even do a date this year.

I have one of these too.

[Doc]

There's a camp ground in Hyde Park that has go-karts. Maybe they would let us use their track.

That would be interesting. How big is it?

[butcher bergs]

Yes Bergs you can come up with your pocketbike. You will get SMOKED but you can run what you brung...

We did this once already, Doc.




I will get my bike together and am a definite once the bike is proven.

[Doc]

We did this once already, Doc.




I will get my bike together and am a definite once the bike is proven.

I am just saying the pocket bikes are SLOW compared to the mini motards.

[markbvt]

Could be Mark. But for $50 you get a paved, taken care of track with elevation changes, run off and medical people on hand. Plus you don't have to worry about pissing people off with the noise and there is No gravel or sand on the track. 1 hour away is not all that far.

Free is good, but there is a liability to the property owner if someone is hurt on his property. Hence my "stunt spot" not taking off just yet. Needing to work something out with the property owner is the biggest issue. This track carries insurance and has you sign legal waivers and stuff. I think $50 is a good deal, I might be able to get a group rate if we get enough people interested, but until then...

If you want to set something up in a more local parking lot with the owners permission I am there!

I definitely understand all your points. Still, it's hard to make the argument to spend $1000 or whatever on a bike and then $50 each time you want to use it. Especially when you can just go for a nice street ride for the cost of gas.

I'm thinking it might be easier to find a dirt track to use, especially if we limit it to an invite-only VTBN/NESR group. For example, a friend of mine has been building some trails on his property; maybe he'd be willing to let us set up a trail that could double as a track.

If we could find one or two other locations as well, we could probably manage to have two or three sessions a month and actually get our money's worth from the bikes we've bought/built.

And we could always have informal impromptu gatherings in certain parking lots -- not races, but "practice" sessions, just like someone might go practice driving in an empty parking lot. If we limit this to the core group, we ought to be able to avoid attracting attention.

--mark

[Kitt]

i have a ysr 50 and ysr 80 kicking around