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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. . .
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)
Last edited by Doc; 08-06-10 at 02:43 PM.
"I'd rather ride a slow bike fast than a fast bike slow"
Bikes: Ducati: 748 (Track) Honda: RC31 (Race/street)/ CRF 110 Mini Moto/ Hawk Endurance Racer Kawasaki: ZXR1200R
BOMO Instructor
EX# X
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.Originally Posted by Baggey
Last edited by Doc; 08-02-10 at 08:35 PM.
"I'd rather ride a slow bike fast than a fast bike slow"
Bikes: Ducati: 748 (Track) Honda: RC31 (Race/street)/ CRF 110 Mini Moto/ Hawk Endurance Racer Kawasaki: ZXR1200R
BOMO Instructor
EX# X
"I'd rather ride a slow bike fast than a fast bike slow"
Bikes: Ducati: 748 (Track) Honda: RC31 (Race/street)/ CRF 110 Mini Moto/ Hawk Endurance Racer Kawasaki: ZXR1200R
BOMO Instructor
EX# X
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.
Last edited by Doc; 08-06-10 at 02:44 PM.
"I'd rather ride a slow bike fast than a fast bike slow"
Bikes: Ducati: 748 (Track) Honda: RC31 (Race/street)/ CRF 110 Mini Moto/ Hawk Endurance Racer Kawasaki: ZXR1200R
BOMO Instructor
EX# X
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!
![]()
"I'd rather ride a slow bike fast than a fast bike slow"
Bikes: Ducati: 748 (Track) Honda: RC31 (Race/street)/ CRF 110 Mini Moto/ Hawk Endurance Racer Kawasaki: ZXR1200R
BOMO Instructor
EX# X
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?
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?
"I'd rather ride a slow bike fast than a fast bike slow"
Bikes: Ducati: 748 (Track) Honda: RC31 (Race/street)/ CRF 110 Mini Moto/ Hawk Endurance Racer Kawasaki: ZXR1200R
BOMO Instructor
EX# X
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
"I'd rather ride a slow bike fast than a fast bike slow"
Bikes: Ducati: 748 (Track) Honda: RC31 (Race/street)/ CRF 110 Mini Moto/ Hawk Endurance Racer Kawasaki: ZXR1200R
BOMO Instructor
EX# X
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
'20 Triumph Tiger 900 Rally Pro / '19 Triumph Scrambler 1200 XE / '11 Triumph Tiger 800 XC / '01 Triumph Bonneville cafe
My ride reports: Missile silos, Labrador, twisties, and more
Bennington Triumph Bash, Oct 1-3, 2021
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?
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'd rather ride a slow bike fast than a fast bike slow"
Bikes: Ducati: 748 (Track) Honda: RC31 (Race/street)/ CRF 110 Mini Moto/ Hawk Endurance Racer Kawasaki: ZXR1200R
BOMO Instructor
EX# X
Last edited by Doc; 08-02-10 at 09:18 PM.
"I'd rather ride a slow bike fast than a fast bike slow"
Bikes: Ducati: 748 (Track) Honda: RC31 (Race/street)/ CRF 110 Mini Moto/ Hawk Endurance Racer Kawasaki: ZXR1200R
BOMO Instructor
EX# X
"I'd rather ride a slow bike fast than a fast bike slow"
Bikes: Ducati: 748 (Track) Honda: RC31 (Race/street)/ CRF 110 Mini Moto/ Hawk Endurance Racer Kawasaki: ZXR1200R
BOMO Instructor
EX# X
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
'20 Triumph Tiger 900 Rally Pro / '19 Triumph Scrambler 1200 XE / '11 Triumph Tiger 800 XC / '01 Triumph Bonneville cafe
My ride reports: Missile silos, Labrador, twisties, and more
Bennington Triumph Bash, Oct 1-3, 2021