Small bike - Big track

[Puppet]

Ptwins is the ex500 class. The EX's also regularly run LW Sportsman on Saturday. I think maybe GTL, too...

[Kurlon]

Ah, didn't look at Sportsman close enough, that makes sense. That narrows the field a bit then, I was thinking based on displacements that an older air cooled inline 4 might be a better machine, but it wouldn't be viable in as many classes. 'course if I consider PT I can ditch any thoughts of 'tuning' out the window.

[Honclfibr]

One does not 'tune' an EX500. One hits it with a hammer a few times before the race and hopes for the best.

[Kurlon]

Buh, I found cams, and bore kits, and I've got a die grinder with some carbide burrs that'd just love to have a go at the head... not to mention all the ways to redo the suspension...

[Honclfibr]

Look, you can't have it both ways. Either you want to mod your bike to hell, in which case you better have a lot of time and money and realize that you'll end up competing with guys that have even more time and money (or just money^2). Or you want to race on the cheap, which means limiting the modifications so that there's no advantage to dumping time and money into your racebike. There's no tinker class, where you can modify your bike with anything that you can find in the dumpster and that's it. It's one or the other.

[daviid]

theres no such thing as cheap racing haha i dont care what bike you're on...it just depends on how fast you want to go....money is speed

yeah there is. you have to look for it. search hard enough and you will find how much mysetup cost me.

[daviid]

... when this baby hits eighty-eight miles per hour... you're gonna see some serious shit.

PS, a sorted EX500 in Production Twins trim goes for about 1500 bucks. now THAT is some dirt cheap fun.

i got a ex500 for sale if your interested. pm me

[Fast_Eddie]

Thanks for the tip Eddie! Now, to prove how blind and unobservant I am... which one is Arcy?

Arcy was the guy with the 2 Polini 910's that kept breaking chains a few weeks back.

Arcy Kusari East Coast Kneedraggers Racing

[Kurlon]

Arcy was the guy with the 2 Polini 910's that kept breaking chains a few weeks back.

Arcy Kusari East Coast Kneedraggers Racing

Oh, ok, now I know who you're talking about... and now I know what ECK stands for on Chuck's shirts. : )

Seeing as I'm the impatient type, I think I'm going to toss an email his way just to see what happens. (How'd he hurt his shoulder btw? He do it at 106 or some where else?)

[RyanNicholson]

yeah there is. you have to look for it. search hard enough and you will find how much mysetup cost me.

well i was kinda already proven wrong on that statement....its still pretty true though for MW classes.

But, even for LW guys....it must still add up, its an addiction.... think of all the $$ spent annually to ride every race weekend, a couple track days, setting up the bike, gas, oil, beer, entries, food, parts, suspension, tires, etc..... it might be cheaper for LW guys but its still a decent amount of $$ overall i'm sure. Its not like drag races where you pay $10 and run all night. thats more what i was getting at.

but of course, its worth every penny

[Pittenger5]

Aside from bike costs, which on an EX are low, I still find myself dropping around 250 bucks a weekend, on entry fees, gate fees, food, gas, other things. Its certainly not cheap, but damn is it fun.

[RyanNicholson]

exactly, thats what i was getting at haha.... its not cheap no matter what you ride, some are just more expensive than others. but you're right....personally its my favorite place to spend my money

[Fast_Eddie]

Can someone give a rough estimate on what the fixed costs are for racing in one of the sport twin classes or some "shitty Mcbikefest" class at NHIS.

I know bikes can snap a crank or blow clutches, but I'm just looking at the fixed stuff like entries, fuel and tires.

[Honclfibr]

EX500: $1000-1500
Tires: $300-600 per season.
Race Entries: PTWN $50 GTL $70 LWSM $50 per entry x 8
Gate Fee: $25 x 8
Food: $25 - $100 per weekend depending on how much / where you eat x 8
Gas (bike): $20-30 per weekend x 8

Crashing on average has cost me about $50 in parts per crash.


So figure about $3000-4000 your first season and about $2000-3000 for successive seasons if you do every race weekend and race about 2 a weekend.

[McBiggity]

and i still have my fully set up ex500 for sale.
Brad(bmrider) has yet to get back to me after he looked at last week.

[Pittenger5]

Not counting bike and parts, I'm spending somewhere around 300-350 a weekend, between gas, races (3 per weekend), food, gate fees. Obviously there are a number of ways to save a few dollars here and there, like on food and stuff, the more you bring with you, etc. Obviously youd need somewhere to sleep, the Roof gets REAL expensive if you plan on doing it every weekend. I got a tent for the bed of my pickup that works well.

[Kurlon]

I know I can save on sleeping costs, got family 30mins away. I'm already used to the gas cost (car, not bike) from going to Sugarhill and 106 Race Park nearly every week. I can eat cheap...

You thinking of playing too now Eddie?

[Kurlon]

Kurlon, check with Arcy next time he races at 106. He might have a couple RS125's or 250 kicking around that he would rent for you a little cheaper than Penguin. I doubt he'll make the next one as he had a shoulder injury, But you could set up something for spring.

I fired off an email for fun. Who knows, maybe he's up for lending nearly complete strangers bikes to ride in anger for 3 days on a whim? (Not to mention my reading says RS125s in race conf aren't exactly well mannered bikes if you're not used to them... ::GULP!: If all he has to lend is an RS250, I'm thinking that'll likely be a bit too much bike for me, yes?

[Doc]

Hey Kurlon... I may know a guy with a Hawk GT.

It's a bike you can start on stock but build it to remain competative in ULSB.

[Fast_Eddie]

You thinking of playing too now Eddie?

I have been on the fence as far as big bikes are concerned. I've been running the numbers through my head at least twice a week for about a year now. I can't really afford to race, but a handful of trackdays and maybe a trip to Penguin could happen. When I finally start running NHIS, I think it's going to be bad, like a crack habit.

I have an SV650 with a bazillion miles on it sitting in my garage. It still runs like new and has a fairly new Pilot Power in the back, just in case. It needs a front tire, fork springs and maybe a cartridge emmulater to be ready for the track.

I need to change some of my gear to fit the rules better as well. My jacket is half textile and my Vega helmet isn't stickered, HARD spine protecter, etc.

[Pookie]

I fired off an email for fun. Who knows, maybe he's up for lending nearly complete strangers bikes to ride in anger for 3 days on a whim? (Not to mention my reading says RS125s in race conf aren't exactly well mannered bikes if you're not used to them... ::GULP!: If all he has to lend is an RS250, I'm thinking that'll likely be a bit too much bike for me, yes?

Hey Kurlon,

I still have one of my 250's left but a couple of people have just made offers for it so not able to lend it out. MCBiggity's EX would be a great bike to start on if your looking for a cheap light weight. He's a good guy, even though his bike is the wrong color. I'll catch up with you at 106 this weekend.

[Fast_Eddie]

I'll see you guys at the last Rte. 106 race. I converted my mini-motard back to the dirt setup for masters of minis this weekend.

[tonyd]

I have been on the fence as far as big bikes are concerned. I've been running the numbers through my head at least twice a week for about a year now. I can't really afford to race, but a handful of trackdays and maybe a trip to Penguin could happen. When I finally start running NHIS, I think it's going to be bad, like a crack habit.

I have an SV650 with a bazillion miles on it sitting in my garage. It still runs like new and has a fairly new Pilot Power in the back, just in case. It needs a front tire, fork springs and maybe a cartridge emmulater to be ready for the track.

I need to change some of my gear to fit the rules better as well. My jacket is half textile and my Vega helmet isn't stickered, HARD spine protecter, etc.

Eddie,
How many miles are on her now?
I did about 10 track days in the few years before I got into PocketBikes and it is a blast but falling off hurts alot more then on the little bikes. I have ridden an Ex500 (fun) and an Sv650 (funner) and a ZR750S (not so fun). But the whole reason I got into PBs was the cost. $225 per trackday ads up in a hurry. You can ride and entire season of mini's for $500 in entries.
Tony

[Kurlon]

Eddie,
How many miles are on her now?
I did about 10 track days in the few years before I got into PocketBikes and it is a blast but falling off hurts alot more then on the little bikes. I have ridden an Ex500 (fun) and an Sv650 (funner) and a ZR750S (not so fun). But the whole reason I got into PBs was the cost. $225 per trackday ads up in a hurry. You can ride and entire season of mini's for $500 in entries.
Tony

Tony, have you been to any of the 106 Race Park events? Good racing down there both on pocketbikes and pit bikes.

[ku996r]

Eddie, this is Carlton, I came up to 106 2 - 3 times this year and we met.

I started doing track days this year and have done about 5 days. Its very addictive, but also expensive as mentioned by others.

The few times I did mini-motard practice I enjoy it very much, but they are different from running big bikes on big track. I like them both.

Its best to try 1 track day to get a feel for yourself.