Want to get back on the track & looking for advice

[6 Fingered Man]

Hi,

I have a lot of track days under my belt, a couple light twin races and in a previous life I owned a race shop. I now have a family and no budget. What i do have is bikes. In the basement sits a "cafe racer" style modified 1973 cb350-4, a 2001 cr250r and a 2004 yz250 with an REP motor. I am trying to figure out a way to get back on the the track with what i have and without investing $$$. In my experience racing is f****** expensive so I'm looking to you guys for some out of the box thinking. I have thought of motarding the YZ but the wheelset and brakes are not exactly inexpensive. The Honda CB seems the logical choice but it's a four, not the best track bike and parts are hard to come by. It's not in the budget to buy an EX500 or an SV. It may be there is no solution but any ideas will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

The Six Fingered Man
____________________
Kill the giant and the dark one, leave the third for questioning.

[GixerJockey]

Sell one of the dirt bikes to Dan. I'm sure he'll buy one of them. He's probably read this thread and decided which one he wants.

Take the money he gives you and buy and Ex or Gen 1 Sv and come do some track days.

Problem solved...

[butcher bergs]

Sell the 2 dirt machines and the CB. Take that cash and find a race machine.

[BLACK SQUIRREL]

No More bikes.

Sell the Cb350 Get a EX500 or sell The cr as well and get a cheap SV. Keep the Yamaha Cause 2 strokes rock

[Doc]

Race the 350 in vintage.

[6 Fingered Man]

Problem is, Dan already knows what bike he wants (the Honda) but will never buy it because he can ride em for free any time he wants (he has a key to my house and truck) and this way I pay for his crashes. Also I cant sell the dirt bikes they get 100 hrs a summer easy and another 50 a winter.

Race the 350 in vintage.

That was where I was leaning (pun intended). Does any one race 350-fours? If so are there used cheap parts available? Not a $300 set of rear sets but some cheap stuff to get in on the track? I know the twins are the vintage racer of choice.

[TheIglu]

EX.

You'll put WAY more than the cost of a fully raced prepped EX into that old CB just getting it onto the track, nevermind making it so it'll do it again and again.

[hammadown]

EX.

You'll put WAY more than the cost of a fully raced prepped EX into that old CB just getting it onto the track, nevermind making it so it'll do it again and again.

+1, given what you have, you'll spend more getting any of these track ready and staying track ready than getting an ex. Cheap and track do not go together as you know, but an ex will be about as good as it gets in your situation.

[6 Fingered Man]

Time to think about another bike, my wife will be very mad.... I'm going to have to put some thought into this. My buddy Dan (Dan K on this forum) just went through finding an ex and its going to end up costing him $1500, I will need to find one in someones basement with a rod sticking through the case and a front wheel embedded in the headers to be able to fit it in my price range but at least then the money goes out little by little and the wife does not notice....... If you know of one let me know.

[BLACK SQUIRREL]

Time to think about another bike, my wife will be very mad.... I'm going to have to put some thought into this. My buddy Dan (Dan K on this forum) just went through finding an ex and its going to end up costing him $1500, I will need to find one in someones basement with a rod sticking through the case and a front wheel embedded in the headers to be able to fit it in my price range but at least then the money goes out little by little and the wife does not notice....... If you know of one let me know.

Its Ok To not be able to afford to race. If you cant swing 1500 For a bike you might want to Try for next year.

Trackday your 350 and enjoy it. One thing always goes wrong racing that one thing is usally everything. Racing an EX can be "cheaper" but it will still never be "cheap"

[Doc]

http://burlington.craigslist.org/mcy/1042896183.html

[a13x]

-jro- races Vintage on a CB360. Seems like a fun / easy-going club.

[6 Fingered Man]

Its Ok To not be able to afford to race. If you cant swing 1500 For a bike you might want to Try for next year.

Trackday your 350 and enjoy it. One thing always goes wrong racing that one thing is usally everything. Racing an EX can be "cheaper" but it will still never be "cheap"

Good point from a logistical standpoint. From a reality standpoint watching your buddy get ready to go racing and you get that sinking feeling in you stomach thinking about puling onto the track right hand at throttle lock coming up to speed ready to set'er into 1 and its hard to accept its just not your time to get back out there, but it is what it is.

I will keep my eye out for a basket case EX I can try to get ready for a year from now. One thing I have going for me is a fully functional shop in my basement left over from shutting down my real shop a few years back.

[6 Fingered Man]

http://burlington.craigslist.org/mcy/1042896183.html

It does not get any better than that thing, I emailed him again $1000 out of my range but I will try and work out a deal. I'm an IT guy and everyone needs computers and laptops

["Dangerous" Dan K]

It does not get any better than that thing, I emailed him again $1000 out of my range but I will try and work out a deal. I'm an IT guy and everyone needs computers and laptops

Doesn't hurt that you were also offering an Xbox360, a Fender Guitar, and just about anything else you could think of

[6 Fingered Man]

Reminds me of my the old days. The I will sell every thing I own to make it to the track days.... Maybe this is not such a good idea.

[Doc]

It does not get any better than that thing, I emailed him again $1000 out of my range but I will try and work out a deal. I'm an IT guy and everyone needs computers and laptops

I'll even GLADLY go look at it and talk to the guy about it for you.

PM me.

["Dangerous" Dan K]

Reminds me of my the old days. The will sell every thing I own to make it to the track days.... Maybe this is not such a good idea.

It's a great idea. You don't play the guitar often, don't play the xbox that often, and computers are a dime a dozen to you. You're guaranteed to get way more time out of the bike (especially considering good times spent chillin in your shop messin with the bikes, which I'm always down for) than you will out of the xbox & the guitar. It's not like you're selling your truck or any of Wes's Hess trucks. Dooooooo itttttttttttt!

[Pittenger5]

What kind of guitar

[BLACK SQUIRREL]

What kind of guitar

[Doc]

Did someone say Cheap Xbox?

[Pittenger5]

What kind of guitar

Did someone say Cheap Xbox?

And the vultures swoop in for the kill

[6 Fingered Man]

What kind of guitar

White Fender Telecaster, Crate amp Will Trade for P.O.S race bike. Laptops Anyone?

["Dangerous" Dan K]

And the vultures swoop in for the kill

Haha... no shit! I like where this is going though, from what I hear half you guys have project bikes lying around, and he's got a bunch of good shit for trade.

[Pittenger5]

White Fender Telecaster, Crate amp Will Trade for P.O.S race bike. Laptops Anyone?

Teles make me want to punch an infant.