[l3uddha]

I'm toying with the idea of getting my GS500 fixed up for sale to make some room for some sort of two stroke GP bike. I don't really know anything about them, except that they need rebuilds more often...

so there's basically 125s and 250s right? what kind of power difference is there between the two? do 125s have any chance against a 250, so if I got a 125 I could run more classes?

What kind of options are there for GP bikes???


I'm also thinking of checking out the vintage racing, and I believe the cutoff year is 1985, not positive though. jro was telling me that there's only like 5 people on the starting grid when they go out lol. Any good bikes that come to mind???

[BLACK SQUIRREL 441]

Get a Street Based Model Aprilla or NSR the tend to need less Work ect.

Paul from motomarket is thinking of selling his aprilla

[l3uddha]

Originally Posted by Mongoose441

Get a Street Based Model Aprilla or NSR the tend to need less Work ect.

Paul from motomarket is thinking of selling his aprilla

hmmmm you don't say

[35racer]

I did 4 years of racing on a Yamaha TZ250.

Tons of fun, and while they are maintenance intensive compared to a 4 stroke, they make the bike so easy to work on that it's no biggie.

Personally, I enjoyed the "bonding" of both wrenching and riding. After a race weekend my bike would go up on the work table, stripped down and gone over in detail. To me, this was fun. Bodywork comes off in 10 seconds. Motor could be out in 5 minutes. Clutch swapped in 3 minutes. Internal transmission ratios could be changed in 10 minutes!

Point being... don't hear "maintenance" and think streetbike where it takes 30 minutes just to get the bodywork all off.

So.. if you enjoy working on bikes, then I say go for it. If you want something that's gas and go, then stay away or the lack of maintenance will come back and bite you... possibly at the end of the fastest section on the track!

[joncone]

Originally Posted by 35racer

If you want something that's gas and go, then stay away or the lack of maintenance will come back and bite you... possibly at the end of the fastest section on the track!

I race an Aprilia RS250 and a Honda RS250. Although I am not at Loudon this year, opting instead to do the USGPRU which is a dedicated two-stroke GP racing series. But I will be back next year if they run Aprilias in the 125 class.

The Aprilias are very much gas and go bikes compared to the GP bikes. An Aprilia RS250 did a 1:16 at Loudon (Chris Bruno). The Aprilia will need pistons only after a race season. A crank maybe every two seasons... The Honda and TZ will need more pistons and cranks - but they also have tremendous weight/hp ratio over the Aprilia.

We keep hoping that LRRS will let the Aprilias race with the 125 class. Maybe next year! This would be a totally competitive and close race as Aprilias are very difficult to get too much HP out of, yet can be ridden to their absolute maximum edge by most riders.

Either way you will love 2-stroke rush of running above 8500 in the tiny zone of power - and the corner speed is significant because of the stability of the motor.

[Tricky Mike]

Is there a "fat guy" weight cutoff for a 250?
If so, about how much?

[Paul_E_D]

You'd have to ask Tony about that... ZING!

[BMFR6]

paul 1
tony 0
ouch

[Evil_Weasel]

my only tip is make sure you spend the $$$ to buy the best condition bike with as many spares as possible. sorting a neglected 2 stroke can be a long and expensive process, and so can amassing the neccesary spares to keep them track ready.

they are fun to ride and, easy to work on though.

[SilverDragon]

Originally Posted by Evil_Weasel

my only tip is make sure you spend the $$$ to buy the best condition bike with as many spares as possible. sorting a neglected 2 stroke can be a long and expensive process, and so can amassing the neccesary spares to keep them track ready.

they are fun to ride and, easy to work on though.

Some good points, but since bikes like mine need a new bottom end every 1200 miles, the engine is like new each season. There is definitely a bundle to be spent on spares, but every race bike needs spare wheels and rains so I can't really count those as 2 stroke stuff. I've had some recent electrical gremlins, some I've conquered, some I have just been introduced to. I ended up spending less than $200 to get spares of most every sensor and wire related thing on the entire bike. Easy to work on for sure. I can say that because I just spent half the weekend sorting out my newly rebuilt engine.

1995 Honda RS125
$200 top end (every 300 mi)
$700 bottom end (every 1200 mi)

$45 fuel (VP C12)
$20 premix oil (Castrol A747)
$240 tires, 2-3 sets per year (I'm slow)
$60 brake pads every 2-3 weekends (I'm still slow)

I have lots of engine spares, a few body spares, chassis parts, gearing, etc, but no one thing cost enough to surprise me.

Paul persuaded me to buy a GP bike over an SV when I was thinking of getting into racing. I'm glad he did. Of course I have had my issues with it and parts break, but I have a decent sized list of reasons to do it:

-is just a blast to ride
-the camaraderie of GP riders/willingness to help sort out issues
-(mostly) evenly matched machinery makes close racing
-easy to work on
-the smell!
-bonding Tony cited
-character; a true GP machine

Verdict:
Even including my DNF mechanical this weekend, I still think the good far outweighs the bad. Do it.

[Tricky Mike]

did you sell that back up priller 250 you had for sale?