Ducati Sporting Club UK > Sport > Race > Race Bike

[WeeJohnyB]

Agree with you 100% Kev, I know from experience as you are well aware. Race bikes go down a lot and my CB500 and Monty's TZ250 are no exceptions, we've spent hours until last light and back up first light begging, borrowing and making bits to repair bikes in order to get someone out for the next race, but they TEND to be fixed to a decent standard as they are going to be raced again and racers know the bike has to be right as it's going far closer to it's limit than any Sunday morning blast on the road and aside from the danger factor, you are not going to go very quickly on a bike with bent subframe, swing arm, yolks, forks, frame etc.

My view is based on helping someone (TP) come into racing for the first time and I personally don't think I would buy a crashed 996 road bike and spend time and money fixing it and then turning it into a race bike when I could buy something already completely prepared, even if it has been crashed. For example, I'd rather buy my crashed/repaired CB500 than a crashed CB500 road bike out of MCN.....just my opinion.

Oh and TZ....cheap......never heard that in the same sentence before unless it's "does anyone have any cheap bits for a TZ we can borrow" to which the answer is "you poor sweet innocent child you....get your cheque book out".

The trouble with this racing lark is we always want more - the bikes underpowered, doesn't handle well, I need the latest gismo titanium addition thingy like the other boys at school - it's a money pit if you let it be that way. Single model series are the way to go if you want to try it, like the CB's, Hornets or SV's - in theory everyones on the same bike and it's down to rider skill. Of course rider skill counts the most in the big expensive classes as well, but so does throwing £000's at it - take the 600 series, I've just bought and ex race CBR6 with a lot of trick bits on it but it's only 105bhp - there are talented guys doing mid/upper field on near stock bikes, but the boys at the front have talent and another 30bhp and full Ohlins forks etc - now if I had the money, maybe my opinion would be completely different eh

WeeJohnyB

[Edited on 21-7-2004 by WeeJohnyB]

[skidlids]

My current R6 race bike, 916Bip road bike (raced at Thruxton the other week and trackdayed at Cadwell) my old TL1000S used for road and race, last years TT bike another R6, my Fireblade that I raced and this years TT spare ZXR400 all came from breakers. And all have been simple to sort out/rebuild. Its best to try and pick up a CAT D or C still with the V5.
If a crashed bike comes from a breakers with Bent forks it is reflected in the price which should also allow for the other damaged parts.
With 916 USD Show forks going for £150 its not worth trying to sort out bent ones and the same applies to wheels etc.

Also I have seen a few bodged together race bikes tarted up with new fibreglass to help them see. Brake banjo bolts used as calliper mounting bolts on a R1, luckily noticed before its new owner took it anywhere near a track. I would rather see any damage for myself and then decide to buy it or not than buy Mutton dressed as Lamb

And WJB you're right TZ and Cheap is a strange concept

[TP]

Originally posted by skidlids
And WJB you're right TZ and Cheap is a strange concept

I stand well and truly corrected on the TZ price issue!

I had assumed that they would be cheaper to run than something like an 99*RS or even standard 99* I should know better really, I remember the spray I got from my platoon Sargeant about making assumptions once - still makes me shiver.

Thanks guys.

[AndyVR6]

Originally posted by tp-996

Even if she is I may decide to buy a TZ or something and go racing on the 'cheap' (I guess it's a relative term when it concerns racing!)

Now then, a TZR is cheap (as in the parallel twin Bemsee Yamaha Past Masters class), a TZ is anything but! The TZ is a high maintenance pukka race-bike.

I've little to add to WJB's wise words but, TP, if you fancy something similar to the Duc, in the same race-class as the Duc (rather than a £1.5-2k racebike in a different class) then try a Mille. I've a pal who's just put up his Bemsee-podium-winning (with him on it) Mille for around £3k. Milles make a lot of sense as race and trackday bikes, and there are plenty around (pre-prepared) because of the MRO Mille-challenge class.

Andy



Andy

[Monty]

I may decide to buy a TZ or something and go racing on the 'cheap'

You poor innoccent child-I shall be able to bore you silly all weekend about racing a "cheap" TZ250-but it has to be said that once sampled forever smitten. There is absolutely NOTHING like a GP250 when it's going right, just writing about the 'wee beastie' as Johnny B calls her is making me twitchy. After a TZ250 everything else is just a street bike-including Duke's.
I bought mine as a trackday bike on the basis that I paid £2000 for her and it would cost me that to fix a lowside on the ST4S-no cheap track fairings available for them see.
Yes you do have to keep on top of the maintenance, mines a 'V' twin on which the maintenance schedule isn't quite so aggressive as posted by Steve M.
Pistons and rings 300 miles-but they will last a lot longer £125 the pair
Small end 600 miles £20
Crank 1000-1500 miles, but again some people run them much longer-like 4000 miles! £300-£350
Fuel-hmmmm 18mpg at £7-£8 gallon (avgas and race oil)

I fully rebuilt mine before the season start, we are now more than half way through and she has done 300 miles including practice days and 100 miles on a track day so it's not too bad. Don't forget tyres, they can cost a heap especially running slicks, you need 3 sets of wheels so you can have slicks, inters, and wets all mounted, otherwise you spend all weekend running back and forth to the tyre man and mistakes get made in the rush-don't they John boy??
If you want an idea of running a 748RS Neil Spalding has a maintenance chart up on his site of the schedule-it frightened me-especially considering Ducati Corse part prices.

If this lot doesn't put you off take WJB up on his offer and ride the CB500-it's an absolute hoot to ride and the class is VERY competitive. Don't worry about crashing it-it's only worth about £20! Sorry WJB, couldn't resist.

John

[Edited on 21-7-2004 by Monty]

[skidlids]

jim at Bike enders Now has the 996S (£4000) and 999BP (£5950) for sale on Ebay, Either would make a ideal track tool, if you didn't want to ride it on the road you could sell off a few of the bits to put towards race bodywork etc.

[TP]

Ok, so let me get this straight then because I'm a little confused. TZ's aren't cheap to race then? Ok ok, I get it!

Thanks for the tips skidlids - I like the idea of those two bikes. Hopefull something like that will be around when the time comes.

[AndyVR6]

Originally posted by tp-996
Ok, so let me get this straight then because I'm a little confused. TZ's aren't cheap to race then? Ok ok, I get it!

Hehe. There's a chap down the road from you, TP, who's retired now but got as far as being Bemsee GP250 champion in a long and illustrious amateur racing career. His year 2000 TZ250 cost £20k new, it ran on Elf racing fuel at £7 per litre, requiring a fairly skilled mechanic at every race-meeting (and in between) to keep it on song. He races a Caterham these days and it's probably a lot cheaper!

Andy

[TP]

Right - I'll definitely be wanting a cheaper form of racing than that.!

Maybe pushbikes ....

[Steve M]

Originally posted by tp-996
Right - I'll definitely be wanting a cheaper form of racing than that.!

Maybe pushbikes ....

Do they still race MZ's (and they really did - ETZ250's)

[Edited on 21-7-2004 by STEVE M]