Is anyone keen for Thunderbikes?
 

As in, actually going to do it?

I am very keen to do it but I can't afford to get a bike together for it, maybe towards the end of next year. If I do it the bike will be pretty special, based on a 1000DS. I'm sure the 2 valve afficionado's would really appreciate it.

What about you? What are the DSC racers that aren't in DD up to next year?

Not that I just want to talk racing or anything, clearly I'm not THAT shallow .... ;)

NO!!!

Have you done the ironing yet?

:P

Bugger! No!

I should do that ...

Probably too busy drinking :P

Too many lbs per bhp for me, I am afraid. I'd be looking for 3, maybe 3.5 at a stretch, but then the Buells would finish back of the pack. ;)

Anyways, Derby-Phoenix Thunderbikes suits me.

On what?

:D

A twin! What else!? :D


[Edited on 29-11-2005 by Felix]

Cagey bugger!

Wow, that sounds quite raw and raspy! It doesn't sound like a big capacity bike either ... could be my laptop speakers though.

You're getting warmer. :lol: No more clues until next year, though.

Bastid!!

:D

I could tell you TP-but then I'd have to kill you............I am sworn to silence-annoying isn't it??:lol:

John

HMMM
Is it a 450 twin??
:puzzled:

http://motoplanete.com/aprilia/RSV450.php

[Edited on 30-11-2005 by Scooter916]

trouble with entering Thunderbikes in its first year is you can't be sure if you have made the right choice, bit like fitting a Big Bore kit to a 583 Desmo Due and expecting it to be competitive with a 620 injection bike.

Better the known routes, like Sound of Thunder. Quite a few Ducati's about that can be raced at club level with out being over the top.
Dallas picked up a good bike at the end of this season for £5k, Garry Smith has a bike that has won this year and hasn't cost the earth. Ian Harrison (are you still about Ian) had a race wining bike in the form of his tweaked 998S, Deano has been wining races at North Glos on his 998R and Simon Knowlson did the odd outing on his 748RS including the one where he finished 2nd at Castle Combe in the SoT race.

Felix is building something a bit special as it seems is Tim Radley of Race Developments http://www.ngroadracing.org/phpBB2/v...=sound+thunder

As well as DD I hope to do the odd Minitwin round and if funds allow may have to go and mix it in the odd SoT race just to remind a few mates I'm still about

Hmm Kev - does that guy still race a CB500 in SOT at NG ?
I may come out to play if so - practice n all ;)

lin I think he may have been out a couple of times this year but now that they have Minitwins on the same grid he should be in that class unless he has been a bit radical with the bike.

Hope to do the NG practice weekend at the begining of the season, they also run the ACU training course that weekend, Senna3 did it last year.

Only worrying bit is the temperature I arrived there on Sunday morning to find Dallas and Senna3 recovering from a night in the van where the temp inside the van dropped to -4 degrees C

Been there done that Kev - One thing about Pembrey is when it's cold it's bloody cold!
Whens the practice ? - I practicing in Aus in Feb :D Think it may be slightly warmer there ;)

NG practice was the last weekend of Feb this year and will probably be around the same time next year.

Looks like NG maybe doing Cadwell on May 6th, so if it doesn't clash and I have the money then I may enter the Minitwin race.

Ok Kev - will check out NG website but looks like I can't make that as won't be back till March 3rd.

Will await more dates :)

I can see a mass defection from Dd the way things seem to be shapeing up.
we are most certainly looking at the possibility of doing it,using the 1000 ds as a base.
Butch

I think there will be a mass defection from a few classes if this one turns out like they say. Time will tell.

Nope, not enough power, and probably not sturdy enough for road racing. Currently, the engine has a rebuild schedule of 30 hours. And, they delayed its launch because of engine casting problems (so the rumours suggest). February at the earliest now. Nice engine, though.

Couldn't agree more, Kev. The biggest uncertainty, aside from the series even getting of the ground, is the clear objective to make Buells competitive. So, if you build yourself a nice 1000DS based race bike and you blow them away, they'll likely change the rules to make you less competitive. Not to my taste, really.

NG sounds like a nice paddock. Must make an effort to enter one of their races next year. Do they ever come north?

HMM very interesting, Does sound the dogs tho, the only thing I have seen and heard that would probably do well in thunderbikes is one of dave pearce (tigcraft) hybrids. One of his frames with rs250 geometry and a overbored tuned gpz500s motor in it. From what i recall it won plenty of sot races.
www.tigcraft.com
Glyn

You're getting warm, but you're not hot yet...........

John

The rules are following a formula that is already being run in the US and is quite competitive apparently. With the 1000DS being one of the front-runners I understand.

I don't think it will change much by the sounds of things nor will it fold after a year. There seems to be some support from dealerships etc as well, I spoke to the organiser yesterday.

You're such a tease! You and bloody Felix!

TP, I am sure you're right. I wasn't trying to knock the series. More choices can only be better.

Sorry I didn't mean to infer that you were. (after you sir, no after you ...)

I don't quite see myself as an evangelist for the series either, although it probably comes across that way. I just think it offers a competitive racing home for what I see as the flagship two valve Ducati, so some heritage style racing. It's kind of romantic I know but there you go.

Don't tell my wife I used that R word! She thinks I don't know what it means and it's cheaper if it stays that way!

You mean "R" as in romantic? I promise I won't tell her!:lol:

;)

Thanks mate :D

Having just seen Bemsee's provisional race dates I'm so glad we don't race with them. It's not very good unless you like Brands that is.
Their paddocks are going to be chocca with club and mro racing together :o

It's not all classes and it's not all of those dates as well. There are 14 dates and only 9 rounds so the real indication will be once the split is worked out.

I'm looking at it but it's a bit of a pipedream for me really ...

Felix isn't Cadwell far enough North, I think thats af far North as they go otherwise they stray into the Midlands with Donington and Darley moor

True - and when they let on about that I guess it will look different.
Bemsees made lots of changes for 06. Will be interesting to see how it works out.

Kev, Donington is just fine (as is Cadwell, of course). Let's see if I'll make it this year. Have they finalised their dates yet?

the May 6th date at Cadwell is when they are down to run the ACU juniors, for which dates have been announced for that series with the races run by several clubs. Other than that no other dates yet although a provisioal race calender should be announced soon

I'm entering Thunderbikes on one of my two 800ss bikes.

One will be in Minitwins spec for MRO, the other will be breathed on and seriously lightened for Thunderbikes. I was thinking of getting a 1000ss but, I'll sit tight for the time being to see how the series pans out before making that leap. The risk is that if the series folds then I'd be left with a bike in a racing dead end whereas, with the 800 I might be a bit short on power but, I'll still be eligible for Minitwins. And... the 800 would make a good development base for a 1000 in 2007 anyway.

So you've made the decision then, nice one.

I got the info pack last night, and the schedule is posted on visordown by Sarah Jordan.

There's two big holidays in there for Thunderbike riders.

Snetterton - 25th and 26th of March
Lydden Hill - 8th and 9th of April
Brands Hatch Indy - 13th and 14th of May
Croix en Tournois - 27th and 28th of May
2 Month Gap
Brands Hatch Indy - 29th and 30th July
2.5 Month Gap
Brands Hatch Indy - 14th and 15th of October
Snetterton - 28th and 29th of October

No Cadwell, no Brands GP, two HUGE gaps in the racing, 3 times at the Indy and two of those back to back and racing at the end of October? Hrmmmm I know Thunderbikes is the newbie class on the scene but IMO that is a very poor calendar. Very unimpressive.

I have to say that New Era have the variety and pic of the circuits for 06. There must be some serious issues with Bemsee/MRO to have dropped this far down the pecking order I would guess. Am I wrong?

If Thunderbikes did get an extra date you'd be praying for Cadwell!!

North Glos Sound of Thunder and Minitwins should get to race at
Thruxton, Silverstone, Donington, Brands Indy, Cadwell Full, Pembrey and Darley Moor which isn't a bad choice of circuits.
But still waiting for their provisional calender.

As for that Thunderbike schedule Snetterton and Lydden are tracks I can happily avoid doesn't leave much else does it just Brands Indy and the Coix Go-Kart track