Ducati Sporting Club UK > Sport > Race > Race Bike

[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]