redkow97

I am probably out for next season, but I am currently looking at an old YZF600R street bike that would technically be class legal... If I end up with that in the garage, and find the motivation to rig up a belly pan and do all the requisite safety wiring, I'll come out and piss off some newbs on fully prepped "real" sportbikes for shits and giggles

we're getting away from the OP's original question though about doing a few months of traveling and wanting to bring bikes along. I keep going back to simplicity and cost. A van-based camper with the bikes on a small open trailer is going to be the absolute simplest. The open trailer will be small and light, and won't require trailer brakes. From what I was seeing, even pop-up campers weigh considerably more than 2 sportbikes on an open trailer. Especially if you get one with a water tank. A true toy hauler would be most luxurious, but also have the smallest resale market, and among the worst gas mileage. Sleeping in an enclosed trailer can be quite comfortable with minimal money invested, but that means unloading the bikes every time you want to sleep. It's something to consider. I know I have raved about the pit-bull TRS a lot on this board, but i'll plug it one more time. For an extended trip with lots of miles, it is well worth the peace of mind, and you can sell it for what you paid when your trip is over... So if you already have a truck, I say buy a small enclosed and set that up for a little comfort. If you don't, then a small open trailer and a camp van is probably the cheaper option.

the 650R really nails riding position for most of us. I remember reading about it when it was new, and the Kawasaki website talking about how they designed the bike around the rider. Having sat on them at MC shows, I actually believe them. Great all-around bike that is approachable for novices, but big enough that you could keep it forever too. The suspension is budget, but not bad. Much nicer than you would have gotten on a "beginner" bike 10 years ago. I would personally like a big more power, but 62ish is nothing to be ashamed of. If they bored out the 650 and made a ninja 800R with 80 horsepower and a nice fat torque curve, I'd be all over that...

I agree with your assessment, but it strikes me as silly that we allow completely arbitrary displacement restrictions for racing dictate the size of street bikes. I understand that you have to create classes for racing, and maintain some consistency from year to year to build a series. But for street riding, that makes no sense at all. In fact, I think it really stands to hurt the street scene. Look where it has brought us? Race replicas sell, but they're not good street bikes. Because American consumers are stupid in that regard. Honda ought to be selling out of VFR's with the repsol paint scheme, and the 600RR should really be a fringe model that only people who intend to race them buy... Obviously that's not how things go. So I agree with teh OP that a slightly larger displacement I-4, or really a big twin would be the perfect street bike, but that's unfortunately not what consumers demand.

Good track toy if you really put as little into it as possible. The cost of really making it handle well would be prohibitive, adn you'd be better off just finding a newer bike. With that said, I would stick to the very very basics. Plan on: - carb clean - new tires - suspension service (DIY). Just refresh it, and maybe buy new springs. - new fluids. Forgo the track bodywork, as that will run $400. Just pick up a race lower fairing, and rig up a way to mount it so that you have a catch-pan. Airtech streamlining makes "vintage" belly pans for bikes that never came with full fairings. then slap on number plates, and run it otherwise naked. You should be able to stay well under a grand that way, and do more riding and less spending. Great historic bike too. the original Hurricane (F1) was a huge deal in the 600cc sportbike class in America.

Yeah, I guess I was looking at it from the perspective of it being easier to get lumber to remote locations than it is to have cargo containers delivered... from a structural standpoint, I assume people will get in if they really want to. If you go without windows and install a heavy-duty door, you're probably a bit more secure than my glorified shed idea, but in a remote location, thieves have a lot of time to work without being observed.

I'm just saying there is nothing magical about racing that requires DOT race tires and tire warmers. When i raced on Q2's, I just made sure to go out and hammer on the gas and the brakes on the warm up lap, but take it a little easy in the corners. Especially at the novice level, 90% of the field will brake too early for T1 at the start, and even on cold tires, you should be able to sail right on by.

The only thing I really like about the cargo container is that it eliminates the need to pour a foundation. but you can accomplish almost the same thing by building a cabin on stilts... The lumber may cost a bit more, but you're not locked into the floor-plan restrictions of the cargo containers, which I think is a huge benefit. And you could add a garage door, which I think would be nice. I sketched out a 'cabin' design during class on a saturday a few months ago. Nothing elaborate. The thought was to really use it as a place to store toys, but with accommodations for sleeping and cooking if I wanted. No plumbing, but insulated.

Unless you're turning 1:20's or better, you really don't need to blow money on DOT race tires or tire warmers. I raced my first season with WERA on Q2's, and I realize you're probably being somewhat modest with all the talk of getting lapped, but if you're really that far back, stick with Q2's and save yourself the cash.

I agree with those who said that the front tucks at some point. Ignoring the knee cam, it I would bet he grabbed a handful of brake when he started to drift wide, locked/pushed the front, and accidentally recovered with his knee, but then over-corrected and went across the center line avoiding the guard rail. I don't mind the notion of hanging way the hell off to drag a knee on the street. Frankly, that's how I avoided cold-tire crashes on Q2's... I purposely hung off like crazy for the first lap and knew I better not do much more than scuff my knee, or I was tempting fate. I would hang off a lot less once the tires were warm and the pace picked up.

Are there a lot of WWII era guns being used to commit crimes? These gun buy-back programs really work. Taking museum quality vintage firearms out of the closets of middle-aged women, and handing them over to police who intend to melt them down. I'm just glad the police had enough sense and decency to 1) NOT melt the thing, and 2) allow the owner to sell it.

cool, but I'm not quite sure why one would go to the trouble of using cargo containers (presumably to save on costs) and then deck it out like that... It looked like the exterior was covered in spray-on insulation, and that was the primary means of holding heat in as well. Not sure how durable that will be. Neat idea, just taken a lot further than I would have gone.

mag? I would have expected tube-loaded, and the ability to fit more like 5 rounds.

pics? sounds neat.

This will be a mild "build," and all I have to show for my efforts thus far are the receipts for my new tires, and eBay XR80 front wheel, but it should serve as a good reference for me, and anyone else who is looking to get started in mini racing. My costs so far: 1998 XR80 16" front rim: $29 + $16 shipping on eBay ($45) Pirelli ML 75 (2.50-16) front moped tire: $27 Pirelli ML 75 (2.75-16) rear moped tire: $33 Kenda 2.25/2.50-16 tube: $9.99 Kenda 2.50/2.75-16 tube: $9.99 Current total: $125 I expect to find a bike for $700 or less. Really shooting for $600, and other than the parts I've already purchased, I don't really plan to do much to the bike except refresh fluids, and fix any leaking or smoking. UPDATE as of 12/15/12 - Brought home a 2000 XR100 for $474. New total: $599

Agree on the time and money, and on the riding position. I appreciate that he addressed the fact that other bikes would have been more suitable, and (to paraphrase him) that sometimes the reasons we remember an experience is because of the struggle; rarely because of how easy it was. That said, I'm pretty sure riding across the country and back would be enough of a struggle for me on ANY 2-wheeled vehicle... But this is the type of thing a lot of talk about, but 99% of us will never do. Maybe some day. I am sure I would be richer in spirit and poorer in pocket-book if I were to set off for a month or two and not really know where i was going. This gentleman has the luxury of working from the road, so he's still generating income. Were I to undertake such a journey, I would be lucky to have the time off work, and I would not be eating steak and drinking wine very often. I'd be setting up and tearing down a tent as many days in a row as I could stand it, and then crashing at a $29/night motel off the highway when I absolutely couldn't tolerate another day without a bed and a clean shave. So I'd choose a more comfortable bike, but less comfortable accommodations, I guess. And I'd try to drag my brother(s) along with me. I think that would be a nice experience for all of us.

The shock nuts are a good idea, but if that ever happens again and you can't get a replacement, cannibalizing the shock nut to use on the engine mount is relatively safe. Your weight is on the shock bolt. It's not going anywhere while you're riding. In fact I have to use a lever to lift the rear wheel and compress the shock to remove them. You're talking hundreds of pounds of tension. In a pinch, that is one to go without. On the linkage I mean. Maybe I'm misunderstanding what fell off. Regardless, glad you're back on the road.

HA - he bitches about the heat in post #17, before he's even gotten it home from the dealership! complaint #2 is in post 39. "medium-well right leg." (i'll try to keep a running tally) post 66: "the heat from the seat felt great." (granted, not a complaint, but it was pouring rain, and 55 degrees... Coming from the desert, that's cold) post 143: "the heat-from-hell panigale furnace." (i skipped one where he mentioned "the heat," giving the bike the benefit of the doubt and assuming even Minnesota gets hot in the summer) post 176: "The 1199 generates so much heat all I can think about is a cooling vest (or a butt/ball refrigerator)" post 364: references to the recalls, and worry about legs catching on fire. post 465: "The heat / sitting in traffic (not being able to lanesplit is really aggravating) has been the worst, though (made far more manageable with header wrap, though). " post 579: "aside from my hamstrings and glutes being cooked, I physically and emotionally feel far healthier on the bike than off."

i'm going to catch up a bit now, but has he bitched about the engine heat at all? That is (allegedly) a huge problem, and (allegedly) makes the bike intolerable to ride at anything but ultra-legal speeds.

but we all agree that it was fucking a unicorn, right?

Maybe raffle off some pics of Amy next time? :leghump::takeit:

I actually think the horse mounting the unicorn is funny enough to be fucking awesome. I doubts wife would agree, but if I saw some guy rocking that on his back, I would laugh my balls off.

But you have a bunch of people who don't know the winner and who were entered who will vouch for you.

No... You WERE in the 70's ;-)

very tempting... this would make for a nice cheap way to take video at track days or on rides. Yeah, you only have an hour of footage, but especially a trackday, you have opportunities to upload the video between sessions. handlebar mounts (i know not everyone has handlebars) are $14 on eBay.