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My boy's new bike


Mort
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Just sold the bike - interesting that most enquires were from people wanting to restore it to standard - two strokes are seen as an investment. There was an RD500 sold recently in Japan which went for more than the cost of a new Panigale. Its a great shame no manufacturers have the balls to produce a new 2 stroke....think how great they would be now.

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  • 2 months later...

Just thought I'd add an update. Since Sept 2014 we joined a local bike club and my son started racing in F4. Basically these are small bikes up to 150cc raced at kart tracks. very competitive with some very well developed bikes.  Most riders use Suzuki FXR150 bikes which are pretty quick and bullet proof. We went our own way with the Yamaha R15. The idea being that it should be faster with water cooling and fuel injection - well that was the theory anyway - tuning, as I have found out, is a tricky game.... but there's lots of potential.

 

He has started getting good results. Last two meetings was consistently fastest in his group, pole position, fastest race lap and last time out won his first race by 7 secs. This is what is called Group C and there is Group B and A above him but he's getting times to almost win Group B (which is where we go next season).  He finished the Group C championship this year in 3rd which is a good result considering we missed some events and started quite slowly anyway. Will be great to get his first trophy.

 

Its been a great way to get in to racing. Not expensive (25 quid for a 2 day weekend at the track once a month) - and the bike was cheap and crashes well :) . If we can continue to improve the bike and rider we can do very well next year. He will still ride the 600 too and when he has confidence we'll do a few races there also. Might also have a crack myself... :)

 

Anyway - a few pics.

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Edited by Mort
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  • 2 months later...

Onwards and er sideways...

 

We've been running the 600 for 6 months or so. Very enjoyable bike but a new race series came out here for 280cc - 390cc bikes so we've decided to enter that. Unfortunately the 600 had to be sold (and my GasGas EC300) and we got a Kawasaki Ex300. We did a first outing on the bike last week in full road kit. The plan is to convert this (new) bike to a race bike. Fairings, suspension and all the kit. It'll make a great little race bike and the class is perfect for Dylan (now 17) . There's a lot of interest in this series so it should be a very competitive class. We're still running the 150cc bike too and he's going very well at that at a higher grade but we need to work on a good wet weather set up. All good fun but Dad's wallet is taking an absolute hammering at the moment.....

 

600a.jpg

 

300a.jpg

 

300b.jpg

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  • 1 month later...

another update

 

Last weekend Dylan raced the 300 for the first time. He did very well, having had lots of experience of track days and racing the smaller 150cc bike at the kart track he really got stuck in. He even knocked 4 seconds of his personal best time in the race (wish I could do that !!)

 

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It was a big field of about 35 bikes. He got a 6th and a 3rd starting from the 4th row in position 11.

 

Below is a video of one of the races. From the 4th row he makes really good progress through the field and catches the leaders... if only the race was a lap longer...

 

Next race is next weekend.

 

Edited by Mort
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I could start an Aprilia history of sports bike collection  :grin:

 

That is interesting re the cost of bikes there.  The old two strokes are going bonkers price wise at the moment - RGV's etc.  But an RC30 would be very special indeed

A bubble went off in my head and I thought a nice Aprilla RS250 would look good in my man shed for 9 months a year. For a Mk2 1998-> they are £5k plus. Crying.

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Round 2:

 

A few highs and lows this weekend. Qualified 6th (out of about 38 from 2 classes) so better than last time (11th)

 

Race 1: Got a great start. Got up to 4th then had a problem with the gear shift and ran off and rejoined then the same happened so he ended quite down the field.  Not impressed with the rear sets we have actually but some work in the pits sorted a temp solution.

 

Race 2: 7th on first lap then passed some good riders to move to 4th and was right with the leaders to the end. Was credited with 3rd (for some unknown reason) and got fastest lap of the race (2.5 secs below his previous PB). Great effort.

 

No. 43 below...

 

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Race 3: Great start. Got 4th Early on and was hunting down the leaders. Then he lost the front on a slowish turn and went down. The following rider went round him but the one after that ran over his legs and went down too. Red flag. Ambo out etc. Worrying for his old man cos I was on the other side of the circuit. Got him back.. a bit battered but OK. He hobbled back to the pit and took his leathers off and he had a nasty deep cut to his knee almost down to the kneecap. So, some mates helped us pack up quick and I took him off to an A&E clinic about 15 miles away where he got 5 stitches to tell his grandchildren about.  Its not put him off but he will probably miss the next meeting in 2 weeks which would be a shame as he is 3rd in the championship at the moment.

 

Crash vid....

 

Edited by Mort
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  • 6 months later...
Well he's no longer a boy.... 18 now. ... where did that time go...?

 

Been very busy on the bikes this year. Racing in the local Lightweight (300) championship and also included a National race too. He finished 3rd in the championship which is not bad considering we missed round 3 due the crash in round 2. 

 

 

 

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he's also been racing the little bike. Competing at the local club circuit, moving to the top grade, smashing his PB time and again. He also raced in the NZ F4 GP. This, believe it or not, is one of the few FIM approved F4 international races. All the top NZ racers come and its a proper intense race. He did really well finishing 9th out of about 55 riders, which was great. That was a great event. We loved it.

 

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On top of all that there's been a few track days.  A good mate let him have a go of his 201bhp BMW S1000RR which was a real treat for him... its a proper full-on race bike... good thing I wasnt there actually....

 


 

 

 

.... after that he had to have a go on mine.... how could I say no...

 

 


 

 

and the latest thing is he doesnt want to race the 300 anymore so we sold it.....  I just spent $3000 on suspension for it and he doesnt like it... so its gone. Instead we found a decent Yamaha R6 race bike. The plan is he wants to track day it and see how we go about racing but his main focus is on the little bike. I have to say I agree with his approach. He is doing what HE likes most and he makes his own mind up now. I know I won't see which way he went when I ride with him.... :)

 

 

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So its been a pretty hectic few months on the bikes.  I even did a wee bit of touring on my R1 to the North tip of NZ (Cape Rienga). Its a bit painful as a touring bike but man, I love that bike. 

 

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Edited by Mort
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