Hey, I'll be racing an old Kawasaki Bighorn this summer. Not in Wera because you guys never come out to the Pacific NW (although you should!). But I'm hoping it's ok to ask here because this is one of the more active and knowledgeable vintage racing forums I know of. I've done some searching and the only threads I find about older tubed/18" tires are a few years old and I'm wondering what tire is being used successfully currently. Most guys out here run the BT39SS but it only comes in a 2.50 width and I don't think that's wide enough for the back of my bike. Guys are running them on the 160's and LWT V. Are the Conti's still good? Dunlop? Avon? And who sells this hoops? Thanks for all the help!
Buff at Todd Henning racing in Georgia sells the Conti race tires for vintage. [email protected] R.C, Barker sells Dunlop race rubber. http://rcbtires.com/ Heidenau tires are being used by several AHRMA racers. I can't find the name of the guy that comes to the track with these. http://heidenautires.com/ I have only used the Dunlops at the track on my 350 and have no complaints. I just purchased Conti's from Buff but don't have them on the bike yet but I know several people that use them and like them. Good luck
SSJ has things covered pretty good. :up: I've never run the stones, except on the EX500. Started out with Avons, then went with Dunlops....I liked the dunlops better overall, but the avons were better in the rain. My confidence (with no tracktime yet) for the Conti's is growing. I was helping out in the pits Friday, and heavy rain.....most of the guys liked the conti's. I heard "better than dunlops in the rain". Never tried Hidenau. I'm probably gonna go conti's when the time comes.
Thanks guys, leaning toward the Conti's I think. I'll probably be the only one out there with them so if I lose I can blame it on the tires!
F that man.....just blame us!:up: Theres a real good article online somewhere about a race build of a bighorn....its very good...
haha, "I knew I shouldn't have listened to those guy from back east" I did some searching for a bighorn on here, but didn't find anything. I've been working with the Klemm guys out of AZ. for motor work, and then scrambling to get this thing done. If I make it through the first weekend without blowing up or falling down, I'll consider that a success!
HA!....that's the guys who wrote the article... http://www.klemmvintage.com/bighorntech.htm Great read BTW, I picked up a few things. Good luck
Yeah that page is the Klemm guys, they seem to know their stuff, and have been a big help with any questions I've had. I found some other info about them on the google- they ran the suzuki mx team in the 70's I believe, or something like that. they certainly ported the heck out of the barrel! I'll have to look for that Kevin Cameron article, certainly be an interesting read. anyone in WERA race old 2-strokes that weren't meant to be road raced?
Dunlop's are no more, there is a limited supply available from The Dunlop track side supplier based out of Nashville TN but that is it. They have the small 825 front and the harder compound large 145 rear, they do not have any of the mid sized 145A front/rear. If you are going to use Conti's get them from Buff!!!!!
im getting a kaw S3 400 ready for the upcoming year. in the 70's europe there was a kaw 400 only series. but today its rare to see the 250/350/400 triple on the track. as far as taking it to a wera event? maybe, being in NJ and close to njmp we get 1-uscra, 1- ahrma and 3-ccs races. may go to SP as a wera "guest".
Who is Buff? Is that the email that is above? I didn't even know Kawa made a 400 triple, looks cool. All we get out here is our OR and WA events, have to travel to even get an AHRMA event. But I live 5 minutes from our track, so that's nice.
having a fiberglass tank and 3/4 fairing made for it, also a box section swing arm on order. should have it together in a week or so
Buff is Todd Henning Racing.....they have a Ebay store. Which track? I used to live in Maple Valley a few minutes from SIR.
Though we don't list them on the web site we have the Continental and Avon race tires as well. The Contis are excellent but Avon has a wider selection of sizes.
PIR, I'm in Portland. I emailed Todd a couple days ago, but haven't heard back. Does it usually take a few days?
