Thinking of Getting a 2T and Have a Few Questions

Everything.

 

:up:

 

C'mon now, give us a break will you?

What I meant was, if there's a specific point you're trying to make by reference to some particular thing on that website, what is it?

And...answer my questions!

 

That forum is the center of 2-stroke racing knowledge. All your questions can be answered on there, there's no need for me to be a middle man. Most members race, track day, are on active race teams, or was part of them in the 2 stroke hay day.

 

My good man-

You come on here and you post some controversial claims, which is okay I suppose, but then you fail or refuse to answer some elementary questions about those claims. What you do, instead, is refer me (and other readers) to a website about Suzuki RGVs, stating that is is "the center of 2-stroke racing knowledge." I find this to be disingenuous.

However, you have served up an apparent Golden Egg: the RGV website, which according to you, is "the center of 2-stroke racing knowledge." May all your sins be forgiven, for having delivered us from the evil of total stupidity and blind ignorance about 2-strokes. Now, armed with this absolute fount of 2-stroke racing knowledge, there is absolutely no excuse if I can't get my RD350 to crank out 120HP and my RZ at least 150. Along the way, I fully expect (after reading through the RGV website, of course), to smash lap records, unless I come up against the current giant-killer Kawasaki KR1. If I read enough, I know right now I shall be forced to purchase a genuine GP machine, the Suzuki RGV250. :up:

 

Or you could man up and buy this

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=280556070771

 

Or you could really man up and buy this one...$75,000 might get it!

 

So how are you managing the expenses? Worth it?

 

I started doing track days last year on an Aprilia RS125. By the end of that summer I bought a Honda RS125 and went racing.

I'm 165lbs and 5'11" tall, very athletic, very "bendy." I can move around just fine on the bike, although it is cramped. I found a good deal on an extended subframe and look forward to trying it out.

I took it to a track day and put 10 laps on it and couldn't believe how well it handled. The bike will make you feel like an idiot with how fast it will go unless you're a great rider already. I have size 11 feet and absolutely have to keep my toes on the pegs or else they scrape the ground going around corners.

I killed my first top end during my first race weekend. It had 200 miles on it to start with, and I did 4 practice sessions, 3 sprint races (7 laps, 2.5m/lap) and an endurance race (14 laps). I replaced the piston/ring/pin when I got home because it was due. Cost about $300 and so easy a half-drunk retard can do it with hand tools.

The next race weekend I entered 3 sprint races and did 3 practice sessions at a much shorter track and still have 250 miles left on the top end. I have 650 left on the crank.

I used the same set of tires for both weekends, and they're still going strong. Two extra pairs came with the bike, so I'm good there.

I ran a 170 main in everything from 50 degrees/80% humidity to 90 degrees/0%. The previous owner told me not to touch the needle. Plug chops revealed the bike was running "safe" rich the entire time, regardless of the weather. As a novice, I don't give a crap about a couple horsepower as long as it runs and I can whack it into corners at speeds that get my heart racing.

You will get passed by bigger bikes in the straights and held up by them in the corners. The idea is to pass them on the brakes and then make it stick in the corners.

I low-sided once and all I had to do was replace a rearset bracket, a footpeg, and break my screen all the way off. I put a small crack in my upper and rashed my lower and tail a little. When I got home I figured out I could bend the effed plate back to normal in a vise. So I still have 5 EXTRA plates. And 4 sets of pegs. Get one with plenty of spares if you tend to crash.

I use 110 leaded, VP or Sunoco, and haven't thought much about fuel costs. Run the pre-mix at 30:1 (not 40:1) or blow your turd up like my buddy did at the last race.

 

her AR1, when you want to upgrade to a new 2008 RS125, "Crack" let me know.

 

Me too, (although not new) all tricked out!

 

Thanks for this. Really answered a couple of questions I kinda had.

 

AR1 - Curious how different the Aprilia RS125 was compared to the Honda RS125 - size, power, power band, lap times, maintenance, maintenance costs.

 

The distance from the bars to the back of the seat on the Honda feels longer. The distance from the middle of the seat to the foot pegs feels A LOT shorter. I don't really sit on the seat on the Honda unless I'm tucked, then I press everything down as far as possible with pretty considerable force. When I'm turning I try to hang my ass off as little as possible and get as low as possible.

In the right hands the Honda is way faster. At High Plains Raceway the Honda can go 2 flat or a little faster (if someone else is riding one..) and stock Ninja 250s are 7-10s slower. Maybe the ape is a little faster than a Ninja, but I am not fast enough to tell. They seem roughly equivalent.

Maintenance on the ape is a matter of pouring 2t oil in the reservoir, pressing a button, and letting it warm up. It can be kind of a bitch to start. It has never failed to start.

The Honda is a whole different ball game. In subjective terms it's awesome. In monetary terms it's pretty expensive. The Honda starts instantly and easily unless the gas is off or you actually use that cap thing that keeps bugs from crawling into the carb and forgot to remove it. The Honda's power comes on strong and lasts for 3-4k. The ape comes on like a vacuum cleaner, peaks late, and runs out of steam fast. Maintenance costs vary widely. Some people run their crap for a long time and abuse the hell out of it. Some people blow them up. Spends yer money takes yer chances. I did 600 miles at the track on the ape and spent no money on maintenance except tires and oil and pump gas. I did 250 miles on the Honda in 2 weekends and spent.. $500 on a top end, lubricants, fuel, and stuff I broke. I've spent roughly the same amount of money riding both bikes. Tires for the Honda are cheap and last a long time. Sometimes my brain accidentally calculates the cost per mile, and I almost have a heart attack.

My toes on my right foot tend to go numb to the point I can't feel them after 20 hard minutes. Riding the Honda is very demanding. Sitting on the seat is not an option unless I'm tucked. When I'm tucked I'm still using all my strength to make myself as little as possible. When turning I'm standing on the pegs just barely off the seat, trying to feel for traction. There is no way to be lazy and ride the stupid thing.

I started getting faster on the ape after riding the Honda, riding it the same way. It is possible to be lazy on the ape. There really isn't much in the way of things in common except they're both motorcycles, and they're both really fun to ride.

 

Thanks AR1 - much appreciated.

And yes, you should NEVER calculate $ per mile, even just a little in your head...