What killed the 450 super single bikes

Where did they go? Another casualty of bad timing and the economy? Did it ever happen here or abroad? Did they work? School me with the history, and your actual experiences.

Reference link. http://www.450gp.com/EN/index.htm

 

You can't navigate to that URL directly. Use http://www.450gp.com.

I always thought this was a really cool concept as well. I was disappointed to see that it never really took off.

 

I think it wound up being a combination of initial build cost and maintenance cost. Those engines don't like being wound up for long. I still see them from time to time at trackdays and if I had a donor bike laying around I'd build one in a heartbeat, but I'm not going to start from scratch.

 

Initial cost I think. Why spend that stupid money, when you can get a 300cc now a days. Similar target market Id think.

 

Paging Geoff Maloney. Wasn't he a big player in the design and fabrication of those bikes? He may know some stuff.

 

Yes, he posts here under GPtech and I recently had the same idea and did some searching. I think I may go this route actually, his experience is that it can actually be made very reliable.

Long thread from a few years ago, search for super singles or Geoff's posts and you will get tons of information.

http://forums.13x.com/showthread.php?t=268788&highlight=supersingle

 

:up:

A quick search turned up $16k as a starting point. If you look at the kits and conversions being sold it could look daunting. There were quite a few who started these projects and never finished them due to the work involved. Big risk to spend that time and money then show up and have nobody to race. It killed itself off.

 

Maloney is the man!

I've got an F450 in the garage that I'll be posting up for sale once enough snow melts for me to get out there. They are ton of fun to ride, but I made the mistake of buying one to do track days when all my friends were on 600s and thousands.

Too bad I don't have the heart to race anymore. It would be a huge amount of fun in the clubman class. It handles like a GP bike and doesn't motivate too bad either.

 

There is a pretty decent supermono race series in Europe although most of them are converted GP bikes there are a few covnerted mx bikes sprinkled in.

 

Here is what I have been thinking. The $16K price or even the $10K price tag that has been kicked around just prices me out of the game. But, if you look at other ways to go about it, the price starts to fall in line as a doable project. I have seen any number of 450's for $1500, Engine rebuild $500, forks for $300, Reworked stock shock $300, 600 wheels $300, Used bodywork $250, Controls OEM 600 $100. That gets you a basic bike that you can get on the track and upgrade as needed. I have that figured for under $3500. It doesn't have Ohlins or Brembos or Marchesinis or other really cool stuff, but by selective use of craigslist, ebay and the wera classifieds it can be done.


Ken

 

You aren't going to buy all the parts to rebuild a 450f for 500$ it's at least 1500$ in my experience.

 

Not cost effective compared to buying a race ready SV650. Or 250 or 300, etc.

 

In 2012 we ran right up front with a very well-built 450GP bike on our $3000 1996 RS125, with no airbox or special parts, except an older Ohlins shock. It was a lot of fun watching close 2t vs. 4t battles, and the 450 rider was excellent.

 

The Grom

 

Mongo

 

I'd say it was Internet experts that killed it. Everyone talking about how the engines would blow up causing a tear in the fabric of space, or some shit.

Forme though, I'd go 125gp route as it is far less expensive and faster. The 450s sounded cool and seemed like they'd be a hoot.

 

dr hates is awesome.. I think he had a gptech setup

 

It took 15 posts to get this?

Damn, you guys are slacking

 

The best was how kids couldn't be expected to race then with out blowing them up, yet the same kids race 2 strokes that will seize long before a 450 will grenade.

 

Especially considering GNc 450s would run the Springfield mile WFO the entire race maybe lifting a split second....