Newbie Bike Classes

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Les
Posts: 2
Joined: Fri Jan 06, 2017 10:39 pm

Re: Newbie Bike Classes

Post by Les »

Hi Richard, I think your bike without the top box would be eligible as it is still pre 1956, the cut off for the Vintage bike class. Also it is unlikely any one will challenge it as it realistically won't challenge for the record. Unfortunately for you the class had remained vacant until I ran my 1955 BSA Gold Star at Speed Week 2017 in the same P-PV 500cc class that you are contemplating and achieved 100.976 mph which is now the established record.

I know your bike and realistically even when running perfectly will be lucky to achieve 55mph. You need to ask yourself what is the point of taking a nice old underpowered road bike out onto salt when you can legally not be worried by open speed limits on our public roads. Despite the thrill of going flat out down a long flat speed track there are some down sides to it all. Firstly it is quite costly to get your team to the lake and enter to race. At a minimum on a shoe string it will be $1000 plus for fuel, entries and camping. Next you need to consider the corrosive effects of salt on your beloved machine and your support vehicle, it is much worse than the road salting you may have experienced back in the UK.

My advice is firstly to go over to Lake Gairdner as a spectator, preferably even as a volunteer, and get a feel for it all, talk to other racers, develop a check list of equipment required and finally determine what sort of bike you would like to race there.

Please feel free to contact me direct to talk about my experience as a rookie, I am on the Hamilton mail list. Finally, if you take the top box off to race Bessie, where will the snail ride?
Regards, Les
David Leikvold
Posts: 981
Joined: Mon Apr 16, 2007 11:57 pm
Location: Brisbane

Re: Newbie Bike Classes

Post by David Leikvold »

Richard,
Les is correct, your lovely old BSA is wasted and at risk on the salt. Don't take it, get something else that is cheap, has no sentimental value, can at least go 100 mph and has parts readily available and you'll enjoy the week much more. You really should volunteer so that you better understand what it's all about. My brother and I have given up our positions as starters so there's two golden opportunities for you already. And to be perfectly honest and not wishing to be unkind, Track 2 really doesn't need any more vehicles that wouldn't arouse the interest of the Highway Patrol. Find a soft or vacant bike record and get after it.

Cheers
Ex Starter Dave :mrgreen:
Good, Fast, Cheap, pick any two!
David Leikvold
Posts: 981
Joined: Mon Apr 16, 2007 11:57 pm
Location: Brisbane

Re: Newbie Bike Classes

Post by David Leikvold »

Richard,

Further to my comments of last night and after having another look at your Beeza, I can tell where it will rust after you run it on the salt. This isn't just for you, it's for everyone with a bike like it. I see a lot of ferrous metal on your bike. The spoke wheels worry me, salt spray will definitely settle in the spoke holes in the rim and start to rust the thread on the spokes and the nipples that adjust their tension. Next, both mudguards will already be peppered by road grit and will suffer. The front of the engine will become caked in successive layers of damp salt. The return road for track 2 is well known to be soft and slushy at times and will spray salt water all over the bike. If you've ever been to Jenolan Caves and seen the stalactites and stalagmites that's what the front of your engine will look like by Monday afternoon. It is impossible to clean the bike properly at the lake. Every bolt and every part of the frame where the paint isn't thick and perfect will rust. If salt water finds a crack anywhere in the frame you can kiss the bike goodbye. Even when you get it home and completely dismantle the bike to clean it you will still find bits that go rusty months after you have reassembled it. If you think I'm exaggerating, take a long and careful look at every photo you can find of vehicles at Lake Gairdner and at Bonneville. When you come to Speedweek have a look at the state of the DLRA official vehicles, they are typically rusted rotten. We were driving around briefly in an old Mazda ute this year. The doors didn't fit well on Monday, by Friday the tips were resting on the ground when they opened as the A pillars had ceased to exist.

It's a nice bike, please look after it.

Cheers
Ex Starter Dave
Good, Fast, Cheap, pick any two!
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Lynchy
Posts: 1117
Joined: Mon Mar 07, 2005 6:12 pm
Location: Brisneyland

Re: Newbie Bike Classes

Post by Lynchy »

I won't hear a bad word said about "Rusty" the ute. It was like a faithful old dog. It was a sad day to see it go, doorless, into the sunset!
David Leikvold
Posts: 981
Joined: Mon Apr 16, 2007 11:57 pm
Location: Brisbane

Re: Newbie Bike Classes

Post by David Leikvold »

Fortunately I am old enough to be able to use the 4 speed column shift. None of this three on the tree rubbish! it was the holes in the floor I didn't much like, they were so big there was salt spray on the inside of the back window! I wonder what we'll get to replace old Rusty.
:mrgreen:
Good, Fast, Cheap, pick any two!
David Leikvold
Posts: 981
Joined: Mon Apr 16, 2007 11:57 pm
Location: Brisbane

Re: Newbie Bike Classes

Post by David Leikvold »

Richard,

Here's what I had in mind. Enjoy. By the way, just have a look at the salt all over the Ducati.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-u4u4m4 ... 203.860142

Cheers
Ex Starter Dave :mrgreen:
Good, Fast, Cheap, pick any two!
David Leikvold
Posts: 981
Joined: Mon Apr 16, 2007 11:57 pm
Location: Brisbane

Re: Newbie Bike Classes

Post by David Leikvold »

Richard,

We look forward to seeing what you build. I know I'm labouring the point but whatever it is do your best to keep the salt off it, or at least easy enough to get back off it. Lots of plastic, lots of fibreglass and lots of 316 stainless! And a snail.

Cheers
Dave :mrgreen:
Good, Fast, Cheap, pick any two!
momec3
Posts: 780
Joined: Tue Mar 01, 2011 10:36 pm
Location: Cedar Grove Qld

Re: Newbie Bike Classes

Post by momec3 »

It would be the harshest place on earth to take a metal object that you love. If its carefully coated it can survive but bikes have their own multitude of little cracks and crevices that are impossible to protect. I use XTroll to cover bare metal but it gets into things like relays, starters, alternators and next time you come back they fail. After a few seasons I treat most electrical components (unless protected inside the cab) as one use only.
Don't be deterred but be very prepared.
Chris
grumm441
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Joined: Mon Nov 14, 2005 5:43 pm
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Re: Newbie Bike Classes

Post by grumm441 »

I rewire the lakester every year and throw the old loom, relays, and switches in the bin
G
They make it
I make it work
momec3
Posts: 780
Joined: Tue Mar 01, 2011 10:36 pm
Location: Cedar Grove Qld

Re: Newbie Bike Classes

Post by momec3 »

What he said. :)
Chris
grumm441
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Re: Newbie Bike Classes

Post by grumm441 »

And the big red key
G
They make it
I make it work
grumm441
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Joined: Mon Nov 14, 2005 5:43 pm
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Re: Newbie Bike Classes

Post by grumm441 »

Are you running a Tri Spark?
G
They make it
I make it work
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