cheap way to get started

i read your forum regulary often reading you need this and that for the perfect bike but how can you get started cheapley we can improve the bike as we go along , i would like to have a go ,but not sure the most econmical way to get started.keeping things simple and a chance to get another bike on the grid i look forward to your ideas and comments. all the best ted firby

My goodness is any racing cheap, but Bantam racing is about as cheap as it gets, im absolutly sure of that as a result of supporting riders in other classes.

If I was starting from scratch, looking back at my experience of puchasing a racer, and then finding out I had purchased a bike full of "thats good enough's".

I'm absolutely sure all the current race bikes are built to a much higher standard these days, so its unlikley you would have any of the issues we had, There are bikes available for sale and some people want to sell, this is always the best starting point if you 50/50 interested in developing and riding for me I get possibly as much enjoyment out of the building as I do riding that Ihave to say Im not altogether enjoying as much as I expected, it hurts when you have to realise you lost a lot of your riding abilities, this is like a few other things work in progress.

I would say if you really enjoy building your own and you posses the tools and equipment to do it then just go for it and do it" , there are so many who will offer to give you help, and certainly enough knowledge on here.

if you were to do this I strongly suggest you read the BSA Formula Bantam tuning manual, this is truly without any doubt the best peice of complete and comprehensive data on building a Bantam race engine, in my opinion, its not out of date, and is full of excellent engine building tip's/information, an excellent read, with three great little engines to chose from, all of them if done to the letter of the words, will give you the potential for a front runner, and a reliable Bantam, recently took it on holidays that has been sadly cut short due to some terrible news, anyway I read it on the beach a number of times it was great reading, each time I read it I picked up something I missed earlier, you just got to get a copy. its on here I think its down-loadable.

But - If you dont have the tools or the engineering prowess, but still wish to build your own, then
I think it better to purchase the engine bits, or have them made, there are a number of people offering almost complete motors both 175 and 125cc short strokes and pieces, So you just need to get yourself along to a meeting. best guy to head for first is Alan Brown or Tom Miller, and try and get 5 minutes with Biran white, they are all very helpful.

so just get to a meeting, you will find all your answers, im sure.

regards Derek

Racing is like having children if you wait until you can afford it you will never do it. Look at the cost of race entry’s & cost of getting to meetings. Add a £1000 for a bike, the cost of riding gear if you don't have any up to standard. If that dose not make you run away and start a cheap hobby then you will be welcomed to the fold, and if you choose Bantams receive a lot of help from the paddock crowd. I have done a few other things over the years and nothing comes close to the fun of racing, surfing comes second but you spend a lot of time waiting for the waves.

Two things and I´ll shut up...
Probably get bombarded with brickbats anyway.

1. See if you can get someone to lend a race bike
for a try-out. If they happen to be good friends the
cost might add up to a couple of pints or four....

...Point about that is if you´ve never been on a race
track bike on a race track you might find you don´t
really like it when it happens.***

2. If you are really mad keen to race a Bantam (can´t
say I was at the start -- it all happened later!) then do
what´s been said by other Bantam racers on here and
hang about them in the Pits even if they abuse and kick you
out of the way -- hang on until one gives in and lets you
have a ride -- on a practice day, of cours ...

I say this because we had a bloke at Ford Dunton who had
a big BSA -- 650 Flash of some sort -- on the road and
reckoned he was going to be big time in racing. I lent him
my slow Bantam (8,400rpm -- about 12bhp) whilst I was
practising at Brands with the 250. I noticed about 1/2 way
thro´ the session that he had gone AWOL. Back in the Pits
I learned that he had said to others there that Bantam road
racing was not for him...

So starting off by buying a Bantm racer, to start with, might
be the wrong way to go.
If you are keen on making things -- AND ARE GOOD AT IT --
then the building a Bantam racer can be as much joy as getting
out on the track...As Derek said there are books on it....

There´s a third thing I daren´t mention -- that´s if you do it
as in 2... then keep the cost down by keeping the engine and
bike bits as simple as possible -- and LEAVE THE FAIRING and
FANCY technical stuff for later when you know you really want
to improve your lap times....

***The crazy thing about motorbike racing is that it looks easy
and comfortable when seeing it as viewed from a camera lens --
When you are sitting in that Frog-like, muscle-binding crouch
and trying to maintain that stance at what seems suicidal speed
it is all together different. And then when it rains ...
Or the scrutineer sends you back to the pits to get something sorted
and everyone else is out there practising....!!???


Cheers!

just worked it all out to build using ebay/rex for clutch £34.0, big end pin £12.0 needle roller £15./ some machining on the crank converting an RD250 done by me, using two ignition sides from two cranks from an autojumble £10 each £20.
complete engine D7 from ebay £30 frame £10 welding and ancillaries like cables clutch plates mainshaft slider gear all from rex 3 speed max £80.0, front forks £10.0 brake caliper, £5.0. new master cylinder kit £23.0
cast ironliner made for cast cylinder, comes ina ground finish from westwood £39.0, then milling the ports machined milled on our chinese clarke lathe-tool in the chuck method.

rev counter ebay £7.80 digital Kart type Det2000, ignition auto ebay Kart type, motoplate exhaust initially made by me for £23 gas cost, tubing/ nuts bolts washers £25.0.

jig boring the main crank bearing bores £80.0 sub contracted.
piston kit £13.60 ebay
Rod kit £5.0.
home made / modified foot rests from rs 125 honda off Ebay £3.0 pair
alloy 40 spoke rims £5.0 each and £25 for rebuilding each. £50
i recon thats less still less than £450.0

just to say to you all thanks for your help and advice,i know how tough racing is i am a marshall usally at the manx grand prix and have done a few years trials riding where i do have some experience building bikes up for pre 65. now if any of you might have some parts for sale that could be useful to the cause i would be grateful if you could contact me ( edwardfirby@aol.com) or 01767 313690 eve thanks ted

Hi Ted ,
Welcome to the Bantam world , always good to have a newcomer in our midst . I will ,for now , offer only the following !
If you intend to assemble your own machine , then source a close ratio gear cluster first , no cr box , no racing , it is that
crucial !
After saying that , there is a huge amount of information and goodwill available so just ask , then ask again , you`ll get there !

Look forward to hearing a lot from you .

regards Trevor

Hi guys I like John's idea, so that pobably means get to know someone who lends bikes out to other riders. If anyone can point you in the right direction at Cadwell have a chat. A parade may also be a good idea.

This is a promise...

If my Missus*** wins the lotto (lottery in Blighty) I shall pay you blokes to produce
5 NAKED bantams for the young, up-&-coming Bantam racers to get started.

Once they get to know what road racing is all about they can fit their own fancy skirts
and nickers and that sort of nonsense on, themselves.

*** it ain´t that I don´t believe in gambling -- its just that I´m too lazy to fill in the numbers.

Cheers!

Ediited about 6 hours later -- winners of Lotto here have been getting between 15 and 27 million Euros jst lately. I ask you? One million wouldn´t be too bad, would it? what can you do with that much dosh? A gold plated skirt for a really fast Bantam I reckon. Imagine how you would pull the birds then??
Cheers!