Anyone else picking it up?

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It's almost too cheap not to pick it up, and a new track to drive. Plus if you let the groupon expire, it just gets credited back to your account.

Need some cheap rubbaz for the wife's "new" Jeep. 2in Budget Boost lifted 2003 WJ Laredo Lux. Something around 245/70/16 in an A/T type tread. Just figured I would put the word out.

Anyone want to go up and do Peter's Mill sometime soon? I haven't taken the JK off road in so long it is shameful. The last thing I used the winch for was to pull the bumper off a wrecked JK (not that you would need a winch at Peter's Mill). Its a super easy trail for those who don't know and a stock [insert 4x4 or AWD here] can do it (yes even a WRX most of the way). Just nice scenery and some optional more fun stuff if you want. PM me or post if you might be down and we can hook it up. A lunch at the top sorta ride or something in the PM on a weekday would be good for me.

So I've actually already bought an already-prepped 2009 Kawasaki ZX-6R to race this season. But soon after I bought my racebike, Ducati announced their 2012 contingency program, where they're paying out $1200 a win if you race a 2011 or 2012 848 in the 600 classes in club racing. One caveat, you have to have bought the bike and registered with the contingency program by March 31st.

Now in motorcycle club racing they have separate classes for novice and expert riders. Typically if you finish in the top 3 for the year or whatever you get bumped up to expert. Normally contingency payouts like this only apply to expert race classes but Ducati is paying out for expert and novice.

BIG BUCKS!!!
Just between NJMP, Beaverun, Summit, VIR, and Road Atlanta there are about 18 races (2 per weekend) that I could race in novice and potentially make money. That works out to $21600 for 18 wins, to $5400 for 18 3rd places...

I've checked out the winning lap times from the novice races in the past and they're pretty slow in general (usually about 4-5 seconds a lap slower than expert times). With a race-prepped 848 Evo that would be starting out with 20 extra hp over a 600, I figure I could win at least a couple of races and make a good chunk of change.

Whammies
The main problem is that to buy a 848 Evo and race-prep it would probably cost around $14k on the low end and $18k on the high end. If I win a bunch of races It would be like I got the bike for free, and I could sell it or race it again in 2013. But I could potentially end up spending all that money and not winning any contingency money (too slow, or wad it up at the first race). The other thing is that if I'm racing for money it's going to put me in a significantly different mindset when I go racing (read: out for blood). Probably not a good thing.

Rationally I'll probably stick with what I've got because it doesn't require me outlaying a lot more money right now. But the idea is still driving me mad with irrational desire. Maybe someone can talk some sense into me, or conversely rationalize it to the point it makes sense.

I don't want to sell this motorcycle. I have lofty, expensive plans for it. I ride it every day. It's the most fun I've ever had on two wheels.



But the money is attractive and I don't need a sinkhole money project when I'm looking to get out of debt.

So, the short list:

Just under 12K on th clocks and running strong
Yoshimura "twice" pipes
"3x3" mod
Intake and Exhaust HotCams
Carb Jetted to match
ThumperTalk Manual Cam Chain Tensioner
CRG Hindsight LS Mirror
LED Rear license plate/brake light
New chain


The plastics aren't as brilliant as in the picture because it's been stored outside. It needs a wash. But it's fun and starts and runs. Every. Single. Time.

It has no turn signals. If you wanted to buy some and install them, the wires are still in the harness.

$3,500 firm, located in Northern Virginia.

So you want to buy a motorcycle?

You're looking for a project, or a track bike, or a first bike, or something else. You're okay with buying a motorcycle that needs some work to run again. Nothing big, just the usual faire of battery, gas, cables, lube, oil, etc. to come out of hiberation. This was my daily rider in 2006, but was phased out when I bought a couple other bikes. It has been on track. Several times. It has been crashed. Several times. But it is straight and is a perfectly capable rider.

There are no plastics on the bike except for the tail. The headlight is from a BMW R1200GS and has a cracked lens (how do you think I got it for $50?). It works fine. It's been painted black with John Deere Blitz Black.

I don't know how many miles are on the bike... the gauge cluster was replaced after I let the original sit out in the rain, upside down, for a while, and it broke. It's safe to say it's got at least 20,000 miles. Motor is mechanically sound. All the bits work as they should. It's ugly (my girlfriend saw it and thought it was cool, but I still think it's rather unattractive).

The last time I ran the bike was well over a year ago. At the time I'd installed a new cam chain tensioner. New sprocket and chain then, too. There's nothing preventing it from starting again - the carbs just need cleaned and fresh gas in the tank. Oh, and you need to put in a battery. All that sitting meant the battery died. The battery case has been creatively trimmed to make room for an Odyssey PC680. If you own a motorcycle, you know that OEM batteries are too small.

But I did say track bike, right?

Yes.

It comes with a set of track plastics. They're not in very good shape, but could probably be run as-is, or had a little attention and been made good again. And what's a track bike without spares? There's a lot of stuff I can't think of, but what I can is a spare FRAME (no VIN - not ground off, just never issued one), spare forks with triple trees, seat, various electronic bits, oil filter, spark plugs... I may have the original street upper fairing and headlight (may not... can't recall, and I'm at the office right now). And anything else CBR I've got laying around. There's a box full of stuff.

It's a drop-dead simple, drop-dead reliable motorcycle. I sort of wish I could keep it because my Triumph is overly complex and underwhelmingly reliable. But I can't. I'm just going to be losing my storage space for it, and I'd like to get it gone. Right now the gas tank isn't attached, nor are the carbs (I took them off a couple weeks ago because I planned on draining them and cleaning the carbs to get it running again - but now I don't have time). They can mount back on in minutes, but it doesn't make for a telling set of pictures. Either way, I'll take some in the next day or so and post them.

Come bring a truck and come get it.

And RJ, be quiet.

In Jeff's Challenger project thread.

pistonprojects.com or something like that is the culprit.

OK MM'ers, registration is open for the BRR season opener in Verona.

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Is there any reason why the posting times on the site aren't accurate? It seems to be an hour + or - some ahead. Unless we're on MM time.. which is fine

I'm heading to Vegas this weekend to visit a friend who just got married and moved out that way. We plan on driving out to Brain Head, Utah (3 hours). They're getting around 2 feet of snow 2 days before I arrive so having AWD would be a plus. I'll be renting a car from the airport and am totally new to the experience. His POS civic has no chance of making the trek. Any companies you all prefer/ know have a decent selection of vehicles? Am I going to have to rent an SUV due to lack of AWD cars? Tips for cheap deals?