Building a sub-200cc race bike

This was a fun bike

XT225/DR200 with some Kenda sportsman tires on it would be alright. With a few mods, you can make them move along pretty good.

I spent a week on a TW200, and never once got monkey butt.

Even a Chinese 200 cc dualsport could be fun

Official update on the rules:

"You can put your 200cc motor into anything you want. Make sure it's just a 200 or it will have to be at least 30 years old to put a 225 in."

and another comment from someone who's done it a few times:

"Well, as long as it's 200cc, you can do pretty much anything as far as modify it for the event. If you were going to boost it to the "vintage" limit of 225cc and run it as vintage, it would also have to be in a frame at least 30 years old. I think it was discussed some time ago as to what determines whether a bike is vintage or not, the engine or the frame. I believe that Bill's ruling on that was that the bike would be considered vintage based on the newest part, whether engine or frame. In other words, if you stuck a '76 motor into an '88 frame, it wouldn't be vintage, based on the frame. But then again, maybe I'm full of E36 M3 and it's based on engine alone!! My wife would agree with the full of E36 M3 part! What kind of modifications are you talking about? By the way, welcome to the jungle!!!!!"

I just need to figure out which 2-stoke is going to give me the most bang for my buck. I'd really like to stick with the EX250 frame idea; I'd imagine a full fairing is exceptionally nice on a 12-hour race.

http://grandrapids.craigslist.org/mcy/1367292571.html

super cheap KDX200 if anyone wants to get started...

http://lansing.craigslist.org/mcy/1390992843.html

XR200R w/spare motor

...cheap dirt bikes are EVERYWHERE!

IIRC The engine in an EX250 mounts at the back and near the top, the frame is open at the bottom. This could cause a problem with mounting a 2-stroke from a dirtbike which are usually mounted at the bottom.

Although I could be completely wrong about the mounting, it has been a couple years since I took one apart.

Looks like it should be doable. Might take a little welding, but that's not too hard.

How many people here are seriously interested in doing this race? It'd be kickass if we showed up as a "Team GRM" of sorts and turned this into a $200X Challenge type event, but for sub-200cc bikes and with no price cap. Also, the more people that enter, the more prize money there is...

SlickDizzy wrote: http://grandrapids.craigslist.org/mcy/1367292571.html super cheap KDX200 if anyone wants to get started... http://lansing.craigslist.org/mcy/1390992843.html XR200R w/spare motor ...cheap dirt bikes are EVERYWHERE!

I had a 87 Honda XL250 (or XR250L - I forget what it was called). Basically a street legal XR. I put dirt knobbies on it - most dangerous motorcycle I ever had. No fault of the bike, I just rode it like a complete ass. Jumping curbs, cutting though back yards. I rode it up and down cement steps at a shopping mall. Lots of fun, looked great and I want another carburated, kick start only motorcycle someday.

SlickDizzy wrote: Looks like it should be doable. Might take a little welding, but that's not too hard. How many people here are seriously interested in doing this race? It'd be kickass if we showed up as a "Team GRM" of sorts and turned this into a $200X Challenge type event, but for sub-200cc bikes and with no price cap. Also, the more people that enter, the more prize money there is...

I sent the link to my wife, she wants to go next year. We have always talked about doing a lake erie ride on our own. We would do the exhibition class - newer, bigger (reliable & comfortable) bikes.

she would ride her CBR600 and I would ride my Monster.

Oh crap, I just remembered an obscure bike - screw an EX, this SRX250 frame looks perfect for the job!

Come to think of it, a Honda VTR250 might work as well.

Damn, and I thought I was the only one who still thought thumpers were cool If I had to buy a new bike it would be a Triumph Bonnieville. Just cause that was what the "cool guys" bikes looked like back when.

There is a short article on the race on pp 76-7 of the November issue of Motorcyclist.

4eyes wrote: ... thumpers were cool... Triumph Bonnieville.

You know the Bonneville is a parallel twin, right?

http://hartford.craigslist.org/pts/1400654302.html

I would be all up for the 50cc, maybe re-gear a trail 90, since it would be older than 30 years. I'm thinking about 55mph could smoke most modern 50s.

Does anyone know if there is a set route or if speed limits need to be followed?......

sundancevette wrote: I would be all up for the 50cc, maybe re-gear a trail 90, since it would be older than 30 years. I'm thinking about 55mph could smoke most modern 50s. Does anyone know if there is a set route or if speed limits need to be followed?......

No speed limits (at your own risk), no set route but they give you 4 checkpoints you must pass through.

Yeah, I know the Bonnie is a twin. But it still has that look