Leather Suit

[Mischief]

A few questions regarding equipment.

 

1st

Would I be allowed - be OK to wear a leathers that were meant for the Road but use them for Speedway, loads of second-hand leather suits on eBay, various prices.

 

2nd

Also I'm having trouble knowing what I should pay for good Speedway bike, no buying experience.

 

I was hoping to buy something that came with a load of spares and in good condition, I don't want anything tatty unless nice and cheap. I have seen a bike on eBay that to me looks really good sadly no spares and so far £1900 no bids but could go up????

 

With my lack of experience I don't know if that's a good price or classed as expensive? Item No: 111735879376 Any thoughts on this would be nice just to help with my understanding of value + condition of these bikes.

 

3rd

As far as short Stroke Laydown Jawa engines are they all the same. I've seen Jawa on the side cases on some engines but blank other Jawa engines. Any reason why?

 

4th

Where could I find a list for track gearing?

 

5th

I'm located in London, where could I get my Steel Shoe re- Colmonoy or could that be done track side?

 

6th

I have also been warned about Upright Engines being converted to Laydown, how could I tell the difference and is this a problem or just your own preference or choice to use?

 

Hope all that makes sense?

 

 

Thanks a lot for any help offered

[Veterancub]

As it sounds like your a first timer with little knowledge you don't want to be spending loads on a bike. A perfectly usable bike can be had for less than a grand, even as low as £600 if you go for an older lay down with Jawa motor ( Jawas tend to be cheaper than GM).A converted upright to laydown are perfect for first timers and the cheapest to purchase.the older Jawas tend not to have Jawa on the casing .I still run conversion engines in my training school fleet and they are a lot older than all of my students and are still good engines.

As your just going to be doing practice/ training schools, leathers are acceptable but not legal for competitive racing as they need a SCB standard label in them.

Gearing...start off big!....to get the rear wheel spinning.you learn gearing as you ride as what's right for one person on one track isn't necessarily right for you.

Steel shoes normally cone already colmomoyed.Anybody who can weld , with a stick of colmomoy can retreat it for you.

Go to a practice / training session and ask questions before spending money!

Rye House will possibly be the nearest to you.

Hope this helps.

Best motto.....ask before spending!

[Mischief]

Thanks

[Billy Djbhectic Thrower]

I have a set of proper Kevlars and lots of racing equipment for sale including speedway boots with steel shoe

[Mischief]

Hi Billy

 

We spoke on the phone regarding your equipment yesterday. You said you would email photos of what's for sale with prices. Here is my public email address below just in case you didn't get the correct one as the line was so bad. The last few minutes of the call I'm afraid I could not understand anything you were saying and then the line went dead.

 

Please use the following.

 

Send1quick@gmail.com

 

Thanks

[mikethom]

A few questions regarding equipment.

 

1st

Would I be allowed - be OK to wear a leathers that were meant for the Road but use them for Speedway, loads of second-hand leather suits on eBay, various prices.

 

2nd

Also I'm having trouble knowing what I should pay for good Speedway bike, no buying experience.

 

I was hoping to buy something that came with a load of spares and in good condition, I don't want anything tatty unless nice and cheap. I have seen a bike on eBay that to me looks really good sadly no spares and so far £1900 no bids but could go up????

 

With my lack of experience I don't know if that's a good price or classed as expensive? Item No: 111735879376 Any thoughts on this would be nice just to help with my understanding of value + condition of these bikes.

 

3rd

As far as short Stroke Laydown Jawa engines are they all the same. I've seen Jawa on the side cases on some engines but blank other Jawa engines. Any reason why?

 

4th

Where could I find a list for track gearing?

 

5th

I'm located in London, where could I get my Steel Shoe re- Colmonoy or could that be done track side?

 

6th

I have also been warned about Upright Engines being converted to Laydown, how could I tell the difference and is this a problem or just your own preference or choice to use?

 

Hope all that makes sense?

 

 

Thanks a lot for any help offered

1/ leathers are fine and will be on the provisal they have a cotton lining not a synthetic one. You'll probably struggle to fine Cotten lined ones as they are generally in made to measure race suits. You can take the linings out and put a under suit under that is cotton and you'll be fine.

2/ bike wise you need to make sure it's straight, no frame cracks, jon Hughes at JHR race engineering in Swadlincote makes chassis and always has used frames and forks etc. the best thing about him is if you bend it he'll straighten it as will Maidstone moto liner Ray or Tommy. Stua are a good cheap package used by lots of racers but they are changed a lot in a season by riders.

Make sure when you but a chassis the wheels are straight when spun as well as the clutch none should move up and down or have any bearing play. Carb wise when you warm the bike up it shouldn't over run and check inside the carb to make sure the slide isn't worn into the casing.

Engine wise cheap and chearfull to maintain is a Jawa but ideally you want a std out of the box one. Ideally stay away with anything that says tuned,head by so and so etc. the basic the better.

3/ steel shoe colomonoy can be purchased from joe Hughes international through there web site but Alan bell ham is good for next day delivery. You can put it on yourself with a map gas torch.

Gearing for where your riding down south I'd be surprised if you'd need anything below a 60 rear sprocket and stick to std ratios 63/56 as its old money but everyone can relate to them.

Upright conversions are fine but like most things it's all about who and how it's been done. For the price you can get a dedicated lay down as cheap as chips. Long stroke or short would ok.

I saw a old upright on here eBay recently that was just a frame but I recognised the bike as mark walshs which had been stored. That would be ok as I recall all his bikes were at the time immaculate.

In a nutshell you just need something that starts every time and does lap after lap.

If you get stuck I have a current bike for sale with a good genuine engine that would be serviced before it was taken.

Good luck and I hope thus helps.

[Mischief]

Hi Dijon

 

Thank you very much for the time you spent writing this, it has been very helpful.

 

I am getting to grips with buying a bike. I lost out a few times being too causes and taking too long making up my mind but that's me, only fools rush in as far as I'm concerned. Right now I am in talks with a guy who has a really lovely looking bike but slighty more money than I want to spend but might go for it????

 

If you don't mind just out of interest would you mind sending photos of what you have for sale to Send1quick@gmail.com

 

It seems my biggest problem right now is getting hold of a secondhand pair of Kevlar/Leather Speedway suit for a 6ft guy. Can you offer any advice with this?

 

Thanks again.

[bruno]

In my youth I went down the same path as you,I could ride bikes so thought I'd buy a jawa as good as I could afford thinking the better the bike the better I'd be.unfortunately the bike was way better than me!after a fair bit of practice at an unofficial track ( there was a fair few in the seventies) I managed to wreck the bike and get myself a few bruises! It ended my thoughts on becoming a rider and cost a fair amount of financial trouble including wrecking my dads car!

 

What I'm getting at is I wish I'd have attended training schools and got the hang of things first and gathered some experience and knowledge off people in the know.not sure if this is any help thought it might be useful to you

[Mischief]

H Bruno

 

Yes I hear you mate so thank you very much for your very good advice I appreciate it.

 

If you knew me you would know I'm a funny sort of person in I have to be happy with what I buy and spend my money on. If I was sensible and bought a cheap bike I would instantly end up spending money on it, glitter guards, engine rebuilds and making it all shinny, I just can't help myself. A bit of a poser, all show and no go, lol

 

Now after saying that I'm not going to buy anything new, just something that meets my needs now and still sell later on if I choose to sell.

 

I am so out of touch with speedway I am a old beginner now but I was heavily involved in my previous life and lost count of all the training schools I attended, I could rattle off the names of the riders who held these training schools but you would think I was just a show off or lying, plus I know those training schools wont help me now. When I have all my equipment I will look into schools that are available now.

 

What I'm trying to say in a modest way is I do have a little insight in riding a Speedway bike. May be in 6 months time or a year I might regret all this I don't know, I'm not silly but its what I have to do now. I do things instead of regretting I didn't do what's in my heart.

 

Anyway thank you very much for your time and advice

Edited September 1, 2015 by Mischief