Sat, Sep 27, 2014

Beater Late Than Never 400

Grange Motor Circuit

About this event

 

Think you can build a motorcycle for $400 that can race for 400 minutes? 

Then join us Saturday, September 27, 2014 at Grange Motor Circuit and show us what you’ve got.

 

 

Event requirements

 

GENERAL

Take Responsibility – Hey you.  Yeah, you.  Racing is dangerous.  Racing a motorcycle is even more dangerous.  Racing a motorcycle for hours in the desolate California desert?  You get the picture.  With that in mind:

i.      You are always “at-fault”.  Read this closely, my friends.  You are 100% responsible for what happens when you’re riding.  Think someone cut you off?  We don’t care.  Think you were improperly accused?  Let’s go back a line – we don’t care. This is not MotoGP, this is a bunch of people crazy enough to build “race” bikes (we use that term generously) for cheap who are willing to get together, have some fun, and torture test their bikes.  It’s your responsibility to stay out of trouble.

ii.      Do not act like a jackass.  You will be mocked, punished, possibly ejected, and then probably mocked again.

You are also responsible for actions of your friends, family, and pit crew. Any detrimental action by these individuals will be mocked (we love mocking), and puts the rider at risk of disqualification and immediate dismissal.

In Case It Wasn’t Clear – Motor vehicle mishaps, in competition or otherwise, can result in injury or death.

This is Not a Democracy – Whatever the organizers say, goes.  Period.  Don’t like it?  Feel free to not show up.

Unsafe Riders and/or Motorcycles – Unsafe motorcycles or riders may be removed at any moment.

Refunds and Compensation for Loss – No.

The “Daryl” Rule – Ever seen the Walking Dead episode where Daryl learns about “claiming”? Here’s your chance.   If we suspect that you’ve gone absurdly over budget in an attempt to cheat (or maybe you’re just that oblivious), we reserve the right to buy any motorcycle from its owner(s) for the given budget of $400.

i.      HINT: Don’t bring a bike that you’re not willing to walk away from.

Right of Publicity: If there’s any chance of this race happening again, it will be thanks to the sharing of photos and video of you smiling at the beginning of the race, tearing apart your bike after lap 30, cursing yourself for not bringing a spare clutch cable, lighting your motorcycle on fire out of frustration, etc.  With that said, your beautiful faces may be photographed, recorded, or otherwise reproduced re-used wherever we please.

ELIGIBILITY

Rider Eligibility – All riders must have a valid US motorcycle license.

i.      Riders under 18: Sorry, you’ll have to wait.  Riders must be over the age of 18.

ii.      Passengers: No passengers are allowed. As if you’d find someone who trusted you enough to sit on the back, anyway.

iii.      All riders must have protective gear as detailed in Section 3b

Motorcycle Eligibility – Any motorcycle is welcome, contingent on it successfully passing Tech Inspection the morning of the race (see Section 3a)

SAFETY – because someone has to care about you.

Tech Inspection – All motorcycles must meet all standards laid out as follows and elsewhere, and must pass tech inspection before the race.  Tech Inspection is in no way a certification, representation, or guarantee that your beater is safe to drive.  Each team is solely responsible for determing its vehicle’s safety, fitness to race, and compliance with the rules.

i.      Drain Plugs: Crankcase and transmission drain plugs must be safety wired.

ii.      Brakes: Motorcycles must be equipped with adequate, operating front and rear brakes.

iii.      Throttle: Motorcycles must be fitted with a self-closing throttle.

iv.      Kill Switch: Motorcycles must be equipped with either a functional mechanical kill device (such as a compression release) or an ignition cut-off switch mounted on the handlebar and able to be reached without taking one’s hand from a handgrip.  The ignition cut-off switch must be red.

v.      Fenders: Front fenders are optional.  Rear fenders must extend at least to a vertical line drawn through the rear axle.

vi.      Chain Guards: A guard must completely enclose the primary drive (does not include counter-shaft sprocket and primary back drive).

vii.      Exhaust

1.     You must have an exhaust system with a muffler.  No straight pipes.

2.     The exhaust system must be attached securely together and to the frame, and must remain so until the end of the event.

viii.      Fire Extinguisher: All riders should have a working, two-pound minimum, BC-rated fire extinguisher in their pit area.

ix.      Size Limits:

1.     Width – to be determined.

2.     Weight – No motorcycle is allowed to weigh more than 550 pounds.  And for heaven’s sake, why would you do that to yourself?

3.     Tech Inspection – Gear

i.      Leathers: Protective jacket and pants made of leather or other durable material must be worn while riding.  One-piece leather suits, two-piece leather suits that are attached to each other, and Aerostich one-piece suits are acceptable.

ii.      Boots: Boots must be at least 8 inches high with any combination of laces, buckles, or zippers, or specially designed and constructed for leg and foot protection.

iii.      Eye Protection: All riders must utilize a shatterproof face shield or shatterproof goggles.

iv.      Helmets: It is mandatory for all participants taking part in practice and races to wear a full face protective helmet.  The helmet must be properly fastened, be of a good fit, and be in good condition.  The helmet must have a chin strap type ‘retention system’.  Helmets must conform to Snell M2010 and/or DOT FMVSS 218 standard and have an affixed label certifying its approval. It is recommended that all helmets used in competition be equipped with a commercially manufactured emergency helmet removal device and that all competitors display the following information on the base of the helmet: name, drug allergies, and blood type.

VEHICLE PRICE – In which you try to bend the rules.

Total Investment in Vehicle Cannot Exceed $400 – with the exception of items laid out in 4.b and 4.c, the total amount spent on any aspect of the motorcycle must be $400 or less.

i.      Don’t get cute with “we were given this bike, so it cost us nothing.”  We will not take kindly to such crap.

ii.      A panel of judges will inspect each bike as part of Tech Inspection.  Any team the panel determines has gone over budget will be penalized in nefarious ways.  The onus is on you to prove you stayed under budget to a suspicious group of grumpy panel members.

iii.      Money earned from selling off non-exempt pieces of your motorcycle can be put back into your $400 budget.

Safety Equipment DOES NOT Count Toward $400 Budget – such equipment includes:

i.      Wheels, tires, wheel bearings, brake components

ii.      Windscreens

iii.      Handlebars/Clipons, Rearsets/Pegs

iv.      Safety gear, including helmet, jacket, pants, boots – pretty much anything worn by the rider.

v.      Fuel tank, fuel lines, fuel filters, and fuel fittings

Note that fuel pumps, carburetors, injection pumps, computers, and individual injectors are NOT exempt.

TEAM FORMATION

Teams will consist of 4 riders.  Additional team members (mechanics, psychics, whatever) are allowed.  No limit on team size, but only 4 may ride.

Grange Motor Circuit

Apple Valley, CA
Download track map
Download track map

Organizer

Motorcycle Race organized by

Bikeurious

Event over!