Getting Ready for Racing Season! Need Some Tips.

[Chazz of Blades]

Well, I've called around the local dirt tracks, and have been approved to race this summer. I'd be running my '84 200s, I know I know, it's not a sporty trike, but it smokes everything of around the same size I've put it against, SX or 200X, or Blaster.

I'm wondering if anyone has any tips to share about racing something with a semi auto clutch, and any tricks about racing a trike on a dirt track. This'll be my first season and I've saw some of the competition, and it's looking good for the 3 Trekker.

Parts wise I have just about everything I need, high comp piston, cam, 200X carb(86), UNI filter, COBRA pipe, and prayers.

What I'm needing recommendations for is tires, and possibly wheel spacers/longer hubs. From what I've saw, the tracks are all dirt, and will normally be slightly muddy at times. I was thinking '22 or '20 inch tires maybe, I've already got butttons of low end and mid range torque though, along with heaps of top end.


Does anyone run nerf bars on them?


I'm so excited to race this year, it's something I've ALWAYS wanted to do!


With two seperate GPS, I've clocked a top speed of 64 MPH on both, and it gets there QUICK.



ANY racing tips will be greatly appreciated, how to launch, take turns properly, that sort of thing.


124386124385

[CRAZY70MAN]

:shiftyeyes::shiftyeyes::shiftyeyes:trailprotrailp ro...........might as well get that out of the way. I would recommend a kidney belt and a couple bottles of Tylenol or Aleeve for the pain. Good luck. Nice trike:beer

[Chazz of Blades]

Yeah, I do alot of road riding to get to trails, and the TP come in really handy for that.


And a few dozen pounds of pain killers might ease the hard tail pain.

[Vealmonkey]

Your riding techniques will depend on what you decide for tires. Hardtail will be a slight disadvantage. Suspension would be nice, as it would help you to free up your tire choices a whole lot. Best of luck with your racing.

[atc007]

I won't throw ya under the bus cuz it's not a race bike! Either a wider axle,+4 or 6. Of course spacers and or hubs will get you there,and I would start off with 18 or MAYBE 20 dimple knobs,worked great back in the day. MAYBE something more aggressive when it's wetter,or loose,Holeshots or Razr's. I really can't believe you can get ANY real racetrack to allow a 3 wheeler into competition !! Awesome if they do! Grind your steering stops to the point your trees JUST don't hit your tank lock to lock. Flush your engine w gas after a very hot oil change,get ALL that clutch grit out of there. get A TOP quality full synthetic in there. I have personally found Valvoline to work ridiculously well,but not getting into an oil war here. Sticking with what I kNOW works! Air box lid gone! Clean,oiled filter every race. A good quality NON O ring chain,oiled WELL! Kinda obvious,but easy to forget! You want the most USABLE HP,and the LEAST rolling resistance,with the gps speeds you've given ,I think you've got a great start! As far as getting out of the hole,,A LOT of races are won or lost there! Practice,practice,practice!!! Different gearing,tires,conditions,dictate all of that! I would be trying for in between 1st and 2nd,being aware of the gears limits! We would file the cam sprocket and degree the cam,and all of that,but it sounds like you're making some nice power already. Good luck!!

[dougspcs]

Sorry to say Chazz, I can't see the hard tail machine ripping up a course with those other much more race equipped trikes. I can see you're going for the sleeper attack..on a 200s no one will see that speed coming. 65MPH for real..wow!!

Unless you are Houdini on a 3wheeler I see loads of pain in your future because that machine will beat your ass as you try to manhandle it around the course.

Play careful and have fun..post us some videos I gotta see this..

You have a 200x, tweek it and start your race career on it!!

Oh yeah, nice looking 200s..very clean!!

[Kfx-xc-racer88]

I did a few laps around an mx track on my 87' atc 125m a couple of years back and it wasnt a pleasant ride!!! lol
good suspension makes you fast not hardcore tuned motors!!!

[atc007]

I won't throw ya under the bus cuz it's not a race bike! Either a wider axle,+4 or 6. Of course spacers and or hubs will get you there,and I would start off with 18 or MAYBE 20 dimple knobs,worked great back in the day. MAYBE something more aggressive when it's wetter,or loose,Holeshots or Razr's. I really can't believe you can get ANY real racetrack to allow a 3 wheeler into competition !! Awesome if they do! Grind your steering stops to the point your trees JUST don't hit your tank lock to lock. Flush your engine w gas after a very hot oil change,get ALL that clutch grit out of there. get A TOP quality full synthetic in there. I have personally found Valvoline to work ridiculously well,but not getting into an oil war here. Sticking with what I kNOW works! Air box lid gone! Clean,oiled filter every race. A good quality NON O ring chain,oiled WELL! Kinda obvious,but easy to forget! You want the most USABLE HP,and the LEAST rolling resistance,with the gps speeds you've given ,I think you've got a great start! As far as getting out of the hole,,A LOT of races are won or lost there! Practice,practice,practice!!! Different gearing,tires,conditions,dictate all of that! I would be trying for in between 1st and 2nd,being aware of the gears limits! We would file the cam sprocket and degree the cam,and all of that,but it sounds like you're making some nice power already. Good luck!!

I am assuming here,you said dirttrack,we're talking an oval here right? No jumps or whoops? That's what I'm talking about. Obviously not a tt or MX course!

[RubberSalt]

I know when i get my 200m out, i can sling that sucker which ever way i want. Us young folks don't feel the pain. It's downfall is it's lack of power. It's nothing to slide that sob sideways lol.
Depending on the size of the track, I'd tweak the gearing. How often and will you see the top end of bike? If your not getting close, I'd adjust it for some more bottom end grunt.

The only thing i would worry about on the tracks in your case would be a tune blaster. If tuned right, they can bring upwards of 35hp on the stock bore and stroke.

[hillbilly 200x]

I have had my eye on this for some time it may help you out http://cgi.ebay.ca/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=170417922609&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

[beets442]

I recommend a full face helmet and goggles w/tearoffs cuz your going to be eating lots of dust and dirt. Good luck!

[Chazz of Blades]

I'm not racing at a large track, mainly alot of small, privately owned dirt tracks. One is an oval, the other has a few small jumps and a couple hairpins, but nothing serious, and all the others follow the same path.

I'm not racing with any high end racers, I'm mainly racing locals, for the hell of it. The hartail will suck, but I'll be damned if it won't be fun!

I was thinking more along the line of '20 RZRs for the track setup, I could still sling it sideways just as easily, and get some lower gearing. The tracks I know of will be mainly low to low high range, no WOT top speed, so the trike currently has plenty of low and high, just a tad bit lacking on the midrange.

And the 200X is currently a frame, motor, engine, and swingarm right now.

[dexterr]

http://i740.photobucket.com/albums/xx49/whittingtondexter/IMAG0248-1.jpg

[badass350x]

I know when i get my 200m out, i can sling that sucker which ever way i want. Us young folks don't feel the pain. It's downfall is it's lack of power. It's nothing to slide that sob sideways lol.
Depending on the size of the track, I'd tweak the gearing. How often and will you see the top end of bike? If your not getting close, I'd adjust it for some more bottom end grunt.

The only thing i would worry about on the tracks in your case would be a tune blaster. If tuned right, they can bring upwards of 35hp on the stock bore and stroke.


Yeah that's what I said when I was racing hard tails back in the 80's!!! And at 38 I had lower back surgery, just be careful ... And remember SLOW IS FAST!!!

[Addicted]

Why not just part that thing out and buy an R? Even an air-cooled one would be cheap and a huge step up.

[ringdingrider]

if you want to sling the tail end out, stick with razors or a turf tamer style knobby that you can custom groove. itp holeshots do not like to slide in corners. if its a hardpack track, hoosiers or other TT style tires would work well also. you may gain a lil advantage for yourself by runnin a slightly taller front tire, as to make the trike sit as if its squatting since you dont have suspension. and since yer on a trike, goin wider cant hurt, as to how much wider though, you need to try different setups and see whats comfortable for you in the corners and what the machine responds best to. good luck man. i wish i coul race my trikes.

[TatTooL23]

I would STRONGLY recommend aluminum rims and 20" kenda scorpions. Between the rims and those tires u would drop a lot of weight from steel rims and trail pro's. Weight savings r a huge key in racing. Tail light, headlight, whatever u can shed.

[Chazz of Blades]

I didn't get to run this main season, there's supposed to be some more races set for the rest of the year though. It was a real bummer, I was really excited to do this.

And Addicted, around here, a good shape Fooler will run you about two grand. I'd be best sticking with what I've got, the old girl needs a fresh set of rings anyway, and I have other things all my cash is going toward, so it's backburnered. The only thing I have to get out and rip up on is my 125, and that little thing just aint the same.......

I've got a set of aluminum 350X wheels that I've not tried yet, no tires to go on em.



By the way, the 200S has a second stage cam, 10/1 piston, bigger carb, Cobra pipe, .060 over, and misc tweaking. Only things I've not looked into are sprockets and porting, but I don't know any local porters, and don't know anything about doing it myself.

My riding style is fast, sideways, but still composed. I try not to let the FASTFASTFAST goblins get to me too much.