Any flexibility in the rules?

[Herr V.]

Copying @johnnymack63 into this for hopefully some guidance,

OK, as previously documented here in public, I really want to take part on LDD/U in 2020 and since this years event have been searching for a steed and preferably one that's not a 500cc parallel twin. Yeah, Ghey poof woof I know.......

Plan B was to just say fuck the rules and use my R1200RS, it will still be an epic ride but in the back of my mind I know I am flouting the rules and more importantly the spirit of the event which feels wrong so am making an effort to do it right.

It looks like I may have stumbled on a steed that I am going to look at on Sunday.  A post in the village rag detailing the event, my reasons for taking part and what I need to take part has elicited an option via person in the village that knows someone related to a cousin etc etc type of thing.  He put me in touch with the guy and it sounds promising.  It turns out the bike has been sat dormant for a good few years (10), is in good condition but the fuel tank may be rotten and for sure the carbs maybe scrap but we will see.

The guys wants £500 for it, I explained that the rules state a £300 purchase limit plus essentials he said "take a look at it and we can talk" so my question is (finally) if I can get it for £300 and it needs a fuel tank (say £100 off the bay of gay) the carbs I can hopefully sort but seals , gaskets etc say another £75 is this considered taking the piss in which case I might as well just use the R1200RS.

I am really struggling to find something to do it on but want to do it the appropriate manner.  

What do you gents say?

[jaycee]

14 minutes ago, Herr V. said:

Copying @johnnymack63 into this for hopefully some guidance,

OK, as previously documented here in public, I really want to take part on LDD/U in 2020 and since this years event have been searching for a steed and preferably one that's not a 500cc parallel twin. Yeah, Ghey poof woof I know.......

Plan B was to just say fuck the rules and use my R1200RS, it will still be an epic ride but in the back of my mind I know I am flouting the rules and more importantly the spirit of the event which feels wrong so am making an effort to do it right.

It looks like I may have stumbled on a steed that I am going to look at on Sunday.  A post in the village rag detailing the event, my reasons for taking part and what I need to take part has elicited an option via person in the village that knows someone related to a cousin etc etc type of thing.  He put me in touch with the guy and it sounds promising.  It turns out the bike has been sat dormant for a good few years (10), is in good condition but the fuel tank may be rotten and for sure the carbs maybe scrap but we will see.

The guys wants £500 for it, I explained that the rules state a £300 purchase limit plus essentials he said "take a look at it and we can talk" so my question is (finally) if I can get it for £300 and it needs a fuel tank (say £100 off the bay of gay) the carbs I can hopefully sort but seals , gaskets etc say another £75 is this considered taking the piss in which case I might as well just use the R1200RS.

I am really struggling to find something to do it on but want to do it the appropriate manner.  

What do you gents say?

I threw the equivalent of my overspend into the pot. 

 

[hawkati]

"in the spirit of LDD" is what johnnymac said to me & others  - as in make a real effort to sort out a real wreck of a bike and get it running alright. The budget doesn't include money spent on brakes & tyres, which helps a bit, but due to the popularity of a certain mag (cough) it's increasingly difficult to buy a bike for £300 in any condition. I'd absolutely say go for it.

The wierder the bike the better - what is it?

[Alex_H]

I say go and see it, have a chat with the geeza face to face and see where it leads you. If it isn't 300 on the dot on the road I wouldn't sweat to much, you'll know you've done your best and its the taking part that counts the most. 

[Herr V.]

That's kind of what I';m thinking.

It's a 750 teapot, it has allegedly been sat in the guys shed for at least 10 years, allegedly in good original condition, but the tank has started to leak around the mounts so is probably rotten, the carbs will probably be shot too but if it is clean and original then it is worth what he wants for it so will be twisting his arm.

I've had two conversations with him about it, he knows why I want it and he sympathises as his wife has had cancer treatment and supports the cause.  He apparently cleaned it prior to parking parking it up under a cover for winter one year, then he had some back issues resulting in surgery so missed the following spring and things just got parked in front of the bike and he basically just left it there.

Even if it is in good nick it will need tyres, fluids, possibly a chain but that is all allowed.  Have seen some tanks on flea-gay for around £50 and a new tap is about £20 and the carbs can go in my ultrasonic tank so should be ok.

I'll let you know how I get on.

 

[porter_jamie]

rules are basically "dont take the piss"

you certainly are not doing that, crack on I say

[blow_away]

@Herr V. once the seller sees the bike running he might want to buy it back from you? Maybe strike a deal along these lines. 

[blow_away]

I guess this raises a wider point, perhaps the bike budget should go up to £500?

I've been looking since the summer for a bike to build for LDU, but there's nothing around at £300.

[Alex_H]

11 hours ago, blow_away said:

I guess this raises a wider point, perhaps the bike budget should go up to £500?

I've been looking since the summer for a bike to build for LDU, but there's nothing around at £300.

Nows the time to up your gumtree and Facebook meerkatplace game, winter and chrimbo cometh! 

[jaycee]

2 hours ago, Alex_H said:

Nows the time to up your gumtree and Facebook meerkatplace game, winter and chrimbo cometh! 

Post Crimbo is good too, when the reality of that looming credit card bill hits home

[johnnymack63]

On 10/19/2019 at 5:00 PM, porter_jamie said:

rules are basically "dont take the piss"

you certainly are not doing that, crack on I say

^ this

Soz for the slow response. Been at Brands all weekend.

[IforB]

On 10/20/2019 at 6:16 AM, blow_away said:

I guess this raises a wider point, perhaps the bike budget should go up to £500?

I've been looking since the summer for a bike to build for LDU, but there's nothing around at £300.

I got mine for £250 and have over-spent by a bit to get it running, but the spirit is the main thing rather than pounds, shillings and pence being exact. I'll be in for about £400 probably once I take direct costs into it, but when you work out the cost of brakes, tyres, fluids, picking the thing up etc.etc. if you can get the thing up and running for less than £500-600, you are doing bloody well in my eyes.

As already said, just don't take the piss and I suspect all will be OK. At the end of it, the challenge is getting a shitter ready and then getting through the ride rather than hitting a financial figure. Though it is amazing how many people are willing to help out when you tell them what it is for. Well, all except my local breaker who utterly refused to take even a penny off some parts I needed despite knowing about the event already from the mag...

[porter_jamie]

i donated the extra i spent over 300 quid to the LDD. Remember, anything you have just lying around, and are donated, do not count. As Ifor says, i did a build thread, and people just sent me loads of stuff for free, bless them. As i understand it now, brakes and tyres are 'free' (were not when i did it) and also anything that contains fuel is too (for safety) so you can fix any dodgy looking pipes and so on. I think the main reason for not making it on the 1st one was either taking the wrong bike (scooters!) or running out of electric.

[Herr V.]

OK so update time.

Took a ride up to the Lincolnshire Wolds yesterday and kicked the tyres of said money pit.  Which hurt a bit as they were rock hard.

The bike is a completely standard and original 191 GSX750F (Teapot)

It is showing 30K miles and really isn't in bad nick at all, just tired and a bit dusty but all original.  I hooked up a battery and gave it a sniff of damp start and she fired and ran for a few seconds.

The tank is full of rust and feels crusty underneath where I could get a finger in for a feel and has rust on the inside so that is scrap. The exhaust crumbled literally at my touch but he has an original spare that looks good. The shock looks tired but bounces, the linage is covered in fur and shite, the swingarm appears to be solid but is speckled with signs of light rusting but nothing some wet & dry, primer and a coat from the rattle can of aluminium silver that's in the cupboard won't fix.  The engine looks to be dry in terms of no signs of leaks but a bit furry and generally dully and dusty.

So aside from the tank and the safety stuff, (brakes and tyres) it looks like an easy job to get her ready.

Have I bought it?

Kind of.

The guy  is encouraged that it fired up but wants £500 for it, I showed him the LDD website and went over it again with him and told him that I could probably get away with £350 but no more as I need ot get a tank and fuel tap as well which would push me too far past acceptable.

He is going away for a couple of weeks (bloody pensioners off to sunny Spain) and is going to chew on it and come back to me.

Personally I think he will come back and advertise it in which case he will easily get his £500 as in all honesty it's worth it.

But to think people may have craved one of these in 1991 is scary!

[blow_away]

Whilst his price of £500 isn't awfully high, I suspect he's going to be unlikely to make a sale at this time of the year. Have a look for a tank etc, show the seller how much they are. He's going to have to fix the tank to get an MoT, which in turn would help him make a sale. 

[Herr V.]

I have already sewn the seeds of costs for replacement tanks, carb rebuilds etc, etc.

I guess I was expecting a more sympathetic ear for the challenge and doing something positive, my mistake.

If he doesn't call me in two weeks then I will chase him but I am betting he will advertise it and sell it 😥

[hawkati]

I can only implore you that if whatever you buy & build refuses to fire up and blows 17 main fuses three days before the event, by all means take a regular bike but under no circumstances use a 996 or similar riding positioned monstrosity!😱😱😱😱😱

[Herr V.]

Mr Hawkati, Please rest assured that should I have a bike that meets the requirements and refuses to play ball, the R1200RS will be used over the 998.

Stoopid I may be, fucking retarded I don't quite think I am there yet but June is a while away 🤣

[jollygiant]

It wouldn't be PB is you didn't break the rules.

PS on the other hand😨😱

[Thunderbolt]

I paid £185 for the GPZ. There is no way in the world I will get it ready under budget.

 

[jaycee]

11 hours ago, Thunderbolt said:

I paid £185 for the GPZ. There is no way in the world I will get it ready under budget.

 

Are you doing it Calum? 

Right, i need to book my leave NOW (with the wife as well as work) 

I can't have another eternal Pit-stopper doing it and not be out there myself too. 

Edited October 23, 2019 by jaycee

[Thunderbolt]

4 hours ago, jaycee said:

Are you doing it Calum? 

Right, i need to book my leave NOW (with the wife as well as work) 

I can't have another eternal Pit-stopper doing it and not be out there myself to 

I hope to mate.

I think/hope that it will be over subscribed this year, so I guess that @johnnymack63 will have to limit numbers.

I need to get my pitstop manned, and I am hopeful for volunteers.

Bike wise, backup is a CBR with a dead engine.

The plan is to get the GPZ together, take it to the TT as a shakedown, not throw of up the road and do the LDU.

What I am most worried about is how little money I think I will raise. I don't have lots of rich mates or owt like that. So others will deffo raise more cash.

Eeyore has to do it this year as well.

[jaycee]

1 hour ago, Thunderbolt said:

I hope to mate.

I think/hope that it will be over subscribed this year, so I guess that @johnnymack63 will have to limit numbers.

I need to get my pitstop manned, and I am hopeful for volunteers.

Bike wise, backup is a CBR with a dead engine.

The plan is to get the GPZ together, take it to the TT as a shakedown, not throw of up the road and do the LDU.

What I am most worried about is how little money I think I will raise. I don't have lots of rich mates or owt like that. So others will deffo raise more cash.

Eeyore has to do it this year as well.

 Spread the word far and wide. Im like you with regard to amounts of friends, yet casting my net wide brought in almost £1000.

[IforB]

3 hours ago, Thunderbolt said:

I hope to mate.

I think/hope that it will be over subscribed this year, so I guess that @johnnymack63 will have to limit numbers.

I need to get my pitstop manned, and I am hopeful for volunteers.

Bike wise, backup is a CBR with a dead engine.

The plan is to get the GPZ together, take it to the TT as a shakedown, not throw of up the road and do the LDU.

What I am most worried about is how little money I think I will raise. I don't have lots of rich mates or owt like that. So others will deffo raise more cash.

Eeyore has to do it this year as well.

Oh I'm doing it. Don't worry about that!

[hawkati]

5 hours ago, Thunderbolt said:

I hope to mate.

I think/hope that it will be over subscribed this year, so I guess that @johnnymack63 will have to limit numbers.

I need to get my pitstop manned, and I am hopeful for volunteers.

Bike wise, backup is a CBR with a dead engine.

The plan is to get the GPZ together, take it to the TT as a shakedown, not throw of up the road and do the LDU.

What I am most worried about is how little money I think I will raise. I don't have lots of rich mates or owt like that. So others will deffo raise more cash.

Eeyore has to do it this year as well.

You'll be fine raising money - just spread the word. It's a damn good cause and people recognize that it's doing a significant challenge rather than tilting about going without booze or shaving your head - there's a lot of support out there - bung me a linky when it's all up & running?

[Herr V.]

What's with the limit on numbers?  

Is it due to accommodation restrictions in which case can we double on twin rooms or even camp, the more the merrier, more piss taking at me parked by the road side or just lost and most importantly the more money raised for a great cause?

 

[Herr V.]

2 hours ago, IforB said:

Oh I'm doing it. Don't worry about that!

Plus you've got nearly a year of bike prep on everyone else (although because of a shit shituation) 

[Thunderbolt]

4 hours ago, Herr V. said:

What's with the limit on numbers?  

Is it due to accommodation restrictions in which case can we double on twin rooms or even camp, the more the merrier, more piss taking at me parked by the road side or just lost and most importantly the more money raised for a great cause?

 

I would imagine the logistics would limit numbers, but I don't know it is Johnnie's call.

 

[hawkati]

Roughly 25 -28 riders. After that it's difficult to accommodate riders at both ends.

 

[lexiden]

12 hours ago, Thunderbolt said:

I hope to mate.

I think/hope that it will be over subscribed this year, so I guess that @johnnymack63 will have to limit numbers.

I need to get my pitstop manned, and I am hopeful for volunteers.

Bike wise, backup is a CBR with a dead engine.

The plan is to get the GPZ together, take it to the TT as a shakedown, not throw of up the road and do the LDU.

What I am most worried about is how little money I think I will raise. I don't have lots of rich mates or owt like that. So others will deffo raise more cash.

Eeyore has to do it this year as well.

All being well Ian and I will be there again. Not sure if that's any help to you mind!!!!!