Ownership costs of SR3 1500 ss...?
Discussion
Years ago I took a ride with Mick Hyde in a road going SR3 ss near Radical Motosport HQ. I've never forgotten the beyond belief acceleration which left me with such desire to buy one. Sadly the bank wouldn't provide the funds...but that was 2006 and this is now.
I'd be looking to buy a used example from around that year. In all honesty I really need to know if I'm letting myself into something I can afford to buy but not run.
It may see the very infrequent outing to a nearby track but predominantly road usage is where I'll get my kicks. Are these SR3's reliable? And how often will the Haybusa unit require refreshing, or even rebuliding? Just how much will this cost me? The money tree at the end of the garden is still yet to bear fruit
Thanks
I'd be looking to buy a used example from around that year. In all honesty I really need to know if I'm letting myself into something I can afford to buy but not run.
It may see the very infrequent outing to a nearby track but predominantly road usage is where I'll get my kicks. Are these SR3's reliable? And how often will the Haybusa unit require refreshing, or even rebuliding? Just how much will this cost me? The money tree at the end of the garden is still yet to bear fruit
Thanks
It's going to be hard to judge with the kind of use you are thinking of. Also depends very much on how fresh the car is when you buy it.
For road use (although I can't imagine why you'd do that, but that's by the by), I'd expect it to last well (assuming it starts fresh).
For race use, you should get 40 hours out of a fresh K8. That's running time inc warming up which will translate to about 30 odd hours on load.
Your biggest problem is knowing how fresh a used car is unless you can verify it. Beware wiley race teams saying "it's hardly done anything mate" make sure you can verify it.
There's a lovely green one that is actually verifiably refreshed in the classifieds! Not road legal though.
Bert
For road use (although I can't imagine why you'd do that, but that's by the by), I'd expect it to last well (assuming it starts fresh).
For race use, you should get 40 hours out of a fresh K8. That's running time inc warming up which will translate to about 30 odd hours on load.
Your biggest problem is knowing how fresh a used car is unless you can verify it. Beware wiley race teams saying "it's hardly done anything mate" make sure you can verify it.
There's a lovely green one that is actually verifiably refreshed in the classifieds! Not road legal though.
Bert
I along with many others (well not many) have asked a similar question. I bought my road legal SR3 TS in November and so far have done a grand total of 45 minutes on the road...aiming to change that from this weekend though!
Like you, I plan to take it on the road for comedy value (full face helmet at the KFC drive through anyone?) and track it 5-6 times a year. Budget wise, I'm hoping that 100 a month more than covers the use it will see.
I live in Effingham and just down the road is Steven Jordan Suzuki who tunes bikes, he's quoted me a great price on dropping and stripping the engine which I hope to do out of choice not need next year.
One thing I will say though is the comments on road use...in the 45 minutes I've done so far, it's clear that the car isn't designed for anything but the track. It hunts cambers like a b
h, you can't see st and the brakes etc are a pig without any heat in them. Don't get me started on filling it up at the petrol station!
Saying all that though, I'll still take it on the road whenever I get chance as it's just so out of place, it really does make you smile...and isn't that what it's all about?
Like you, I plan to take it on the road for comedy value (full face helmet at the KFC drive through anyone?) and track it 5-6 times a year. Budget wise, I'm hoping that 100 a month more than covers the use it will see.
I live in Effingham and just down the road is Steven Jordan Suzuki who tunes bikes, he's quoted me a great price on dropping and stripping the engine which I hope to do out of choice not need next year.
One thing I will say though is the comments on road use...in the 45 minutes I've done so far, it's clear that the car isn't designed for anything but the track. It hunts cambers like a b
h, you can't see st and the brakes etc are a pig without any heat in them. Don't get me started on filling it up at the petrol station!Saying all that though, I'll still take it on the road whenever I get chance as it's just so out of place, it really does make you smile...and isn't that what it's all about?
BertBert said:
It's going to be hard to judge with the kind of use you are thinking of. Also depends very much on how fresh the car is when you buy it.
For road use (although I can't imagine why you'd do that, but that's by the by), I'd expect it to last well (assuming it starts fresh).
For race use, you should get 40 hours out of a fresh K8. That's running time inc warming up which will translate to about 30 odd hours on load.
Your biggest problem is knowing how fresh a used car is unless you can verify it. Beware wiley race teams saying "it's hardly done anything mate" make sure you can verify it.
There's a lovely green one that is actually verifiably refreshed in the classifieds! Not road legal though.
Bert
Cheers for the info Bert For road use (although I can't imagine why you'd do that, but that's by the by), I'd expect it to last well (assuming it starts fresh).
For race use, you should get 40 hours out of a fresh K8. That's running time inc warming up which will translate to about 30 odd hours on load.
Your biggest problem is knowing how fresh a used car is unless you can verify it. Beware wiley race teams saying "it's hardly done anything mate" make sure you can verify it.
There's a lovely green one that is actually verifiably refreshed in the classifieds! Not road legal though.
Bert
I'd be looking to cover around 2000 miles a year, no more. Driving style would be fast road only. I know it's seems a little unusual to want this sort of car for the road considering it's not exact purpose. However is it really that different compared to an Atom or Se7en variant minus it's,weather gear when it comes to practicality?
nightSpirit said:
I along with many others (well not many) have asked a similar question. I bought my road legal SR3 TS in November and so far have done a grand total of 45 minutes on the road...aiming to change that from this weekend though!
Like you, I plan to take it on the road for comedy value (full face helmet at the KFC drive through anyone?) and track it 5-6 times a year. Budget wise, I'm hoping that 100 a month more than covers the use it will see.
I live in Effingham and just down the road is Steven Jordan Suzuki who tunes bikes, he's quoted me a great price on dropping and stripping the engine which I hope to do out of choice not need next year.
One thing I will say though is the comments on road use...in the 45 minutes I've done so far, it's clear that the car isn't designed for anything but the track. It hunts cambers like a bh, you can't see st and the brakes etc are a pig without any heat in them. Don't get me started on filling it up at the petrol station!
Saying all that though, I'll still take it on the road whenever I get chance as it's just so out of place, it really does make you smile...and isn't that what it's all about?
I've had a couple of cars in the past that seem to sniff out any given camber on the road, but just how extreme is it?Like you, I plan to take it on the road for comedy value (full face helmet at the KFC drive through anyone?) and track it 5-6 times a year. Budget wise, I'm hoping that 100 a month more than covers the use it will see.
I live in Effingham and just down the road is Steven Jordan Suzuki who tunes bikes, he's quoted me a great price on dropping and stripping the engine which I hope to do out of choice not need next year.
One thing I will say though is the comments on road use...in the 45 minutes I've done so far, it's clear that the car isn't designed for anything but the track. It hunts cambers like a b
h, you can't see st and the brakes etc are a pig without any heat in them. Don't get me started on filling it up at the petrol station!Saying all that though, I'll still take it on the road whenever I get chance as it's just so out of place, it really does make you smile...and isn't that what it's all about?
A budget of a hundred a month seems very reasonable
I'd certainly be happy with that. You mentioned that the local Suzuki dealership is offering a good price on rebuilding the engine. May ask exactly what's involved and just how much it'll cost. This is the make or break factor of buying one of these cars for me. Thanks
Never having driven one on the road, only in Hillclimb and sprints you at liberty to ignore my advice.
The engine life should not be a problem, I have never needed to had one rebuilt.
However I would be amazed if you manage to achieve driving 2000 miles in a radical especially on the road. Whilst some may be technically road legal, they are not road cars, they are track cars and that is where they belong.
The engine life should not be a problem, I have never needed to had one rebuilt.
However I would be amazed if you manage to achieve driving 2000 miles in a radical especially on the road. Whilst some may be technically road legal, they are not road cars, they are track cars and that is where they belong.
SportsLibre said:
Never having driven one on the road, only in Hillclimb and sprints you at liberty to ignore my advice.
The engine life should not be a problem, I have never needed to had one rebuilt.
However I would be amazed if you manage to achieve driving 2000 miles in a radical especially on the road. Whilst some may be technically road legal, they are not road cars, they are track cars and that is where they belong.
All my second cars have seen 2-3K per year and that's dry usage only and mostly in the warmer months. As for belonging on track, what prevents enjoyment through road usage?The engine life should not be a problem, I have never needed to had one rebuilt.
However I would be amazed if you manage to achieve driving 2000 miles in a radical especially on the road. Whilst some may be technically road legal, they are not road cars, they are track cars and that is where they belong.
nothing prevents enjoyment unless it's not very enjoyable. So take a car that's designed to do a few things:
Accelerate at a not inconsiderable full tilt
Brake at at similarly full er tilt
Use its aero to go round Corum flat
Change gear under either of the full-tilt conditions.
Now that may or may not make an enjoyable road car. But I suspect you wouldn't have those as your design parameters.
Bert
Accelerate at a not inconsiderable full tilt
Brake at at similarly full er tilt
Use its aero to go round Corum flat
Change gear under either of the full-tilt conditions.
Now that may or may not make an enjoyable road car. But I suspect you wouldn't have those as your design parameters.
Bert
BertBert said:
nothing prevents enjoyment unless it's not very enjoyable. So take a car that's designed to do a few things:
Accelerate at a not inconsiderable full tilt
Brake at at similarly full er tilt
Use its aero to go round Corum flat
Change gear under either of the full-tilt conditions.
Now that may or may not make an enjoyable road car. But I suspect you wouldn't have those as your design parameters.
Bert
From I remember from the passenger ride, degrees of throttle were used. The braking seemed acceptable as did the cornering. I agree that I'll enjoy the track.far more so than the public road. Although I can't see the likes of Seven variant or Atom being any quicker point to point. Let's face it the Radical s are far far more attractive than either of those Accelerate at a not inconsiderable full tilt
Brake at at similarly full er tilt
Use its aero to go round Corum flat
Change gear under either of the full-tilt conditions.
Now that may or may not make an enjoyable road car. But I suspect you wouldn't have those as your design parameters.
Bert
The Seer said:
In what way(s)?
You can't see to pull out of junctions, because you're too far down, too far back and strapped in.You can't park it when you arrive at your destination because of the massive overhangs.
Even if you jack it up to 100mm ride height, you will scrape the floor on every road camber and slight bump you encounter. Getting out of the workshop takes 20 minutes because there's a slight gradient that I'd never noticed before.
I find driving through the paddock to the start line is a horrendous experience. Extending that to driving through traffic is not something I'd wish to do.
Ground clearance is not an issue over either speed humps (there is only one locally I avoid, meaning that the other 60 or so are fine) or bumps in the road. I run 85mm ride height.
The overhang at the front means multi story car parks are out, but the same is true for 911 gt3 rs's and quite a few other supercars.
Visibility at junctions isn't great but I only find it genuinely awkward if I have to look rearwards to the side.
As you can see, there is quite a split amongst those of us who love the car on the road and those who would hate it. Of course there are compromises which if you don't want to make, buy a caterfield. Or a fiesta.
The overhang at the front means multi story car parks are out, but the same is true for 911 gt3 rs's and quite a few other supercars.
Visibility at junctions isn't great but I only find it genuinely awkward if I have to look rearwards to the side.
As you can see, there is quite a split amongst those of us who love the car on the road and those who would hate it. Of course there are compromises which if you don't want to make, buy a caterfield. Or a fiesta.
There's going to be a polarisation of views between the racers who only understand full-tilt and hate the splitter scraping drive to the assembly area and the road users and their (namby pamby) 85mm ground clearance.
I say live and let live. And FFS get them on the track where they belong.
Bert
I say live and let live. And FFS get them on the track where they belong.
Bert
The only thing wrong with a robin reliant is the ground clearance. Every time I go round a corner I scrape it on the ground. :-)
I agree Bert. I one day I'd like to race it and then maybe I'll wonder why I went so slowly in it and sacrificed that downforce for speed bumps.
My wife thinks I'm potty too
I agree Bert. I one day I'd like to race it and then maybe I'll wonder why I went so slowly in it and sacrificed that downforce for speed bumps.
My wife thinks I'm potty too
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