Retiring from Drag Racing

asphalt900 wrote:

Pick-up at your spread is Always Nice! No bothersome courier shipping. Is that Your objective for selling, just keep it local or thru networks of fellow racers? The reason i bring it up is because a Friend in Alberta just sent me some photos of the paperwork customs demands for shipping to the US. Holy cow, sure has gotten complicated!!  
 

Local is just easier all around. I have never met the guys coming for the bike, but my porting guy has known them both for 40 years.

If I had been at a few different drag strips locally I would have run into them. Its weird that way sometimes, your within a 1-2 hour drive but paths never cross. We have 4 drag strips within that 2 hours radius, but my local is a 45 minute drive from my house. 

The bike that I am selling has legendary status in these parts as it was the lightest and fastest ever built locally.

If I can't get rid of the drag race smalls they will end up going to the swap meet next June.

The 7" tire drag bike was picked up this morning. They passed on the engine and did the usual tactic of pointing out all the flaws then rejecting my discounted price, then not even giving a counter offer.

They were suppose to take the starter cart and two starters but the guy said he changed his mind as he thought they belonged in the dump. That stuff I threw in for free because he bought the carbs.

Should have known when they pulled up in a $90K pickup truck.

Going to see if the local vintage side car guy wants that stuff as it does not belong in the dump.

Next I need to pull out my 5" tire Injected Alcohol bike and start taking the fuel system off it. That is not going to be fun at all
 

asphalt900 wrote:

Pick-up at your spread is Always Nice! No bothersome courier shipping. Is that Your objective for selling, just keep it local or thru networks of fellow racers? The reason i bring it up is because a Friend in Alberta just sent me some photos of the paperwork customs demands for shipping to the US. Holy cow, sure has gotten complicated!!  

 

I have not shipped anything to the USA for quite a few years (maybe 5?) so I am not aware of any new regulations at the post office. Do you know if it was Canada Post or some other courier?

If its going to be a hassle I might just have to give up on sending anything South.

Don't give up entirely shipping South, it's just extra paperwork. It Was Canada Post literature he'd sent btw. The 90K fancy truck crowd that only uses those machines to haul groceries ha. 

   We don't know what the equivalent would be when a street Rider hangs up one's street bike keys for a drag bike competitor to retire from racing.  Hanging up the dead-man's kill switch wrist tether?

   Retiring from drag racing when one knows it's time to do so is the mark of a mature Racer and, knowing ones own self.  It's a variation of  'Ride your own Ride'.  We're glad you're going to continue Ridin' street.  There's still many fun miles and memories yet in store for you.

   A few years ago The Lovely Z1BEBE decided her reflexes & stamina had reached the point to hang up her keys after 35+ yrs. and 100,000+ mi. of safe Ridin' had passed under her butt.  She still Rides pillion, even though her bionic knee whines about being in a static position sometimes.

   Hanging up the wrist tether is similar the advice I offered her when she first decided to learn to Ride 35+ yrs. ago.  'Ride your own Ride' also includes knowing when its time for a street Rider to retire.

   When The Lovely Z1BEBE decided to hang up her keys, slmjim wrote an article that appeared in the VJMC magazine a few years ago about just this subject.  The link below are excerpts from the same article as posted on KZR.  The theme is the same as retiring from drag racing.  The environment in which one turns a wheel is the only difference. 

   Injected, you have our support & best wishes for your continued enjoyment of Ridin' street.

www.kzrider.com/forum/13-bike-related/62...f-ones-riding-career

Good Ridin'
slmjim & Z1BEBE

asphalt900 wrote:

Don't give up entirely shipping South, it's just extra paperwork. It Was Canada Post literature he'd sent btw. The 90K fancy truck crowd that only uses those machines to haul groceries ha. 
 

Good to hear, I worked for years in a big office so not that scared of a little bit of documentation.

It looks like I will be joining FaceBook Marketplace, that is where my engine guy suggested I list my stuff.

He is also going to ask around and will mention it to probably everybody that drops into his shop. Its good for him to offer assistance as he has a lot of contacts and spends a bit of time on the phone as well, his reach is far greater than mine.

My engine guy said the Vintage Sidecar crews don't have too much luck cooling big block engines and they only last a couple of laps quick before overheating, even with giant oil coolers and multiple fans. 

He did mention that it would make a good salt flats Alcohol combo if I put my fuel injection system and magneto on the 1327 and offer it up as that.

Just remember that this little doobie is no longer required...

 

Will have to see what this is worth locally.

wrote:

Pick-up at your spread is Always Nice! No bothersome courier shipping. Is that Your objective for selling, just keep it local or thru networks of fellow racers? The reason i bring it up is because a Friend in Alberta just sent me some photos of the paperwork customs demands for shipping to the US. Holy cow, sure has gotten complicated!!  

 

I recently went to get shipping quotes to send a part to the USA.

They are now asking for the duty to be paid before sending the package, but the Canada Post web site is dog poop! It seems that a lot of packages have been rejected on the receiver end for lack of duty payment.

I tried to get a duty estimate to add to the shipping estimate but got no where with the duty part of it. The shipping estimate is bad enough, but if it can't be seamlessly done by computer it will be worse in person at the post office. They are using a third party app to pay the duty, its called Zonos.
If you can't give the buyer a proper cost estimate then the shipping does not happen.
 
I have had to rescind any shipping to the USA on all the parts I have to sell. I have also had to apologize to interested users on here.

Everything I have for sale or to give away will be done at the local level.
 

I'll restrain myself from political commentary but "A " person with NO interest in small guy Friendship and Cammeray has spoiled it for even simple transactions. I Love my Brother -in-Arms tinkering with crap, have so for decades. This is an embarrassment for where i reside, the US. I have Never followed political commentary, nor swayed to either parties implement of self serving policies. I'm SOO Sorry to hear that this cuts your ability to peddle to "NEEDING FOLK" of Your Glorious proven inventory. Did i adequately sever myself from the truth Wookie and still COOL? Ha.         

Yeah, life was easier in the Pandemic! Had to wear a mask at the post office, but parts got thru to the USA without issue. Now I can't even give stuff away without my down South neighbors paying thru the nose, its just not fair. The border is real, its not a "imaginary" line, and now its a monetary hurdle

Paying the duty owed up front just does not make any sense to me at all. 

PS : I just listed the Z50R for $1600 locally.

Sold the Honda Z50R tow bike for the asking price locally. Its going to be restored by a enthusiast.

Started stripping down the 831cc Alcohol Injected bike today which has not run since 2010. Hoping the compression is still in the OK range for gasoline, it was a 16:1 comp (~280PSI) engine so will see how bad those rings may be stuck!

It has custom pistons in it that may need cut down a bit!

 

The plan is to put this back on the street with a huge oil cooler and some big round slide carbs.

Was able to get some parts removed...

Magneto :

 

 

 

Have to fabricate some standoffs for the ignition plate and some plugs to keep the weather out of the points

Got the fuel tank out in the wind :

 

 

and all the AN hoses off the top of the case :

 

The injector bodies are a bit tricky to remove due to a couple of nasty placements on the fasteners.

 

Only thing left is to remove the fuel pump. I will also need to remove a car battery to whip the engine over to test the compression. No kicker or electrics on it

I have 30 years of development into this puppy.