Driving BEC To The Ring?!?
Discussion
Evening
Looking for some advice initially on the above. In April 6 of us are driving over to the ring for a short 4 day break and a couple of laps around the green hell!!!
At present I am car less and looking to buy something for the trip, it will be a once in a lifetime opportunity for me so want it to be memorable and as much about the whole trip as oppose to just lapping the ring a few times.
This is how I arrived at the BEC idea! Always fancied a 7 styled car since I did an auto test in a Westfield and loved every minute. Always wanted a bike too but it's the only thing that my wife would divorce me for if I turned up with one! A BEC seemed the perfect compromise to me but obviously want to do my research first. Is it even plausible to drive from the UK to the Ring in a BEC is I guess where I should start??
I would assume there are weather issues, fatigue issues, fuel tank size issues, luggage issues to name but a few. If you say it can't be done I will leave it well alone and look at other options - S2K, VX220 etc.
Would love to hear your thoughts and particularly anyone's experiences that has actually done it.
Cheers
Si
Looking for some advice initially on the above. In April 6 of us are driving over to the ring for a short 4 day break and a couple of laps around the green hell!!!
At present I am car less and looking to buy something for the trip, it will be a once in a lifetime opportunity for me so want it to be memorable and as much about the whole trip as oppose to just lapping the ring a few times.
This is how I arrived at the BEC idea! Always fancied a 7 styled car since I did an auto test in a Westfield and loved every minute. Always wanted a bike too but it's the only thing that my wife would divorce me for if I turned up with one! A BEC seemed the perfect compromise to me but obviously want to do my research first. Is it even plausible to drive from the UK to the Ring in a BEC is I guess where I should start??
I would assume there are weather issues, fatigue issues, fuel tank size issues, luggage issues to name but a few. If you say it can't be done I will leave it well alone and look at other options - S2K, VX220 etc.
Would love to hear your thoughts and particularly anyone's experiences that has actually done it.
Cheers
Si
what are the rest of the guys driving over in? are there 6 cars going or are you 2 per car? if you do go for a bec anything with a 3.62 or higher diff ratio will be a real pain in the arse. 3.38 or lower if your running a bigger bike motor like a busa with smaller wheels,a 3.14 would be great.
it sounds like you could have an amazing trip,especially if some are taking there tin tops.it means they can take your luggage if you have no space,they can take basic tools in case of a problem,fuel if you have a small tank. and if a bike is the only thing that you will get divorced for, id be on the lookout for a german honey for 4 days
it sounds like you could have an amazing trip,especially if some are taking there tin tops.it means they can take your luggage if you have no space,they can take basic tools in case of a problem,fuel if you have a small tank. and if a bike is the only thing that you will get divorced for, id be on the lookout for a german honey for 4 days
I am here! ( Hi Paul )
You have just opened a can of worms :-)
I have had BECs since 2002, and toured into Europe many times. 2 weekends with double-header trackdays to Zolder, Belguim, and 3 trips in it down to Monte Carlo via 10 days each time blatting round the Alps of France, Switzerland and Italy en-route. Over 10,000 miles worth easily. Also around 6 jaunts into Northern France for other trackdays or fun rallyes. I am still alive, with functional hearing and no permanent numbness in my bottom. Yes it is a bit noisey, but I cannot be arsed with the usual BEC v CEC debate. The main factor is wind noise, all aeroscreened cars BEC or CEC csuffer this, and I have been in CECs which are louder and more uncomfortable than mine on motorways with droning exhausts and drivetrains. I have also had the privelage of driving a full-on 6-speed,Nitron equipped and aeroscreened Caterham R400 back to Caterham from Zolder in Belgium, and i'd say it was only about 10% more civilised than my R1 powered car. It's not chalk and cheese certainly as some may have you believe.
150 miles between fillups, around 2 hours, so you should be taking a break anyway for safety sake.
Get yourself a ride in one up a few motorway junctions to see if you could hack it, some can't thats just the way it is. Me, i'd drive mine to South America if I could.
And the trade off is reliable Japanese engineering, cheap running cost and repairs if necessary, and one hell of a fast exciting car when you reach the 'ring.
You have just opened a can of worms :-)
I have had BECs since 2002, and toured into Europe many times. 2 weekends with double-header trackdays to Zolder, Belguim, and 3 trips in it down to Monte Carlo via 10 days each time blatting round the Alps of France, Switzerland and Italy en-route. Over 10,000 miles worth easily. Also around 6 jaunts into Northern France for other trackdays or fun rallyes. I am still alive, with functional hearing and no permanent numbness in my bottom. Yes it is a bit noisey, but I cannot be arsed with the usual BEC v CEC debate. The main factor is wind noise, all aeroscreened cars BEC or CEC csuffer this, and I have been in CECs which are louder and more uncomfortable than mine on motorways with droning exhausts and drivetrains. I have also had the privelage of driving a full-on 6-speed,Nitron equipped and aeroscreened Caterham R400 back to Caterham from Zolder in Belgium, and i'd say it was only about 10% more civilised than my R1 powered car. It's not chalk and cheese certainly as some may have you believe.
150 miles between fillups, around 2 hours, so you should be taking a break anyway for safety sake.
Get yourself a ride in one up a few motorway junctions to see if you could hack it, some can't thats just the way it is. Me, i'd drive mine to South America if I could.
And the trade off is reliable Japanese engineering, cheap running cost and repairs if necessary, and one hell of a fast exciting car when you reach the 'ring.
i drove my murtaya from aberdeenshire to newcastle ferry to amsterdam and amsterdam to ring-6 1/2 laps then back on a weekend-no probs,it is doable in a kit car and not that tiring surprisingly-worth joining northloop.co.ukfor friendly advice and banter
martin
ps type ra gearbox=400rpm at 80mph in 5th lol
martin
ps type ra gearbox=400rpm at 80mph in 5th lol
As with all kit cars, reliability is a determined by the skill of the builder and the amount of time that's been spent fettling.
If you're buying a pre-built car, I would suggest getting it several months before the trip and driving it as often as possible. You'll get two things out of this...
Firstly anything that's going to drop off will drop off.
Secondly, if anything does drop off, you'll have to repair it. This means you'll get fimiliar with repairing the car, gain knowledge of what tools you should carry etc. etc.
Treat a kit car as an unknown quantity until you've owned and driven it for a while and you will not be disappointed.
I'll second what Lee has said, a well built and maintained BEC is just as capable of long distance cruising as any other car. Motorway miles may be harder on the driver and less pleasant than a tin top, but you pay your money and take your choices.
ETA
If you're buying a pre-built car, I would suggest getting it several months before the trip and driving it as often as possible. You'll get two things out of this...
Firstly anything that's going to drop off will drop off.
Secondly, if anything does drop off, you'll have to repair it. This means you'll get fimiliar with repairing the car, gain knowledge of what tools you should carry etc. etc.
Treat a kit car as an unknown quantity until you've owned and driven it for a while and you will not be disappointed.
I'll second what Lee has said, a well built and maintained BEC is just as capable of long distance cruising as any other car. Motorway miles may be harder on the driver and less pleasant than a tin top, but you pay your money and take your choices.
ETA
p1doc said:
ps type ra gearbox=400rpm at 80mph in 5th lol
Crikey - My Skunk is currently geared to give 7000rpm at 80mph in 6th!Gassing Station | Kit Cars | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff