DaveK
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| posted on 24/4/12 at 07:52 PM |
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Riding Bikes vs Driving Locost?
Hi guys! Been snooping around for a while as ive been giving thought to probably building, maybe buying, a BEC.
Atm I ride an R1 and love the thing, but i cant help thinking that im going to lose my license one of these days or have some old bint pull out in
front of me and write me off!
I think a nice step would be to get a BEC as it will still retain a lot of the things I love about the bike but give me the practicality and (slight)
safety of a shell!
So basically, for you guys who do/have done both, how do you compare them?
Cheers,
Dave
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dlatch
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| posted on 24/4/12 at 08:02 PM |
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you can't fall off a BEC so that is certainly in its favour 
but why not have both 
sometimes nothing beats being on two wheels
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big-vee-twin
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| posted on 24/4/12 at 08:07 PM |
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Bikes will always be best and always in your blood, nothing else like two wheels
Duratec Engine is fitted, MS2 Extra V3 is assembled and tested, engine running, car now built. IVA passed 26/02/2016
http://www.triangleltd.com
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phelpsa
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| posted on 24/4/12 at 08:08 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by big-vee-twin
Bikes will always be best and always in your blood, nothing else like two wheels
I prefer cornering properly
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T66
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| posted on 24/4/12 at 08:10 PM |
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My wife threatened divorce if I bought a motorbike, far too dangerous.
So I am building a 300bhp Fiat 126 , which is obviously much safer
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big-vee-twin
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| posted on 24/4/12 at 08:14 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by phelpsa
quote:
Originally posted by big-vee-twin
Bikes will always be best and always in your blood, nothing else like two wheels
I prefer cornering properly
My bikes so long it won't go round corners LOL
Duratec Engine is fitted, MS2 Extra V3 is assembled and tested, engine running, car now built. IVA passed 26/02/2016
http://www.triangleltd.com
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pewe
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| posted on 24/4/12 at 08:16 PM |
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A few random thoughts:-
Closest thing to riding a bike as you're likely to find on four wheels for the money.
Any kit with decent power is going to have similar thrills per mile to a bike.
Whilst nothing like tin-top levels of comfort at least you're out of the rain and cold.
Deffo put the fun back into motoring for me when mine went on the road three years ago.
Bike now tends to be taken out for special events only.
If you haven't already been in a kit one ask someone on here to take you out - if local to Berkshire let me know.
HTH.
Cheers, Pewe10
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DaveK
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| posted on 24/4/12 at 08:23 PM |
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Fast replies guys, nice effort!
Unfortunately I'm in south Scotland but thanks for the offer Pewe.
I think being taken out in one would definitely make my mind up which ever way, but maybe you guys are right, if its in my bloody its prob always
gonna be there haha
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clanger
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| posted on 24/4/12 at 08:48 PM |
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chop the R1 in for a cheaper bike and put the difference towards your car. half the fun in the car ownership is building/fiddling with it.
i'm lucky enough to own a 150mph superbike (slow by modern standards!!!) which did'nt cost the earth and gives me the grin factor when i
fancy it and the car im fiddling with for the same reasons.................happy days
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theduck
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| posted on 24/4/12 at 09:03 PM |
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The only person I know to have done both sold me his unfinished kit and broke his neck twice riding bikes on the nurburgring...
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steve m
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| posted on 24/4/12 at 09:03 PM |
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T66, hit it right on the nose "My wife threatened divorce if I bought a motorbike, far too dangerous. "
So i bought a book, and built a a kit car. and welded square tubes together, covered it in alui, added some fiberglass, and a pair of twin
40's, made some seats, got an mot (i was pre iva/sva)
And my wife is happy!
if only she knew .............................
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StevieB
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| posted on 24/4/12 at 09:37 PM |
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I built an MK Indy with an R1 engine in it a few years ago.
Not long after I got it finished, my wife lost her job and I sold it as a pre-emtive strike to clear all of our debts (annoyed at the time but the
best thing I ever did).
I passed my bike test in June last year and now have a Triumph Tiger 955i and a Husqvarna WR250 (for enduro's/trail riding).
I'm giving some fairly serious thoughts to getting rid of the big bike and building another se7en.
I like riding bikes a lot, but it does make me nervous on the road (in hindsight, a Tiger is probably not the most confidence inspriing first bike you
could have - something a bit smaller and lighter might have been a better way to go!). If I was to play the mental game of 'which would I pick
for a ride/drive out if I owned both' - I'd pick the se7en every time for road work.
I'm going to sell the Tiger anyway and maybe try a smaller engined bike for a while. If that still doesn't do it for me then I'll
sell again and start building another se7en (or just buy a Caterham).
Other considerations for me are that the missus will go in the se7en, and even drive it. So we could use it for trips away and days out when the kids
are at my mums (happens at least one weekend a month). She has absolutely no interest whatsoever in bikes and will never, ever go on the back of
one.
If I could find a way, I'd have the best of all 3 worlds (just need to find a way to squeeze a second garage/secure shed on my land and
I'm sorted).
For the record, the Husky is an absolute weapon off road and the only way that would go is if I bought a better one.
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flibble
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| posted on 24/4/12 at 09:38 PM |
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Only had bikes for the first 13 years on the road, then got my car license for purely practical reasons and after a year ended up selling the bike as
I was the only 'biker' left amongst friends (and it's not quite the same out on yer todd).
That lasted a year or two and decided to get a kitcar as a halfway house to car/bike and it is sooo much fun **BUT** it will never ever be the same
feeling as winding open the Fireblade on a good road, the whole extra level of bonkers acceleration and the exposed feeling will forever be unmatched
by four wheels!
I can't do without either so I'll have a cheap one of each
Oh, and (most) cars won't wheelie!
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RK
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| posted on 24/4/12 at 09:43 PM |
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I built the car for the fun of it. A bike is so much better in every way, except that you can't carry anything or anybody with you. You are
still very vulnerable to the traffic in the seven. If I could have, I would have just bought another bike, but I am banned from them by SWMBO, which
is a bit rich, considering I had a bike for two years prior to meeting her.
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flibble
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| posted on 24/4/12 at 09:50 PM |
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quote:
I am banned from them by SWMBO, which is a bit rich, considering I had a bike for two years prior to meeting her.
Aww, that's always struck me as mean!
Pick someting she loves to do and arbitrarily ban her from it for a half arsed reason
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Smigga
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| posted on 24/4/12 at 10:01 PM |
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I was a biker then had a pretty bad off years ago, I got another bike but never got my bottle back, I sold it and worked my way through loads of quick
cars then decided last year to px my M3 for a 4x4 for the wife and forget about cars.....it lasted 1-2 months, no idea why I started looking at kits,
cheap toy I figured (how wrong I was) lol, I didn't even know BECs existed, 3 months of looking and nearly buying passed then mine sort of found
me! Everytime I take it out it is a different and thrilling experience, I get out with hands and feet buzzing with adrenaline, no its not like getting
your knee down, but I can get my elbow damn close! 
Dave
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Chippy
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| posted on 24/4/12 at 10:03 PM |
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I have owned bikes most of my life, got a Harley at the moment, but I also love my lardy seven-ish. My Mrs wont come on the bike, but loves the car.
So really have the best of both worlds, and can't see me giving up either, untill I can't get my leg over the bike anymore, . Cheers
Ray
To make a car go faster, just add lightness. Colin Chapman - OR - fit a bigger engine. Chippy
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mark chandler
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| posted on 24/4/12 at 10:18 PM |
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You cannot beat the thrill of a big bike, got rid of my Fireblade after watching my mate spin down the M20 on his back when he fell off in front of
me after going to see the moto GP in Spain.
Riding through Spain and France you realise how appalling English roads are 
I started making mine before I went, as did a few track days on the bike and enjoyed the thrill but not the cost in tyres and brakes so made a little
car.
On the road the little car did not feel much safer than the bike, frustrating as you cannot go as fast as you want so my BEC is track days only now, I
get the same thrill pushing it hard as I did on the bike except you can overcook it and not get hurt
My choice is then:
Decent car for the road.
BEC for the track, lives on its trailer and runs slicks to keep it cheap.
Keep my limbs where they are and my licence clean
I do miss the bike, but not enough to ride one on the UK roads again
Regards Mark
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Dangle_kt
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| posted on 24/4/12 at 10:43 PM |
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Its close to the thrill of a bike, and has some of the benefits of allowing me to put the "what if..." stuff out my head, which dogs me on
a bike.
Don't think for a second a BEC is practical, it is in NO WAY practical.
My car broke down (daily driver), and I commuted fine for a few weeks on my bike - I didn't even consider taking the BEC for the 30 miles
motorway commute, it would have been HORRIBLE.
In my opinion you will always come back to bikes, but BEC's offer a pleasant diversion and temporary alternative - plus you will learn lots
along the way!
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OX
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| posted on 25/4/12 at 12:23 AM |
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Don't go thinking that a bec or cec is going to save your licence , most times after taking my old mk busa out for a blast and parking it back
up i'd be thinking 'that might just of lost me my licence'.
2 different things and 2 different types of enjoyment ,but you'll get closer to the bike side of things with a bike engine but a bike engine
might not be what you want if you plan on doing long journeys .
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DaveK
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| posted on 25/4/12 at 09:09 AM |
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Cracking response cheers guys! I am also the only one left with a bike out of my mates, they all sold, either planning to buy again and never did, or
got married and had babies  So it can be a bit boring goign out myself all the time.
By the sounds of it a locost will keep me happy for a while but might not detract from the love of 2 wheels. It needs more thought!
I love the idea of building one regardless tho. I am lucky enough to have access to a workshop with pretty much everything i would need from welding
equipment, engine cranes even CNC lathe and milling machine so would make a cracking hobby.
A BEC would be bloody brilliant fun, but ive not fully explored the pros and cons so also needs much thought!
Cheers for all the input guys, gonna buy myself "the book", snoop more around the forum and see how I feel about building one.
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flibble
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| posted on 25/4/12 at 09:20 AM |
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Put your location on your profile, someone may offer a ride and help push you one way or the other!
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whitestu
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| posted on 25/4/12 at 10:05 AM |
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quote:
My car broke down (daily driver), and I commuted fine for a few weeks on my bike - I didn't even consider taking the BEC for the 30 miles
motorway commute, it would have been HORRIBLE.
Is that because of the weather or becuase its a BEC? I quite often drive a 120 mile round trip for work mostly on the M25 and M40 and I quite enjoy it
as long as it is dry.
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Mr Whippy
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| posted on 25/4/12 at 11:12 AM |
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I gave up the idea of a sports car when I got a motorbike
A fast car would never be as much fun as riding a motorbike so I sold the MK kit
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Hellfire
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| posted on 25/4/12 at 11:40 AM |
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If it wasn't for BECs, I'd have never even considered building a kit car. Straight line speed and acceleration of a BEC
doesn't even come close to a motorbike such as an R1 but a BEC is much more fun on the twisty bits and much more stable. And with your ar$e four
inches from the road and exposure to the elements, the perception of speed is much greater than it actually is, although this can be said of most kit
cars.
Get a BEC, you won't regret it...............
Phil
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