CW Bikes Pit Bike
Frugal fun and frolics From £500
ear with us on this one. 12bhp may sound about as exciting as a night out with Theresa May in Shepton Mallet but, in truth, thrashing smaller capacity bikes is far more rewarding (and far safer) than any willy-waving superbike. Pit biking – on Tarmac – has seen something of a boom in recent years, as those wanting easily accessible kicks on a budget go in search for thrills and UK motorcycling has adapted.
Say hello to the CW 140 R. Brand-new, it’ll set you back £1,300. Will Holland, off of JHS Racing, paid £750 in almost-new trim – although it’s far from almost-new now after making friends with a tyre wall or two. As the name suggests, it, erm, boasts a 140cc single-pot that makes 12bhp at the rear wheel, housed in a CRF110-type chassis with rather snazzy components for the price. It’s all very basic and a bit Aldi, but what do you expect for such a price?
I raced one earlier this year at the British Minibike Championship and couldn’t stop giggling in the saddle. Unsurprisingly, it’s about corner speed, scrubbing off as little pace as possible, maintaining momentum, and drinking hideous amounts of alcohol with paddock buddies in the evening. The atmosphere is undoubtedly fun-based although, just because it isn’t the BSB paddock, that doesn’t mean the talent and competition aren’t there.
While pit bike racing rightly promotes youth talent, this ain’t solely kids’ shit. BSB riders such as Billy McConnell and Richard Cooper are avid pit bikers, with Billy recently converting a two-stroke Husqvarna 85 and spending copious spondoolies in doing so.
Pit biking nirvana is a pimped out Honda CRF150, but you can buy a small terraced abode or a tidy man-sized motorcycle at the same price.
Motorsport is dangerous, so say all the signs, but you don’t even have to race if the wife is dead against it. As the scene rapidly grows, more and more trackdays are being organised as well as open practice sessions throughout the UK.