Origins
Bucket racing was originally started by motorcycling enthusiasts in New Zealand, around 1980. It quickly became very popular, and spread to Australia by 1988. The name derives from the slang phrase "bucket of shit", or similar Bowdlerised terms; rather than the usual finely tuned racing machines that traditionally graced racing circuits, these bikes were often recycled ex–road machines that had been crashed or fallen into disrepair.
The original idea was to take a low-powered commuter motorcycle with a maximum capacity of 150 cc and remove the entire road going gear, thus creating absolutely the cheapest form of motorcycle racing in the country.
And so began one of the most enduring forms of motorcycle racing that New South Wales and Australia has seen in the post war period. At its height in the mid-90s, there were up to 60 competitors at NSW race meetings, divided into Amateur and Pro classes—essentially, junior and senior riders based on experience and ability.
As a form of inexpensive racing the class has seen participation from teenagers to retirees, attracted to the sport by its low cost and accessibility. Bikes prepared for bucket racing sell for about $1,500 making it the cheapest form of amateur racing available to anyone who can ride a bike.
Read more about this topic: Bucket Racing
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