1st 2011 Track Day Down

So my first track day of 2011 was a great success. The bike ran well -without issues- which is just about the best you can hope for with a rebuilt track bike. I became comfortable with its geometry and throttle response (it's significantly different from the 1098), and was able to end up working a little on my lines and body position by the end of the day.

Starting Off

The beginning of the day started out with just easy, laid back riding. Getting used to the braking (especially now that the front brakes are fixed), and understanding the engine response through the revs and gears. Needless to say, I wasn't passing anyone in B group during the first half of the day (Track days are split into 3 riding groups: A -Typically fast riders and/or racers, B -Quick/experienced riders, C -New track day riders or slower riders).

The bike has very little power at low revs (in comparison to the 1098). If I'm in the wrong gear, it'll take me a while to get the revs up unless I shift. This is somewhat of a plus coming out of sharp turns, because it prevents me from hammering the throttle too hard while the bike is leaned over. I'm looking at this as a "safety feature" while I'm becoming proficient with the 748. Once I'm comfortable and capable on the bike, I'll want to get on the power harder, faster. When this time comes, I'll be looking at coming into turns quicker in a different gear to keep the RPM high. All in good time: I'm not in any rush at this point.

Suspension

One of the big issues I noticed with the track bike is the suspension. Luckily, there was a suspension guru present at the track and I was able to have him look over the bike and pick his brain.

It turns out that the bike has been raised for potentially rider height, but also to accomodate for Loudon (NHMS). Since the track is very technical, with a few very sharp S-turns, a rider needs to be able to "flick" the bike (from right to left) very quickly. Raising the height of the bike, raises the center of mass. Having a high center of mass helps you turn the bike very quickly. It's extremely noticeable in turn 12 at Loudon.

The problem with the suspension -for me- is that it's a little too high. I feel perched up and am so high up, that I feel like I'm disconnected from what the tires and suspension are doing. I like to be a little closer to the ground, and am willing to sacrifice some of that incredibly quick turning (I'm not at the point where it'd be advantageous to me anyway). Additionally, the front forks are very stiff and don't travel very far, while the rear shock is about right.

Ideally, I would have the time to lower the bike and adjust the sag for my weight and height, but with my next track day only a week away (Monday June 27th), I unfortunately don't have the time to do that. Instead, I'll be focusing on suspension adjustments, and hopefully that will get me closer to a better setup.

New pair of Sidi Vortice boots and The Red Squid in the pits at Loudon, NH (NHMS)

Pre Track Day Photos

Here are some photos (as promised) of the bikes on the trailer the day before the track day, along with some details on the repairs/upgrades done to the Red Squid.

Red Squid and my friend's ZX6R loaded up and ready to go (day before)

Woodcraft clutch cover I installed (track bike parts should focus on one thing: performance. Installing a thin, stylish clutch cover won't provide much protection. Go for something stronger and more practical that will still let air in: Woodcraft's clutch cover is not only sturdy, but also offers a replaceable skid pad).

Don't let your wiring hang out all over the place. Try to clean it up and keep it from getting pinched or shorting. Zip-ties are typically the best solution: you can cut them off and replace them, without the nasty glue residue you get from tape.

Bar ends can weight your handle bars, providing an alternative feel to steering (at lower speeds), but for the most part, they provide added protection against low-sides -namely saving critical components like the throttle and levers (not 100% effective, but far superior to not having them).

The Koso gauges are awesome, but I found the speedometer sensor to be a slight pain in the ass. Mounting the sensor properly so that it is VERY close to the magnets and is at the proper angle is KEY.

The "shiny" side.

Back on The Horse Squid

First track day of the season in less than 1 week (June 20th). I've taken my track bike (which I've [literally] just named "The Red Squid") to a good friend-racer-Ducati mechanic, for some much needed repairs.

Important Lesson Learned
Turns out last year's low-side wasn't due to too much brake fluid, but rather a sticking lever. The bike was rebuilt with the wrong brake lever and ended up sticking. The knuckle of the lever was too big to properly fit into the master. Lesson Learned: It's important to have a professional check your work before you take your bike to the track.

The Red Squid is ready to rock! I bought a spare set of Dunlop tires (Q2's) and had them mounted on my spare set of wheels. Still holding onto the used set of rains in case it ends up being a wet day (please let it be dry)!

I'll have pics of the track bike up soon(?), and I'll try to take pics and video from the track day. This will be the first of many this year.

First track day will be with Fishtail Riding School --fantastic group that I'm very familiar with. Next one will probably be at the beginning of July with MotoMarket (need to confirm), and one more in the second half of July.

With any new bike, you need a lot of seat time. This engine is a beast (ex race bike) for its size, and I need to get familiar with it if I want to get fast.

Quick list of repairs:
- CORRECT front brake lever
- Replaced broken air sensor
- Fixed speedometer sensor (mounting)
- Secured wiring
- New front brake pads
- Mounted front fender
- New rubber throttle grip
- Wired-down left grip
- New bar-ends
- New Oil & Filter = no oil leak
- Cleaned chain
- Charged battery

Desperately need:
- New Sidi boots (the soles of my current Sidi's are wearing off quick) :(
- Ohlins steering damper (I'm actually debating on using my 1098s's damper)
- Tire warmers
- Garage

It's a mad-rush to get my tow-hitch installed on my car THIS WEEK, and buy or rent a trailer.

Sabbatical?

I've been out of touch for a while. I can't say I've had any legit reasons to be away for this long. Sorry, but you're about to get a lame excuse:

I've been really busy.

Bullshit aside, I'll give a quick update:

1. I "finished" the track bike (enough to take it on the track). I flushed the brake and clutch. Replaced the clutch plates (it was slipping). Tucked the wiring for the Koso Gauges away, finished mounting parts, swapped the oil, and some other crap I can't remember.
2. Did a track day.
3. Crashed the track bike.
4. Fixed the bike in the pits.
5. Continued riding the track bike for the rest of the day.

Two important take-aways from this experience:
- Bike maintenance for the street is NOT the same as bike maintenance for the track.
- My track bike is STUPID fast: I found out through previous owners/mechanics that the engine was stripped down and completely rebuilt for racing. The stock power output (to the CRANK) on a 748 was roughly 97hp. After then engine was rebuilt and tuned, it was dyno'd at 118hp --TO THE REAR WHEEL!! That's nearly a 25% power increase! On top of the power bump, the bike was stripped of all non-essentials. That's a lot of weight.

When I was riding it on the track, it was hard to get used to; the power was there at lower RPM's, but there was build-up. When the RPM's hit 8k+, the bike turned into a rocket. There was a LOT of power and it came on FAST. It was VERY different from the 1098s- who's power is significant, but much smoother on the buildup -hence easier to control (predictable).

I have some serious adjustments to make in my riding style. The 748 is so incredibly torquey at higher RPMs (in a violent manner) that I really struggled to make smooth throttle adjustments (up or down). That could be a SERIOUS problem when I start picking up speed.

The learning curve on this bike is enormous -in all aspects. But I know it has a lot of potential.

Damage from the crash was minimal and was due to my being a newb and filling up the front brake reservoir with too much brake fluid. Under heavy braking coming off the straight, I heated up the brake fluid --which expanded, and ended up braking for me when I was going through turn 2.

I wasn't hurt, and after a little wrenching (and help from Sean at Seacoast Sport Cycle [Thanks again, man!!]), I was back on the bike for the rest of the day.

I'm swamped until mid January. At that time I should be able to start working on the bike again. Currently, it's stored at my friend's house. The light oil leak has picked up a little and now it's really noticeable when I run the engine. I'm going to have to take off the filter and make sure the filter mounting bolt is ok. It might just be that I put in too much oil. Who knows.

More to come. :)

Make Sure You're Not Buying Scrap Metal

Something I haven't talked about (which I probably should have) is making sure you don't buy junk. If you're buying a used motorcycle (crashed or not) you run the serious risk of biting off more than you can chew. You need to make sure that you can scout the tell-tale signs that a motorcycle is junk or is going to cost you a lot to fix:

• Bad Forks
  The front end should bound and rebound without resistance. When compressing the front end, you shouldn't feel it catching at any point. The motion should feel fluid/smooth. If the suspension catches or bottoms out, you may need to replace the forks or have them rebuilt. Most superbikes run a cheaper suspension to offset the cost of other components and increase profit (It's not necessarily a bad thing: Most superbike suspensions these days are pretty good anyway). The benefit to you is that it shouldn't cost a fortune to replace them. If you run across an Ohlins suspension, don't throw it out if you can get it repaired -they're well worth it. Do your research first! The downside is that this might mean you'll also need a new front wheel, brake components, and tripple tree. It all depends on the damage/crash.
  
  Make sure the seals aren't leaking. Seals can go bad from the bike sitting for a while. You'll see oil develop/leak down the fork after it sits for a little while (assuming you have "inverted" forks). For most forks, you should be able to find a shop that will rebuild them. Again: do your research. The cost will be more in labor than in parts.
  
  More obviously, make sure the wheel points straight forward when the handlebars are straight and that it's not damaged (along the rim). The brakes should work properly without a hint of odd behavior: pad wear should be pretty even. Uneven pad wear could be a sign of a seized caliper. If you're a good rider and not likely to crash the bike immediately, insist on a test ride (obviously you'll be required to buy it if you dump it so don't screw around).
  
  
• Bent/Damaged Frame
  Frames may end up bending/twisting through use, but in very very minor amounts. You want to look for bends caused from a crash. Look for scrapes or gouges from a hard crash. On a Ducati, you have a trellis frame: basically a tube frame. If there's significant damage to a part of the frame, the tubes could be dented in. This is a pretty serious problem; you'll need to replace the frame.
  
  Look for fractures around the seams: Cracks or bends in the frame where the foot pegs mount, where the engine is bolted to the frame, etc. Small fractures in a frame could lead to catastrophic failure when you're on the track. Don't risk it.
  
  Scrapes and scratches usually show the bike went down, but they might not be an indicator that it was severe. Look the frame over closely to be sure.
  
  
• Chain & Sprockets
  You might be able to get some idea of how the bike was ridden (and maintained) by looking at the chain and rear sprocket. If the bike was wheeled a lot or the throttle was abruptly jerked repeatedly, you'll see kinks in the chain. Additionally, the rear sprocket may have become hooked.
  
  
• Engine
  Have the bike run and warm up. Rev the engine and make sure that blue doesn't come out of the exhaust. Blue smoke is a sign that the engine is burning oil. You're looking at a rebuild (in some degree): Big money.
  
  Obviously, the engine should rev smoothly and not sputter.

Those are really the major things to look for: The core components that can lead to costly repairs. Most of the remaining parts; handlebars, plastics, lights (which you don't need/want on a track bike), foot controls --these components are very often the first things you remove or replace on a track bike.

Parts, parts, parts...

If you've purchased a damaged bike, you're going to have to shop for parts. The first half of this problem is knowing what parts you have to buy. Depending on the extent of the damage, you may be missing several parts with no evidence that they existed.

(This bike is missing a lot: Handle bars [a.k.a. "clip-ons"], front brake reservoir [this includes a bunch of small parts and bolts], a battery housing, a battery, foot pegs and controls, fuel tank [which I actually have], all the plastics [including the tail section which was present in a previous photo, but I removed it since it was broken], the front fairing stay [custom piece that will need to be fabricated], display gauges, etc, etc.)

Strip down the broken/damaged parts and take an inventory. Keep in mind this is a track bike: If the parts seem to be in-tact and functional, don't be concerned with their cosmetic appearance. Save yourself a lot of money and use them (obviously if the parts are critical to the safe operation of the bike, don't risk it). If you're not familiar with the names of the parts, take photos and notes; what piece was it attached to and where was it on the bike. Your local dealership has software specific to your make and model that give detailed schematic breakdowns of your bike. They'll be able to give you a list of parts you're missing, or need to replace. Once you have a shopping list, you can look for replacement parts.

Some parts you're better off getting from your dealership (and will have to). Things like screws/bolts/nuts and (some) fasteners might not be something you can purchase online. While you're looking for parts, shop around. Always remember that you're shopping for a track bike. OEM rear sets won't be adjustable and they won't be cheap, but you're better off paying for an adjustable set and getting some added functionality from the new components.

Lots of used parts can be found on EBay. For example: I was able to find air intake ducts for my 748: OEM parts (new) are ~$122 per side. After-market racing versions were ~$161 per side. I was able to find (used) OEM parts (BOTH sides) for $100 -shipped. That's a savings of $144 - $222! Another example is the battery: OEM battery for this bike is ~$160. I was able to find an aftermarket model for $71 (shipped) with a 2 year warranty.

In summary; strip the bike of broken parts and create a shopping list (this should include parts that are worn and need to be replaced). Work with your local dealership to ensure you have everything you'll need on your list. Shop around and don't go crazy with expensive racing parts unless they're truly worth the money (i.e. cheaper than/same price as OEM and better performance/functionality).

The Track Bike

My desire to ride on the track started soon after I purchased my first R6 (2003), but there wasn't much exposure to track riding in western MA. The only times I had any conversations about it were when I talked with the "hardcore" riders at local shops. Even those were few and far between.

I didn't actually ride on the track until 2008, but when I finally did; it completely changed my world. I found myself more in-tune not only with what my motorcycle was capable of (and doing), but also what I was capable of. I was confident that I could take turns faster and sharper, and I felt more comfortable under emergency breaking conditions. Even though I had learned a lot and my confidence had grown, I had even less desire to try any of it on the street.

Riding on the track should give you a very real understanding that all the crazy shit you've been doing on the street is/was like playing Russian Roulette. On the street, there's no guarantee that around the next turn there won't be a patch of sand, leaves, a puddle, a dog/small fuzzy animal, roadkill, a branch, horse poop, a child, a person, a car backing up, another motorcycle, a Volvo, or a cop. You can't even be certain that any one of those things won't jump out at you on a straight-away. Add in traffic, and your likelihood of crashing skyrockets. It's not paranoia, it's experience. On the other hand, a track is made for going fast. It's groomed and cleaned. You have a large wide lane, no driveways, no cars, no on-coming traffic, there's typically run-off room or an air-wall so you're less likely to get seriously injured when you fall. Everyone is going the same direction with the same purpose: To learn and have fun. What's more is that you're going to be with experienced riders that can teach/instruct you. It's truly an ideal environment for riding. Fast.

After a handful of track days, I felt like I was approaching a plateau in my learning curve. I didn't want to push the bike too much harder because I was afraid of making a critical mistake and dumping it. That's where a track bike comes in.

A track bike is your confidence inspiring dedicated track motorcycle. Typically already banged up, not too expensive (to fix), and cosmetically challenged. I lucked out: I was able to pick up a Ducati 748 race/track bike for SUPER cheap. The bike had been raced, raced, crashed, raced, and crashed again. The damage on it is minimal, and all the critical components are OK: engine, forks, frame, wheels, and swingarm.

(1995 Ducati 916 w/2001 748 Engine. Came with 2nd set of wheels with rain tires.)

It might not look like much, but for about another $1000 to $1200, I'm going to have a perfect track bike. Something I don't have to worry so much about crashing. Something I can enjoy that doesn't have to be running every weekend so I can ride with my friends. Something I can tweak and fine-tune to increase performance. Since this is an older bike, upgrades are a little cheaper -so are repairs.

A word of advice when picking a track bike: Try not to get just ANYTHING. If you've been riding an inline-4 and that's what you feel most comfortable on, try to get an inline-4. Likewise, if you've been riding a twin, trying to get another twin. You'll learn faster, feel more comfortable, and there will be less to learn (in terms of differences).

I'll be posting specifically on the different components I'm rebuilding on the bike. If you have specific questions, I'll field them as best as I can.