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Another N00B


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Ok so -- no lurkers!

 

I have been surfing a bit -- figured I'd register and do the introduction from New Mexico. First -- an Englishman in New Mexico, and taller than average at 6'7.

 

I've been riding for 9 years, 3 years of doing some track days -- first on a KTM950SM, then an MTS1200, to a WR250X and now alternating that and the 'Revzilla edition' RC8R. Local track is a bit small for the 1200, and I'm definitely not enough rider but I'm working on it.

 

Attended l1/l2 at Sonoma (rain!) and completed it at Miller. l3/l4 at Laguna. Hoping to attend again; so far it has taken about 15s off my lap times, according to Harry's Lap Timer.

 

Still working on those SRs and being brave. :)

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Welcome to the forum, please don't be shy with questions!

 

6'7", wow! What type of bike do you find most comfortable to ride on the track? Have you made modifications to your bike(s) to fit you better?

 

So... 'comfortable', for me, isn't the real thing. It's more 'usable'. :)

 

I've actually had a chance to ride a few bikes around tracks-- a KTM 950SM, a Ducati Mutleystrada (both only once, though in the KTM's case mainly because it spent so much time breaking I had to get rid of it. Shame, because it was lovely both days it ran!), an R6 (once, and no -- I didn't fit), the school S1000RRs (my poor coaches -- thanks Brian and Cobie!), a WR250X (fun, but I never did figure out how to conquer my fear of backing it in) and now a KTM RC8R (thanks Revzilla -- I swore I'd never buy another Katoom after the SM, but...).

 

At least I don't make the S1000RR look /too/ much like a mini-bike.

 

20150821074138-2184e585-me.jpg

 

The RC8 is actually pretty amazing from an adjustability standpoint; stock, the pegs, bars, rear sub-frame, and rear-ride height are all adjustable. For a couple of years I just had it bone stock, pegs down low, and bars up high (and wide and forward), maxed rear ride height and maxed subframe height. All I did was add tank grips for ergos, because ... well. Best bang for the buck in improvement dollars, I think.

 

That worked OK. I wasn't going especially quickly, so I'd touch a toe down occasionally (more than occasionally) and couldn't adjust my foot position enough, but it worked. Push myself all the way back on the seat, etc. I'm somewhat lucky in that I've short stubby legs and a long torso, so while I can't tuck, I can at least fold onto most things.

 

This year, after Laguna, I've started tweak a bit. Bars down (much better front end feel, but I'm not sure I'd do the 300+ mile days I'd do when it was in lazy bugger mode), and then the stock pegs up. That helped the balance a bit, and when they went back I could still get a decent lock-in.

 

I've just added rearsets to it, and am trying to tweak those so I can keep the lock on to the bike, and improve it. Test will be this weekend; I started out stupid high and back, but decided that the improvement in ground clearance for my canoefeet wasn't worth the compromise in lock-on.

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