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fossilfuel

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Everything posted by fossilfuel

  1. In spite of the best of my warnings against the Italian ladies: congrats on your new bike, may your new mistress serve you well. Kai I know, I know. What can I say, I'm easily swayed. Allow me to explain myself though, (I realise you're always onto a looser when you have to justify, but hey ho), and tell you I've not bought a standard one, it's got all the modifications I'd want as part of the deal, it's got the obligatory Termi's, though you only get Cans as standard, the 70MM system is extra (and it has it), race pattern rearsets, quickshifter, race and road fairings, upgraded clutch and master cylinders with flip up levers, quick action throttle, double bubble, Race seat and many others. 1500 miles, all for just a little over the price of a new 1198S, how could i say no...? Some might even call it a bargain... LOL (though I expect the relationship with the dealership begins here). My wifes initial reaction was, dont' ever drop it, ever, please. (oh yeah love, it'll never happen, honestly). Bullet Congratulations....My fellow Ducatista!
  2. You can't go wrong whatever you decide Bullet. I think your first three are all great choices and you won't be disappointed whatever you get...We all know that it's the rider who twists the throttle that makes it sing.
  3. All the best things get sent here for repair... I wish I could have delivered it myself! "All the best things get sent here for repair..." Maybe I should have my knee scoped there!
  4. My Ducati 999R sits in the garage. It is by far the best piece of machinery I have ever owned. A thing of beauty designed for racing with innovation and thought that you will not find on most motorcycles. From the trellis frame to the Marchesini wheels, brembo brakes and Ohlins suspension this is a fine piece of gear. The tank and seat mount are one assembly which slides front to back to change weight distribution. One can loosen four bolts and swing the tank and seat up to about a 35 degree angle to service rear cylinder. A plug change takes all of ten minutes. The bike holds about 4.5 liters of oil and has a pre-filter, a primary filter and magnetic drain plug. You don't like the trail of the front end? You can change it. There are two settings. The Brembo brakes are phenominal! The Ducati has the bleeder screw built in to the fluid reservoir. A 4mm socket can bleed the air as the fluid stays in the reservoir and at the highest point in the system. The shift lever and brake lever are independent of the rear sets. The brake lever has about 8 settings as the shift lever comes with a concentric cam so you can adjust for toe position. The instrument panel is amazing. Oil temperature, water temparature, volts rpm etc. The sound of the twin surronds you thanks to the Termognini racing exhaust. I have had people at a track day move out of the line when I have come up behind them 165 rear wheel hp. I also get people coming by the garage wanting to here it. The dry clutch clack,clack,clack,clack! The bad news...a 2000 mile tune up and valve adjustment $1000.00. I buddy low sided it in the grass and the repair was $3000.00 The techtronic quick shifter was bent, no problem I just had to send it to NEW F'n ZEALAND for repair. I love this bike but the Fireblade is more comfortable on the track and I am not as paranoid about wadding it up...Oh by the way Bullet did I say the "Duc" is for sale? LOL
  5. Great going! It was a blast wasn't it! You will get faster. I guarantee it.
  6. ah, my cynical old friend. Ride always way more important. bling's not my thing, ride experience and excitement is paramount. B. I rate these bikes the following CBR BMW Ducati Technology 07 10 08 Reliability 10 08 08 Trackability 10 09 08 Aftermarket Parts 10 08 08 Cost 10 08 07 Maintenance 10 08 07 Beauty 07 08 10 Crash cost 10 08 06 Track Comfort 10 10 08
  7. Is this bike to ride on the track or to put spot lights on in the garage?
  8. Hay fossilfuel, do you write motivational speeches? That is one of the best things I have read! Bobby I guess all these Mel Gibson tapes have affected me?
  9. Hi Luke, I read your post with great interest because in one way or another we are all trying to get to the next level. There is always another hurtle to get passed. My example takes place at Road Atlanta. The fastest track I have ever been on. I was riding in race practice when a friend came up after the session and said I needed to carry more speed into turn one. Wow! more speed I felt like I was flying through there. Turn one at Road A is a right hander that is on camber and goes up hill but it is probably a 100mph corner that compresses the suspension right at the apex and will put your chin in the tank. On the left side of the track was a red cone and about 25 meters passed that was a sign that read 100. My buddy told me I needed to stay on the gas until I got passed the red cone and before the 100 sign. I was using a new reference point. I came out of turn twelve and headed down the front straight pinned and tried to keep my hand on the throttle but had to let off. I just couldn't tell myself to do it. The second time I willed myself to do it and had to turn in much quicker but took some time off the lap. I was getting out of my comfort zone. The next test was the back straight, 6th gear pinned through a right hand kink at 170 mph. The first few times I rolled off. But what a dumb a.. I was. What is twenty miles an hour when you are going that fast any way, you know? But to be competitive I had to do it and I did. I used new reference points to stay on line. SR's are important to think about but...what about a plan to achieve your goals. Why does it seem like you are charging corners and the faster guys are not? Why are they not late on exit but you are? Maybe you are still using the same reference points and trying to stay with in your comfort zone that keeps you from letting go. You have to commit to getting out of your comfort zone, you have to brake later and harder, find more reference points, get on the gas earlier out of the corners, Use your vision to see into the corner look through the apex and trust your machine to take you places you have never been before. Don't get so caught up in riding that you aren't PAYING ATTENTION!
  10. Gorecki is correct...What if you don't have the correct amount of nitrogen in the shock or not enough or any fork oil...Opening everything up and knowing what you have with fresh oil and seals is a great start... I race so I change my oil and replace the seals every season.
  11. OK, first I need to correct myself: I have 7mm travel left on the front, not 25 (I confused the numbers from by roadbike, which seems to be heavily oversprung on the front. But that's a separate topic). Here's the hard data: Front: 12 clicks compression / 8 clicks rebound / 10 turns of preload. There are 20 clicks of compression and rebound, and 16 turns of preload. Rear: 10 clicks compression / 6 clicks rebound / 5 turns of preload. There are 22 clicks of compression and rebound, and 16 turns of preload. The reasoning for reducing the rebound damping was to allow the rear to extend quicker and thereby keeping a better contact with the road. Bullet's point is that it might be that the rear shock is topping out, in which case rebound has no effect at all. Fossil, what is the logic for increasing the rebound damping on the rear in this case? So far my plan says: 1) check sag, 2) reduce preload on the rear (-2), 3) increase the preload (+2) and/or compression damping in the front (I'm thinking preload as 3a, compression as 3b). Thanks, Kai Kai, I was thinking of what they call the "pogo" effect. This is when you do not have enough damping for the shock to do its job. The spring is compressed while you are riding but as you apply brakes to the front, the down force on the front and shift of weight snaps the back up. If you dampen the compression on the front another 2 clicks and slow the rate of the forks compressing while damping the rate of rebound or pogo in the rear to 10 clicks, the transfer of weight to the front might be reduced....just a thought. You said you reduced rebound another two clicks and nothing happened? You are way down on the amount of rebound damping which makes me believe you don't have enough... has the rear end felt a little bouncy or squirmy while riding over bumps or on the throttle on exit?
  12. Hi Bullet, Yes, I had help to measure out and adjust the static sag last year, but didn't write down the details and frankly .... I can't remember the numbers :-| Are you thinking too little sag on the rear? Kai Its definitely possible mate, yeah. I found on my Aprilia that with too much pre-load in the rear, it caused a few problems, one of which was this. As it's so easy (relatively), to check, I'd start there, and make sure you've got some good sag numbers, then, if not that, check you've not got compression wound on to much (in the rear). Let us know, though others may well have other ideas. Bullet I think you should do two things if everything else is exceptable. First, do what Bullet says. I would increase rebound damping in the rear. you went with less from 8 to 6 clicks. Did you ever think that you might be raising the rear to fast? I would try going to 10 to 12 clicks on the rear to keep it from raising up to fast. Then I would increase compression damping in the front about 2 to 4 clicks to slow down the rate of travel under breaking. You never mentioned what your front fork settings were?
  13. Agree with Kevin 100% that most the "weight" is on outside peg. The fact of putting the weight on outside peg is not for adding weight on the bike though the outside peg, but as the means to apply outside knee force on the tank to anchor the bike with the help of the outside peg. This allows a relax grip at handle bar and efficient counter-steering with inner arm. Imagine pushing the handle bar with inner arm while pushing the outside foot only (with no "weight" on inner peg), which is very effective for steering input. Pivot steering yeah...but by midcorner I am not expected to do any steering corrections at all...and it is in this phase of the corner that I try weighing the outside peg to prepare for either a chicane or a to pick the bike up...I am not having any issues with being light on the bars (unless when panicking) and I am totally confused whether its even requiered to have some weight on the outside peg when in mid corner. I am aware that I am being repetative but thats because I am constantly struggling with trying to express what my real problem is. I wish I could be more pellucid. TBH why am I bothering ? Someone somehwere told me with excess weight on the inside peg the bike will slide out from underneath you in a corner. I have had a low side which I have not been able to decipher and have begun wondering if this was the cause ? Can this even be the cause ? I am finicky when it comes to buying advices from ppl on the streets. Lines in Bold and Italics above are my replies. Thanks a ton guys for taking the effort to explain this as I am at my wits end. Ever since I have this problem riding a superbike good is seeming to be rocket science to me as I just cant get it right lol not locked in not locked in not locked in not locked innot locked in I think we need to get these guys some help...LOL
  14. TH; If you took all four levels then you need to dig deep to recall what you learned in level III. There you learned how to lock in your OUTSIDE knee against the tank and then you drop your torso down to the inside of the turn with your inside elbow pointed as straight down as you could point it. To do that the majority of your weight is on your outside leg as that's where you have your leverage to manuver your torso because that portion of your body stays static until you have picked up the pike on your drive out (or your transition to turning the other way). As you described in your first post, you place a good deal of your weight on the inside such that your inside calf touches your inside thigh as you "squatted" on the inside peg. I have seen that technique used many times but I don't know how you unload that inside peg when it transitions to an outside peg without upsetting the stability of the bike. Others here will disagree with me but that's what I took from Level III. Rain As Kevin so elequently states "Others here will disagree with me". I disagree but I don't use the "locking into the tank with the knee" technique. I don't have to press ouside pegs to force my knee into the tank. I have skinny legs and boney knees. I use the "Hug the tank" technique. I use my thighs to hold me against the tank and weight the inside peg in the corners. This technique suits me just fine. I have tried both techniques and I get around the track much faster tank hugging.
  15. TenHut (were you a QB?); I retook all the levels last season and the biggest tool I took away from repeating L's I-III was how badly my body position had digressed on the bike. I used to use the inside peg (to save energy) but now when I catch myself doing it I try even harder to keep my weight loaded outside. It makes the Hook Turn more effective IMHO but it also does demand more from me physically. As a result of that demand, I use a machine at the gym where I am sitting in a device and push a weight stack out from center with my knees on some pads and then after numerous reps I reverse the pads and then squeeze my knees together (moving the weight stack). It uses all of your core muscles and helps me with the muscle group we use for hanging off from the outside. YRMV. Rain Lucy! You got some splaining to do!
  16. Talan, What a great accomplishment, congratulations. I race with WERA and know two guys that have overcome disability to do what they love. One lost an arm and is amputated at the shoulder an one has an arm but has to use a prothesis to hold on to the bar. There is also a guy that rides NESBA track days who is paraplegic and has an assist mechanism for getting on the bike in the paddock. I have always felt a sense of accomplishment when I reach a goal in riding or racing but to see what you and others have done to accomplish your goals just makes me want to work that much harder, to pull from deep inside to make things happen. You definitely have the will. I have been in the situation while training to stop at 19 instead of 20, to set the timer for 40 minutes instead of 45, set the weight a little lower today because I feel puny. No more! Thanks for being an inpiration to us all. You may not be able to use your legs but you are not paralyzed!
  17. I think we ran CROSBY off? COME BACK Crosby! It's ok. This is what happens when you ask questions on this forum!
  18. I don't want to sound like a commercial for StompGrip. I am not compensated in any way. I have used StompGrip on three different bikes in the last 6 years. I have never had one come off or begin to come off. The technic I use and that is on the instructions is to 1.) CLEAN the surface and 2.) Use a heat gun or hair dryer to heat the surface and pad before applying. Remember that nothing sticks to a bad paint job. I put the pads in the position I want them then mark a few small lines to keep me in the correct position when I permanently apply the pad. Ok, you have the surface hot and the pad hot now start with one corner and peal away in small amounts the backing as you put the pad on the tank. I keep applying heat while doing this as it makes the stompGrip easier to apply. TAKE YOUR TIME! Also remember to push between the studs to adhere surfaces. I am old. I should probably be in a nursing home. I look for every edge I can to keep weight off the bars and a way to save energy while riding on the track. StompGrip if nothing else makes me confident I can do this. Is it the best? For me it is and that's all that really matters. TechSpec may make you or someone else feel the same way.
  19. I want a seat that is not slippery. The reason being is that for me a slippery seat means less friction to hold on with. This is a personal preference and others may have a valid reason for a slppery seat. When I set my position in the turns or for hard braking the extra grip on the seat helps me to hold that position. This situation really comes into play on my Ducati which has a stock seat. It is hell trying to hold on under hard braking. The slippery seat is like a slip and slide and the force of the heavy braking drives me right into the tank...It hurts . To prevent this means extra effort using my legs to grip the tank and after a while wears me out. Of course this doesn't mean a thing to someone who is riding street, this becomes more of a comfort thing and personal preference for everyday riding.
  20. #4)Is only to be used in H..y S..t mode. Isn't that one of the modes on the new BMW? And this is when one recognizes very early in the turn like coming down the straight approaching the turn screaming like a little girl...I hope this clears things up Cobie..
  21. Pros: More stability when cornering and especially under braking, traction provide essential weight transfer point from rider to center mass of bike, and frees the rider's arms/hand to "control" the bike and not using it as a brace. Cons: It cost money. Probably the best $40 I ever spent. RocketPunch makes good points...something else to consider is the application. if you are primarily riding on the street the StompGrips could be a little irritating if you are wearing jeans and doing a lot of riding. The TechSpecs might be better. If you are doing track days or racing and wearing leathers, the Stomp Grips are much better, in my opinion. I have used both and have StompGrips on the CBR1000 and TechSpecs on the 999R.
  22. Hey Crosby, There are only a few times I use the rear brake 1.) I accidently hit it with my foot 2.) I run off the track and need to stop 3.) I am on the throttle and start to wheelie 4.) I am going into a corner way to hot 5.) My front brakes fail 6.) I am sitting on my bike in the garage drinking beer and decide to work out my right calve muscle
  23. Hotfoot, Remember that you have to go East from Danville to county road 62. It looks to me like you could go straight up from Raliegh. Take 57 501 up to Milton and you are right there.
  24. Hi Guy's, I went racing this weekend at Road Atlanta and just wanted to tell you how it went. Road A has quickly become my favorite track. I have been there three times now, last year at the GNF, a track day event with NESBA and the WERA Pirelli Sprint Series this weekend. The weekend was very hot with temps in the mid nineties. Race practice Friday started with me getting the flow of the track down then Saturday was morning practice with a 16 lap race I participated in, the Heavy Weight Solo. I am 55 so trying to muscle around a CBR1000RR with back straight speeds of 160 mph, heavy braking and switch backs that are similar to the last two turns at "The Streets of Willow" is a very challenging task. I made it and finished quite respectably at 10th. Sunday was my day to really lay it on the line for the Senior Superbike race. This race is a 6 lap sprint where the minimum age is 40. I wish they would up the age limit some! There were four groups, the Expert HW and MW and the Novice HW and MW and were all gridded in two waves. I got a little bit of a slow start off the line but worked my way into a third place finish. What someone pointed out to me was that I finished 9th overall which included expert. When I broke free of traffic my best lap time was actually faster than first and second place. This was my second third place trophy in two WERA races and I have to tell you it really feels great. I am not trying to toot my horn here but give a special thank you to the guys at CSS for helping me over the past few years. I have reached a level of riding that I never thought would have been possible four years ago. I wish everyone could experience what it feels like to really be a part of the motorcycle. Once the vail of fear is lifted and you trust what you have been taught, the experience is just incredible. Thanks again.
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