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sleepr

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Everything posted by sleepr

  1. I'd agree with Kevin on this too. I found when I changed to a heavier boot with less flex and a slightly thicker toe, I had to adjust my shifter angle to get the correct feel and to get complete and good shift, especially 1st to 2nd as this is the longest "throw" in the gearbox. Also my racebike is set up with the shifter a little lower due to shifting while tucked in, while my street bike is a little higher due to the more upright position.
  2. I think what stuman refers to is less stable in a straight line with more tendency to headshake, when leaned over the bike will have a more planted feel, at least that is my experience.
  3. I don't run it in my racebike, but more because I'm cheap and right now I can gain more horsepower, more economically by losing weight myself. I do race with a number of people that use it and know that you have to be careful with it's handling. Anyone here who uses it drains it in the off season because it does not sit well in the rest of the fuel system when it get's down to -40 C!
  4. If your riding like your pic and haven't done the school yet your certainly ready. I'm not implying anything wrong with your photo, simply that if your at the level of dragging a knee the school will just make you better. I think the school would be a waste to a brand new rider fresh off of learning the actual mechanics of riding a motorcycle but anyone who has ridden for more than a few years will find huge benefits. I did the 2 day camp in Vegas last Feb after 19 years of street riding and about 5 years of very sporadic (damn budget) racing, and found out more in 2 days than I thought possible. And yes it adds to your mental toolbox!
  5. Just signed up for Vegas 2 day in March 09, can't wait for level 3 & 4. Couple of questions though. Will we use the same track layout as Feb 08? I know CSS sends out an info package later, but wondering what hotels most stay in. We stayed in the Bellagio last time to use up some of the GF's credit card points (she was closing the account) but I'm not paying $500 a night! Can't wait for March
  6. I have a closet full! Street: Sidi vertebra boots, Joe Rocket or Tecnic gloves, Arai RX7RR helmet, Joe Rocket Meteor pants over Jeans or shorts or under armour depending on temperature and where I'm headed. Very rarely in jeans anymore after seeing how little protection they actually offered when my Dad crashed a Buell on a test ride at Laguna World Superbike in 99. Jackets rotate between Aerostich Darien, Joe Rocket Alter Ego or Kawasaki Leather race jacket depending on conditions and planned ride. Touring usually the Darien but last August's 8500 km ride to Key West was the Alter Ego. Race or trackday: Full one piece HJC race suit, back protector, same gloves and boots as street . I can't bring myself to purchase a new Arai everytime I might crash racing so I alternate between 2 HJC AC 12's.
  7. But thought I would post it for the gear heads who like rally cars, turn up the sound! http://video.kenblockracing.com/flash/smal...&autoplay=0
  8. Looking at coming back to mainline on the CSS training for one of the 2 day camps again, will we still be riding the 07 ZX6R's or will the school have updated to the new 09 model by April? Slide bike was out of commission at the time but as I will doing level 3 & 4 I'd really like to throw a leg over it. Hoping all will be good for some sliding.
  9. Just read your post Parabellum. You have put into better words than I what my feelings were after a 2 day camp. See here my comments near the bottom. http://forums.superbikeschool.com/index.ph...pic=913&hl=
  10. For your heartfelt words re Rookies Cup rider Toriano. http://roadracingworld.com/news/article/?article=33820
  11. Throttle control, Throttle control, Throttle control! I found my bad street habits of late throttle application the hardest to fix and the most rewarding to feel the difference when it is right.
  12. Thanks for the comments Hubbard. I noticed the toe position as well and am going to work on that. It's funny you say that about consistency, it is too true. I spent the last weekend in practice all day saturday in working on the drills from the school and was able to drop a second and a 1/2 from my lap time from the previous weekend. While I was riding on slicks for the first time I feel the go slow to go fast in practice approach was of more benefit than the tire change. No problem Avih on the photo, sometimes surfing the web can be good for something! Funny the more I think about riding, the more I understand my girlfriends position that I'm obsessed!
  13. 1st pic is mid corner closer to the exit, 2nd is mid corner, 3rd is closer to entry. My feeling about the crash was that because I hung off too much early in the corner and then never slid up in the seat while exiting, I didn't have enough load on the rear. I think it contributed to it spinning up. In the school on day 2 my coach wanted me to ride around not hanging my ass off, and work more on my upper body position. I've been really focusing on that but have caught myself going back to my old ways at times. Here is a pic of Ben Spies at VIR in what appears to be mid corner. seems to work for him!
  14. Thanks for the comments Racer, you make some good observations, the photos are posted in order and I agree with you on the BP. I've been working to eliminate the ass too far off the seat thing and too lock in better. Old habits die hard though. As for the extra poundage your right on that too! I have managed to lose 20lbs but still have another 30 to go. I think the ass off the seat posture is a result of this as my gut gets in the way of having my shoulders and arms lower. I believe the bad BP may have contributed to a crash I had the wknd of the last photo exiting this same corner. Got it spinning and kept in it so I didn't highside but she finallly came around and lowsided from the rear and slid backwards off the track. I think if I had my ass a little higher in the seat it might have hooked up and drove out better, that being said it was just after a slightly faster rider than me had passed me and I was trying to stay with him. Might have got a little greedy with the throttle! Left a 20 foot darkie followed by 5 skip marks where she came around on me. The hole in the fairing in the last photo is from an impact I had with one of my competitors when he checked up mid corner to downshift. His exhaust ran through the bike and he autographed the left side with his rear tire. Fortunately neither of us went down. Heres a pic of that and my BP in the turn we collided in.
  15. While I have enjoyed the discussion in this thread, I feel it has gotten off on tangents at time. I will post some pics and ask for critique on my BP. Three pics from the same turn, unfortunately not the exact same position. One in May, second in June, 3rd just last weekend.
  16. Sorry to hijack the thread but the town of Gimli just had a ceremony honoring the pilots and the pilots finally got to meet the boys who were cycling on the runway when the plane came down. I've always found it interesting how just a small but BIG math error (calculating the fuel load) could affect so many people.
  17. link to our club website here http://www.mrasuperbike.ca and google page here click here! Brainerd International Raceway is about a 6 hr drive south of us. google the "Gimli Glider" if you want a very interesting aviation story, plane was just retired.
  18. I concur with a lot of the above comments re Bike and lines. When I had my ZX12R on track at our tight bumpy circuit I was forced to use different lines than on my 600 simply because the weight, size, HP of the 12R dictated trying to run lines like those of the 600 would put me on my ear! I certainly am always amazed at the speed and lines a 250 GP bike can carry on the same track, ones I cannot on the 600. Interestingly on our track, lap times are all very similar on different types of bikes but how they get them is very different. Our overall number one plate holder has been beating 1000's with a 636 against sometimes very stiff competition. Our track does reward skill and cornerspeed more than horsepower though.
  19. Track Addix is providing track days there on the Monday's after the local CRA races. $165 if you preregister and they are pretty well run. Lots of fun and lots of track time.
  20. Yes it does require a bit of a leap of faith but it does prove the throttle rule really well. When I rolled out of it before the entrance the bike just wasn't as stable feeling but once I could hold it open, the bike felt rock solid through the turn and just felt like it was sling shotting around the banking. I still know I can find a lot more time in the lap , but my goals were exceeded for my second visit. The fast local riders are turning 1.44's on massaged 600's and I only got to the low 1.58's before it started to rain for the last session. I know I'm still losing time exiting turn 10 (slight banked turn) which will increase my entrance speed into one, and I'm still losing a lot into 2, it is just scarier than 1 with the trees so close!
  21. Having done the 2 day camp in Feb I was curious as to when next years dates get set. Gotta come back for level 3-4 and bring some friends for level 1-2.
  22. Well on my second visit to Brainerd International Raceway I was finally able to hold it wide open into one. I was also able to shave 6 seconds off my lap time since my first visit. Damn that is a fast track, now I'm hooked on it and will only have 2 more likely chances to try to get better. Now I just to have to grow bigger cohones to hold it open through 2, the runoff there is a little scary. Any Brainerd specific tips from any who have ridden it. I'm still pumped about it 2 days later!
  23. Thanks racer for the offer of help, unfortunately it was only while I was trying to fall asleep the other night that I thought the process through. I never bothered to attempt to measure the actual wheelbase before making the change (on a side note what is the best method, a string?) As I leave Sunday morning and work tomorrow I won't have time to throw the other gearing on but I will make a point to measure everything when I change it back after getting home. As mentioned just on eyeball memory the axle blocks have come back from one tick from the front to about one tick closest to the rear or about and inch an a quarter. I'm am curious to know if some racers get that detailed with the setup (I believe some of the factory teams do) that there is a rule to follow so to speak or if it is just simple measurement and then some high school math that they insist we learn. Damn promised myself not to use it after grade 12. Anyway I'll post back to this thread when I do measure it.
  24. Just changed my gearing from 14/46 for our local bullring to 14/41 to head to Brainerd. Because of the change the wheelbase has been lengthened. Is there any formula or hard and fast rule on how much ride height I will need to add to the rear to maintain the same chassis attitude. At this point I have done nothing to affect the ride height but have considered raising it some in the rear, if so how much? Of course Brainerd is not really a track that requires the same degree of "turnability" compared to our local one. By the way bike is an 06 636 and I just added an ohlins to the rear, which makes ride height adjustment relatively easier than the stock setup. The chain adjuster has been brought back about an inch and a quarter. Thanks for any help. Can't wait for my eyes to water through turn one!
  25. Most racers I know feel the top mounts are less prone to crash damage, unless you're talking tumbling violent crashs. The side mount style dampers have a long rod that seems to get easily bent in a smaller crash. I had an across the top of the tank mount style (like the Ducati 916/996) on my R6 and it was never damaged (3 lowsides, 1 highside) . I have not yet (and hope not to) crash test the new GPR on my ZX6R so can't comment, perhaps others can.
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