Skid Lid and his 750cc Kawasaki Ninja
It isn’t as bad as it sounds, guys and gals. After all, there are still the memories. Have you forgotten your first bike? No, of course you haven’t. It’s as vivid in your mind as it was the day you bought it. Some things we never forget. That’s how it is with bikers and their mounts. My first bike was a glorified bicycle with an engine mounted above the rear wheel. The bicycle frame was reinforced, the suspension was improved with springs on the heavy gage front forks, but the rear frame was rigid, as there was no swing arm or shock and spring. It had a small gas tank and a single-cylinder, air-cooled, four-stroke engine mounted above the small diameter rear wheel with a motor scooter tire. Mounted on the front was a balloon-type tire on an ordinary bicycle wheel. It even had pedal assist for getting up steep hills. Finally, it was equipped with mechanical hand and foot brakes fore and aft. What a contraption it was – a real Rube Goldberg invention. Yet, as a young teenager, I was greatly impressed by that first set of motorized wheels. My first bike introduced me to the world of motorcycling and addiction to a sport and way of life that would last a near lifetime. It provided a means of mobility, freedom, independence and control. The style, power and adrenaline rush, however, would have to wait until years later. The novice moped was strictly a learning device, sufficient for scooting up and down the Northern California hills but not much more. Yet, it was a start, an initiation…a first bike.
My fledgling biker’s life was severely interrupted when the family moved and I was sent off to boarding school. I had to sell the bike. About seven years later, after graduation from university and a few years after entry into the army, I picked up where I left off. On returning from a tour of duty in Vietnam and taking up my new duties at Fort Benning, Georgia, I purchased my second bike. It was a Ducati, 125cc street version. The bike was a decent utility model for reentering the biker’s world. It got me to work and back and provided modest weekend enjoyment, mostly as a means to visit the motorcycle shop and talk with its owners and mechanics. Yet, noticeably lacking at that stage in my life was the adrenaline rush. The need for speed and excitement is almost overwhelming in a young person. I tried free-fall parachuting with the army club at Fort Benning to help satisfy the urge. That helped, but it wasn’t enough. Nor was the little Ducati. I had been eyeing a bigger, more powerful “crotch rocket” at the bike shop. It was a bright red Ducati 250cc, single-pot thumper, air-cooled, four-stroke, Mark III road racer. I traded the 125cc for the Mark III. I couldn’t help myself; I had to have it.
On being reassigned to a command position at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri, I sold the Mark III, thinking that I wouldn’t have much time to ride. I was mistaken. Life was slow during my off time at Leonard Wood. Although work did keep me busy, there was ample opportunity to ride on some weekends. So off I went to the local motorcycle shop just outside the post front gate. I purchased a used Honda 161cc, four-stroke, vertical twin. At Leonard Wood, Missouri, off-road riding was in vogue. I did trail riding and enduro racing for the next year. I’ll never forget the first night trail ride that the bike shop owner talked me into joining with a few of his biker friends. This was my initiation into off-road endeavors, and as the newbie, I was a sitting duck. It was a setup. They were familiar with the terrain, the trails and off-road riding, but I was not. I learned the hard way that night. I had modified the Honda by reducing as much weight as possible, but had to add a skid-plate and leave the lights in place. Whatever else could be removed from the bike to reduce weight was eliminated. In those days (1965), we had to make our own dirt bikes by converting street bikes. At any rate, the trail ride began with a swift entry into the woods. It was all I could do to keep the taillight of the bike in front of mine in view. Then, all of a sudden, that taillight went out, or I thought it did. Actually, the biker in front of me had turned a hard left, following the trail up the ridge. I missed the sharp left turn in the trail and flew off a steep twenty-five foot incline, arss over tea kettle, and ended up on my back at the bottom of the gulch with the bike next to me: handlebars askew with bent brake and clutch levers and a broken taillight lens. Other than that, all was well; no major damage was sustained by horse or rider. Then I heard the bikers on the trail above having a good laugh, and I knew I’d been had. They helped me get the Honda out of the gully and back in running shape up on the trail. From that time on, I was a member of their club. Those same riders taught me the ropes of endurance racing. I never won but sure wore myself out trying. The year passed quickly with the job, running the trails and enduro racing, and then it was time to be reassigned. I sold the Honda and went on leave en route to my new duty station.
I grew restless on leave in California visiting the family and decided to go to Fort Bragg, North Carolina, by bike. The only problem was that I had to get a bike. I bought a new Honda 305cc Scrambler and drove six days from Los Gatos to Fort Bragg. It was an interesting trip. During a sand storm on the high plateaus of New Mexico, the Scrambler lost power and sounded like it was not firing properly. I stopped and cleaned the air cleaner, gapped the sparkplug, fiddled with the carburetor and reset the points. It still didn’t run right. I kept going, cleared the storm and dropped down in elevation as I entered Texas. The bike ran smoothly again after that. I drove the last three days of the trip through the rain. That’s when I learned the value of good leathers and wet weather gear. I remember standing in a motel lobby on the last night of the ride, soaked to the skin asking for a room. “No vacancy, sorry,” said the night clerk. A passerby took pity on this wretched wet being and offered the spare bed in his room. Seizing the opportunity and thanking him profusely, I dried out and got a good night’s sleep. The next day I was off and running for Bragg. It was my day of grace (termination of leave). I arrived at Fort Bragg and signed in one minute before midnight. The Honda Scrambler brought me to my destination safe and sound, but with no time to spare. I sold the bike six weeks later to a soldier who just couldn’t live without it. It had served its purpose. Besides, I would soon finish the Special Forces Course, receive orders and proceed to Okinawa to join the 1st Special Forces Group.
I was off again to Southeast Asia and the war on temporary duty (TDY) eight months after arriving on Okinawa. After that “bumpy ride,” the army let me stay put for about a year and a-half at group headquarters staff on Okinawa. With a desk job during that interval of my life, I needed some action. There were two scrambles tracks nearby at Naha City and Kadina Air Force Base. All I needed was a sponsor and a bike. I found both at the local Kawasaki shop in Sukiran. The shop owner became my sponsor; a Kawasaki 175cc dirt bike became my new bike. After a few races at Kadina and Naha, which introduced me to the world of scrambles racing, I drastically modified the bike by sending the mill back to the states for a bore and rotary valve job, by replacing both front and rear suspension systems, and by making a few other appropriate adjustments to the bike. Thereafter, I began placing in the scrambles. I never took first place, but I did place second and third a few times. A highlight of those scrambles was the day I took a jump too fast at the Naha track and was unable to make the right turn afterward, only to inadvertently change scrambles into hill climbing as I blasted up the face of a near vertical cliff, did a loop-de-loop in mid-air, and landed in a heap on the track at the base of the cliff. Needless to say, both bike and rider were rendered incapable of continuing with that race. Another memorable event occurred at the Kadina track the day I took the second place trophy. In the final acute turn, about 30 yards from the finish line, the lead bike’s engine died going into the curve. The driver had a substantial lead and was jabbing the kick-starter furiously as I came barreling into the turn, skidding into a position adjacent and parallel to the lead bike as its engine burst into life. Both bikes blasted to the finish line neck-and-neck. The 200cc Bultaco turned on like a screaming banshee; my 175cc (+) Kawasaki fell one-half a wheel-length behind as we crossed the finish line in the face of a boisterous crowd. What a rush! I lost the race, but it was still a second place finish and a thrilling one at that.
I was back in the army one year later and during the next ten years owned only one bike. I purchased the Yamaha 250cc thumper dirt bike used and highly abused. It never did run right even after spending time and money trying to rehabilitate it. The bike reminded me of some muscle bikes; it looked good but handled like a dog. Yet, it did the job of running the dirt roads on East Range in the Koolau Mountains of Oahu, Hawaii, where I worked as an instructor at the Reconnaissance Commando Course (RECONDO). This was the only bike I was ever glad to be rid of. It wasn’t the make or model that made it so; it was the initial abused condition, which I could not correct.
After my last assignment to Panama for three years, I retired from the army and went to work for the Department of Defense as a civilian in Japan. It was a great 18-year experience that included a one-year hiatus to Europe for a special project. I owned three bikes at separate times during those years of cruising, touring and casual road-racing. The first was a Honda CX-500. It was a rabbit-ear, twin-cylinder, water-cooled touring bike, and a dependable and willing mount at that. I enjoyed the comfort of the upright sitting position for low-speed touring and cruising. However, at high speed without a windscreen, it was a constant battle to counter the wind resistance. Fortunately, this was only a problem on the expressways in Japan and not on the secondary roads, where most of our touring was accomplished. It was while I owned this bike that I joined the Camp Zama Motorcycle Club (ZMC) and enjoyed the comradery as well as the pleasures of touring all over Japan from the northern island of Hokkaido, throughout the main island of Honshu to the southern island of Kyushu. The CX-500 was smooth and capable on the long, lazy curves descending from the Skyline at Hakone National Park to the Kanto Plain and low hills of Sagamihara and Camp Zama. I remember keeping time to the music of my portable tape recorder as our troop of bikes undulated from left to right
through those curves. It was like the music was written for riding that particular road, and the bike and I were dancing to the tune. The CX-500 was a willing bike but not quite able with regard to speed and torque. It was time to upgrade to a more powerful machine.
We did a lot of two-up riding in the ZMC. Husbands and wives, boyfriends and girlfriends enjoyed touring on weekends with the club. Even the kids came by van provided by adult club members so that the whole family could enjoy these weekend sojourns. My new Honda Saber 750cc did the trick for two-up riding with my wife. It was a great touring bike with its long wheelbase, shaft drive, windscreen, and bullet-proof V-four engine. It handled well and was as smooth as silk with plenty of power. It served us well on the long, overnight weekend rides to various destinations in Japan. The few years of ownership of the Saber ended when I was assigned to Europe on a special project for one year. I sold the bike and moved the family to Europe.
After getting settled in Landstuhl, Germany, and going to work on the project at Panzer Kasern near Kaiserslautern, I began the search for my dream bike. I had always wanted a BMW motorcycle. This was my chance. Yet, after visiting several BMW dealerships, I decided against it. The “Beamers” are beautifully crafted and well-made bikes, yet they are heavy, bulky and somewhat awkward looking. They are also very expensive. As I searched for that dream bike, I compared the BMWs with the Japanese bikes and decided to purchase the Kawasaki 750R. The 1987 Ninja was beautiful in design, high-tech, compact, complete with full fairing, powerful with its vertical four engine, excellent in braking and adequate in suspension. Its horsepower-to-weight ratio was perfect; its cost-to-benefit ratio was ideal. It probably would not last as long as the BMW, but it would definitely outlast me.
There are two things I remember most about the Kawasaki Ninja: speed and comradery. I put it to the speed test on the autobahn from Kaiserslautern, Germany, to Innsbruck, Austria. I wanted to see if the bike could reach its advertised 137 mph top- end. On a stretch of level road near Munich, I went into a full tuck and opened up the throttle. The turbine smooth vertical-four swiftly moved the bike past the 100 mph mark. I was amused at the fast moving Mercedes and BMW automobiles well in front of me that were moving over to the slow lane just to see what kind of motorcycle (or maniac) was closing the distance behind them so quickly. I felt like I was flying when I hit 120 mph. By the time I reached 130, there was a distinct feeling of skittishness or instability. I still had throttle left at 135 mph but declined to press it any further. The bike could definitely do the claimed top-end, but this driver had reached his limit. As I backed off the throttle and rose up slightly out of the full tuck position, the wind resistance on my helmet, chest and elbows rapidly reduced the speed to less than 110 mph. I brought the bike down to a speed of 85 and cruised the rest of the way to Innsbruck, passing through the mountain border crossing at two in the morning and arriving at destination about an hour later. Needless to say, that ride provided a real adrenalin rush. It would be followed by a few more such rides before completing the special project in Europe and returning to Asia.
Remember this tale of a biker, and that your time will come as well. It happens to all of us sooner or later. In the meantime, keep on riding and hold on to those happy memories for a lifetime. Enjoy your bikes and every experience on each of them from “First to Last.”
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Skid Lid
For those of you who would say, what’s the big deal? You’ve got more rubber, that will give you more traction. Well, it’s a lot more complicated than that. For a bike to be “in balance” (nothing vastly out of proportion to anything else), my Shiver should have come with a rear wheel closer in size to something of a comparable power and weight ratio, such as an SV650. Having owned an SV, I noted the rim/tire combo of preference was a 4.5” rim with 160/60 rubber (substantially smaller than what came on the Shiver).
Another factor to consider, is the fact that the added size/weight of the larger rear wheel puts added strain on the drive train, slows the accel/decel characteristic, is more work for the suspension, costs substantially more when the tire needs replacement and most importantly, makes the bike harder to turn. This resistance to lean is the result of the fact that as a motorcycle banks over, it‘s contact patch doesn’t just roll onto the side of the tire, but also moves further away from the bikes centerline adding torque forces to the chassis.
But it was the bizarre handling characteristic that prompted me to seek an alternative to the stock set-up. From the first day I owned the Shiver, I was not happy with it’s steering characteristic. It was easy enough to initiate a turn, but it became progressively harder to increase lean angle, and then suddenly, would get easier again as the lean angle neared it’s limit. This non-linearity made controlling directional changes substantially more difficult and unpredictable, especially on bumpy roads where the contact patch would be constantly moving laterally across the tread surface.
I noticed this less than confidence inspiring handling characteristic during my initial miles, but attributed it to a chassis and/or set-up issues. But when I finally got around to replacing the worn out rear tire, the feedback got even worse. Even though I used the same “stock” tire size, the fact that it was from another manufacturer, seemed to cause an even more exaggerated reaction to the wide rim.
This can be explained by a couple of factors. First, the proper tire for a 6’ rim is a 190/50 or 55 (not the 180/55 that came mounted from the factory). Secondly, tire manufacturers create tires with unique characteristics to work on specific models. If you ever try to purchase a new tire that is the exact replacement for your model, many times it will have a different part number from the “standard” version of the tire. I believe Aprilia had Dunlop make a “special” tire for the Shiver to compensate for the oversized rim.
After a very experienced riding buddy commented that he could detect the same strange steering characteristic, I decided it was time to look for an alternative! At first, I thought I’d try a different tire brand/size/profile, but decided I might have to go through a lot of tires to find the right one. Also, the chances for substantial improvement were minimal. Next, I tried to find an “aftermarket” wheel that would replace the stocker with a narrower rim width. No luck. In this era of “wider is better” thinking, no one makes a “narrower” rim for anything. Finally, I arrived at only one realistic alternative: have the stock wheel “narrowed”. This would allow fitment of a tire more in keeping with the bikes’ performance.
The "difference"
A different moto-friend, who spends a lot of time dealing the aftermarket industry, recommended a company called Kosman Specialties. Kosman specializes in “widening” stock wheels. I received a somewhat surprised response when I asked if a wheel could be “narrowed”, but they had done something similar for a race team that was required to use a spec tire (required by the racing series) so they agreed. The owner even confided in me, that he thought making the wheel narrower was a good idea. Most motorcyclists are under the false impression that wider is better, but at some point it becomes detrimental.
Just in case my little experiment didn’t work out (because maybe I was overlooking some factor blatantly obvious to someone more savvy about such matters), I purchased a stock Shiver wheel off eBay for about $200. Another significant advantage of this strategy, was that I could use a totally stock set-up eliminating alignment issues with things like brakes and sprockets and cush drives. Also, if I ever decide to sell the bike, I can return it to completely stock condition, preserving its’ value.
So, I sent the wheel to Kosman and asked them to give me a final width of 4.75”. I did this because I wanted the flexibility to go with either a 160/60 (4.5” rim) or a 170/60 (5.0” rim) just in case the 160 was too narrow. I was lucky that Kosman had enough extra material in the stock wheel to narrow it 1.25” (5/8thsof an inch off each side). Basically, what Kosman does is cut the existing bead off the stock wheel, then removes additional material to achieve the desired width, then re-welds the bead back on to what’s left.
Kosman Specialties Quality Work
It took about 4 weeks, but the wheel I received looked excellent, very clean/professional welds. I check the trueness on a stand, and it was as good as the stocker. So next, I mounted a properly sized tire (160/60) and let it sit overnight to detect any pressure loss…… none!
So time for the acid test, a ride. The hardest part of testing this change was taking it easy at the beginning while the new tire scrubbed in. My immediate impression was that the bike was much quicker steering. Of course any time you mount a new tire the bike steers better due to the new/optimal profile (no center flattening due to straight miles).
After the tire started to come in, I did notice a bit of harshness in the rear suspension, most likely due to less unsprung weight as well as potentially more tire stiffness because there is less rubber available to flex. But overall I was feeling improvement, although I couldn’t really quantify it. But once the tire broke in and I started getting ‘er leant reet o’er, it started feeling great! A return to the linearity I remembered from my SV as well as an overall quicker steering characteristic. Exactly what I was hoping/expecting!
My only concern at this point in time is running out of rubber at extreme lean angles, but I never had a problem on the SV, so I doubt it’ll be a problem on this bike either.
I really need to ride it through a complete tire life and maybe even try a 170/60 next time, but for now, I’m pleased! The results seem to justify the effort. I would recommend this mod to any Shiver owner who finds the steering characteristic of their bike questionable.
Rhino
]]>It’s expensive! The entry fees are only the tip of the iceberg. Lodging, meals, tires, gas (bike and transportation to the track), brake pads, oil, filters, coolant (water-wetter), leathers, helmet, back-protector, knee-sliders, bodywork are just a few of the additional expenses you’ll potentially encounter. And that doesn’t even include the additional maintenance expenses to your bike. It’s cheaper than racing, but not by much.
You don’t have to ride EVERY session. I know it will seem that in order to get your money’s worth, that you need to be on the track every moment your entitled to. Don’t fall for this false value. If you start feeling tired after 10 minutes of a 20 minute session, pull into the pits and rest for 5 minutes or just stay in until the next session. If you feel bad (tired, ill, uncomfortable, harried, off) skip a session and see if things improve. If the very beginning of the session intimidates you with large groups of bikes all dicing with each other, let them go out first and get tired and you come out 5 minutes after the session has started and when everyone has finally strung out along the track. Don’t feel compelled to be on the track unless you WANT to be there and feel like you are physically and mentally 100% ready to be there.
Don’t obsess about lap times. In fact, if you are thinking about getting a lap timer DON’T. Nothing takes the fun out of a trackday faster than worrying about how “fast” you are. It also inhibits learning because you become focused on times rather than techniques. And if it turns into a competition with other riders, then it’s likely to lead to a crash.
There are many more suggestions I could offer but ya gotta end this somewhere.
]]>Try different lines. A trackday is a good chance to experiment with early and late apexing, different braking points, different countersteering techniques, using bodyweight to influence trajectory. Don’t just do the same thing over and over (no learning takes place).
Try to relax your arms as much as possible. When on the straights, consciously open your grip on the bars and make sure you can flap your arms up and down a little. If your arms are rigid and you can’t relax your hands, you’ll never make it to the end of the day. Ever hear of arm-pump. Racers get surgery to relieve it because when you’re trying to hang-on to one of these beasts, your arms can get so full of blood that you can have trouble opening your hands and flexing your wrist. I’ve had a hand swell up bad enough that I had to ice it and sit out 2 sessions before I could ride again.
Another way to give your arms some respite is to use your legs when you are braking. When you brake, all of your body weight gets transferred into your arms. You end up trying to modulate the brake, the feather the clutch, the blip the throttle and steer the bike all while your trying to support you full weight. Not a good situation. If you can squeeze your knees into the sides of the gas tank very tightly while you are braking, you can take at least half the weight off your arms. This makes all those other delicate tasks much easier.
Don’t use the rear brake at all. This one was hard for me for a long time and I found myself going into turns with the rear wheel kicked out sideways because I’d locked it (fun if you know what your doing, a terror if you don’t). You know how they say that on the street 70% of your braking is with the front wheel, well on the track it is 100%. We all know what stoppies/nose wheelies are …. 100% front braking. If the rear tire is off the ground or seriously unweighted, it’s useless as a braking tool. Learn to love your front brake and you will be much happier on the track.
If you know how to do clutchless upshifts, the benefits on the track are huge. For starters, your clutch hand will only have to work half as much of the time. Secondly, your upshifts will be much quicker and your drives that much stronger off the corners. This is an advanced technique, so if you’ve never done it, trying it a t the track for the first time is not a good idea. But if you’ve done it smoothly on the street, the track responds even better. I won’t explain how to do it here, as it requires lots of timing and feel. If you want to learn more, look it up online and practice it on the street before you ever try it at the track. I don’t recommend clutchless downshifts as it too easy to lock the rear wheel and damage transmission and drive components. Unless you are a top-level racer, the only times you should use the rear brake are in the pits and if you run off the track.
Remember to BREATH!!! We have a tendency to hold our breath when things get tense. Just like relaxing your grip and flapping your arms, make sure you are breathing.
Looks where you want to go! I know everyone already knows this, but it’s especially important on the track. I guarantee at least once (and maybe several times) you will get into a corner hot (faster than you want to be going) and if you just consciously crank your head around to look for the apex, then the exit, you’ll make it! Always look at the solution, NOT the problem. If you watch someone else crash or ride off the track, and you don’t look away, you will join them.
Usually, in the Beginner and Intermediate groups, passing in a turn is only allowed around the outside of another rider (this keeps someone from stuffing it up the inside of you, falling, and taking you out too). The best thing you can do to insure faster riders can get by you without incident, is to leave some room between yourself and the outside of the track (try about 10 feet minimum). I know that you think you need ALL the track to do that hot lap, but if you are using all of the track you better be turning Ben Spies lap times or all your doing is taking up too much space.
If you are finding it difficult to pass someone, but it’s obvious you are faster, there are two different strategies that have been successful for me. One is, as you follow the other rider, stay wide at the entry to the turn (delayed apex). Most riders turn in early and run wide. If you stay wide and turn later, you’ll end up inside of them and on the gas at the exit while they are still trying to finish their turn and get on the gas. If you then move over to the inside line, they will be forced to come around the outside of you into the next turn. Just be aware this strategy may backfire if they do the same thing to you at the next corner.
The second strategy is to out brake them into a turn. This can be intimidating but works well on somebody on a fast bike but with little confidence on the brakes. If you realize they are braking earlier than you into most corners, try to be inside of them as you go down the straight, when they start braking stay on the gas just a tad longer, enough to go by them, then start your braking. You’ve put yourself slightly in front of them on the inside line (block pass) and they must go around the outside now to pass you.
Don’t ever look behind. Your only responsibility is to avoid people in front of you. It’s everyone behind you’s responsibility not to run into the back of you (this is why you remove the mirrors).
Hold a predictable line. What is the worst thing you hate about car drivers? When they do something you don’t expect! Try not to make any radical moves on the track. Pick a line and stick to it. And especially don’t change your line to “let someone by”. It’s their responsibility to find a way around you, not yours to make way for them. I had a guy run me off the track because he thought I would pass him on the left so he moved to the right. I was already passing him on the right when he decided to move over.
Be SMOOTH in all your interactions with the bike. A lot of trackday providers relish the rain because it causes people to be cautious and smooth right off the bat. The key here is squeezing controls rather than jerking them. It’s tempting to twist the throttle to the stop coming out of the corners and knife the brakes on the way in. Both will put you on your head and you’ll wonder what happened. Being smooth equals going fast.
Unless you are using tire warmers (very few of you), each session you should give your tires 2 complete laps before you start really pushing. Rubber needs time to heat up to work it’s best and it builds heat by the normal flexing of the carcass while just riding in a straight line. Weaving doesn’t heat a tire faster, racers do it to get the feel for the steering response of the bike, not to warm there tires. Treat your tires like they are new when you first go out. Don’t accelerate hard, brake hard or lean hard until you crossed the start /finish the 2nd time, then things should be up to full temp. Obviously a cold day changes this for the worse.
Tire pressures is critical, and typically it should be set lower than the manufacturer recommendations. A few years ago we were running 30 front/30rear psi, but it may be different these days. It’s best to ask a couple of the regulars who uses the same tires you have on your bike. Pressure is not about stiffness, it is mostly about achieving the right heat build-up. After a good session your tires should be hot to the touch and the pressure should have risen about 10% from ambient temp. You should check your tire pressure several times during the day.
If you run off the track for some reason don’t do anything sudden. Get the bike upright, get your butt up off the seat (dirtbike style) and slow using primarily the rear brake. Don’t try to get back on the track right away (you may get deflected off the pavement edge or hit someone who’s now on the line you were previously occupying). Slow down to walking pace, check behind you and re-enter the track only if it’s completely clear. Make sure the step-up at the edge of the pavement isn’t so tall it will jerk your front wheel out from under you.
If you crash, let the bike go. Hanging onto the bike won’t improve anything. And you don’t want a sliding bike using you for battering-ram practice. The typical crash is a lowside and the bike slides away from you. You come to a stop, get up and curse your luck. But a highside, (usually caused by too much throttle coming out of a corner) can throw you over the hndlebars, then you’ve got a bike potentially looking to run over you. Realize this one thing, no matter what fantastic stories you’ve heard about “controlling” your crash, it just doesn’t happen. Once you are down or off the bike, you’re along for the ride. Whatever is gonna happen, is gonna happen. So just relax as much as possible and wait for the scenery to stop moving before you attempt to get up. If you are still physically on the track when the sliding stops, and you can physically move, try to get off the track toward the nearest edge. Don’t worry about your bike, your health and safety come first. If you feel you are really hurt, just stay put. (and if you come upon this scene, remember what I said earlier: look for the solution, DON’T look at the crashed/crashing rider. LOOK AWAY! Save rubber-necking for the highway (or actually, NEVER). Don’t even thinking about stopping for a downed rider, even a friend (that’s what the safety crew is for). Many trackday organizations call your day DONE if you crash.
Next-up and last (Part 5 - Miscellaneous)
]]>Get the best night’s sleep you can the night before (it’ll be tough because you’ll be anxious/nervous) and for Pete’s sake don’t drink a bunch of alcohol the night before (save it for afterward, if at all).
The concentration required to ride on the “edge” for a couple hours can be exhausting. You’ll be amazed how “brain dead” you are by the end of it all. Keep this in mind on the drive home. You ain’t gonna be very sharp and if you have a long drive ahead of you (somewhat typical since most of us don’t live next to a track).
Get a track map and look over it carefully, while it won’t come close to actually riding the track, it will help orient you in a general way and eliminate confusion. And if there is some way to play a video game that has THAT track available, many real racers find this a good way to get some “experience” before they ever arrive.
Make sure to have a solid plan for getting to the track and where you’ll stay the night before, how long it will take to drive, the days schedule. What we are trying to do here is prevent the unexpected. If you get flustered before you actually start riding, the rest of your day will be haggared and hurried, adding to your mental stress.
Fill out forms in advance if possible. Or at least have all the information you’ll need readily available.
Put all your gear together in one place. All trackday organizations will want to inspect your gear, and if you’ve got it strewn all over the place, you’ll waste a lot of mental energy trying to find it all. Most trackday organizations require helmets less than 5 years old (the date of manufacture will be located on a sticker inside the helmet or on the chin-strap).
Introduce yourself to your neighbors/pitmates. Not only will friendliness pay off on the track, but it’s likely you’ll need help from them during the day at some point (borrow a tool, diagnose a problem, help jump start your bike, borrow a chair, etc.). Besides, you’ll probably have a lot in common with anyone that wants to engage in this kind of activity.
Next-up (Part 4 - Riding)
]]>Wear earplugs! Enough said.
If you can get one of those cage fans on a low pivoting base, it makes a great way to not only keep you cool in the pits, but you can turn it 90 deg (level with the ground) and sit your helmet on top of it and it will dry before your next session. There’s nothing quite as miserable as putting a sweat soak helmet back on your head. Just don’t forget to bring an extension cord.
Bring a comfy chair. You are going to spend a lot of time sitting and BS-ing between sessions. Bring something you’d want to sit in for several hours, not some crappy metal folding chair.
Shade is incredibly important, you need to be out of the sun when you’re not on the bike. Ever see those umbrella girls at the races? They might be there because they look good, but they are also there because the sun will sap your strength. I have something called an EZ-Up, which is like a portable tent with no sides, and provides excellent solar relief. It will also keep the rain off you in that other potential weather condition.
Bring tools to be able to perform basic tasks on your bike. You’re NOT gonna do an engine teardown at the track, but you might need to tighten your chain, replace a lever, make a suspension adjustment, tighten a bolts that’s coming loose. Speaking of loose bolts, some extra hardware in common sizes is a good idea in case a fastener goes AWOL. Bring a tire pressure guage. Also, zip-ties, duct tape, safety wire and Locktite should be in your “toolkit”.
Food. This is huge. The only things you should eat during your trackday is stuff that digests real fast and has lots of energy. The best is fruit, powerbars and maybe a little cheese. Many tacks and schools provide a lunch … skip it! (or you you can save it for the ride home). No burgers, fries, sandwiches, chips, cookies etc. until the day is over. Not only will this stuff stay in your gut much longer (making you less comfortable on the bike) but it will also put heavy demands on your blood flow which will make you lethargic and make it hard to concentrate (especially the session right after lunch). Light snacks after every session and no big meals until the end of the day. And don’t even think about drinking alcohol until it’s all over (besides being totally against the rules, it just plain unsafe). And if you do want to have a beer after your done, don’t forget you may have a long drive ahead of you. My personal rule is no alcohol for 24 hours before you get to the track and then not until you arrive home.
Hydration. This is probably the most important single thing to remember for having a successful trackday, especially if it’s hot (anything above about 80 degrees). You will sweat like you can’t believe working that hard with all that gear on. Drink everytime you get off the bike. You don’t need a lot, just make it regular. Personally, I only drink water but sports-drinks designed replace electrolytes can also be good thing to alternate/mix with the water. Don’t do the energy drinks! They’ll buzz you up for about 15 mintues but then you’ll feel even worse when they wear off. Don’t wait until you start sweating and feel thirsty to drink. The human body doesn’t get the urge to drink until your past the point of actually needing it.
Next-up (Mental Preparation)
]]>Whether it’s your first time at a trackday or your 100th, here are a few things that I’ve learned about having a successful experience:
(Part 1 – Bike Preparation)
Buy a set of extra levers (clutch, front brake, rear brake and shifter). Any crash, even a mild low-side, or even dropping your bike while unloading it is likely to snap a lever. Without an extra, you’re done for the day. How would you like piss away a couple hundred dollars over a $25 part.
If you are using a “streetbike”, disconnect the headlight and taillight (usually required by trackday organizations). If you tape over the headlight, but don’t disconnect it, the heat from the lights can melt tape and cause a seriously cooked-on mess that’ll be a bitch to clean-up later.
Remove turn signals and mirrors (again, usually required by trackday organizations). It saves weight and there’s less to break if you crash. If you can’t refasten stuff like bodywork with the existing hardware after you’ve removed stuff, zip-ties work great as a substitute.
I highly recommend aftermarket bodywork. Yeah, it’s not cheap, but it’s a lot cheaper than replacing your factory stuff. And just in case you think you’ll never crash, think again.
Use the stickiest tires you can get. It doesn’t matter what brand, we all have our preferences, but all the major manufacturers make tires that are designed for the track use. Your tires should be new or almost new (no less than 70% of original tread depth, again usually a trackday organization rule). I would also make sure the date of manufacture is within the last 2 years. The older a tire gets the harder it gets (which mean the slipperier it gets). And don’t even think about running a sport-touring tire.
If you’re planning to do this more than once you should safety wire your bike (some trackday organizations require it, but usually only for the Advanced riders). It’s still a good idea. Even if you just wire the various fasteners that keep the fluids in the bike, that’s a great start. There’s tons of information online about wiring a motorcycle for track use.
Things wear out fast on the track. Keep an eye on your tread depth, brake pad thickness and chain slack, these items can go away in a hurry, especially on a hot day.
Bring 5 gallons of fuel with you. While some tracks have fuel available, you will spend double or more at the track. And don’t fall for that gotta have the 100-octane stuff. Your bike won’t go 1 MPH faster on the expensive stuff, and believe it or not, it might actually make your bike slower. If you are coming from a long way away, wait until you get to the town where the track is before you buy your fuel (you don’t want to burn gas, toting gas or have a bunch of flammable liquid in your vehicle for a long time) and if you have even a remotely stock street bike, just buy the premium grade from the local gas station. It’ll work just fine.
As for fueling your bike, it’s easy to forget to put gas in your bike while you’re at the track; so many other things are going on. Put half a tank in the bike before you even leave for the track. Then after each session, pop the lid and check the level. When it gets down to a ¼, bring it back up to half. Why not fill it up you may ask? Fuel weighs roughly 6 lbs per gallon. Do you really want your bike to be trying to be pulling an extra 10 lbs around all day, that it doesn’t need too?
Next up (Part 2 - Physical Preparation)
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He is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) from Phoenix, Arizona by the name of Ken Dusseau; his bike is a 1975 Norton 850cc Commando Mark III Roadster. It is now a fully restored prize-winning classic motorcycle. Ken made it so by his meticulous rebuild and restoration of the Norton Commando.
Ken Dusseau
Classic 1975 Norton Commando, 850 cc, Mark III Roadster
Ken has been an avid car and motorcycle enthusiast all his life and was looking for a worthwhile project to work on during his days off. Time was especially heavy on his hands after his divorce. He mentioned this desire for a new task to a client who knew of Ken’s expertise in rebuilding old automobiles. The client offered Ken a challenging project in the form of an old, classic motorcycle in pieces for $1000. The bike’s pieces were literally contained in several boxes. The parts had all the earmarks of a classic, but the bike had to be completely rebuilt. Some pieces were missing or broken, others were bent, rusted and corroded. The disassembled and neglected iron horse was in bad shape. Ken had never rebuilt a motorcycle but accepted the challenge, bought the bike parts and became the Norton Commando’s new owner and future restorer – an old-timer, a CPA and now a “bike nut” of a restorer.
Now it was time to put the puzzle together. First Ken had to figure out which pieces were missing, and then he had to replace them. Fortunately, Ken had the help of the client, his brother and some motorcycle parts distributors that still carried miscellaneous Norton parts. They all contributed to the effort of finding and replacing the missing and broken parts. Thereafter, the bent pieces had to be straightened, and the rusted and corroded parts had to be cleaned, polished and/or refinished. Ken made steady, though tediously slow, progress on the bike at his work bench in the garage and on the bike platform. Each piece of the Norton Commando was carefully rehabilitated and put in place. The bike frame and parts began to take discernable and recognizable shape as a motorcycle.
It was while accomplishing these rebuilding tasks that Ken discovered one of the most expensive drawbacks of the restoration process – that of the astronomical cost of having parts re-chromed and of having certain specialized pieces and modules refurbished or rebuilt. The gas tank and electric starter are cases in point, as are the handlebars, control levers, suspension system, instrument pods, exhaust pipes, rims and spokes. Although Ken paid only $1000.00 for the whole motorcycle in pieces, the cost for painting and refinishing the gas tank alone was $500.00. Rebuilding the starter motor cost another $500.00 while the instrument pods were less expensive to rehabilitate at $300.00. One can easily see how the price tag for reconstructing a classic motorcycle and restoring it to mint condition can, indeed, be a very costly proposition. Even considering the free technical advice and discount prices on some of the missing or broken parts from experts and suppliers like “Old Brits,” Ella couldn’t greatly alleviate the high cost of total restoration. Add to this the tediousness of tasks like lacing the wheels and rims with spokes and the bike rehabilitation is not only sufficient to practically bankrupt the restorer, but to drive him insane as well.
The result of all the blood, sweat, tears and cost emerged as a classic motorcycle fully restored. The final product of the motorcycle reconstruction effort and its proud but exhausted restorer were exhibited at the March 16, 2008, 24thAnnual Antique and Classic Motorcycle Show and Swap Meet at the Al Zaribah Shrine Auditorium grounds in Phoenix
An exhausted Ken Dusseau and his restored Norton Commando
Ken Dusseau’s three year restoration project of the Norton Commando resulted in a fully restored 1975 Norton Commando 850cc Mark III Roadster originally produced in England. This year and model bike was the last in a long line of Norton Commando motorcycles, with the exception of a limited number of models made in ’76 for the European market. It was the only Commando produced with front and rear disc brakes and with an electric starter. The bike has a top end of about120 mph and was one of the top racing bikes of its time with its 60 horse- power, 8.5 to 1 compression ratio and weight of 465 pounds. Some of the other innovations on the 1975 Commando were the left-hand shift lever, rear disc brake, crush rubber on the rear hub, oil seal rather than O ring on the gear box, longer rear swing arm, inspection cover for timing chain and a hinged seat. These were in addition to its other firsts.
The work is done; the project is completed. Ken won the 24th Annual Antique and Classic Motorcycle Show first place trophy for Modern Classics, 1966 – 1980. What now? What new project lies ahead for Ken Dusseau? Would he do this same project over again knowing what he now knows? His answer is a resounding “No!” But, he hesitantly added that he might take a crack at rebuilding a Kawasaki RE-2 Motorcycle with rotary Wankel engine. Ken’s just a glutton for punishment . . . but what a restorer he is. Like “The Old Man and the Sea,” Ken Dusseau isn’t finished yet. Although he has plenty of years behind him, his zest for life and young at heart attitude will surely lead to his next “Story of a Restoration.”
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The straw that is breaking this camel’s back for me, is the fact that the series doesn’t even have a date at one of the best racetracks in the country, Miller Motorsports Park. Beyond the fact it’s practically in my own backyard, what sense does it make to not have an AMA race here? Who makes out in that deal. It’s punitive, only! Probably because the Miller folks refused to pay exorbitant fees to sanction the race.
So what needs to happen to regain the former glory. Someone with capital and charisma needs to step up and start another series. And I think Kenny Roberts Sr. is just the man to do it. His support of racing has been relentless and now that he’s finally given up on fielding his own team and bike in MotoGP, the opportunity to ressurect roadracing in America is ripe.
Please Kenny, save us!
]]>Notable names behind Ben at the same test were the other two Americans and MotoGP veterans: his teammate and fellow Texan Colin Edwards and former World Champion and factory Ducati rider Nicky Hayden. Meanwhile, most of the other MotoGP rookies were down at the bottom of the order. Gee, maybe Superbike riders aren’t so bad after all. Maybe the 250s aren’t the only way to learn the craft.
If this keeps up, this guy will be running up-front in the opening races, winning races by mid-season and will be a favorite to take the World Championship in his second year. The last time I was this excited by a rider was when I was watching the current and 9 time World Champion, Valentino Rossi, moving up through the ranks.
After a somewhat humble beginning to his roadracing career, the man known as “Elbows” (for is elbows out riding style), won the AMA Superbike Championship 3 years in a row, and competing against Suzuki’s Mat Mladin (6 time AMA Superbike Champion) at that. Then he goes to World Superbike and in his first season (that’s right, rookie year) and on a new brand of motorcycle (Yamaha) wins the Championship against the likes of Noriyuki Haga on the factory Ducati. And in the process he takes the most pole positions in a season (11) where he’d never seen most of the tracks! These results seem like Hollywood fantasy.
Now moved up to MotoGP, the highest rung on the motorcycle roadracing ladder, he continues his relentless push. I haven’t been truly impressed by American riders since Wayne Rainey and Kevin Schwantz back in the early ’90’s, but Ben’s giving me a reason to stop cheering for Rossi (arguably the greatest racer of all time) and support the home team again! My apologies to Nicky Hayden, but his flash-in-the-pan pales in comparison.
With the class moves back to 990 cc bikes next year, this bodes even better for Ben.
Go get ‘em Elbows,
Rhino
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