New Season

Custom900 · 02-12-2006, 11:43 PM

So have any of you been to the track yet this year? I know it's only February, but some of us live in warm weather climates.

nvmy954rr · 03-17-2006, 2:07 PM

I really wanted to last year and never got around to doing it. I'm going to try this year to go and see what the 954 will go with me on it!!! Never raced a bike down there before but i've gone 11's in my vette. I hate cold weather. You guys that do live in warm climates are so lucky!

seamus · 03-17-2006, 2:28 PM

edit: Disregard, I didn't check the forum before I wrote.

Custom900 · 03-17-2006, 3:25 PM

I have been going to the track for the past few weeks. This past Thursday (Last night was terrible). I couldn't keep the bike on the ground so I ran consistently in the low 11 range. Normally I can run low to mid 10's on a bad night.

I'm going to strap down the front and see where that get's me.

franc01 · 03-18-2006, 9:36 PM

I'm going to try the track with a front strap I recently got from Schnitz. I was at Daytona last week, and in additon to riding some cool bikes (the ZX-14, ZX-10, and the Boss Hoss!), I had the chance to try my bike on the simulated drag machine. I don't know if you've seen this before, but they basically strap your bike down to a dyno-type drum and you launch when the tree drops. I was running against a Harley with a built motor that was pretty damn loud and supposedly put down 179 hp. I think it's a little optimistic because I put down a max of 148 hp at the wheel and I just have a PCIII USB and an Erion slip-on with the flapper mod. My best 1/4 mile time on this machine was a 9.2 at 148, but this obviously doesn't take into account wind resistance or the bike trying to flip over on me. Still, I think with the strap I should be somewhere in the 10s which would be great. I am going to head to Englishtown in about two weeks and give it a try.

Take care,
Franc

Custom900 · 03-18-2006, 9:48 PM

I only wish the track was like a dyno drag simulator. It doesn't take into account the launching, the fact that the bike wants to launch you off of it, the wheelies, or the throttle modulation that has to be done while on the quarter mile. You can launch at a very high RPM on one of those things and never look back.

By the way, if an H-D was pushing 170+ horses that thing was waaaaaay off. Either that or he had more money that sense. (I hope they cleaned all the oil off before they allowed other bikes to climb aboard.

)

How was the ZX-14? I'm waiting for my dealership to get one. I'm running out of patience though. Now they are telling me that it will be April some time.

franc01 · 03-18-2006, 10:54 PM

That Harley was described as a Nationals-level drag bike. The way it was described to me, the motor alone probably cost a few thousand more than my whole bike. When I first got there, they actually waited for me to sign up and get the bike weighed before they had the Harley run, I guess a "Harley vs. Honda" set of runs was more exciting, especially considering we were at Destination Daytona, reportedly now the world's largest Harley dealership. Overall, it was pretty fun, everybody was cool.

The ZX-14 was amazing, both the power and the smoothness. I've never ridden a Hayabusa to compare it to, but I was really impressed with the ZX's ability to just take off. It was really comfortable, too, and handled like a much smaller bike. On our little test loop, I was able to generate some pretty impressive speed by starting to accelerate at the end of a turn then really cranking it up as the road straightened out. I would really consider waiting a few years and picking up one of these used, but my license would definitely be in jeopardy. As far as the ZX-10 goes, I was amazed at the spread of power available throughout the entire rev range for a stock bike. I just don't understand why the damn tach was so hard to read.

Take care,
Franc

Custom900 · 03-18-2006, 11:15 PM

Harley vs Honda is a laugh. They put a $50,000 bike against a $10,000 bike as far as comparison goes. You may have more than that in your bike, but I'm sure you know what I'm getting at.

As for you riding a 14 before me - I'm jealous.

I had a guy on a 115 HP (supposedly) H-D the other day challenge me. I never shifted out of 3rd gear just to show off. Maybe it was wrong, nd I may pay for it later, but it was fun.