[jjj0923]

I just wondered how many of you rides your bikes on the street and the tape over the lenses and everything else you have to do to ride them on the track a few times each year.

I tried it many years ago with my 916 and quickly found out how much I love the track and it showed me how utterly boring street riding was - at lleast on my local roads.

how can you have any fun on the street with curbs, guard rails, police, oncoming traffic, deer (in my area) paint stripes, etc.

I often wondered where's the fun in riding on the street - is it the thrill of the obstacles I've enumerated above?

I bought an RC51 last year after not being able to ride for a few years because of a bad hip (from a race crash years ago) and after a few rides, found it was just more fun fixing the bike up and going out for a one or to miles ride and pulling some wheelies and stoppies that trying to carve thru the local roads filled with bumps, trees nearby, police, stones and everything else you don't find on a race track... I'm now riding again because I had my hip replaced last year and it's great, but now it's time to get back on the track and have some fun.

do you guys have really nice roads near you?

[A.F.T.C.T.T.G.]

You can find some good roads here in the SE VA/NE NC corner of the world, but my summer preference is to ride WV near the Snowshoe area and WNC/ETENN(in-laws live in Hendersonville). I like to do the track, but I just came off of a career $30k+ of bicycle racing.

[jjj0923]

Originally Posted by A.F.T.C.T.T.G.

You can find some good roads here in the SE VA/NE NC corner of the world, but my summer preference is to ride WV near the Snowshoe area and WNC/ETENN(in-laws live in Hendersonville). I like to do the track, but I just came off of a career $30k+ of bicycle racing.

I ride a Cannondale Road Bike. I made up to Cat III about when I was 30 and used to ride tracks in the morning on my bicycle before races. It was wonderful although half the time they chased me off. It was OK to do a track walk but they frowned on bicycles.

[ConqSoft]

I ride on the street only... I like sport-touring.... New places and scenery to see... Going around the same course over and over trying to cut another few tenths of a second doesn't do anything for me.

[A.F.T.C.T.T.G.]

Originally Posted by jjj0923

I ride a Cannondale Road Bike. I made up to Cat III about when I was 30 and used to ride tracks in the morning on my bicycle before races. It was wonderful although half the time they chased me off. It was OK to do a track walk but they frowned on bicycles.

USCF CAT 3
NORBA EXPERT, MTN
NORBA MASTERS, DH 2003 13th National
NBL, 20" and Cruiser 2004 NE Champion

[jjj0923]

Originally Posted by A.F.T.C.T.T.G.

USCF CAT 3
NORBA EXPERT, MTN
NORBA MASTERS, DH 2003 13th National
NBL, 20" and Cruiser 2004 NE Champion

do you know Les Leach?

he works with me - great guy!

- jeff

[A.F.T.C.T.T.G.]

Originally Posted by jjj0923

do you know Les Leach?

he works with me - great guy!

- jeff

Cant say I do. His specialty is??

[jjj0923]

Originally Posted by ConqSoft

I ride on the street only... I like sport-touring.... New places and scenery to see... Going around the same course over and over trying to cut another few tenths of a second doesn't do anything for me.

that's what was boring about closed course road races for me when I raced... I'll liked wide open road courses where a group of folks from various teams would work together before the end instead of team pack riding and all the nastiness that went on between teams.. at least I get to wear leathers now - I could have used leathers a bunch of times then

[jjj0923]

Originally Posted by A.F.T.C.T.T.G.

Cant say I do. His specialty is??

he's a mountain bike guy... he's originally from Maine now lives in wilmington, delaware and competes in a lot of mtn bike events... a bunch of friends of his just competed in peurto rico or someplace in the caribbean in some world class mtn bike event.

- jeff

[A.F.T.C.T.T.G.]

Originally Posted by jjj0923

that's what was boring about closed course road races for me when I raced... I'll liked wide open road courses where a group of folks from various teams would work together before the end instead of team pack riding and all the nastiness that went on between teams.. at least I get to wear leathers now - I could have used leathers a bunch of times then

Sorry bro, I ain't done with the threadjacking!!

Hey Conqsoft... Here's all I got left in bicycles...

[rotorblade]

I use one bike to pull double-duty, but as you already said I find it less and less often I go through the hassle of streeting it. It takes at least an hour to switch bodywork, install headlights, switch wheels, put kickstand back on, put on mirrors... and the list continues. Much easier to just leave her ready to work.

[jjj0923]

Originally Posted by rotorblade

I use one bike to pull double-duty, but as you already said I find it less and less often I go through the hassle of streeting it. It takes at least an hour to switch bodywork, install headlights, switch wheels, put kickstand back on, put on mirrors... and the list continues. Much easier to just leave her ready to work.

I arrived at the same conclusion after I bought my 916 and took it to two track days.

[A.F.T.C.T.T.G.]

That's why I decided not to ride the track. If I do, my CBR will never see street again and I don't particularly just want the Wing as my only street legal bike.

[HondaGalToo]

Every bike I've owned has done double-duty track and street. I can't give up street riding, as I can't get to a track day a month, even. I'd only ride like 8 times a year. I still like the street, although I go a lot slower than I used to.
This year, I'm going to turn the 929 into track-only. Getting some Sharkskinz tomorrow. It has all the other great mods already. I'll use my Duc for the street now. And I have a VFR at my disposal as well.

[jjj0923]

Originally Posted by HondaGalToo

Every bike I've owned has done double-duty track and street. I can't give up street riding, as I can't get to a track day a month, even. I'd only ride like 8 times a year. I still like the street, although I go a lot slower than I used to.
This year, I'm going to turn the 929 into track-only. Getting some Sharkskinz tomorrow. It has all the other great mods already. I'll use my Duc for the street now. And I have a VFR at my disposal as well.

very smart on your part and the VFR is a great street bike. In terms of race bodywork - I figured I'd never invest a penny more than I had to because crashes are inevitable if your trying to be competitive. When I was racing the 916 I was lucky that sharkskinz make 916 bodywork in RED and I didn't even have to paint the stuff. Sponsors stickers covered most of the bodywork anyway

[Rigor]

Originally Posted by jjj0923

I tried it many years ago with my 916 and quickly found out how much I love the track and it showed me how utterly boring street riding was - at lleast on my local roads.

How did you make an AMA race-legal bike, road-legal again?

[Custom900]

Drag Strip and streets.

[jjj0923]

Originally Posted by Rigor

How did you make an AMA race-legal bike, road-legal again?

with a stock wiring harness froma wrecked 916 and about $1,300 paid to a guy near quakertown pa who did all the work.

he used a small fog light as a headlight and there are always plenty of rear lights around for 916's since there are so many crashed 916's - at least there were in 2000.

[Rigor]

Originally Posted by jjj0923

with a stock wiring harness froma wrecked 916 and about $1,300 paid to a guy near quakertown pa who did all the work.

he used a small fog light as a headlight and there are always plenty of rear lights around for 916's since there are so many crashed 916's - at least there were in 2000.

Please tell me it was anyone other then Larry's, in Richlandtown, PA, on Main St........

I lived in that area for a long time. I remember when Fast by Ferracci was HUGE, back in the mid 80's, all the way up to the mid 90's, down near Doyelstown, Bucks County.

Not knowing the internals of your Ducati, that just appears to be the typical over worked V-twin that needs to be wound up, and not lugged around on the roads.

I agree on your comment, regarding street riding being boring.

[jjj0923]

I forget the name of the guy who did the work but he did a great job. Ferracci did all of my engine and tuning work. I never had a mechanical DNF. Eraldo was great to work with.

[Rigor]

Originally Posted by jjj0923

I forget the name of the guy who did the work but he did a great job. Ferracci did all of my engine and tuning work. I never had a mechanical DNF. Eraldo was great to work with.

Is it true that the lunches in Ferracci's pit were better then anyone else's

[Cats]

Yeah do both with the same bike... cant seem to get enough good track days here in ireland.. weather is shite..

[Rigor]

Originally Posted by Cats

....cant seem to get enough good track days here in ireland.. weather is shite..

But I hear the beer makes up for it...........

[Cats]

suppose thats a fair trade for good weather lol..

[HondaGalToo]

Originally Posted by jjj0923

very smart on your part and the VFR is a great street bike. In terms of race bodywork - I figured I'd never invest a penny more than I had to because crashes are inevitable if your trying to be competitive. When I was racing the 916 I was lucky that sharkskinz make 916 bodywork in RED and I didn't even have to paint the stuff. Sponsors stickers covered most of the bodywork anyway

I g