Heartland Park 3/28

tigerblade · 03-29-2004, 11:51 AM

Rained off and on all day Saturday in Topeka. I pulled the forks first thing in the morning and had new springs and cartidge emulators installed, then pretty much sat around all day. Still had the Dunlop street tires on the bike and thought about going out for a practice session or two just to see the changes to the track (slightly different than last year). Instead of using the drag strip for the main straight, now we use what was hot pit lane last year. The interesting part is that at the end of the straight, it funnels down a little with a concrete wall on the left and a tire wall on the right, goes up a hill with a blind right-hand kink over the crest. I don't know whose idea it was, but I don't think they were thinking about the bikes when they built it...

Anyway, didn't want to buy rains AND race tires yet, so just put on a set of Michelin S2's (S2 rear is newly available in a 160 this year). Went out for the one and only practice session Sunday morning. The track still had water standing in a few places, but most of it wasn't on the racing line except for T1. Can't really complain about the track since it sounds like Larry Denning set a track record this weekend. First race was LW Superbike. I think the bike had a total of 50 miles on the odometer at this point. Got a decent start but slowly lost touch with the pack and ended up 8th. I think I only beat a couple guys. The suspension and tires worked great but I was not liking the stock rearsets and lack of steering damper. The SV is definitely a lot different than the RC51 but I think I'll like it a lot when I get it (and myself) sorted.

Second race was LW Supersport. Got another decent start but the top guys got away from me eventually. I settled in a little and started to click with the bike toward the later laps. Didn't see where our lap times were posted, but I'm sure my last laps were a lot quicker than what I had been running. Ended up 4th, so at least I took home some wood the first weekend on the new bike. I'm looking forward to the tracks I'm more comfortable with; hopefully I can get up front.

NinerPilot · 03-29-2004, 1:17 PM

Dude,
The bike looks awesome!!!! Sorta has a Police look to it....

Chris

tigerblade · 03-29-2004, 2:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NinerPilot

Dude,
The bike looks awesome!!!! Sorta has a Police look to it....

Chris

LOL! Looks pretty dark in those pics but the color is actually dark pewter metallic (kind of charcoal gray).

ER · 03-29-2004, 2:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tigerblade

LOL! Looks pretty dark in those pics but the color is actually dark pewter metallic (kind of charcoal gray).

Did you just say "pewter"?

tigerblade · 03-29-2004, 2:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ER

Did you just say "pewter"?

Don't judge me.

NinerPilot · 03-29-2004, 3:03 PM

You get any action shots on the new bike? Or are you going to stick with the pimpalicious bike in your current avatar? If so I want a dollar everytime you post!
Chris

ccwilli3 · 03-29-2004, 3:58 PM

dude, I can't believe thats you passing Freddie Spencer!!!!

tigerblade · 03-29-2004, 4:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NinerPilot

You get any action shots on the new bike? Or are you going to stick with the pimpalicious bike in your current avatar? If so I want a dollar everytime you post!
Chris

No real action shots. My buddy who took these was racing too and didn't get to the other parts of the track to take any. Hopefully I'll have some after Road America next month.

tigerblade · 03-29-2004, 4:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ccwilli3

dude, I can't believe thats you passing Freddie Spencer!!!!

500cc and 250cc championships in one year doesn't impress me.

tigerblade · 04-06-2004, 3:57 PM

Rearsets are here and M4 full system should be by the end of the week...

NinerPilot · 04-06-2004, 4:07 PM

You need to find a shop with a dyno and a TEKA box. The TEKA changes the map on the ECU of the bike. Nothing to buy, just services of programing it. A buddy of mine has an M4 on his 03, and had the shop tune it with the Teka and gained considerably with it.
Chris

tigerblade · 04-06-2004, 5:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NinerPilot

You need to find a shop with a dyno and a TEKA box. The TEKA changes the map on the ECU of the bike. Nothing to buy, just services of programing it. A buddy of mine has an M4 on his 03, and had the shop tune it with the Teka and gained considerably with it.
Chris

I'm sure none of the knucklehead shops around here would have any idea about it but thanks for the advice. I'll have to check around.