[phobiaphobe]

Had another track night at Race City tonight. It went well, I had fun and didn't fall off, but here are a few observations:

1. Don't change more than one thing at a time. I hadn't ridden my bike since Grattan, but I changed to a race body with a pad seat, installed new rearsets set for GP shifting, and installed new brake pads. (not calipers) The first session out I was totally ****ed up.. I was screwing up shifts, I couldn't slide very well on the foam pad, my foot positioning all had to be re-thought and my brakes felt touchy. Immediately I switched back to conventional shifting.... I'll try GP again once I'm totally comfortable with everthing else.

2. Where did all my power go? I loaded a new map and I couldn't figure out why the bike felt castrated coming out of the chute onto the front straight... Oh ya, I live at 3400 feet. The bike was strong, as attested by an instructor that I let take it out... but it was nothing like being down at Grattan.

3. Race City is bumpy as ****. It never seemed rough when I first rode there but after Grattan it feels like a stone road in Mexico. I had to soften my suspension a tad. Race City is also very technical, fast, and has a lot of corners where you DON'T want to crash. The guys that race here have brass ones.

4. I'm a little concerned with the HESD. I think it seized up on me after coming out of a little wobble (in an extremely slapper-prone section of the course) and braking for the chicane. I could not turn the bike, and actually went off into the grass. It was bizarre... I'm second-guessing myself a bit, thinking maybe I had a brain-fart and didn't let go of the brake, but it felt very strange.

5. 15/43 is just a touch too short for the LONG front straight... I was hitting the limiter in 6th well before my braking point.

6. I need those new leathers.

7. I need a back protector.

8. I need an EZ-up

9. I SUCK at bleeding brakes. They are still spongy. And I'm thinking that a long brake lever would be a smarter choice than the bling-tastic shorty I'm using.

10. Bring way more water next time

11. I need a bigger left thigh. Race City is mostly left turns, including a couple very slow, sharp ones. My left leg would fatigue badly after 6 or 7 laps, to the point where it was actually quivering in the carousel. (ridiculously slow hairpin) I'm in pretty good shape, I leg-press 360 but I need to do more if I plan on riding here often.

12. I am tired and sore.

[Baketech]

Nice post...

Are we to understand that you have been doing all this riding without a back protector...
Or are you just wanting to upgrade your current one...

[Red Rider]

1. Always sound advice.
2. Funny that, the AZ boys' RV generator thought Grattan was high altitude!
3. Fiddle with the boingy things...thats what they're for.
4. Ditch it and get a real dampnererer.
5. Limiter in 6th??
6. Yes
7. Yes
8. Yes
9. Read abtech's bleeding thread...again.
10. Big Yes
11. Conditioning is everything.
12. See #11

[SuperDave]

You changed out your calipers? Not pads but calipers?

Wow, sounds like you changed quite a few things. I remember quite a few embarassing mis-shifts when getting used to the reverse pattern.

Have others swapped out their HESD for an aftermarket damper? This is the first I heard of some not liking the stock damper. Although if it did lock on you, I guess I would probably look to change it out as well (seems a shame though).

Bummer you had a somewhat sucky track day.

[seamus]

Originally Posted by phobiaphobe

...I'll try GP again once I'm totally comfortable with everthing else...

4. I'm a little concerned with the HESD.

11. I need a bigger left thigh. Race City is mostly left turns, including a couple very slow, sharp ones. My left leg would fatigue badly after 6 or 7 laps, to the point where it was actually quivering in the carousel. (ridiculously slow hairpin) I'm in pretty good shape, I leg-press 360 but I need to do more if I plan on riding here often.

I'm jealous you're all getting on the track so much more than I can this year.

I swapped out for the GP shift on mine and rode it for about 500 miles before I consistently shifted correctly. I had to actually think before I shifted to make sure I did it right.

4. The service manual has a test procedure for the HESD that's pretty easy to execute. I can post or PM it to you after work if you don't have the manual.

11. Bigger is not always better. I'd substitute more reps for more weight if you want your legs to hold out over the course of the day. If your legs get bigger, that'll be one more change you'll have to adapt to.

[JBODIE]

Great advice!

[ConqSoft]

Originally Posted by seamus

4. The service manual has a test procedure for the HESD that's pretty easy to execute. I can post or PM it to you after work if you don't have the manual.

HESD Test Procedure - Honda CBR 1000RR

[Heavy-Dee]

Hey Pube. Shame on you for not already having a back protector. I'm considering chest protection as well.

Don't be too hard on yourself. IIRC my first trackday after Grattan I sucked the big one. I think I had high expectations for myself after getting so much track time at Grattan and consequently tried too hard, and got frustrated. Sounds like you may have been doing the same.

Remember to relax.

You might be putting too much weight on that inside peg causing your "quivering" problems. Or you could just be a puss.

HD

[booracer]

great pointers for us beginners....

[matty_998cc]

Concerning comment #4, I believe if the HESD gets screwed up the ECU is supposed to default to the minimum damping operation.

My friend got rid of his HESD but I find mine to work quite well. Maybe its because he is more experienced than me at track riding.

[tnarinen]

Originally Posted by phobiaphobe

4. I'm a little concerned with the HESD. I think it seized up on me after coming out of a little wobble (in an extremely slapper-prone section of the course) and braking for the chicane. I could not turn the bike, and actually went off into the grass. It was bizarre... I'm second-guessing myself a bit, thinking maybe I had a brain-fart and didn't let go of the brake, but it felt very strange.

You had a brain fart, even in maximum setting (just test it like instructed here) HESD does not not seize, nowhere close to that. It's your brain that seized and wanted to come up with another explanation than a fart

Been there, done that, have had the very same brain fart.

[Purpdust]

Originally Posted by SuperDave

You changed out your calipers? Not pads but calipers?

Wow, sounds like you changed quite a few things. I remember quite a few embarassing mis-shifts when getting used to the reverse pattern.

Have others swapped out their HESD for an aftermarket damper? This is the first I heard of some not liking the stock damper. Although if it did lock on you, I guess I would probably look to change it out as well (seems a shame though).

Bummer you had a somewhat sucky track day.

He meant pads

[Purpdust]

I guess it is good that we are going to have a test day on the 5th before Miller

[bwhip]

I'm glad you were safe, and yes - if you don't have a back protector already (I thought you had one at Grattan ) get one TODAY.

Grattan was such a great experience, that to duplicate it would always be a challenge. You'll have good trackdays and frustrating trackdays, but I think the key is to always work on learning the track, picking the best lines, and concentrating on being as smooth as possible. When I go out and try to just "go fast" and race with the really fast guys, I find myself getting frustrated and doing dumb, unsafe things. Smooth leads to fast.

We're going to have a blast at Miller.

[BDA116]

Miller is a slow, bumpy track so you should be just fine there.

[phobiaphobe]

Originally Posted by tnarinen

You had a brain fart, even in maximum setting (just test it like instructed here) HESD does not not seize, nowhere close to that. It's your brain that seized and wanted to come up with another explanation than a fart

Been there, done that, have had the very same brain fart.

You're probably right... There's no reason it should have stiffened when it did.

Coming out of the s-bend you need to get on the gas hard, leaned over and there is a big ugly lump across the track... everyone gets tankslappers there, and a lof of guys crash, especially the pros who are really moving. All through the night I could feel it try to wobble, and feel the HESD working... When the instructor took my bike out, he had a full slapper there, lock-to-lock. If the damper is still bothering me after a few more trackdays, maybe I'll change it out for a Scotts. It's a really cool gadget but I can't be always thinking about what it's trying to do... that's hard on the confidence.

Anyway, I still had lots of fun... Purp and I are headed there next Saturday for a full day. Maybe then I'll have my lap timer and can make some real progress.

[phobiaphobe]

Originally Posted by Heavy-Dee

Hey Pube. Shame on you for not already having a back protector. I'm considering chest protection as well.

Ya, not very smart. I will buy one.

Originally Posted by HD

Don't be too hard on yourself. IIRC my first trackday after Grattan I sucked the big one. I think I had high expectations for myself after getting so much track time at Grattan and consequently tried too hard, and got frustrated. Sounds like you may have been doing the same.

You are right. I felt so good at Grattan, lots of confidence, felt smooth, went fast. Last night I was fighting myself quite a bit, and most of the attendees were racers. For the first little while they just ran 2 groups... the c group was really slow so they combined a and b. Once more people showed up they went back to the 3-group format.

Originally Posted by HD

Remember to relax.

I'm sure that was my biggest problem. On the second-to-last session I felt great... confident smooth and fast. (by my standards ) I think it was just because I was relaxing and breathing better.

Originally Posted by HD

You might be putting too much weight on that inside peg causing your "quivering" problems. Or you could just be a puss.

HD

You're a puss.

[luvtolean]

Real damper...not a Scott's.

I promise you, most of the GP paddock isn't lifting 360 pounds in any way...it's a different kind of conditioning.

[ND4SPD]

Originally Posted by luvtolean

Real damper...not a Scott's.

I promise you, most of the GP paddock isn't lifting 360 pounds in any way...it's a different kind of conditioning.

You know Pedrosa's gotta be doing at least 550






















grams

[sheepofblue]

Originally Posted by luvtolean

Real damper...not a Scott's.

I promise you, most of the GP paddock isn't lifting 360 pounds in any way...it's a different kind of conditioning.

some of the brits are lifting 360 pounds sterling

But yes it is repetition and endurance that is important (or so I have been told) Also flexibility is your friend.