Monday, 26 March 2012
Snetterton race report
Wow what a long weekend, went up friday morning, packed up there so I parked in the over flow bit, set up my gazebo and got ready for the pm practice slots. Signed on, then found out that this side of the inner circle there were no tannoys so couldnt here the session callouts. Later moved into the paddock area opposite MCN guy Michael Neeves with hsi gleaming new looking bmw s1000r.
The track is long and real fast, by the end of the weekend I was getting the hang of the circuit. I know now where i can go faster, be more smoother wider entering the hairpins..The vfr never missed a beat even though its dyno'd power registered a low 77hp and 206 kg so really disappointed on one side....(further investigation later) and elation for completing 4 races without crashing and bringing home a 3rd position rookie, and 2nd position rookie in thunderbikes in sundays racing. For such a heavy beast and low power I was getting faster, I just had to calm down get a rhythm and take some corners wider especially 'corrums' I know I just have to get the lines and corner speed but
my biggest issue apart from power was the ground clearance, so i have to jack the bike up. Theres no question here, if i want to go faster i need more lean!.,,get some rear sets, then get the bike set up on a dyno. I managed to destroy 2 sets of boots. Most annoyng fact , spyke leathers are poorly assembled, poorly tested, bad quality control. The knee slider attachments use the velcro the opposite way to most knee slider companys. they unglued themselves from their own backing. The inner lining is held together with a plastic zip....they've all pulled out. bought from George whites a couple of years ago, only used rarely.....i will take a picture on send it too spyke.
too tired now to say any more.....pictures to come along with better race analysis
Monday, 19 March 2012
Snetterton looming closer!
So Im getting excited about Snetterton, I've made a huge list of things to take, more than the test weekend. I've done a few things to the bike, not all good, like snap a disc bolt, still waiting for my new bolts to come through the post, managed to calm myself down and drill out the remains, took some nerve cos I couldnt make a mistake and damage the wheel rim thread. I just hope they arrive before thursday. Its not the end of the world because I just have to take the wheel with my slicks on and not have a spare front wheel.
Next job was to make a shark fin, found some 3.5 mm AL plate, cut it then heated it up a little and bent it so it could attach to a chain cover bolt hole on the swingarm and bend in under it so its about a cm from the chain and sprocket.
Lastly Ive drilled 2 22 mm holes in the airbox lid, just to try and get a little more air flow in. Advice from vfrdiscussion forum under carburation/airbox stuff. Will try it out on friday, if its too week Ive got some bungs for the holes.
changed the front sprocket from 14 to 16 teeth, left the rear at 45.
Thursday, 8 March 2012
My new race license turned up today, this weekend I'm going to make the shark fin for the rear sprocket, think I'll change over the rear sprocket ready for Snetterton, for brands the 14 45 seamed to do alright , maybe could go 1 tooth up on the rear, maybe Snetterton could go to 43 at the rear and 15 but I'll have to ask around. Doing the Friday practice on the 23rd. Snetterton looks like its got some long bits. Watching trackway you tube clips is pointless unless its a pro, most of the lines people take are all over the place so Ill get an instructor to help on the Friday.
Sunday, 4 March 2012
Brake discs warped
I've taken the brakes apart, cleaned them, made shore all pistons were pushing out and not sticking. Put the wheel back on, brake mounting bolts on , then lower the front so the wheel could settle torqued the axle, then tightened the pinch bolts brake side did then left side. Raised the front on the paddock stand and spun the wheel but it dragged again.looking closely the disc actually wobbled from side to side about 5 mm, this is why it's dragging they are warped! Now I had ruled that out from my firsts juddering under braking, other things like the head stock was loose. The brake pistons on the inner side on both fronts were sticking. Really annoying as I assumed the discs were straight.....I should have checked, seems an obvious thing to do. Dodgy breakers yard again....I can't remember where they came from now but it was the same that supplied the forks saying they were 929 forks but were 954. So took wheel out put the spare on with new discs and the wheel spins fine. On to the carburation. Really difficult to know without spending money on a dyno and someone who knows what to do. At brands it seemed to go ok, it didn't bog and had progressive acceleration. The plugs were a good light browny colour on the electrode, and that's just after full throttle around brands. But The engine note sounded wrong compared to before.
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