Off-Season wrenching.. getting started (woo)

[Paul_E_D]

I'll be really curious to hear your first ride report.

Making big mods to a racebike is serious fun, but I'll share a cautionary tale:

I had a teammate who made a lot of mods each winter. He generally spent each season progressively returning the bikes towards stock! It turns out the engineers who built these things actually did know a thing or two about motorcycle dynamics and engine performance.

Good luck Alex! I'd love to ride that beast when you're done.

[Kip]

Originally posted by Paul_E_D
I'll be really curious to hear your first ride report.

Making big mods to a racebike is serious fun, but I'll share a cautionary tale:

I had a teammate who made a lot of mods each winter. He generally spent each season progressively returning the bikes towards stock! It turns out the engineers who built these things actually did know a thing or two about motorcycle dynamics and engine performance.

Good luck Alex! I'd love to ride that beast when you're done.

I kinda agree with Paul on this. Until you have ridden a bike to it's limits all these changes won't mean shit. So lets say you spend $2,000 and shave off 15 pounds that doesn't mean your going to drop your times by 3 seconds or something like just because the bike is lighter.
Now if you got money to burn (Like I do) then go for it. It may make the bike look cool but your lap times might not change that much.
I'm ridding a old 2002 GSXR 750 and this will be my 3rd season on it. I was going to buy a new 600 and then thought I spent $2,000 on my motor last year why not do one more season on it since every year my times keep dropping by a second or more. If I bought a new 600 I would spend the whole season trying to get it set up right.
Just my 2 cents

[HBerry]

Originally posted by Kip
I kinda agree with Paul on this. Until you have ridden a bike to it's limits all these changes won't mean shit. So lets say you spend $2,000 and shave off 15 pounds that doesn't mean your going to drop your times by 3 seconds or something like just because the bike is lighter.
Now if you got money to burn (Like I do) then go for it. It may make the bike look cool but your lap times might not change that much.
I'm ridding a old 2002 GSXR 750 and this will be my 3rd season on it. I was going to buy a new 600 and then thought I spent $2,000 on my motor last year why not do one more season on it since every year my times keep dropping by a second or more. If I bought a new 600 I would spend the whole season trying to get it set up right.
Just my 2 cents

You could give me some money if you have it to burn!

[brewmaster]

Originally posted by Kip
.
Now if you got money to burn (Like I do) then go for it. It may make the bike look cool but your lap times might not change that much.

I have a fire burning out in my garage... could you bring some more money to burn in it.

All my winter stuff for the bike is more or less basic set up for this season. I have far too much to learn on my current setup to go crazy modifing it more. Summing my winter project up is easy:
Starting with a stock bike so here are my mods for my novi season.
1) replace rear stock shock.
2) respring/valve forks.
3) check over everything and maintenance accordingly.
4) remove emmisions stuff and other street crap.
5) fit/paint race body work.
6) safety wire
7) safety wire
8) safety wire

So far I'm about half way done. Time is flying and my checking account is lowering quickly! Thank god I'm not spending anything on engine mod's or I would be broke.

Here are my before (last year at a track day), stock with slip-on's only mod. And current mess!

P.s.- mine is the purple one to the right.

[brewmaster]

The mess

[Kip]

1) replace rear stock shock.
2) respring/valve forks.
3) check over everything and maintenance accordingly.
4) remove emmisions stuff and other street crap.
5) fit/paint race body work.
6) safety wire
7) safety wire
8) safety wire


These are all good mods to get started.

[gmdboston]

Originally posted by Kip
If I bought a new 600 I would spend the whole season trying to get it set up right.
Just my 2 cents

maybe you need a better chassis guy.....

[Kip]

Originally posted by gmdboston
maybe you need a better chassis guy.....

No the problem with the new bikes is no one has the magic settings right away. Look at Greenwood on his Kawi last year. He spent more time trying to get it to handle and he even had help from the factory guys. Poor old Steve (33) had to go back to his old R6 to get his time down.
At least with my old shit box the bike handles fine it is me who is holding the bike up.

[WebCrush]

Originally posted by Kip
No the problem with the new bikes is no one has the magic settings right away. Look at Greenwood on his Kawi last year. He spent more time trying to get it to handle and he even had help from the factory guys. Poor old Steve (33) had to go back to his old R6 to get his time down.
At least with my old shit box the bike handles fine it is me who is holding the bike up.

Nobody has found a way to get ANY of the Kawi's to handle right except Martire. It was designed around 1 persons riding style--if you don't have the same mannerisms, good luck.

Giaccomara switched to a GSXR but it couldn't be considered a 'new' platform as lots of people are going VERY fast on them. It just didn't suit him. Yamaha's work different than Suzuki's. He does better on a Yamaha.

[gmdboston]

Steve switched in '05 the suzuki was sorted in '04. He just plain hated the 'zuk. Scotty's problem was chatter, it handled fine, but Kawi' had a stiff frame and flexible forks, just out of balance. He never fixed it, he just gave up and rode it, relpacing his fillings every other race weekend......

[gmdboston]

besides you know I can't pass up the oportunity to push Fegan's buttons!

[GMAN226]

Originally posted by brewmaster
The mess

Take your bike and remove everything else and that is what mine looks like. I will get some pics up soon.


G-man

[GMAN226]

Originally posted by Kip
1) replace rear stock shock.
2) respring/valve forks.
3) check over everything and maintenance accordingly.
4) remove emmisions stuff and other street crap.
5) fit/paint race body work.
6) safety wire
7) safety wire
8) safety wire


These are all good mods to get started.

What about Safety wire??

[WebCrush]

Originally posted by gmdboston
besides you know I can't pass up the oportunity to push Fegan's buttons!

did you sell him the buttons or did he build them himself?

[Kip]

Originally posted by gmdboston
besides you know I can't pass up the oportunity to push Fegan's buttons!

I'm going to E-mail this to him just to get him all worked up.

[WebCrush]

great, I'll tell the WERA folks. They wax nostalgic about him all the time.

[a13x]

I'm going to drop my laptimes because I'm going to ride better.

Don't forget the Hawk has been raced for 18 years. I'm not making any changes that haven't really be tried and true by the best Hawk riders in the country.

Forks: I'm replacing 1992 CBR600F2 41mm non-cartridge forks with 43mm fully adjustable catridge units. The biggest difference is going to be added stiffness. The GSXR units are going to be much less flex than the F2 ones. The F2 units are good for 95% of the Hawk riders out there, but the best switch them out (Rc51 front ends, 929, 954, Ohlins, GSXR, etc).

Rear wheel: Stock wheel to mag wheel (for short money) is a no brainer.

Shock: Fox shock to Ohlins is a no brainer.

Misc: The other stuff is really just upgrading exsiting parts (exhaust, chain sprocket, radiator) etc. Not much changing the bike's riding characteristics.

Honestly I'm not too worried about laptimes and getting used to changes. I think the most noticable change is going to be the elimination of the flywheel, which will allow the bike to spin up quicker. My teammate Matt said this is very apparent.

This bike was never setup for me anyhow and I rode it into the 20's. Only a handful of Hawk's have gone faster at Loudon. I'd rather make these 'major' changes now when I'm still learning and shits fresh, rather than after I've ridden bike Status Quo for 4 years and am 'stuck in that rut'. I've always been fairly adept and riding whatevers in front of me anyhow. When I raced downhill I'd go from my DH bike, to a Factory Cannondale, to a Factory World Cup B1, to a prototype Iron Horse, all within 30 minutes of each other and go the same speed on all 4. My friends (who's bikes I was testing) would literally say 'how the hell can you ride all those bikes the same' since they were very very particular about their setups. I dunno. Still learning!!

Paul: You can ride it.

Here's Overall Plan.

[a13x]

Originally posted by Kip

I'm ridding a old 2002 GSXR 750 and this will be my 3rd season on it. I was going to buy a new 600 and then thought I spent $2,000 on my motor

heheeh.. You called 2002 'old'

My motah already has 4k into it (from previous owner). If I bump the HP up anymore (it's in the 68-72 range) it will explode in short order. So more motor isn't a option.

Better handling is. Well, that and learning to ride.

[Kip]

[B]I'm going to drop my laptimes because I'm going to ride better.


No disrespect but your going to lower your lap times because your still an AM almost everyone does except Dan . But with the more track time you have you should also become a better ridder.

[R7]

Hey, I did some wrenching today
Fresh oil and some new seals

[a13x]

Originally posted by Kip
No disrespect but your going to lower your lap times because your still an AM almost everyone does except Dan . But with the more track time you have you should also become a better ridder. [/B]

Yea exactly.....



Mark: Those fork legs are THE SHIT

[OreoGaborio]

Alex, what are the best lap times you've seen on a hawk that's set up similar to yours?

[a13x]

Originally posted by OreoGaborio
Alex, what are the best lap times you've seen on a hawk that's set up similar to yours?

22's and 23's. Couple of 21's.

Matt Stone - 20.2 - That's why he's my dog.

[daviid]

pics of my EX as of today

http://www.daviid.net/EX500_02032006_1.jpg
http://www.daviid.net/EX500_02032006_2.jpg

[s a x m a n]

Peter has my bike for new shock, fork internals, geometry setup (and fixing) along with race prep.

Still need to buy race bodywork ...