319 AM Round 6

["Dangerous" Dan K]

A lot went on this weekend, but I didn't do much, unfortunately :angry:

We showed up Friday night, sort of late. I usually show up Thurs and ride Friday, so missing that practice time sucked. On the bright side we found an issue with my bike Friday (one cylinder was hardly firing).

After a 2AM morning helping AJ wrench preteen's EX, it was bed. Woke up Saturday and went out slow as hell. Felt a bit better in practice.

Sat GTL, I just rode around. I lost Don quick, and with no carrot in sight it was hard to push. Finished 12th, which I really didn't care about since I'm on an EX - I always get my ass handed to me in GTL. Fastest lap was a 27.7, that annoyed me.

I went out in ptwin set on pushing harder, since I was 1.2 secs off my PB in GTL. I tried to ride hard, but was making mistakes. I started shifting earlier, which apparently I should have done all along, and it changed all my shift points. Worse, it meant 2 downshifts in places I am used to one, so I came out of some turns a gear too high. That'll kill a lap quick. Came in 2nd, only because AJ binned preteen's bike, 2nd still being DFL. Damnit! Fastest lap was 28.6! WTF!? Did I have an anchor on the freaking bike? I know it wasn't running as good as it could have been due to a bad plug and being unable to get a replacement, but that plug wasn't slowing me down 2+ secs... the bike didn't feel like it was down on power. I know it was just based on how bad that plug was, but if the motor was costing me 2+ secs I'd have felt it. Bottom line is I was making stupid mistakes, and it was resulting in slow laps.

Sunday, 2nd practice, I took Renee's 125GP bike out. HOLY shit was that thing fun. It was more responsive than I can describe, and it's a damn missile on the pipe. Unfortunately it's just too damn small for me. Think monkey and football...

Sunday I had 1 race, LWSM. I went out hell bent on going fast that race, no matter what. I was braking later, gassing sooner, and generally just riding balls to the wall. I had some people who were watching from atop Gino's trailer comment on how deep I was going into 1, it was rather silly. Still, I never got a lap without a mistake. I blew 3 about half the time, once running off track and jumping the curb by the beach. I ended up on the new pavement outside 6, blew 9, blew 12... it was a mess. Fastest lap was a 27.3. I honestly think (and was told by many people) had I calmed down a little that race it would have been a PB, but I was pushing so hard I kept making stupid mistakes. Oh well, shit happens. It was still a fun weekend. Great friends, great place to be, great turnout for Chris w/ the auction/BBQ/etc. Overall, great weekend.

Sunday night Bill was nice enough to feed us, and him, Gino, 6, the kid and I had fun hanging out for a few hours talking general BS. We swung by the garages on the way out and chatted with some of the TTD people for a few. Great night, awesome way to wrap up a race weekend.

Riding wise, the highlight of the weekend was lean angle, oddly enough. The EX is intended for a 130, and with a 150 on it people VERY rarely use all the tire. I've always left a pinkie-sized chicken strip on each edge, even when setting my PB. I used every bit of the left side of that tire this weekend... I had no idea they could be leaned that much. The right side still has a good sized patch I didn't touch, so I know there's some time to be had if I can just crank the bike harder to the right. There's a lot more time to be had if I can pull a hot lap without making a stupid mistake.

Overall: Good time, but bad lap times. Eh, I'll just go faster next time.

[csmutty]

Uhh...are you sure you didnt put that tire on a sv and then put it back on your bike?

Sucks about all the mistakes DDK, but I think you will be a strong contender next weekend!!!

["Dangerous" Dan K]

Yeah, you can see the previous marks from last weekend when AJ rode it vs. what I did this weekend, from where the rubber is balled up. I couldn't believe it either, I didn't think an EX leaned that far. Turns out when you sail it into 1 that hard you don't have a choice.

We'll see what happens, I sure as hell plan on bringing a lot more to the table next weekend.

[Chippertheripper]

Better luck next time dankey. Clear the mindspace, head down, rip it up. (like I'm already pro at this...pfffft)

[csmutty]

Yeah, you can see the previous marks from last weekend when AJ rode it vs. what I did this weekend, from where the rubber is balled up. I couldn't believe it either, I didn't think an EX leaned that far. Turns out when you sail it into 1 that hard you don't have a choice.

We'll see what happens, I sure as hell plan on bringing a lot more to the table next weekend.

I just thought you would scrape peg before that happened..

[Pittenger5]

You should be double downshifting in a lot of places DDK

[rolker]

Sunday, 2nd practice, I took Renee's 125GP bike out. HOLY shit was that thing fun. It was more responsive than I can describe, and it's a damn missile on the pipe. Unfortunately it's just too damn small for me. Think monkey and football...

["Dangerous" Dan K]

Better luck next time dankey. Clear the mindspace, head down, rip it up. (like I'm already pro at this...pfffft)

Thanks dude.

I just thought you would scrape peg before that happened..

Me too! Nobody was more surprised than me man. AJ is the one that noticed it, I did not think to look. This tire has never been on anything besides an EX though.

You should be double downshifting in a lot of places DDK

So I am coming to realize. I was just wringing it into redline before. 3 & 6 are my only new double downshifts.

[Pittenger5]

So I am coming to realize. I was just wringing it into redline before. 3 & 6 are my only new double downshifts.

11 too (I think anyway. I was double downshifting there on the tard).

["Dangerous" Dan K]

Yup, 11 & 1 also. 1 I usually grab one into 1 and 1 into 1a though... keeps the bike easier to control through 1. If I grab 2 into one the bike is high in the revs and as such twitchy when I'm trying to be smooth leaned way the hell over.

[csmutty]

Yup, 11 & 1 also. 1 I usually grab one into 1 and 1 into 1a though... keeps the bike easier to control through 1. If I grab 2 into one the bike is high in the revs and as such twitchy when I'm trying to be smooth leaned way the hell over.

I used to bang a downshift before 1A...that's how I almost highsided.

["Dangerous" Dan K]

So where do you grab the 2nd downshift? There's no way you were carrying 4th out of 2... I've been right with you through there enough times to be sure of it.

I don't grab it right before 1a, more like right out of 1 before I blip the gas between 1 & 1a. It's nice to have the extra time to be on the gas there by grabbing 2 into 1, but it can upset the bike for 1. I haven't figured out the best option yet, other than downshift faster between 1 & 1a, or go much faster.

[csmutty]

So where do you grab the 2nd downshift? There's no way you were carrying 4th out of 2... I've been right with you through there enough times to be sure of it.

I don't grab it right before 1a, more like right out of 1 before I blip the gas between 1 & 1a. It's nice to have the extra time to be on the gas there by grabbing 2 into 1, but it can upset the bike for 1. I haven't figured out the best option yet, other than downshift faster between 1 & 1a, or go much faster.

I grab it while slowing for 1. I also have different gearing than you do too.

["Dangerous" Dan K]

Forgot we are running different gearing.

I feel like I have new gearing with my new lower RPM shifts. I probably should have taken advantage of that to actually try new gearing... god knows I have options now.

[csmutty]

Forgot we are running different gearing.

I feel like I have new gearing with my new lower RPM shifts. I probably should have taken advantage of that to actually try new gearing... god knows I have options now.

What do you mean...are you now shifting at a lower rpm?

["Dangerous" Dan K]

Yeah, I had a long talk w/ a bunch of the EX guys... apparently shifting @ redline is not only extremely bad for these engines due to the soft metal they're made of, it also doesn't make sense due to the power curve. So I'm trying not to drag it up into the red anymore, unless it's to save a shift I'd have to downshift right out of anyway (like 11, if my drive from 10 sucks).

[csmutty]

Yeah, I had a long talk w/ a bunch of the EX guys... apparently shifting @ redline is not only extremely bad for these engines due to the soft metal they're made of, it also doesn't make sense due to the power curve. So I'm trying not to drag it up into the red anymore, unless it's to save a shift I'd have to downshift right out of anyway (like 11, if my drive from 10 sucks).

I have shifted at redline before. Before I geared it I would have to hold it at redline coming out of 7 and would grab the shift right before 8.

[Kurlon]

I'd bag one downshift as I start my braking for 1, then click the second just before releasing for tip in. Separating them made it much smoother, the second would just drop in without clutching. Keep your throttle cracked or raise the idle speed to kill off a good chunk of the engine braking.

'course I was slow as crap doing that on the GS so... nevermind.