Slaughter's Free Association Racing Thread

[Slaughter]

Well... since Kurt and Paul were gracious enough (and until I get the time to put up my monthly thoughts on crashing again) - I thought I'd open up with something that was started on the WSMC race discussion board: Things I have learned from racing.

(Danny refers to Danny Farnsworth - chief instructor at New Racer School and has been racing about 2 days longer than dirt's been around)

Some of the things I've learned are that:
:D Almost everything Danny told me in New Racer's School came to pass by my third race INCLUDING him telling me that I'd probably forget EVERYTHING he had told me on more than one occasion - and usually at a bad time!
:D Think twice before passing on the outside in 8/9 in Novice
:D Sliding the front could be fun - but isn't... bringing me to the next point:
:D Stand it up, Ride it off, come to a stop under control
:D Racing could be cheap... but isn't
:D There's always a better bike out there so you may as well start out by buying one beneath your expectations
:D There is a good reason there are so many cliche's in racing: "It's better to ride a slow bike fast than a fast bike slow" rings true
:D Handling the bike with precision is more important than dialling up the Horsepower
:D Choosing an SV to start racing isn't a bad thing but its stock suspension IS (a bad thing)
:D Choosing a Buell to race will get you more noticed than an SV - and more pity
:D Even if you can't race, you can have fun volunteering to help
:D If you volunteer to help in scoring, your eyes and brain will be hurt BADLY
:D There's tons of advice from your fellow racers - half of it usable.
:D It's not always the fastest racers who have the best advice to offer
:D Tire warmers work
:D Give your cold tires more time than your adrenaline is telling you that you need
:D Doesn't matter how good they seem to feel after one lap, cold tires are just not ready to stick!! :(
:D Acknowledge a risk, don't dwell on it
:D Have a friend in your pit who will FORCE you to listen when your adrenaline level is high - and who you WILL LISTEN TO - he/she probably knows more than you do right then and there (regardless of what you think)
:D If you find yourself trying to explain your racing to a non-racer or trying to explain Hailwood's "For the love of the sport" he had lettered on the side of his unsponsored bike - Just stop - they're not going to get it
:D In racing, you will find more friends with totally different backgrounds, politics, choices in life-partners, or lifestyles than you would EVER find on your own outside of the racetrack
:D It's never too late in life to start (anything)

[GMAN]

Excellent gems of wisdom there. :)

I wish I could contribute, but the only thing I know is how to lowside gracefully. :D

[huevos]

fairings are good, no faring builds character.

[Jarasco]

Slaughter's Free Association Racing Thread = Slaughter's F.A.R.T?

[GMAN]

Originally posted by Jarasco
Slaughter's Free Association Racing Thread = Slaughter's F.A.R.T?

Hehe, good acronym.:p

[Slaughter]

Thought I'd sneak that one by but I guess you all are just a wee bit sharper than I thought!

Good catch!

Don' wan' nobody thinkin' I'm takin' misseff too serious now.

Story to come.

[Kurt'sSV]

Originally posted by huevos
fairings are good, no faring builds character.

lol

1. Racing is more addicting than crack-cocain.
2. Affording entry fees is more important than groceries.

[Slaughter]

Originally posted by huevos
fairings are good, no faring builds character.

And upper body strength! (I'm a wind wuss)

[Slaughter]

Have any of you tried starting in second gear? Heard a couple folks talking about that - wondering what y'all thought. Think I might give it a shot in Formula Twins - since I am not going to get more than 2 points anyways, thought I'd experiment.

Supposedly there's not enough to be gained by the short spurt in first - especially when you're as ham-handed as I am and seem to ALWAYS hit the rev limit before shifting anyways - might be better...

dunno. might give it a shot

[bwarbiany]

Originally posted by Kurt'sSV
1. Racing is more addicting than crack-cocaine.

Crack isn't any fun... Try heroin... That might be up there with racing...

2. Affording entry fees is more important than groceries.

And the weight loss helps lap times to boot!!! :D

[Kurt'sSV]

Originally posted by Slaughter
Have any of you tried starting in second gear? Heard a couple folks talking about that - wondering what y'all thought. Think I might give it a shot in Formula Twins - since I am not going to get more than 2 points anyways, thought I'd experiment.

Supposedly there's not enough to be gained by the short spurt in first - especially when you're as ham-handed as I am and seem to ALWAYS hit the rev limit before shifting anyways - might be better...

dunno. might give it a shot

Well I think starting in second would be retarded. The quick launch of the SV is one of it's greatest attributes. You just have to remember to keep an eye on your tach during the rush to turn 1 and you won't hit the rev limiter (though that isn't exactly as easy as it sounds).

But of course it wouldn't hurt to try it in a race where you don't have a chance like F-twins. Or try it at the start of the Solo race.

[zzzwillzzz]

if starting in second worked, don't you think that drag racers would use it. you would need alot of bottom end torque and alot of clutch slipping to launch the bike. it might work on something that was really powerful and hard to launch like a gixxer 1000. it's alot harder to loop an sv than a gixxer 1000.

number of years ago, probably about 10, sport rider magazine used to test all the ama superbikes on the track, topspeed runs and at the dragstrip. they were allowed to change gears between tests. i remember that muzzy left the real tall top speed gearing on the zx7r at the drag strip to help make it less likely to loop and a little easier to launch and it did work and i think the kawi was quickest. but i think second is a bit too tall and rob muzzy didn't build your sv. but if you want to try it anyways tell me so i can set my digital camera to video and capture it all.

[Slaughter]

Yeah... still thinking.

The drag racers gear up HIGH and slip the snot outta the clutches. Remember, in the liter dragbikes, they're hitting 100 MPH before their first shift!

My problem really isn't hitting the rev limit, just thinking I'm out of first so fast... and seems by the time I hit second, I'm just out-pulled (but heck, look at who else is racing...)

dunno but yeah, thought I'd give it a shot in a hopeless race like F-twins or maybe Solo where its a 50 miler.

Facking forktubes aren't back straightened yet. Advanced Racer School starts Friday at 0700. Just another low-stress start to another race weekend!

Pretty excited about the school though - 5 instructors, 15 students - and at least 6 track 7 class sessions... $160 - a hell of a deal! (if you have a bike in one piece!)

OFF TOPIC--- OK - it's a Buell but... Good news for me - Eric Pinson told me he'd race for me in Vegas F-USA if Bartels doesn't give him a ride. He's seen my new motor going together down there and says it's gonna be pretty sweet and with the suspension upgrade and 2 good riders, the beast is gonna have a chance. Yeah, I still have to find another rider if it gets serious! If San Diego doesn't give Finnerty a ride, I'll have a team! Finnerty and Pinson are doing 1:27-28 times at Big Willow on their Buells.

[huevos]

so this may be a little off topic but hey, it's FART right? Tangentiality is the goal right?

So the question is this: What happened to my double points for april? I finished the fokin race so shouldn'tve i received four points instead of two? I really want to get out of "nervous" class and into provisional. by my accounts i should be two points closer than the web site says i am. What gives?

[Slaughter]

Stevan...

This is free-association - 'sall cool

I think double points are only for Expert (points counting toward the Club points championship) - SUX for the guys still suffering in Nervice class!

You have to suffer through 3 races (minimum) and 10 points

Why do you think I raced in December with 2 broken toes, cracked metatarsal and sprained ankle 4 hours after my crash??? SO I COULD GET MY LAST POINT IN NERVICE and GET THE HE!! OUT!!

I am sitting here in the morning, now that the swelling is down, soaking my foot in hot water (still trying to absorb a seroma lingering after last month's get-off) and am pissed off that I still don't have my forks back from being straightened and tomorrow is Advanced Racers Clinic.

Wait til you see my mashed exhaust can! Total ratbike now!

:mad:

[morbidelli17]

Not to brag, but there's one thing I seem to do very well at the track: Get off the line. If it were a race from the grid to the turn-in point of Turn One on the first lap, I'd be overall track champion. But no, they have to throw in all these "turn" things that see me aggressively, decisively slicing toward the back of the pack ...

I'd still leave the line in first.

I think the biggest mistake a lot of guys make is to watch what's going on in front of them during the first two gears, and they over-rev, banging off the rev limiter or past the power peak of the motor. I figure it this way: Unless someone directly in front of me stalls, I really don't have to worry about running into anyone, and anyway. the speeds are pretty slow. So I stare at the flag in Craig's hand and the tach. By not looking at traffic, you won't be distracted from the task at hand - shifting at precisely the right moment. Shift 500 rpm before redline; by the time you actually shift, you'll be right where you wanna be. If you have to, short-shift first to avoid over-revving. Look up when you bang it into third, there's plenty of time to sort things out before Turn One. This works for me.

As always, I could be completely wrong ...

[Slaughter]

Good points about what you're actually paying attention to.

Good food for thought.

Suppose if my forks aren't fixed I aint gonna do too much experimenting though.

Starting in second is a poor way of compensating for bad technique in the first place!

[zzzwillzzz]

can you bring your bike to LACR? do they have cheap racing like some other places? if you could pay $15 or $20 to get a bunch or races to practice your launches and get actual numbers to see what works best... just a thought...

[Slaughter]

Actually LACR is 20 minutes away.

NOt a bad idea but I think that half my problem is psychological - I have come together twice with other people heading into turn 1 so on a start I think I just tend to cut it back a touch once I get up to speed. Haven't fallen after these collisions but when you get hit, it'll get your attention - expecially setting up for a turn - it does create a distraction. Pinball takes on a whole new meaning when you are using other racers to set up a bank shot into turn 1!

They offer practice starts on Saturday afternoons and it is only $10. May be a better way to try out the wild-assed ideas.

Really though, I just need to keep it pinned and not worry quite so much about where the others are unless they're in MY line.

[morbidelli17]

I hit someone once during a track school. Actually, they came back onto the track after drifting into the dirt in Turn Three and cruised right into my line. It was in 1995, I can replay it in my head like it was five minutes ago. That WILL jack with your head ...

Slaughter, you're not gonna make it to Willow this weekend? Bummer.

[Slaughter]

Weeeelll - as it turned out, the forks didn't come together, so I put on another bikes forks and took it out yesterday for a trial. Brakes were weak, the front brake reservoir was leaking badly enough to get a mist of fluid on my face and it just wasn't feeling right.

I had lost too much sleep the week before trying to: A - get the forks straightened and then B - get another set. (In addition to trying to get the 6-hour bike together for track day testing and setup on the 24th.

Bad decision on my part was to take the bike out yesterday AT ALL -- but I decided to see if I could get it setup and run it anyways. Should have decided to just sit the weekend out and help my friends in the pits but NNOOOOooooo... just had to take it out and push it up a bit...

and...

Crashed again.

Minor crash in 3 - late braking and the front end tucked. If I was in a good mood, I'd have put on a new left clipon and left footpeg and controls but I'm just exhausted.

Going into the weekend, I had friends say I really ought to just take the weekend off after all the stress of trying to the the 6-hour bike ready and then try to get the SV un-crashed. Should have listened.

Sometimes its just better to see the signs that things just aren't right and know when NOT to ride!

[morbidelli17]

Glad you're OK. Sounds like you'll be getting a lot of track time real soon anyway ...

[Slaughter]

Yeah... if I was in contention for points, I'd really have put the bike on the track and tried to sort out the handling as best I could but there was just too much to do elsewhere with the other bike.

Carted the 6-hour bike off to San Diego to get re-assembled and dyno tuned. My current mechanic just put it off til the last minute and was no way he could get it done in time - he sat on the engine a whole week without touching it and KNEW we had to be on the track on the 24th as the last time all 4 of us team racers would be together to sort out the handling.

I'm just totally pissed off since busting my ass to get the cases bored, crank lightened and balanced -- and then took a vacation day to go down to pick it up and deliver it to the mechanic.. but at least now, Fread Finnerty - one of the team racers got permission from San Diego HD/Buell (he works/races for them) to get the bike put at the front of the line so we can have it on the track in a week.

The SV will be handled by Zoran once I get the Buell on the track and dialled in.

Oh well...

Not in the mood to race and don't have the time with all it takes to get the bits and pieces of a motorcycle that is spread across 3 counties - all back together again.

It was just one of those times.

OK - back to biting my nails again til the bike hits the track on the 24th. 26th fell through and we'll be up at Pahrump for Memorial Day Weekend with Sportbike Track Time for 2 days - hope only 3 partial days on the track will work out OK.

Really, the 6-hour is just for fun BUT we still have to take setup and safety seriously!