Re-introduction

I've decided to resurrect this blog under a new name: 32 to 1. Taken from my pre-mix ratio for my 1976 Yamaha RD400, it's a bit more interesting than some generic italian sounding blog title, like Moto-something-rreristeria. No offense to the Italians, of course.

I've left the previous posts, which are a motley collection of thoughts on Canyon Riding, or technical ride reports written for my own benefit and consumption. Probably because I'm too lazy to delete them, or think about how long it took to write them and feel like it'd be a waste to erase them. At any rate, welcome to 32 to 1.



About Me
I'm obsessed with motorcycles. It's incredibly unhealthy when I think about how much time and money I devote to this hobby. I like to pretend that I like all motorcycles, but like you, I know I'm just pretending or lying to myself when I say that. The truth is, I don't like all motorcycles--I like fast motorcycles. This is not a blog about chrome, or hard luggage, or freeway-friendly windscreens--this is about machines built for speed and toe-ing the bleeding edge of traction. Tassles and t-shirts, exit stage left.

I haven't been riding long. Roughly 3 years if I round up, though I did log a pretty good number of miles for the first 2 of those years. Much of that experience is described in earlier posts: ACH weekly, Sequoia, Idyllwild, and most of the LA mountain/canyon roads. An accident in september of 2007 has limited my street miles since--ironic because that accident occurred 100ft away from my house--so these days I mainly ride racetracks only. At the most, it means i'm in the saddle once or twice a month, so you can imagine how much pent up MC energy I build up between track days.

I like to think I'm almost fast. I'm not quite there yet, but I suppose I am not slow, either.

About my garage

I've currently got 3 bikes in the garage. Bike #1 is a 2006 Triumph Daytona 675. This is probably my favorite modern sportbike. It's also british, which means it can spontaneously combust, though my own personal experience with this bike and my previous 675 have been mostly positive. It's currently a track only bike, and is fitted with all sorts of crazy things that are supposed to make it go faster, stop faster, turn better. So far, I've only gotten to ride it once, last september at Willow Springs, where it proceeded to bog all the way down the front straight, failing to hit 110 mph (when it should have been going 140+). So, I threw alot of money at it. Hopefully, it'll go faster.



Bike #2 is a 1976 Yamaha RD400. This is a carbureted 2-stroke v-twin that is as loud as it is unassuming. I picked it up about 5 months ago for a song, and have been dicking around with it ever since. And while it weighs about as much as the Daytona, it makes about 1/3 of the horsepower and 50% more noise. Don't let the power numbers fool you though, since this thing will put you on your head in a split second as it hits the powerband. It's a 2-stroke thing, of course. It's street legal, so I ride it around and piss of my neighbors every once in a while. I'm planning on getting it road-worthy enough to do the occasional ACH or Azusa trip, and I'm not too far off.

Bike #3 is a faded pile of shit. 1975 Honda CB750K that hasn't run in years, and is as heavy as it is broken. Unfortunately, I don't have the time or the budget to do anything with the bike, so it sits in the garage, waiting for me or Casey (the bike's co-owner) to do something with it, like melt it down for scrap, or sell it to someone who gives a rat's ass. A few thousand into it and it'd be a cool bike, but no matter what, it'll never be as cool as the RD, if only because it weighs 200 lbs more, and is a 4-stroke. And imo there are already enough 500 lb 4-stroke 750cc I4's in the world...The SOHC guys are gonna kill me for that comment...

Track report 8/2/08 Buttonwillow #13 CW

Weather - sunny/dry
Temps - 110 deg F
Bike - 03 600rr
Tires - Bridgestone BT003pro front @ 28 psi (cold)/BT002pro rear @ 25 psi (cold)
Gearing - -2/+3

Began day in B group, averaging around 2:18 laptimes. Found difficulty with passing, bike shows trouble keeping up on straights, even with good drive. Made most of my passes under braking on entry to turn 9 (sunrise). Leaving some speed on table in back section (grapevine to lost hills) by not being aggressive enough on throttle. Entry to bus stop was much better than usual: little if any braking, rolling off throttle and downshifting to third and keeping more speed through corner entry. Tires feel very rigid and suspension needed to be softened to handle bumps especially in riverside.

After moving to A group, noticed improvement in lap times. 2:12.48 best time of the day ran at 2pm in A-group. Faster through back section, more throttle starting from grapevine exit and all the way through to lost hills entry. Losing time in entry to AFM turn, can carry much more speed into corner entry, and get better drive into esses. Overbraking for turn 1, 2, & 3. should be able to break 2:10 with ease next time out. need to be even more aggressive at grapevine exit and be more conscientious about foot position to prevent toe drag. Left turn body position needs to be more extreme, as body isn't hanging off far enough. felt better under hard braking and downshifting. Physical fitness levels make for much better mental and physical endurance.

Prepping the 750

The wonderful thing about owning a gsxr, is that there are so many parts available for it. Used, new, OEM, aftermarket--and they're all cheap because the market is flooded. There's also a lot of modularity b/w generations, and most of the 600cc stuff can be used on the 750. And perhaps the biggest bonus is that the gsxr is a favorite of amateur racers, meaning that they sell their really cool secondhand stuff, usually for pennies on the dollar.

So, in light of my last post, the suspension is a priority. I managed to find a 3-way adjustable, remote preload adjustment ohlins rear shock for my bike for $450. This is a unit that generally sells for 1200+ new, so i'm pretty excited about the deal I got. Fork modifications look to be around $350 to $700, depending on how much i want done. I also traded my stock fairings and lights for a set of race plastics, which i'm currently in the process of painting. I've also amassed a spare set of wheels, some take offs, and a keyless gas cap.

It looks like i've decided on White/Gold/Blk as the main colors (though Pink and White are heavily insisted upon by my cohorts) but i'm not exactly sure how i'm gonna arrange those colors on the bike. Either way, i'll be in the garage painting all weekend. Hope it turns out well.

On a related note, i'm parting out the F4i. I would keep it if i had the room, but the garage is beginning to get a little crowded. b/w the 750, the other 750 (a 75 cb750 that i picked up last month) and V's 600rr, i'm starting to feel like my garage is becoming a parts bin. I guess it'll get worse before it gets better, since the F4i is about to go from being a complete, running trackbike, to a pile of parts.

Anyway, so long F4i of doom. may your parts help keep your brethren upright and fulfilling. Also, if i fight the urge to be e-lazy, i'll document the painting process for all the would be rattlecanners out there.

3/2 Buttonwillow first thoughts

I've been needing this one. badly. I've been going nuts and the only cure is more trackdays.

Everyone i know that rides bikes made it out for this one. So did everyone i didn't know. the event was completely sold out, and every group was full. As i am still recovering from september, I signed up to ride in C-group, with some friends. As i was riding a brand new bike, on brand new tires and brake pads, i figured i'd need to take it slow and feel out the new setup.

I picked up an 05 gsxr 750 last week for pennies. I ordered some vesrah RJL pads from STG, and picked up a pair of bridgestone BT002 pro's (120/190-55). Needless to say, this is a totally different bike than the F4i. My thoughts on the setup:

1. the OEM suspension is begging for mercy. with sag set at 30mm on both ends, the bike liked to drift wide under power. A friend suggests that the rear is too soft, thereby affecting the dynamic rake under throttle, and causing the bike to sail. This thing needs a rear shock and new fork internals like i need to lose 30 lbs. which is to say, badly. it's priority #1.

2. vesrah RJL's are the most intense braking experience I've ever felt. bite was outstanding. feel and modulation were ok too, considering.

3. the BT002's were pretty good all day. with some heat in them they generate a good amount of grip, though with my current pace, i'm sure i'm far away from overwhelming them. They're much more communicative then the dragon supercorsa pro, but at this point i like the SCP's better. I'm sure i'll have a better idea of what these tires are capable of once i setup the suspension proper-like.

4. having 1.5 arms really challenges my ability to brake deep and hard. i found it difficult to brake AND set up for a turn, since couldn't get my nuts off the tank under hard braking. Also, lower back pain was still an issue at the end of sessions, so i need to make a concerted effort at improving back strength and overall endurance. it's also difficult to toss the bike around on the technical bits with 1.5 arms.

5. Wow, this bike scoots. it really really goes. had my share of mini wheelies, mini head-shake moments (defused by the scotts damper), and moments of sheer terror mixed with exhiliration. It's also much heavier than the f4i, though there is still a good amount of street equipment on this bike. losing 20 lbs shouldn't be difficult. i found myself uncomfortable riding in the upper rpm's (aka the powerband) due to a mal-adjusted throttle cable, and the gobs of torque it makes up there (meaning choppy inputs are rewarded with very choppy bike behavior). In all honesty, at yesterday's pace, i just needed to stick it in 3rd for the entire lap, with an upshift to 4th at riverside. It does have wonderful torque and midrange though.

Throughout the day, i was fastest through Riverside and Sweeper which is certainly no surprise. These are the sort of turns that a Crest rider is built to feel confident in. The slowest corners for me was Cotton Corners, the bus stop, sunrise and sunset.

cotton corners: this is a difficult complex of turns (Right, Left, Right) with elevation change and some beat up pavement. if any corner on the track is going to take someone down, i think this is always suspect #1. i had a hard time finding a non-cowardly entry speed, and with the weak left arm and the wallowing rear suspension, it was hard to find pace through this part of the track.

the bus stop: lack of pace in this turn can always be attributed to fear. which i possess in bulk. i was generally way short of the proper entry speed for this turn.

sunrise: another scary corner. it's wide, cambered, and makes all the difference in trap speed down the front straight. i don't know why i have a mental block when it comes to this turn.

sunset: this is turn 1, at the end of the front straight. closing speeds generally reached 120-ish mph (indicated, so maybe more like 110, actual), but without my ability to brake deep as decribed above, i broke early and too much for corner entry in this turn. like sunrise, it's wide open.

all in all, it was a good way to start the year. i have my work cut out for me though when it comes to shaking off the rust, though. i'm looking at riding 4/4 at SOWS, for which i'll dust off the f4i o' doom.