Team 2F2F @ 8 hours of Grange 1

On 4/25, I will be taking part in the 8 hours of Grange endurance Race. Grange is a go-kart track in Apple Valley CA, and one of the premier mini-tracks, playing host to karts, mini-GP bikes, mini-motards, motards, and the people who ride them. This year's race is the second 8hr endurance race they've hosted in as many years.



An 8hr- endurance race is a little different than your standard sprint race. Endurance races are conducted with a time limit (in this case, 8hrs), and the winners will complete the most laps within that time frame. For reference, a sprint race usually lasts less than 1 hour, so an 8hr enduro requires a fair bit of strategy and a lot of stamina.

I won't be riding the entire 8 hours myself--I don't even think i could do more than 30-40 minutes at a time, especially now that the weather has gotten significantly warmer in Southern California. My team (Team 2F2F: nee 2 Fat 2 Furious) consists of 4 riders: myself, Rudy, Mark, and Rico. Our defining characteristic is that we're all 200 lbs or more, which is particularly funny because we will be riding a 50cc motard around this track, and I think this bike may make 12 hp.
But hey, it's got wheels and a throttle, so it works for me.

The race is in about 4 days, so I will be providing insight on strategy, rider prep (fitness!), diet, and the resulting aches and pains.

Since riding a motorcycle in 95 degree heat is hard work, it will be ncessary to have the energy and be hydrated for this race--but also necessary to be cardio-vascularly fit, and have some core-muscle strength.

Being that our team is predicated on being heavy fat guys, i could have started training a month ago, but I was eating instead. So last night, I dusted off the ol' P90x DVD's and started with the "Core Synergystics" workout, which is about 50 minutes of exotics situps, pushups, calisthenics, and other nonsense. Also, I was pretty sore from sexy-times the night before so I think over the past few days, all the yoga/ab-work/leg lifts/and other non-deep-fried stuff i've been doing will help. Tonight, i'll either do plyometrics or yoga, but i'll probably do plyo because it's shorter--the yoga routine takes like 90 minutes--i don't have time to dance around on a foam mat pretending i enjoy sweating and stretching for 90 minutes. I'll prob have to do yoga at some point though. Maybe friday night to get all limber. Anyway, i think doing core tomorrow, leg/back on thursday, and yoga on friday will be as effective as it gets for my fat ass.

Diet will also be important. So instead of eating jumbo jacks and quarter pounders and those awesome mini-burgers everyone is selling now (have you tried them? they're good! i prefer BK's burger shots to the others, though) for lunch, this week i'm eating chicken sandwhiches instead. Though, last night's del taco wasn't all that healthy, i can at least say that the french fries are a part of my carb-loading program. Plus, i figure i'll just use nonfat milk in my chocolate protein shakes post workout, and/or skip breakfast. JK! i know, skipping breakfast is bad for you!!!

Also, on strategy, my friend Casey gave me some pointers on race starts--Either we start off heavy on fuel and stay out as long as possible or, we go light and refuel, at some point, sometime during the race. I've actually forgotten what he said, but basically he said not to go a lap down. Well, honestly, if I feel like taking a break to eat a cheeseburger, then fuck it, i don't care about going a lap down.

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.

2008 outlook

It's been about 3.5 months since i broke my arm, and i think it's just about healed. I've still got limited use of my arm, but the bones in one (crooked) piece, so i can probably start light physical therapy work soon. First thing first, it to regain some strength in my left arm so i can do things like apply deodorant to my right armpit, or wash my hair with 2 hands.

I've also gained about 20 lbs since the accident and though i haven't put on my leathers in a while, am pretty sure they don't fit. Size 52 leathers were already tight on me when i was in better shape, so right now i doubt i could zip up my suit. I'm also in miserable cardiovascular health. I've always hated cardio--it's my least favorite thing to do in the world--but the time has come for me to get off my ass and get on a excercise bike and do some walking. I'm looking at losing roughly 25 lbs from my current weight which is hovering around 200 lbs.

There is some other training i should be looking towards doing in the coming months to strengthen my bike-riding muscles--notably lower back and core excercises. Even when i wasn't injured, i noticed that a day at the track put a lot of strain on my back and abs, which cut down on the amount of laps i could get in a 20 minute session. Hopefully i'll be in equal or better shape in time for Buttonwillow on 3/2.

My bike situation is similarly unsorted. It always pained me that i never got to ride the 675 on track before it met its fateful demise. The f4i is a rideable bike and certainly faster than me, but it's for sale (and hopefully sold) this week. I've been on the look out for really nice bikes to make into a track bike, and while i've found a few good candidates, it looks like i'm picking up a 07 675 at the end of the week for pennies. It'll need some new plastics as it was just lowsided, but it's otherwise in good condition.

This year i'm attempting to ride once a month at least. My tentative track schedule looks like:

3/2 Ti2TT @ buttonwillow
4/12-13 SoCalTD @ Pahrump*
4/19-20 FastTrack @ Cali Speedway*
5/9 Ti2TT @ buttonwillow
5/24-25 SoCalTD @ Pahrump
6/5 Fasttrack @ Streets of Willow*
6/28-29 Trackdaz @ Streets of Willow
7/5-6 The Track Club @ Buttonwillow*
8/2-3 Trackdaz @ Buttonwillow
8/24 Ti2TT Buttonwillow
9/27-28 Ti2tt Las Vegas Motorspeedway
10/11-12 Fasttrack @ Cali Speedway
11/1-2 SoCalTD @ Pahrump
12/6-7 The Track Club @ Buttonwillow

Conspicuously absent are any days at Big Willow, or the more distant tracks like Sears Point, Thunderhill, Laguna Seca and Miller Motorsports Park.

A letter to Spring Mountain

Ti2tt tells us that they have recieved no dates at pahrump in 2008. This means that only one group (socaltrackdays) will run pahrump next year, as the track owners decide to shun bikes in favor of cars. This represents nothing short of a catastrophe, as riders unilaterally acknowledge SM as the best track in the LA/SD area, and the open track format of socal trackdays is NOT beginner friendly. I wrote this letter to the owners via their website expressing my utter dismay:

It has come to my attention that spring mountain is turning its back on motorcyclists--I feel that this is not only unfortunate, but tragic. Last september, i rode spring mountain for the first time and had a religious, life changing experience--no other track offers riders the perfect mix of technical and fun quite like SM, and no other venue offers groups of friends the same opportunities to enjoy great riding and the joys of Nevada like SM does.

To hear that cars are taking the dates that orgs like Ti2TT et al. used to get saddens me, as it means I either MUST ride w/ only 1 organization on limited days, or skip pahrump altogether, as I have no interest in driving there at all. The track layout that seems so perfect for 2 wheels would be copasetic, neutered, cramped, on four.

This is an landmark shift on your part, and a mistake--since SM enjoys an almost fanatical devotion amongst virtually every rider i've ever known. It was Mecca for anyone on two wheels, and it breaks my heart that we are now unwanted.

Best of Luck,
C R

As much as i like buttonwillow and consider it home, and welcome the las vegas motor speedway to the mc trackday ranks, neither are adequate substitutes for the best little track this side of laguna seca. I'm not sure how effective a letter writing campaign will be, but any rider who's ever ridden SM will lament the advent of this new business philosophy. Ironic that they move towards catering to cars as the CA Speedway judgement starts to rock the world of 4-wheeled hpde's...

I'm alive, albeit broken.

Reflecting on Canyons

on 9/16/07 there was another fatality (possibly 2) on ACH. In a mundane corner, on a beautiful sunny SoCal day, a horrible accident took another person's life on the crest. My favorite road, my 2-wheeled home, the place where not-too-long-ago i fell in love with the sport of motorcycle riding is also the place where so many venture and fail to return from. Even if the mellow fluid sweepers of the Crest seem harmless or kind, this road bites back--and more often than it should, it bites those who don't deserve the blood and agony.

It's a fact of life that as a rider, the casualty reports will pile up every summer. You have to learn to adjust to the idea that you or your friends might not make it home from your next ride. You get used to the stories of young riders w/ no experience or gear making love to canyon walls, or the stories of riders with 15+ years of experience making a mistake and paying for it. It's a fact of life, like someone here said, riders die, and sometimes you can't do anything to change it.

So often we respond with resolutions to be more careful, or to take it to the track, or deny that our personal behaviors can lead to tragic accidents..."Yeah, i put a knee down on the street, but I'm in control" I've said stuff like that plenty of times. I've seen guys whose opinions and skills i respect say it. I've clearly differentiated my actions from those of the lowsiding masses, as if i'm not 1 pebble away from joining them. And no amount of contrition after the fact will bring a leg back, or an ankle back, or god forbid, another rider back.

It's almost cliche that the local MC community responds to a bad weekend in the local canyon by promising to be better riders. I do think it helps, but at the same time there are so many people who aren't included in the dialogue who end up wadded up against k-rails. and whether or not we become better riders, nothing is going to change the fact that all it takes is 1 tiny rock, 1 unsuspecting cage, or 1 rider coming the other way 3' over the DY to make any resolutions you made a week ago completely moot.

I don't want to give up street riding. I think that there's something to be said about spending saturday morning on the crest with some friends--but i do think we all need to question the way in which we traverse these roads. Get your thrill from the trees, the clean air, the company, and the sunshine--not the speed. Many of us always say that the street is not a race track, but how many of us actually ride that way?

We are in a precarious position. between the insurance companies, the local highway patrol, the general public/politicians, and each other--the next few years could be a crucial moment in the history of motorcycles. and while i believe that people should be free to make their own choices (and mistakes), it's a sad reality that what I do is a reflection on a fellow sportbikers as much as it is a reflection of myself. The same applies to all of us, and since we were given the task to protect the sport in a sensitive time, ask yourself what you're doing for your fellow riders, at the bike night, on the freeway, in the canyons. Whether they come with HP limits, tiered licensing (good idea imo), banning sportbikes altogether, and whether the AMA can stop it are all somewhat irrelevant...

If we don't police ourselves, don't expect the government to do it with the understanding of the important but subtle nuances that define our sport. And if we don't police ourselves, we have little right to complain when we find ourselves persecuted by grandstanding politicians who don't give a rat's ass about whether you're a geared up, responsible rider or not.

Track Report 9/8-9/9 Spring Mountain, Pahrump NV

Looking at a map, Pahrump seems like it's pretty damn far away from LA. Looking at the directions and the unfamiliar roads and freeways, it seems even further. Finally, thinking about Friday Vegas traffic makes it seem like you'll never get there, so you might as well stay home and wash your bike.

But it's closer than you think. 240 miles, which isn't all that far. beautiful, empty, desert highways with nary a soul traversing them and a bright starscape you often forget about when you're under the orange glow of los angeles, and finally a delayed departure time (11:30 pm) means that pahrump is actually less than 3 hrs away, when you put the cruise control at 85.

Made it to the hotel room (Pahrump Nugget) and laid down on the floor and went to sleep. I shared a room w/ 4 other guys and got there last, which means i get the floor. I froze my ass off and woke up at 6:30am, we got ready and made our way to the track. The best thing about a pahrump weekend is that a) you don't feel bad about spending money on a hotel room because you're far from home and can't day trip it, and the rooms are cheap and b) the track is 5 minutes away from your hotel and c) they have a casino just downstairs.

We got to the track and hunkered down, setting up pop-ups, bike stands, generators, misters, fans, and chairs and got ready for a full day at the track. I have never ridden pahrump before, so i was in C-group (which is for beginners) along with a few other guys in the group who were sandbagging.

Pahrump is a 2.2 mile track (which is pretty long) that is a decent mix of fast and technical. Turns 3, 5, 7, 9, and 10 are tough technical corners that require precision and lots of shifter work to properly negotiate. But what makes Pahrump a fun track for me is the great sweepers: turns 1, 2 and 4 are straight out of the pages of AFH. Puck destroying, long, graceful sweepers with great pavement--it's easy to build a rhythm all the way up to turn 9.

So in light of my last post, about reaching the Zen promised land of trackday riding, i didn't achieve it on the first day. Learning the track, battling poor body position, fighting a sore back and left wrist, and a stubborn bike left me distracted and tired. I eventually learned pretty good lines, but by the time i was ready to use them, it was the end of the day and i was ready to collapse.

The second day started off with more of the same. Lots of hesitation, not smooth riding, struggling with body position. But in turn 1, midcorner of my 2nd session of the day, i realized that i was still crossed up, and that i wasn't getting my butt off the seat enough. a 2" shift made all the difference in the world, and i started to get faster and faster. I ground down my pucks (Spidi pucks are made out of butter) so i had to flip them at least 3 times. I started keeping pace with faster friends, and started exploring body position that wasn't so brutal.

Long story short, I felt like i was picking up where i left off when i left my first trackday, and got back on track. I also tried to reach motorcycle zen with mixed results--it's kind of hard to do when you back is killing you and it's hot as fuck, but hey no one said it was gonna be easy.

Mechanically, the bike finally needs new tires, i need to look into a more compliant back protector, i need new gloves, and maybe need to re-gear the bike. The newest toy (penske) performed great, and after 1 trip to the suspension truck the bike felt great all day.

Unsane. Time really does fly.

Looking at this blog is frightening. I haven't posted in a good 2 months, which also means i haven't done any riding in a long time (save the HT trackday at BW). Tonight I'm leaving for Pahrump, where i'll spend the weekend in Sunny Western Nevada with Everyone's Favorite "Socal" Racetrack (TM).

Nevermind that it's not even in SoCal, Pahrump is supposed to take all of the elements that make Buttonwillow great, and take it to the next level. Nice new pavement, wide track with tons of space, and a good mix of high-speed and technical. I'm excited because i'll get to ride a track 2 days in a row for the first time, and i get to monkey around in nevada and play some craps when i'm not sweating in my power ranger outfit.

HT-West Trackday 8/5/2007
I actually have Video for this event, just sitting on my computer, and it's pretty interesting stuff. It shows me getting passed all day, which is pretty standard. I haven't edited it yet, so it needs to be shortened so that there isn't 5 minutes of footage of me sitting in grid.

I took some new things away from that day though--first, i'm not as confident as i ought to be on track. Running BW CCW for the first time, it's expected to feel a little weirded out, (Esp dealing with star mazda, no lost hills, and a REALLY long back straight for the first time in a new direction) but it took me a lot of sessions to get comfy with the track. Even when i had packed it in, i still felt "scared" if you will, of braking from 145 mph (indicated, so more like 135) to make a really gentle left handed sweeper, though i had progressively made the turn faster and faster with each lap. I still have issues with turn 2 (in a CW direction) in both directions, and well, i was slow.

I thought and thought about it, and i wondered if my lowside at BW contributes...Well, considering how consequence free it was, i don't think so. I wondered if i was distracted on the bike or simply just not 100% there, and i realized that i had forgot my earplugs. It's hard to imagine that something so simple would have a big effect on one's riding, and maybe it doesn't, but it's hard to get your thoughts straight when you're doing triple digits at 13000 rpm on a race bike with a full exhaust--it's louder than hell.

Furthermore, i woke up late that morning and was in a rush to get to the track. Whenever i do this, i always end up riding/driving like shit the whole day, and no matter how much you try to relax, the feeling of being rushed never quite leaves you, until it's too late.

And through meditation and heavy motorcycle forum posting, i've come to the conclusion that i'm riding my best when i'm completely relaxed. Focused, but relaxed. Getting in touch with that graceful, effortless, talented (ha ha) side that simply knows what to do and what measure to do it with. In these moments, time slows down, the world becomes eerily quiet (such that i can hear my own breathing over the din of a screaming inline-4), and i simply ride.

So tomorrow, i'm trying to get back to that place. Let's hope the new penske triple, new(er) supercorsas, and proper diet and fluids get me there.

general update

I've been incredibly lazy about updating this blog. My apologies to the few of you who notice. But to be honest, I haven't been doing that much riding as of late.

7/4/07, ACH: I expected the holiday traffic and LEO presence to be worse than it actually was, but i took advantage of a day off to hit the crest. The weather was surprisingly pleasant, and the road was in good shape. Met up with the SCS guys and the SBN guys in a strange combination of the two SoCal MC forums who have a lot of crossover, but don't generally ride together. I met a girl at newcs who had a 06 Brutale 910R and though she wasn't bad looking, that bike made her look hot. She gave me the run-down on the Brut (which i'm considering as my next bike) and told me that it's a finicky but fast bike. Quirky throttle, suspect electrical design, but an absolute monster. Sounds like exactly my kind of bike, though electrical work tends to be the weakest link in my mechanical repertoire.

The Track Bike - I ordered a 2-way Elka rear shock for the F4i, in a group buy i found at triumph675.net. It was a great price, and alot of people are singing Elka's praises, so I decided that spending more money on a bike that i won't be able to sell for more than 2500 bucks was a sound decision. The one worry i had was that they'd ship me a 675 shock with track/race springs and valving (which wouldn't work at all. i wouldn't mind an Elka to replace the OEM rear on the 675, since it's grossly overworked by the spring, but at a milder valving than what i'd want on the F4i) in spite of my noting that the shock was for a F4i. Fast forward 3 weeks, when i get a call from Vlad @ motoworld.com, who hosted the group buy, saying that they messed up and sent me a 675 shock w/ race valving. But, to be fair, he called me the second he found out, and swore that he and Elka would do whatever i wanted to make it right. I decided that maybe spending the money on the nice new bike (675) made more financial sense, and being promised a good price on another Elka if i so desired, i could get one for the f4i at a later date. All-in-all i'm pleased so far with the customer service. Hopefully i can get this thing dialed in and enjoy the fruits of credit card debt without a single regret.

I've also attempted to put on some woodcraft clip-ons on the f4i to get the riding position more aggressive. the problem with the f4i is that the stock clip ons mount above the triple tree. this means that you're pretty upright and it's not ideal for track riding. mounting the woodcrafts below the triple tree make for better riding position, but runs into some major clearance issues with the master cylinder and the gauge cluster and fairing stay. It'll take some creativity to get it to work, but i'm sure i'll figure out a way.

Lastly, i planned on painting the track bike a scorched orange w/ black accents, but i think i'm gonna keep it white. I am, however, painting the wheels duplicolor universal gold, the color of champions.

Honda-Tech West Trackday, 8/5/07: I made a post on h-t about a trackday, and we decided on 8/5 at BW (running Counter clockwise) w/Zoom-Zoom trackdays. about 8 people expressed interest, and only 2 have signed up (including myself). But that's ok. I don't need other people at the track per se, I just need to not ride like a wooden statue. If anyone's interested in signing up for this day, go to http://zoomzoomtrackdays.com/ti/zoomzoom/index.html and sign up for the 8/5 event. I'm riding intermediate. There are also coupon codes to lighten the financial load, yamaha owners use code "yamaha" for a $25 discount.

Ruff-Ryderz Parade: took place this past weekend, and i have to say it's a pretty amazing thing to accomplish--as a group of motorcycle riders, to piss off people badly enough that even fellow riders want to mow you down as you block traffic on the 215 freeway so you can do wheelies. Imagine how pissed off the general populace, who already hates sportbikes, was. Thanks for making it easier for all of us to navigate the freeways and streets. assholes.

SOWS: 6/15/07

My 2nd trackday at Streets of Willow Springs was last week. I headed up with a couple of friends w/ the f4i, freshly kitted out with some new parts. I've always liked SOWS in a car, much more than big willow anyway, so i was excited to give it a go on the bike. I'm pretty familiar with the track, or at least the layout, but as you'll read, on a bike there's much more to it than that.

I was riding in the intermediate group, which was a tad ambitious, since this was my first session at Streets, but i figured that i wouldn't be holding too many people up. I picked up the line from other riders in the group, but experienced issues with the pavement surface. It's pretty rough out there, and with my current suspension setup, hard to get good drive coming out of certain corners. Plenty of pucker moments with losing traction with the rear end, and issues at corner exit with some very ill-placed bumps and disturbances. I struggled to find a comfortable rhythm all day--too slow through some corners, too fast for traffic in others--and battled posture issues and Literbike Syndrome all day.

Guys on 1000's were parking it in corners in intermediate, and making it hard to get any consistency throughout laps. Setting up passes at track exit along the outside, i'd catch them at the apex on an outside line, but get blown away by the straight line speed of the liters. Unwilling to fully commit to my passes, unsure and untrusting of people's ability to hold a line and leave the door open, i found myself stuck behind a lot of liter bikes. it's frustrating.

Reality check

A friend of mine went down on the crest this morning. I wasn't there, and details are as of yet unknown, but he's in stable condition and out of surgery. Considering the rumors, it's luck that he's alive and not in worse shape. I'll update as i get more info, but my prayers and best wishes go out to him and his family.

It also brings into focus that anything can happen on a public road, and especially a road like the crest. It serves as a reminder that even when you are riding responsibly and in control, terrible things can happen. I beseech everyone to be safe out there, especially as peak riding season ramps up. It's not enough to keep me off the bike, but also a reminder that the sport is dangerous and fate is fickle.

Central Sierras 5/19 and 5/20/07

I spent the past weekend in the Sequoia's with 10 companions from SCS on an extended group ride. The Central Sierras is home to some of the state's best roads, even if you've never experienced them yourself, just a quick look on google maps blows the imagination away. Twisties like that are hard to come by, and guys get excited about roads that are 1/5th the length and a lot more crowded and a lot more dangerous (aka Palomar or Malibu).


The 10 of us found our way to Three Rivers, CA, which is a small town on the shores of Lake Kaweah and minutes away from Sequoia National Park. Hwy 198 runs from the 99 through the park to CA 180, which links to Kings Canyon and Fresno. It's a pretty busy area, as people from all over come to visit the majestic redwoods and experience the natural spectacle of the Sierra Nevadas. On a touring bike it's a beautiful way to experience perfect May weather, scenery, and lots of other tourists. On a balls-to-the-wall sportbike, the scenery is a consolation for the 5mph traffic crawl (just enough to keep you from going crazy), but once you get through the park (which i advise that you skip altogether, due to the traffic and the fact that a federal speeding ticket is not a good thing), it opens up into some beautiful riding. Whizzing through the trees at a modest 80 mph is a pleasant blur of green. Pictured above is our "welcome to the park" lecture by Park Rangers, who probably knew we might be up to no good...

Once through the park and onto the 180, we took a detour to Lake Hume, and eventually found our way to CA 245. CA 245 is the most twisted, technical, challenging road i have ever seen. It runs from CA 180 (elevation 5000 ft) to CA 216 (el. 1000-ish), so you have elevation changes, 4 distinct sets of scenery (High Altitude Forest, to low grasslands), 31 miles of twisties, and nary a cage from one side to the other. In the middle of the road, there's the "Mountain House Saloon" that has some of the best cole slaw around, and a place to kick up your boots and watch a MotoGP race, if you're so inclined.

The road requires that you work your ass off getting the bike back and forth, in the upper section, your butt barely gets settled on the seat, as you toss your body around getting the bike to whip around the continuous switchbacks, tight hairpins, and banked, linked turns. It's some of the most intense riding around, and it doesn't stop unlike pally or little T. It's tough to carry more than 40 mph, but the road is relatively clean, and doesn't have any weird offcamber turns or excessive potholes. I found myself struggling with some of the really tight hairpins, as it was difficult for me to carry much entry speed without knowing what lay in wait for me midcorner, but getting a knee down is almost a foregone conclusion--right before you have to flip it around to the other knee to make the next turn. This road is not for novice riders, and is not for the faint of heart.

Getting to 245 takes about 20 minutes from Three Rivers, and 3.5 hours from LA. Hotels in the area are plentiful, but it bears emphasizing that having gas cans is necessary for bikes without a lot of range. Also having a support truck was essential to enjoying the day--in case a bike goes down or if you want to bring tools or extra visors or snacks with you on your trip.

This road should be a destination for every rider on the West Coast, but bear in mind that it's isolated, but not completely uninhabited. I'm sure the locals wouldn't be thrilled about 50 sportbikes buzzing through their neighborhood at high speeds and putting them in danger--that doesn't mean you can't have fun, but as always respect nature and the inhabitants of your favorite twisties, and don't wear out your welcome.

Trackday 5/11/07

Today was my first track day on a bike at buttonwillow.



I spent all of last week getting the f4i ready for the track. fixed a bunch of little things that needed fixing (throttle cable was broken, painted the tank, got the track plastics on, etc) and doing maintenance. I mounted some supercorsa take offs with a lot of meat on them (but possibly heat cycled to death, as suggested by the guy at cycle gear, whom i don't completely believe, but whatever).



The weather today was a warm low-80 degree day in the central valley, and we left at 4:30am to get to the track at around 7. met up with a bunch of people from the local sportbike board and got situated. I ran w/ dial it in, which is a good group to run with. I was signed up for the new rider class, which i thought might be a waste of time and not a real class, but i was wrong. dial it in's new rider school is definitely worth the money, as it involves real instruction on track and in the classroom, and it definitely helped me get faster throughout the day.

the first session was a parade lap of sorts w/ my instructor, as i was shown a conservative line around the track. BW is a challenging track; in a car i never really got comfy w/ turns 2 and 3 (off-ramp and cotton corners), and the same applied on a bike. The difference though, was that i was very comfortable with the rest of the track which never really happened in a car (going over lost hills in a car is much scarier than it is on a bike, at least at my speeds), and especially liked the bus stop-riverside-lost hills complex (as it caters to my ACH-inspired love of sweepers), as well as the sweeper that replaced star mazda in today's config. It was really easy for me to pick out good reference points and maintain a good rhythm throughout the day through turns 4-11.

the F4i was hauling today. by the second and third sessions i was wringing out the throttle through the straights, and she was pulling like an ox. the suspension needed some tuning, as the rough spots on the track tended to disrupt the chassis more than it should have. my body position needed a little tweaking, as my instructor was telling me that i was doing the "only hanging off w/ your butt/shoulder twist" even though i was conciously trying not to do that.

I put a knee down for the first time in turn 10 in session 3, and continued to feel better about my riding. the next classroom session helped me finally figure out where to start when it comes to braking, shifting, setting up for the turn, and body position. I put it all together in session 4 and really started riding w/ confidence and good speed. I still had rhythm issues through #2 and 3, but everywhere else on the track i felt faster and faster. However, as i leaned the bike over more, i realize that i was starting to drag my pegs more and more. The f4i needs some new rearsets for improved ground clearance, b/c even with my knee out there (w/ good body pos) the pegs seemed like they'd touch down right about at the same time as my knee.

This is unfortunately what finally took me down in turn 3 towards the end of session 4. Going through the last L of turn 3 i caught my peg, hit some of the bumps, washed out the front, and lowsided at about 40-50 mph (not sure). A really leisurely slide into the dirt, and i popped up right away to get off the track. They red flagged the track, and when i picked up the bike to load it into the truck, i saw the carnage: destroyed right clip on, really badly dented tank, and destroyed R fairing. Gas/oil? leak, and possibly more since i haven't conducted an autopsy yet. The bike was laid down on the left side, but flipped onto its right side as it slid into the rumblestrips, which did alot more damage than the initial slide. My lid was lightly scraped (as i didn't really hit my head at all), and my left glove torn. the suit held up wonderfully, as did my Setup boots (for all those wondering about the crashworthiness of $129 boots, they held up fine, though this wasn't the most
dramatic get off).



I got to paddock and unloaded the bike, and changed into my shorts and got in for the last classroom session. talked to my instructor afterwards and we brainstormed about what happened and how i can prevent it. So in the end, though i crashed i think i learned something from it (without paying the price in blood). and came home in good spirits, itching for the next chance i get to get on track. i'm thankful it wasn't the 675 out there, and that the f4i now has some new graphics that are appropriate to a track bike =)

for all of those put off by the cost and time to prepare for a track day, forget all of that. once you go you'll wonder why you didn't do this earlier.

observation

I didn't make this past weekend's ride, so no new post regarding actually riding the crest, but i did post up at the shell in the truck to see if could catch the guys as they came back down.

I didn't, but i did see at least 4 or 5 different groups of riders make their way up the crest. In jeans. and tank tops. sometimes with a pillion, in similarly undergeared attire. While i wouldn't be surprised if it was huntington beach, i can't imagine why ANYONE would go to the crest (or any other canyon) w/o at least a jacket and some jeans. It's bad enough when us leathered guys crash up there, but when the squids go down, i'm sure it's much much uglier.

also, it appears that the 405 is the official freeway of squids. driving around the westside on saturday, i saw a bunch of guys wearing nothing but a stupid icon armor vest or a t-shirt+back protector. honestly, when you go down with such things, the parts that they actually covers aren't the parts you have to worry about. what good is a unrashed torso when your arms are gone? think, people, think.

OT: the trackbike

The trackbike is now ready. well, mostly ready. Finally got all the pieces together, and though it's a ramshackle collection of bolts from the magic bucket, zip ties, and various other "homemade" solutions, it runs, from far away it's kind of pretty.

I probably should have gotten the forks done, b/c i doubt the fork oil has ever been changed, but i'll take care of that before the next trackday, along with a 520 conversion and some new sprockets.

Riding it down colima (very briefly) and cracking open the throttle exposes another problem though. The steering gets pretty light at WOT, and a steering damper's going to be a high priority. hopefully, it doesn't tankslap my ass on friday, but we'll see.

I'm not a big sticker fan, but i'm also not a fan of all the blemishes on the paint job, so the stickers are there to distract people from noticing the drips, swirls, or fingerprints that inevitably surface when you rattlecan plastics.

i'm very excited about this coming friday. just need to figure out how to tie the thing down and we'll be good to go!

my garage

It's actually messier than that if you go into it.

What you see pictured is:
01 SV650, currently running and the official "errand" bike (Left)

02 F4i, in 1million pieces and getting the trackday treatment.

07 daytona, whom you know.

The F4i used to be red/silver, but i've repainted her an off-white, in honor of honda's "Championship White" -- The only shade of white that belongs on a car/bike. the F4i's currently getting overhauled and made track ready (though not safety wired) with some new parts, like the Ti Yosh RS3 full exhaust, new tires, and removed OEM parts. I'm pretty excited to ride it, because it'll be at least 10-15 lbs lighter than it was in street-legal form, has the bling new exhaust, and will look pretty cool in 100% offwhite with the black frame. I've still gotta do the 520 conversion and gearing change, but it'll wait a couple months before that happens.

anyway, i need a throttle cable to be able to finish her up and put her back together and do some highly illegal test runs down the G-G loop.

Ride Summary 4/28/07

Made it to the SCS ride on saturday morning with Vin, after a wonderous morning in the company of a special someone. I didn't get much sleep the night before, and was pretty hungover, something that set the tone for the whole weekend.

This saturday's group was a little smaller than usual, but a good group of guys that ended up being fully assembled at nukes to discuss our upcoming 5/18 trip to the central sierras. The ride up to nukes up the front side was really trafficky for 9am on a saturday. Worse than that, a few cars refused to make room for the group of bikes, and did an appalling 35 mph up the crest. Usually with a small group of riders, there are places where riders can pass (illegally, albeit safely, though still nervewrackingly), but when you've got 10-20 bikes, passing a car is a bit of a pain. Driver courtesy on the crest is generally pretty good, as most of the people that usually drive that road (the bicycle guys, hikers, and residents) know that motorcycles rule the asphalt, whether they like it or not. In return, we generally express our gratitude and all is well. But when slower traffic refuses to use turn-outs like they should, it's incredibly frustrating. So as a note to the non-riders out there, please use a fucking turnout if you've got 12 bikes riding your ass.

The ride out to the tree was a controlled down 9 mile. Stout was said to be waiting there (9 mile ends up being a fav. speed trap because it requires you HAUL ASS to have fun on it) so when we passed him at the 6 mile mark, we knew we were in the clear. The guys in the front TOOK off, and i was hardpressed to keep up without feeling a little uncomfortable. I figured i'd start hauling up forest with the fast guys.

Immediately i realized that i didn't have what it took to stay with the lead group up forest. I had a scary moment going into a blind left hander, where i couldn't get the bike leaned over enough, started to drift out/target fixate, and had to grab some front brake to keep me on the asphalt. It was a dumb mistake, and one i was probably going to make given my tired/hungover condition, and at that point i tuned it down and took a more relaxed pace up Forest. I got a mild dressing down from L at the tree who told me i was riding over my head and to get it together, and i agreed.

I couldn't stay at the tree for too long as i had to be back home in time to get ready for a wedding later that day. V and I rode back with a new guy, and made it off the crest in one piece. The freeway ride back was excruciating in leathers and the 85 degree heat and weekend 210 traffic. We got back to the E. 626 tired and anxious to get off the road. Making an innocuous left turn V went down. Apparently he hit a patch of gravel in the drainage path of the intersection, somehow got into the lowest speed tank slapper of all time, grabbed some front brake and highsided into the curb. I was in front of him so i saw it in my rear view, and went back to see if he was ok.

Thankfully he was wearing full gear, so he was totally fine, though his ego bruised. His bike was ok with the exception of his stator cover, shift lever, and frame slider, but was rideable. His helmet looked pretty beat up, as he went head and shoulder first into the pavement, and his leathers were a little scratched, but not seriously. Had he not been wearing his suit, or gear at all, he could've been pretty bloody, so log this as another occasion where GEAR SAVES YOUR LIFE.

I'm taking a self-imposed vacation from the canyons until after my track day on the 11th of this month. I'm eager to do a track day write up and talk technical about riding form and all that and i hope someone out there is taking good pictures...