My first racing experience: part deux

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freeridenick
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My first racing experience: part deux

Post by freeridenick »

So I was back at Three Sisters at the weekend for my second race meeting. To quell any excitement now, Popkat is the only one with silverware to take away.

I didn't get my entry in early enough to get in the 401-1300 class, which was a bit of a relief actually. That class is fast anyway and this meeting was full of fast guys so I'd have been way off the back and struggling. So it was just the Pre-Injection class and I had a much more competitive meeting.

The last time was pretty much like this: Sighting lap is easy enough, not going to be like this in the race though. sh1t! Lights out and we're off, where'd everyone go? sh1t! First corner, whoa, big dip that. sh1t! Over the crest, that's a tyre wall and it's getting closer, DON'T LOOK AT IT. sh1t! Where is everyone, which way does the track go again. sh1t! Catching someone, ace, BRAKE. sh1t! Finish line, round we go again. sh1t!. Chequered flag, last. sh1t! This time I was still tense but I relaxed after qualifying and had a good first race.

It rained at the start of the day but the forecast was to dry up and for the sun to come out, so I was setting up and going through scrutineering wondering whether to swap to wets. In the end I followed most others and stuck them in. That was a mistake as by the time I was out on track there were wet patched but the line was dry and the track was warm. Still, most others were on wets and as it turned out I didn't lose anything; apart from chewing up my front tyre. My plan had been to get on the back of someone faster and do a Marquez but after waiting for the last call to form up before getting my kit on I was second out on the track. Damn. The guy in front was OK though and we went round wheel to wheel and I qualified 11th to his 10th on the same time of 1:04.5. That's two seconds faster than last time, on wets on a dry track: just shows how far off the limit I am. Plus I knew I was faster than him so I was excited about the race.

A mate who's raced their the last two years was in the open class and took me out on a track walk before the briefing. That helped a lot. I knew most of my apexes were too early but seeing them out on track cemented them in my head and my line was much more flowing than last time. When I know where I'm meant to be going it's much easier for me to relax and be faster. I'm a reflective learner and I need information from lots of different sources so that I understand what I'm meant to be doing.

Race one was good. I need to work on my starts as I wheelied off the line then lost three places into the first corner. I was still behind my qualifying tow and his lines were good and he's smooth so I settled down and started to work out where I could pass him. I think it was the start of the fourth lap when I got out of the last series of rights better and took him on the inside of the fast right entering the 'mountain' section. It's quick through there and you don't shut off until to crest the hill through a blind right. I love that section and the 'Storm is rock solid. Thanks to crashes and the overtake I finished in 10th with a fastest time of 1:02.2.

Race two was a different story. Still the same fastest lap time but I was dead last again. A worse start, must work on those, and I was stuck getting duffed up by guys who were either faster and qualified badly or aggressive but sh1t. That put me right off my rhythm, but it felt like racing and in some ways I enjoyed it. Apart from getting sandwiched into the hairpin, which is a prime spot for a high-side. If I'd got off the line better I'm sure I'd have been up around the same placing as race one so it's back again in October for the final meeting and hopefully another similar improvement.

I only saw a couple of replies to my last post today so sorry to bigr250, the support would have been much appreciated. To answer your point about setup, my bike is pretty much spot on (+2mm shock length;+6mm pull through on the forks and weight-matched springs both ends), it's the nut behind the bars that needs adjusting.

8541Hawk's point about gearing is one I'd thought of already and swapped to a 42t rear sprocket for this meeting. It's hard to say whether it was this or just more experience but my feeling was that it was easier to turn and acceleration was better on the tight track. I might try 15t front and 41t rear next time as it felt like it wanted to lift the front a little more than I'd prefer. I need to look at rear setup though as that might help reduce it.

The most annoying thing is that there were loads of photographers and none have posted any pics of me yet.
tony.mon
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Re: My first racing experience: part deux

Post by tony.mon »

A suggestion to work on starts, book yourself on a run what you bring drag strip day.
The quarter mile times don't matter but your reaction times and 60 yard times will improve no end.

And you can't fall off on the corners!

Might be worth taking a spare clutch pack, the good news is that if you're careful you can change the pack without dropping oil out, just coolant. Fifteen minutes with a battery buzz gun.

But Storms never like leaving the line, careful you don't loop it if/when the clutch grabs, at least the long wheelbase works in your favour in that respect.
It's not falling off, it's an upgrade opportunity.
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Wicky
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Re: My first racing experience: part deux

Post by Wicky »

Post by Roger Ditchfield » Tue Jun 24, 2014 8:20 pm

THERE IS A CURE for clutch snatch off the line under racing conditions but it will cost a fair amount and you have to decide if it is worth it for you. It was for Revolution Racing.
Here is the answer to your problem.
viewtopic.php?f=9&t=34018&p=343936&hilit=dished#p343936
It may be that your whole purpose in life is simply to serve as a warning to others.

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freeridenick
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Re: My first racing experience: part deux

Post by freeridenick »

Wicky wrote: Mon Jul 08, 2019 3:07 pm
Post by Roger Ditchfield » Tue Jun 24, 2014 8:20 pm

THERE IS A CURE for clutch snatch off the line under racing conditions but it will cost a fair amount and you have to decide if it is worth it for you. It was for Revolution Racing.
Here is the answer to your problem.
viewtopic.php?f=9&t=34018&p=343936&hilit=dished#p343936
Geez that sounds expensive. Thanks for th link.
tony.mon wrote: Mon Jul 08, 2019 2:32 pm A suggestion to work on starts, book yourself on a run what you bring drag strip day.
The quarter mile times don't matter but your reaction times and 60 yard times will improve no end.
Think I'll try this first.
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Stephan
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Re: My first racing experience: part deux

Post by Stephan »

Try different approach when start race, and decrease time on clutch as much as possible. I hold the throttle at 3-3.5k rpm (maybe bit less), and then just relaease the clutch relatively quickly so the bike is accelerating witch clutch on short distance and full throttle and acceleration is done with clutch fully released.
Always was among the fastest on start and never had problem with grabbing, just think you want full throttle from 3-3.5 without playing with clutch lever, so start is close to what you normally do on street..
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popkat
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Re: My first racing experience: part deux

Post by popkat »

Well done Nick, seeing improvements is good. Look at your overall race time rather then just best lap time (although a good lap time is nice to do), the race time will show your improvements more, consistent laps is what you want.

I also start similar to Stephan, most people seem to rev really high but the lower rev approach usually works for me. Saying that though I had 2 sh1t starts at the weekend, one was a double wheelie the other a triple, made a bit of extra work for myself on the first lap by cocking the starts up :lol:




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freeridenick
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Re: My first racing experience: part deux

Post by freeridenick »

Stephan wrote: Tue Jul 09, 2019 7:49 am Try different approach when start race, and decrease time on clutch as much as possible. I hold the throttle at 3-3.5k rpm (maybe bit less), and then just relaease the clutch relatively quickly so the bike is accelerating witch clutch on short distance and full throttle and acceleration is done with clutch fully released.
popkat wrote: Tue Jul 09, 2019 9:40 pm I also start similar to Stephan, most people seem to rev really high but the lower rev approach usually works for me. Saying that though I had 2 sh1t starts at the weekend, one was a double wheelie the other a triple, made a bit of extra work for myself on the first lap by cocking the starts up :lol:
In my first meeting I was reving and holding it on the clutch but I had the lever at it furthest span and when I released it the clutch was still too disengaged. I didn't think about it until afterwards to this time I brought it back the bar and it bites just off the bar - so useing the clutch the same way as I have always done it's more engaged at a given point of the lever travel. The first race I tried blipping the throttle lightly and dropped the clutch (advice from a mate). I got a better start than race 2 but with a wheelie that put me of. I think I wound the throttle on as well as dropping the clutch. Race 2 I got tense 'cause I stalled off the line on the sighting lap. So I revved it to about 5k and slipped the clutch too much.

I'll try the 3/3.5k option next time. It sounds like a good mix of the two options and a great use of the torque of these bikes.
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freeridenick
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Re: My first racing experience: part deux

Post by freeridenick »

popkat wrote: Tue Jul 09, 2019 9:40 pm Well done Nick, seeing improvements is good. Look at your overall race time rather then just best lap time (although a good lap time is nice to do), the race time will show your improvements more, consistent laps is what you want.
Thanks, was please to improve both on qualifying and race times. Depending on which races you compare my total time was 10 or 15 seconds faster than my first meeting. The guys doing 55/56s laps weren't racing but the leaders were sub 58secs and I went from being best part of a minute behind them to half a minute. My best race I ran: 1:11; 1:04; 1:04; 1:03; 1:02; 1:02. So if I can get off the line better I can definitely improve my placing. It took me several laps to get past #71 because I wasn't committed enough but I beat #1691 last time out and it was only because I didn't get past #71 earlier that I wasn't raccing with him. Is it wrong to think 'if the rider in front hasn't crashed I can go as fast as them'? :think:
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fabiostar
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Re: My first racing experience: part deux

Post by fabiostar »

happy days nick, great to see you got a good run round and improved times... i cant imagine what a vtr would be like round 3 sisters :eek2 :eek2 iv raced supermotos at that place and it was tight on those never mind a vtr.. :thumbup: :thumbup: :thumbup:
the older i get,the faster i was :lol:
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