Topic: 2017 Road Race Reports

[slikwilli420]

I started to downshift to get back to power and once I closed the throttle it died. At least I could coast into pit road.

[teebee67]

Welcome to the world of road racing. Be warned, it's an addiction !!!

[Bill/BentON Racing]

You can make one out of two...

[slikwilli420]

You can make one out of two...

One ignition you mean Bill?

I am sending one back to Dyna to get it replaced. After talking to Mark last night, I am convinced the 3 ohm coils are the root cause. If the ones I bought are indeed fried, I will send those back too and ask for the 5 ohm version instead, which Mark says are good to go.

[slikwilli420]

Road America was a quantum leap forward regarding track layout and level of fun in my opinion, as compare to Gingerman in Michigan.

I registered for Friday afternoon practice since we were waiting to see what the weather was going to bring us in the morning. It cleared off and it was time for a practice session one. The bike fired right up and settled to a nice idle and as soon as our group was ready to go out, I was off. Thats when it started. I made it through the first few turns and on the long straight headed to turn 5, the bike stated to break up and lose speed/rpm. I settled to a stop at the runoff in turn 5 and awaited my ride back to the pits.

The ignition was the firs suspect since the symptoms were eerily similar to last weekend. Well I got back to the pits, pulled the tank and tested the ignition, which was working fine, switching on and off and all the voltages were showing as they should. Looking into fuel was the next step. I pulled the bowls and found a LOT of rust sediment in each one. Despite the tank having been lined (I didn't do it but it looks like Kreem) there was significant rust that was plugging things up.

After cleaning the fuel filter and flushing the carbs, we were out of time and decided to give it another try. Same thing. Dead in the water by turn 5. Something was keeping the fuel from getting where it needed, and more action was needed.

That night we got a piece of chain and sloshed some gas around the tank about 5-6 times and each time, what came out was nothing short of disgusting. I thought we were in good shape for the next day and went to bed.

After getting everything back together, I went out for practice, and it ran like a top with no issues. Practice number 2 put me back to square one and I was only able to make a lap or two.

We went back and cleaned everything again, even leaving out the in-tank screen since it was so plugged up last time. Saturdays race started really well and I ended up taking a lot of time off the previous laps I had run and was feeling really good. I had a guy that was a second or two faster than me that pulled me along much faster than I had been going before. Having someone to chase certainly makes it much more exciting. After 3 of 6 laps the bike started to act up again and about 1/3 of a lap later, it died.

After getting back to the pits, I decided to throw in the towel for the weekend and regroup. I have enough laps to run Barber this year, so that is my goal. I plan to run a few track days at my local track just to sort more bugs out.

I look forward to a much more exciting race at Barber in a few short months.

[turboguzzi]

you will surely discover whats the problem, but when you suspect clogging, you must dismantle the float needle seats too and blow the passages. there's  a good chance that  you had dirt accumulating there at the seats. and surely, don't ask me how i know....

a good sanity check at the workshop is to take off the float bowls, put a collecting try under and measure that carbs can pass say a gallon in 10 minutes roughly.

PS- begs to ask, are you sure that the previous race it wasnt fuel issues too?

[Jerry Rxman Griffin aka MuthaF'er]

Sounds like a new tank is your cure. Positive results 

[slikwilli420]

Fuel issues could have been at play the weekend before, but the ignition was definitely a problem as well since they were testing bad using a meter after it died.

I suspect this issue arose due to contaminated gas from running that tank on a bike humming along at 9Krpm as well as the fact that Road America has the longest straights of any AHRMA track which would boost fuel consumption over a shorter more technical track.

I really want a fiberglass tank, but nothing is truly turn key. The Airtech one is stupid because the fuel outlet is at the back in the middle so I would need to move the oil tank. Others are too small on capacity. One from Omar's is 3 gallons and will probably be the best solution. I may order it just to see since they don't have restocking fees. Then I can line it go on with my life instead of fiddling with steel tanks that have decades of rust in them that I need to cure.

[bwaller]

Too bad your first couple outings haven't treated you well, better days ahead. I wish I had a good tank to give you.

I had an aluminum tank, then after I made a mess of it, George made a couple in glass fibre. They are great and I truly appreciate George's help getting me back in order quickly. That said don't overlook an aluminum tank, they will be tougher without worry about coating or the fuel you use.

Another suggestion when you do finally get that crap blown clean is to use a Q-tip and rotate it in the needle seat to check for goo in there.

Trackdays are good to get a chance to ride a new track before a race date, and I suppose to test your bike but you're out there circulating with the aliens and they often have a different agenda. On my last trackday at Mosport, a track I know well, I was being passed on the straight by bikes going 40 mph faster, then repassing them in the next turn. It's a bit nuts to say the least, and I quit early because of that. Ask around if there might be a vintage race club day or similar.

[Rocketman]

Slikwilli, Sounds like you are tracking down all the bugs.  Grattan and Nelson Ledges are two possibilities for races or track days in our neighborhood.  Please PM me your cell number so we can connect at the track.

Ran both my CB550 Honda and RGB500 Suzuki at Road America.  Jumping between bikes is not as easy as it was 30 years ago.  The Honda was running and handling well.  Even though I upgraded the brake shoes to Ferodo's the front brake is mediocre at best.  Have some ideas I plan to explore before Mid-Ohio as the 4LS brake just looks so right.  Got great starts both days and led into turn one.  Chris Spargo's killer RD400 was the competition to beat.  Unfortunately for Chris he high sided his TZ250 Friday and sat out the rest of the weekend.  He had a substitute rider on the bike for the races.  On Saturday we went back and forth a couple of times until he out dragged me to the checkered flag.  Same scenario on Sunday except he broke on lap 2 and I took the overall and class win.  My lap times were slower than last year, but winning the last race of the weekend made for a happy long drive home.

[Sam Green Racing]

Happy birthday teebee67.

[teebee67]

Cheers Sam, got my licence now (at last) so looking to do 3 Sisters on 8th/9th July plus the practice day on the 7th to run the bike in. It'll be my 1st race in 2 years, fingers crossed mate.

[turboguzzi]

dont know what petcock you are using, but the good ones should have a plastic filter "tower" so that fuel is not picked up from the bottom where it's most likely dirty. that and a good car paper fuel filter (not the tiny ones with compressed metal particles filter)  should take care of anything that could shut down the bike like that.
two of my racers had original steel tanks that were a bit rusty and this solution took care of the particles till it all cleared with time.

surely, an alloy or resin tank is nice if you have the time to obtain one

in case it helps, these guys in italy might have it in stock

http://www.europlastsucci.com/honda750.php

let me know if you want me to ask them

[bwaller]

Good point. I use an inline quick disconnect and a simple 90 degree brass elbow out of the tank boss, but I still epoxy a vertical in tank filter into the elbow.

[bwaller]

Here's a vid from one of Tyler's heat races I think, a bump-up class full of FZR4/6's (600 engines in 400 aluminum chassis) and Honda V-twin Hawks. He recently acquired this close ratio gearbox for his FZR400. Mike knows this engine too having added his touch in the ports.

[Rocketman]

Exciting video!  Some close passes on lappers.  Not sure how I would feel about one of my kids racing.  Thanks for sharing.

[Sam Green Racing]

Cheers Sam, got my licence now (at last) so looking to do 3 Sisters on 8th/9th July plus the practice day on the 7th to run the bike in. It'll be my 1st race in 2 years, fingers crossed mate.

Great news Tony, I've put it on my calendar and hope to see you there if I'm well enough.

[livefast_dieold]

Just got tons of pictures from last race in Vallelunga!

Here you go:

















Next race is in Adria in a couple of weeks. Changed the rear tyre, tried a 150/65 (previous 130/80). Quite happy with the change, the bike is lower and with more traction around the corners. No significant handling was lost :-)

[Sam Green Racing]

Ric, nice to see you still bashing the old Honda around, glad you didn't change camps to Laverda. 
Do you still do any endurance races ?

Sam.

[livefast_dieold]

Ric, nice to see you still bashing the old Honda around, glad you didn't change camps to Laverda. 
Do you still do any endurance races ?

Sam.

No, they have raised the entry fee quite significantly, and even if it's divided by 3 (3 pilots races usually) it's quite expensive (gas, tyres, spare engine)

[livefast_dieold]

Last weekend we had the race in Adria, but 3 hours from the race start disaster happened: a whirlwind on the track with heavy rain! A lot of gazebos where destroyed, 20 cm of rain pour down in 30 minutes, flooding the paddock and the track!



Luckily no one was injured, but obviously, the race was canceled. A lot of gazebo where destroyed as you can see from the picture above.
My mechanic and I reduced the height of the gazebo and use our van to protect it from heavy wind, so it was unscathed.

[turboguzzi]

and i had finished my race just 15 mins before the tornado, we were called in when it started to rain heavily, so was siting with my girlfriend inside the circuit's restaurant, watching the motogp. But man, that storm was scary to watch even from the safety of the solid building! luckily my gazebo was secured to some heavy poles so it survived the mayhem

[Haybus]

Round 4 in the books. It was our Sounds of the Past weekend, and hot as the hubs of hell. I heard 102F yesterday, which has to be a record for the Pacific Northwest. I believe in past years we only got 1 extra race, but this year we had 2 on Saturday, so 4 races total.

First practice on Saturday my left clip-on rotated into the tank on the first lap, on the last turn. Tried hard to move it back, while trying to hold my hand up, but to no avail. Practice was red flagged due to a battery smoking and almost catching fire. 2nd practice went much better with no real issues. 1st SOTP race I got a horrible start. Pass Chris fairly early, can see John most of the race, but just can't catch him. 2nd race I also get a horrible start. I try to make up ground but make a ton of mistakes, almost go off track once, and have to mentally reset half way through the first lap. I eventually catch Chris, but John is way too far ahead and busy putting down some fast laps.

First race on Sunday I start in neutral. It's like I'm trying to see how bad I can do on the starts!! When I was pulling up to the start line I clicked it into neutral, but it jumped right back into gear and I almost killed it. So I sat on the start with my hand on the clutch, obviously thinking I was in gear. I'm pretty sure I checked once by letting the clutch out a bit, but perhaps not. Chris was having troubles with his right clip-on. One of our friends jumped over the wall and banged it back in. At some point it came completely out, in his hand, leading onto the straight!! That's scary. I barely finished that race with a flat rear tire. The bike was getting super squirrely in T6, then I really noticed it in T11 because it would barely turn the corner. Limped through the finish and did the dirt ride of shame back to the pits. But managed to beat my best lap time by 0.3 seconds, so not too bad. Of course that wasn't on the last lap, ha ha.

Last race I get an awesome start. I'm kidding, I get a horrible start. I feel like I don't even need to say that anymore, just assume I get a horrible start because I suck at starting. I follow Chris around for a lap and a half, until he can't down shift into a corner, stands it up and goes dirt riding. That engine braking is pretty important in some corners and really messes you up if you don't have it. Chris and I both battled chatter most of the weekend, but it was so bad this race it was almost unrideable.

Managed 4 2nd place finishes and a new best time. John also set his new best time this weekend.

Alan

[RAFster122s]

Kind of like a landing, if everyone arrives back on the ground in one piece and unharmed, that is a good landing.  Glad you have another weekend under your belt, it is more experience which is helpful.
It sounds like you are doing pretty well.

Thanks for the great detailed report.
Definitely several pucker events related...

[turboguzzi]

you entered the track with a loose handlebar? first go stand in the corner for a while, then prepare a good pre-race checklist for next time.....