What I did today...

[Phat3R]

Picked up new trailer....time to customize.

Purple for the trailer so they match?

[Tristan]

now completely set up with my new Bonamici rear sets.


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[Baddie]

My miss hates when I go searching for facts Etc...

She sent me this picture to put on the side of the trailer..

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[Phat3R]

My miss hates when I go searching for facts Etc...

She sent me this picture to put on the side of the trailer..

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Well if it has her seal of approval ... do it before she changes her mind.

[chubb]

Anything to spend more money!!

[Marshy]

I'm with you on the 'hard-to-service' aspect! New fork/shock design, anyone?

I've gotta say that I really admire Terry Hay, partly because he's very very good at what he does, but mostly because he also says that OEM suspension is actually pretty darn good these days and that most times you don't need aftermarket suspension.

But (and chubb, this is where you should feel better) there's a cross-over point where you will need (want?) something beyond the capabilities of the OEM stuff eventually. Like, approaching 1:40 at the Creek. Don't get me wrong; I put Ktech suspension in my racebike for last year, because I felt I needed suspension that was capable of more than OEM could provide. But I also spent all year pulling it apart and changing the valving - over and over and over and over and..... because it's so hard to get just right.

The rear shock took several spring changes and revalves (initially by Nigel Pitsch, and more recently by me, because the time and dollar cost was becoming very prohibitive). The forks were even harder, and next week I'm testing some significant new changes to see if it's better through turn 1. It's largely the same with other tuners and brands of suspension too - most require a couple of revalves to get new suspension in the ballpark.

Add to this the fact that each day at the track (and sometimes throughout the day) you need to make adjustments to the settings to suit the conditions (temperature, grip level, etc) to make the bike feel good again, and aftermarket suspension is normally a really bad idea for people that are: a. not at the limit of stock stuff; b. not lapping at B-grade pace or faster; and c. not good at bike setup/suspension adjustment. Revalved/resprung and recently serviced OEM will usually feel and work better for many track day riders and new racers.

The exception to this is when you get a bike with aftermarket stuff that's already been fully fettled, and is working properly (ie someone else has gone through the pain of all the setup changes, adjustments and fine tuning). Then it's unreal!

[senator8]

This is too true Nick. I spent on a brand that I knew were being used successfully and could get settings for as I was struggling with setting up the bitubo stuff. Then I got talked into custom valving by the suspension guru, who claimed they knew what worked. I then spent months and dollars (tyres,track time) trying to get it sorted. I wasn't until Alex Cudlin rode my bike and said I don't know how you can ride that. Then another racer was having exactly the same issues as myself with the same tuners settings that I became confident enough to think it wasn't me and to bite the bullet and redo it all again. This time with known settings by someone who knows the bike and exactly what works. And what do you know, I drop 3 secs just like that. Just on a side note, my brand new shock out of the box had debris inside. So initial pull down to revalve had some benefit.

[Marshy]

Just on a side note, my brand new shock out of the box had debris inside. So initial pull down to revalve had some benefit.

My brand new Ktech rear had NO rebound damping out of the box. Cost me $1k in a wasted track day ($259, wasted brand new rear UK Ntec ($440 and didn't survive 5 laps), and the best taken out of a new UK front ($300). Plus a trip back to Cessnock (another full day off work, 4+ hours in the car, and pulling the bike apart and putting it back together again to remove and replace the rear shock 3 times) to revalve it for the first time (of several). This is on top of the $1.5k purchase price of the shock. I was not happy, but there's no realistic way of recouping costs from manufacturers that clearly have lax quality control and a laissez faire attitude to customer service.

Retailer/tuner: "Well, that's not right! There's no rebound damping at all"
Me: "So there's something wrong with the shock out of the box"
Tuner: "Oh, no, I didn't say that".
Me: "But you said it has no damping, which is why I destroyed a new tyre and ruined a full day at the track"
Tuner: "No, it's just the damping has to be adjusted"
Me: "So there was a problem with it from the factory"
Tuner: "Nope"
Me: "I'm confused. Was there something wrong with it"?
Tuner: "Yes, there was no rebound damping. I checked with the manufacturer and they said that it shouldn't be like that"
Me: "So there was something wrong with it as it came from the manufacturer"
Tuner: "Nope. Nothing wrong with it; it just needed adjustment"

[dan]

All the above is why I'm just sticking to what I have with a freshen up. For me, not worth spending $$ on the pro-stuff till I'm not only hitting the limits of my current suspension but also actively adjusting throughout the day. Don't really need infinitely adjustable stuff till I'm making lots of adjustments and find that something is still missing.

Having said that, I've never ridden a bike properly set up. Only been on the track on my 10 / 14 year old Gsxrs. I'm looking forward to getting a baseline and going from there.

[Mr.Ed]

I had my rear shock serviced/re-valved and it settled the rear a lot, plenty there for me and I didn't even have to change springs. But then again I wasn't setting the world on fire... mid 45s/46s most of the time. I didn't drop a huge amount of time with the new shock, just over a sec I think. The difference was that before I would do the odd 46 and it took riding a bit out of my comfort zone. After, I'd do the same time or lower, consistently and it felt like I could be pushing more.

Unfortunately I didn't ride much after that... but seeing as Rhino did a heap of 39s on it, including a 39.1, I'll say it works. hahahaha

Btw, all the references above are obviously based on the GP circuit.

[Carl-52]

After letting the wheels sit for a while with the new paint, i finally got the tires changed over and the new rims on the bike!!!!! resize1.jpgresize2.jpgresize3.jpg

[BoB]

After letting the wheels sit for a while with the new paint, i finally got the tires changed over and the new rims on the bike!!

Interesting looking rims , did you run out of paint to finish them off. He he ... only joking I actually like them .

[Stu23]

look at that not a bad ride for your 1st track bike love it

[chubb]

motard style I love it!

[Carl-52]

yeh!! im going to have to get used to that one!!

[Marty]

Motard inspired wheel paint. Don't they do it so you can see when it's locked?

[Stu23]

he does race dirt track........... but i dont wanna see them locked up at the track

[Carl-52]

hahaha dont give me ideas...

[Mr.Ed]

Well, in all fairness if I'm gonna answer the topic's question the answer is "NOTHING" but seeing as I got the pictures of my bike with the new fairings freshly painted I thought this would be a good place to post them instead of creating its own little thread as it doesn't deserve one yet! hahaha


Fairings are just loosely mounted (couple of bolts here and there and that's it) but you get the idea... I have to say, I really liked it!





Seeing as there's some paint leftover, he said I can still change it a bit if I didn't like it... Like I said, I really liked it but I was thinking of maybe putting some green into it. Not much more 'cause I don't wanna change the scheme and you have to keep in mind that it still doesn't have the number boards... so I was thinking maybe painting the inside of the ram air/intake thing and 'maybe' the rims but leaving the spokes black. I haven't seen anyone do that on a set of kawi wheels yet and apparently fluoro wheels are very 'in' this season. Not sure if there's enough paint for all that but I might even buy some more 'cause I reckon the wheels would look good at speed!

Feel free to give your opinions as I know you will anyway! hahahaha

[Saturnalian]

Well, in all fairness if I'm gonna answer the topic's question the answer is "NOTHING" but seeing as I got the pictures of my bike with the new fairings freshly painted I thought this would be a good place to post them instead of creating its own little thread as it doesn't deserve one yet! hahaha


Fairings are just loosely mounted (couple of bolts here and there and that's it) but you get the idea... I have to say, I really liked it!





Seeing as there's some paint leftover, he said I can still change it a bit if I didn't like it... Like I said, I really liked it but I was thinking of maybe putting some green into it. Not much more 'cause I don't wanna change the scheme and you have to keep in mind that it still doesn't have the number boards... so I was thinking maybe painting the inside of the ram air/intake thing and 'maybe' the rims but leaving the spokes black. I haven't seen anyone do that on a set of kawi wheels yet and apparently fluoro wheels are very 'in' this season. Not sure if there's enough paint for all that but I might even buy some more 'cause I reckon the wheels would look good at speed!

Feel free to give your opinions as I know you will anyway! hahahaha

Awesome Paint job Ed. How did you get the colour to match so well between the rims and the trainer wheels ?!

[Marshy]

Awesome Paint job Ed. How did you get the colour to match so well between the rims and the trainer wheels ?!

[Phat3R]

Awesome Paint job Ed. How did you get the colour to match so well between the rims and the trainer wheels ?!

White wheels too ...

[chubb]

Looks nicer than the red.. .

now you just have to be the rider riding it..

[Mr.Ed]

now you just have to be the rider riding it..

wow... wow... wow... let's not get ahead of ourselves here, right?!

[Marshy]

wow... wow... wow... let's not get ahead of ourselves here, right?!

C'mon, Mr Baddie... er I mean Ed

[Mr.Ed]

Pft... I wish I was Baddie. I don't even have a trailer yet...

[Little Mick]

Looks great Ed! Love the scheme and go wheel would kill it!. Sweet as mate

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[johnnyb]

Had to shorten my belly pan (rear tyre would expand and touch) and make a fiberglass mould to make a cavity in the belly pan to clear my exhaust (exhaust burnt a hole in my belly pan)......

Couple of notes:
1. I hate fibre glassing!!!!!!
2. If you need to shorten your belly pan just remember its like cutting the middle from a take away coffee cup and trying to re-aligning the two halves......they dont! You can make it work but its a pain.
3. Large plastic spoon from the $2 shop makes a great fibre glass mould.
4. Work out you have to modify your fairing before you paint them.
4. I hate Fibre glassing!!

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[Phat3R]

Had to shorten my belly pan (rear tyre would expand and touch) and make a fiberglass mould to make a cavity in the belly pan to clear my exhaust (exhaust burnt a hole in my belly pan)......

Couple of notes:
1. I hate fibre glassing!!!!!!
2. If you need to shorten your belly pan just remember its like cutting the middle from a take away coffee cup and trying to re-aligning the two halves......they dont! You can make it work but its a pain.
3. Large plastic spoon from the $2 shop makes a great fibre glass mould.
4. Work out you have to modify your fairing before you paint them.
4. I hate Fibre glassing!!

photo 1.jpgphoto 1.jpgphoto 2.jpgphoto 3.jpgphoto 2.jpg

Looks good John! That shortening was always going to be tricky. And it looks like those SC0's you've got are now going to be perfect! :-)

[johnnyb]

SC0's and plenty of them ;-)

Looks good John! That shortening was always going to be tricky. And it looks like those SC0's you've got are now going to be perfect! :-)

[Mr.Ed]

It looked pretty good in the end... just needs a lick of paint now! Questions though... what tire are you running? And wouldn't it be easier to just add a or 2 link to the chain?

[johnnyb]

Running Pirelli Super bike sc2.....

I totally agree it would be easier to add a couple of links. I bought the bike with the current chain (and chain length). I called several bike work shops to see if they had a box of chain off cuts I could look through. Most shops just throw them away. Found a couple who let me look through their stash but could not find the correct chain (i.e. brand and chain model), and I'm not that comfortable adding 2 joining links to the chain. The only other option was to buy a new chain but the current one is still good so I didn't want to replace it.

It looked pretty good in the end... just needs a lick of paint now! Questions though... what tire are you running? And wouldn't it be easier to just add a or 2 link to the chain?

[senator8]

If you guys want some chain I've got plenty of good spares. Nothing wrong with two properly press fitted master links.
John, as you get faster on the big girl you'll want to give a bit more wheelbase in the future. Good luck this weekend.

[johnnyb]

Now you tell me!!! ;-)

Yes Ideally I would love to add as much length as I can to try and keep the front down. I thinking the previous owner tried to shorten the wheel base as much as they could to try and make it turn in better (without having to change the triples).

You wouldn't happen to have a couple of links of a Regina 525 chain would you?

thanks for the encouragement...will give you an update after I get through the weekend.

If you guys want some chain I've got plenty of good spares. Nothing wrong with two properly press fitted master links.
John, as you get faster on the big girl you'll want to give a bit more wheelbase in the future. Good luck this weekend.

[Stu23]

ill bring my chain riviter 'spelling ' if you need it just holler

[johnnyb]

ill bring my chain riviter 'spelling ' if you need it just holler

Hey Stu....once I find a some suitable links I will let you know.

cheers

[Mr.Ed]

I was actually expecting something like that but thought ppl would comment on the table or the barbie... hahahaha

[Tristan]

Just my weekend activities.


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[Nelso]

We turned our backyard into concrete.

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[Marshy]

We turned our backyard into concrete.

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Ooooh oooh oooh!!! That's not concrete, that's a GARAGE FLOOR!!!!!!!!!!!

[Phat3R]

We turned our backyard into concrete.

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Any updates Neslo???

[Nelso]

Any updates Neslo???

Yep.

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[Little Mick]

Yep.

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Looks awesome Nelso. Weights or bikes?

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[Marshy]

Yep.

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Wow!!! I am soooo jelly right now! Nice mate, that looks fantastic!!

[Little Mick]

So when can I store my bikes there??

[Marty]

I've been overhauling my trailer. It started out as your standard 3 rail dirt bike trailer, I've cut it all up and put a checker plate deck, toolbox, 2x wheel chocks, tie down rails to I can run tyre downs.

It was all weathered and starting to rust. This weekend I primed it with rust paint and painted it with hammertone grey.

It's almost complete, just waiting on the tie down rails to arrive this week.

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[Marshy]

Nice mate!! Looks like new.

[dan]

Yeah nice work mate!

[chubb]

Did you blast off all the old paint??

And rust??

[Marty]

Did you blast off all the old paint??

And rust??

There was virtually no paint left lol. Used a flapper disc to clean up anything nasty which there wasn't much of. Then cleaned it with metal prep spray, 2 coats of brush on POR-15, then 2 coats of rattle can hammertone.

I've had a fair bit of experience with that POR15 stuff back in my muscle car days it's magic