Moto-Brian

Just for giggles, whats the most recent sportbike you've lifted this way?

What? What happened?

You picked the right day! The format looks to be as if they are going to try and fit in both days into one. The best viewing points are the Keyhole (On the left - large grassy hill with a billboard) the esses off the back straight (Drive over the bridge and the big grass area and Thunder Valley into the entrance of the Carousel. You'll love the track as it offers some great viewing points.

I can give you tons of examples of exahusts that you shouldn't lift with. Again... The TL example is fine and yes, I know some OEMs back when the exhausts were made of steel and super thick. But as Todd mentioned... You lift my bike with the exhaust and I will pull your finger nails out. There is a way to lift a bike properly and if back yard mechaics is the way people wanna go, that's totally cool. I would say that he is better to spend a little and get it done right than to have it done poorly and have issues later. I am of course not saying you wouldn't do it right. I am saying that this all started when someone thought $123 was kinda high... It isn't. I'm out. OP can have the thing lifted by the frame with a backhoe for all I care. I gave my two cents and explained it needs to be balanced and the kickstand shortened. Gave examples and opinions. All in his hands now. Cheers.

True. Chatter can be almost anything. You gotta get to Mid-O and do more track days. I know you have seconds we can find. We all do.

Do whatever you need to do. You can't lower that bike in an hour, cut and weld the kickstand, etc. for $50. Maybe you can. Bending the kickstand is a very bad idea. Also not sure how you are lifting a motorcycle that has exhaust under it without damaging that. Maybe it's possible. All I'm saying is that if a reputable shop quotes $123 and $30 (probably more) for reputable links like Vortex (@ $50), they are charging an hour to do it. But I'm certain you aren't getting the kickstand addressed and possibly not the front. Whatever the OP chooses, just understand the term balance.

Brian- that tire was holding you back also. Greasy isn't fast... As for chatter, I developed it badly on Tuesday. The track was really grippy both days and we added 2 more psi and it helped a ton. Still there, but not as much. Just too much grip on the front. I'd say get on the gas sooner in 1. Shouldn't be loading on the side there. Same with 5. I was getting it in 3 as you are on the side loading the front ever so slightly and managing throttle. Also in 10b where you enter the crest of Thunder before throttle pick up. Carousel also at turn in. I eliminated carousel with air and reduced in 3 and 10b. But they stayed there the whole time.

We can do it, man. It's probably at that stage, braking points, drive points and line choices... It's only a couple of seconds, but I think I know where you probably are losing them. I looked at my GPS today and saw 1+ seconds a lap. I know I could have obtained my targeted lap time, but just didn't get it done... The points are where I bet you are able to gain also...

Tires are 80% mental and the rest is in your head. I have run times faster than a lot of Novice times at Mid-Ohio on Q2s with a big bore twin (RC8R). I think :36s... The fact is simple. Race tires will tend to hold up better to race pace. Think about this. Race tires if not heated take a very long time to come to temp. Street tires are designed to come to temp fast and will get greasy at higher temps. Tires like the Q3 is a street/track compound. These tend to give somewhat best of both worlds. Here is my thought on tires. Can you race on street tires? Yes! Can you get to where you want to be on street tires? No. I couldn't run the pace I was running for even just 6 laps on street tires. No way. I also believe that OSU who won all of his Novice races on his R1 could not do it on street tires. The heat and abuse that you put into a tire at race pace and for the sustained amount of time will net poor results. Race compounds are the way to go for RACING. Track days are a different story. But another twist... Don't buy Q3s for track days and run race DOTs when racing. Why? Setup. You running street tires at the track days will be fine. But the setup may be totally different when putting on race tires. If you have a geny and warmers, buy race tires if you want to be serious with racing. Your times are not where they would be for race tires yet. So, we need to tow you down to :40 and lower to warrant race tires. Hope that makes sense. You can run almost anything and find examples of people that do well on whatever you feel is correct. I've seen plenty of guys with bikes over 10k miles and never changed the oil. Does that mean it is the best thing to do? You decide...

Crazy weird responses here... Changing the ride height of any bike causes issues in terms of handling. As mentioned, you may not be up to task to have issue with the handling change, but consider this. The effects of lowering a bike can cause handling issues and if a new rider, issues that may be tough to handle. Food for thought. Also, $123 is cheap. I cannot find a set of links for an R6 for $25. Not sure who can make such things, but there is no way a shop is going to charge you $50 parts/install and do it right. I have a friend who has a current R6 and lowered it. Had a guy do it and he didn't do it right. Three things need done. Lowering link is not just it. If lowering link, you need to lower the front (Raise forks or shorten - shorten is harder to revert back when selling), and you need to shorten the kickstand. Now, if someone is offering you $25 for the linkage and do the other two things for $50, I'd jump on it straight away. Then take to a certified tech and have gone through... No way you can get it done parts and all for $50... No way someone on here is doing all that in one hour so, be careful who you take it to... I am with Midget as I discourage lowering bikes. But, a lot of people aren't riding these bikes as intended and lowering isn't going to cause a lot of issues. I suggest avoiding it. But, what do I know?

It all comes around, man. Don't take track day times into consideration from anyone. Hand timing is terrible unless a pro person doing it and unless it is on MyLaps? Don't take it too seriously. Get to the track and work on segments. I can promise you that if you work on the carousel and keyhole, I can get you down to :40 easy. After that, it gets really hard. :36-:39s are easy to do in most cases. It's the :35s and lower that starts to become very difficult to surpass, but you are working that direction. The issue is the track is never the same each day to day. Be excited. You are in now and can work forward. You just need to get with some people that can help and you'll be amazed.

Three fastest lap times were two superbike racers Cassidy and Babuska. Both :29s. Matt Carr on a stock 1199S with only a slip-on and armor race plastics turned a 30.7. That's haulin ass... So, two guys in mid 29s and one guy in mid 30 on a stock bike...

Hey, I'll take some free track days!

I'm in!

You do not need to wire the opposite side of the rear axle... It is locked on the one side and cannot come undone.

Take the pieces off and drill. Do not drill on the bike as it is much tougher. The issue on the ZX14 is the front axle. It is an Allen style and needs to have the holes drilled at an angle to allow the axle to recess in the fork lowers. This is easy to do and again - do on all flat sides. Reason being is that if you drill the way it is on the bike now, the holes may not align the right amounts when tigethened. Take the front axle on both sides and pull to tighten and connect to the pinch bolts which are very easy to drill. Again, all flat sides is best. For the rear axle, it is done for you. It has a cotter pin through the rear nut and axle. So, you just need to get a large sized diaper pin style cotter and wire to the axle adjuster bolts. Use the diaper style so you can release it easily. Use heat shrink for a professional result...

I have two BRAND NEW Dunlop Race Slick sets for sale. Both are the 2662 rear US compounds and 8477 front US compounds. The 2662 is a softer rear and what the AMA guys ran at Mid-Ohio for example. Excellent sprint tire. The 8477 is the Med+ front compound for wear. Solid and the US slicks are what the AMA guys are running now. 302s are on the way out and actually only what is in inventory is what is left. They are converting everyone to US front and rear. These are brand new from this year. I just am needing some additional funds for the AMA VMD and WERA National weekend coming up. These are still in wraps and have never been out of the basement. Retail is $379 plus shipping. You only get shipping discounts for 5+ sets at a time... I am asking $325/set. OR, if you want both, $600 total for everything. Will be at VMD of course this weekend and really want to sell these before then. I will have with me at the track or can deliver to the track day prior...

You're just jealous your bike isn't the coolest looking one now... Those blue wheels are pure AWESOMENESS!!

Oh, great... You know "HER"? I feel bad for you. Actually, it's her husband that's the concern. **Cough**Cough** Twisted**Cough**Cough** Two of the coolest peeps out there. And the fact they track is even cooler. Welcome.

Hahaha! It honestly was yellow for years and that's how I recalled it. I'm old. This type of thing happens a lot. Just like the third bridge is actually wrapped white and is not red like the others... I said they were all Honda bridges...

Your top novice should be awarded where he finished amongst registered novices. If there is an issue and an expert signed up as a novice and is shown to have raced the other org's expert races, then yes... They should be an expert ranked rider and removed. But if there are two other club guys between your top ranked novice and another club racer and all novices, the two in between deserve the points and should be omitted to allow the next club guy to move up and get points he didn't earn.

But, if 25 experts are there and signed up to race and you finish 16th, you get no points. You are racing in your class and should get scored where you rightfully finished. So, if there are more than the points allow, you just need to get better and finish higher to get points... Like my National example. We cannot be scored regionally vs. Nationally. That's why they typically score double points. The reasoning is because let's say you normally finish 5th regionally amongst 15 guys. You get a grid of 30 and finish 12th, you get double the points. The National guy gets a ton of points, but only is techincally scored regionally once. Shouldn't be an issue... You get scored where you finish in your class. That's racing. Butter cup...

Easy. Just score them per novice and expert. You guys can pull out who is what based on entry... That way, you get true scores... Why they combined a race like that with so many and do it with both levels is crazy. Lessons to be learned I am sure from what Brian has stated and know HE at least cares and understands which you should have confidence in. It'll get handled, man.

Seems odd... Why then organize with another group if all that is going to happen is that whomever wasn't a club member is looked at as a ghost? You should welcome the competition and feel satisfied or challeneged where you finished. The WERA National is coming to Mid-Ohio. Think it is fair to score the regional guys in their order vs where they really scored? I get it to a degree, but why make a big deal over it being an Eastern Event when all you do is score yourself amongst the club you always race with?

Thanks, man. Not my first at bat though. I used to direct the Mid-O events with STT and Todd has had me doing some this season when he cannot be there. But I appreciate the feedbcak. Now what color is the curbing exiting the pits?