Moto-Brian

5 mil isn't enough. And, if you alter the triple clamps, you should go with a CNC machined set. The thickness is determined from research as to weight and strength. Meaning, you go and shave off 5mil, you are weakening the strength designed into the triples. I don't think 5 mil is going to cause issue, either. However, I just don't like seeing guys mess with things that are important like triples and such. As for racers, the extenders are what most if not all use. Yes, you can skimp, but if doing that, you might as well just ride around the issue because if you cannot afford $200, in the grand scheme of things - racing may be too expensive a hobby. $200 is less than a set of tires and if you get them and a quality set of suspension components, the tire life of your bike will increase and you'd probably save $200 by end of the year...

I have several sets of take off Dunlop Slicks. I also have a set of Pirelli rains. Oldies, but goodies and always stored in room temps... The Dunlop Slicks - Fronts: The 125 front size is the US compound and a really good front tire with low amount of use. It is compatible for use with the rears I am posting... Rears: Top two rears: Bottom 3: I am asking $125 and you get (1) front and (2) rears. The last set will only be a (1) front and (1) rear. I will determine the price based on what is left. Or, buy all of these for $300 Pirelli rains - 120 front and 180 rear. Asking $75 I will be at the Saturday Ducati Indy/MCRA event this weekend.

Do not mil down the triple. Thinner is less strong and in a racing application, milling cast aluminum is not advised. Take the time to save and get the extenders as even at milling the triples, you won't get it up high enough for the trail needed. Buy the extenders. Milling is not advised...

That's what I was going to go with! Figured stacks of 100 and he added the additional one... I'll go with 1999 just to try the opposite...

Is that Sammy's bike?

The thing is that constructive criticism is needed for a lot of new riders. Also, on the receiving end, they need to be open minded and check the ego. In doing so, that constructive criticism will go a long ways. Otherwise, getting back on after a crash and doing the same things that got you there in the first place may not happen right away, but could build and build until the next crash is a major one. The fact is that riding motorcycles is dangerous. We don't spin out and allow us to gather up ourselves and start the car and go on our way. We "spin out" and we end up in the ditch or worse... It's a deadly sport no matter if hobby or more serious. It just is and reality says that the better one is educated, the better your chances are. Even the highest level riders eat shit burgers on occasion. It's what they take from those incidents that make them better. Like I said, I think the egos are good here and that he is looking in the right direction and has handled the responses rather well. That means a lot and I gotta say that I think unlike some of our members that when given constructive criticism and gone the opposite route, I bet we don't see them around much longer. Which is sad, but expected to a degree... I'm not arguing anything here, but think it should be noted that I wish I had constructive criticism from my peers when I was first starting out as a street rider. I started WAY late in my age and did it all on my own... I think I would have been better off having this type of thing back then...

I gotta say that Dying seems to have a level head. His responses are seemingly positive and not excuse driven or ego minded. Good on him and good on him for wanting to get better. Brush off and move on and get some seat time. Your buddy needs it also...

It wasn't a wash out of the rear. He was decelerating as he watched the rider in front of him. It was braking on the front most likely in a panic and lost the front... That all being said, glad you are OK and hopefully you can get some training and added seat time. Of course, added seat time doesn't mean running on roads beyond your ability. That means getting used to your machine and the formula needed to be able to ride such roads. Track day course will do you wonders if riding roads such as that. Before people get into this track day BS that happens saying we push it too much, here is a GREAT example for both riders and why a track day course would be helpful - the track allows you to understand the bike in an environment that doesn't have cars in it. It also takes a rider like the one that crashed and one that didn't, but could've and walks them through basic understandings that teach vision, braking, acceleration, mid corner and exit. Basics. Not saying they need to be Advanced track day riders to know anything, but a Novice course would have helped a ton in this situation. MSF doesn't teach these things. They teach basic motorcycle skills. Which I endorse also. To Koreo - you are lucky. It only takes once to cross a line and end up in a box. You got crazy lucky, man. Both in fact. Target fixing is the issue here as you weren't that close (Even though GoPros make it look further away than you really are) and if you would've been grill food, the crash would have had the OP sliding into the same car/truck as could have collected you. You guys need to walk before you run. Glad it wasn't as bad as it could have been...

So, not quite "done" yet until she's painted. But, here she is in "test" livery... Will be doing the Putnam event next weekend to break it in and setup. Wish I had a vinyl cutter... Hand cutting this stuff sucks!!

Running on the Dyno. Watch the shots of flame out of the exhaust. Rear wheel spins on the drum... http://youtu.be/KZX28Zp8dqs Another run... http://youtu.be/aa6HE_H0DyE

Uh, no they can't. They are not a Ducati dealer in CBus. You can go up and buy in Cleveland and they deliver to you, but they cannot do the sale in CBus.

They only have Ducati in their Cleveland location.

I was thinking of doing that. I got these cause the deal was WAAAAAY too good to pass up. Brand new sitting in a garage and the guy lived 15 minutes away. I saved over half of new. I figured they weren't the best from what I saw out there, but figured it wasn't a heavy duty trailer or weight and would suffice for what I needed to do. I know the rate will change the further up the beam, but should just be different in terms of the tension and can accommodate in the chain, correct? Thanks, man. Knew someone would have had to do this at some point.

That's great if I haven't already purchased this thing. Plus, those are a different set of bars to what I have... My set are the round tubes and insert up into the receiver...

I agree for sure. I was just amazed at how many there were and where all the satellite Hondas go and the other Tech 3 bike? It was just weird to see them covering that many spaces back to back to back...

I cannot seem to find any. Are there such a thing? I didn't know there were different lengths...

The van is an extended van and the pivot point on the van causes the van to load a ton on the back. Weight distribution on a van works wonders on keeping it level and unloading the front... The trailer is a 17' that has some tongue weight...

Now that is a cool idea!!! But, alas... AMA Pro Racing has at it's disposal a game plan or rather, a formula that works in AMA SX/MX and they don't try and work any of that into the program... I really like the idea, man...

So, I have a Curt Weight Distribution kit for my E350. Fits to the van all pretty like. However, my trailer is a shorter tongue style and I cannot get the brackets to get back far enough to line up with the spring bar chains. Here's what I am up against: Any ideas as to how to go about getting this to be done right? Or, am I out the money? I could cut up the base of the trailer body to accommodate the brackets to go back further, but think when lifted into the locked position, the brackets will hit against the trailer body... I know that drilling holes closer forward is next to impossible as the steel is hardened... Open to thoughts...

Actually, the ROI on being at Indy, Laguna and COTA PLUS the WSBK round (4 events) are great. We treat the Ducati customer and fan base rather well, we provide sales, tech briefs, modeling shows and an overall great time. Being a broadcast partner? Not sure how that will assist on anything. It would get word out, but one thing that Ducati does that others do not - we do all the marketing for the dealers in the US and world. Meaning, no co-op is earned because we do it all. So, all the banner ads, magazine ads, even TV spots on occasion are done by corporate. Also, we are one of the few brands that do events like Americade, Daytona, etc where we offer demo rides. We also incorporate a large amount of marketing budget to larger demo pools for dealers across the US. Ducati also does release parties where we work with dealers and unveil the new bikes to customers... All a larger ROI than being a sponsor at the AMA road race events... Not that it isn't a great idea, but it isn't something that would net as strong a return as some of those other listed things being done. We need a team in there and maybe it will be something we do next season. But again... There isn't a whole lot of others playing ball in AMA either. Loads have dropped out and those that have come back in are spending less than before and doing only support vs full factory efforts. It's a different market than before. WSBK and MotoGP reach a larger demographic than what the AMA does and they feel that is an important stage to be a part of. In the US, we do a lot of support to assist the dealers. We have one of the strongest margins of any brand out there right now and we are proactive to where just last week, we unveiled some really strong sales promotions that will assist dealers in retail sales. These are things that are better money spent than racing in the US right now. The US market is essentially supporting the struggling other country markets and we need to make sure the dealers are strong and healthy before we go racing...

The scary part is that 5 of the top ten were Ducati... You had George, Rossi, Marq, Pedrosa and Crutchlow... then all Ducati... Crazy.

It's about the return. They just do not think the return on investment is worth the amount. I know Honda came back in a satellite way and Yamaha is the major OEM in the series, but Suzuki cut back, Kawasaki has been absent and no other Euro brand other than KTM. The KTM deal is solely based on the VP of Sales at KTM. Ducati wants a competitive team and they actually were working with a VERY notable team and it just didn't come together. Maybe next year... The issue is that the exposure is not that great. Now, that being said and the corporate stuff out of the way, I think we should. No matter good or bad in terms of the series, it IS the best and top level racing in the country. So, we should be there to some capacity. But, even though we have had successes and are making a lot of ground, we still have a very small budget. Racing can get us into a lot more trouble if we don't be careful... But, I think maybe next year we will see the push for an AMA team. But, health of the brand, success in the markets worldwide are our focus. While the US market is the top market and best market at this point, we are in other markets in the world where they are struggling like every brand. If we spend money on racing outside WSBK and MotoGP, we need to make sure it is absolutely a proper investment and I think AMA Pro Racing at the SB level is risky...

I can tell you the formula to kill off motorcycle roadracing in the US. Take AMA Pro Racing and let them make a GREAT decision to start the first event in March and then wait until LATE May for round two... Great in getting the sponsors needed when you ask if they will support you. This is exactly the formula they used for Supermoto... Now, take a look where that sport is in the US... Roadracing needs new blood. They need to revise how they focus on this sport and the formula they use. Either that is through NEW management or someone gets a new organization started which is going to be a tough hill to climb. I do see some light with ASRA and USGPRA joining with AMA for a recognized club series below the AMA Pro Racing level. I wish WERA would have joined in, but suspect that they were asked and declined. Maybe they know something we don't. But, I think getting in with a club series and making it a Pro Am series is a good idea. That could possibly begin the process of a recognized AMA Pro Racing feeder system like Major League baseball has in the Farm Leagues they own. Anyways, crazy ideas on race schedule, classes that should be revised and the series needs new blood into the Superbike class and make it closer to what it used to be. Not 5 guys racing and the rest playing who finishes after... They have an amazing forumla in the 600 SS and DSB classes. They need that fresh blood injected into the SB class also... Rant over. I'm getting ready for the MotoGP opener!!!

I have a set of the OEM ABS style plastics that are in primer and not painted. These are actually the Ducati Performance set that is EXACTLY the same as the OEM stuff. Even has the key hole in the tail. The set can come two ways. Option #1: Has the upper, sides, lowers, two tail halves, inlet piece across back and seat cowl with rubber stop. You need the OEM screws and rubbers found on the OEM stuff... Would not include the headlight filler nor tail light filler. Asking $750.00 plus shipping. Option #2: Same as above, but includes fillers. The fillers are actually the OEM pieces, but with no inner guts and gloss black lenses instead of clear or red on the tail. Asking $850.00 plus shipping. Now, if someone wants Option #1, I will sell the filler head light and tail light for $150.00 plus shipping and will come with the plugs needed when the front and rear are unplugged. These would fit right into your OEM plastics and you could track day them w/o fear of crushing those ultra expensive S and base model head lights and tails...

Yeah, the throttle blips are insane!