redkow97

I've gotta pick up antifreeze for both bikes some time soon. it's rumored to get back near 60 this weekend and early next week, but my track season is over, so the water wetter needs to come out soon

How hardcore does everyone winterize? I'm considering bringing my wheels/tires inside for the winter on the track bike. why risk cracking? plus it's a good way to rationalize buying a front-stand to my fiance... "it might save me from having to spend $270 on new tires in the spring."

Well, there is a posted speed limit sign of 65mph, before the area that I got pulled over in, so unless there is an invisible sign, or my bike weighs more than 4 tons, I have a chance of having it dropped. If I plead "no contest" then I am agreeing that the posted speed limit is 55mph rather than the actual speed limit, and putting me 21-over, something that will not look good on my record.

"no-contest" is not an option for you. You've said it yourself a couple times, so believe it!

"guilty" will give you the chance to say that the report is wrong.

"not guilty" gives you teh same chance, but in the privacy of the prosecutor's office. Some judges (with a court room full of other people waiting for their pre-trial hearing) won't cut you as much slack as the prosecutor.

if it were me, I'd say 'not guilty.' you can always agree to a guilty plea of a lesser charge after talking to the prosecutor.

No contest means you agree to the facts of the charges but it's not an admission of outright guilt. There is a major error on the ticket, which questions the credibility of the trooper, who has more or less been patrolling that area for who knows how long, and should know that the speed limit is higher than what he put on the ticket. I cannot be guilty of the charge on the ticket unless he put down 65mph, which was the correct speed limit. Still, 11 over the limit is 2 points on my license. If I plead no contest, I am agreeing that the speed limit is 55mph, which it isn't, and also I would be saying that yes, I was doing 21 over. Which I wasn't.

you've got it mostly right here. you don't want to plead no-contest, because you'll be agreeing with 100% of the police report - even the parts that are wrong. The CHARGE (speeding) is correct though, so they couldn't throw this out based on that.

Plead not-guilty, and work a deal with the prosecutor. You'll likely pay a small fine, but as long as you have insurance, and a clean(ish) record, you probably won't get any points.

The prosecutor may drop it completely.

has there been any speculation as to when demolition begins? I have a weekend in October booked at NL. somehow i doubt they're doing any maintenance between now and then, so it should be an adventure.

Normally at stop lights, I roll up between cars and make sure i'm the first one through the intersection. Especially on the one way streets around my house where no one is clear as to which way they're turning, and I just want to go straight...

So this morning, for whatever reason, I didn't pull up between any of the 3 cars stopped at the light on W41st and Lorain (W41 is one way, Lorain is not)

Light turns green, and all 3 cars attempt to go straight (idiots... this is why i try to be out front), and wonder of all wonders, the 3 morons going straight aren't the problem. An Accord with a North Carolina plate comes through the red light and skids to a stop about 4 inches from the center of the 3 cars going straight.

If it had been me through the intersection first, I may have accelerated quickly enough to be through before the car ran the light, but what a reminder not to trust cagers...

Everyone stay safe out there.

europeans respect motorcycles more because there are so many more of tehm on the road.

As gas prices increase to $6/gallon, you'll see more bikes on the road and fewer cars. Even the people who don't ride will likely have a husband/son/daughter/wife who does.

By default, they'll be more respectful of bikes.

It'll take 20 years or more, but it'll happen.

hey Lizard - I'd like to see a safety wiring requirement as well. for all groups. maybe you get a free pass your first track-day, but after that, wiring is required for at least the drain plug, filter, and filler-cap.

I just picked up one of these to make the job easier: http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/SAFETY-WIRE-BLOCK-JIG-METRIC-RACING-MOTOCROSS_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQ_trksidZp1638Q2em118Q2el1247QQcategoryZ34284QQihZ002QQitemZ120259839763QQrdZ1QQsspagenameZWD1V

intermediate does not require safety wiring for STT - only advanced.

Intermediate DOES require a back protector, and you cannot be running glycol-based coolant. Run water-wetter.

^ actually... there are two bikes in the chicago area I wouldn't mind looking at...

If you and I could settle ahead of time which is buying which, that cuts gas and toll prices in half.

I think my ranger could fit 2 bikes if it had to.

hahaha, thanks for the practical advice John. Might just be a LITTLE bit out of my price range (and when I say 'little,' I mean 5 times my price range).

When are you getting your EX on the track? it's still tons of fun - just hard to keep progressing without sinking money into rearsets, a better shock, etc. the biggest problem i've had is that my body-position sucks because my bars are so high. I hang my ass off too far and my head isn't off far enough.

and man is it annoying to have people who are slower than you in the turns out-run you on the straights. If you time it right, you can pass them coming OUT of the turn (simply by carrying more speed through the corner), but then they blast right back past you on the straight. It's great for learning, but it gets frustrating quickly.

If i don't get any bites here, I'm going to take the first weekend gas actually goes DOWN try to bring something home.

second full track weekend, and too many instructors are telling me my bike is holding me back. I never planned on keeping my EX 500 on the track forever, but I didn't expect to find its limits so quickly.

interested in CHEAP 600s.

Older is expected - think Honda F3, or '97-'00 GSXR 600 (just examples - I don't care what make it is so long as it's NOT AIR COOLED)

I've found plenty of bikes for $1100 - $1500 that I would be happy with, but they're all in Chicago, or Virginia, or Philadelphia (meaning $200+ in tolls and gas)

I would prefer a TRACK bike, but I'll take a look at street bikes in need of some minor repairs so long as they are running. new clip-ons, I can install. New pistons, I can't.

WILL LOOK AT BIKES WITHOUT TITLES - but having a title is a big plus.

Know anyone getting out of track days, or moving up to a bigger track bike? send them my way, please.

And on the off chance anyone is interested, I have a nice big Fender Bassman 400 combo amp and some STT credits I could trade as partial payment. My Ibanez SR405 could also go with the amp (for the right bike)

EMAIL ME: radakchr (at) yahoo.com - I really don't check this forum as much as I'd like to.

Thanks!

- Chris

West Side where?

I live right off West 65th. on Franklin (between Detroit and Lorain)

Man, this thread's been going for a few months now and i missed it.

I've been camping out on the NESBA and STT boards too much...

most of my street riding is done to and from work, but I'd definitely be up for a 'spirited' weekend ride here and there. nothing squidly - the track time is supposed to get that out of my system

I'm on the west side of cleveland, but i'm pretty familiar with the valley view and brecksville metroparks roads (grew up in broadview heights).

the rangers are everywhere, but it's a nice fun little 2nd or 3rd gear ride. if only that 30 mph was 45...

radakchr at yahoo.com if anyone is organizing something specific. I check that a lot more than this board (although I'll try to be better)

- Chris

I read the article again, and I really think this has to be a typo. they meant to say 106. had to.

no chance in hell that HD hits 160.

I have heard the CHP say their bikes top out at 113mph. THAT sounds reasonable to me.

and I think they were using BMW bikes, or possibly Hondas.

also funny - I may be the only one who cares because I ride an EX-500, but there was exactly ONE "ninja 500R" and at least 3 of every other model.

I am betting there won't be a 2009 model.

I spent about 4 hours at the show Sunday. Sat on every 600 there and was surprised by how much I like the R6.

RE: the ninja 250 - Did anyone else notice that it doesn't say "250" on it ANYWHERE? at least not that I saw. I don't mind that it's still not FI, but it's also like 35 lbs HEAVIER than the old model. A+ styling, B- weight.

so what you're all saying is that a bigger bike allows you to be lazier, and can thus degrade your riding skills?

sweet. I'm gonna be faster than everyone on here some day! ...except the guy with the 250.

**sarcasm. Please don't debate my insolence.** (i will be shopping for a track only(?) 600 as soon as my student loans are paid off)

Physically I should be able to handle it. I know i will be sore in very new places, but I work out a lot, so I'm used to being sore...

Mentally, I know i will be all over the map that first day. The excitement level will be at 11, and ability will be at 2, which is ok with me as long as that 2 doesn't stay 2 forever.

I have not been on the track before; only read some stuff on race riding techniques. My 'strategy' is to shut up and listen to the people who know more than me.

I am fairly cautious by nature, so I'm somewhat confident that I can avoid being a danger in any group, but I understand that being too slow is hazardous. I'm riding a 500cc twin right now. I'm going to get passed, and that's ok.

I haven't had the pleasure of being to court to find out, but I thought if you won, they waved court costs. If you mail in the ticket it's an "administrative fee." Now that I HAVE dealt with... you know those "fines double in work zones?" signs. The fine doubles, but the administration fees don't. Really shows you how much of your ticket is for speeding!

my $150 speeding ticket was "doubled" to $230

LEDs are just a dream for me right now. Novice group. What's a reasonable time-frame to expect to move into Intermediate? I know some people probably do it in 2 weekends, but is 4 weekends a realistic goal?

$170 bought a whole weekend at Grattan last year

anyone have updates on the expected date of completion? I saw satellite images of the track and it was barely started. but I don't know how old the satellite pic was!

^ yeah, don't be like me and write in two months of 2007 dates wondering why everything is on Monday and Tuesday instead of Saturday and Sunday (leap year) before you notice that you have to scroll down.

Any word on why there's no Grattan dates?? Last year's schedule says it was $95/day, which is awesome. I'll be at EVERY grattan event if that price holds.

does anyone know what a day at Grattan cost through STT last year?

they don't have pricing up until the 1st of the year, but I know grattan was super cheap through NESBA last season. And currently, NESBA has NO grattan dates posted for 2008!

all that fresh asphalt going to waste!

Keep in mind that if you fight the ticket and are found guilty anyway, you have to pay court costs on top of the fine and insurance increase.

Yes, they are wrong on the night-riding thing. Good luck if you fight the speeding ticket, but I would plead 'no contest' to the speeding part and not guilty for whatever the night riding portion costs you.

be nice and be remorseful. Judges like it when you feel bad. they hate it when you're defensive and indignant. Like you said, you're effed on the speeding part, so all you can do is apologize for that and hope for the best.