Last weekend was my first race, (Blackhawk Sat.) I fell on third lap in turn seven...Was on Dunlop 208, (not GPs) what is a good tire for new amateur who does not use warmers..... #937....thanks again to Chris and Ed !
Well, what bike are you running and what are your goals? You want some take offs that are still sticky and bargain priced let me know. e-mail r11gsa@Yahoo.com ; Michelin, Pirelli, or Dunlops.
You're quite welcome, Jack!
Michilen Pilot Power Race, and learn how to properly warm your tires on the warmup lap. The trick is to be agressive in your throttle and brake inputs, but without using enough lean angle to pitch the bike in the corners. If you beat on them hard enough, you'll have gotten some heat in your tires before the green flag. This is a useful skill even if you own warmers, because red flags and long delays can cool your tires off sometimes before you are let out onto the track.
Also, I would think that your tires were probably up to temp by the third lap. Of course they WERE street tires.... Remember too that Ed found a slight bend in your fork tube, and therefore had to build you a suspension that wasn't at 100% when you went out. Also, we had loosened your chain, thus allowing you to actually HAVE rear suspension for the first time all weekend, and replaced that leaking seal in your bent fork. You were riding a bike that was COMPLETELY different than what you had ridden the previous session, and I believe that you didn't take enough time to asess the changes and modify your riding style to suit the new setup. Either you overdid a control input, used too much lean angle, got the bike tied in a knot with your own gymnastics atop it, tried a line that the bike wouldn't hold, or got into something slippery. Remember, the #1 REASON AMATEURS HAVE SOLO CRASHES, is that the bike setup and suspension were wrong. Your bike was a train wreck before we looked at it, and still was a long way from perfect when you headed out to race. For starters, a race bike should be sprung correctly for your weight. I would suggest Suspension Solutions (through my sponsor Lithium Motorsports) or Trackside Engineering. ( Who is a previous sponsor, good friend, and excellent suspension tuner) Since you've already started a relationship with Ed at Trackside now, have him build you a new STRAIGHT set of forks and have him get you a racing shock. The money spent there will save you times ten in avoidable pain and crash damage.
(Don't feel bad that you crashed, or that you may not know why. This is all a part of the learning curve.)
And speaking of Learning Curves.... Their advanced class, or one from Super Dave Rosno of Visionsports Riding School, or even a day spent with Sportbike Track Time in the Novice #1 group (Which I sometimes coach) will teach you plenty about how to better control your bike at speed. Don't be afraid to seek professional help!
Of course you don't want to hear this, but that SRAD of yours is a stone. Pour ten grand into it, and it will still be a stone. Before you dump a ton of time and money getting it right, see if you can't pick up a prepped, newer model race-ready bike for reasonable money. Any R6 would be a better bet, as would be an F3-F4 Honda or a newer Gixxer. These bikes are non-current but better, and come up regularly with all the good stuff already installed for cheap. Since you don't appear to be drowning in disposable income, (My kinda people!) an SV 650 might be the ultimate answer for you. Race prepped for maybe 3 grand, plenty pf competition, and the tires will go hard from heat cycles before you strip them bald from horsepower.
Good luck, and welcome to the most addictive sport in the world!
Man it didn't really sound like tires weer your real big problem from reading the last post. I think you should just take your time and try to get up to speed to your 'new' bike or at least what it should semi be set up like. Sounds like you were screwed from the start but Chris hooked you up.
My first season racing (2003), I did not have tire warmers. I used Pirelli tires & they warmed up very well. (I used to rotate them in the sun a bit, before going out!!)
I'm using the Michelin race tires now, and the PPR tires heat up just as quick when I'm doing track days w/o tire warmers.
(& Mister Onwiler? I see you've been doing the 'fairy godfather' routine again.....Nice job! And good advice, too!)
Cheers,
Set up is very, very important.
I'm not going to bore anyone with my analogies, etc. on it. If it's junk, it will handle that way.
Tires, honestly, Michelin Pilot Power Sports are a really good alternative. I can almost go as fast as I can go on race Michelin's. Durability is exelent, and wet performance is avaiable too.
Knowledge is power.
Older bikes can be made to work, but, often, the reasonable knowledge base is long gone and forgotten. There are basic ideas of chassis support that can be attained, but what value do you get in putting together older bikes for racing? The resale on them is poor and the availability in the pits of reasonable spare parts is low. Potentially, you might have alternatives if you decide to keep at it.
Now for the big question...
What kind of Guzzi?
QuoteMichelin Pilot Power Sports are a really good alternative
+1. I've been running these all year, and I'm amazed at how good they are. I'm not running anywhere near Dave's pace, but I'm hard pressed to make them do anything but stick and last practically forever.
First off, thanks all for your replies, every little bit of info helps... As far as which Guzzi I have, I bought one of the first New V11 sports in 2000. It has been a great bike, reliable & very easy on the eyes. I mounted superbike bars in place of the clipons and rode it to Fla. and then to Cal in three weeks (6500 miles). It now has 35,000 miles on it, I ride it every day to work and as often as possible I tour on it. The dealer here in Lansing is a wry old sage, worth the price of admission alone (Larry Klein, GT Motors)
See everyone on Sun. in Joliet (I'm attending my grandmother's memorial on Sat.)