What do you consider the MOST

[KBOlsen]

Best $:  Suspension upgrades (Penske/RaceTech) followed by expert instruction and track time (VisionSports and NESBA), my trailer (again, thanks to Super Dave!) - being able to sleep comfortably at the track is invaluable... also, having rain tires and tire warmers (thanks to Monte Nichols and Lonny Michels).  Spending $ on good quality gear has also paid dividends by helping keep injuries to a minimum (thanks to Alexa for all the maintenance!)

I really can't think of any "bad" $... we've accumulated several sets of bent forks via eBay (took 4 to make one good pair)... and we learned that five days on the track in a row is too much for me... but other than that, we've been very careful with expenditures.

[Team_nuclear123]

Thats kinda what I figured I was gonna hear, was the suspension...

For me... I just got my Ohlins stuff for my Zx6RR Havent even put it in yet, getting ready for Vegas and all. Best money spent.

Best money spent this year? Taking a trip to Road America to go do 2 days with CLASS. Hadn't been to one of Reggies schools in 5+yrs.

Track days? Hell, I spend lots on track days, I try to do about 50 a year, at a minimum.

BTW, My name is Will, I own team Nuclear, and currently have 14yo racer Tristan Schoenewald riding for us. Im a fat old man, and much better with a wrench than I am with a throttle so I take a new rider every couple of years and walk em through the development, and then hand em off to an AMA team. I have worked for Ducati Corsa, in WSB and AMA, as well as with Honda in Europe and Japan.

Anyways, Dave asked who I was...

[Xian_13]

I had SPYDER LEATHERWORKS put a cool logo on my back...  3 seconds faster instantly!!!

I don't know K3, Spyders work only dropped 2 sec.s for me...  :-/
Maybe I was slowing to let the fans get a better look at her great work.. Yeah thats it, thats the Ticket! ;D

[Super Dave]

BTW, My name is Will, I own team Nuclear, and currently have 14yo racer Tristan Schoenewald riding for us. Im a fat old man, and much better with a wrench than I am with a throttle so I take a new rider every couple of years and walk em through the development, and then hand em off to an AMA team. I have worked for Ducati Corsa, in WSB and AMA, as well as with Honda in Europe and Japan.

Anyways, Dave asked who I was...

Thanks for the intro...

I recognize Tristan's name, but I can't place it anywhere.  Drop me an e-mail if you can.  Would like to talk...  
visionsprt@netwurx.net

[Jeff]

$12.95 Keith Code's Twist of the Wrist II

Then obviously suspension, followed by brake lines/pads.

Motor work is always last.  What good does an extra 5,10,25 HP do you when you can't stay upright?

[StuartV666]

Best money spent? Suspension? No. Getting my suspension setup right? YES.

I got the most expensive Penske shock and my forks totally redone - all by Traxxion Dynamics. Then I spent a year racing the bike and trying to see some improvements. I took it back to Max at the racetrack several times to get him to tweak it. After a year at it, I wasn't any faster than I had been with stock suspension and 10 less horsepower.

Then I spent one weekend working with Kent at GMD Computrack and having him do a GMD Optimization on my R6. In that one weekend, I picked up 2 seconds a lap at Jennings, and my next trip to Roebling I went from mid-1:19s to high 1:17s.

That Optimization was the best money I ever spent on my racebike. $700 for 2 seconds a lap is CHEAP!

Great suspension is only great if it's setup right. It can easily be worse than stock, if it's not.

- Stu

[Bernie]

Stu, that is interesting.  I also spent a bunch of money on suspension.  After I jettisoned my stock trash and bolted up Traxxion forks and a Penske shock, I went 5 seconds a lap slower at Summit Point. :-/  I know I've got good stuff on there, I just feel lost setting it up.

I've looked at Computrack's stuff on the web, but I think the Maryland office has closed.  Where did you get yours done?

Anybody else willing to share about how much a visit with GMD is?  I've never really heard dollar amounts, (except for Stu) just that it is expensive.

[K3 Chris Onwiler]

You're an East Coast guy, so this won't help you.  I had my suspension rebuilt by Trackside Engineering in Milwaukee.  Ed is a Showa engineer who moonlights as a racing suspension builder.  He showed up at the track, recorded, measured, reset, fiddled, tweaked...  Acting as his test rider during this process taught me a lot, and the final result is that my bike handles like a dream.  Ed does not charge extra for this service.  It is included in the price of the rebuild.

[Jeff]

FWIW, Ed will do this with you over the phone or by email as well.  

He isn't satisfied until you are, plain and simple...

[SE#39]

Top of the list must be track time.
Stu V666 was outstanding at Roebling this past weekend with his optmimized suspension and a switch to Michelins.
Bottom of the list are some track schools that are heavy with classroom instruction and light on track time.

[StuartV666]

I've looked at Computrack's stuff on the web, but I think the Maryland office has closed.  Where did you get yours done?

Kent from the Atlanta shop did mine, but he did it all at the track (at Jennings). You can call him and talk to him about it if you want to figure out the best way to get hooked up with him for some help. I definitely think working with him when he's at the track for a weekend is best. But, if there's any doubt about whether your frame is straight, you'll want to get that taken care of first. Kent can measure bikes and straighten triple clamps at the track, but he cannot straighten frames at the track. He needs the bike at the shop for that. You can call him at (404) 297-8464.

- Stu

[StuartV666]

Stu V666 was outstanding at Roebling this past weekend with his optmimized suspension and a switch to Michelins.

Thanks, Doug! It was undoubtedly my best weekend ever. I'm still recovering, though. 14 races in one weekend kicked my butt. I don't know how Hector does it. I think he runs 17 or 18 races every time there's a Twin Sprints weekend.

I definitely wish I had tried Michelins sooner! I had a couple of good weekends with Dunlops last year, but the Michelins seem to be even better suited to my riding style. And it seemed like I'm not even pushing their limits yet. Too bad we don't have another round at Roebling this year. I don't know if I can stand to wait until next March to see if Michelins and a new motor will be enough for me to break into the 1:16s.

- Stu