First Race Weekend Complete

[Howlin_Mad]

Well went out to Firebird and got it done.  It was exactly what I was expecting.  I must say that launching a motorcycle is way harder than it looks so I will have to work on that before next season.

I will admit that I spent the first two races just trying to survive.(Newbie jitters) But my third race is when I really became a racer.  Started attacking the track and the riders that I could catch.

I started the weekend running 1:15's and ended it running a best lap 1:09.  Man I had a great time.

Marc

[K3 Chris Onwiler]

Ok, but what about the nerves?  The butterflies?  The spectacular crashes and mangled bikes?  The evil tech inspector?  The dewey-eyed young gas station cashier who falls in love with the bike in the back of your pickup and becomes your umberlla girl?
Back to creative writing class with you!  You're not ready to be a racer. ;D

[quicktoy]

lmao Kris

Congrats holin..im not sure what a good time there, but most important part is your times improved tremendously..keep workin on it in the off season, so you can be reasy to be a front runner next season

[dwilson]

Hey Chris, are you an english major? ;)  Evil tech inspector {giggle}.

The launch is tough, I went to a local drag strip a few times to get some practice.  It was only a few dollars to get on the strip but the lines were rediculous.  I'd sit there all night to get 2 runs.  I have a set of street body work for my bike and hope to pu tit on the street so I can make sure it's in good running order & to get a little practice off season.  I hope this doesn't sound too bling but I really need to practice wheelies.  One race I came off the line doing good but the front wheel came up, I let off the throttle to set it down and everyone came flying past me.  

[Howlin_Mad]

Ok, but what about the nerves?  The butterflies?  The spectacular crashes and mangled bikes?  The evil tech inspector?  The dewey-eyed young gas station cashier who falls in love with the bike in the back of your pickup and becomes your umberlla girl?
Back to creative writing class with you!  You're not ready to be a racer. ;D

K3 I will work on the write ups.  Funny thing is I got a plaque for the Sportbike race due to a crash in turn 2.  Nothing like getting a participation award in your first race.

Marc

[K3 Chris Onwiler]

Hey Chris, are you an english major? ;)  Evil tech inspector {giggle}.

 

Actually...
No college, but I write for a paper called Chicagoland Motorsports News.  It comes out every other month.  I do a regular column called "The Chi-Town Hustler Report."  It's a chronical of my team's ongoing adventures.  I also write tech articles and interviews.  In my spare time, I've been writing a novel.  It's all about a middle-aged guy who suddenly discovers motorcycle racing...  Helluva stretch, huh?

[K3 Chris Onwiler]

K3 I will work on the write ups.  Funny thing is I got a plaque for the Sportbike race due to a crash in turn 2.  Nothing like getting a participation award in your first race.

Marc

Wood your first time out?!!  I hate you! ;D

See, in order to be a racer, you first must be a consumate bull$#itter.  Just keep telling everyone you meet about your first race, and "improve" the story a bit with each retelling.  By spring, you'll be fully qualified...

And remember...  Writing is nothing more that telling your bull$#it stories to a keyboard. ;)

[GSXR RACER MIKE]

One race I came off the line doing good but the front wheel came up, I let off the throttle to set it down and everyone came flying past me.  

     My advice on the wheelie situation is to stay in it! As long as your not out of control or going over backwards and your still accelerating hard, then ride it out till you get higher in the rev's. Once you get past the peak power (or hit the rev limiter  ;D) it's goin to come down on it's own, but you'll still have the engine spinning at like 3,000,000 RPM's which will be good when you bang the next gear and have all kinds of power to pull with, instead of backing off and totally losing your drive. I have beat more guys off the line doing that, and generally if myself and another racer are doing power wheelies next to each other off the start, the 1 who shifts early is going to be the 2nd one going into turn 1 (based on my own experiences).

[MELK-MAN]

YEEE HAA! nothin like gettin a first race outa the way...for what its worth? Have done a full season, not too bad either, and i still get jitters a little before races. Thats to be expected. Make like a boy scout though and "Be prepared".. nothing worse than working on a bike race day. Get a routine that way you dont foul up something cause your in a hurry, especially when changing wheels. YOU are racing the bike, YOU should make sure the bolts are tight..

[Super Dave]

And as I say to all of my Grasshoppers....

This is fun!  Never forget those words...This is fun.

I hold the rev's at near redline and then ease the clutch out myself.  Let it spin.  Usually keeps it from wheeling.  And I keep my left foot on the peg for the important shift to second.  And use GP Shift pattern.

And get some schooling from me if you can take the time to find the money, and a few friends, to afford it to yourself.  I'm here to help that way.

[dwilson]

My problem with the wheel coming up is lack of experience.  My FZR600 is the only modern vehicle I've ever owned and I'm still learning how to handle the 75HP.  I hope to overcome this by putting the bike on the street and getting more comfortable with it.  I probably should have started out on something smaller but that's a part of being inexperienced.  I have learned the value of Melk-Man's advice of not wrenching on race day.  There's nothing more de-moralising (or dangerour) than not having your bike 100% out on the track.  

Dave; I would like to take your class, I had plans to take classes this year before my finances crahed and burned (wrecked bike, taxes, car was stolen...) but I'm already getting ready for next year.  Do you teach at any tracks on the East coast?  Other than a few weekends at Summit Point, this year I've just been reading Keith Codes books and riding my 76 CB750 (my daily driver after the car was stolen).

[Super Dave]

 I hope to overcome this by putting the bike on the street and getting more comfortable with it....

Dave; I would like to take your class, I had plans to take classes this year before my finances crahed and burned (wrecked bike, taxes, car was stolen...) but I'm already getting ready for next year.  Do you teach at any tracks on the East coast?  Other than a few weekends at Summit Point, this year I've just been reading Keith Codes books and riding my 76 CB750 (my daily driver after the car was stolen).

Here's my two cents:  books are fine, but they never teach you the actual feel that you really want.  That's where I try to come in.  Ain't cheap, but how much are you going to spend and waste trying to learn a few of the things that I learned over the years that I have done it...and still do it.

Riding your race bike on the street?  It probably won't do much.  You don't use all the traction that you have on the street, the traction is sketchy...so the bike doesn't work the same way.  You just can't make it feel the same way.

Hope that gives you some ideas.