Going Racing

acotrel said:

If I fit a nice new cam chain, would I pick up at least another 2 horsepower ?

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That depends...

If your current cam chain is shagged then probabaly yes.

I wonder if the variation in timing would be as much as a degree of crank rotation. If you were using petrol and jetting a race bike for max performance, it might make a considerable difference. One thing I would never do is use petrol in a four-stroke race bike, if I had the option of using methanol. Petrol in race bikes is a British thing - similar to cricket. You need the patience of Jobe.
I once rode my 500cc Triton after it had been converted to petrol. It still stepped out going around a corner, but it did not try to kill me.

acotrel said:

I wonder if the variation in timing would be as much as a degree of crank rotation.

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Put a wrench and degree wheel on the end of an unladened cam and rock it a bit. Take the degrees measurement and double it to get crank degrees. You'll figure it out eventually. Rather simple.

What came to mind when this issue was raised, was the likelihood of tight and loose spots in the cam chain.

I've also seen the tight and loose as well as the gear lash between the drive gears and loose and too loose conditions. The stock cam chain adjuster is simple and primitive but adequate for street use. Who really cares if you are off by a few RWHP on the street. I suppose some of the after market cam chain tensioners would improve things but you still have gear lash.

acotrel said:

What came to mind when this issue was raised, was the likelihood of tight and loose spots in the cam chain.

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Dances, there is only so many tricks to teach old dogs!!!!

Well, despite a late entry, I am in my first meeting at Mallory. It is -1 deg. here this morning. They say the older you get the dafter you get, I think I need locking up.

I wish I could afford to be on the grid alongside you. I was at Winton a while back - there were two young guys with NC30 Hondas. One of them said to me ' I bet you think we are stupid doing this'. - Nothing could be further from the truth. You only live once and it is important to have an active manhood. One thing I have absolutely no regrets about is my involvement in motorcycle road racing. When it all comes down to it, it is probably the best thing I have ever done. And If I get the chance, I will do it again.

lol

That is the first day over. Went ok apart from going out in the wrong race because of a misprint in the program, I thought it a bit odd that I was in the same race as Andy Molnar, at least he didn’t lap me

Got called into race control for a telling off for being in the wrong position in my second race, but in my defence the grid markings are as clear as mud, they said if I do it again I would get a 10 second penalty, which I thought was fair, they didn’t apply it because it was only my second race.

There was only one race in between my 3rd and 4th race and as they called me I noticed the rubber bobbins holding the silencer on had broke, of course I didn’t have spares but managed to find some in the paddock and fit them just in time, got to the grid as they were leaving for the warm up lap. Exciting stuff this racing.

Make haste slowly.

Cool. I wish was was out there again.

I'm all domesticated now.

Congratulations on a successful foray. Hope you have many more of them, now that you've acquired the addiction.

I still remember my first race and how exciting it was. Riverside race track here in SoCal, back in 1972, on a stock 750 Commando Production Racer. Hard to believe, but back then it was a modern superbike, not a classic.

Ken

Good on yer Ralph. Indeed, listening for the paddock calls, and knowing where and when to go exactly does take a bit of learning.

Park next to someone who races in your class and buddy up with them is my advice, it’ll take away at least one item of stress!

I still remember the nerves, I couldn’t believe it, thought I’d be sick at times sat there waiting for the flag to drop. Then it drops, and it’s as close as I can imagine to what it must have been like in a WW11 dog fight. Then it’s over. Then you have to fix the bike ready for the next dog fight!

At least the fixing kept the nerves at bay!

Got used to it after a while though. Even managed to build bikes that didn’t need fixing!

It’s an awful lot of work just to get an adrenaline high tho innit? Drugs would be a lot cheaper...

Day 2 over and myself and the bike are still in one piece.

Although the law of sod did have a go at me a couple of times, coming out of the hairpin, a guy broke down and went for the left hand side of the track just as i was passing him, that was close, then coming out of the bus stop I went to pass a GS1000 and as he opened the throttle he lost the rear as I was along side, that pushed me wide and caused an interesting line round the Devils elbow, a guy rode round the outside of me round Gerrards and as he got level he just swung across into me, if I hadn't reacted we would have clashed, haven't a clue what that was about but the best one was when I discovered that when approaching the hairpin and trying to out-brake someone, you cannot leave your braking another yard, because if you do, whilst you are doing a u-turn on the grass, they get back past you. I did catch and pass him again and didn't make the same mistake twice.

Problems with the bike were limited to the front brake and the rubber bobbins that hold the exhaust on melted, they have been ok until I started using a Supper trapp end piece they let go twice on the Sunday and a big thank you to Ashphalt Al for bailing me out with a couple for the last race. I will redesign the brackets to put the bobbin in compression instead of sheer and get the reverse cone end for the Supper Trapp and hope that will allow the exhaust to run cooler.

The brake was like a jack hammer and I thought the disk had a high spot (which may still be the case) I have been using the EBC GP Fax pads which are incredible but if there is a high spot they get hold of it cause the jack hammer effect, Ashphalt Al suggested I tried different pads which I did and it was much better, 2 seconds a lap better.

Despite all that it was a good weekend and my times improved with each race except the last one, we were held in the holding area whilst the marshals cleared some oil left from a 5 bike bump and the bikes were getting hot, I left the holding area and went for a ride round the paddock to get some air through the fairing, when I went back to the holding area, they were letting us out but I had kinda lost interest by then.

Anyway the results,

First race. 15th
Second race. 13th
Third race. not classified, shouldn't have been in it program mis-print in my defence though.
Forth race. 8th
Fifth race. 10th
Sixth race.2nd
Last race. 14th

The first and second races were from the back of the grid 32nd whilst for the rest I was allocated a grid position, the third race was down as a novice race which is why i turned up. The sixth race was the old farts race for over 50s and was a handicap race so crossing the line second will probably change when they apply the handicap, the same applies for race 4 which was the proper novice race and handicapped.

Fast Eddie said:

Good on yer Ralph. Indeed, listening for the paddock calls, and knowing where and when to go exactly does take a bit of learning.

Park next to someone who races in your class and buddy up with them is my advice, it’ll take away at least one item of stress!

I still remember the nerves, I couldn’t believe it, thought I’d be sick at times sat there waiting for the flag to drop. Then it drops, and it’s as close as I can imagine to what it must have been like in a WW11 dog fight. Then it’s over. Then you have to fix the bike ready for the next dog fight!

At least the fixing kept the nerves at bay!

Got used to it after a while though. Even managed to build bikes that didn’t need fixing!

It’s an awful lot of work just to get an adrenaline high tho innit? Drugs would be a lot cheaper...

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Ha, If you spent the cost of a race meet on drugs, I think you would be dead by the end of the weekend.

Well done storm42! Kept the rubber side down with minimal mechanical gremlins, respectable finishes and decreasing lap times.

Yep I agree well done mate

Well done Ralph. No DNFs, blow ups or crashes. That alone is a great result for your first foray!

Keep it up and please keep us posted.

I would LOVE seven races in one weekend! We were only allowed one race on Saturday, and one on Sunday.

And all that after 3-4,000 mile round trips!