View Full Version : Road block to progress (my head).
RD400man
10-15-2002, 09:24 PM
This is about as far as i dare to lean (Oct. 6th) . Those new BT45's are SOO rounded , they fall off on the edges, still about 1/4 inch away from the edges...still haven't touched anything down and am too freaked to go any farther...still haven't reached the limits on this bike...not bad for a 1/4 century old ride.
Sorry about the fuzzy snapshot, but this was taken from an mpeg 1? that barely fits on my video ride CD up/down 9.
I wanted to see how my riding was so a "local" guy taped me...this is the best shot i could come up with, the rest is painfully SLOW (prolly y i don't get tickets)...this by the last guard rail corners and then the last LONG straight to the 40mph corners going UP to the 4-way and hotdog stand (had to adjust the compression to fit 12 minutes on CD..so marginal quality).
RD400man
http://www.bayarearidersforum.com/forums/images/threads/000/011/140/145939-sample9.jpg
dragonbro
10-15-2002, 09:30 PM
nice lean angle! just a bit more and you're touchin knee...on the street! becareful finding the limits bro!
RD400man
10-15-2002, 09:38 PM
I heard that!!! (almost 40 and well aware of the pain...crashed at 38 and hurt for months...)
I think this is the fastest uphill corner for me, but feel really safe through it. Most of my riding is pretty straight up and down and SLOW, but there are a few confidence corners where i'll feel comfortable enough to push it just a bit.
The rearsets and tucked in pipes help...it's just those skinny 110-80-18 REAR tires that make me back off...that and opposing traffic that seems to freak me out a bit...
Dude I tolled you before... you are a BADASS on that RD. If I had to ride that bike , grandmas in mini vans would pass me.
Robert R1
10-15-2002, 09:58 PM
Originally posted by MetalHead
If I had to ride that bike , grandmas in mini vans would pass me.
How would it any different from now???
RD400man
10-15-2002, 10:07 PM
Metalhead:
Somehow.....I find that HARD to believe...i've seen your video and your riding!!!... and then Scott asks me if i want to put mine in..
I wanted to LEAVE at that very moment ...okay guys, the jokes over......... *lol*
The brakes and front end are the worst...i am however getting a better drilled disk to replace the worn out one i have now....that and NEW roundslide mikuni carbs...the old ones have a float bowl pin so bad, that the pin just falls out when i take the bowls off and bowls wiggle in a teeter totter fashion...not good...i even had the valve seat unscrew itself on the freeway...oops forgot to tighten that down...no problem, with close to 15 lbs of tools in the backpack you always see me in, it was a 20 minute fix.
I think i may be able to afford a ninja 250 after Jan. take that pick i just posted and add about 15 miles per hour on top of that and you have GP250 racer...amazing, now that kid took his BT45's ALL the way out to the edges..UNREAL.
RD400man
Originally posted by Robert R1
How would it any different from now???
Coky fela are yea !!! Maybe some day you would like to show me how to proprely ride the back side of 9. What da ya say ? Yay or nay
Robert R1
10-15-2002, 10:21 PM
Originally posted by MetalHead
Coky fela are yea !!! Maybe some day you would like to show me how to proprely ride the back side of 9. What da ya say ? Yay or nay
Nexttime, be a doll and pull over to let the School Buses go by. I would hate to see kids arriving at school late due to lap traffic.
Originally posted by Robert R1
Nexttime, be a doll and pull over to let the School Buses go by. I would hate to see kids arriving at school late due to lap traffic.
Yea that's what i thought to fast boy. If you change your mind just let me know
Robert R1
10-15-2002, 11:15 PM
Originally posted by MetalHead
Yea that's what i thought to fast boy. If you change your mind just let me know
I'll let you know when I'm doing a trackday. You can come out and get served all day along.
Originally posted by Robert R1
I'll let you know when I'm doing a trackday. You can come out and get served all day along.
Why wait fast boy ? hwy 9 is for free , all you need is to make a point. Is'nit why you started this discution in the first place ? C'mon just tell me when...
Robert R1
10-15-2002, 11:53 PM
Originally posted by MetalHead
Why wait fast boy ? hwy 9 is for free , all you need is to make a point. Is'nit why you started this discution in the first place ? C'mon just tell me when...
I'm not the one getting defensive about my riding. You would have to be an idiot to race or challange someone to a race on the street. I'll be more than happy to ride with you on 9 one day. I have never been there but heard good things about it.
Originally posted by Robert R1
I'm not the one getting defensive about my riding. You would have to be an idiot to race or challange someone to a race on the street. I'll be more than happy to ride with you on 9 one day. I have never been there but heard good things about it.
Defensive ? Oh no , You never rode with me , we may never even met , but you keep telling me how slow I am and that I don't have a clue about riding my bike. I ignored your comments on the other posts , but you keep insisting. I just want to give you the chance to prove your point. It won't be for a while that I will afford track days but hwy 9 is good enough for me. There is no point if you never been there. Just give me a brake from your opinions about me till you can prove them m'K fast boy ?
Robert R1
10-16-2002, 01:02 AM
Originally posted by MetalHead
Defensive ? Oh no , You never rode with me , we may never even met , but you keep telling me how slow I am and that I don't have a clue about riding my bike. I ignored your comments on the other posts , but you keep insisting. I just want to give you the chance to prove your point. It won't be for a while that I will afford track days but hwy 9 is good enough for me. There is no point if you never been there. Just give me a brake from your opinions about me till you can prove them m'K fast boy ?
I have a feeling you will provide plenty of good entertainment in the future.
Originally posted by Robert R1
I have a feeling you will provide plenty of good entertainment in the future.
There you go again ... Am I mising something dude in this picture ? For whatever reason mister fast boy alpha male is convinced that I'm a squid and get's coky over the net about my riding even if you never rode with me. I asked you to prove it and you get all shy about riding on the street cos only idiots are doing it. Dude until you prove your point your the fokin wanabe OK?
Ill ignore your opinions from now on. When your ready to ride let me know.
Holeshot
10-16-2002, 02:19 AM
Originally posted by MetalHead
Defensive ? Oh no , You never rode with me , we may never even met , but you keep telling me how slow I am and that I don't have a clue about riding my bike. I ignored your comments on the other posts , but you keep insisting. I just want to give you the chance to prove your point. It won't be for a while that I will afford track days but hwy 9 is good enough for me. There is no point if you never been there. Just give me a brake from your opinions about me till you can prove them m'K fast boy ?
Will you be able to afford the ticket or helo ride after this nefarious race? How about you two choosing a common safer veunue, like say, Buttonwillow. Neither of you guys has been there, verdad?
This crap about not being able to afford a trackday from either of you is simply ricockulous...just save a little bit.
I'll even time you guys, so Robert doesn't get some fuckup like Joey doing it, as he's staring into space the whole time...
hitjohn
10-16-2002, 08:36 AM
like rodney king once said "awww man , why can't we all just git along???"
my grandma is faster than your grandma.
j
RD400man
10-16-2002, 09:49 AM
What track? How much?
I could chip in about 50 bucks towards the event.
Rd400man
VTRweasel
10-16-2002, 10:06 AM
Originally posted by MetalHead
Just give me a brake from your opinions about me till you can prove them m'K fast boy ?
:rolleyes MH, opinions are why we're here,
we've met & your a nice enough guy but you talk too much shit,
i've overheard you one time talk about doing triple digits on 9 & that's just plain stupid, can i do it yes, will i? no,
holeshot has a great point, how many tickets do you have? how much do they cost you?
a track day is under 200 bucks and that's where you should be talking trash, Robert R1 may be rubbing you the wrong way but all this "i'm faster than you" talk is childish, so chill,
RDman great pic, i love that bike :thumbup
morthrane
10-16-2002, 10:23 AM
Originally posted by RD400man
What track? How much?
I could chip in about 50 bucks towards the event.
Rd400man
I'll pay to watch a grudge match like that :thumbup
But only if there's a boxing match right after it, and a tiebreaker round of Street Fighter II (the original classic one ;))
:twofinger
morthrane
10-16-2002, 10:26 AM
Originally posted by RD400man
http://www.bayarearidersforum.com/forums/images/threads/000/011/140/145939-sample9.jpg
Heh, I don't know what you're worried about. I'm on a R1 with everything in good working order, and I don't think I lean that far. Not to mention I usually get smoked by the regulars like a "borrowed" pack of cigs.
RD400man
10-16-2002, 10:29 AM
One thing:
I guess I am a bit of a child....i'd really like to see who comes out on top........i don't know anything about robert, so that is a big unknown, but i would much rather see them pushing on the track.....that is why i'll contribute 50.00 bucks towards the battle of the "R's"
BTW: i think MH has the R6, so an R1 vs. R6 would not really be a fair race.
I can't wait for the 950 Duke V-Twin....that's gonna be a ripper. If only i could afford one. from what i have read, it will be light @ 1/2 topped off with fluids @ 385 lbs., 120 crankshaft hp,
quote: "imagine a lean, mean suzuki-powered Cagiva Raptor street rod with the rev-hungry engine performance of a built GSX-R600 four rather than a lazier TL1000 V-Twin, but the razor-edge steering and handling of the Italian firm's 500CC GP bikes that Lawson and Kocinski used to beat Japan Inc."
Taken from: Nov. 2002 issue of Motorcyclist, Page 42 "Exclusive! Sir Duke" By Alan Cathcart
Smoothie
10-16-2002, 10:37 AM
Robert R1 ....... 1
MetalHead ...... 0
laptimes don't lie
RD400man
10-16-2002, 10:38 AM
Thanks Morthrane/VTR,
A friend asked me to ride his Gixxer 750....that bike is WAY above my capabilities....too much acceleration too fast ( can't think/react that fast)....i said: do you think i can go 15 mph faster on that? He said, "you can go 30 mph faster and not touch anything down.
That is FAST, but i'll try that on a track, thank you very much!!!
I've gotten used to being passed, in the straights AND in the corners (KTM did that on Monday)...doesn't scare me anymore, unless it's a squidly pass (hasn't happened yet)...just the opposing traffic, the reason i always ride farthest away from the double yellows and 5-10 mph slower than what i would like....for safety from the line crossing porshes and the occasional wide body that swings wide.
Anyone know anything about Pagemill road....can you fill me in on the details/hazards?
RD400man
Damn , I would have understand so much animosity if I would have started to brag how fast I am and how I can kick anybody's ass. I didn't , so all this looks kinda weird. But any way , I can't afford track days any time soon , BUT my goal is to do my best and start racing CCS next year. So all you fast boy's will have your chance to squid me on practice day's and in the races.
Till then please try and impress somebody else with big mouth talk over the net and numbers on the paper.
morthrane
10-16-2002, 01:43 PM
Originally posted by RD400man
Anyone know anything about Pagemill road....can you fill me in on the details/hazards?
Just gotta be on your toes. Decreasing radius turns, severe elevation changes, some parts of the road are prone to being dirt strewn. Its a very narrow road in a lot of places, so its not uncommon to find oncoming traffic hugging the centerline or even over.
Going up Page Mill road from 280 is a lot of fun, and less scary than going downhill... and when you hit Skyline, you can have even more fun by going straight and taking alpine road. Follow the road pretty much straight, until you get to a "T" intersection, and straight ahead is a dead-end (marked) and alpine continues on to the right. Real fun goattrails, and it dumps you out at the start of Pescadero @ hwy 84.
VTRweasel
10-16-2002, 01:50 PM
Originally posted by MetalHead
Till then please try and impress somebody else with big mouth talk over the net and numbers on the paper.
pot...kettel...black,
nuf said?
250gpracer
10-16-2002, 07:17 PM
Nice picture kev!! :eek Lookin good out there!:cool You're the only guy I know, who rides an RD-400 so well! I'm no expert on body position (hanging off)- but, your riding style looks damn good to me.
You never thought the day would come when gp would lecture u on slowing it down...
I'm serious, just tone it down a bit. The conditions on 9 are just way too unpredictable. i used to just go really slow on the first run down 9, just to scope out the road- then, i'd go up and down the hill at a "slightly faster pace" :shhh. Seems like a good idea. But, now i realize- things change super quick on the street, and the anti-freeze u didn't see on your last run is now all over a blind right hander(it happened to two of my friends on 9). Or in my case, a van parked in the middle of a Blind corner. My crash could have easily been avoided (had i followed the speed limit). I know you're a more reserved rider than me, and u'll probably be just fine riding the way u are.
did i mention, u look like a pro in that picture. :D
250gpracer
10-16-2002, 07:19 PM
Originally posted by VTRweasel
pot...kettel...black,
nuf said?
:laughing
Robert R1
10-16-2002, 07:20 PM
Originally posted by MetalHead
Damn , I would have understand so much animosity if I would have started to brag how fast I am and how I can kick anybody's ass. I didn't , so all this looks kinda weird. But any way , I can't afford track days any time soon , BUT my goal is to do my best and start racing CCS next year. So all you fast boy's will have your chance to squid me on practice day's and in the races.
Till then please try and impress somebody else with big mouth talk over the net and numbers on the paper.
No, but you act very defensive and confrontational when someone is jesting with you. No one cares how fast you are. I'm not fast. Others might think so, I don't. I like to push myself and my bike but I'm very bored on the street so I plan to race AFM next year.
You have never been to the track so you think the street is fast. Guess what??? the street is pitifully slow compared to the road. The only thing going balls out on the street will get you are amublance rides. Save up for racing next year. You can learn and progress more in 1 trackday than 6months of hard street riding, seriously. I still wouldn't mind riding with you on the street but we RACE on the track only.
RD400man
10-16-2002, 09:27 PM
Speaking of anti-freeze. Was up on the hill monday, took a ride down and came back up....coming up from the Saratoga side some big truck had dumped antifreeze through the intersection. Even cages were burning rubber....one poor soul who wasn't paying attention on an old gold wing, got completely sideways, but saved it. We warned all the riders (what little there were) about the oil and take it easy at the intersection.
BTW: the annual two stroke rally is happening this SAT? in SAn Fran....if anyone has directions or more info...please shoot me an e-mail
RD400man
10-16-2002, 09:38 PM
Hey GP thanks for the kudos...you know that corner....i have a lot of confidence there., but really hold back on quite a few.....blind corners and cages coming out of nowhere make me jump a bit.
I really want to go to this two stroke rally in san francisco, but don't know how to get there....if only i had an address.
I've e-mailed a guy named Ken with a 500 yamaha two stroke (is that RZ or RD500?), he invited me to go...he'll prolly have directions. Should be a "quiet riot" to say the least.
RD400man
Holeshot
10-16-2002, 10:21 PM
Originally posted by MetalHead
Damn , I would have understand so much animosity if I would have started to brag how fast I am and how I can kick anybody's ass. I didn't , so all this looks kinda weird. But any way , I can't afford track days any time soon , BUT my goal is to do my best and start racing CCS next year. So all you fast boy's will have your chance to squid me on practice day's and in the races.
Till then please try and impress somebody else with big mouth talk over the net and numbers on the paper.
Why CCS and not AFM?
Holeshot
10-16-2002, 10:22 PM
Originally posted by Robert R1
No, but you act very defensive and confrontational when someone is jesting with you. No one cares how fast you are. I'm not fast. Others might think so, I don't. I like to push myself and my bike but I'm very bored on the street so I plan to race AFM next year.
You have never been to the track so you think the street is fast. Guess what??? the street is pitifully slow compared to the road. The only thing going balls out on the street will get you are amublance rides. Save up for racing next year. You can learn and progress more in 1 trackday than 6months of hard street riding, seriously. I still wouldn't mind riding with you on the street but we RACE on the track only.
PLAN TO RACE? What kind of shit is that?
Robert's correct. The fastest street rider is a slow track rider...
Rambeezi
10-16-2002, 10:23 PM
RR1 is just bustin' balls man. Thats all.
Group hug guys? :laughing :laughing :laughing
Robert R1
10-16-2002, 10:34 PM
Originally posted by Holeshot
PLAN TO RACE? What kind of shit is that?
Robert's correct. The fastest street rider is a slow track rider...
Ok....Ok....I WILL Race.
Holeshot
10-16-2002, 10:37 PM
Thank you. Finally!
Originally posted by Holeshot
Why CCS and not AFM?
Some of my ex coworkers and riding budies started racing CCS this year. I didn't started this season becouse I didn't want to race my R6. Is my only transportation and I still own to much money on it [ I already crashed it once at my last track day at T Hill] . I was planing to buy a cheap SV650 to race next season , but I lost my job so that plan failed. I will probably have to get a car licence and get a cheap truck so I can race my R6 next year
I'm not very keen on my first year of racing to start on a 600 becouse the class is fokin mad. And CCS is a little less so than AFM. If I manage to get the SV it will probably be AFM
morthrane
10-16-2002, 11:15 PM
Originally posted by Holeshot
Why CCS and not AFM?
AFM's a better bet for a starting racer? I've always heard it the other way around...
Originally posted by Holeshot
Robert's correct. The fastest street rider is a slow track rider...
I'm not gona say that I'm the exemption from the rule , but truth is that the fastest street riders that I know are AFM/CCS racers. There must be a reason that they still ride the local twisties. I think to, that the race track is the place to test your limits , but if you consider twisty riding boring maybe you are doing something wrong. I am personally a huge fan of the real road racing , like the Irish road racing Nord-West200 ,Tandragee 100 ,Ulster GP , Isle of Man , Skerries road races etc. and I would rather prefer racing something similar. That is obiusly not an option around here so I have to adapt to what is offered. I like short racetrack racing to and I hope that if I get serious about it will cut my cravings for balls out hwy9 riding
Holeshot
10-17-2002, 12:30 AM
Ridding balls out on the street for any racers is just plain stupid. If they get hurt, they're out of the points race for some time. and the chances of getting hurt on the street are much greater than track...
I don't know a whole host of fast AFM guys that run around on the street like banshees. We must have different friends.
Holeshot
10-17-2002, 12:35 AM
Originally posted by morthrane
AFM's a better bet for a starting racer? I've always heard it the other way around...
AFM is a better bet all around, IMO. WHen I began, I ran my first race ever with WSMC, who runs a format like CCS; squids all go in one group, broken down by displacement. I only did one race like that. Two might have gotten me killed!
I ran the AFM's program this year, and can attribute my massive gains in speed to racing with experts. It's much better to learn from people who have been doing something awhile, then learning from novices...
Novices crash into each other in the hot pits on the warm up lap, crash into each other on the warm up lap, and run into dead engine novices on the start grid (cause one forgot to put his hand up).
I want away from those dipshits as soon as possible, and racing with experts allows that to happen. Not to mention, if you're a fast novice and wish to run AMA, well points are talleyed with the experts, so essentially, that is one season of expert experience.
VTRweasel
10-17-2002, 12:40 AM
mh,ybwed,
ok ok, the guy was just trying to show a real cool picture he got of himself riding,
go bench race some place else, :rolleyes
Robert R1
10-17-2002, 12:52 AM
Originally posted by Holeshot
Ridding balls out on the street for any racers is just plain stupid. If they get hurt, they're out of the points race for some time. and the chances of getting hurt on the street are much greater than track...
Riding balls out on the street is a sure way to become a statistic. 100% success rate if you are persistant.
I don't know a whole host of fast AFM guys that run around on the street like banshees. We must have different friends.
Good point. Every AFM person I know has slowed down on the street considerably. Even the guys who just started have "seen the light" on what "fast" really is. You can only learn so much on the street.
Originally posted by Holeshot
I don't know a whole host of fast AFM guys that run around on the street like banshees. We must have different friends.
Well I noticed you mentioned Chris Story as a friend. Before he started racing he was just a fast street rider to. I remember I rode once with him about 2 years ago [maybe not sure exact when] on hwy 25 . He was pushing it pretty hard as I remember. I know he does not ride street anymore , but truth is a lot of the top racers begined as fast street riders. [ Mick Doohan, Troy Baliss and Collin Edwards just to name a few] Some are never quite able to quit the habit of riding the street fast [ like the boys from Fast Bikes mag , Rob Frost and Shane Byrne ] I hope at least I wont feel the need to go really fast
Holeshot
10-17-2002, 01:46 AM
I know Chris's lap times when he started. Like all of us, they were not impressive, to say the least.
His progress, however, with the AFM has been. Chris is a fast novice and will be an even faster expert.
Holeshot
10-17-2002, 01:46 AM
I don't think Troy Baliss was ever considered a "street rider". Nor was Colin...
Originally posted by Holeshot
I don't think Troy Baliss was ever considered a "street rider". Nor was Colin...
Actualy bout Collin and Troy started on dirt bikes as kids and they bouth owned street sportbikes. They bouth discovered that they are realy competitive when they try'd to race them against other people on race tracks. Troy Bayliss only found that later in life than Collin.
From Matt Oxley biography of Mick Doohan I know that he used to steal RD 350 and get chased by cops on them. His mother say's that.
hitjohn
10-17-2002, 08:58 AM
funny thing, after i started racing afm i became a slower street rider. maybe all those weekends at the track spoiled me, with the 40' wide track all going the same direction. now on the street, even a ride to work is exciting.
i remember when i used to drag knee on highway 9 and stuff like that . now i dont even wear my leathers on the street. just jeans with two pairs of thermals for the chilly days and a leather jacket, of course my favorite thermals under that too: )
john
RD400man
10-17-2002, 09:34 AM
Hey,
MH race an RD400...you'll probably be sure to place in the top 3.
too many 600 and 250 riders....race an old vintage dinosaur and and you'll prolly have plenty of track, instead of a PACKED grid.
Let's see....crank rebuild $500, top end....$300, keep it stock, put some sticky avons on, get used to the crap brakes and do what you can with the front and rear end ....you should have a rippin' good time. The 400's really do handle quite well.
RD400man
" i don't want to hit that hill, I DON"T!! want to hit that hill"....SMACK! I hit the hill.....*ZZZzzzzz!*
morthrane
10-17-2002, 11:05 AM
Originally posted by Holeshot
I don't know a whole host of fast AFM guys that run around on the street like banshees. We must have different friends.
Scottie Lavelle (sp?) is a podium guy in AFM 750 (production I believe, but he might run superbike as well... anyone know?), but he's also probably the fastest/ballesiest guy on the hill... bout the only AFM racer that I know of that really "cooks" it on the street.
Holeshot
10-17-2002, 12:57 PM
I don't think he's still racing...
Originally posted by Holeshot
I don't think he's still racing...
Scott Lavelle got 4 podiums of wich one was first place and a 4th place this season in 750 Production. There are some other top racers that are regulars on the hill also.
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