LRRS ---> AFM - Hi, new guy.

[a13x]

Hey,

I'm moving to Cupertino / SanFran area on Sunday and look forward to eventually getting settled and running with the local roadracing club. Seems like you guys have a good program running out here.

I've been running with LRRS at Loudon NH for the past few years so I'm used to racing exactly one track with large grids, even larger bumps, and lots of walls :teeth The thought that there will be 4 roadracing tracks within 4 hours of the Bay Area is simply mind-boggling to me.. heh.

Raced a Superbike-spec Honda Hawk the last few seasons but this off-season I picked up Jeff Wood's motard and the raceHawk isn't going to be making the trip out West...

I've searched the Forum, read the rulebook, and looked over the results.. but I have no friggin idea what classes I can race my motard in! Help.

I'd like to know:
1) what it's legal for
2) what classes motards tend to be competitive in.
3) roughly what each AFM track is like? Tight? Tech? Fast? Flowy? etc (Loudon is a small, 1.6 mile, extremely technical course)

Be a huge help to get some of this info from you guys. While my racebike and gear (and clothing, and everything I own) won't be making it out to Cali until late June... I would like to start gathering info now. Especially since I'lll have many upcoming nights living out of a hotel bored and mulling over upcoming West Coast races ;)

Hrm. Guess other relevant information is I'm a Amatuer-level racer with LRRS (Novice -> Am -> Expert) and my motard is a stock motored Suzuki RMZ450.

Thanks and look forward to checking out some races! I'm flying back home to race the Loudon Classic in June, then bring my bikes out, so hopefully can make a late-season AFM round!

Thank you.

http://www.maberacing.com/images/team/alex/header_number.gif
http://www.maberacing.com/images/team/alex/alex_tall.jpg

http://www.maberacing.com/team_alex.htm

[jrace]

Define the Motard, down to any mods made to it. Odds are, it's at least eligible for Formula Singles. If it's a stock-ish 400, you might be able to run down a class in 250 Production.

-jim

Oh. And welcome to California. There are several current and former AFM members that have raced LRRS.

[a13x]

Thanks!

Yea been following Go-Go's tales lately. Was at the Vanson Factory today as a matter-of-fact yapping about him.

Anyhow. Motard details.

2005 Suzuki RMZ450
---------------------------
Motor
'Cut head' for tiny bit more compression
Cleaned up ports
Otherwise bone stock

Brakes
Motomaster rotor
Motomaster caliper
Magura master cylinder

Wheels
16.5" front
slick tires (currently)
tubeless rear

Suspension
Works Pro-Circuit by "Bones"

Exhaust
White Brothers
carbon can
Ti header

Misc
Handguards
Short Ti pegs


Think that covers it?

While I can ride foot-out or kneedown, I prefer to run knee on the deck for roadracing applications. Motards are insanely popular out here for roadracing, so I hope I'm not lone-wolf on the West.

Formula Singles - Check
250GP - Nope
450GP ???
Any Lightweight Superbike style classes? (SV's? Duc800's?)

:nerd

[ZXR400SP]

You could run Singles and FIV with the motard. Infineon would be fun, Thunderhill and Buttonwillow have much more open space and you will be in top gear much of the time. Here's a link to the three tracks we run
http://www.afmracing.org/trackinfo.html?trackinfo

There were only two singles on the grid at the last race.

The stockton motorplex has open track on Mon/Tues. It's a 1/2 mi kart track that is also used for supermoto.

[Mick-e]

Like Craig said in the AFM your bike is only going to be legal in Formula Singles, and Forumal IV, and won't be much fun outside of Sears Pt. If you want to race the RMZ I'd suggest Supermoto USA http://www.supermotousa.com/
And there's lots of info in the Supermoto section here on barf.

[FlatulentDan]

Come out to Infineon Raceway May 26 -27 and you can ask a lot of this first hand, and chase down all the motard guys.

I have never run a motard, but I'm guessing you'll end up on a full race bike soon enough to take full adavantage of the tracks we have.

ther is a motard series you could do to.

[Holeshot]

Delete that post of the mods on the DRZ and just run that shit in 250 prod!

[Ducky_Fresh]

I remember Brien Whitlock ran a 1:45 or 1:46 on his Joker Machine CRF450 2 years ago in FIV.

That would have put him at a 1:47/8 on the new turn 1 config at sears.

[Ducky_Fresh]

Originally posted by Holeshot
Delete that post of the mods on the DRZ and just run that shit in 250 prod!

It's an R M Z.

[GoGo]

Brother. Welcome. You're gunna like it here.

Let me help you out on some fronts that caught me off guard when I first came on the scene. There are big differences in how things work out here that you'll need to keep in mind:

You can't sign up at the track. Doesn't matter who you rub, where - you're gettin' shut down. But when they shut you down here and tell you to go home, there's nicer places to visit on the way..

Race entries costs more here, and you actually have to pay for practice.

You can't bullshit your way onto the track without health insurance - so don't even try. This is actually one of the best rules the AFM has.

There are no amateurs here. You go straight from the freezer, to the fire. But you're lucky because you're coming now. Had this move come sooner you'd have been lining up sixty eight feet from the fire on your first go-around.

Back home they run practice by your plate. A novice is never on the track with an expert - practice or race. Here they run you by time. Seems to work pretty well, too.

You'll hear talk sometimes about this track or that, being dangerous - and you won't understand any of it because of where you come from. This will make you feel tougher than most. But it should make you feel stupid. You'll understand what I mean in time..

In the east they grid you by the order you signed up. In the west it's by your points. You got no points, you're in the back. Oh, and there's a "Known Fast Guy" rule that they actually call "KFG". But it's named wrong because it doesn't matter worth horse manure if they "Know" you're fast or not - they only move you up the grid if you record fast times on their watches in practice.

Also... You know how back east if you crash on the second lap in the rain - pick your bike back up with no front brake lever and press on to finish the race in second place anyway - you're a hero? Well, you can't do that here for two reasons: One, first sign of rain and the whole world stops. Two, your bike hits the ground - you're done. On top of that, someone in the tower just put a mark next to your name. And you only get so many marks - then you're really done.

Back east when you have a problem, or when someone has one with you, you go throw them through a tent (or they do you). Out here you might never even know you screwed up until you get a letter from the supreme court the next week. Then I think you're supposed to write back, or submit an appeal in a certain number of days? I'm a little foggy on this but believe me, they do have trials sometimes for shit that happens out there on the track. And shit definitely does happen out there on the track. We won't even talk about what will happen to you if you ever throw someone through a tent.

The girls out here are hot. And lots of them actually race. I know, I know - what are their names and where do they live.. There's one problem though. More than half of them will spank your ass out on the track. And one of those chicks is like twelve. You see her out there - go home. Believe me. You'll never recover emotionally.

In the AFM there's this woman who always wears white on the weekends. Her name is Barb. She's as cool as they come. But, having said that, she'll hand you your head in an instant if she thinks that's the right call - and she's got pretty good judgement. Go introduce yourself to her, BEFORE she introduces herself to you.

Lastly, you know how back east there's like three really fast guys? Well hold onto your ass my friend, cause there's like three hundred out here.


Good luck brother

[a13x]

Jesus...

I liked the rain comment. Man I was just riding Loudon 4 days ago in the rain on slicks. Braaapt.

Weird stuff over here. *shrug* Racin's racin'



Check your PM's Eric.

[FlatulentDan]

My first weekend with AFM ( and the West Coast ) as the clouds came in.... I went to buy DOT's or possibly Rain Slicks... and the tire guys laughed at me. I didn't know we shut down in the rain.


GoGo... perfect write up! all good advice.





Dan

[Adiggity]

Bravo GoGo, Bravo :applause
LMAO :teeth

[powermatic]

Welcome Alex!

You will find good people here in the AFM who are glad to show you the ropes - don't be afraid to ask if you don't know.


Best,
Dave
AFM# 119

(Nice write-up Go Go..on the money.)

[budman]

Welcome Alex

Go Go as always.. :applause... Great post.

Alex if your anything like Go Go it will be an absolute pleasure to have you among the Cali racer community.. if not.. then..:p :laughing

I am sure you will like it here..:thumbup

:smoking

[a13x]

Seems rather silly you can't run a motard in the 250 or 450 SUPERBIKE classes if I'm reading the rules right. Bike must be Street Legal from Factory. A DRZ would be legal (which is a glorified turd) but a RMZ / CRF (which you could get plated if you are tricky) isn't? From comparing the laptimes (winning F-Singles vs 250/450 Superibike) it looks like it would be some good racing!

Overall rulebook is a straaange piece of work. Ahvell. Running Sear's on the 31st with the RM-Zed so we'll see how those sub-55's work out. If it's not in the ballpark I'm not even going to bother getting it race ready for April.

Should be fun and thanks for all the kind words!

[ZXR400SP]

Bobby Black was doing sub 55's on his honda motard. I'm sure the bikes capable. :) I'm guessing there might be a few more out there too but you never know until raceday.