uh... I need a runway, really... let me explain...

turbo

Past their own limits, it seems. Just my opinion, but some of those riders need rehabilitative training. If you don't know whether you can toss your bike into a curve at 150mph and not end up off the track, that is the sign of a newby. Real riders will constantly evaluate road-condition, tire-condition, etc, and adjust if they are going to push limits.

rhody

I am getting to know the beast on an intimate level if that is possible. Last ride on her in cold temps, 30's Fahrenheit, I noticed what felt like rear end slip and front end push. I instinctively knew what it was, and a test with cold tires and a gauge proved it, the rear tire was down 4 psi from recommended pressure and the front 2 psi. I will test it again this weekend with the proper pressure. You can really feel the difference with that little difference pressure in the tires, they are that sensitive on a sport bike.

Rhody...

rhody

Quick shifting and power management, throttle, clutch control go hand in hand so, have a look at BradMan's good instruction
on power-up and clutched wheelies. Good instruction, advice and IMHO.



Rhody...

KrisOhn

Even if I buy a sport bike in the future, I don't think I will ever attempt a wheelie on it. I'm content with having my dirtbike do stuff like that for me.

rhody

First MAJOR problem with the beast, rolled to a stop light in 3rd gear, clutch in, tapped to go to first, nothing, the gear dogs not engaging, to make a long story short, after adjusting the chain and careful examination of the shift linkage, nothing is out of alignment, loose, etc... Adjusted the clutch to make sure it was fully disengaged, same result, intermittent downshifting, 4th - 2nd gear, came out of the blue as well, no signs, missed shifts, nothing. The other bike is in the shop as well, and when that one is done this one goes in. Good thing I can live with 3rd - 6th gears, the bike takes off effortlessly in 3rd. Amazing really. I am going to post this on the BMW Forum to see if any others have had this problem.

Rhody...

rhody

The problem turned out to be a round knuckle joint at the top of the Sato Rearset was binding, causing the problem, I could see the knuckle cocked a bit askew and suspected it, turns out it was frozen, once it was taken apart and lubed no problem. Something as small as that binding at the wrong moment can mean the difference between making a corner and too much corner speed which is very bad. If you can't downshift, expecting the engine braking to help you slow down, it screws up the mental maps in your head, between front and rear brake and blipping the throttle and the engine braking that happens, all three factors contribute to slowing smoothly, the way you have come to expect, when something goes wrong and you can't down shift one or more gears to make a corner, you enter too hot and that can cause a low side crash or running wide into whatever is on the outside of the corner. I am glad the problem is fixed and will pay attention and lube the knuckle a couple times a year.

Rhody...

rhody

Nice video... Best of 2011: Slow Motion

Like the lookback at 3:42...



Rhody...

rhody

Track day approaches in about 2 months, June 20th, and I have started training my visual focus and concentration using the Insight Program I used last year, first session was a little rusty, and I remember at what level I achieved last season, so I hope to do that or better this time. I am keeping a log of my feelings with each session as well. The ZX6 is way easier to ride, but not as comfy in the saddle. The power is manageable as well, no worries about power wheelies. I have practiced high speed acceleration and braking so nothing should be new there either. I hope to have a safe fast track day, Just bought an old leather one piece suit from Vanson Leathers and it needs a patch over the butt of all places. It is pretty ugly, but functional and IMHO safer than many other brands out there, the leather is thicker, the armor better, even though a few at the bike shop beg to differ.

Rhody...

rhody

Sad news from BMW, it seems some 1400 bikes from Nov 2011 - Feb 2012, had their connecting rods improperly torqued during automated assembly and it took three months to nail it down, all new 2012 sales have been suspended until they notify owners for a fix. Sounds like a quality control issue. See link here and here. The mechanic at my shop said it could be defective con rod bolts, when torqued to their lower and upper con rod assemblies they are designed to stretch and then hold at a certain amount of foot pound pressure. If the bolts break, that means catastrophic engine failure. If the bolt torque was loose the two assemblies could fly apart, and same result. If the engine grenades at high rpm, the debris and oil could mean that first you are skewered like a piece of chicken, then turned into a rag doll as you go down in the oil from the split engine. Both thoughts are frightening.

Here is a quote from another post:
and this post made the most common sense to me. Let's see how this plays itself out in the coming weeks. I may do an early track day at NJMP in New Jersey in early May. The thought of a S1000 grenading itself beside me is not something I care to think about or face. The track day schools will probably screen and refund suspect bikes in the Nov 2011 - Feb 2012 manufacture time frame, it is the responsible thing to do. If they allow these bikes on the track and someone is killed that would be very bad indeed.

Rhody...

turbo

Very dangerous situation until all owners get a recall, full teardown, and rebuild. I surely wouldn't want one of those engines to self-destruct in side-by-side racing.

rhody

Nope !!!

Rhody...

turbo

Perhaps even worse would be trying to overtake one of those oil-filled grenades, and trying to navigate through that mess after it pukes all over the track. Following racers could become hamburg in seconds.

KrisOhn

Kind of like this?



Edit: Oh wow, there are a couple of these:

rhody

Kris,

I had seen the first two before, the third one last year had the most horrendous crash, because of the dust, it is hard to tell but the first rider to go down in the oil was flipping in a semi crouch position over 130 mph, it looked awful. When you hit oil at that speed nothing can be done.

I have a two words about today's ride home from a walk on a walking trial, took the beast, ACK, bugs...

The sun was going down, in my eyes and I was dodging bugs like in a Star Wars movie, I nailed two big bumble bees and a untold torrent of smaller bugs.
I couldn't even crack my visor. That's what you get when the temps are suddenly 15 degrees warmer than the day before, bug hatch up the wazoo. Tomorrow is going to be 20 degrees cooler, so maybe some of the young vulnerable ones will DIE.

Rhody...

rhody

I just sat on the new Ducati Panigale at the shop today, very comfy, wide bars, decent leg position, and not extra strain on wrists, but it is made for someone who has arms two inches longer than mine because to hug the tank with my knees isn't possible without sliding two inches back and putting more weight on wrists. In the end it doesn't matter because the only time you would be tucked in is when going berzerko wide open throttle anyway. The bike looks small and weighs only 422lbs with a full tank, mine weighs a hefty 20 pounds more. I was told 5 years of effort went into the bike and it shows.



Rhody...

turbo

What a monster!!!

rhody

Took the BMW out on Saturday, nice crisp, high 40's day, making a 90% turn I have made at least a hundred times before I leaned into the corner, nothing on the road that would cause a slide, and low and behold a nice 20 mph slide with the rear end. No drama, just continued on my way, told the guys at the shop about it and it didn't hit me until after I was sitting quietly after my ride. The rear tire only has about 200 miles on it, the chicken strips, which means the last inch or so have still got the oil on it from the factory, I got into that area during me lean. The only way to rough up the area is to drive on the edge, kind of a catch 22 if you get my drift. I took some rough sandpaper to that edge area, see the top picture before and the bottom after. Would the slide happened on a 70 F day ? Probably not, but the cold weather can be tricky, better to be safe than sorry.





Rhody...