Some guidance/advice/help thread - TD/race 'gear'?

[Fawbish]

Loncin Generator Ebay


2.5KW generator on ebay. Not heard of the make, but has anyone had experience of them? 150 seems cheap, but the guy reckons theyve got a few scratches etc - which is no issue to me at all.

Wise?



Can anyone recommend a set of solid, dependable, good value tyre warmers?

Found some Race Tech tyre warmers ...reckon they might be ok!

What other gear do people own that makes their trackday/racedays a damn site easier and more functional?
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"Oh....it looks like Average Joe's is forfeiting the match!" - "Yeah, its a risky strategy but lets see if it pays off for 'em Cotton."

[Deano]

[Gazdaman]

That genny will be fine to run a set of tyre warmers.

Bit of a no-namer, but cheap enough.

Gaz

[G]

Leaving any tyre warmers plugged in will cause problems and mean they're quite likely to catch fire - they're designed to have the heat absorbed by a big chunk of rubber, so especially if they're bunched up there's a lot of heat there.

Ones that go over the rim or getting a neoprene skin made (the off the shelf ones seem a bit too small to my mind) is worth it especially if you're going to be outside.

Diamond tyre warmers have a good reputation for ok cheap(ish) ones.

Cheap generators can cause problems - mine dropped a valve. However, it'll be fine while it works and the parts are pretty standard as they all use copies of honda engines pretty much.

Can't think of much else of great use for trackdays - the obvious tools, latex gloves and general 'living' stuff. A notepad to note down what you're doing/done as well as lap times can be worth it.

[Wafer_Thin_Ham]

There are a few threads on motoforum about this sort of thing.

On generators I think the general consencus is get a Honda one. They'll keep going and when you come to sell you'll be able to get most of your money back if you buy second hand. I've heard of people running them on all sorts of fuel and still being fine.

+1 for Diamond Security warmers. Mine are still going strong, but don't leave them plugged in when not in use or they'll melt/catch fire as G says. They were £160 when I got mine 3/4 years ago.

As for stuff to take, latex gloves, tools, spares, duct tape, cable ties, a couple of 4 gang sockets, extension lead, food/drink etc.

I found that if you buy a few of those plastic crates from ikea then they are pretty ideal. They also stack rather well at home so they are out of the way ish.
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[Fawbish]

Ech.


Spent a fair bit last weekend.

New boots (had none, needed them...even though I coulda got a bloody genny for the price ), new clutch and springs, new chain and sprockets, chain riveter tool, new sparkplugs.

(aswell as a new double mattress and leeds festival ticket...oh dear)

Hopefully fitting everything this weekend. The oil and filter it now has has only done one trackday. Tyres only done one trackday.

Need to sort out my leaking fork also - wondering whether it will be cost effective to give my forks in to be refreshed? Because they are original forks, and want them to be fresh as fook.
____________________
"Oh....it looks like Average Joe's is forfeiting the match!" - "Yeah, its a risky strategy but lets see if it pays off for 'em Cotton."

[G]

You should be able to easily do anything they would do in a 'fork refresh'.
It may be worth considering getting updated componets - if a good method for your forks is re-valving them, then certainly worth sending them to someone else. Also, often if you're buying the suspension components, it doesn't come out too badly to get that company to do the work.

But most of the time I'd just save the money and do the work myself.

[Fawbish]

Fair enough, I'll have to look into that a bit more.

Normally I'd just replace the oil - the forks are now 11 years old with 26000 miles on them, but I believe they've had fresh oil in the last 3/4000 miles - Ive just got the feeling fresh components might be worth the investment, though I dont really know how much suspension deteriorates over time.

I have 700 quid left that I can basically spend on exactly what I want.

Better to keep upgrading the bike (for instance, it doesnt have track fairings, just my repaired and battered OE's (with lights removed etc), standard 'old' suspension, standard disks, standard calipers, utterly stock engine (could do with new fliters and shit I suppose)) OR use the money for actual riding - a few trackdays etc. I do worry a little that I'll get to the point the bike needs more stuff throwing at it and I wont have the money, so would having the upgraded gear be better for aiming higher...I know these are all pretty trivial decisions.

(Aims are low btw, next year I'd probably like to do 2 or 3 rounds spaced out over a year, which I'll probs be getting a little loan for)

Decisions decisions.
____________________
"Oh....it looks like Average Joe's is forfeiting the match!" - "Yeah, its a risky strategy but lets see if it pays off for 'em Cotton."

[G]

Track fairings save a little bit of weight, but tend to crash worse. Stick with the stock ones for the moment I'd say. Discs and calipers are generally fine, check your pads and consider braided hoses if you don't have them.
I'd spend the money on riding personally .

[Fawbish]

Had a feeling you'd say that. You beautiful man.


I already have braided hoses on (though not on the rear, really havent felt the need for that yet). Pads are new last trackday.

From my experience with the bike so far (owned it like, 3 years now) and the tracks I'd mainly be riding on this year (Most likely Cadwell, Mallory and Rockingham) I'm considering (when I do my chain) banging on a higher toothed sprocket at the rear. No matter how early I'm on the power (to the point that the rear starts to lose grip, even when Im hanging like a gibbon) other bikes (modern 6's and thous, obvs) pull away from me fairly rapidly. Losing top end power shouldnt make too much of a difference upto about 120 would it? Just curious whilst I cant get on track, never played with gearing.

Not specifically grilling you G, I know you're fed up saying the same things (Forget everything else and just ride, talent is the core component etc )


I hate having to balance my job, uni and pleasure. Grr.
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"Oh....it looks like Average Joe's is forfeiting the match!" - "Yeah, its a risky strategy but lets see if it pays off for 'em Cotton."

[G]

Down gearing to some degree is definitely worth going for.

However gearing on track should be selected based on getting it right for the most number of corners - so you can get on the power and have all the power you need until you're upright enough to be able to change up without upsetting the bike.

If by losing top end you mean top speed - even with a decent chunk of down gearing the most you'll reduce top speed to is probably about 150, but you should still get there quicker.

If you’re losing traction at the rear, you don’t need any more power (I would have asked if you could have been in a lower gear if you hadn’t mentioned this), however presumably you’re not holding it near the limit of traction coming out of the corner.
This is certainly something I’ve never got near perfecting and of course is a sign of a very good rider – riders who can keep the bike JUST on the right side of coming out of a corner are going to be able to get away a lot quicker. For the rest of us, it’s a case of trying to get as close as possible.

If you are getting to the points you are losing traction, then downgearing certainly wouldn’t help at those points.

Also, consider shifting your weight back as you’re hanging off when getting on the power, which should give the rear a bit of extra traction.

[Fawbish]

Will be definitely downgearing then. I had a read about the ratio maths the other day, doesnt seem too difficult. Moving up 2/3 teeth on the rear should give me about an 8% bias or similar.

I wont go too far into it though, as obviously I wont be riding that many tracks, and not races yet, so will change it and stick to it, see what feels right.

Cheers for the advice


Im thinking upgrading or refreshing the rear suspension would also help with traction issues - it's not something thats plagueing me as such, more something I've noticed on my 'hot' laps.
____________________
"Oh....it looks like Average Joe's is forfeiting the match!" - "Yeah, its a risky strategy but lets see if it pays off for 'em Cotton."

[G]

It might be worth seeing if you can get hold of a selection of sprockets from a racer selling up.

You are also likely to find that as you get faster (perhaps because you chose more suitable sprockets ), you will need to change the gearing to suit, as you find you're cornering quicker, so running out of gears earlier.

[Deano]