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Monday, August 20, 2007

The Racing Experience Part 5: Race Three

At the end of our last race, we decided that, although I was not at all fast, the times showed that if I hadn't gone straight to the back of the pack when the green flag dropped, it would have significantly changed the outcome—especially factoring in my last-lap tire issues.

Third Race Goals and Expectations

New tires, new chain, new sprockets! First, and most importantly, we have fresh rubber and four sessions to get it scuffed in. Not only was this great for grip, but great for my confidence level (remember, the goal this first year was to not lay the bike down at all). Next, we dropped a tooth in the front and added one in the back and moved to a 520 chain (the lighter chain reduces weight and lets the engine pull on the wheel instead of using its energy moving the heavy stock chain). The F4i didn't become a wheelie machine, but when you're competing against 2006/2007 600 machines on a 6-year-old bike, it is a giant improvement. Furthermore, on a track like Infineon with no long straightaways, any top-speed concerns were non-existent.

First things first. New Dunlop 208s are slippery—especially when your practice/qualifying group is first on the track after a night of fog and condensation. I spent the first of four sessions slipping around the track at moderate speed to a) do my part in drying out the racing line and b) start to scrub in the tires. Most importantly, I took the opportunity of the predictable track sliding to play with throttle and controlling the slide. Although I would have preferred to be putting in some hot laps, working on slide control at slower speeds was very helpful and increased my comfort level for later. The downside was that with the new gearing, I wasn't sure how much the increased torque would affect my previous habits of just laying on the throttle whenever I felt like it.

By the second session, the track had dried out and I was focusing on the most important things...

By the second session the track was warm and dry and I was back at work trying to look better for the photographer.

During the second session, I had to admit that I just wasn't feeling it. My times weren't that bad (for me as compared to last time anyway), but I expected more considering the changes we made to the bike. I was very disappointed in myself and my performance. By the third session I hadn't improved over my last race times and I had no excuse as to why. The bike launched out of the corners faster than before and the tires had great grip—I should have been going quite a bit faster than last race day. I knew why... my lines weren't tight, I was braking lazily and I certainly didn't have the eye of the tiger that day.

No one else looks this good going this slow—most people have to go much faster!

New Gearing

I would like to blame it on getting used to the new gearing, but to put it short, the bike felt great. I was being far too nervous in adapting to the changes and not taking advantage of them. It was still an almost stock 2001 F4i and it had new tires—it will grip almost no matter what—but the goal of not laying it down just wouldn't let me trust.

I started getting back into it and, although still not going faster than last race, I was passing plenty of people during practice. I was gridded about mid-pack and was looking forward to the race—especially the start. I had been practicing my starts before sessions and felt that I could make a marked improvement over last time.

The Start

Things went much better this time, but I'll the let the videos do the talking. The first video is of my atrocious Race 2 start. The second video (pardon the quality) is of my most recent start.

I didn't lose any spots and I may have even gained one or two!

The Race

Things usually get sorted out by the carousel and you can start picking out the people you know you're going to pass. Unfortunately, there's usually someone to my aft targeting me as well. By the second lap I was literally parked behind a bike that I needed to pass now! Even I was twiddling my thumbs and I'm sure it was letting others catch up to me. Heading out of four I got right up on the rear of the other bike heading into the carousel. I was almost licking the rear wheel deciding whether I should pass inside or outside when the darnedest thing happened—the rider must have grabbed a bit of front brake because the bike just washed out in front of me. I was watching the rider and bike skid towards the outside of the corner with sparks flying and I thought "I guess I'll take the inside." This has happened to me three or four times now, but it has yet to lose its surrealness.

I was passed by a couple bikes over the next two laps, but there were a couple bikes I could consistently hear behind me—but not too close. I wasn't worried about them, I was concerned with eking out a few more seconds so I could take a couple spots back!

Taking the long way around of #809 who met an unfortunate fate later. The 2006 Suzuki of #730 did eventually get me, but I must say that I think I look much better.

Besides improving my start, I could tell that I had gained something else this weekend: consistency. Although I was still hovering around my best time from our last outing, the times I was posting were more consistent lap by lap. It wasn't one flying perfect lap that dropped me down to a new low time—every lap time was more consistent from about the third practice session on. Consistency is much easier to build on and adjustments can be made towards real improvement.

#688 also eventually passed me, but I kept him in sight until the end.

An Early Ending

Besides the rider that washed out in front of me in the carousel, this race was a melee from the get go. Approaching the bus stop a lap or two after the carousel incident, I witnessed one bike taking the other out with quite a bit of force. Both riders were okay, but according to lugnut, mere moments afterwards a more serious incident took place at turn 7 bringing out the red flag. The race was roughly only half done and that was the end of my weekend. I was disappointed as I was really starting to feel good on the bike again and was picking up speed. All in all, I finished 16th out of roughly 30 that started the race, so, I'm still moving up!

This was an early ending for another reason. This race was our last of the season. We wanted to get in four races but, alas, we now face one of the most awful things that can happen to a motorcycle rider—our real jobs getting in the way. So, for now we have to go to work (the thought of which is just excruciating, I know). But we will be back next year and, with some luck and a lotto ticket, ride every race. Really though, we will be back and going for another half season in 2008.

The Moto411.com BigPussy Honda will be back next year, and it will be 7 years old!

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