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Cubby
| | Posted on Tuesday, May 23, 2006 - 11:12 am: | 
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The NHRA VROD had the full might of HD behind it and didn't qualify for a single race the first season (if memory serves...). Byron Hines was even starting to doubt the effort. The press made jokes, the fans were disappointed, and Harley didn't look good. They now own several records in the class and at least one championship. I'm not sure Buell can have similar success in FX. I think it'll be harder. |
Eeeeek
| | Posted on Tuesday, May 23, 2006 - 11:26 am: |
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Spike:
The VR1000 sat on the box a few times and even won the pole once. It's first season was less than impressive, though.
Vik |
Spatten1
| | Posted on Tuesday, May 23, 2006 - 01:20 pm: |
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Didn't the VR win a rain race? |
Eeeeek
| | Posted on Tuesday, May 23, 2006 - 02:09 pm: |
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No, second place was the best it got. The VR1000 had lead races, too, but never took a first.
Vik |
M1combat
| | Posted on Tuesday, May 23, 2006 - 02:12 pm: |
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/blue{"I'm not sure Buell can have similar success in FX. I think it'll be harder."}
Of course it'll be harder... If we can get Jeremy to stick around long enough though. It takes a bike and a rider. No offense intended towards Shawn Reiley at all though. He seemed pretty smooth as well and he didn't really have a bike that he could setup properly. I truly believe we'll see great things from the RR. |
Eeeeek
| | Posted on Tuesday, May 23, 2006 - 02:28 pm: |
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I talked with Jeremy a little after the race and he said he would love to continue working with the RR. He's enjoying his time in the U.S. and enjoying the new tracks.
I can not say enough good things about Jeremy.
Shawn is also up for trying more development on the RR. He went from 28 place to 17th on lap 1 as some last minute ride adjustments helped him drop two more seconds. He is confident that a little more time to set up would and he would be able to beat the times he's running on his GSXR.
Vik |
M1combat
| | Posted on Tuesday, May 23, 2006 - 02:35 pm: |
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Brilliant  .
Yeah... I got to watch Jeremy at Daytona. I was watching the Superbike practice and then the SBK race... I kept thinking to myself "That's CAN'T be the right way to get through T5-6... Ah well... I'm not the one who has walked the track I guess.". When the FX race started Jeremy took them like I was thinking they should be done and was noticeably faster in the short straight just after 6 than anyone else (a few feet anyway). I'm really not trying to pull my own chain, but I've put a good deal of time into studying race lines and race craft in general... Those GP guys get it...
Not only that, but it was great to see/listen to Jeremy, Erik, Henry, Rico, Mike, Steve and the rest of the guys involved with setup talk the talk. I learned a lot just listening. |
Xgecko
| | Posted on Tuesday, May 23, 2006 - 03:56 pm: |
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the thing that amazes me is how good Jeremy really is...I mean yes he raced MotoGP but to show up at a track he has never seen and ride as well as he did is amazing I for one hope that a package can be put together by someone to keep him in the states for a year or two just so we can be entertained by his skills...I wore my Warr's shirt all weekend hopping for good things to happen.
Life isn't fair...so cheat
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Whodom
| | Posted on Tuesday, May 23, 2006 - 04:04 pm: |
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Press release just posted by Buell:
RAIN DAMPENS BUELL XBRR EFFORT AT INFINEON FORMULA XTREME
McWilliams Runs in Top 10; Shawn Reilly Scores First AMA Points for XBRR
SONOMA, Calif. -- (Saturday, May 20, 2006) Jeremy McWilliams, riding a Buell XBRR for the combined Warr’s of London Harley-Davidson/Buell (Great Britain) and Hal’s Harley-Davidson/Buell (New Berlin, Wis.) teams, qualified 11th for the Lockhart Phillips USA Formula Xtreme event at the 2006 AMA Superbike Championship at Infineon Raceway in Sonoma, Calif. McWilliams moved up and was closing on 7th position before retiring with an ignition problem on lap 10 of the 17-lap Formula Xtreme national.
A second Buell XBRR, in the hands of Harley-Davidson/Buell of Vallejo rider Shawn Reilly, finished 22nd after qualifying 27th. Reilly is a regular competitor on the AFM circuit and scored the first points for the XBRR in AMA Formula Xtreme. The race was won by Yamaha USA factory rider Eric Bostrom on a YZF-6R.
Rain showers on Friday dramatically shortened practice for Formula Xtreme riders, a set-back for McWilliams, as he was riding at Infineon for the first time. McWilliams also faced an abbreviated practice and qualifying session held on Saturday just hours before the start of the race.
“The weather didn’t help us, as neither dealer team had much time for practice or set-up,” said Buell Chairman and Chief Technical Officer Erik Buell. “But Jeremy got a solid start in the race and was moving up until an ignition problem ended the day, which was disappointing. However, we’ll fix that and we do seem to have solved the primary drive problems from Daytona. We’re looking forward to seeing more XBRRs compete at the next AMA event at Road America.”
The Warr’s/Hal’s joint team received support from Pirelli Tires, Sentry Insurance, Harley-Davidson Financial Services, Screamin’ Eagle SYN3 Synthetic Motorcycle Lubricant, and Harley-Davidson Visa.
The Buell XBRR is a limited-edition production racing motorcycle based on the Firebolt XB12R and designed exclusively for closed-course competition. It offers private racers a professional-level, race-ready, production-based platform.
Buell Motorcycle Company, a subsidiary of Harley-Davidson, Inc., produces sport motorcycles, motorcycle parts, accessories and apparel. To learn more about Buell motorcycles, visit your local Buell dealer today and experience the pure streetfighter attitude, style and performance only found on board a Buell. Pull into www.buell.com for the Buell dealer nearest you. |
Rubberdown
| | Posted on Tuesday, May 23, 2006 - 05:24 pm: |
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Well I knew it was coming.... but watching the race it still sucked to see McWilliams doing the one footed paddle trying to get the XBRR to the pits. DAMN! Well at least the bike is easy to spot on TV with the big fairing. It did appear that the Buell could take a tighter line in the corners than most of the other bikes. |
Chadhargis
| | Posted on Tuesday, May 23, 2006 - 05:41 pm: |
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I always try to see the positives. The good thing about the XBRR, whether it wins a race or even finishes one, is that it helps the development of the street machines.
The engines appear to be holding up well, and that's good. Chassis and suspensions seem more than adequate.
Give Buell some time. They'll get the bike right, and we'll all benefit from it. |
Daves
| | Posted on Wednesday, May 24, 2006 - 07:31 am: |
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Rossi had a DNF on his factory Yamaha Moto GP bike this past weekend too.
Took the win away from him.
These things happen and not just to Buells |
Bigdaddy
| | Posted on Wednesday, May 24, 2006 - 07:45 am: |
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Excellent point Dave! Wonder how much money Yamaha has tied up in their racing M1's? I'd like to see a comparo.
G2 |
Diablobrian
| | Posted on Wednesday, May 24, 2006 - 09:11 am: |
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Nice reality check DaveS!
Neither Yamaha in MototGP has been setting the world on fire this year.
(Message edited by diablobrian on May 24, 2006) |
Daves
| | Posted on Wednesday, May 24, 2006 - 10:17 am: |
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Those bikes are probably about 32,000.00 |
Jimidan
| | Posted on Wednesday, May 24, 2006 - 10:26 am: |
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After watching the race a couple of times on my DVR, where I could run it back and pay particular attention to the streamers on place, times, average MPH, it was obvious that McWilliams was on the move forward when disaster hit. The question was, how far forward would he have made it.
Also, I have included Reilly's stats to let you know what the other Buell in the race was doing.
Here are the stats:
The qualifying times:
#1 DiSalvo-1:38.05, #7 Gobert-1:39.48, #8 Young-1:40.90, #9 Meiring-1:40.97, #10 Howard-141:16, #11 McWilliams-141.47, and #27 Reilly-147.34.
In the second lap, McWilliams had moved up to 8th past Howard, and was chasing Meiring who was in 7th.
In lap 4, Hayes was 5th and 4.94 sec. behind the leader, Young was 6th and 5.6 sec. behind, Gobert was 7th and 5.89 sec. behind, Meiring was in 8th and 7.11 seconds behind the leader, McWilliams was 9th and 8.46 seconds behind the leader about 1.35 seconds behind Meiring, and Reilly was 24th and 18.96 sec. behind the leader.
Lap 5 running order was Bostrum, DiSalvo, Eslick, Barnes, Hayes, Young, Gobert, Meiring, and McWilliams, although the two factory Yammy's had checked out. By lap 6, Gobert had passed Young for 6th, followed by Meiring-8th, and McWilliams in 9th.
Gone to commercial, but when we return with 7 laps to go (lap 10), the two Yammys were well out of range of 3rd place Hayes, who was 13.47 seconds behind them. Dropping back to the general area where our boy was running, Blake Young in 7th and 22.01 sec. behind the leaders, 8th was McWilliams who was obviously having problems by then some 5.20 seconds behind the Young, and Meiring 1.64 seconds behind the Buell. Reilly was 1:22 behind the leaders at this time.
The lap times on the 10th lap were #1 DiSalvo-138.23, #3 Eslick-140.05, #15 McWilliams-141.04, which was not bad except for the "uh-oh" cutaway of McWilliams one legging it on the side of the track (I wish they hadn't shown that...it was fugly, and probably worth several hundred thousand dollars of negative publicity!)
With two laps to go, Reilly was 23rd and over a lap behind. The leaders had also lapped the 3 riders in front of Reilly at this point.
So theoretically, McWilliams may have passed a few more riders in front of him by the end of the race if the Buell had continued running. That is racing. It kinda reminded me of the old Pro Thunder days when Tilley's HD/Buell had the only entry and when it broke, Buell DNF. Although, to be fair, if Shawn Higbee could finish a race, he usually won.
With the two $350,000 Yammy Hauls out there, nobody is going to win one of these FX races unless your name is Bostrum or DiSalvo, much like last year when Honda dominated. Buell needs more than one (competitive) bike in the FX races for it to reap any benefits from all the money it is pouring into the effort. DNF's are obviously in the minus column for advertising benefits of what wins on Sunday, sells on Monday.
Maybe an XBRR will be at Summit Point this weekend, as it would be a good chance to shake out any other bugs before going to Homecoming at Road America. I will be there rooting for them if they show. If not, there are many other Buells running there in CCS to cheer for.
jimidan |
Chadhargis
| | Posted on Wednesday, May 24, 2006 - 03:43 pm: |
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The XBRR may not win an FX race, but I still think that racing is the best place for durability and longevity testing. Race bikes are pounded every minute they are running, and when parts break, they are upgraded and usually trickle down to us average Joes.
The more stuff that breaks on the bike, the more research and improvement will be done on the bike and eventually to all Buells.
I wish McWilliams would pull off a win, but even if he doesn't, Buell is already winning. |
Blake
| | Posted on Wednesday, May 24, 2006 - 04:30 pm: |
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Very well said Chad. But I also don't think it unlikely that the big XBRR will soon be showing up on the podium.
Well done Terry and team. Am already anticipating next weekend and then Road America! You know there must be something in the works for the XBRR for the Road America (Elkhart Lake) event. Yes? Anyone know? |
M1combat
| | Posted on Wednesday, May 24, 2006 - 04:43 pm: |
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All I can really say is that we have the rider. Notice the period. IMO McWilliams is a cut above even Maladin/DuHamel/Zempke et al...
They'll get the bike there soon. Once McWilliams tastes third-fifth place on a start he'll keep up with the leaders. He'll scare them on the way by too... |
Davegess
| | Posted on Wednesday, May 24, 2006 - 05:49 pm: |
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All I can really say is that we have the rider
You got that right. It is a revelation to me how fast he is and how quickly he gets there. He may be considered old and he has never had a top notch MotoGP ride but his 250 championship shows how good he is. It also says to me that the big time talent guys really are pretty good at picking who moves up and who stays behind.
I hope he gets a chance to mix it up with the fast boys soon, I think he has a few tricks up his sleeve. |
M1combat
| | Posted on Thursday, May 25, 2006 - 02:01 am: |
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"It also says to me that the big time talent guys really are pretty good at picking who moves up and who stays behind.
I hope he gets a chance to mix it up with the fast boys soon, I think he has a few tricks up his sleeve."
That's what I'm sayin Dave . |
Buelldyno_guy
| | Posted on Thursday, May 25, 2006 - 11:21 am: |
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This is sort of how it stacked up. We got the bike early Thursday and had to replace the forks and change the rear shock spring. Buell down loaded the MAP from Jeremy's bike into ours and we were ready for the first session.
Shawn is well off the pace and it seem to be the front end, we are at Max Pre-load and almost Max Compression dampening. Tried a few different ride heights and went looking for new heaver front springs. None were available from Hals or Ohlin. By the end of the day it was not getting much better and we were no faster. We went to Henry Duga from Buell and got permission to have Jim Lindemann take a look and see what he could do.
Friday morning Jim had us remove the forks and then he was told that Ohlin had no tools for our "RT" Forks, so he changed the oil weight and we went out for one and a half laps of practice.
Saturday it was a one shot deal of practice & qualifying. We had a small issue in that Shawn's size 11 boots would hit tail and he could not keep his foot on the pegs in the turn and we loaned Jeremy the tail from our AFM F4 Buell as he thought it might work better than than the larger XBRR version. Vic loaned us his tail section which we installed along with the new brake pads Henry Duga and Steve Anderson fro Buell brought us. We installed and the "Q" tires and set up and sent Shawn out, it was better but still not right. Due to the change in the weather, it is now missing or bogging down at around 5000 to 5500 RPM. The Buell Guys came and corrected it by removing a little timing and fuel.
Saturday afternoon "We Made the Show" and the rest is history. A special Thanks to Buell to give us a chance like this and Hats Off to all the team members and to those others like Jim Lindelmann and Vic who stepped in to help. But again the most credit goes to Shawn who proved one more time that he can ride the wheels off anything. ... Terry
(Message edited by buelldyno_guy on May 25, 2006) |
Rubberdown
| | Posted on Thursday, May 25, 2006 - 02:59 pm: |
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Congratulations Terry, Shawn and all the team! Sounds like a real thrash. |
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