| Author | Message | ||
     Duggram |
Last Sunday I was looking at the forks and mag front wheel that E.B.R has on their site now. So I ordered them with the 5mm rotor, light weight subframe and wiring harness. They arrived today (Friday) at 6:30. Tomorrow is a trackday and Sunday is race day. It's too late to tear into the bike for me. I've got too much else to do to get ready for tomorrow. The real bummer is that I won't get to use this stuff till September because I have to travel for work too much in August. Don't get me wrong, I think the service from E.B.R is over the top good. But at least I have this stuff and will get to use it. I got the forks because my stock forks got screwed up when I put heavier springs in them. I let a jap bike mechanic put them in. Then I asked Evan Steel (ESP) to set them up at the track. He found that he couldn't adjust the pre-load. I also have the TTX Ohlins which he could setup. So now I'll have the Showa race forks with the 25mm cartridges. At the next race at Arroyo Evan will be there and I'll ask him to try again. I'd also like to have the chain drive and mag rear wheel before the September race. The motor is still stock (except for a Torque Hammer and map by Dris). You can see that I'm working on lightening and suspension before getting into the motor. I think this is a smart way to go. BTW I will also have the FlexiGlass ram air side panels too. I test road a BMW S1000RR a couple of months ago. Thought about selling the Buell and going Beemer. Just can't do it. I love the twins class (won my first race last race weekend). Bottom line is I like the Buell so much I can't give up on it. Now I'm thinking how nice it would be to get the 1190 kit over the winter. If you have an opinion on what else to do to a Buell club race, please speak up. | ||
| Thefleshrocket |
How was the stock fork screwed up? The 1125's fork is a Showa if memory serves and someone who can work on jap bikes should have no problems with an 1125 fork. Maybe the tech was just plain incompetent, but I wouldn't blame him screwing up your fork on him being specialized in jap bikes. | ||
| Pariah |
Doug, wow, you sure have come a long way in a short time, now winning races. Good for you! Yeah, how can you give up on the Buell? The bike has been part of the journey, it's become your buddy (if you're like me, you get attached to machines). The S1000RR is a perfect but kinda lacks character. The "1190 kit"? Please elaborate... what does that include, and how much? Sounds like some serious bucks. | ||
| Jng1226 |
Awesome! Congrats on your first race win, one of many to come I am sure. I haven't yet ridden a S1000RR, but would be reluctant to do so because I'm sure it would be too good to live without. For club racing, I don't think you would ever have to do anything to the motor, just tweak/upgrade the suspension to your liking and ride the snot out of it! If you're really considering that or the 1190 you have to weigh the practical options of reliability and support. From the description on Erik Buell Racing's website, the 1190 motor looks completely built out and unless you're very handy you may be sending it out for some work every 4-5 race weekends to keep it fresh. A stock S1000RR motor is already making 182+ RWHP (compared to the 1190's claim of 185 RWHP) and that's with a warranty! Add to that the Race Traction Control and Race ABS, weigh the cost of the S1000RR vs. 1190 that doesn't even offer these options and I'm not sure it's much of an objective choice... Regarding your 1125, it sounds like you have a solid plan already. It depends upon the feeling you are getting from the bike and also how it will feel once the lap times come down even further, but you may want to consider the replacement steering cups that add rake and trail for more stability. I heard that Danny Eslick ran the 1-degree increase in rake option in last year's DSB-winning 1125R. I found my stock 1125R a little unstable at fast corner entries and exits at Jennings GP running high expert lap times, and wondered if the Ohlins steering damper kit would solve that. Are you running a steering damper now? Good luck and keep the reports coming. Jeff | ||
| Duggram |
Thanks for the comments. Really am still a rookie. Started Nov '08 with one race and one more in Jan '09. Got hurt at the next race and was out the rest of '09. I'm 60 now and still have to go to work on Mondays. So I do ride conservative. It is a gas though the way some of the young guys talk to me. "Geez you're older than my dad!" Yesterday during our trackday I got passed by an S1000RR while slowing down for an even slower rider. I had no trouble passing the beemer back. Even with his traction control he was not getting out of the turns as hard as the 1125. BTW have you looked at Laguna S.B.K qualifying. Geoff May is ahead of both Peris and Toye on beemers. You have to like that. My motor plans don't include the full 1190 kit, whatever that is. When I say 1190 kit I'm referring to what was on the E.B.R Web site when it first went up and they had shop descriptions for various types of engine work. As I remember it one was the 1190 kit. Of course that doesn't mean there really is one. My plan is to only get the 1190 lightened crank, stronger rods and pistons. I don't want the wild cams, but I might spring for the lighter valve train depending on cost. I realize that is leaving a lot more power on the table, but for the sake of a dependable club racer I think it would be a smart move. But that's not going to happen till mid November. I've thought about the steering head cups but the tracks I ride on aren't too fast. For sure I know that I don't enter corners fast enough. That's where I get caught and passed the most. I use a GPR damper. It works fine. The new track layout that was tried yesterday actually had two jumps where it entered and left an oval bowl. The damper really shined there. BTW this was not at my favored "home" track, but this one is very close to home. I've spent most of this year capitulating over whether or not to put money into the Buell. I like the bike a lot. But I was worried about sinking money into something that would have no value in 5 years when I'm ready to go to a lighter racer. The beemer has most everything right now, would probably be worth more in 5 years but I can't quite cash out on it. And, I don't want to put any more toys on contracts at this point in my life. I can put upgrades into the Buell each month and that is the route I've chosen to go. Later today I'll get a chance to try the new mag wheel and lighter rotor. Didn't want to put the forks on and have to deal with dialing them in during today's practice. Besides I went to bed early last night which is why I'm up in the middle of the night writing this. | ||
| Nattyx1 |
yeah and peris and toye are VERY fast riders. So it's not as much a rider issue as it is a bike issue. And that, friends, is amazing. BMW is worth, what? Like billions and billions of dollars, right? And Erik Buell Racing is worth what? I don't know either, but a tad less. David v Goliath redux. |
