| Author | Message | ||
     Jim_Sb |
James, re brake lights - I ride with some guys and we often ride using "The Pace", a technique that de-emphasizes braking and focuses on smoothness and cornering technique. One day on a 30 mile stretch of ACH I saw the leader's brake lights twice. Of course the trick is to use engine braking and to keep your speed on the straights under control. A side bonus of this method is your brakes last a lot longer and of course they are there if you need them. Not sure if Sparky's running the Pace or not but our ride the other day was at a very casual 100% legal speed. Or so it seemed from where I was in the pack. I ride quicker than that (which is why Timbo and I snuck ahead of the group for a little while), but I endeavor to avoid tickets and jail time for obvious reasons.  | ||
| Jim_Sb |
Slaughter, the Catbird was a promising design. I read all about it way back when. Now that I've been sucked fully into this manly riding thread, I'll 'fess up. The only thing I've ever ground on the S2 is my boot. I made the mistake of thinking about shifting right before I went into a tight left hander. Boot got jammed between the bike/shifter and the ground. It was interesting. Anyway, it seems to have all the ground clearance my skill level requires. In stock trim it doesn't have enough power to bust the rear loose (power steering?) in corners. Which is good because I don't know how to do that either. But I'm willing to learn.  Was there anything else? | ||
| Slaughter |
Jim (et al), "The Pace" is a really great way to ride. For me, there is a great "sweet spot" up around 4000 to 5500 rpm where I get excellent engine braking and good power when needed. That rpm range in 3rd or 4th covers a lot of speeds. Don't need to rev much higher than that. Hardly even need to shift going up ACH. It is a really elegant way to ride. I tend to ride a touch hard but even so, don't find I need much braking. I find it more interesting to scoot forward against the tank, hit the turn at an "interesting" but not scary speed then accelerate early and increase the lean a touch. Not a racing technique but it lets me feel the turn. Until I started really moving my weight forward going into and through the turns, I never really felt as precise as I could be. | ||
| Slaughter |
Jim - just got your post as I was editing mine. I am only recently starting to drag my pegs enough to consider rearsets. Not because I am hot-dogging but it is so startling when it happens that I don't like the break in my concentration that happens when peg or the side of my boot hits the pavement. I know I am supposed to be hanging off the bike more but that's coming. I am sneaking up on modifications a little at a time. What I have done so far is mostly for style (and sound) - intake, ecm and exhaust. Now is time to ride and learn the bike more. Any bodywork will come along in due time. Not because of any performance gains but because it looks cool (and I can build it myself) Same with the intake I am designing. | ||
| Jim_Sb |
Sounds real good, Slaughter. I think we'll do just fine. The 16th should be a hoot! I'm 115 miles from the Shell station at the base of ACH. If I go the short way. I wonder who's further away, me or Ferris? | ||
| Jim_Sb |
Slaughter, I think rearsets would be nice for the S2 just to put the pegs in a more comfy position. They're an inch or two forward for my tastes. Not sure if anyone makes 'em though. No worries. One day I'll either T Storm the S2 or maybe send the heads to Nallin Racing. No rush. I enjoy corners more than straights. Make your own stuff, eh? Skills from your Scaled Composites days perhaps? Interesting. We will need to talk. | ||
| Slaughter |
Jim, I think Banke makes rearsets for the S2 - give them a call - they are very knowledgeable on things Buell. I'll probably get their rearsets for my S3 in a couple weeks. If the M2 and S2 and S3 are pretty close in geometry, you can end up with ASB, Crossroads or Banke and not really go wrong. Banke Crossroads ASB I do know Banke is willing to work with you and will machine almost anything that can't be bought but call and ask - he knows what works and what doesn't. Maybe the S1 M2 or S3 set will drop on without fuss. Banke does make a peg relocator that moves the pegs up and back about an inch each way which is WAY cheaper but isn't going to help an awful lot if you are hitting your pegs pretty often. And yeah, I have been doing composites all my adult and pre-adult life. Except a couple years off for school, it is all I have done since 1971 - though mostly doing R&D, I used to run a composites shop as foreman during the mid-to-late 1970's where we were doing Team Hansen (Kawi USA road team) and a lot of the air-cooled and early TZ series Yams as well as BSA/Tri. Had a whole line of cafe hardware plus did USAC champ car bodies for Lindsey Hopkins and Gurney (before he moved it all in-house) That was a fun time of life. The stuff I am doing now I do just because it interests me and is a break from the high tech stuff - getting back to my "roots" Nobody in his right mind would do this stuff so I certainly qualify. | ||
| Ferris |
Ferris, I don't mean to imply that you or I would be pushing limits on a group ride. no worries, Steve, i just tossed all that out in case we had any lurkers who were thinking of joining us but were a little leery about all the talk of speed and tickets and the like. most of my talk is just that -- talk. sure, i'll turn 'n burn when the time is right, but i REALLY try to "take care of" the other participants in a group-ride situation -- be they newbies or veterans, male or female -- beginning with a serious, interactive pre-flight speech. and most definitely, as far as i'm concerned ANY brand of bike (and rider) is more than welcome. i can't agree with you more about the fun and camraderie aspects of a group-ride. FB | ||
| Ferris |
I wonder who's further away, me or Ferris? me. FB | ||
| Sparky |
I'll vouch for Ferris regarding his concern for keeping the safety of a group intact. He acted like the proper tour guide on Day 3 of the Calif BRAG Tour last year, making sure we all knew the route, had gas, the right tire pressure, how to signal for debris, how to read the road, when to pass safely, but don't try to pass him! All that stuff. That turned out to be the best day for interesting backroads, thanks to Ferris for doing his scouting homework previously. Thanks again, FB, ya done good. I'm looking forward to ridin' with you (on a Buell this time) again. Sparky | ||
| Slaughter |
Ferris, I agree about the cameraderie - that is the only reason to go on a group ride (that and having somebody to ride home with if the bike breaks down) I am perfectly willing also to meet at any location - I don't mean to sound like I am insisting on Newcomb's - but that being said, huevos rancheros and coffee for a late morning breakfast while doing detailed ride planning is hard to beat for a great way to start a day. Gotta run back to work (yeah, working sort-of today) Attention James (Jprovo) - Looks like we are rolling outta here tomorrow at 10 or so and not 0900. I'll contact you offline, too. Don't know if you are still wanting to connect. | ||
| Jprovo |
Steve, I can't make it DOH! I'll see you at either Tim and Candice's on the 9th or on the 16th. James | ||
| Slaughter |
James (and any others thinking of riding with us tomorrow), We may pull the plug on our informal ride tomorrow. Three of us have some time but it's looking tight - family obligations on a couple folks, and me... the work thing. One of the guys just got a hot date tonight and left me specific instructions not to wait for him if he's not there by 10 (wishful thinking on his part) Might just be 3 different solo rides. I might just head to Newcomb's solo for lunch if the weather looks adequate but then I may just work the day and take a couple flex days during the week - one for riding, one for diving. Oh well, this was totally spur of the moment. Next time I'll certainly see a bunch of you on the 16th!!! That's going to be fun. | ||
| Ferris |
Sparky, thanks for the very kind words. i'm proud of the fact that we had something like 20 aggressive sportbikes ride something like a couple hundred aggressive miles, and the ONLY shunt was the guy who went into the ditch on a 10-mph turn trying to impress the photographer! hope to ride with you (yes, i'll be on a Buell) on the 16th. FB ps: anybody know if EBear is back in the wind yet??? pss: Steve, i'd like to initially hook up with you in the Palmdale area on the 16th. | ||
| Slaughter |
Ferris, If Palmdale works for you on the 16th, that makes life really easy for me but I can meet you just about anywhere. I haven't heard back from Tim and Candice yet about the 16th. They may be burned out after the Superbike Sunday party... then again, getting outta the house may be just what the Dr. ordered. They will probably be setting the regular BRAG run up for the following weekend (23rd) - that at least is the normal day for the group to ride. See you soon enough and between now and then, we can see what the preferences of the others are as far as meeting and riding. | ||
| Jim_Sb |
Which Buell? | ||
| Matty |
Nuts. I just realized the 16th may be my first official race at Willow Springs. Anyone up for riding with me? It was all go until the dealerships Lawyer caught wind of this and slowed things up a bit. If the paperwork is done soon then I'm racing, if not I'll have to wait a month and I'll be grubbing a bacon burger at Newcombs with all y'all. | ||
| Slaughter |
Matty, Riding with you??? At the track? I can't even stay out of my OWN way yet... I'm not going to WSMC Newbie school til next month (still debating on track-prepping the Matty Replica/Great Pumpkin) but... maybe I can break away from work on Friday 14th to get rolling on the Street Rider session... dang, something else to try to squeeze in but that's why I work weekends - so I can break away during the week if there is something worth doing. Might break away from work today to head to Newcomb's for lunch... all work and no play makes Steve a dull boy. Nice thing about working weekends is that nobody cares how long a lunch break I take and if today stays warm, it's going to be impossible NOT to go out and ride. | ||
| Ferris |
Which Buell? why, the Thong!!! (my new '98 S1W White Lightning Molten Orange Twintail Grin-Generating Machine! ) FB ps Steve: i'll be departing Lake Isabella and heading your way via the Ferris Trail and the Wind Farms -- maybe we could meet in Tehachapi? Rosamond? Lancaster? | ||
| Slaughter |
Ferris, Meeting in Tehachapi would be like, Groovy man. Name the spot and the time, I'll be there and we can roll downhill from there. I don't really know how early you want to roll outta Ferrisville because it's gotta be about this |........| cold in the mornings in the passes. It is an easier ride for me from here. If you are crazy enough to start early, we could stop for coffee and breakfast in Tehachapi, then lunch at Newcomb's... just thinking. Man, don't know why but it seems that half of my weekend planning is based on what/where I am eating. |
