Posted on Thursday, September 16, 2010 - 04:46 pm:
Hi all,
Last month I asked you all a question about what you thought of the 1125R becoming a collectable. The vast majority of you said NO.
So if it's not a good collectable, what do you think about it being a Track bike? I mean a dedicated track bike. I would buy a fairing with no headlights and I would remove the mirrors and blinkers and use it only on the track.
I already have another bike for street use so it won't be a problem...
Posted on Thursday, September 16, 2010 - 04:50 pm:
Yes, mine is. I even decided to keep my 1125 rather than go with a BMW s1000rr. The Buell is not only fun to ride it's got a ton of character. And of course everyone likes the way it sounds with race exhaust.
Peter - I like to have it both ways and it works well for me.
I strip off the street crap for a track day and put it all back on for the street.
The bike is so nice on track. Try it "just once" and you might be hooked on track. It is nothing but fun!
I gained some confidence for street riding from the track and it's comforting to know just what the bike can do (not that any sane person would ride the road like the track).
I don't have the spousal support for a second bike (my hat is off to you multiple riders out there!) so I get a lot of use from tracking and riding the same bike. BTW - the bike is stock except for EB-R race ECM and sliders and its capacity is way beyond my puny limits. have fun
The only reason why I won't convert my 1125R over to a track only bike is availability and cost of parts in the event that I crash.
I'd rather have a ZX6 to beat the shit out of and race than my beautiful 1125R and risk thousands in damage. However, if I had two or three like JD has.......you bet your ass it'd be a track bike!!
I was racking my head over this one too, not about a collectors item, but whether to track my 1125r or not. I went back & forth about 3-4 times.
What I've decided as of now anyway, is not to track it, but use it as my street bike. With XB pegs it's so frickin comfy for a sportbike. For track etc I use my 07 R1. Which bike would I rather track, the 1125 hand-down, it's such a confidence inspiring handling bike.
I could see myself switching this up though maybe next yr, when Erik Buell Racing gets really up to speed and maybe I'll be comfortable on parts etc., or I'll not be able to resist getting it out on the track anymore, one way or other, I don't konw if I'd be able to never take the 1125 to the track & once I do, I konw what'll happen then .. there'll be no going back.
The GoPro cameras suck balls and are more trouble than they are worth, that's what gives.
With the original GoPro, they are always randomly shutting themselves off so most of the time you don't get any video anyway, and with the new ones they solved that problem, but only offer it in a fish eye, so even if you are right up the ass of the guy you are filming, he looks a mile away.
On the HD version you can select slightly less than 1080P and it is less than fisheye. I'll be going to the track within a month or so and I'll try it both ways and post results.
I don't think they're bad at all, my Deal's Gap video with picture-in-picture (HD front, standard def butt-cam) came out pretty well, IMHO.
I've just had really bad luck with them. Both the original wide angle and even the new HD ones aren't useful beyond just a few feet, regardless of mode.
It will seem fine until you use it to follow a buddy. Then, even though you are practical rubbing his rear tire in the turns, he will look like he's a mile away.
On the close-up stuff, it works great. For example, I used one inside my fairing to film my hands on the brake. Worked great. What is that? 6 inches tops?
A great example. This is my bud chasing me around. I'm laying back on the straights since he's on quite a bit smaller bike.
Notice when he passes me and I pass him -- we are *inches* from each other, but within a second or two you are just a distant spot because of the fish-eye.
We get into some traffic around 4:00 and dice it up with a couple of guys that were in way over their heads. One almost lost it in turn 5 (that's when I pass him) and one went off track but you don't see it in the video.
99buellX1 - best pic so far, very nice! Is that Road America?
Jdugger - I understand your point, but I guess the answer is to stay closer! Here's a standard def GoPro video from last year on my MV following a friend around in a mock race at a track day to get some footage of him. While the quality could improve (which it does dramatically with the HD version) I think the video is still informative for the rider.
Here's another standard def GoPro for my track day at Daytona last year, it's still better than most camcorder setups I've seen, and you can tuck in without the camera in the way. They're repaving Daytona right now so I hope to get some HD video in the spring at the next track day there on the 1125.
I like my GoPro a LOT!! Never had a single issue with it. Some goes for most of the guys I ride with too. I guess mileage varies. If you use 1080P instead of 720P the angle drops to 127 from 170degrees...so it won't look nearly as fisheyed.
Drawkward - post up some of your on-bike vids with the 127 degree setting. I have yet to try that with my HD. I need to find a good way to mount these to the triple clamp. I like to get a view of the IC and out the front of the windshield.
If you want to get the IC in the picture, you should try the 960P long setting. That's used a lot in surf videos because it adds a higher sight picture because it's in 4:3 instead of 16:9 format.
Well I'm getting the feeling I'm hanging with the wrong crowd...
Just kidding! SO it seems that the vast majority of those that responded are in favor of dedicating the 1125r as a track bike. So I need to know what I have to do to it to make it track ready. Any suggestions.
99BuellX, where did you get that full race fairing?
Peter, first thing you should do is go to the bank and empty your account...wad up the money that you have now and begin throwing it at the bike. I think that should be a good first step!
I've been on the fence about what to do as well....My 1125CR basically doesnt get dressed back in its street gear anymore since I'm at the track with it so much. I know it would make more sense to pick up a yamakawazukihonda as far as parts availability (especially at the track-very often mine is the only Buell on site) BUT this is what THIS particular bike did to me- turned me into a track junkie hitting the track pipe as much as humanly possible so....to jump on a r6 beater just wouldnt be the same. As soon as I can run with the fastest in my club(team Promotion) I will race. I'm nowhere close to them yet but they're great teachers and I'm learning and practicing heavy. I want to race. I want to race MY BUELL.
You're going to be at a significant aerodynamic disadvantage with your CR compared to an R if you plan on racing and doing only track days on it. To a lesser extent the ergonomics of the CR are also a disadvantage as you'll want more weight over the front for optimum weight distribution for front-end feel and keeping the front end down exiting slower corners.
Have your Promotion instructors said anything about this?