| Author | Message | ||
     Nsbuell |
Hey guys, I've searched for tips on race prepping my XB but haven't found much...maybe I'm not using the search tool very well. Anyway, I'm seriously thinking about doing some amatuer road racing next year and would like some tips on getting the bike ready for the track...especially any Buell specific information that might not apply to other bikes (i.e. lock wiring the axles, what type of belly pan, do you use stock bodywork)Thanks! | ||
| Slaughter |
Big can of worms. FIRST - go to the website for the organization you plan to race with - some are more strict than others. All that I have seen have downloadable rules and you can find the section that covers preparation (Includes safety wiring and other issues) Some rules of thumb: ANY connection that holds ANY fluid (coolant, oil, brake fluids) MUST be safetied (a booger of silicone is usually OK - I've heard some organizations don't like that though) Banjo fittings on brakes too! Oil Filter - usually a hose clamp around the filter body can be wired to the chassis to prevent loosening. Oil containing belly pan is required by every race organization that I've ever heard of. USUALLY axle AND pinch bolts need wiring Brake caliper bolts Maybe the brake link/arm too Remove turn signals (or tape them up) - ditto lights (if you just tape them up, pull the fuses) Kill switch required. Tip over switch is a REALLY good idea (if not required). If you do tip over, you don't want to demolish the motor when it keeps running without oil! Throttle spring return will be checked in tech. I'd recommend wiring your hand grips so they can't spin on your bars. Obviously, general good condition, good tires, stuff like that. Get your own tire pressure gage. Use it and only it, check it for accuracy before you use it. Set your tire pressures on the recommendations of the trackside tire vendor you buy the tires from - or if you go with some street tires, get RACING pressure recommendations from a RACE vendor - regardless of brand of tire. Most race orgs have Pirelli, Dunlop, Michelin, Bridgestone representatives there at trackside. Use them for all the advice you can get! Get a notebook to record ALL details, changes - tire pressures, track/air temperatures, suspension settings... all that good stuff. I'm writing this down in a hurry between breaks at work. No proofreading so hope it makes sense. | ||
| Eboos |
I like the notebook suggestion. In the Marine Corps, you learn to do that for qualifying on the rifle range, and also for competition. It's a good way of keeping track of what was working, and what wasn't. | ||
| Diablobrian |
Slaughter did really well IMO. I thought of a couple more too. Belly pan capable of holding all of the fluid in your bike. probably not required for a track day, but a must for racing. catch can for crank case vents, tranny vent, and fuel tank vent. one can can do it all. Once again probably not needed for track day, and even racing some tech inspections have skipped on that one since the Buell is not water cooled. Leathers. Either full of 2 piece with full circumference zipper connecting the jacket to pants. (no metal in your knee pucks) Gauntlet gloves with knuckle protection. Full face helmet made within past 5 years with snell, or equivalent rating (just DOT won't cut it) Spine protector. Don't cut corners here! Dainese, knox, Alpine stars, or even the Icon field armor will do the trick. the foam piece that came with your jacket won't cut it. Bring friends to help in the pits. You will wear yourself out more than you think on the track. Even if you train for it. This time of year shade isn't as important as it is mid-summer, but plenty of water still is. I'm sure there is more I'm missing too, and I know it has been discussed before as well, but not in the past 6 months or so. | ||
| Slaughter |
Copied and pasted from WSMC rulebook. Keep in mind, the requirements are tighter than AMA in some areas, weaker than some clubs in others... YMMV Again, most clubs are pretty similar. Here you go: The following requirements must be followed by all WSMC racing motorcycles, unless modified by specific class requirements. These rules are designed to ensure that all machines are in safe mechanical condition, and that potential failure points are guarded or will fail-safe. 1. All motorcycles must be inspected by a WSMC Tech Inspector before being allowed to participate in any practice session or race, and must bear a Tech sticker for that day's events. Please remove "old" tech stickers prior to dailyWSMC Tech. 2. All machines must prominently display theWSMC logo on both sides of the machine. Points and awards will be withheld from any racer who fails to display the WSMC decals. 3. The following equipmentmust be removed: license plate and bracket (if not part of the tail light assembly), reflectors, center and side stands, mirrors, turn signals, luggage racks, saddlebags, crash bars (case guards may be allowed). 4. The following may be removed except as otherwise provided by class rules: rear brake light assembly, headlight assembly, and speedometer. Removing protruding side or center stand lugs (incl. Super Stock classes) is allowed. 5. The following must be completely taped (light tight) if not removed: tail and brake light lens, headlight lens, speedometer lens. 6. Snap-on side covers must be securely fastened by safety wire, zip ties or modified to bolt or screw on. 7. All plugs and fittings with oil or water behind them (this can include oil galley plugs) must be securely fastened and safety wired. Yellow 3M weather-strip cement or RTV silicone sealant may be used in cases where it is impractical to drill fasteners. 8. All fuel, oil, and coolant line connections must have positive clamping (not safety wires or slip fits). Clamps on pressure oil, fuel, and water lines must be safety wired so as to prevent loosening. 9. All fuel tanks must have readily accessible, working shut-off valves. All fuel, oil, and water tanks must be leak-free and securely mounted. 10. A six (6) ounce capacity (minimum) catch tank or reservoir must be provided for all breather hoses venting the cam box and/or top end, crankcase, primary drive case, transmission, carburetor(s), and oil tank(s). Catch tank(s) must be situated so that they will not overflow unless more than two-thirds (2/3) full. 11. Liquid cooled engines must use water or water with Redline "Water Wetter"/Neo "Keep Cool" or Maxima “Cool-Aide”products and vent into a catch tank. Note that NO other products are approved for use with water in liquid cooled machines other than the above named products. 12. Gasoline available from commercial highway stations or commercially available race gas (Union 76, Trick, etc.) must be used. Lubricating oils and/or commercially available octane boosters may be added to the gasoline. 13. Oil coolers may not be mounted above the seat or above the tail section behind the rider. 14. The whole of the exhaust must be discharged rearwards by one or more pipes which may not have any lateral openings (SuperTrapp type excepted). The rear end of the pipes may not extend beyond the rear of the rear tire, or be directed in such a way as to create dust or interfere with other riders. 15. Frames must be free of cracks and kinks. All frame welds must be sound. 22 WILLOW SPRINGS MOTORCYCLE CLUB - 2006 RULE BOOK Version 5.02 Copyright © 2006Willow SpringsMotorcycle Club. All Rights Reserved. 16-Jun-06 GENERAL MOTORCYCLE REQUIREMENTS (continued) 16. Machines must have both a front and rear suspension (Vintage and Classic machines excepted). 17. Wheels must be in true alignment with no broken or loose spokes. 18. Only pavement or roadracing type tires are permitted. Excessively worn or unsafe tires may not be used. Valve caps are required (metal caps preferred). 19. Effective, fully operational front and rear wheel brakes are required. 20. Drum brake anchor arm and disk brake caliper mounting fasteners must be safety wired or secured with mechanical locking devices. Split washers, star washers and self-locking washers do not count as proper locking devices. 21. Handlebars must be a minimum of 18 inches wide (15 1/2 inches on machines 125cc or under) and a maximum of 33 inches. Control levers must have ball ends at least 1/ 2 inch in diameter. Hand controls must operate effectively and reliably. 22. Footrests may fold up and rearwards but must not fold accidentally. Footrests may be modified to fold if not originally folding. Footrests, if covered by rubber, must have rubber securely fastened. Only one set of footrests may be fitted (Super Stock exempted). Foot controls must be free from sharp or ragged edges. 23. Motorcycles are required to be entered only in their appropriate displacement category. Example: 500cc bikes only in 500 classes, not in 600; 750cc bikes only in 750 classes, not in Open, and so on. WSMC will disqualify riders violating this requirement. 24. Numberplates must be clearly readable from front and both sides while motorcycle is in motion. Should either the original bodywork or replacement bodywork not include the required 10" x 12" number display area, a separate numberplate of those dimensions must be securely attached. a) Number must correspond with your 2006 WSMC license number. b) White is the ONLY color of numberplate background permitted. c) Black is the ONLY color of number permitted. d) Fancy style and day-glow numbers are not permitted. e) Installing numbers directly over multi-colored backgrounds is not permitted. f) Numbers may not overlap or wrap around onto the top of the tail section. g) There are no number and letter combination numbers with WSMC (example: "10x" is not permitted). h) 8" tall x 1" width stroke numbers are preferred but, 7" tall x 1"width stroke is allowed 26. Unreadable or improperly numbered machines shall not be scored (i.e. disqualified from race), and may result in a rider being required to score a race. 27. Supercharging or turbocharging is permitted only if part of the manufacturers' as-delivered model (Superbike and Formula Classes excepted). Such machines must run up one displacement class (i.e. a turbocharged 550cc machine must run in the 650cc class). 28. Drive chain master linksmust have their spring clip pointing in the direction of chain travel and must be safety wired or have silicone sealant product applied. 29. All axle nuts must be safety wired. If machine has a C-clip device on axle itmust be safety wired. All axle pinch bolts must be safety wired. WILLOW SPRINGS MOTORCYCLE CLUB - 2006 RULE BOOK 23 Version 5.02 Copyright © 2006Willow SpringsMotorcycle Club. All Rights Reserved. 16-Jun-06 GENERAL MOTORCYCLE REQUIREMENTS (continued) 30. The following items relate to performance modifications, and apply to all classes unless otherwise stated. a) Cylinders may be bored to a maximum of 1.0 mm over the bore size corresponding to the class displacement for a given stroke. b) Lubricating, damping, and brake fluids may be changed. c) Front and/or rear spring rates may be changed. d) Brake linings and/or pads may be changed. e) Aftermarket and/or braided steel brake lines may be used. f) Clutch lining material may be changed. g) An ATK™ device may be installed h) Addition of steering damper, if not so equipped, is allowed. 31. All motorcycles shall be equipped with muffling devices that limit the sound to 108dBA. The noise level will be measured when the machine is on the track during practice and racing events. Measurement will be taken from the WSMC Tech area, while machine passes on the front straightaway. If a machine is over the limit it may be black-flagged. 32. Removable exhaust baffles and/or cores must be safety wired. 33. All motorcycles, without exception, must be equipped with a working engine kill switch accessible without removing hands from the handgrips. 34. All Suzuki Katanas, all 1995 and earlier Suzuki GSX-R's and 1996-98 GSX-R1100s, and all Suzuki GSX-R1300 HayabusaMUST have engine case guards installed around the right and left crankcase ends. Aftermarket replacements cases may be used (example: Graves Motorsports / Yoshimura, etc.). 1996-2006 Suzuki GSX-R600, 1996-2006 Suzuki GSX-R750, and 2001-2006 GSX-R1000 must have a case guard or aftermarket replacement case on the right side of the engine. 35. All motorcycles are required to have an oil catch-pan capable of containing all fluids. | ||
| Coolice |
More for you....contact your local Buell dealer, then get in touch with Buell for a belly pan. Just remove the lights, sidestand. Safety wire drain plugs, etc. Have fun. Stock XB bodywork is tough, start out with it. Definately bring someone with you, racing/hard track time is physically demanding, and in case you need help, its good to have a person that knows you. And keeps asking questions, we can help. | ||
| Xbcrazy |
I highly recommend front and rear stands and a set of tire warmers for anyone considering racing. It is impossible to build the required heat for turn 1 on the observation lap alone. Without proper tire temp, traction is severely compromised. Pete | ||
| M1combat |
Isn't that the truth... A trackday last weekend on a 1.1 mile roadcourse... After 1.5 laps of following a CBR1000RR around my tires weren't warm... Pulled out to pass (or in I suppose, since I was going to pass him on the inside coming out of the turn) and the rear just plain stepped out. I got him mid lap or so, but coming around that turn the next time I saw a nice 15-20' strip of rubber... Tire warmers are on the list  . | ||
| Trojan |
Buy the best tyres you can afford!! If the class you run in allows slicks then run them, the difference is amazing. If you have to run a road pattern tyre then run something soft like the Metzeler Racetec or Pirelli Supercorsa. As stated above, Tyre warmers should be near the top of your shopping list. Spend money on suspension upgrades before you tune the engine. You will gain more time on a well setup bike than a more powerful one (unless you are racing at Bonneville of course!), Learning to set up a bike properly takes longer than just about anything else, so start early! If you aren't enjoying it, stop and do something else! | ||
| Skully |
Hello Ryan, Here are photos of what I did to pass technical inspection for the Central Motorcycle Racing Association with my 2003 XB9S: http://www.badweatherbikers.com/cgibin/discus/show .cgi?tpc=6817&post=531187#POST531187 If you have any questions, drop me a line. | ||
| Slaughter |
ASK the tire vendors for their recommendations for compounds and pressures on the day you are racing (if you haven't run them before). What Matt said: Slicks are so much better - handling and traction - that if you are allowed by your class, USE them! Tires are going to BARELY last 3 days - if you race 3 or 4 races in a day, you can only get a light practice day plus race day. OK - I hate to be the bearer of bad tidings but... GET GOOD MEDICAL COVERAGE!!!!! Road Racing World a few months back had an excellent article on medical coverage - including recommended companies. TRUST ME - you do not want to be waiting for specialists, you want insurance that does not require pre-approval for treatment - especially when you're not in the ER but needing say, a neurologist or orthopedic specialist. This is really overlooked in people's ideas of what it really costs to go racing. Like it or not, if you stay with it, you WILL fall down, you WILL break bones. I also recommend getting to know your general practicioner and get his recommendation on orthopedic surgeon BEFORE you have one assigned to you by the ER. Not sure how that all works in Canada, here it's a big issue. | ||
| Diablobrian |
"If you aren't enjoying it, stop and do something else!" That is the best advice yet. In racing the old adage goes: The best way to make a small fortune racing ........ Is to start with a LARGE fortune. So if it ceases to be fun walk away for a while.} | ||
| Xbcrazy |
Now that we have scared the poor guy... Racing is great, but can be and usually is expensive even when trying to stay on a budget. Back to your original question, as you have gathered from previous posts, the actual prep to the bike can be minimal. You need to safety wire, come up with a lower fairing and get ride of street equipment like lights and kick stand, etc. Oh, and get some race tires and warmers. The more challenging, i.e. expensive, part is preparing yourself to be at the race. The peripherals like trailers, generators, tents and camping equipment, food, tools, race fuel...the list goes on and on. My advice would be to hook up with someone who already races and tag along with them. There are plenty of other amateur Buell racers on the BadWeb that would be more than happy to show you the ropes. Good luck and have fun. Pete | ||
| Nsbuell |
Thanks a lot guys, this is great stuff. In regard to the "preparing yourself to race" being the most expensive, I only live 30 minutes from the local track (and don't plan to visit any others) so I don't know if I would stay at the track at night...that means no camping gear. I've got a truck so no trailer required. Does every single person bring their own generator for tire warmers and stuff? That could be a big expense. Is race fuel essential? What is the deal with "take-offs"? If they're too worn for someone else why do I want them? Is a Buell any easier on tires than a 600 IL4? Skully: those pics are a great help. Thanks a lot! A question about the belly pan though, how does it actually hold oil in if there's a leak? Do you need to seal it up somehow once it's on the bike? I'm obviously new at this so the more I know the easier it will be for me to make my final decision to race or not. | ||
| Coolice |
1) generator-maybe if you know someone there you can plug into/share fuel cost? Borrow one? 2)Race fuel-not unless you have engine mods- for starters just run what you normally do. 3)Take offs(I have a stack in my garage now) are tires the advanced riders have used but for starting out you can run them, just not as many laps and as hard. 4) That's a debate question, track surface, track temp, how hard you brake, how hard you accelerate, etc.,etc. Check tire pressures often! 5) belly pan- its there just in case. Yes it's sealed. so it will hold oil in case of a oil filter loose, line break or worse.You mount it on the sides, no holes on bottom. Ask questions, there is lots of knowledge,experience here. And pictures of lots of race Buells here on Badweb. Hope this helps. | ||
| Nsbuell |
I think I'm going to need to do an estimate up before I make the plunge. This could get real expensive. Some other things I know I'll need are front and rear stands, a steering damper, a back protector, and a full waist zipper sewn into my two-piece leathers. It sure would suck to invest all the money and then wad the bike up in my first outing. The bike I plan to race is not even paid for yet so I imagine I'll need to pay it off first cause I'm sure I can't race a bike the bank owns part of. What about insurance? Do you need any type of insurance on your bike to race on a track (no street use)? | ||
| Slaughter |
Nsbuell - you CAN race it if it's insured - just don't make a claim if something were to happen to it. I'm not kidding there. You're going to have a race license and can get replacement parts at pretty deep discounts for licensed racers - assuming you have a dealer you can get to work with you. Good article on safety wiring: http://www.sportrider.com/tech/146_0002_hand/ http://www.whizwheels.com/Tips/safetywiring.html You can put washers under the heads of the front axle pinch bolts to raise them high enough to catch a safety wire - otherwise they sit flush with the bottom fork casting and you have to drill a funny angle. Buy a dozen 1/16 drills. You're going to break a few. The extras are just handy to have around. | ||
| Gearhead |
Nsbuell, Don't get too down about the costs. I recently put a race bike together and competed in my first race in September. I bought an XB12R from a local guy who rebuids salvage bikes as a hobby. It was completely roadworthy when I bought it and came with the complete race kit but needed a few other parts to make me happy. They were mainly plastic parts that were scuffed up that just made the bike look tacky so I replaced them. Here's a list of what I bought to get the bike on the track... Buell belly pan - DaveS (BadWeb) Appleton HD/Buell Belly pan mounting hardware - Coolice (BadWeb) Buell number plate - DaveS (BadWeb) Appleton HD/Buell Drummer muffler - Kevin Drum - BadWeb sponser New battery Pirelli race tires - (2) sets both, the same compounds Safety wiring pliers and a spool of wire Doulble bubble windscreen Buell traction grips Buell race compound front brake pads - DaveS Bike evaluation at my dealer - Silver Eagle HD/Buell - (this was to check timing, tps, charging system, etc, and overall engine condition) Vinyl numbers and yellow vinyl for number backgound Oil and filter change Buell Pro Series spark plugs PitBull rear stand - DaveS This totaled just over $1600 plus the price of the bike. I already had a good helmet, gloves and leathers and I use a friends trailer to get to the track. Depending on what you have to pay for the bike, many of the above items are one time purchases. I'm keeping and refining the stock suspension until I see my lap times don't improve, then I'll upgrade. I have more to work on myself right now, drop a few pounds and get more seat time, to get faster.  | ||
| Xbcrazy |
Hey Gearhead, Funny that you mention "work on myself" as part of your race prep plans. That is exactly what I did last year. I dropped 20 lbs and got to the gym regularly. I fully expected my performance on the bike at my first race weekend to be much improved. Unfortunately my times proved otherwise. I only matched my best lap time from last year. Hardly the improvement that I was looking for. I decided to spend some cash and upgrade the suspension on my XB9R. Went with rebuilt front forks from CTR Suspensions and a Wilbers rear unit. CTR is trackside at all CCS/ASRA events on the east coast. In my next race, the bike felt unreal and so easy to ride. I thought something was wrong actually because I was not fatigued at the end of the race. Turns out I bested my previous best lap time by 2.3 seconds! I almost s**t my pants when I saw it on my lap timer. Official scoring then confirmed it. Anyway, my point is that if I had to do it over again, I wouldn't wait so long to dial in good suspension. It is way more fun to race when you don't have to work so hard and fight the bike in every turn. Yet again fast and fun = more money! Pete | ||
| Gearhead |
Pete, Thanks for your comments. I'm in CCS Great Plains and haven't heard of the two suspension companies you mentioned. Can you post a website or contact number for both. I may be frugal but I'm not stupid!! I'm always interested in learning what the more experienced (FAST) guys are doing and using. Thanks again... | ||
| Bébèrt |
You could buy this ? (10500£ that's 20.000$)  2006 season race bike, as ridden by Phil Read (Jr) is now for sale and would suit someone looking for a race or trackday bike. Comes with V5 registration documants and would make a stunning fast road bike. Standard wiring loom is sill in place. This bike is in the top 10 fastest bikes tested around the Performance Bkes magazine Bruntingthorpe test track, ahead of the likes of the Ducati 999, Suzuki GSXR750 and many other 'sports' bikes. This bike makes 103bhp at the rear wheel, over 100ft lbs of torque and handles even better than any Buell you have ever ridden! Based on a 2006 model XB12X Ulysses this may look like a fully faired XBR but is longer and physically bigger to suit taller (over 5'4" !) riders and includes the longer and stronger 2006 swinging arm. modifications include: 1214cc with Wiseco 12:1 compression pistons (+.040" bore). Hot Performance Aero Corse race exhaust system with titanium silencer and 45mm header pipes. Hal's Ram Air induction with Ultimate Airbox and K&N filter. Heads flowed by Hal's Harley-Davidson. Rapid Bike fully adjustable ECU plus Race kit ECU. 10 Row oil cooler with works pattern carbon fibre oil cooler/rear cylinder large left side air scoop. Norris billet aluminium crankcase breather catch. Chain drive connversion with spare front & rear sprockets for gearing changes. Yamaha R1 front forks fitted with Traxxion Dynamics AK-20 fork cartridges and custom made billet yokes. Braking forged aluminium R1 front wheel (XB9R rear). Both powder coated and fitted with Braking wave pattern brake discs. AST fully adjustable rear shock. LSL billet clip on bars ISR radial front master cylinder coupled with R1 front brake calipers, SBS Dual carbon pads (3 spare sets) and Aerotek braided brake lines (superb brakes!). Rizoma billet brake fulid reservoirs (F&R) CRG billet clutch lever. MotoGadget digital multifunction instruments. RRC Billet aluminium rearset controls. Full race bodywork (inc spare seat unit) with ZG screen and spare. Spare wheels fitted with brand new EBC Pro-Lite race discs and new Michelin Wet weather tyres. + Numerous spares including barrels (need new liners). This is the ONLY competitive XB race bike in the UK and was built specifically to campaign in the inaugaral UK Thunderbike Championship in 2006, where it has scored podium and numerous top 5 finishes. It is your chance to own a slice of history. Thousands of pounds have been spent on this machine to get to the above specification!!  | ||
| Xbcrazy |
I'm not sure if I'm one of the more experienced (FAST) guys or not but I'm happy to share my experiences anyway. CTR can be found at www.ctrsuspensions.com. The guys there definitely know their stuff. But most importantly they are at every race that CCS Mid-Atlantic runs. I think that is the most important part. Having someone to go to when you are having trouble is invaluable. Is there someone like that at the CCS Great Plains races? Wilbers is a german company that builds high end suspension components for BMW, both cars and bikes. They are imported to the US by Wilbers USA. They also sell many of their products under the brand name Hyperpro. Fortunately, Wilbers USA is located about 20 miles from me here in NJ, so they have been nice enough to sponsor me. I can get you more info and pricing if you would like. I have been able to get some fellow racers a discount around here. I feel that they make a nice product that doesn't carry the same hefty price tag as Ohlins or Penske. Pete | ||
| Surveyor |
I think a lot of guys starting out focus on the initial investment in bike, truck, gear etc and forget about the running costs. Travel, gas, entries, tyres, food, fuel, consumnables ets cost a lot. It's a bitch to find yourself half way through the season with no money left for tyres spares etc. We started last season with three bikes and almost €10k and after six weeks we had no bikes and no money left - pretty depressing. however the highs make it all worth while and despite a disastrous season I can't wait for next March and the start of the new season. Slaughter's list is pretty comprehensive but there is a vital element missing..... you must have a buddy to change wheels, hang around the emergency department, drive the truck home and generally pick up the pieces.....you need to get some sucker with low self esteem and expectations of life who is going to work for less than the minimum wage (ie nothing) As I said despite the costs it's all more than worth it even just for the people you meet at the track - they have to be the best. | ||
| Coolice |
Hey careful who ya call sucker here...... A well prepared/ maintained bike make a rider faster. And how many (fast) riders do you see wrenchin, gassin, settin and cleanin up their bikes? It's TEAM work to be successful! (this is from one of them suckers) | ||
| Surveyor |
I'm one too...........don't you ever wonder why you get up at 0400 drive 400 miles to spend two days putting back together what someone else broke......don't you sometimes feel like a sucker....? Just joking of course......how would they manage without us? | ||
| Coolice |
I used to race offroad, so the prep for that was more cleaning before setup/ maintenance etc. So I know the energy/thought that it takes. Roadracing is very mental, so if you can get on a well prepared bike, you can go to the higher level of concentration for faster times. And I still get the "rush" just being with the riders, and the energy around the pits. So my commitment is being ready too. Like I said it is team work, and I'm having fun, get my "race fix", plus traveling around, meeting new people, and getting the Buell on the podium! | ||
| Diablobrian |
Add me, my son Kyle and my Uncle LJ to the list of "suckers" There is far more to racing than what happens on the track. | ||
| Rhun |
As your profile indicates you live in Canada, I imagine Canadian rules differ from the various US club rules which also differ from each other. Most racing stuff has to come from Henry Duga at Buell, like the bely pan, but a dealer has to order it. So if your local dealer isn't in the know, inform them or work through Dave. I'd suggest determining which sanctioning body you are going to ride under, go to their forum, find some Buell riders and get in touch with them. Most every Buell racer I've met seems to like talking about racing parts and pieces and sharing than talking about racing. Most will give you a priority list of what they think helps the most. Seems like the two most expensive things: chain conversion and full fairing aren't near the top of the list. With their help and the help of Badweatherbikers, see above you should have a leg up. (Message edited by rhun on November 06, 2006) | ||
| Nsbuell |
Thanks again for the help guys. Rhun: I've gone through my local club's rules and I think I know what they require. If I do go racing I'll probably order stuff from Dave and skip my dealer if the costs are roughly the same. I know of one other guy who races an XB in my area so I'm going to try and contact him...whatever he's done to his bike to pass tech inspection will obviously have to be done to mine. The Badweb's definitely the best source of Buell info around though. A couple of questions about tire warmers: would an inverter plugged into a truck's cigarette lighter power them or would they drain the battery in about 3 minutes? I could leave the truck running I guess but that's an expensive generator. How long before you go on the track do you need warmers on? | ||
| Trojan |
A pair of decent Tyre warmers such as Chicken Hawk (www.chickenhawkracing.com) will take around 1100 watts to power, so an inverter won't be good enough. Buy yourself a cheap petrol generator from a DIY store. This will run the warmers and also run the electric kettle for a cup of tea between races It will also run the fluorescent lights for those occasions (we all have them sooner or later) when you are putting the engine back together at 1am! | ||
| Xbcrazy |
Nsbuell, Find out if the track that you will be racing at rents electric for the weekend. If so, you can skip the generator. For example, Pocono Int. Raceway doesn't offer electric so we run a generator. However, Summit Point and VIR offer electric at $10 for the weekend. We buy it at those places so we don't have to listen to the generator run 24/7. Pete |
