First Race

micahpearlman

New Member
Finished my first day of racing the RC AFM at Thunderhill! One more day to go. A really great day and some good progress (though no hardware). Want to give a report while it's still fresh in my head.

First off my setup:

* Converted street bike.
* Akrapovic
* Powertronic ecu.
* PP rearsets
* Brembo race pads
* Pirelli Super Corsa
* everything else is stock. ABS still hooked up, stock gearing, stock suspension.

First off a really great bike! Had to relearn the track coming off a 600 to the lightweight. Braking markers and turn in points are totally different. In fact there are only 2 heavy braking points now and maybe touch the breaks a couple of other areas but mostly let off the throttle.

First practice session I ran the stock Rosso 2 tires. What garbage! Several big moments with the rear completely stepping out mid corner and saving it with the knee. My hot pressures were 30 front 28 rear. Could not keep any heat in the tires. Then switched to Super Corsas and my times immediately dropped 3 seconds and was on rails -- same tire pressures.

The good:

* has some serious power over the ninjas. Easily pass on the straights.
* Brakes are great with the brembo pads.
* steady confidence through the day. Dropped 5 seconds from morning practice to the race (would have been more but got stuck behind some sketchy riders).
* gearbox was awesome. Clutch less up shifts no problem. Never missed a shift.

The bad:

* stock suspension is just not up for the job. Front is maybe doable though seriously needs some compression dampening to make braking more confident. Rear is just a pogo stick -- especially after a few laps. Good news in Penske ahock and GP are on the way.
* the PowerTRONIC standard map is not very good out of the box and it wasn't clear to me which way to go. Definitely getting the PCV and some dyno time.
* stock tires where simply not even passable for casual track use. Maybe if I messed around with pressures it would have worked.

Ok one more day to go!


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micahpearlman

New Member
Update for Sunday's race. Dropped 3 more seconds and a 4th place. Really need new suspension to get much more. I'm wallowing quite a bit (not that huge a deal I can ride through it but it eats confidence).

Interesting I've started to hit the Akropovic. I think a new longer rear shock should cure it.
1cfd48517ff478cf1da0971c9184178c.jpg



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cjwell

Supporting Vendor
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Needs more ride height both ends, but rear for sure and for several other reasons too! Nice going though ;)
 

micahpearlman

New Member
Needs more ride height both ends, but rear for sure and for several other reasons too! Nice going though ;)

I haven't bothered measuring sag as the suspension will be ditched this week.

Too anyone planning on racing the two things I thought I would be able to live with was the stock tires and the stock suspension. There was no way I could have run the Rosso tires (now running Super Corsa) and the stock suspension, at least the rear shock, is just not upto the job (GP cartridge kit and Penske shock will be installed this week).

Mapping with the standard PowerTronic map seemed too rich -- which is fine, at least the motor didn't blow up. They sent me some alternate maps but I didn't really have the time to try them out. My plan is to get a PCV with a map from Chad (cjwell) and then do some dyno time. That all being said it yarded the Ninjas pretty easily -- I almost felt sorry for some of the guys and gals that I just motored past.

Overall I surpassed my lap time goal by 3 seconds and was damn close to a podium. A great weekend and I'm stoked with the bike.


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ToraTora

Member
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Micah, they are letting you upgrade the suspension? The AMA rules I read were hella strict on things like suspension, brakes, tires.

And thanks for posting!
 
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mr-fabricator

New Member
Micah , good report and thanks for sharing


are your tires pirelli diablo rosso II ( read as 2 ) everyone swears by the rosso 2 here tho ive not tried them as yet , my Dunlop a13's are good enough for now ...

you must have some serious lean on for your case to get ground down ,,, I scrape the belly pan and my boot occasionally |( I have rearsets ) but no where near the casings .

What do you weigh ?? and in race gear ??

I agree with the suspension , front is just about passable for now , rear has finally decided that its not upto the job , was ok ish until I found some decent pace ,

thanks in advance . lee
 

DCMoney

Member
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I ran the Rosso II rear (SC1 front) and had it sliding in my 2nd race. Supercorsa rear is going on to match the front.
 

ryandalling

New Member
Penske rear with the ride height adjustment would solve some of that grindage... is helped me. The supercorsa up front was great... I left the Rosso II on back. I'm swapping to the supercorsa in back for my next weekend.
 

micahpearlman

New Member
Micah, they are letting you upgrade the suspension? The AMA rules I read were hella strict on things like suspension, brakes, tires.

And thanks for posting!

I'm racing with AFM. Most clubs allow a rear shock swap and replacement of fork internals.


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micahpearlman

New Member
Micah , good report and thanks for sharing


are your tires pirelli diablo rosso II ( read as 2 ) everyone swears by the rosso 2 here tho ive not tried them as yet , my Dunlop a13's are good enough for now ...

you must have some serious lean on for your case to get ground down ,,, I scrape the belly pan and my boot occasionally |( I have rearsets ) but no where near the casings .

What do you weigh ?? and in race gear ??

I agree with the suspension , front is just about passable for now , rear has finally decided that its not upto the job , was ok ish until I found some decent pace ,

thanks in advance . lee

I'm 195lbs naked.

Maybe there are some tire pressures that work for the Rosso's but I couldn't figure it out. Corsa are proper race tires and stuck.


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micahpearlman

New Member
Penske rear with the ride height adjustment would solve some of that grindage... is helped me. The supercorsa up front was great... I left the Rosso II on back. I'm swapping to the supercorsa in back for my next weekend.

I was losing the rear pretty badly. It felt like I couldn't keep any heat in the tire. And if you look at them they look brand new. So you should see a huge difference with a Corsa rear.


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The entire length of the rear suspension
Between the bolt and bolt
STD 300mm
WP 310mm±15mm
Akropovic and the swing arm interfere when the entire length of the rear suspension is more than 320mm026.jpg002 (2).jpg001 (2).jpg
 

guzz46

New Member
I'm 195lbs naked.

Maybe there are some tire pressures that work for the Rosso's but I couldn't figure it out. Corsa are proper race tires and stuck.


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I suspect you might need some stiffer suspension, that should help with your clearance issues.
 
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