Racing an S

[sakurama]

I'm thinking of doing something extremely stupid and I hope to find some help to talk me out of it. I'm considering breaking the cardinal rule of racing (well, one of them at least).

I'm thinking of racing my streetbike.

I'm not thinking of turning it into a racebike mind you which isn't too dumb but rather I'm thinking of putting a belly pan on it and wiring it up and taking off the blinkers and putting some plates on it and going to the track and entering it in a race. Just for fun.

This means I could concievably crash and ruin my main form of transportation. I've been having such a good time commuting on it lately that I can't help wonder what it would be like to race. I've never raced anything so large in my life so it would be different.

Help.

Gregor

[captainasty]

I would find another bike to learn on, unless you have parts and servicing lined up.

[repoe3]

if you are looking for a carbon fiber bellypan, not street version, but race, so no provision for kickstand and it holds fluids, i will make you a great deal as i have never used the one i bought some time ago...and i just so happen to have a spare pit bull side stand that slides into the frame lug on the left side to hold the bike up...since you wont have a kickstand on it . let me know if you are interested. will make you a good deal AND i could have them boxed up and on your front door in no time!

repoe3

[repoe3]

dont think he needs to learn too much...but the bike is not as bad you would think. she likes a lot of body langauge on the track and both the front and rear provides plenty of feel and feedback.

repoe3
are we supposed to talk you out of it or encourage you?

[SparkyBlue]

Get a friend to let you ride their track bike a few laps before taking the plunge. And...you really don't want to put that truck on a racetrack.

[island_dude]

In order to do this, you will have to take lessons towards getting a racing license. I would not turn myself loose on a track to race without getting some training. I crashed my bike during a track day. The bike landed on me and the exhust melted right through my pants. Get some good leathers too.

Personally, I would recomend you buy a race ready bike for less cash. Fixing up a crashed S could cost a lot more than a spare bike.

[sakurama]

Repoe, yes, I'm interested. I PM'd you.

No, I'm not learning. I'm an expert level rider who's been racing for 6 years now. I race a 125 GP bike and a SOS project bike. I've been thinking of trying to find a ride for next years Boxercup at Daytona and thought it would be fun to race my S to see what I'm getting into. I haven't actually ridden one in anger on the track but I've done a few laps.

It's more the possibility of ruining my lovely streetbike. I have three race bikes at my disposal but it seems like fun to race a street bike. Sick and twisted fun but fun nonetheless.

Crazy huh? Should I do it?

Gregor

[JonyRR]

Hey Sakamura; was that your TZ-framed yamaha 426 at Laguna last? Whatever it was, it looked pretty cool, and seemed to go OK, also. I used to have a TZ/CR500; lots of fun for very little money...

[SCOTTinNJ]

Gregor,

I'd love for you to do it - if for no other reason than I'd like to come watch what the S can really do!

That said, if it were me I wouldn't.

Let us know when you race so we can come watch. Hopefully it will be at Pocono and not Louden so I don't have to ride for tens of hours just to get there.

[Moki]

Here's my 2 cents. Why not taking up a couple of track days with some fast locals or your old racing buddies. Most of the advace track days have some unrestricted fun toward the end of the day. You can try out you street bike that way even with racing slicks.

[sakurama]

No, it wasn't me JonyRR. Mine is a Tigcraft with a YZ426 engine. Similar concept but smaller package. I haven't raced it this year and only do east coast tracks. Fun bike though.

Scott, it may be Loudon since it's the track I know the best and oddly enough the R1100S runs with the small bikes in the classes I already run in so I would pick a weekend where I wasn't racing the 125. Maybe Pocono, I don't really like that track but you never know...

Gregor

[boxercup]

Gregor,

You only go around in once in life.

On the track you go around a lot....

Later on in life you sometimes regret your chances lost.

Go for it!

[island_dude]

If you already have experience racing, I would say go for it. I would think that it will feel a lot heavier than the smaller race bikes, but I am sure you could keep the rubber stuck to the ground.

What class of competition would you enter in?

[sakurama]

It would run in "Lightwieght Superbike". Here are the rules for the class:

LIGHTWEIGHT SUPERBIKE (Amateur & Expert Divisions)
Single cylinder, Unlimited displacement
Two stroke, liquid cooled, up to 450cc
Two stroke, air cooled, Unlimited displacement
Twin cylinder, air cooled, up to 1000cc
Twin cylinder, air cooled, push rod, up to 1210cc
Twin cylinder, liquid cooled, up to 700cc
Four cylinder, liquid cooled, up to 565cc
Four cylinder, air cooled, 2 valve, up to 750cc
Harley-Davidson Sportsters of unlimited displacement

I'm guessing Buells would be the fast bikes.

Gregor

[Joe]

sakurama



Are you sure they would call it a air cooled motor isn't it a air/oil cooled. I been looking for a wreck myself to do a little trackday and maybe go back racing a little.

[sakurama]

It works well for an oilhead since it's technically not "water" cooled. Air/oil is still air and it still has pushrods albeit very short. You could put a set of R1200C cylinders on it and then stroke the crank to get out to 1200cc's and do all the typical hotrod stuff but that's expensive. Better to just go out and have fun and solve the problems as they arise.

Gregor

[Joe]

If that was the case then how come a early Oil cooled GSXR had to run in the liquid class it dose say liquid cooled not water cooled our S bike is liquid cooled isn't it?..........disconnect the oilcooler it wouldn't last a lap.

[sakurama]

The rules try to be simple but they make all sort of exceptions based on performance. For instance a TZ250 or even 125 isn't allowed in the class because it would be too quick. I would think an older GSXR would be allowed in - it depends on the actual club. Those rules above were from LRRS which is a CCS club. WERA or Formula USA may have different rules as do AHRMA.

I'm more curious as to how the bike would do on a track and what kind of lap times I could coax out of it. I really don't know. I'll do a track day soon and see what I think.

[rob_wijhenke]

Do it!

Do it!

yes you heard me,

Do it!

[Izze]

Don't waste any more time, just do it

.....and don't forget to show us some pics and videos