OT: Motorcycles - Let's See Em!

[Ken Robb]

Originally Posted by RJR

It's old, rough, smelly and I love it. Carb rebuild this weekend in the hopes that this will stimulate spring to arrive early.

You FOOL! Readying an old project bike for the road ensures 6 more weeks of winter!

[Ken Robb]

Originally Posted by bart998

had bikes all the time I was growing up. I sold my last bike (1982 CB650C) in 1993 after a couple of close calls and I decided I needed to be here for my kids to grow up. Kids are mostly gone now, maybe time to get a new bike. Hmmmm....

You may as well go for it. I have had more close calls on the road when riding my bicycles than my motorcycles.

[Ken Robb]

Here I am on my 2005 ST3 descending The South Grade of Palomar Mountain. Note the extended left arm counter-steering to initiate turn. No wonder I never have ridden a bicycle that I thought had "heavy" steering.

[BryanE]

2002 Dyna Low Rider I bought last July.
Couldn't be happier.
Bryan

[avalonracing]

Originally Posted by bart998

had bikes all the time I was growing up. I sold my last bike (1982 CB650C) in 1993 after a couple of close calls and I decided I needed to be here for my kids to grow up. Kids are mostly gone now, maybe time to get a new bike. Hmmmm....

I seem to get a hell of a lot more respect from cars when I'm on my motorcycle. I've never had people scream, "Get off the road!" at me.

[Gummee]

Originally Posted by Ken Robb

You may as well go for it. I have had more close calls on the road when riding my bicycles than my motorcycles.

+1

At least on a MC you can get out of the way with a judicious application of throttle.

M

[ofcounsel]

Here's mine. It's an Suzuki SV650 that I race here in So. Cal.

It's got, among other things, a "built" motor, magnesium wheels, GSX-R front end, R-1 front brake calipers, Brembo rear caliper, Brembo rotors and front brake lever/master.... It goes on and on.. Basically the only stock parts are the frame, radiator and hoses.

[old_fat_and_slow]

Originally Posted by ofcounsel

Here's mine. It's an Suzuki SV650 that I race here in So. Cal.

It's got, among other things, a "built" motor, magnesium wheels, GSX-R front end, R-1 front brake calipers, Brembo rear caliper, Brembo rotors and front brake lever/master.... It goes on and on.. Basically the only stock parts are the frame, radiator and hoses.

Gee, that doesn't even look like an SV-650 at all!

Just curious, why did you choose that as a platform to race on? Why a twin instead of a 4 cyl.? What are the engine displacement categories where you race? Do you have to race against 750's ?

[ofcounsel]

Originally Posted by old_fat_and_slow

Gee, that doesn't even look like an SV-650 at all!

Just curious, why did you choose that as a platform to race on? Why a twin instead of a 4 cyl.? What are the engine displacement categories where you race? Do you have to race against 750's ?

Thanks!! It's a 1st Gen SV, but the frame is powdercoated black. Also, the race bodywork is GSX-R 600. I love going to trackdays where guys on liter bikes think they just got passed by some GSX-R, until they hear the exhaust note and then realize they got punked by a lightweight twin

I currently race as an Expert with the Chuckwalla Valley Racing Association (CVMA), and we race at Chuckwalla Valley Raceway, in Desert Center, CA. I'll also be doing some rounds with AFM in Northern California.

I used to race with Willow Springs Motorcycle Club (WSMC), before it folded, and also with WERA (Western-Eastern Racing Association).

The classes at CVMA are pretty simple. The main classes are as follows:
Open(Primarily 1000cc and up In-Line Four Cylinder motors)
Heavyweight Twins (750cc and Up V-Twins) Primarily Ducati 848's and up)
Middleweights (600cc in-line 4's and 675cc in-line triples)
Lightweight Twins (Up to 670cc Twins) (primarily SV650's and Ninja 650's)
Lightweights (250cc tiwns and singles)(Ninja 250)

They also have various "vintage" classes for guys that have old, oddball bikes....

I used to race the middleweights (600cc class bikes), but in 2009, I switched to the LWT platform because the bikes are relatively cheap (at least to start with). It doesn't take a lot of money to build a competitive bike. They tend to crash well too, so the repairs can be done cheaply. Also, since the bikes are only putting out 75-90hp, they don't chew up tires like 170hp in-line 4 Open bikes or even 600cc inline 4's. So without HP, in order to be really fast, you have to have A LOT of cornerspeed.

And if you race throughout the season, you know that tires are by far your biggest cost to racing. A 600cc bike will use up a set of tires per race weekend. That's $400. A 1000cc bike can use 1 front and 2 rear tires in a weekend. But on my LWT, I can usually get two weekends out of my rear tire, and 3 weekends out of my front, before I start to see a significant drop off in lap times. So my biggest expenditures for racing are cut at least by half by racing this class. And since I am racing and/or practicing about 15-18 weekends per year, that's a lot of cash saved.

Also, the lightweight twins grid is full with a bunch of veteran racers who know what they're doing. It's good, close, but mostly clean racing. At next weekend's race, he LWT classes will be the fullest grids over the weekend, with over 30 racers per race..... 30 racers all fighting for the same 3 feet of real estate at the apex of Turn 1 will be fun

[ofcounsel]

Originally Posted by rkalams

I've been reading through quite a few threads here and it seems like a lot of you guys have a moto parked in the garage next to the bikes.

LET's SEE THEM!! I'm curious as to what everyone is riding!

I'll start

2007 Triumph Daytona 675 (Triple!!)



On the track.

Is that Buttonwillow??? Through "Riverside"?

I used to race a 675! Nice bikes!

[old_fat_and_slow]

Originally Posted by ofcounsel

Thanks!! It's a 1st Gen SV, but the frame is powdercoated black. Also, the race bodywork is GSX-R 600. I love going to trackdays where guys on liter bikes think they just got passed by some GSX-R, until they hear the exhaust note and then realize they got punked by a lightweight twin

I currently race as an Expert with the Chuckwalla Valley Racing Association (CVMA), and we race at Chuckwalla Valley Raceway, in Desert Center, CA. I'll also be doing some rounds with AFM in Northern California.

I used to race with Willow Springs Motorcycle Club (WSMC), before it folded, and also with WERA (Western-Eastern Racing Association).

The classes at CVMA are pretty simple. The main classes are as follows:
Open(Primarily 1000cc and up In-Line Four Cylinder motors)
Heavyweight Twins (750cc and Up V-Twins) Primarily Ducati 848's and up)
Middleweights (600cc in-line 4's and 675cc in-line triples)
Lightweight Twins (Up to 670cc Twins) (primarily SV650's and Ninja 650's)
Lightweights (250cc tiwns and singles)(Ninja 250)

They also have various "vintage" classes for guys that have old, oddball bikes....

I used to race the middleweights (600cc class bikes), but in 2009, I switched to the LWT platform because the bikes are relatively cheap (at least to start with). It doesn't take a lot of money to build a competitive bike. They tend to crash well too, so the repairs can be done cheaply. Also, since the bikes are only putting out 75-90hp, they don't chew up tires like 170hp in-line 4 Open bikes or even 600cc inline 4's. So without HP, in order to be really fast, you have to have A LOT of cornerspeed.

And if you race throughout the season, you know that tires are by far your biggest cost to racing. A 600cc bike will use up a set of tires per race weekend. That's $400. A 1000cc bike can use 1 front and 2 rear tires in a weekend. But on my LWT, I can usually get two weekends out of my rear tire, and 3 weekends out of my front, before I start to see a significant drop off in lap times. So my biggest expenditures for racing are cut at least by half by racing this class. And since I am racing and/or practicing about 15-18 weekends per year, that's a lot of cash saved.

Also, the lightweight twins grid is full with a bunch of veteran racers who know what they're doing. It's good, close, but mostly clean racing. At next weekend's race, he LWT classes will be the fullest grids over the weekend, with over 30 racers per race..... 30 racers all fighting for the same 3 feet of real estate at the apex of Turn 1 will be fun

Sounds very cool. I used to race Moto-cross and Enduros in a much earlier phase of life (never made it even close to expert). Really loved it. I know what you mean about fighting for real estate in turn 1. I never quite figured out how to get the hole shot. Turn 1 was the scariest part of racing, for me. Once I made it past that, the rest of the race was easy.

Good luck this season.

[Ken Robb]

Originally Posted by old_fat_and_slow

Sounds very cool. I used to race Moto-cross and Enduros in a much earlier phase of life (never made it even close to expert). Really loved it. I know what you mean about fighting for real estate in turn 1. I never quite figured out how to get the hole shot. Turn 1 was the scariest part of racing, for me. Once I made it past that, the rest of the race was easy.

Good luck this season.

I'll bet you could have had those hole-shots if your handle was "old-SKINNY-slow".

[Gummee]

New (to me) piston and cylinder on the way.

Now to find gaskets!

M

[old_fat_and_slow]

Originally Posted by Ken Robb

I'll bet you could have had those hole-shots if your handle was "old-SKINNY-slow".

Hey, I was skinny back then.

[bennybasics]

1975 XS650 - Cafe Special
stripped, restricted, and quick...


1971 Triumph Chopper
California Survivor - too much fun...


...not pictured - the daily driver - 2001 Sportster Cafe mild custom.

Keep the rubber side down!