Track day year end reflections

For those who love to "take it to the track!"

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pstamper
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Track day year end reflections

#1 Post by pstamper » Sat Dec 10, 2016 9:50 pm

Here is a summary of the last few years at the track starting with 2010 and it was with my nice street RZ that started this. Should I say I was rather abusive to it even though I thought I was fine. That bike has FZ 600 front and rear components, Race Tech Gold valves, we think Crawford pipes, stock electronics, Michelin 2CT tires and Wilbers rear shock. My problem was terrible body position and engine management. It makes me grimace when I watch the old videos and see pictures. The biggest issue was the high rev down shifts and running high rpms though corners. I thought I was doing well only to be asked by Rick Lance when I wanted that spare engine. Love Rick and glad he and I are on the same page, he was just trying to save me the cost of another engine. I slowly learned as he critiqued my riding when I would call him as I was driving back home after each track day. Conversation usually started with me saying “ luv you man, engine did great and I did not fall down”

I always run 98 octane race gas that is used in karts, Klotz Snowmobile injection oil, and Champion spark plugs. Engine ran great, I was the weak link. Basically I relearned riding a two stroke. The only way the pistons stay cool is with fuel. No gas, no piston protection. So the longer I was downshifting meant the engine is just spinning with no way to dissipate heat. Especially at high rpm. My dear coach told me to try to stay on the gas as long as I could and try to run in a taller gear. It takes very little horsepower to keep you moving so run a lower rpm in corners and let the momentum carry you to where you are going. Also the lower the rpm the easier the bike will change direction.
Barber Motorsport Park was the worse. I was constantly downshifting before all the corners and seemed like it was 6k to 9k on each downshift. The engine was always crying for mercy. I was told by Mr. Rick to get all the shifting done at one time which was hard for me to do while trying to brake from 120mph. As we discussed it is more important to carry speed in the corner so the bigger bikes had to catch me. Braking is a strong on that bike so I could usually catch a lot of bikes that passed me on longer straights.

Things gradually got a little better but I was still over revving the engine in a lot of areas. The only place I need to run it in the upper rpm range is when I seriously want to get by someone coming out of a corner so I am in the powerband.
All in all the bike did well and I started to consider a track bike. Rick located a bike that had been sitting that had a recent engine rebuild by him. I meant him at Barber for a second track day and he delivered my rat bike. I will explain that on the progress of it. Couple pics and video at the end with the terrible downshifting from Barber.



Texas World Speedway 2010

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Barber. What an awesome track 2010
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Barber video. It hurts to watch
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1hWv1GKiHhw" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

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phildu31
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Re: Track day year end reflections

#2 Post by phildu31 » Wed Dec 28, 2016 8:02 pm

"The only way the pistons stay cool is with fuel" : Funny
And what is the result of "fuel + spark" ?

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pstamper
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Re: Track day year end reflections

#3 Post by pstamper » Wed Dec 28, 2016 11:10 pm

I guess heat?

RC45
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Re: Track day year end reflections

#4 Post by RC45 » Thu Dec 29, 2016 3:52 am

Running premix without the benefit of a 2 stroke pump to provide lubricating oil in any off throttle braking situation would best be managed with throttle blips.

One of many bits of advice Mark Brown keeps reminding me is if I am not accelerating on the throttle then I should be braking and blipping the throttle at each clutch event :)

Kinda like heel 'n toe for bikes hehe
CBR1000RR SP2 HRC WSBK
TZ500V/OW53 Track bike
YZR500 OW81 Clone
OW69 Daytona 200 Replica - 784cc Monster
NS400 Track Bike
RS250R NF5
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TZR250 3MA Track Bike
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phildu31
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Re: Track day year end reflections

#5 Post by phildu31 » Thu Dec 29, 2016 3:20 pm

You're totally right for lubrication when oil pump is removed.
But I think that Paul still uses pomp on this bike and so in this case, lubrication is ten times higher when the valves are open.
Conclusion : with oil pump, you did the right thing.
For the heat, the best way to reduce it is by an optimized squish.

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Rick Lance
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Re: Track day year end reflections

#6 Post by Rick Lance » Thu Dec 29, 2016 4:17 pm

Paul misspoke when he attributed my heat control comments to pistons. I was suggesting to him how crankshaft bearings dissipate heat. Crank bearings build heat based solely on rpm. On the gas, off the gas, doesn't matter. The work load is the same. What is different is the presence or absence of the fuel/oil charge. The cranks are happy at full load as long as there is sufficient fuel/oil cascading over the bearings. Oil minimizes heat and fuel cools and caries away heat from critical parts that are isolated from the water jackets of the cooling system. Closed throttle operation at high rpms should be avoided as much as possible if you want your cranks to live.
If I disagree with everyone, that doesn't make me right. If I take the side of only one, it doesn't end the fight. If my position's strong enough from exposure to the light, you may see things my way when we share the same highway.

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Re: Track day year end reflections

#7 Post by RC45 » Thu Dec 29, 2016 7:10 pm

IOW, even if you are not on the throttle, your throttle should still be on :grin: LOL
CBR1000RR SP2 HRC WSBK
TZ500V/OW53 Track bike
YZR500 OW81 Clone
OW69 Daytona 200 Replica - 784cc Monster
NS400 Track Bike
RS250R NF5
TZ250T 2KM
TZ250B 3YL
TZR250 3MA Track Bike
427ci C5 Z07

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Re: Track day year end reflections

#8 Post by pstamper » Sat Dec 31, 2016 10:52 am

Thank you Rick for the help. I know just enough to get in trouble. But as a we discussed, the Barber video makes me hurt. I think the better fuel, Klotz oil help, and champion plugs also help. Not to mention my superior riding skills. Joking everyone, Rick has seen me on the street. Bike is stripped right now for good cleaning and inspection, fix small oil leak, seal expansion chamber connections along with new gaskets, send shock of for service and inspection, and waiting on spring compressor so I can service my front forks. Looks pretty straight forward according to Dave Moss. I am really curious on where the oil level is as set the last time. I asked about being a helper on rebuild of forks and I was laughed at. No more recommendations for that shop and seemed like my setup worked pretty good this year.

Everyone have a safe New Year.

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