Track Stories 08

[lecroy]

Yea, I know that feeling. I wasted a lot of time before I started logging data. Biggest gains I have made were in the clutch. I'm sure the junker will bring all new problems but at least I'm not flying blind this time. Plan to put that used Dyna I bought on it.

Your real lucky nothing major happened. Bike gods were on your side. I figured Ryan's numbers would have been a pretty good start for the 750 combo but maybe not. Who are you planning to use for the rebuild?

I don't know anyone using a progressive spray and don't know much about it. Sure don't like the short life they were posting.

10 feet? Come on, most of the cobbles are gone now. You can get within a foot before something falls apart on it now. LOL

I got the new chain yesterday. It's about half the weight of the stuff I have been using.

Put the uncut chain, filled nitrous tank, turbo, battery, intake and exhaust on the scales. 48 lbs with all the packing. Need to add the ignition, harness, logger, carb, bars and rest of fuel system. I think its going to come in at 400.

 

[DreamRyder]

that's odd cuz I ain't changed anything in my profile since I first signed up?? in fact I don't even see where it tells you my age or sex LOL

as for your other hand being broke too .. wow... I knew immediately my left hand had something major wrong with it without even trying to use it.. couldn't imagine having it broke for a bit and not know... but then again I'm a puss when it comes to pain.

Even the dr made fun of me.. saying "you can race a dragbike without fear but you're afraid of the pain caused by pullin the pins?" he didnt' say it to be mean and I guess when one really thinks about it.. it is pretty messed up

yesterday's PT has been the worst for pain but I keep tellin myself it ain't gonna get better without pushin it and forcin it ...

thanks for the offer on the push run ... might be the only way I'm able to make a run for the next month we'll see in a week or so ...

E.

 

[lecroy]

Hey E, check the top..

Last Login: Jul 24, 2008
Member Since: Jun 11, 2008
Gender: Male
Age: 37 years old
Location: US

Yea, I knew that second hand had a brake, just didn't want to say anything to the doc was all. I needed at least one hand to pee. lol No problem on the push. If you want, I will push you on your own bike so it at least gets some use. We need to put some bars on it first or a push pin.

 

[DreamRyder]

Hey E, check the top..

Last Login: Jul 24, 2008
Member Since: Jun 11, 2008
Gender: Male
Age: 37 years old
Location: US

Yea, I knew that second hand had a brake, just didn't want to say anything to the doc was all. I needed at least one hand to pee. lol No problem on the push. If you want, I will push you on your own bike so it at least gets some use. We need to put some bars on it first or a push pin.

I don't see anything with that kind of information showing - even at the top ??

oh - didn't even think about ya needin at least one hand free LOL you poor thing.

no need for the wheelie bar... my next time out will be without any extra boost.. just what's on the gate. I need to make sure I can make a safe pass with my hand not fully operational before adding any extra HP. ALso wanna get teh suspension set back up right too before tryin to launch hard again.

tks for the offer however

E.

 

[lecroy]

Oops, didn't mean to keep you safe, just a place for my foot.... I was thinking for the zero boost pass. I am sure now that it bit you, things will progress in a more thought out process. But anytime you need a push, I'm there. lol.

I sent several letters back and forth with Jane Head. Very cool lady. She was telling me about a kid at their track that races with no arms. Had some funny stories to go with it. Sorta puts things into perspective.


I took a trip today to check out a laser system. I have been around a lot of big azz machines most of my life but this thing has to be the coolest machine I have come across.

I have engraved some parts by hand and they turn out all right. Hard to erase cuts into metal. Now that I have seen this system there is no turning back. I took in some scrap to have them try on it. Very impressive. Very fast. The company doesn't use to for cosmetic stuff but it sounds like it's no problem as long as I do the artwork. I'll post some pictures once I have something done.

 

[DreamRyder]

Oops, didn't mean to keep you safe, just a place for my foot.... I was thinking for the zero boost pass. I am sure now that it bit you, things will progress in a more thought out process. But anytime you need a push, I'm there. lol.

I sent several letters back and forth with Jane Head. Very cool lady. She was telling me about a kid at their track that races with no arms. Had some funny stories to go with it. Sorta puts things into perspective.


I took a trip today to check out a laser system. I have been around a lot of big azz machines most of my life but this thing has to be the coolest machine I have come across.

I have engraved some parts by hand and they turn out all right. Hard to erase cuts into metal. Now that I have seen this system there is no turning back. I took in some scrap to have them try on it. Very impressive. Very fast. The company doesn't use to for cosmetic stuff but it sounds like it's no problem as long as I do the artwork. I'll post some pictures once I have something done.

no need for bars for a foot hold..I have a build in foot rest for ya.. compliments of Tiger Racing License Plate

Not taking out all the boost cuz of the wipe out.. taking it out in the event my left hand don't come back to hold on to the grip like it should after letting go of the lever.. I have no idea if it's gonna work or not so I'd rather not have all that HP to worry about if I can't do what's needed to make it a safe run.

The bike was doin fine at US131 .. I have no reason to think we can't get it back to that point again after making the suspension adjustments ..

Wow racing without arms? was he belted to the bike? how did he manuver the bike? that's crazy.. good for him for not letting something stop him from doing what he loves...

look forward to seein your new creations.. mighty cool to have access to such a thing.

E.

 

[lecroy]

I like the license plate holder. Think it would hold up? Remember that we push with those high powered 250cc bikes, not the 50cc toys. I can really put a lot of force on the bars when we get in a hurry. LOL

Not taking out all the boost cuz of the wipe out.. E.

Funny, I thought the hand was damaged cuz the wipeout. Agree that you need to keep it safe. We all do.

I think she said he just rode it like a normal person would. Would have liked to seen a picture of him in action. Been a while, should see how she's doing. Last time we wrote I think they were going to do more work on her leg. Now that is one tough rider let me tell you.

Attached is a case I cut by hand about 10 years ago. Nothing near what the machine can do....

Now that I know your still female, this is something to keep you busy until I get some parts cut....
http://www.racerchicks.com/chick_pick/CP_Kathryn.html

 

[DreamRyder]

totally cool work on the cover ... especially by hand!

You think you could recreate this? It's my personal "logo"

E.
PS. cute jokes for the racers wife.. funny part is I fall into many of those catagories myself (except watching cars race LOL... if I do watch its to see the crashes)

 

[DreamRyder]

as for the strength of the plate holder... I sure would think so it's pretty heavy duty and it's mounted through the rear axle.. so it aint' goin no where easy

and as for the hand being due to the wipe out.. yeah I reckon if you put it that way.. but if my hand had not been injured I'd been right back on that bike as it was that day after making the suspension adjusments

E.

 

[lecroy]

Holy crap, that is the license plate from hel. Looks like round stock welded on the backside? Yea, I think it would hold!

>>.. but if my hand had not been injured I'd been right back on that bike as it was that day after making the suspension adjusments

Yea, I'm sure you would and sure you will!!!

Figured you would get a chuckle out of some of those.

That's the thing with free hand, it never comes out the same. The electric engraver I have is just some cheapo marking tool and there is about as much control with it as those BIG pencils they gave us in pre-school... Before this, I used a small chisel to make my cuts in the metal. Like wood carving but more primative. I doubt I could do anything like what the tatoo artists do. The fear of screwing it up would be a huge concern and to be frank, I am never really happy with any of the things I do.

When we were working on the new paint and on the second day, I was trying to get the artist to cut some corners to save time. He can really paint up a storm and his detailed work is some of the best I have seen. But you can't be putting that kind of effort into a work bike. I must have ragged on him one too many times when he finally said that if was not just me whole had to be happy with the paint, he needed to be happy with it too. He's right.

Imagine someone going over and over on the same tatoo.... That would be me.... LOL.

 

[DreamRyder]

I was thinking more along the lines of you using the new fancy lazer tool you were talkin about to recreate the tattoo

yeah that plate holder is VERY heavy duty... real nice peice of work... Tiger Racing makes excellent products.. I have their chain guard as well

E.
still considering a nice paint job by your buddy if I get my hands on this new race bodywork for the front.. we'll see.. it will be a winter project if it happens no money for it now.

 

[lecroy]

I think they are painting three bikes in the next week or so. Would be a good time to check it out to see his work if your interested.

Ah, I was thinking you wanted a tatoo like the dog. Yea, I am sure I could copy the one you have but would need a better shot of it minimum. Problem is getting that into the laser machine. Once I get mine done, I will have a better idea. My attempt at converting a scanned image was a flop. After I sent it to them, I was told they had tried a bunch of different software to do this and nothing they found was usable. So everything is manually drawn on a computer.... Augh... I have the software to do it but its a major pain in the butt.

 

[DreamRyder]

I know what you mean about manually tracing...

I do diecut decals as a hobby and the auto trace function is horrible.. give you way too many nodes/anchor points than needed and takes more time to clean up the vector file than it's worth.. so I do the manual tracing as well.

This is the best real live image i have of it... forgot I had it from when the tattoo was first done a year and half ago, if I can locate the JPG version I created for the tattoo guy to copy and the print decal guy for my trailer version I'll post it up... I'd love to get this put on my next clutch cover... (underneath the RCC Turbo one that will already be on it)



Next time I'll be out that way is for Battle of the Bikes Aug 17th if he's not too far from Martin I just might consider doin a side trip on the sat before..

E.

 

[lecroy]

That's a much better shot. This is the same logo that was on your tail section? Would seem simple enough to do. Sounds like you have the tools already also. If you go ahead and enter it and send me a DXF and a cover, I can get it done. I am guessing that this would be in the $50 range. Maybe you could find a junked cover on eBay we could use so you wouldn't have any down time. They tell me they normally turn parts in a day or two.

You could also just bring the stuff with you when you come up next time.

I hate to say it but I hope we just cancel the all the Battle of the Bikes. Just from what I have seen, it started out pretty good. Then they started to cancel the races before they even started if any rain came in. Then the numbers fell way off. No surprize. Gas being what it is and you had guys coming from out of state just to get turned back home for 15 minutes of rain. They did this same thing at the last one and we were all the way down to 30 bikes. I heard several people say they would not be back.

If your going to hold a bike race, dammit, hold it! The people I know could care less if it rains or not. They would stay till the bitter end. Even if the rain never stopped, people hang out and still have a good time. Bikers I know make the best out of bad situations.

Anything is better than that long drive home after a 15 minute shower and seeing nothing but the sun and blue skys all the way.

 

[DreamRyder]

I'm not sure if I can trace something that complicated but I guess I could give it a go...

The cover I wanna do will have to wait till I can afford to buy a new one. Mine right now is all silver with the RCC logo .. I want the black ones with teh RCC logo - it stands out much more.. I was in a hurry and couldn't wait for the anodized ones...

So there will be no down time for me ...

Yeah I noticed there ain't been as many turn out for the Battle of Bikes like they use to.

I totally agree with ya on the rain situation.. Hell I use to road race in the rain... a lil wet surface aint' no problem... bring out the big blow dryer and clean 'er off and make a few cautious passes then go for it LOL

but then again if it's the liability they're worried about I can kinda understand...

E.

 

[RacingJake]

Got a few test runs last night and nothing broke.

With the CV carbs I ran a 6.23 and on the bottle was a 5.91. I'll put the lectrons back on so the times will get better. Been a few years since I ran the CV's.

I'm starting to think that wrist pin had been broken for long time, that would explain why the bike ran slower on the bottle all this time.

Anyhow it felt good to get back to normal.

 

[lecroy]

Did I miss something?! Wasn't that the FIRST EVER UNDER 6.0000 SECOND PASS WE HAVE BEEN WAITING ON!!!!!????? This is been what, three years in the making?? You think your going to just slip this by us??!!!

Huge Congrats!!

 

[lecroy]

E, If you have the parts anodized and then they burn through the coating you get a real nice look. Tons of contrast. We have used a plater in South Bend for small runs but its had to get that many parts together to have done. They will do one part but the cost is the same.

I got the belly pan finished last night then we watched a movie. Today, a battery box..

 

[DreamRyder]

E, If you have the parts anodized and then they burn through the coating you get a real nice look. Tons of contrast. We have used a plater in South Bend for small runs but its had to get that many parts together to have done. They will do one part but the cost is the same.

I got the belly pan finished last night then we watched a movie. Today, a battery box..

Yup exactly.. that's how RCC does his.. they are anodized first then lazer cut for his logo.. I'd be getting his cover already anodized with his logo then look to have my own thing added below his logo.. IF I can get teh artwork done .. I've only done stuff for diecuting.. never for etching so I'm not entirely sure how to trace it so that it comes out right LOL

His cover I have now is lazer cut but I didn't have the time to wait for his next batch of anodized ones .. figured it'd be temporary till I did have time to wait .. my racing buddy wanted my silver cover when I did switch over. He dont' like black ones - so it'd would have worked out perfect BUT now it's all marred up from the wipe out

E.

 

[lecroy]

Looks like we are on for Wednesday. I sent them some artwork over the weekend and they said it came across fine. I hope I do not offend any of our service members with it. Has a military sort of theme like the flag bike but my computer art skills stink and was limited to using an old version of Sketch to get a DXF file they could read.

Trying to pack all the crap inside the chassis without making a hotel this time. I would like to be able to replace a battery without taking out the nitrous, fuel pump, ignition and 10 miles of tube. Theres a lot of free space in the chassis but only a few good places to mount stuff.

Hope to have all the major parts mounted by this weekend. Just need to find a place to hide my GPS receiver, throttle stop controller and my tree trigger detector... LOL.