Track Stories 08

[RacingJake]

Yeah I was hopping to brag about a sub 5.50 run..........

[skip]

You guys and your drag bikes make me so jealous! Every year my highlight is when I get to take my street bike back to the 1/4 and and relive the glory days. My bike is not fast, its a heavy bike and I am no lightweight these days. Ill be installing a new clutch, mine got really worn when the I raced Jethro and the other New England GS'rs last summer and was slipping pretty good. This years goal is to improve on the 10.66 and launch like I used to back in the day when my baIIs were bigger than my brain :-D Hopefully ill get in the 10.50 range or better. there is chance I may be moving to Hebron Ohio in a few years in which case I will be close to national trails raceway. If that come true ill build a bracket bike and get back into it again.

[lecroy]

Soon Jake!

Dang Skip, close to Columbus then. I lived there for some time and almost took at job with True Sports up in Hilliard. I was a big fan of Rahal. Some very good places to ride in that area. Plus the strip. Congradulations! Hope it all works out for you!!



We stripped all the black and green layers of paint off the front rim and I took it all apart last night to start sanding and polishing it. Once it was apart, it looks like a Kawasaki green. First thing I noticed was not all the same bolts held it together. Then I spun the bearings, and one has a snag to it so both will be replaced. Someone robbed the spacers so those will have to be made from scratch. The rims are streight and the front one polished up nice.

Not sure how you guys mount your engines, but I use mach larger bolts than stock. The cases have to be drilled out to get them to fit. It looks like with this setup, they had drilled and tapped the cases so none of the bolts went all the way through. I plan to stay with my way even though they were saving a little weight this way. I took a look at Greg's Koenig and plan to copy the new design for the front mounts.

[rosco15]

This is a pic of a poster TRP had out at their autorama display in downtown cleveland this past weekend. A friend took the picture and sent it to me. I thought it was pretty cool.

[lecroy]

Hey, can I get one of those autographed? Very cool that thye put you dead center where you belong!!


It was like Christmas in Spring here. The new rotors made it in from RC today. They did a great job with them. The new front bearings came in also so I was able to get the spacers cut for it and try mounting the hub. All that hand sanding, buffing and rubbing looks alright. Its a PMFR from end. Next I need to mount the breaks.


Of course, they did not send the nut for the axel but at least its not bent. You have to take the good where you can find it with this bike.

Then to top things off, a second box made it in. The tires!! Freaked me right out! This is an old F16 chassis. It is a lot wider and longer than my Flag bike which is more like a Pro-Stock size. Normally, we use the 26X10X15 tires. Pretty common. This chassis is setup with a 10" rim and uses a standard Pro-mod tire which is 29X11X15 and weighs 23 lbs. The bike came with an old 26X10 mounted on it so I took a picture to show the difference..

[rosco15]

Does that fix the clearance problem. That tire is alot taller.

[lecroy]

Does that fix the clearance problem. That tire is alot taller.

I won't know until I get everything mounted but it was about 1" with no one sitting on the bike and the 26 over inflated. With the added 1.5" I am thinking it's right on the line. Plan to mount the new tires today and see how it looks. Will the tub fit....


Update..
I got the tires mounted up (have the back ones done for me) and put them on the frame. With 10PSI in the rear, the axel adjustors in the center (they can move up and down), fork tubes level to the top tree and me sitting on it, I get about 3.5". I think once I drop a motor in it and take it down to 4PSI, its going to be fine.

The tub looks like a good match but will need a few tweeks to work, like last time. Started working out a bracket for the front caliper. Looks like it won't have to be anything fancy. Just flat stock. Bike came with both rear and front hand breaks. Plan to clutch it still, so need to figure out a back break lever.

[lecroy]

A few parts I found on eBay for the new bike. All top notch dragbike parts I am sure.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/DRAGBIKE-LUGGAGE-RACK-DRAG-BIKE_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQcategoryZ35580QQihZ008QQitemZ180224547205QQrdZ1QQsspagenameZWDVW

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/DRAGBIKE-HONDA-GOLDWING-HIGHWAY-BARS-DRAG-BIKE_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQcategoryZ35580QQihZ008QQitemZ180224549792QQrdZ1QQsspagenameZWDVW

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Dragbike-Honda-CM-400-A-Grab-Bar-CM-400A-CM400A_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQcategoryZ35595QQihZ017QQitemZ270220327026QQrdZ1QQsspagenameZWDVW

[lecroy]

A few more parts I am considering..

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/dragbike-front-wheel-reflectors_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQcategoryZ10066QQihZ008QQitemZ180224275744QQrdZ1QQsspagenameZWDVW

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/KAWASAKI-Z1900-KZ1000-MKII-LTD-DRAGBIKE-SIGNAL-LIGHTS_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQcategoryZ35581QQihZ002QQitemZ120235189428QQrdZ1QQsspagenameZWDVW

Got the front break mount finished up along with the spacers for the front fender. I just need a couple more parts before we can fire up the TIG. The body on this bike is a lot longer than my other bike and it has no support in the tail section. I have some added support on the other bike but I think that after putting the tub in that it will provide more than enough strength to keep the paint from cracking on the new one.

I plan to see if more of the rough parts can be purchased from Koenig. I know I can get an unfinished offset plate. I tossed the motor mounts and may see if I can get a set like what Gregs topgas bike has. His has a nice setup.

They had ran a slider and both brake controls are on the handlebars. I plan to hand clutch it and need to add a foot brake or figure out how to work two levers with one hand and not die. I think thats about all thats left before we can finish up the chassis.

[rosco15]

Pulled the trailer out yesterday and then checked the weather. Put it back in storage today.
Snow this evening will become heavy at times late. Low 28F. Winds ENE at 10 to 15 mph. Snow accumulating 3 to 5 inches.

[RacingJake]

Got a few more runs in tonight, off the bottle, best was 6.23 at 110 mph on nos best was 6.81 at 115 mph. Track was prep great so I don't think that was an issue.

I either have a tire traction problem or a clutch issue cause off the bottle it goes throught the gears in a timely manor but get on the nos and the shift light just stays on in 3rd, 4th and 5th.

I'm running a bolt and nut on each of the arms and 41lb springs with this 750 ratio. Gearing is 16/44. My overall gearing is just a shade higher compared to last years 1100 ratio and 14/46 gearing.............I'm starting to think a bigger tire is needed ???

Going to pull the clutch apart and see if it's has burn't any plates, if it looks good me thinks it's a tire issue ??

Also going to check the clutch cable free play too

[DreamRyder]

Too bad about Ubly. What was the reason? Looks like they still own the Keliva track and plan to run it this year.

I used to run at Mid Michigan Motorplex, aka Central Michigan Dragway, aka Stanton when I was younger. We went to a big bike race maybe four years ago. They had a great turnout. I was amazed how much it had changed. The tower and stands are real nice now. Same old bathrooms though. LOL

I dug through my pics and found these of the bikes from Ubly. Maybe you know them.

Hey there.... those photos were takin at US131 in Martin, MI ... I'm the gal in the red white and blue.. and the fella on the blue and white busa is Nem but I'm not sure who the fella is on the red Kawi...

I use to race at Ubly till I moved to IL.. i still go back to race at US131 and will be doin Milan as well this year.

Sure miss Ubly ... can't run there now even if hey did keep it open .. unless they were to extend the shut down area by ALOT... I'm gonna be runnin a turbo this year where as last year I was just on a stock motor.

Found this post through a link posted on another site.. hope ya didn't mind me pokin in :-D

E.

[Baatfam]

I use to race at Ubly till I moved to IL...
E.

Where in Illinois? Do ya ever come up to Byron for their 2WheelSpeed events? Good times!

Bob T.

[DreamRyder]

Where in Illinois? Do ya ever come up to Byron for their 2WheelSpeed events? Good times!

Bob T.

Yup Yup.... many of times last year but only for test and tune... I was runnin a stock motor and just setting up a single stage lock up... my times weren't good enough to compete with the shoot out guys ... BUT this year it will be a whole new ball game \\/ thanks to sponsorship by RCC Turbo... i'll have the power now to compete...

E.

[DreamRyder]

a couple videos of my passes at Byron as well ....

E.