TRACK DAY -"RIDE SMART.COM"

[rocketray]

I did another track day--this one at the MOTORSPORTSRANCH track in Cresson Tx--great group of instructors/riders- $160 for the day-about 15 minute track sessions and then 15 minute lectures/ Q&A-free lunch and bottled water-very hot at nearly 100 when I left around 1-2 pm--I still struggle with cornering--apparently I do not lean my head into the corners which prevents my body from following---I actually tilt it out--when I tried tilting in I got vertigo-all sorts of stuff I was working on--anyway it sure is nice to be able to go fast and not worry about the endless list of killjoys on the street--the traffic in D/FW-now the 4th largest metropolitan area in the states revealed nary a motorcyle for 70 miles--and for good reason.....

[RDKLL]

Excellent! Were you on a Valkyrie? If not what were you riding? There was a guy here, seems like a hundred years ago the went to Keith Code riding school on an Interstate...some very cool pics. He supposedly wore down the engine guards to about half their diameter. He removed the bags and taped up the headlights.
http://www.valkyrieriders.com/codes.htm

[Willow]

... He supposedly wore down the engine guards to about half their diameter. ...

Just so you know, if you wear the engine guards in half (you can't reduce the diameter of hollow tubes) the bike would go to the ground hard.

He did scrape some metal off the guards.

[rocketray]

No I was on the wife's GSX 650f Suzuki--a beginner sport bike which she doesn't ride anymore after I bought her an Indian Chieftain--it-the Suzuki- is about 500# which is good on the road but  I believe some 100# more than the GSX-R--I opened up the airbox which made a HUGE difference and would estimate some 85-90 hp--yes it is faster than the Valk--it was a late nite decision to go and had the motorcycle mounts  for it installed on my trailer and being worn out from the honeydo's on Saturday....since I have lean angle issues anyway so the engine guards may not be in any danger--but the exhaust note would spin heads with the open viking header..it sounds like it would keep up w/anything--there was an abundance of machinery there with every configuration 0f 2's and 4's--the V4's  sounds were my favorite--it was only a 1 1/2 hour drive to the track so yes--next time I will bring the Valk--it sure SOUNDS like it will keep up w/the crowd--at the last event at the Formula 1 track in Austin Tx COTA-The Circiut of The Ameica's--there were some Harley's and other street cruiser bikes--it was some $450 A DAY--but 2 big straightaways and 1st class everything--probably a great spectator event just for the sound but spectators aren't allowed at the event

[cookiedough]

been meaning to get to Byron IL to do some 1/4 mile test runs I think, not sure, it is only 30 bucks for a few 1/4 mile runs.  I wonder if I can crack under 13 seconds? 

[rocketray]

yes that would be fun try'n....I'm not sure if anyone is interested but looking at the pictures of the riders progressing thru the level of the groups from 1-2-3 it is almost humorous to see the youngsters(track experience wise) like me mid corner upright with a slight cant of the helmet looking like coyote pups on their first rabbit hunt thru level 3 hanging off and nearly dragging a knee pad..go to "ride smart"  web page and look for on right "hart photography" for the pictures  group 1 is rookies level 3 are the semi pro's 

[RDKLL]

... He supposedly wore down the engine guards to about half their diameter. ...

Just so you know, if you wear the engine guards in half (you can't reduce the diameter of hollow tubes) the bike would go to the ground hard.

He did scrape some metal off the guards.

Overall diameter? Help me!

[Willow]

... He supposedly wore down the engine guards to about half their diameter. ...

Just so you know, if you wear the engine guards in half (you can't reduce the diameter of hollow tubes) the bike would go to the ground hard.

He did scrape some metal off the guards.

Overall diameter? Help me!

Diameter is the measurement of a circular item from side to side.  If the item is hollow and you remove a portion of one side it is no longer circular.  to reduce a diameter the item would need to be solid and worn evenly all the way around.

It was probably more precise than we needed to be.  In reading the link it was clear that the author indicated he had worn in spots some of the metal of the engine guards. The engine guards are not flexible.  If a rider wore more than just scraping lightly the engine guard the front wheel would be unloaded.  When the front wheel is unloaded in a lean the bike will go down.   

[Gryphon Rider]

... He supposedly wore down the engine guards to about half their diameter. ...

Just so you know, if you wear the engine guards in half (you can't reduce the diameter of hollow tubes) the bike would go to the ground hard.

He did scrape some metal off the guards.

Overall diameter? Help me!

Diameter is the measurement of a circular item from side to side.  If the item is hollow and you remove a portion of one side it is no longer circular.  to reduce a diameter the item would need to be solid and worn evenly all the way around.

It was probably more precise than we needed to be.  In reading the link it was clear that the author indicated he had worn in spots some of the metal of the engine guards. The engine guards are not flexible.  If a rider wore more than just scraping lightly the engine guard the front wheel would be unloaded.  When the front wheel is unloaded in a lean the bike will go down.   

Willow, sometimes technical precision can be sacrificed in the name of succinctness, especially when everyone reading knows what the writer is talking about.  E.g., everyone know that when someone refers to the Valkyrie's differential, they are talking about the gearbox at the rear wheel, even though a differential is actually a device used to accommodate the  difference between the two wheels on one powered axle as the vehicle goes around a corner.  In the case of RDKILL's description of the worn engine guard, however, technical precision was not sacrificed.  Using the word diameter to describe one measurement of a three dimensional object often indicates the overall cross-sectional measurement where the cross section is circular.  When someone says half the diameter is worn down, we know they are not talking about half of the length of the object being worn.  In this case the diameter was 1-1/8".  Wearing something down to half of its original diameter doesn't mean that the dimension continues to represent a diameter, but that the new cross-sectional dimension is now half of the dimension that was the diameter, in this case becoming 9/16".

[Willow]

Willow, sometimes technical precision can be sacrificed in the name of succinctness, ...  In this case the diameter was 1-1/8".  Wearing something down to half of its original diameter doesn't mean that the dimension continues to represent a diameter, but that the new cross-sectional dimension is now half of the dimension that was the diameter, in this case becoming 9/16".

I won't extend the discussion beyond this reply as it doesn't lend itself to the original subject of the thread.  What you have indicated is exactly what I described as not possible.  Also, reading the article at the link indicates that the rider scraped a little bit of the metal, not "half the diameter".