August Shanghai Festival of Speed and Culture Write-up

[China_Racer_1]

Yesterday was open practice in the morning and then racers only practice in the afternoon.
I slept wrong or something a few nights ago and have had a crick I my neck for nearly two days and it just won't let. Up but I said f*ck it and went out to practice despite I can hardly turn my head to the right.

Funny thing was when I was out there I have no clue if I was turning my head or not but I was not feeling any pain. I was totally focused on the task at hand. Practice in the open setting sucks as anyone on 2 wheels can join in al in one session no matter what the skill level.

It’s pretty dangerous to tell the truth. Any one that complains about track days and being in groups back home needs to see the alternative and then go home and shut up about it.
Anyway, as focused as I was, the bike was running great but I felt like shit after about ½ a session. The heat is still about 93 degrees I am guessing and the humidity is still up there.

I came in happy the bike was running so well but worried the lack of exercise and tons of red meat and potato I gorged myself with when I was in the states was taking effect.
Second session came and after nearly puking form taking I too much water too quick after the first session (only a 5 minute dry heave session) I got back out there and was determined to get my gear change reference points down and work on my body language.


cleaned up a bit and ready to go at it.

The second session was great I was really starting to get a fee for the bike. A little back end drift here and there with some rear wheel spin. The handling was spot on. All I needed to do was increase speed now and adjust a few reference points.

Then I went past a downed bike that caught fire just as I passed it…oh those silly early model R-6’s how they do burn!

So session cut short and we got nicked out of our 3rd session because it to a while to clean the track and time ran out.

One cool thing that happened to me was I changed my line through turn #1 which is end of a straight and a bit of a hairpin. I was going a bit too far inside and Uli told me to go deeper make a quicker turn and get the bike up fast so I have a straight drive out. It’s much fast than the way most everyone does it.


Front end of the bike.

So I tried it a bit one lap. Hmm seemed to get a good rive. I think this is better… I better try it again and this time really get on the throttle and get a kick as drive out.

So I did just that. However it went like this. I got the bike turned I was still leaned over pretty good. I though wow I have a lot of room, may 3 meters, before I cross the path of the bikes exiting that are using the inside line. This is great, I can really get on it from way back her and be full speed just as they exit. What a great advantage.

So I wicked open the throttle. Never had a front end come up so quick out of a corner. I was leaned over about 65 degrees (Guessing) the bars crossed full till sliding just a bit as I had not quite finished the turn and all I could think of was. “f*ck! I hope someone is getting g a picture of this.” I will ask around tomorrow to see.
What a f*ck balst! This bike handles so well and is so forgiving it’s just great. The engine is not only fast but it sounds outstanding. I had a few people come up to me and tell me my bike sounded great out there. Even form a guy that does not like me told me my bike sounded rally good. Ha ha


A bit of a promo pic I took for Oya Carbon.

I think you can see the Shanghai Sideways logo as well. They sponsored me for this race. They give tours on sidecars of shanghais downtown area. pretty cool tour really. (Shameless plug) They also set me up for a news paper interview to promote myself as well as them. So thats cool as well.

My Scottish buddy was on my tail and told me later that he was going to pass but he wanted to stay behind me a few more turns as the bike was cool sounding and he wanted to dig on the sound through the “S” turns. He also said I had in sane drive out of the corners with it. He is about 2 seconds a lap faster than I am but I think I will try my damndest to stay with him come race day.
I took a few pics of the bike with all its race trim on it I go into battle tomorrow at 1:00pm for qualifying.

[ragedigital]

That bike has come a long way and I'm glad to know that it is performing to your expectations. I am so glad that you share your experiences so well.

BTW, the FZROnline.com sticker is AWESOME!

darrin

[China_Racer_1]

Darrin yeah one on each side of the bike and one on each side of the helmet ha ha.

Qualifying went like this.....

Had new tires and wanted to scrub them in durning the mornign practice.... morning practice got cancelled so I went out in this high heat on new tires.

Took about 5 laps on this small track before I felt comfortable enough to really push it. By then a few bikes had crashed leaving debri in the corners.

Also the 93 degree heat and high humidity did me in. MY brain was toast. I simply could nto concentrate.

result - I choked and got gridded in the back row... ah Shit! no ecuses I simply choked 10 full seconds of my normal pace.. arghhhhh

Seems I always end up back there for one reason or another but usually end up in the top 5 -8 position. So I will fight my ass off tomorrow and see what I can do. this heat is really kicking my ass though.

I have been drinking gatorade so much I think I am pissing pure sodium and electrolites!

[olie05]

Do you do any sort of cross training? 93 degree weather is a blessing around here. Sure I'm not walking around in full leathers but still, 93 is not that bad.


...unless you're talking Celsius :O

Also, good luck tomorrow!

[China_Racer_1]

Well I finished my race today.
I am not sure what I feel about the results though.
On the one hand I think Ok - 48 years old, hotter than hell out today felt like my brain was melting hot and up against 21 year olds. I started on the grid in the #26 spot and crossed the finish line in the #14 spot. Well, not bad, I guess.

Then I find out that I was last. Huh what how could that be? Look into it and anyone I had passed other than the 3 or 4 crashes I saw they never finished the race. They either dropped out due to the heat or their bike dropped out do to the heat.

So though I worked my way up a bit especially on the first lap, I still ended up last ha ha ha. Oh well. I finished the race so I dues that's good enough for today’s weather.



The Bridgestone Battlax 090's worked just fine

I actually got a good start this time off the grid. The power in the lower end of this bike is great but that is do I part to the gearing had 14T front 48T rear. The track is short tight and hardly has a straight away. If I blip the throttle coming out of turn one I go straight vertical.

I started 26 of 27 the first turn came up and I had already passed 5 people. Really took off this time. Once out of the first turn I picked off one more then settled in behind a fairly fast rider that I wanted to pass. I followed him for a few laps but he had better corner speed and I never could catch that guy.

A few guys diced with me after that but after the 6th lap noticed there were not so many bikes on the track. I knew a few had crashed as I mentioned but I just figured the guys behind me were just as exhausted as I was. I figured good just hang on till the end of the race and you will be OK.

Now I know the reason was they all dropped out one by one as the race progressed. Too funny, I went from middle of the pack to lat place without ever losing a position. Ha ha ha ha.


Dopn't worry I got pics coming over the next few days. Check back every 12 hours or so I will post them as my buddies send them to me. I got three photorgrapher friends and I got pics coming from two that showed up today.

Good thing about living in an international city is there are forgeign fashion and other kinds of photographers around and its a somewhat small enough community of forerigners that you end up knowing some by default.

So when I get them a distraction from filming pics for restaurants they are glad to take pics and todss them to me for free.

I always get them media cameramen passes so they get in close. he he

Oh yeah as predicted my team mate DuBong got first 1 minute and 48 secons ahead of the 2nd place guy.... so do the math he is turning 1:07's... so he laped the 2nd place guy and was a full lap and nearly a half ahead of him ha ha. He did the last lap almost fully on his back wheel.

A real crowd plaser as he is the First Chinese rider to win the open superbike class in about 2 years. mostly the foreign riders win. So the home crowd was cheering for DuBang of course. lots of fun for the team today.


Here is a pic my wife took of me and my umbrella girl (AKA my 16 year old daughter)
No doubt I started in 26th place its right there in front of me ha ha.

Ollie you must live in the desert? 93 here with this humidity is killer.

[haunter]

lookin good!

love the bike and the leathers!!

[ragedigital]

Tires appear to have heated up evenly. Never tried the 090's before - fairly predictable tire?

I know what it's like to run in the heat - it sucks. You start feeling heat from everywhere, the exhaust, the motor, wind coming in from the gauges...

48 years old and still running with the younger guys. I know a lot of guys who quit in their thirties, so hats off to you, Steve!

darrin

[olie05]

Ollie you must live in the desert? 93 here with this humidity is killer.

Nah I just live in Houston. Right now it's 98 degrees outside. It won't get down to 93 until the sun goes down.

Sounds like a pretty successful day at the track! I'm assuming your little fzr was up against newer machinery?

[China_Racer_1]

Thanks for the compliments.

Yes the FZR was up against all new bikes not much older than a few years really. Well ,except for BG performance some of their bikes are 2003 R6's... but one of them burned up in a fire in turn one during Fridays practice.

I am up against 1000cc bikes as it is simply called OPEN SUPERBIKE. I think its more like formula USA as it is pretty much run what ya brung.

Being a non sancitoned event it is a festival of speed and th race is localized so no one pay so much attention to rules other than safety wiring the oil fill and drain and some basic track rules.

My gearing was such that I was coming out of corners in 3rd gear hammering the throttle and getting the front end light with out and direct effort on my part.

Yea 93 might not seem all that hot but after 3 full days of being at the track with no a/c or anyway to cool down and being in leathers for some of that time practicing or qualifying it was just a real bitch for me.

I can not wait to take this bike to the Shanghai F1 track and have some fun with her there next month.

[China_Racer_1]

Dropping into the right hander of the S turns.

You slow down jsut a blip off the throttle then accelerate through it. Its down hill a bit and pretty fast and fun if you do it right.





Right run is complete and now I have gone from right to left turn and almost at max lean for this turn.



This is about max lean for this turn. If I increase my speed I can get her over a bit more. my body position sucks in this pic and I need to get off the bike more. I was just too hot and brain fried to concentrate well enough to do any good. Not my best showing but I lasted to the end of the race where 13 others did not out of the 27 that started.

I will say this though. After looking at a few pics I felt pretty satisfied that I raced a bike I built for the most part. I had a lot of help no doubt and thanks to all those who helped and gave advice.

But when it all comes down to it. I bult this thing Fitting the Kawasaki body work to a 1988 FZR 400 frame, getting all the wiring done. fitting a Honda wheel, a kawasaki 636 radiator all the little deatils that take 10 X longer than you ever though they would. It all came down to getting her on the track and making a showing, which I did.

Maybe not the best I have ever done but I finished the race wher others had thier bikes fail.

I feel pretty good about that to tell the truth and don't mind saying so. This has been a long road and a hard effort. But my dream bike is done and I raced her and that feels a bit of OK.

Now on to the Shanghai F1 track next month to see what she can do at some real speeds. I hope to gear her up so she can reach 200 MPH on that long endless back straight. he he he.

[China_Racer_1]

Leaned over in a fast right hander





Some close in racing. The guy in the white eventually had overheating issues and had to pit.
This is about lap 5




Left turn part of the "S" turn.



I like this pic it seems to really show competition I guess. Not sure... but I just like it for some reason

[ragedigital]

Love the pics! Looks to have been a load of fun!

Maybe not the best I have ever done but I finished the race wher others had thier bikes fail.

That says something about all that were involved in the project - great work!

[China_Racer_1]

Rage,

For sure. with out the site and the help received with parts knowledge and such I never would have made it out there. My bike worked. It worked better than I did ha ha.

I repped this site on the fairings and on my hemet as well. let me get a few good pics and post them in the pics and vid section for ya.

[haunter]

bike and rider look great!

so jealous!!!

[thatkid]

bike and rider look great!

so jealous!!!