1st in Vintage Lighty Weight
March 2009 Race Report
First off, I would like to give thanks to Ed Milich, Pierre, Johnny Bowmen of Hollywood Motors, Jesse, Terrence, Friends, Cretins Motorcycle Club, LA 2 Wheel Social Club, The Alazzurra List, and the Pantaheads Club for supporting my racing career. With out your support and help; I wouldn’t be racing.
Well, this month I made a baffle that inserts into the reverse megaphone that I installed last month to make it a little quieter, and to perhaps make track officials happier when they see the pipe on the bike. It actually made it a little quieter and deeper; therefore, the effort was worth it. So, I found out that the seal in the clutch cover, where the piston pushes the plates, was leaking clutch fluid. This was the cause of last month’s clutch failure. I put the piston on my little lathe in the garage and sanded some of the marks with some 1200 grit and parts wash solvent as well as the cylinder. I then replaced the O-ring and lubed it with some seal grease. It seemed to do the trick. I also replace the master cylinder with a newer model Brembo one, thanks to Ed, and installed a steel braided line. I also adjusted the cam belt tension because it was a little loose since they were newly installed back January. The chain is getting on the verge of turning a half turn in. I have learned from watching fast bikes, that tight chains break! I watched Josh Hayes wreck a borrowed bike in turn one earlier this year because the chain broke. Probably because the chain was too tight.
Saturday morning Jesse, a motorcyclist whom moved here recently and has a love for racing, help load up my little S-10 with race bike, pit bike, and all the needed essentials to race. I will have to remind myself to take a pic of the truck when it is loaded. It feels like your doing a wheelie when going down the road. Lol. I do wish I had not sold my gas guzzling GMC long bed C2500 now for my little 4 banger S-10. It was never this much of a challenge loading up all my race gear. Jesse and I took off for the track around 10:15 AM and headed 95 miles north to Willow Springs. Terrence, one of my club members, had rode up earlier and set up a pit spot for us. It was no were near my usual destination near an electrical outlet or my friends pit, but he brought a Honda generator and made it all the better. Terrence is a new racer and plans on racing his totally race built RD 350 next month at Willow Spring’s AHRMA Moto Corsa Classica vintage motorcycle race. This month I even took the time to make some kick ass Yamaha Cretins Racing stickers for his tank and seat; which he was very happy with.
When we arrived to the track, Jesse and I hit the restroom for some needed drainage. I then thought I should just go ahead and fill up my gas can before rolling over to our pit spot, and this is were I made “Dumb Ass Mistake #1.” I was rambling with Jesse about something, put my credit card in the machine, pulled the filler, and didn’t realize that I was filling my truck with 110 race gas until about 20 bucks into the conversation. Arrgh! So, then I filled my gas can with another 30 bucks. Ok, so proceeded to our pit spot. As we unloaded I notice the weather was around low 50’s with a brisk wind; and then “DOM #2.” I forgot my transponder on the charger in my shop. AAAARRRGH!! How did I do that? Well, I now know that I need to make a list of all the important things to bring to the track. When I went to get my inspection slip, the register’s office manager Dave said that I could practice with out one, but I needed one to race with if I wanted to be scored. Thank you Terrence for coming out Sunday morning and bringing my transmitter. Cheers buddy for saving my ass and a drive back to LA! Here is to a PBR that you will one day drink. hehe
Ok, so I decided to practice with my eaten and worn out rear tire, and save the new one for race day. I stayed in the light weight practice; so that, I could try and work with Terrence on his lines and track time. As the day progressed the wind became factor in the pits as well on the track. Holding down the easy up become quite a challenge. I asked Terrence to tie his down, but he failed listen to me and as a result his canopy took a leap of faith but landed as if someone had put it down for him. Haha. Seriously, landed and folded right up. Lucky bastard! My lap times never did get under 1.40 all day because I knew I had a used up rear tire, and the bike was like a sail going against the wind coming down the straight.
At the end of the day, we dismounted the rear wheel, and I took it down to Pirelli. They had a slight harder compound race tire on hold for me. A 150 60 17 SC-2. Pirelli and I decided to go with a harder compound tire since the softer one was eating away so quickly, and to try and get another race out of it. A rear tire cost $200 bucks, so if you can get another weekend out of her, then it’s money in the bank.
Saturday night, I blessed Jesse with the Rosomond’s Mexican cantina for some food and Margaritas. There we met up with Elliot and his girlfriend Jen. Elliot lets me and my pit mates sleep at his house in the Mojave and works for Scaled Composites, oh and he races planes, just so you know…he has a badge that says “Pilot.”. After dinner we rolled over to Mojave where there was a St Patrick’s Day themed party. I have now realized that these aeronautic engineer geeks have nothing to do in the desert; therefore, theme parties seem to be a way to have fun, hang out, and drink. There really isn’t much to do in the Mojave after hours unless you want to hang out with desert tweaker rat’s that fill the desert floor with metal, rusted geolopies, and crumbling buildings. So, the night was fun filled with green food, green beer, green cake, green M&M’s and eventually green poop. Hehe
Sunday morning. Ok let’s get to racing! I made my quick calls and text as usual before I got to the track since Willow Springs is like complete dead zone for T-mobile users. My favorite part of the morning is when I can see the track in the distance, the omega, turn two, and the feeling I get when the hair on my arms rise as I turn onto the quarter mile road to the track entrance.
Yes, it’s freaking cold and really windy! What’s up with that I thought? So, I head out on track knowing that my tire is new and slippery. As I went around the big turn 8 the wind gushed me over, and I realized real quick that I need to get low and lean into the wind. Two or three times I was hit by wind and it moved me over a few feet. I was racing down the straight along the right side of the track and the wind hit. It almost forced me off the track! “I’ll stay in the center from now on,” I thought to myself. Wind had now become a factor in performance and handling. I couldn’t get up to the rpm range that I usually get too in my last gear. I later learned that riders go up a gear when it’s windy like this. Note to self: Get some different size sprockets.
After a short and un-entertaining rider’s meeting I got ready to race. Race two was Vintage heavy weight. I took off and left everyone. It became a race to see how many people I could lap. Ridiculous! We need more competitive racers in Vintage Heavy Weight! Note to readers!!!!! It’s cheap racing!!!! … ok.. Well, I really didn’t push the bike too hard in that race. Better to save the tires and the bike for the next race. I kept thinking about this video Nova gave me last week; which I decided to finally view the night before and the morning of race weekend, “The History of the Isle of Man TT.” 100 and something years of motorcycle racing. The racer said, which I will find out his name later, ‘ Never try and be first in practice, wait until the race to push your bike and yourself.’ I just started thinking about this stuff all day. Any ways, my ADD kicks in and we get lost. Sorry bro! Haha,.. back to racing.
Race three. Four of us lined up in Vintage Light Weight behind the 1st wave of 12 racers in The Battle of Twins middle weight (BOT mid) racer abrivo!.. (SV 650’s, Kawis, and 748 Ducatis…those kinda bikes)
The first wave took off, and we were let go about 30 seconds later. I slipped the clutch, and when I hit 2nd, it missed. Damn! I thought. As we entered one, I set up to pass the 2nd place rider. Passed him on the outside and set my sites on Russ who was out front on a 1990 Honda NT647 Hawk GT. The bike is sweet! Polished frame, single sided swing arm, three valves per cylinder, twin sparkplugs, and with a torquie 52 degree V twin.
I also think he has put a CBR front end on it as well with dual disc. Anyways, I was right on his ass coming around two when I decided to make a move. No reason to try and pass through the omega so I got right up next to him about mid way through the long turn two. Passed him and took over my line as we exited to the straight. I told myself to go fast through the omega and loose this guy. Let’s see if he can hang. Well….I looked back as I finished the first lap. Damn it I thought to myself. I should have just taken it a little easy so that I could have a race on my hands. He took me on the line; therefore, I was not messing around at that point. His bike should be right with me. I continued to press on battling the wind. After about half way of 8 laps, I started catching the BOT class that took off ahead of us. That’s when the racing got fun. I passed two guys going around two, one guy through one, another guy through the omega. I started to stalk this rider that was sponsored my friend Andy’s shop GP Cycles. Passed him on the outside coming out of the omega. I think I may have passed half the group. The rider sponsored by GP cycle rolled up to me on the victory lap and gave me the thumbs up. Hell ya! I thought. This old 80’s bike is kicking your new bike’s ass! Haha I waited for Russ and followed him to his pits. He said that he had me in his sites the first couple laps but couldn’t catch up. He said that all of a sudden the other rider past him and he ended up third. He should have kept his head in the race I thought to myself.
Ed showed up and greeted me as I entered the pits after the race. He got on the bike and road it up the street. I told him that it is cutting out between 5-7 grand. Ed and I talked about a couple of problem possibilities; therefore, I will have to investigate a few things when I get it back to the shop. Can’t have that shit next month. Haha
It was great weekend. It was a good feeling to win both races; although I was bummed that two RZ 350’s didn’t show up. Maybe next month when the weather is kick ass!( That’s for you Elliot…quote of the weekend!) Jesse got to experience his first motorcycle race, in the pits, with a winning racer. Ernie, a racer from Glendale Harley, approached me and gave some nice rider compliments, the cb 200 got lot’s of looks, Terrence got some track time, Ed and George got to do some dirt biking as well as pitting for Jeff, and my favorite rider and roll model, Jeff Tigert, won all his races this weekend. He is going to kick some ass this year and win the Championship. I’m hoping to be able to show some support to Jeff next weekend at Fontana were he will be racing a Pro AMA race.
Oh, the new harder compound rear tire worked great! No sliding or ripping the sides off. That’s a great sign.
Well April is going to be a financial challenge. I need a new front tire for both my Cb 450 and my Ducati. I’m racing two weekends in two different organizations. That’s going to cost the most. Practice, entry for each race, and oh, I have to renew my AMA membership. Financial challenge will never end…. Well, I hope the racing never does. That’s a double negative…Haha… it will end good…promise!
Thanks again to all that helped make this a great race weekend. Until next month,
Rick Carmody aka “Highside”
#394 1986 Ducati Cagiva/Alluzzurra/Pantah
Name still undecided. Haha J
Psssst! I’m going to sell my Nissan 300ZX twin turbo to buy a race ready SV 650. I’m seriously ready to take another step.
First off, I would like to give thanks to Ed Milich, Pierre, Johnny Bowmen of Hollywood Motors, Jesse, Terrence, Friends, Cretins Motorcycle Club, LA 2 Wheel Social Club, The Alazzurra List, and the Pantaheads Club for supporting my racing career. With out your support and help; I wouldn’t be racing.
Well, this month I made a baffle that inserts into the reverse megaphone that I installed last month to make it a little quieter, and to perhaps make track officials happier when they see the pipe on the bike. It actually made it a little quieter and deeper; therefore, the effort was worth it. So, I found out that the seal in the clutch cover, where the piston pushes the plates, was leaking clutch fluid. This was the cause of last month’s clutch failure. I put the piston on my little lathe in the garage and sanded some of the marks with some 1200 grit and parts wash solvent as well as the cylinder. I then replaced the O-ring and lubed it with some seal grease. It seemed to do the trick. I also replace the master cylinder with a newer model Brembo one, thanks to Ed, and installed a steel braided line. I also adjusted the cam belt tension because it was a little loose since they were newly installed back January. The chain is getting on the verge of turning a half turn in. I have learned from watching fast bikes, that tight chains break! I watched Josh Hayes wreck a borrowed bike in turn one earlier this year because the chain broke. Probably because the chain was too tight.
Saturday morning Jesse, a motorcyclist whom moved here recently and has a love for racing, help load up my little S-10 with race bike, pit bike, and all the needed essentials to race. I will have to remind myself to take a pic of the truck when it is loaded. It feels like your doing a wheelie when going down the road. Lol. I do wish I had not sold my gas guzzling GMC long bed C2500 now for my little 4 banger S-10. It was never this much of a challenge loading up all my race gear. Jesse and I took off for the track around 10:15 AM and headed 95 miles north to Willow Springs. Terrence, one of my club members, had rode up earlier and set up a pit spot for us. It was no were near my usual destination near an electrical outlet or my friends pit, but he brought a Honda generator and made it all the better. Terrence is a new racer and plans on racing his totally race built RD 350 next month at Willow Spring’s AHRMA Moto Corsa Classica vintage motorcycle race. This month I even took the time to make some kick ass Yamaha Cretins Racing stickers for his tank and seat; which he was very happy with.
When we arrived to the track, Jesse and I hit the restroom for some needed drainage. I then thought I should just go ahead and fill up my gas can before rolling over to our pit spot, and this is were I made “Dumb Ass Mistake #1.” I was rambling with Jesse about something, put my credit card in the machine, pulled the filler, and didn’t realize that I was filling my truck with 110 race gas until about 20 bucks into the conversation. Arrgh! So, then I filled my gas can with another 30 bucks. Ok, so proceeded to our pit spot. As we unloaded I notice the weather was around low 50’s with a brisk wind; and then “DOM #2.” I forgot my transponder on the charger in my shop. AAAARRRGH!! How did I do that? Well, I now know that I need to make a list of all the important things to bring to the track. When I went to get my inspection slip, the register’s office manager Dave said that I could practice with out one, but I needed one to race with if I wanted to be scored. Thank you Terrence for coming out Sunday morning and bringing my transmitter. Cheers buddy for saving my ass and a drive back to LA! Here is to a PBR that you will one day drink. hehe
Ok, so I decided to practice with my eaten and worn out rear tire, and save the new one for race day. I stayed in the light weight practice; so that, I could try and work with Terrence on his lines and track time. As the day progressed the wind became factor in the pits as well on the track. Holding down the easy up become quite a challenge. I asked Terrence to tie his down, but he failed listen to me and as a result his canopy took a leap of faith but landed as if someone had put it down for him. Haha. Seriously, landed and folded right up. Lucky bastard! My lap times never did get under 1.40 all day because I knew I had a used up rear tire, and the bike was like a sail going against the wind coming down the straight.
At the end of the day, we dismounted the rear wheel, and I took it down to Pirelli. They had a slight harder compound race tire on hold for me. A 150 60 17 SC-2. Pirelli and I decided to go with a harder compound tire since the softer one was eating away so quickly, and to try and get another race out of it. A rear tire cost $200 bucks, so if you can get another weekend out of her, then it’s money in the bank.
Saturday night, I blessed Jesse with the Rosomond’s Mexican cantina for some food and Margaritas. There we met up with Elliot and his girlfriend Jen. Elliot lets me and my pit mates sleep at his house in the Mojave and works for Scaled Composites, oh and he races planes, just so you know…he has a badge that says “Pilot.”. After dinner we rolled over to Mojave where there was a St Patrick’s Day themed party. I have now realized that these aeronautic engineer geeks have nothing to do in the desert; therefore, theme parties seem to be a way to have fun, hang out, and drink. There really isn’t much to do in the Mojave after hours unless you want to hang out with desert tweaker rat’s that fill the desert floor with metal, rusted geolopies, and crumbling buildings. So, the night was fun filled with green food, green beer, green cake, green M&M’s and eventually green poop. Hehe
Sunday morning. Ok let’s get to racing! I made my quick calls and text as usual before I got to the track since Willow Springs is like complete dead zone for T-mobile users. My favorite part of the morning is when I can see the track in the distance, the omega, turn two, and the feeling I get when the hair on my arms rise as I turn onto the quarter mile road to the track entrance.
Yes, it’s freaking cold and really windy! What’s up with that I thought? So, I head out on track knowing that my tire is new and slippery. As I went around the big turn 8 the wind gushed me over, and I realized real quick that I need to get low and lean into the wind. Two or three times I was hit by wind and it moved me over a few feet. I was racing down the straight along the right side of the track and the wind hit. It almost forced me off the track! “I’ll stay in the center from now on,” I thought to myself. Wind had now become a factor in performance and handling. I couldn’t get up to the rpm range that I usually get too in my last gear. I later learned that riders go up a gear when it’s windy like this. Note to self: Get some different size sprockets.
After a short and un-entertaining rider’s meeting I got ready to race. Race two was Vintage heavy weight. I took off and left everyone. It became a race to see how many people I could lap. Ridiculous! We need more competitive racers in Vintage Heavy Weight! Note to readers!!!!! It’s cheap racing!!!! … ok.. Well, I really didn’t push the bike too hard in that race. Better to save the tires and the bike for the next race. I kept thinking about this video Nova gave me last week; which I decided to finally view the night before and the morning of race weekend, “The History of the Isle of Man TT.” 100 and something years of motorcycle racing. The racer said, which I will find out his name later, ‘ Never try and be first in practice, wait until the race to push your bike and yourself.’ I just started thinking about this stuff all day. Any ways, my ADD kicks in and we get lost. Sorry bro! Haha,.. back to racing.
Race three. Four of us lined up in Vintage Light Weight behind the 1st wave of 12 racers in The Battle of Twins middle weight (BOT mid) racer abrivo!.. (SV 650’s, Kawis, and 748 Ducatis…those kinda bikes)
The first wave took off, and we were let go about 30 seconds later. I slipped the clutch, and when I hit 2nd, it missed. Damn! I thought. As we entered one, I set up to pass the 2nd place rider. Passed him on the outside and set my sites on Russ who was out front on a 1990 Honda NT647 Hawk GT. The bike is sweet! Polished frame, single sided swing arm, three valves per cylinder, twin sparkplugs, and with a torquie 52 degree V twin.
I also think he has put a CBR front end on it as well with dual disc. Anyways, I was right on his ass coming around two when I decided to make a move. No reason to try and pass through the omega so I got right up next to him about mid way through the long turn two. Passed him and took over my line as we exited to the straight. I told myself to go fast through the omega and loose this guy. Let’s see if he can hang. Well….I looked back as I finished the first lap. Damn it I thought to myself. I should have just taken it a little easy so that I could have a race on my hands. He took me on the line; therefore, I was not messing around at that point. His bike should be right with me. I continued to press on battling the wind. After about half way of 8 laps, I started catching the BOT class that took off ahead of us. That’s when the racing got fun. I passed two guys going around two, one guy through one, another guy through the omega. I started to stalk this rider that was sponsored my friend Andy’s shop GP Cycles. Passed him on the outside coming out of the omega. I think I may have passed half the group. The rider sponsored by GP cycle rolled up to me on the victory lap and gave me the thumbs up. Hell ya! I thought. This old 80’s bike is kicking your new bike’s ass! Haha I waited for Russ and followed him to his pits. He said that he had me in his sites the first couple laps but couldn’t catch up. He said that all of a sudden the other rider past him and he ended up third. He should have kept his head in the race I thought to myself.
Ed showed up and greeted me as I entered the pits after the race. He got on the bike and road it up the street. I told him that it is cutting out between 5-7 grand. Ed and I talked about a couple of problem possibilities; therefore, I will have to investigate a few things when I get it back to the shop. Can’t have that shit next month. Haha
It was great weekend. It was a good feeling to win both races; although I was bummed that two RZ 350’s didn’t show up. Maybe next month when the weather is kick ass!( That’s for you Elliot…quote of the weekend!) Jesse got to experience his first motorcycle race, in the pits, with a winning racer. Ernie, a racer from Glendale Harley, approached me and gave some nice rider compliments, the cb 200 got lot’s of looks, Terrence got some track time, Ed and George got to do some dirt biking as well as pitting for Jeff, and my favorite rider and roll model, Jeff Tigert, won all his races this weekend. He is going to kick some ass this year and win the Championship. I’m hoping to be able to show some support to Jeff next weekend at Fontana were he will be racing a Pro AMA race.
Oh, the new harder compound rear tire worked great! No sliding or ripping the sides off. That’s a great sign.
Well April is going to be a financial challenge. I need a new front tire for both my Cb 450 and my Ducati. I’m racing two weekends in two different organizations. That’s going to cost the most. Practice, entry for each race, and oh, I have to renew my AMA membership. Financial challenge will never end…. Well, I hope the racing never does. That’s a double negative…Haha… it will end good…promise!
Thanks again to all that helped make this a great race weekend. Until next month,
Rick Carmody aka “Highside”
#394 1986 Ducati Cagiva/Alluzzurra/Pantah
Name still undecided. Haha J
Psssst! I’m going to sell my Nissan 300ZX twin turbo to buy a race ready SV 650. I’m seriously ready to take another step.
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