A bad workman blames his tools....

[Racey Rider]

Frustration!

a word that sums up the first two rounds of my Vic club winter series this year..

For the first time, (after riding back to pits after race three of Saturdays Manfield round), I felt like throwing this bike on the ground and kicking it till I could kick no longer!

For two years I have been trying to get this KR to run well in Legal Streetstock trim. And it does run ‘ok’ and now reliably.... but why do those other bikes find it So easy to out drag me down the straights!

I feel (and tell me if you have seen it differently), that I am riding well (for a streetstock rider ). That I attack corners just as well, and better than some of those in front of me. yet they are constantly pulling away from me out of the corners and are faster down the straights.

Are the RG150’s really that much faster than a KR150? I’m beginning to wonder as when I first started out with two race days in 2003, I had a RG150 and I felt it would lift the front wheel far easier than this KR. And on that RG I did a BT of 1.33 when I didn’t even know how to ride Manfield. Since then I have never got close to that time on my KR even thought I’m a better rider now.

For instance: in race two on Saturday I made what felt like the perfect start off row two of the streetstock grid. within the first 50m I had my front wheel about 2nd place, but then got swamped with 6? bikes passing me on both sides down to the first corner.

Is there any RG around I could use for one race to check my theory?
Or could someone take my KR out and show me what time it’s capable of?
Who can help me?!

This motor has done less than 7000km, but I guess a new piston kit is the next thing to try.

(Not so) Racey

[Meekey_Mouse]

Sorry I can't help ya there... such a newb so I don't know any thing :shutup: but I hope you figure out what's happenin!!

It was nice meeting you yesterday, thanks for comin up and sayin hi :yes:

Jas

[cowpoos]

Hey mate...I think you should have a talk to glenn...sketchy schahil or wat ever he calls him self on here now...he raced a kr150 with really good sucess...and should be able to take you bike out and tell you if its slow or if its rider,as he's become a very capable fell on two wheels of late...

[Sketchy_Racer]

Hey Alex.

I can understand the feeling you are having. Its not much fun to work so hard, yet not achieve much.

I can't help you with a RG, but if you like, I would gladly take your bike for a ride and see what i can manage without really pushing it.

-Glen

[Racey Rider]

Thanks to those who took time to read/comment on my little meltdown moment.

Having had a few day to sum things up I think I've found the answer....

Forget about where I'm placing...
and just strive to be the best KR150 rider I can be!

Having looked at a couple of the photos of me, I still look very 'pedestrian'.

Yes Glen it would be good if you could put the KR through a few laps sometime to show me what it's capable of.

Till then I will just have to try, braking a little later, and throttling a little earlier.
and who knows.... I might learn something about riding.

1:35 is my BT to beat on this KR.

Racey.

[Ivan]

Alex,

In the weekend you look like you are pushing hard in the corners who cares if you look pedestrian so long as your getting round the corner fast,


My advice,


In my first few seasons on the 125 I rode like shit, what this came down to wasI was so hard on myself and not concentrating,

You need to relax dont think about the RG's being faster and think about what your doing when your riding, And alot of practice just doing this is all it takes,

If you guys havnt noticed when I had my break from racing last year I sat back and thought about everything and why I wasnt having fun, I came up and watched my bike being ridden round saw what it was capable of watched adam and james and studied there break points etc,


THen I came back for a Test day made sure I was first out the gate and did this and ever since I have been improving my pace each round,


Racing is a sport of concentration and when you concentrate on the wrong things the good things wont come I hope you understood this,


Cheers,

Ivan

Keep atr it

[FROSTY]

Mate Ive been reading ya reports for months/;years now.
If ya don't mind Id like to offer ya a bit of advice or two.
1)FORGET lap times and placings and just remember what its all about--Having FUN.
2)Invest in a tutorial track day -Have an instructor (preferably on a similar bike) do some one on one with you.
3) DO have an experienced racer take your bike for a few laps andadvise you on it
For the record--I diddn't takemy own advice and it cost me an entire season of frustration before SHAUN and Dougal got me nad my bike back on track

[BigG]

How much weight training do you do and how heavy are you, I dont no you and have not seen you ride yet but on the smaller race bikes weight has a lot to do with straight line speed. It seems you are good at atacking corners and you are looseing it on the straights, cheer up and enjoy the catch up mode anyone can go fast in a staight line but its the skill in the twisties.:rockon:

[Racey Rider]

Thanks all for the advise.
All gratefully received.

I'm 80kgs on a good day, Reasonably fit for someone pushing 40 next year.

Is it's all about Fun?.... ( if it is, I'm sure I'll be having MORE fun on the day I cross the line in First place!)
How do you align the Fun aspect, with a competitive spirit?
... with the drive to always do better?

If i went out there just to have fun, my lap times would be slower still.
Surely if you want just Fun, you buy a dirt bike and trail ride.
I spend three hours driving to the track to put a little Risk in my life. To push myself harder.... to achieve some satisfaction from riding the best that I can in a measurable invierment(sp). To compare myself to others. And yes,, maybe even,, to be the best!

So maybe I need to re-asess what outcome I desire out of racing this year?
Not make This years goal too big so that it not obtainable. Then it might be 'more Fun'.

[Sketchy_Racer]

I find setting myself goals that are hard but achieveable are a great way to get satisfaction.

I normaly do it on laptimes rather than results. Other peoples riding can be incosistent, and give a false sense of achivement, whereas lap times will alway be the same.

I always aim for 2 seconds faster than what i am doing at the moment.

so i did a 1:17 this round, next round i wanna try my best for a 1:15. Although thats really pushing the limit as to what is possible with my skill level.

The whole aim at the end of the day, is to have awesome fun, so we gotta find out how to get that fun back!!

Cya round mate,

Glen

[FROSTY]

RR mate trust me on this one. Iffn you take the pressure off yaself and just say fuckit I'm gonna have FUN you will initially go a lil bit slower then you start to get faster.
Throw your stopwatch away for a meeting or two and dont worry about how fast you are going AND also don't go seeing how ya placed.
Think about each corner or sequence of corners --Figure out how to beat them into submission. Your battle is NOT with the other riders its with the track.
As a side note dude--with a low HP bike like the 150's you will ALWAYS loose out in straight line acceleration over the guys with 50kg bodys

[MementoMori]

Hi, this winter series is my first racing season and as such, I have startlingly little experience, knowledge or skill so in this case, my opinion doesn't really amount to much, but I just thought I'd mention that I'm also on a KR and also find it near impossible to keep up on the straights and I weigh less than 50 kgs.

For instance, I found myself on the tail of an RG coming out of the hairpin and maintained close proximity until around half way down where the RG slowly began to inch away.

But to reiterate, this is my first attempt at racing and can't rule out the possibility that I was somehow slowing the bike down. For all I know I could have been sticking my elbows and knees out down the whole straight. But yeah, that's my two cents, fwiw.

[sAsLEX]

I weigh less than 50 kgs.


I think she is calling you fat RR?

[FROSTY]

MM--No offence meant but I'd suggest your issue is different.
You'll find as you get experience you will have that happen less and less.

[Toast]

If i went out there just to have fun, my lap times would be slower still.
Surely if you want just Fun, you buy a dirt bike and trail ride.
I spend three hours driving to the track to put a little Risk in my life. To push myself harder....


Remember dude, it's not just you in the equation, there's a bike underneath your arse too.

'Pushing' yourself might get the adrenaline up, but once you start getting tense, holding on to the bars too tightly, fighting the bike all around the track, it won't like it. Being relaxed and smooth will more often than not see the bike going around the track quicker than you clinching your cheeks in the hope of going faster.

I make the same mistake. I only get to ride once a month, and when I go out there, I get so fired up from the thrill of speed, sound and competition, that I ride like shit. It's very hard to maintain that relaxation and focus on the things that matter while you're on the bike.

[Tim 39]

All of these guys have realy good points about the relaxing part, I think if Glenn does OK on your bike, what may be the problem is that you like drive out of the corners (exit speed) making you feel as though your bikes slow when everyone passes you down the straights. If you focus on riding the wheels off what you have, then if you find a problem and fix it, you'll go faster because of your new learnt riding ability
my opinion anyway...
good luck and dont stress

[Racey Rider]

So I roll up to round three at Manfield with a, 'don't worry about where you place, as long as you beat 'AJ Turbo' ' kind of attitude.
I had reverted the KR jetting back to standard as tests in NP had indicated that it would pull sixth gear better that way.

The track was cold and damp when we went out for Practice/Qualifying, and a small front wheel slide through 'Splash?' had me taking an extra lap of warming up tyres before trying to put down a Q/time. The recent thread about 'slicks in the wet' had me having a little more faith in my worn TT900's that were getting closer and closer to that 'slicks' look with each race day.

I was feeling comfortable on the damp track and put in a decent feeling lap on my fourth round just as the white last lap flag came out. So, one more lap it was to 'do the business'! That last lap was turning out to be a good'n, but on exiting the last sweeper, I see the red fag out, and Glen's bike laying in the middle of the track before the finish line. We were ushered into pit lane without crossing the finish line, so timing on that lap was gone. (Thanks Glen!) -Kidding.

As I only really got one good lap timed, I was surprised to read I qualified 5th out of the 14 in the class. and only 0.01 of a second off Graeme in 4th. The bike felt like it was pulling 'ok' with maybe a slight burbble right before red line.

Race 1 and the racing line was drying nicely. I got a great start, seemingly passing Kyle on his 250 in pole before he even got his machine moving. 4th into the first corner, which I held till the first straight (if memory serves), before being passed by the faster bikes. While holding that 4th spot, I remember the feeling of... If I just pass this one guy that is right in front of me... I could be in for my first podium finish! :third:
But alas it was not to be. I had a great battle with Kris (79) for the last half of the race, but whats on the board Miss Ford... a 7th place was the best I could muster.

I keenly picked up the race timing to see the improvement the standard jetting had achieved over last months 1:38's bomb out, only to be disappointed with 1:39's today. Though I did get down to 1:38's for the next race, there was certainly no improvement there.

The last race was the worst for me as throughout the day that top end burbble was getting progressively more noticeable. So I tried removing the air intake sleeve on the air box lid to allow more air at top revs. This had a worsening affect on my problem, which added to my horrible start, ended me down in 11th at the flag.

So yes, more fun was had this day,
but the motor issues still persist. Will see what else I can try next month.

See you out there.

Racey

[Sparky Bills]

If your breaking around the sweaper, your going too slow round there. Thats what ive been told by a couple streetstock riders. Lean off the bike a bit, get your weight on the inside of the corner. It will help you carry more corner speed in and around the corner. Look at the 125 guys. They are pratically down on the tank the whole way around the track.
Try it. You never know.

[t3mp0r4ry nzr]

good stuff racey, you got a good attitude to racing. Have fun and push a little bit harder each lap and you hopefully see the lap times drop:yes:

[Billy]

Happy to help you where ever I can Alex.If you can be there on the friday before the next round Im only too happy to let you take my RG for a blast and maybe have a ride on your KR and let you know what I think.Also if you think I can help you with some coaching just ask.Will be doing so with Avalon and Jas hopefully so another 1 wont hurt.Cheers Billy

[Racey Rider]

Thanks team.

I hope to get to the next pre race test day, so some help there would be great.

[Ivan]

If your breaking around the sweaper, your going too slow round there. Thats what ive been told by a couple streetstock riders. Lean off the bike a bit, get your weight on the inside of the corner. It will help you carry more corner speed in and around the corner. Look at the 125 guys. They are pratically down on the tank the whole way around the track.
Try it. You never know.

Yeah just try shifting your weight lowering your center of gravity thus making you corner more stable and faster,


Its all about self confidence as well,

you kind of just need to relax and do a test day go out there for fun dont concentrate on your lap times and youl find youl actually somehow find something that makes you tick and youl be away.

[oyster]

Alex, all good advice coming thru there. Matbe I'll add a few ideas. There are 3 models of KR 150 in NZ. Yours is a '99, tho I can't figure out the wheels. Are they standard? If not, maybe your geometry is is all up the poo.
The 99 is slow and handles pretty bad, only one notch above an RGV 150.
The 2001 model "super cyclone, race replica" has slightly better handling, but a really fast motor, faster than any other 150, incuding RG's. The 2003 model, like Sketchy had, has a slow motor, bout the same as the '99, but very good handling, wider rear rim and better ground clearance. It's the only match for an RG in "round numbers". In the South we ALWAYS run standard jetting and float heights etc. Hence good reliability. You're comment on the totally stuffed tyre on the front is another clue to low lap times. Not only do TT900's lose grip as the wear, but stability goes out the window too. Under hard riding conditions this can be as early as 3 race meetings. Let'
s say a "casual" rider about 6 max. If your tyre is noticebly out of shape in the tread shape, or old it is EXTREMELY DANGEROUS, so get a new one fast!
Hope all this helps. Don't forget to save up for a South Island holiday in Jan and we look forward to supporting you at the nationals.

[Racey Rider]

(can't read my blue font? Just left click and highlight it!
Asking me to change font colour because you live in the 'Dark Universe' is like asking me to buy a Suzuki - It an't gunna happen!!)

Manfield long track started well for me, as the damp track conditions and the extra corners give me a better chance at being at the right end off the field.
I hoped to have got down to the test day beforehand, but I couldn't get the time of work, so it was a case of, try and remember the track 'on the day'.
The streams of water flowing across the track in a couple of corners was a test in the 'mind games' department during practice, as focusing on them too much was a real corner speed killer. But I was pleased to again qualify fifth out of 17 in the class.

I ran the qualifying session using a rich #150 main jet, which under that days, morning conditions, allowed the motor to pull really well right through the rev range. But for race one I allowed myself to be talked into jetting leaner again by those around me. Why I did that I don't know, as I already had it written in my race diary that the standard #140 jet wouldn't pull well in under those conditions, but decided to try it again. Sure enough, there was a noticeable lack of pull, and a top end burble at full revs with the #140 jetting. I had a bad start on go one and the re start of race one, so counted myself lucky too get away with coming home 9th.

For race two it was time to go back to the morning jetting. But for learning sake, I chose to go one size richer still to a #152 and see what happened. The result was a good pull from the motor through most of the revs, but that pesky top end burble was still occurring. It was only 2 degrees warmer than the morning for this last race, so I proved to myself that a #150 jet was the ballpark jet at Manfield for MY bike, under that days temperature and barometric presser. Next step is making a jetting chart and fine tuning for each different raceday conditions.

I know I muck around with my bike alot, but to me it's all part of the race day experience.

Best move of the day I accomplished was, after passing Kyle (CBR250) as he was stopped mid lap, He got moving again and caught/passed me onto the long track area. I was able to stick with him through the corners and as we attacked the 'back track hair pin', I went from an outside line to pull underneath him through the tight corner, and found myself elbow to elbow with a man on a mission to take the same piece of track I was claiming. There was only one thing to do in the situation. Keep the throttle pinned! Death or Glory!!
Sadly as my bike hit full revs, that burble kicked in and I lost ground on a CBR stretching it's legs. Another 9th place.

I was 5 seconds off my previous Best Time for the long track, but that could have been just the amount of wind on the day.
I see I am 7th in on the championship table, 1 point behind Kris in 6th, but with Kyle breathing down our two stroke fumes in 8th at the moment.

Thanks for reading.
Racey

[Racey Rider]

... There are 3 models of KR 150 in NZ. Yours is a '99, tho I can't figure out the wheels. Are they standard? ...

I brought the bike from a wrecker, It's a KR150b and had those wheels on it then. The rear one is still the standard 18" and motor is just the standard 'a' model one. Original story here (http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/showthread.php?t=2087).

[Ivan]

Hey Alex keep at it, 7th isnt to bad.


Lets hope for this 2 day meeting we both get really really good results and me finsih a race at manfield tihs year.....

Its my last chance lol

[Racey Rider]

Well there’s only One race I need to comment on in depth.

Saturday was again disappointing, with my ongoing top end burble problem still occuring. Having 26 riders our class was great (6 came up from Christchurch), but with only One ‘Hot lap’ in the clear in practice, I didn’t get one corner right and found myself qualifying 16th. Row four of the grid all weekend. The one good point in that was, being right against the pit wall, which allowed me a good run down and around the outside of all the traffic in corner One. My starts were good, and I constantly came out of Dunlop in 7th/8th place in my three races.

Race One:
Made a good start, but once we hit the straights, started going backwards. Came home 16th but equalled my BT on this KR of 1:35.

Mentioning my problem to people brought up the idea that maybe my coil was
breaking down under the heat. This got me thinking along the electrical line, and well... the first thing you do is change the spark plug. I took out the supposedly flash iridium #9 ($25) plug that someone had given me last year, and put in my old standard #8 Kr ($6) plug. And wouldn’t you know it, in the next race... that top end burble had disappeared!
Finally the little Kr was running right!!

Sunday Race Two:
Started well... didn’t do too bad... come home 13th... bet my best time on the Kr 1:34. Still not at the 1:33 I did in my first year on a RG, but getting close.

Race Three:
So with the bike running well, Track and tyres grippy, Me feeling good, I was ready to give it everything to find out what I could do on this last race at Manfield this year. Good start, but Peter Jones has seen me taking that outside line a couple of times now, and he gets out on the edge there in front of me and I follow him around Dunlop. Things were going well and by the middle straight I found myself in SIXTH spot! The bike was running perfectly and I was able to hold that spot for another lap.

Lap Two:
Coming through Splash (S’s) I had 4 bikes right behind me followed by another big pack. Taking my usual wide entry into the hair pin I see #7 make a bold tight line passing manoeuvre. As he’s going in there I’m thinking, “thats not a great line at that speed mate, either you’re going to fall, or your have to go wide on the exit. Sure enough as I aimed underneath him, he fell. This hindered me for a moment and let the RG behind me get better drive and lead me down to Higgins. Coming out of Higgins I take a tighter line than most to save a few meters of track and made a small gain back on Patrick (RG150). Slipstream him down the back straight, pull out, passing, and regain my 6th spot as I lead three bikes through the sweeper.

I don’t get the exit quite right and Patrick gets good drive and catches me down the straight. And then This!
Roll tape ---

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So what happened there?
Well this is my take on it.

I crossed the start/finish line in front of Patrick, but he continued to gain on me as we powered down towards Dunlop. We were close enough to reach out and touch each other, but both had room to move. Three quarters of the way down the straight the ZXR250 came flying past us both on the inside. There was a large gap between me and the 250 at that point. I knew the 250 would brake much earlier than us 150’s would, so as there was a big gap there, and I was keen to defend my 6th place, Patrick and I both were at wide open throttle, planning to go straight back past the 250 before we started braking at our usual braking markers. That plan would have worked out fine, with me exiting Dunlop first, (as Patrick, although half a wheel infrount of me at this stage, couldn’t yet turn into the corner until I started my turning), but the 250 rider realised that he was not in a good track position to take the corner at speed, and while braking, started moving over into my line to get a better angle on the corner. Of course Me and Patrick are at full throttle, and in seconds this gap had closed up. I either pull sideways and take Patrick and I out, or I slam straight into the 250. What a choice!

So I haul on the brakes (which work very well now), and as I see no option but of hitting the 250 I lean out and push my shoulder aganist rider and bike to try and keep our bikes seperated. I see now that this stuffed the weight distribution on my bike and the front wheel washed out, followed by the back coming round, and we both went down.

I really don’t see what I could have done differently... other than think, “Oh the 250’s used it’s speed to get past me again, I better just follow him round like it’s a track day then.”

Would be interested in your views.

The bike was a bit trashed, but I had spares there and had it ready to go again in 30 minutes. I came away with hip and elbow bruses, and a sick feeling in my stomach for my racing Mate who I just had breakfast with that morning, taken away in the ambulance. Heal up Fast Mate.

Racey.

[Toast]

Stoked for you that you've suddenly some form! :niceone: Holding 6th place and battling well for it compared to 13th before that is great. All the best at the last round :niceone:

[ajturbo]

you bastard!!!:Pokey:.. what's all this talk about "usall brake point"????

where is that???...

you were going well out there matey.. it is a GREAT shame russell bit the dust hard..

hope he heals in time for taupo!

you bastard:girlfight: you were beating me....
(you and 20 others..lol)

[Pussy]

Don't beat yourself up over the crash, Alex. The way I see it, you were between a rock and a hard place. Awesome to see the missing problem in the KR is gone, too. Go hard in the next round!

[Racey Rider]

Well after last months mishap I was looking forward to a great finally round at Taupo. The bike was running well as I headed out on my first ever lap of the full A1 circuit.
But fate was again to have its say... In lap two of practice while going through turn six at an average speed (still warming up tyres), another rider came round the outside of me, cut me off and then throttled off right as I was getting on the gas!
I remember thinking ‘What The ..., Not again!’
So I hit the brakes, my front locks up, and once again, My body’s rolling down the track. Rolling, rolling and rolling. Halfway through I’m thinking ‘When’s this rolling gunna stop’! My bike and I end up right down in corner seven. I get bike off the track as fast as I can, and have a look over it to find,, nothing really broken. Ok then!
Lets carry on and try to selvage something of this qualifying run.

Confidence was a bit shaken, but I managed a 2:08,
6th out of 16 in my class, less than a second off the Guy in 4th.


Did ok in race one, come home 6th, BT 2:06
Bad start in race two, 8th place, But consistent 2:06’s in both races.

I finished 5th on the Championship table for the year, up two from last years 7th.

Now considering my options for next years Vic club series.
Do I come back and try for a top 3 finish??
Same bike? Or Maybe a KRR150?

With us not being allowed to ride the 150’s in Superlights as well, the cost per lap equation doesn’t look too hot. But will see if I can secure sponsorship next year.

Thanks for your interest and encouragement.

Racey

[Ivan]

Hey Alex good stuff,

Bummer bout the crash,

Its just shit that happens,

Whats your options for 2008?


Id stay in the streetstock class its still cheap racing,

Go hard whatever man just dont give up

[Racey Rider]

Upon arriving home from work today, I find a box,,,
a box delivered from 'Vic Club'.

from which is produced ...... A Trophy :eek:

The Hard Luck Award - Vic club 07

:woohoo: finally all my staged bugles, crashes and excuses have found there true reward.

Thanks Club!

Sorry I wasn't there to collect at prizegiving... I had no idea I was in the running. Just seemed like another year of problems and hic-ups to be learn't from really.

Anyone remember what was said as to why I received this???

Cheers.
Racey

[Clivoris]

Glad you like it. It was an executive decision made my committee members on the night. We did our best to think of examples of bad luck through the series then argued the various merits of our favorites. The final winner was decided by an all in cage fight. Last member standing had casting vote.