Prototypes, ghetto gear, Craigslist jack wagons and prep check lists.

My winter break included a bunch of projects to pass the time and to get me faster around the track. I've fixed and upgraded my race trailer, improved my rear suspension on the racebike (I hope!) and  played around with my new 3-D printer. This post is about some of the other random stuff I did to fill the time between track sessions. It is a hedge-podge of random stuff that I hope you find interesting. I will have more updates after this weekend which is lining up to be a spectacular, motorbike filled one. Enjoy!

I had an idea. In the past, ideas such as this one would go unfulfilled unless I spent more money than I wanted in order to give it a try. With my super cheap 3-D printer, I now have the ability to experiment more. With experimentation comes failure. Ultimately this idea was only half successful. The part that was successful promises to open up a whole lot of cool ideas for the future. Above is a model I did using Fusion 360. Fusion is a free for the hobbyist, solid modeling program. I have used it to design a few of the parts that I've already printed. It isn't easy to learn if you've never done any 3-D modeling in the past. I watched many hours of YouTube to be able to make the model you see here.

The model printed well. I printed it with 100% infill, meaning it is solid plastic. I wanted a strong part. The part is for an idea to get quicker shifts on the Ninja race bike. In order to try the idea, I needed a heim joint like part that could screw into the OEM shift shaft with left handed threads and bolt to a spare shift arm I had from the Yamaha FZ1. After printing the part, I looked in my bit-and-pieces bin and found some brass tube that was the perfect size to press into the hole and make a bushing for the attachment bolt. I bolted all of the pieces together and was able to give it a go. The threads printed perfectly and screwed right into the OEM shift shaft. Ultimately the idea didn't work. I need a shorter shift arm than I currently have. I started modeling a new shift arm to continue the experiment, but it is a more complicated model and my 3-D modeling skills just don't match up to my desires just yet. This is the type of project I got the printer for. Hopefully I can make full use of it!

One of the things I got going on this weekend involves me getting back out on dirt bikes. My first bike was an early 80's Yamaha MX100. It was the start of My Motorbike Obsessions and the reason why I still prefer Yamahas to this day. I haven't been dirt biking since my High School days when the idea of girls, college and girls took over my every waking thoughts. My dad sold the dirt bike and all of the gear as a way to clean up the carport when I was in High School. I needed some off roading gear, but didn't want to spend a bunch of money until I was sure I would really get back into it. I dug through my collection of stuff and managed to piece together some protection and pants from what was on hand. I have my Icon Stryker Vest chest protector and Icon knees pads along with my Alpinestars padded shorts. I added in a set of skateboard elbow pads to cover my old ass self with much need armor. My pants are ones that I haven't used in a while and are the companion to my original ADV riding gear set I bought way back when I first bought the V-Strom. All I needed was an off road jersey and some MX gloves. A quick trip to the local Cycle Gear and $30 later I was set. It isn't perfect and it is a little redneck, but it should work. If I don't like the dirt riding (who are we kidding, I'll like it!), the jersey will be a nice hot weather shirt and the MX gloves will become my shop gloves.

The picture you see above is of a hope and a dream that was cruelly dashed thanks to the general lack of common decency that pollutes the world of Craigslist used bikes. I found this bike 2 hours after the original ad was posted. With good deals you have to be ready to pounce and so I did. I sent a text to the seller to arrange a meeting time. The seller told me that they were feeling sick and that since I had made first contact I would be the first one they'd contact once they were better. After waiting a few days I rechecked Craigslist to find the original ad still up and contacted the seller. For some odd reason and in complete contrast to their previous promises the response to my text was, "super sorry dude, but my buddy bought the bike from me". Now I may not be the sharpest tool in the shed, but a buddy buying a bike from you is something that you can control and not a fatalistic occurrence. At least I could have been given the courtesy of a heads up. As it was I got super pissy instead of getting a neat project bike that was going to be my gateway back to dirt riding. 

My last topic of this rambling post is all about track day prep check lists and why they are important. Since I can only go to the track about once a month at the most frequent, the Ninja race bike doesn't get the love of a daily driver. I have developed a track prep list in order to ensure that my hard earned track day doesn't get sidelined by a non-working bike. While going through the list for tomorrow's track day, I noticed that my throttle wasn't working correctly. I had worked on the throttle assembly and must have assembled the controls incorrectly causing the throttle to run the engine too fast at idle. The picture above is the scene of my Monday morning with me staring down the barrel of trying to fix this mess before I had to pack up the truck and trailer Thursday night. When I was at Cycle Gear I bought a dirt bike throttle assembly, but it didn't fit right. I had no choice but to fix what I had or risk not getting out on the track. I managed to put it all back together and have to work in only an hour of goofing around in the shop. A lucky break and a good plan that kept me on the track.

Well dear readers, by the time you read this I will be sore and tired from riding at Chuckwalla Valley Raceway getting my track time on! It will have been two months since my last track day and I was itching to get back. It is round 4 of the CVMA 2017-2018 race season. It promises to be a crowded day thanks to the winter break in race action. I am hoping to drop another 10 seconds or so from my lap times and maybe get a knee down. I also need to try out the new front fork preload spacers and the new GSXR 600 rear shock. The bike is ready, my gear is ready and I am ready. Be sure to check in next week for an update on my track day and a few other events I have planned for a Motorbike filled weekend. Until then, ride safe!

Blue