Funny thoughts on MotoGP

Found this one on Six3Seven tonight on the pre-season testing session in Sepang. Could not resist sharing ...

If you haven't seen the time sheet yet, Pedrosa leads ahead of Lorenzo, Rossi's third and Dovizioso is somewhere 2 full seconds behind.

Rear cut

The triple is having its rear end cut. It's less radical than it sounds as only the undertray is being cut. It's a dual purpose modification. As explained earlier, the first desired effect is to make the street-to-track transformation easier. But the operation comes with a second noticeable effect which is weight loss.

The new plate support is from Republique Racing and is incredibly light. You can hardly feel its presence in your hand. The finish is good as well. This kind of plate support - the "stage 2" - had previously been proven on the R1100S before, so I bought knowing what to expect.

Vintage Racers Bobbemir

Triumph's Bonneville is certainly a target of choice when it comes to building a retro custom, so by now we should all have seen dozens wandering the web. We have even seen them so much that it now feels like a simple job to make one on your own. What does it take after all ? Spoke wheels, flat bars and loud cone pipes ? Well looking closer at this bike, you would just come to realize that it would just get you started. 

The blue and black plaint really does it for me. More on this bike on the Vintage Racers website.

Mivv exhaust

A brand new Mivv exhaust arrived from Carpimoto last week. It will be used on the Speed Triple, but can't be fitted for now as I'm working on the rear mudguard - cutting most of it off the bike - and don't want a shiny titanium pipe to be in the Dremel's way. 

Mivv exhausts are certainly not as desirable as Akrapovic or Arrow, but still they are light and the finish looks good for half the price of the latter big names.

The idea of cutting is to end up with a clean and light rear end that most parts - like number plate carrier and turn signals - can be easily and quickly removed for track days (more on that later).

Random from the archive

Abstract:
A half-faired 99 Honda CBR600 posing in the winter sun after a good track training session. It's Saturday around 1PM and I'm back from the local short track after some rounds trying to validate the bike was ready for the complete season racing. It's back when the ramp had not been cut yet and the lower part of the fairing had to be stripped to put the bike on the trailer. That year (2006) was certainly the most busy year when it comes to track action. And this bike with its neutral feeling is certainly the one that taught me the more on the art of leaning and braking.

Challenging nut

That's a picture of the front sprocket nut that's been freshly sprayed with penetrating oil. Simply by its rusty look, I guess it won't let easily removed. Bring on the 36mm socket and extended ratchet !

There a bit of cleaning to perform around there too. The chain looks tired and the sprocket box filled with dried up chain lube. Yuk !

Tools

Found these Facom sockets real cheap from Promeca. They will prove handy when it comes to removing the front sprocket (36mm) or the rear wheel nut (46mm) from the Speed Triple.

Britten V1000 tribute

Watch this MCN video. It truly demonstrates that advanced technology can be moving even 20 years later. It's good to know there's still (only 10 actually) some Britten out there and guys who know how to appreciate the ride. I'd certainly kill for a trackday on a V1000. Enjoy.

Organic pads

Starting a new season of track riding on new brake pads is a good idea. Whereas putting your wheels on the track and getting to know a new bike with old and worn pads is a wrong one.

Fresh EBC HH pads have replaced the old ones which were covered with ... moss ... Is that what is called organic pads ? :D

Also, calipers were in a sorry state so have been cleaned and checked. Every piston has been pushed one by one and has had its sides cleaned. Calipers now seem to operate properly and lever has the firm feeling you'd expect from a sportbike.

Before ...

... and after

Happy new year

Happy new year everyone ! 

May 2013 be (even) better than last year and may it be filled with motorcycle related projects : trips, builds, racing, ...

For me, this year is full of promises even if important decisions and low budget may slow things down a bit. But one could say, this has become a trend over the years as less motorcycles have come and stayed in the garage in the last 2 years. Quality over quantity ? Not really sure about that either.

Speaking of a garage, one of the best improvement this year will be a new workshop which will certainly unlock the way the projects have been moving recently. A new garage ? Well a new house incentally comes along with it, which is a very good thing as well.

Also planned for 2013 is my big return to the tracks after a 2 years break. I should say our big return to tracks, because I owe it to a good friend. I wasn't very keen on restarting track days alone, so Yvan and I will be riding the Speedtona round several places this year.

Regarding this blog, 2013 will also be about trying to post more. Or should I say trying not to forget to post. Not that I've especially neglected the place (this post is number 400), but I have mainly forgotten to post some quality messages because I was up to something else (like sorting things out after the house's been broken into, for instance ...).

Enjoy your motorycle projects.