Looking forward to Carole this weekend - the last ProClassic weekend of the year. My last race will be with the VMA on the 350 on the 26th October. Libby isn't coming with me this weekend as the date got changed at the last minute and she has other stuff to do, which means the pit crew is down to one - me!
Been looking at ignition timing over the past few days, to see if I can "guess" at a better curve. The feeling on the web is that the RG can easily cope with an additional advance of 4 degrees across the rev range, and you can actually physically change the pickup cover on the crankcases to alter the static timing for the full range up to 4 degrees. The standard static timing is supposed to be (to be checked) 26 degrees BTDC.
The zeeltronic will take that pulse as activated by the crank going past the pickup, and then modify it to be whatever you want it to be, within limits. The limits are given by the static timing, i.e. The zeeltronic can not make an ignition pulse happen before the actually trigger from the pickup, so with the standard installation we are limited to playing with between TDC and 26 degrees BTDC. So the winter plan would be to modify the standard pickup to give at least 30 degrees of static advance. There do exist different setups which use different stators and pickups on the stator rather than the pickup on the crankcases, but they do require significant changes, so will probably look to just changing the static time to give me more range to play with.
In the meantime, I have replaced the choke assembley on cylinder 4, and that's about it! The gearing should be the same as Ledenon 15/39. The weather for the next weekend is cooler, so again I won't change jetting as I was slightly rich at Ledenon.
The 350 was making some leaky exhaust noises at Ledenon, which came down to a loose power valve retaining screw which was letting the power valve flap around a bit, I made the most of having the exhausts off to reseal them.The left hand cylinder exhaust doesn't really align with the pipe, so again I will make some changes this winter. I also adjusted the float heights to 23mm to try and stop them overflowing a bit. We'll see.
On a different topic my new race HQ is nearly finished, photos will follow when I get the orange walls finished - Ready to Race!
Tuesday, 25 September 2012
Friday, 7 September 2012
Ledenon aftermath
Thought I would at least look at the plugs after Ledenon. The RG's look fine somewhat rich, but I did discover that the choke plunger holder had broken on cylinder Nr 4 - must have overtightened it. It is made out of plastic....
Only happy this didn't make the choke leak air into the carb and lean off the mixture!
Pheww.... Just about to look at the 350.
Only happy this didn't make the choke leak air into the carb and lean off the mixture!
Tuesday, 4 September 2012
Monday, 3 September 2012
Ledenon Race Report
Most of France was under grey clouds and rain this last weekend, except the South East, which was where we headed to Ledenon.
We arrived arround 9:30 on Friday morning, as first practise was at 10:30, installed the tent next to the FZR 6.4 racing team (FZR 600 and FZR400), attaching our tent to their lorry, and our van. The wind was very strong and gusty. Ledenon is on the top of a hill in the Rhone Valley so it picks up any wind that's going, and this weekend was going to be particularly windy.
I was running Nr. 2 ignition curve on the RG, which maintains the advance later in the rev. range, so was hoping to pick up some speed with that. The temperature was cool, around 19 degrees Centigrade, and the altitude was roughly the same as Magny Cours, so the engine should run a little leaner, which shouldn't be a problem. In the first practise, the bike was running a little flat, but peaking nicely, although it was extremely difficult to concentrate on anything other than the gusting wind. I was probably picking up 20kmph down the straight (due to the wind), and then being pushed about all over the place, in different bends. You can't make reference points with all this happening, it's all by instinct!
The 350 was running OK, although some noise at idle, I think from a leaking exhaust gasket. Believe it or not I found the 350 easier to handle, maybe due to a smaller fairing, not catching as much wind... dunno.
I was using under 7 litres of premix on the 350 and less than 9 litres on the 500 for 20 minutes track time.
We had to take the tent down in the afternoon, as the canvas was ripping, so we rearranged the vans to block as much of the wind as possible, to try and eat something without the plates flying off the table!
Saturday morning qualification, on the 350 was at 8:30, so an early start and a cold track. A couple of wobbly laps to warm the tyres, and off we go! The triple left at the end of the straight can be taken with virtually no initial braking, although it is a ballsy bend, slightly off camber, and you really have to hang off to ensure the tyres are still gripping well. I drop a gear going into the first part, and then cranked over I have to drop another and then for the exit I need to get into 3rd. This is really a challenge with the bike cranked over, and no room for the boot to easily get to the gear lever, I don't how these MotoGP guys do this waving leg thing on left handers especially as they need to get their toes under the lever for downshifts, I just need to find the top and stamp on it, still not easy. After the triple left, you hit a windy section, as you head down to a right hander with a big step in the middle of it (on the line), some guys were taking the bend real wide to avoid the step, but you leave the door completely open for attacks. Still qualified the 350 in a lowly 26th position, on the 9th line with a best time of 1:52.
Qualification on the RG was not much better, came in at 1:46 - 5 seconds down on my PB, must change something!
Race 1 on the 350
Got a reasonable start and maintained my grid position into the first lap. I made steady progress from my 26th position up to 20th position at the end of the race, battling it out in a small group consisting of a couple of Ducatis, a big Kawa and a couple of 350's. Nice enjoyable race with a best lap time of 1:48.
Race 1 on the 500
Sunday morning 8:30 am, the wind has dropped slightly, and we are on the grid for the first race of the day. We are kept waiting as Vincent Creance fell off in the warm up lap, and has to be ambulanced away! The temperature is getting higher by the second, but they do a good job and clear up the mess quickly. His ZXR 750 spat him off (highside) and then continued on it's wheels into the tyre wall about 60 yards further down the road (it was a mess, bent fork, frame fractured around the headstock etc...), At this time, Vincent has some broken ribs, a broken collar bone, and maybe suspect cracked hip! Anyway, got a really crap start as normal, which did allow me to see the entire field in front of me, before picking my way through. I went round the outside of most guys on the triple left, and was soon (lap 2) back to my grid position. Really frsutrating as I could be running much higher. I consistently worked my way forwards until I was behind the VFR400, who I blew past on the straight, only to have him come around the outside at the triple left. We continued to battle until the flag, with him winning out this time around. Best lap 1:43, and 23rd place.
Race 2 on the 350
Again an easy start, and good battles I made quick progress, and then towards the end of the race a couple of guys came back past. Either I was getting tired or the bike was slowing... Hmmmm Anyway finished up with a 21st position and an improved best lap of 1:47, so a bit better, but not near my PB on the 350, of 1:45 last year.
Race 2 on the 500
Can my starts get any worse - F**king useless! Still made good progress through the pack, and the bike was flying, I got past the VFR400 and RGV250 early on in the race, and then I sat behind a faster GSXR who pulled me forward for the rest of the race, we was a good consistent performer and although I think I could have got past a couple of times, I stayed behind as he pulled me past a couple of guys. I ended up in 19th position, and I hit my PB again with a 1:41. So good race!
Conclusions, the ignition curve on the RG needs work, the Nr. 1 curve is faster at Ledenon. I need to look at the 350, to change the exhaust (Or maybe powervalve) gasket.
Next race weekend at Carole in Paris on the 29th/30th September.
We arrived arround 9:30 on Friday morning, as first practise was at 10:30, installed the tent next to the FZR 6.4 racing team (FZR 600 and FZR400), attaching our tent to their lorry, and our van. The wind was very strong and gusty. Ledenon is on the top of a hill in the Rhone Valley so it picks up any wind that's going, and this weekend was going to be particularly windy.
I was running Nr. 2 ignition curve on the RG, which maintains the advance later in the rev. range, so was hoping to pick up some speed with that. The temperature was cool, around 19 degrees Centigrade, and the altitude was roughly the same as Magny Cours, so the engine should run a little leaner, which shouldn't be a problem. In the first practise, the bike was running a little flat, but peaking nicely, although it was extremely difficult to concentrate on anything other than the gusting wind. I was probably picking up 20kmph down the straight (due to the wind), and then being pushed about all over the place, in different bends. You can't make reference points with all this happening, it's all by instinct!
The 350 was running OK, although some noise at idle, I think from a leaking exhaust gasket. Believe it or not I found the 350 easier to handle, maybe due to a smaller fairing, not catching as much wind... dunno.
I was using under 7 litres of premix on the 350 and less than 9 litres on the 500 for 20 minutes track time.
We had to take the tent down in the afternoon, as the canvas was ripping, so we rearranged the vans to block as much of the wind as possible, to try and eat something without the plates flying off the table!
Saturday morning qualification, on the 350 was at 8:30, so an early start and a cold track. A couple of wobbly laps to warm the tyres, and off we go! The triple left at the end of the straight can be taken with virtually no initial braking, although it is a ballsy bend, slightly off camber, and you really have to hang off to ensure the tyres are still gripping well. I drop a gear going into the first part, and then cranked over I have to drop another and then for the exit I need to get into 3rd. This is really a challenge with the bike cranked over, and no room for the boot to easily get to the gear lever, I don't how these MotoGP guys do this waving leg thing on left handers especially as they need to get their toes under the lever for downshifts, I just need to find the top and stamp on it, still not easy. After the triple left, you hit a windy section, as you head down to a right hander with a big step in the middle of it (on the line), some guys were taking the bend real wide to avoid the step, but you leave the door completely open for attacks. Still qualified the 350 in a lowly 26th position, on the 9th line with a best time of 1:52.
Qualification on the RG was not much better, came in at 1:46 - 5 seconds down on my PB, must change something!
Race 1 on the 350
Got a reasonable start and maintained my grid position into the first lap. I made steady progress from my 26th position up to 20th position at the end of the race, battling it out in a small group consisting of a couple of Ducatis, a big Kawa and a couple of 350's. Nice enjoyable race with a best lap time of 1:48.
Race 1 on the 500
Sunday morning 8:30 am, the wind has dropped slightly, and we are on the grid for the first race of the day. We are kept waiting as Vincent Creance fell off in the warm up lap, and has to be ambulanced away! The temperature is getting higher by the second, but they do a good job and clear up the mess quickly. His ZXR 750 spat him off (highside) and then continued on it's wheels into the tyre wall about 60 yards further down the road (it was a mess, bent fork, frame fractured around the headstock etc...), At this time, Vincent has some broken ribs, a broken collar bone, and maybe suspect cracked hip! Anyway, got a really crap start as normal, which did allow me to see the entire field in front of me, before picking my way through. I went round the outside of most guys on the triple left, and was soon (lap 2) back to my grid position. Really frsutrating as I could be running much higher. I consistently worked my way forwards until I was behind the VFR400, who I blew past on the straight, only to have him come around the outside at the triple left. We continued to battle until the flag, with him winning out this time around. Best lap 1:43, and 23rd place.
Race 2 on the 350
Again an easy start, and good battles I made quick progress, and then towards the end of the race a couple of guys came back past. Either I was getting tired or the bike was slowing... Hmmmm Anyway finished up with a 21st position and an improved best lap of 1:47, so a bit better, but not near my PB on the 350, of 1:45 last year.
Race 2 on the 500
Can my starts get any worse - F**king useless! Still made good progress through the pack, and the bike was flying, I got past the VFR400 and RGV250 early on in the race, and then I sat behind a faster GSXR who pulled me forward for the rest of the race, we was a good consistent performer and although I think I could have got past a couple of times, I stayed behind as he pulled me past a couple of guys. I ended up in 19th position, and I hit my PB again with a 1:41. So good race!
Conclusions, the ignition curve on the RG needs work, the Nr. 1 curve is faster at Ledenon. I need to look at the 350, to change the exhaust (Or maybe powervalve) gasket.
Next race weekend at Carole in Paris on the 29th/30th September.
Wednesday, 29 August 2012
Prep. for Ledenon
Well, nearly at Ledenon, and nothing is prepared! PANIC.....
More seriously I have changed the gearing to suit the circuit on both bikes, I am staying with 15/39 for the RG500, and running 15/39 on the RD 350.
I have moved the ignition curves for both bikes, running the more advanced (4 degrees) for the RG, and curve number 4 on the RD350.
We'll see in the first practise if this works better. Should be relatively cool this weekend, so the bikes bieing a bit rich will work better, and cooler - we'll see.
Same jetting as for Magny Cours.
Speak to you soon.
More seriously I have changed the gearing to suit the circuit on both bikes, I am staying with 15/39 for the RG500, and running 15/39 on the RD 350.
I have moved the ignition curves for both bikes, running the more advanced (4 degrees) for the RG, and curve number 4 on the RD350.
We'll see in the first practise if this works better. Should be relatively cool this weekend, so the bikes bieing a bit rich will work better, and cooler - we'll see.
Same jetting as for Magny Cours.
Speak to you soon.
Tuesday, 7 August 2012
Magny Cours Race report
Hi all,
Racing at magny-Cours in the centre of France this last weekend. The circuit is our second closest to home, so we left Friday morning and arrived at the circuit at around midday, I was aiming to be ready for a 14:00 practise, but they had shifted times, and we had to wait until 17:00 for practise on the RG.
You may recall, that I had added the rubber connecting tubes back to the carb trunks to see if I could identify where my premix leak was coming from, and also I had changed my clutch cover to see if there was any leaks coming from the clutch cover. I went out and the bike was far to rich, just adding the rubber connectors with no filter made it unridabley rich! I even got a black flag coz it was smoing so much - they did apologise afterwards, as they didn't recognise it was a two stroke (hah). I pitted and had a quick look for leaks, and pulled off the rubber connectors, and went back out, and of course the bike pulled far(!) better, although the clutch was slipping at high revs.
Coming back in after practise, there was much less oil on the engine, so I can assume that I had a leak from one of the oil seals in the old clutch cover, that only leaked oil when hot, plus I still have a liberal covering of petroil mix on the engine, but I am convinced now this is somehow coming from blowback from the carbs (even with the trunks in place).
I managed to get another practise in with the RD350, and established I was running out of engine down the long straight, so a change of gearbox sprocket was in order (going from 15/39 to 16/39). The 350 was running well, although I definately need to dial in something a bit better, the new carbs (VM34) seem to have taken away some of the instant punch I used to get, and it doesn't rev out as well.
Qualifying on Saturday morning, we had 4 laps on the 500 before the session was interupted by a red flag incident, someone had lost it going into the first left hander, and had come off at around 160 (kmph), so was taken off to check for fractures in his ankles. I managed a respectable time in the first 4 laps, of 2:08 which would put me mid grid.
On the 350 I managed a 2:15 which put me in the second third of the grid.
The circuit, was built for F1 racing and is wide for a bike track, and you can really go fast virtually everywhere on the bikes. The limiting factor are your balls - most of the time! Time is lost in the 3 chicanes which is where you need the technique to get the bike to drop from one side to the other as fast as possible, without losing too much speed.
Race One with the 350 went OK, I got stuck behind a big Kawasaki (4 stroke), who whilst faster than me on the straights, was no match in some of the nadgery, but I couldn't get enough ahead to compensate, so he beat me into 22nd place! I was quite disappointed, and the lap time weren't running any faster than practise, but I never really had a clean lap, so a difficult race.
VMA Postclassic Race 1
Race One with the 500, started off as usual with a crappy start, I just have too much sympathy to rev the nuts of it at the start, so I end up bogging down, but never mind, this gave me loads to overtake in the first few laps. The RG was pulling really strongly, and I was able to outpace some of the GSXR's down the long Estoril straight down to Adelaide, I had a couple of nice dices, and ended up in front of some of the guys normally in front of me, on the last lap I could hear a bike just behind me, so I was really tight on my lines trying not to give him the least opportunity to get past, the only place left was the drop into the "lycee complex", which is a right hand bend followed by a chicane on to the start finish straight and the line, he came steaming past me on the brakes, but I knew he had overcooked it, so I crossed behind him and took him straight back, thinking I had got it sewn up, I tipped into the right hand part of the chicane to find a green machine up my inside, with no place to go, I lifted up and cut the left hand part of the chicane, he would have beat me over the line, but let me back past - must have been feeling guilty! Finished relatively happy, best time was a 2:06.
ProClassic Race 1
Race Two on the 350, and pretty much the same scenario as Race 1, I got stuck behind the same guy, and just couldn't get him back. We finished a couple of places higher up, because some of the faster guys didn't make it!
VMA Postclassic Race 2
Race two on the RG, I got past all the traffic in the first lap, and started to hunt down the next guy. He was quicker than I, and I had a lonely race pretty much on my own for the most part. Attempting to go faster in the chicanes, still only managed a 2:06 again, but happy to have had an incident free weekend.
ProClassic Race 2
The clutch slip on the RG500 was adjusted out at the handlebar, and I was running 230/240 mains, with 15/39 sprockets, Tyres were Michelin Power one (1.5bar) and rear Dunlop GP Race 211 (endurance 1.2 bar).
Racing at magny-Cours in the centre of France this last weekend. The circuit is our second closest to home, so we left Friday morning and arrived at the circuit at around midday, I was aiming to be ready for a 14:00 practise, but they had shifted times, and we had to wait until 17:00 for practise on the RG.
You may recall, that I had added the rubber connecting tubes back to the carb trunks to see if I could identify where my premix leak was coming from, and also I had changed my clutch cover to see if there was any leaks coming from the clutch cover. I went out and the bike was far to rich, just adding the rubber connectors with no filter made it unridabley rich! I even got a black flag coz it was smoing so much - they did apologise afterwards, as they didn't recognise it was a two stroke (hah). I pitted and had a quick look for leaks, and pulled off the rubber connectors, and went back out, and of course the bike pulled far(!) better, although the clutch was slipping at high revs.
Coming back in after practise, there was much less oil on the engine, so I can assume that I had a leak from one of the oil seals in the old clutch cover, that only leaked oil when hot, plus I still have a liberal covering of petroil mix on the engine, but I am convinced now this is somehow coming from blowback from the carbs (even with the trunks in place).
I managed to get another practise in with the RD350, and established I was running out of engine down the long straight, so a change of gearbox sprocket was in order (going from 15/39 to 16/39). The 350 was running well, although I definately need to dial in something a bit better, the new carbs (VM34) seem to have taken away some of the instant punch I used to get, and it doesn't rev out as well.
Qualifying on Saturday morning, we had 4 laps on the 500 before the session was interupted by a red flag incident, someone had lost it going into the first left hander, and had come off at around 160 (kmph), so was taken off to check for fractures in his ankles. I managed a respectable time in the first 4 laps, of 2:08 which would put me mid grid.
On the 350 I managed a 2:15 which put me in the second third of the grid.
The circuit, was built for F1 racing and is wide for a bike track, and you can really go fast virtually everywhere on the bikes. The limiting factor are your balls - most of the time! Time is lost in the 3 chicanes which is where you need the technique to get the bike to drop from one side to the other as fast as possible, without losing too much speed.
Race One with the 350 went OK, I got stuck behind a big Kawasaki (4 stroke), who whilst faster than me on the straights, was no match in some of the nadgery, but I couldn't get enough ahead to compensate, so he beat me into 22nd place! I was quite disappointed, and the lap time weren't running any faster than practise, but I never really had a clean lap, so a difficult race.
VMA Postclassic Race 1
Race One with the 500, started off as usual with a crappy start, I just have too much sympathy to rev the nuts of it at the start, so I end up bogging down, but never mind, this gave me loads to overtake in the first few laps. The RG was pulling really strongly, and I was able to outpace some of the GSXR's down the long Estoril straight down to Adelaide, I had a couple of nice dices, and ended up in front of some of the guys normally in front of me, on the last lap I could hear a bike just behind me, so I was really tight on my lines trying not to give him the least opportunity to get past, the only place left was the drop into the "lycee complex", which is a right hand bend followed by a chicane on to the start finish straight and the line, he came steaming past me on the brakes, but I knew he had overcooked it, so I crossed behind him and took him straight back, thinking I had got it sewn up, I tipped into the right hand part of the chicane to find a green machine up my inside, with no place to go, I lifted up and cut the left hand part of the chicane, he would have beat me over the line, but let me back past - must have been feeling guilty! Finished relatively happy, best time was a 2:06.
ProClassic Race 1
Race Two on the 350, and pretty much the same scenario as Race 1, I got stuck behind the same guy, and just couldn't get him back. We finished a couple of places higher up, because some of the faster guys didn't make it!
VMA Postclassic Race 2
Race two on the RG, I got past all the traffic in the first lap, and started to hunt down the next guy. He was quicker than I, and I had a lonely race pretty much on my own for the most part. Attempting to go faster in the chicanes, still only managed a 2:06 again, but happy to have had an incident free weekend.
ProClassic Race 2
The clutch slip on the RG500 was adjusted out at the handlebar, and I was running 230/240 mains, with 15/39 sprockets, Tyres were Michelin Power one (1.5bar) and rear Dunlop GP Race 211 (endurance 1.2 bar).
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