2023 V4R // 2023 SEASON

Paul G said:

What a load of total bollocks

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How much rider and driver training/coaching do you deliver then to rebut my statement?
How many unconsciously incompetent experts do you see on a daily basis?

When you start putting 200hp though the credit card contact patch then push, even expert riders rely on the electronics to go faster and keep the rubberside down. Turn of the aids and see how you go against a similarly skilled rider setup with electronics for his style and track while pushing hard. Of course you can turn them all off but MotoGP riders dont for good reason and we are not at GP level

I never said expert riders can’t benefit from it too…. Although I heard they were part of the billy big bollox brigade and get rid of ABS and stuff as it handicaps them…

IMHO it is better to learn ones skills on something with no electronics. Dirtbikes first. One of the keys to doing this unscathed for a long time is the ability to catch highsides (and lowsides as far as that goes). I'm really old and have memories of a few events where if I was not able to do this I would not be sitting here typing. I'm not saying the electronics doesn't help but are they going to catch everything for you? Lacks of skills and 200 hp. Then you can be going really fast when you target fixate. It's better in europe, I'm not a legislation fan but starting a kid on something small is a good idea. Here in the US just bring your wallet. Sorry for the soapbox. The electronics when added to a good skill set will obviously allow you to be faster.

baggerman said:

IMHO it is better to learn ones skills on something with no electronics. Dirtbikes first. One of the keys to doing this unscathed for a long time is the ability to catch highsides (and lowsides as far as that goes). I'm really old and have memories of a few events where if I was not able to do this I would not be sitting here typing. I'm not saying the electronics doesn't help but are they going to catch everything for you? Lacks of skills and 200 hp. Then you can be going really fast when you target fixate. It's better in europe, I'm not a legislation fan but starting a kid on something small is a good idea. Here in the US just bring your wallet. Sorry for the soapbox. The electronics when added to a good skill set will obviously allow you to be faster.

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I learned to ride a bike in the woods on dirt tracks. It was a horrendously long time ago though. My first road bike was an FZR600R with no electronics - again, a horrendously long time ago. Maybe some muscle memory remains.

little update on my season, end of June I had a crash on practice day of first race weekend of the season. Wasn't too bad but had an ankle injury that lingered for just over a month which means I missed all of June. Based on TD schedules I only missed 3 days which isn't bad. 2 weeks ago I got back on the bike even tho ankle still was maybe 70% and I felt great on the bike - was still hurting to walk but on bike was fine. I got one more day last weekend and continued to feel great on the bike. Next race weekend is last weekend of the month and if my time is decent on practice day I will be doing that. Here are some images from the crash, the track since I have been back, another quick trip to Italy and a lap my friend caught of me that isn't that fast but form is looking good.

Glad you're fine! Crashes are annoying!

baggerman said:

IMHO it is better to learn ones skills on something with no electronics. Dirtbikes first. One of the keys to doing this unscathed for a long time is the ability to catch highsides (and lowsides as far as that goes). I'm really old and have memories of a few events where if I was not able to do this I would not be sitting here typing. I'm not saying the electronics doesn't help but are they going to catch everything for you? Lacks of skills and 200 hp. Then you can be going really fast when you target fixate. It's better in europe, I'm not a legislation fan but starting a kid on something small is a good idea. Here in the US just bring your wallet. Sorry for the soapbox. The electronics when added to a good skill set will obviously allow you to be faster.

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You know it’s interesting that dirt bike bit…35-40 years ago I spent most of my teenage years out everyday on a dirt bike at a sprawling gravel pit that was like a modern day MotoCross corse. Then when I left home I didn’t ride a motorcycle for 30 years. I either forgot or never learned almost everything about riding a motorcycle fast on a street course and after two years I’m just now start to ‘get it’ but one thing very surprisingly was retained from those years of dirt bike riding as a teenager…I can slide the bike and handle things when they go wrong…I’ve gone off track more times than I can count, certainly over 40 times, some of those extremely hunky at speed, and never laid the bike down…and have lost both the front end and year end through bad riding and kept her up. KNOCK ON WOOD

And I’m a horrible rider in every other regard.

I don't think that being comfortable with the rear sliding around is unique to motorcycles. If you never had a role model who taught you how to do a doughnut in the snow or rain while operating a motor vehicle, you are at a deficit. Controlling, or being comfortable with a slide, is one of the best skills in driving any motor vehicle. Feathering the throttle while driving in snow will teach you a lot.

KarlKani said:

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Man that’s crazy how long the 1st gear is on your bike. What sprocket teeth are you running on that track?

Not sure if Karl is running stock gearing but on my ‘23 Base (stock ratios) I am pretty much in the same gears here, I go to 3rd after T6 wheelie hill instead of before like Karl, and down to 2nd in T10 while he holds 3rd to T12 then double downshifts. I am @ 5s off the displayed lap time, and he has rolled around the outside of me more times I can count : )

NYST doesn’t have much legs to it, very tight and technical, and the video doesn’t really show the elevation changes but they are significant.

I am running stock gearing, just to be clear that is not my dash - I am the person in front of the the guy filming (V4 base). I am in 1st from T1-3 + T12-18.

If you have not crashed a bike on track you are not pushing, it's simple. Its not pushing the bike beyond its limits, 98% for us regular riders on big bikes its rider error. At good speed mistakes will end up in crashes - it happens. This one was a simple mistake I made that I was not aware of at the fact second it happened. At NJMP ther is a fast right T4 which is usually 95-100mph, right before this is a small rise "wheelie hill" that I cover the rear brake on to keep the front down. On this day I was pushing my brake marker deeper for T4 all day, on this lap I was too hot and picked the bike up to scrub speed - my foot was still cover brake pedal at pick up and the rear stepped out while going thru the corner wide. I was heading toward edge of track and had to release brakes to stand up bike so that I was straight up and down while going into the grass. Off track was v short lived because there is a tire wall that was fast approaching where I used the rear brake to bring the bike down before the tire wall. Could have been very bad but thankfully I managed the situation really well.

Finally got back to NJMP TB yesterday after crash about 2 months ago. Felt pretty good tbh, but lap times weren't quite where I expected them to be so I decided not to stay and race. There were some other factors too, but generally I didnt have the gusto to mix it up this weekend. Looking forward to getting back there to get more consistent and drop times also. Came home and my FGR 254 had been delivered so I mounted those up today.

Some interesting bits about thee in baseline setting:
Length: 740mm
Stroke: 120mm
Valving: C102 // R105

These forks have much more room to customize, for now I am starting with where I am with my OEM // FKR setup - the FGR ends up being 2mm longer with extended stroke.

Spring rate -9.75N/mm
Preload - 8T
Oil level - 200mm
Setting - C103/R103
Compression - 12
Rebound - 12
Oil - 1309
Length - 750mm
Stroke - 130mm

Good call, some fast turns there, things could get hairy quick if the head/heart isn’t psyched to do it.

MISANO