The Conversion and the Converted

derblott said:

Couple questions for the racers in the thread:

I'm starting my novice year and just finished new racer school. I'm told that the bellypan must be removed for tech inspection to ensure it holds enough liquid and doesn't have any holes.

Do your race organizers have the same requirement? The bellypan on the pani can only be removed by removing the exhaust, and it's a pretty skimpy belly pan...anyone have issues with this at tech?

Also, I believe that a non-stock subframe bumps the bike from supersport to superbike, is that also correct?

Competing in WMRRA this year, if anyone else is in the PNW and is in WMRRA hit me up!

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AFM doesn't require you to remove the belly pan for tech.

Chaotic said:

Think "backshift" rather than "downshift". It might not seem like a big deal, but that helped me tremendously.

Joe Kraft (the dad of my good friend Eddie) told me that in our pit a couple of years ago when I was swapping from STD to GP.

That little brain trigger helped a lot.

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When I first changed a racer mate of mine told me 'head down shift down, head up shift up' that helped me convert on my first weekend with GP shift

First Track day this year

Dark said:

When I first changed a racer mate of mine told me 'head down shift down, head up shift up' that helped me convert on my first weekend with GP shift

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I like that!
This weekend I used Chaotic's advice, visualizing the track and thinking "back shift" instead of "down shift." Nonetheless, it was not the smoothest transition considering all the changes I've made to the bike and this being my first day back on the bike since November 1st.

In general, I would describe the track day as awesome since it was 75 degrees F, I was at the track with my dedicated track bike for the first time, I did not crash and it was my 50th birthday! What a way to spend the day. It could have been better; while Saturday was fantastic, Sunday was cancelled due to weather.

I was not fast (1:31 when expert racers are running 1:15s); but by the late afternoon I was only making one shifting error (e.g.: selecting 4th instead of downshifting into second for a corner) per session. I may have even ran a clean last session, although I still had to think about my shifts rather than it being a subconscious action of muscle memory.

It might sound like moving to GP-shift is more trouble than it's worth; however their is a huge benefit when exiting a turn onto a straight (on this track it was turns 3, 6, 9 and 10). Also, I want to prove to myself that this old dog can still learn a few new tricks.

Below, I've pasted some photos taken from my phone, packed up and heading to the track Friday afternoon, in the pits, and then packed up on the way home. I'll post some track photos later this week, either here or in the picture thread.

Cheers.

First Track day (cont...)

One more...

madmaxmenon said:

Question on the armour bodies tail section - I am moving from cruciata and not sure how the tail section mounts. On the cruciata, the tail was in two halves and they screwed on the bottom and the top. On the armour bodies, the bottom section is separate and won't hold onto any part of the bike except the top section. Is this how it is supposed to be? Or am I missing something?

Is there something missing in this pic?

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I think you have the superbike tail section, like mine, which does not use the OEM seat. If I am in correct, let me know.

I used a tightails subframe, so mine is a little different; however, there are four indents in the center part of the under-tray of the tail section, this is where you drill holes to line up with the OEM subframe and use the OEM hardware. Again, I think that is true; but I used an aftermarket subframe that replicated OEM attachment points and this worked for me. (Perhaps someone who has mounted the Armour Bodies to the OEM sub-frame can chime in and confirm.) If you look in post #100 of this thread, second picture, you can see two of the four bolts I am speaking of. You can see the stainless steel heads of the bolts. I used plastic rivets around the outer edge to bind the undertray to the top of the tail section.

By the look of your picture, you are missing the plastic OEM tray from your sub-frame. This part is critical for mounting the top of the tail section to the subframe. To clarify, the plastic tray I am referring to is the one in the OEM subframe that has the little "trap door" in it in which your OEM tools were stored.

I will try to get to my bike later tonight to take a photo.

Track pics

From the first track day...

Bike looks mint styler

Once you get GP shift you won't want to go back

Styler said:

I think you have the superbike tail section, like mine, which does not use the OEM seat. If I am in correct, let me know.

I used a tightails subframe, so mine is a little different; however, there are four indents in the center part of the under-tray of the tail section, this is where you drill holes to line up with the OEM subframe and use the OEM hardware. Again, I think that is true; but I used an aftermarket subframe that replicated OEM attachment points and this worked for me. (Perhaps someone who has mounted the Armour Bodies to the OEM sub-frame can chime in and confirm.) If you look in post #100 of this thread, second picture, you can see two of the four bolts I am speaking of. You can see the stainless steel heads of the bolts. I used plastic rivets around the outer edge to bind the undertray to the top of the tail section.

By the look of your picture, you are missing the plastic OEM tray from your sub-frame. This part is critical for mounting the top of the tail section to the subframe. To clarify, the plastic tray I am referring to is the one in the OEM subframe that has the little "trap door" in it in which your OEM tools were stored.

I will try to get to my bike later tonight to take a photo.

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Thanks! Found the part and it was a straightforward fit. Have fun at the track, your bike looks great!

Thanks.
Correct; I have the superbike seat.

Was at the track again last week. After three full days of getting used to the GP shift I can say that it makes shifting during corner exits WAY easier. By Sunday afternoon, I rarely shifted into 4th instead of second and I beat my fasted time from last season.

The next step is to remove the silencers and install the race Kraaitech oil drain and belly pan before the next CRMA event.

More pics!

Thanks to Sean at CCR for the awesome paint work and excellent customer service! Check him out: Custom Motorcycle Paint | Connecticut Cycle Refinishing

Kraaitech oil drain

OK; I've drained the oil and drilled the tab on the sump to safety-wire the Kraaitech oil drain to the bike and the oil drain plug to it. (See: http://ducati1299.com/racing/24466-kraaitech-oil-drain-bellypan.html)

Now, the next thing is to attach the oil catchment belly-pan to the bike.

Which size washer did you use from the packet?

maslov said:

Which size washer did you use from the packet?

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I started with the thinnest washer and then kept exchanging them with thicker and thicker washers until I found one that let me hand tighten the untit to about 25 degrees from vertical (about 4 to 5 O'clock). Then, I tightened the unit until it was vertical using an adjustable crescent wrench.
Sorry; I cannot tell you which washer I used, other than I went through most of them and used one that was relatively thick and everything tightened up by hand as noted above.

Bellypan & Airflow to lower Radiator

Please have a look at the belly-pan as it is currently mounted in the picture.
The front of the belly-pan appears to block airflow from the lower part of the radiator.
Is this acceptable?
If not, what does one do, cut out the offending fiberglass?

Don't cut it, then it will no longer serve as a decent belly pan, and the last thing you want on race morning is to fail tech for something like that.

I just left it, so did wilks and a couple others on the forum, there have been a few bellypan threads.

Interesting that yours extends past the radiator housing though, I believe most of us have had to cut the tab and slide the bellypan between the radiator and the housing. Does your bodywork and everything fit? What brand bellypan (sorry - can't remember but I'm sure it's somewhere in this thread)

derblott said:

Interesting that yours extends past the radiator housing though, I believe most of us have had to cut the tab and slide the bellypan between the radiator and the housing. Does your bodywork and everything fit? What brand bellypan (sorry - can't remember but I'm sure it's somewhere in this thread)

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Thanks for your guidance. I would not want to fail tech and have to do this all over again. PITA.
In truth, the belly-pan is just tacked in place for the picture so that I can get some guidance from those who have done this before (thanks). I still have to put the side panels back on to see if everything fits, then I will drill holes for the bolts and the plug.
I will get back to you after the fit-check tonight (after work) and let you know how things fit regarding the housing. Cheers.
It is an Armour Bodies pan. (Woodcraft)

Styler said:

Thanks for your guidance. I would not want to fail tech and have to do this all over again. PITA.

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Yeah, the panigale bellypan is already pretty small and skimpy, and most organizers have a requirement about the amount of liquid volume it's required to hold (usually a gallon?).

Mine covers even more of the radiator than yours, and I have not had any problems with overheating. And my radiator fan is also removed - did you end up keeping yours?

Bike gets hot sitting on the grid for too long, but nothing too bad yet.

derblott said:

Mine covers even more of the radiator than yours, and I have not had any problems with overheating. And my radiator fan is also removed - did you end up keeping yours?

Bike gets hot sitting on the grid for too long, but nothing too bad yet.

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I dropped the fan as well. It appears to be a requirement of using a belly pan. It has not been a problem as yet; but I will have to watch it later this month when temps are in the mid-80s/low-90s.

I am moving to CA (SF bay area) this summer; it should be less of an issue out west.

T-Rex engine casing protection fits with the Woodcraft (Armour Bodies) race bodywork

derblott said:

Not sure - I am using 1199 bodywork, but the t-Rex clutch cover is simply very thick, it's actually the heads of the bolts that push on the bodywork. The plastic stock stuff fit fine, though. Let me know how yours ends up fitting!

Called woodcraft today and my rear sets shipped...

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BTW, I just noticed that I never followed up with you on this. While it may be because you are on a 1299 running 1199 bodywork (correct?); I can tell you that the T-Rex engine casing protection fits with the Woodcraft (Armour Bodies) race bodywork just fine.

It appears to be an EXCELLENT combination for track day low-side protection. (Not that I want to test it!)