VMCC - Winter Series - LukeM Racing

Luke's VMCC Rnd 3 - Fart in a thunderstorm


Bit of a mixed round for me. It was gonna be my first time out in F2 so I was pretty nervous to start with. Didn't really have any real goal for the weekend as I really just wanted to get a feel for the faster class, though improving a personal best would always be sweet.

Friday Practice

Hadn't been on the bike since round 1 so was keen to do Friday practice. Had great weather and after a few sessions was already into low19s/high 18s which was kind of were I left off after round 1. I had made a ride height change to compensate switching to a 190 rear (which turned out to be a mistake!) and everything felt pretty good.

F2 Qualify

Wet track, but bright sunshine! After wondering around the paddock trying to see which way most people are gonna swing with their tyres, I plump for wets front and rear. After losing the rear last time out in the wet, I'm a little cautious especially when we get told at the briefing there is crap all over the track. Take it far too easy and spend the session just sitting behind another rider to wind up 16th but over 2 secs slower than last time out in the wet.

F2 Race 1

Get an okish start but am on the outside of the track and get pushed wide in turn 1 over all the cement dust so roll off and end up last-ish! Spent the rest of the race catching and breathing down Wharfy's exhaust pipe, but he is quicker than me through Dunlop and pips me to the post. I am having really hassles in the faster corners rolling on the gas where the bike wants to run wide. Given the amount of crap on the track, this really hampers my drive as I can't get on the gas early enough. Best time was a mid 20s which wasn't great for me.

F2 Race 2

Again, pretty bad start but I'm very conscious this time to get over to the right side of the track and not repeat race 1/turn 1. Only this time, it happens to Darrin instead who has a bit of a out the seat moment and everyone takes avoiding action. Am quite far back now and still suffering from not being able to get on the gas because the bike runs wide. lonely race and still in the mid 20s. Starting to feel a little bit down now.

F2 Race 3

Decide that the ride height was working better where it was before and so make the change before race 3 which has a positive effect. Catch and hold on to Wharfy for the majority of the race again but laptimes are 1-2 secs better which is good, but still down on last time out in clubbies. Last few laps of the 3rd race, I actually felt like I was finally getting into my stride. Just too little too late.

Overall, not a bad weekend, but not great. First time out in F2 and I already picked up and learned a lot. Just trying to digest all the information now and move everything up a notch next time round.

Just hope that next time there isn't so much crap on the track! I know that everyone had to ride in the same conditions, but how people deal with it mentally makes a difference and it really bugged me as it was such an unknown quantity. Found myself scared to go off line and fight for a position for fear of ending up on a line of oil/cement. I guess experience will help with that.

Just like to say thanks to Motorad for sorting me out with tyres and and Mark for pit sharing. Now bring on round! 4

Cheers
Luke

Excellent Luke!
What happened with the 190 rear?

C

Originally Posted by Berlin

Excellent Luke!
What happened with the 190 rear?

C

I like the 190! I have another set and also swapped out my wets to 190 so my setup isn't so different - wet -> dry.

What I really want to try though is these:

http://www.sportrider.com/gear/146_1...ire/index.html

The 190 is designed for a 5.5 inch rim so you don't get the mild pinching that you do on other 190/55s. Pretty much all the fats guys run these tyres and I'm curious. Will probably try and score a used set and then try them on a test day.

However, at the moment I am pretty happy with the Metzelers and will run those for the rest of the season

Going to do a test day in 2 weeks and work on my setup a bit before round 4

Sorry Luke, It was the way I read this..

Originally Posted by lukemillar

I had made a ride height change to compensate switching to a 190 rear (which turned out to be a mistake!)

So it was the ride height change that was the mistake, not the changing to the 190

I've just read a fantastic tech doc from Dunlop about those. I'll see if I can find the link...

C

http://www.dunlopracing.com/DETAIL-D211GP.html

and this one..

http://www.dunlopracing.com/D211GP-A_PressKit.pdf

Interesting to see the difference between the GP 209 Racer and the GP211 Racer. With the 209 avialable in Sv sized the pinch from the narrow rear rim might actually bring it to being the 211 profile.

I used one of these last october and was impressed but you need to get the rear pressure right as its very prone to cold tearing. The new NTEC is only 21 psi hot, same as the Power ones.

I've just bought a couple of pairs of K106/K108 slicks for the Mintwin

C

Originally Posted by Berlin

Sorry Luke, It was the way I read this..



So it was the ride height change that was the mistake, not the changing to the 190

I've just read a fantastic tech doc from Dunlop about those. I'll see if I can find the link...

C

Yep, It wasn't so apparent on Friday because I could use the whole width of the track, but on saturday with big lines of cement dust everywhere, I had to try run tighter lines on the exit. Reverted the ride height back to where it was and laptimes for the whole final race were ~1 sec a lap quicker despite the track being colder track than race 2!

[DaveW_42]

Berlin - just read the doc - can those pressures be right - 31 front and 21 rear cold! That sounds a bit low on the rear to me... Other than that, quite fancy a set of those...

EDIT: just read your other reply and see that it's the same on the Powers... ignore me

I didn't belive it either Dave.

In a fit if madness I decided to try a Power One at Cadwell in March at the prescribed pressure (21psi cold) and it was marvelous! I cintunued running ti at 21 HOT and even 19 hot and it was still good.!
I've seen a lot of people cook Power ones and Ntecs by running them at 28-29 hot! massive cold tearing.

The Metzeler Racetec Interacts are slightly higher at 24 psi but I had no problems running them at 28-29psi hot and got really good wear.
C

[DaveW_42]

Berlin - just wondered where you were getting your tires from at the moment. I used to have a good deal going on with the Dunlop factory direct but I've not been in touch with them for about 2 years as have been running Pirrellis. I'll try them again if I can dig out my old sponser number - hopefully it'll be in my notes somewhere, but it'd be useful to have another contact.
Will a 190 rear squeeze on the SV rear?

Luke - sorry for the derail!

Originally Posted by DaveWalker

Berlin - just wondered where you were getting your tires from at the moment. I used to have a good deal going on with the Dunlop factory direct but I've not been in touch with them for about 2 years as have been running Pirrellis. I'll try them again if I can dig out my old sponser number - hopefully it'll be in my notes somewhere, but it'd be useful to have another contact.
Will a 190 rear squeeze on the SV rear?

Luke - sorry for the derail!

No chance, the 160 is already a squeeze.

I'm getting my tyres from all over the place at the moment including race meetings (best place by far), Ebay, friends etc. I've not bought a new tyre in two years!

I might end up buying new rears as I've got a good stock of fronts from the 600. .. and getting a hold of 160 scrubs is nowhere near as easy as getting 180/190's. Hopefully I'll pick up as many as I can at the next meeting in two weeks time.

The thing is, other folks take their rears off when they start to slide. I like them like that and so I race their old tyres on my bike. If you don't like them loose at the rear then new tyres is the way to go.

Complog.co.uk were doing cracking deals last year but they seem to have dried up now. Always worth keeping an eye on them though.

Its such a shame Racetecs Interacts don't come in 160 profile. It'd be all I use


C