VMCC - Winter Series - LukeM Racing

Having been inspired by Team Numberwang! I thought rather than posting new threads for each round I'd follow Tim's example and just start a thread and add to it.

For those that don't know me.... I'm originally from the UK, but have been living in Oz/NZ for the past 3 years. Started club racing last year on my 2006 Triumph Daytona 675 in the Clubmans class. Since then, I competed in most of the PMCC Summer series and intend to make it to every round of the VMCC winter series!

Club racing works a little different in NZ than the UK, where newbies on larger capacity bikes typically start out in a class called Clubmans. This a completely open class which allows any motorcycle with any modifications! The kicker is once you laptimes areon par with your respective class you're supposed to move into that class! At the moment, my times would put me mid-back of F2 so really I should be moving up this season. However, I haven't been to Manfeild in the dry since my first ever race meeting, so I thought I'd do the first round in Clubmans, to check on my laptimes and check out the F2 form!

Main Classes:
- F1 - Superbikes (F2 guys can cross enter)
- F2 - Supersport (F3 guys can cross enter)
- F3 - 450cc IL4, 650 Twin etc. complete formula class. There are some crazy machines here. Like supersport bikes with 1 cylinder disabled, highly modified SV's (check out http://www.glenwilliams.co.nz) for a very modified SV F3 bike)
- Pro-Twin - Minitwin Equivalent with pretty much identical rules

My bike:



So far it isn't that modded in terms of performance. I'm looking to enter a round or two of the National series next year in Stock Production which means a pretty much untouched engine. Mods are:

-Full Arrow Exhaust + custom map
-Ohlins rear shock + reworked forks
-STM slipper clutch
-BMC race filter
-Aftermarket rearsets + clipons

Race Calendar:

Manfeild Short Track
Sat 15th May

Manfeild Long Track two day meet
Sat 12th Sun 13th June

Manfeild Short Track
Sat 17th July

Manfeild Long Track
Sat 14th August

Manfeild Short Track two day meet
Sat 18th & Sun 19 September

Manfeild Long Track
Sat 9th October


I'll update the thread with reports of how it goes!

Cheers
Luke

Oh, completely forgot about a few mods since the end of last season!

In the past couple of weeks I have installed a race throttle:



It is scary how quickly this thing gets to full throttle. I haven't used it on track yet, but have 2 other cams to soften it off it is too much



New Fabbri screen. Never ereally be bothered about aftermarket screens, but I ruined the old one.

Also have new set of boots - switching to a 190/55 Rear when I get to the track tomorrow.

Finally, I have mounted a camera in the nose of my bike (you can just about see it in this pic) to video racing and practice. My laptimer does some basic data acquisition stuff, which I can overlay with the video and see where I am quick, slow, can go quicker etc. At the moment, looking at this is way more beneficial to my times than chasing ponies with performance modifications.

Nice one Luke.

Interesting that you're going to a 190 rear. I tried this earlier this year and couldn't get on with it on my 600. I lose the very fine control when right on the limit and found the heavier rear upset the suspension. (190 designed to take 180bhp. 180 designed for 120bhp) I also ended up riding off the front tyre instead of the rear tyre. and I don't like that set up at all! Its bad for your health!

I'll be reading with interest!

C

Good luck for Saturday. Nice paintings in your garage

Originally Posted by Berlin

(190 designed to take 180bhp. 180 designed for 120bhp)

I'll be reading with interest!

C

But you don't put 180bhp through the back tyre when you're at max lean!

Ok, I love the 190 rear! The combo of the 190 + quick turn throttle meant that I can get on the gas so early compared to before. The slower tip-in barely registered as well! Even in testing today I was running 19s with my laptimer giving an optimum mid-18 (based on best splits in a session) This is great and race pace will certainly be quicker. Also means that I will most definitely be booted into F2 next round.

I see what you mean with the rear tyre - I have small 2mm strips of unused tyre on the rear whereas the 180 would be to the edge. Didn't feel like I was pushing the front at all though.

Roll on tomorrow - looking like it may be wet though.

Cheers
Luke

Looks like it'll be wets here on Sunday too.

But dry tomorrow!

I'm using Racetec Interacs for the first time this weekend so we'll see how they fair compared to the older ones. Very soft to the touch!

Have a good weekend and keep it the right way up!

C

VMCC Rd 1 - Bruised and battered burglar

Just got in from the first round. Unfortunately I didn't get any video. Seems to be playing ball now, but all the movies I took from the weekend are black Pretty good weekend with a few ups and downs.

Practice/Qualify:

Wake up to a dampish track, but looks like it may dry out. Then the heavens open and fully drench the track, which at least makes everyones minds up on which tyres to run. Out to qualify and most people don't have wets! Picke up the pace and start lapping people so figure I have put it on pole and think to myself that maybe I should back off and take it easy. However, I never really got the chance as coming out of Higgins, my rear just washes out. Bit of a weird crash as I was pretty much at the corner exit. However there is a notorious bump here and so I can assume going over than just lost traction as it didn't even slide under power - it just went.

Slide along on my ****, over the curbs and end up on the grass. Bike is sitting just off the side of the track. Initial look seems pretty good! All the levers and pegs are still there, just looks worse than it is from all the mud.

Finally get carted back to the pits and apart from a bent clip-on, brake lever and snapped swingarm bobbin, it's all good. Obviously there is other cosmetic damage, but I need to do very little to get back out on track.

Race 1:

It's completely dry now and so back on the Racetecs. Get a sh!te start! I roll on too quickly with this new throttle and lift the front big time. By the time I have stopped bouncing up and down, I'm 5th into turn 1 Manage to pick off everyone in the next few laps and then get my head down for the rest of the race. Ended up winning with a 13 sec lead Not only that, I dip into the 18s which is on the verge of getting excluded from the results as it's too quick for the class. People call this being a "clubmans burglar" as you are in the wrong class stealing wins! Still, my qualifying time would have had me 9th on the grid for F2 and around 9th-10th in the race, so it is definitely time to move up.

Race 2:

I'm really starting to feel sore now - my @rse is swollen and starting to go purple. Also, my bent brake lever is definitely not cricket and seems to be binding. I try and patch up stuff as best as possible, but it'll need a closer look. I manage to screw up the start even more this time Rev way to low for a normal start and short shift into 2nd straight away. The bike bogs down and I end up something crazy like 8-9th into turn 1 (I really need to get used to this new throttle on starts). Manage to work my way up to 4th (I thought it was 5th, but the timing sheet says 4th??) but as it has been shortened to a 5 lap sprint due to accident delays, it's pretty much as far as I can get. Bit annoyed at that as I was expecting to be up at the front again, but I'm feeling exhausted and my swollen @ss keeps on complaining! Laptimes have also dropped ~1 sec from the morning.

All in all a pretty good meeting especially since last VMCC round last year, my best lap was 5 secs slower! One thing I have been impressed by is my leathers. I have a set of Dainese and based on a lot of opinions on here, I was expecting them to be destroyed when I eventually threw it down the road. Thing is, there is barely a scuff on them! All the stitching is perfectly intact and apart from a bit of mud, they almost look like they haven't slid along the road.

Need to work on my starts with this new throttle though and fix up my bike a bit.

Until next month...

Sounds like you did well apart from the mud and swollen ar$e, good racing

Couple of pics - Both at the Hairpin:





Getting a lift back:

Cool pics.