New entry level racing class for 2007

[Technogeekery]

Hi guys - not sure if this is the best place for this post, please move it if this is inappropriate.

I thought I'd let you know about a new entry-level racing class happening here in NSW this year. I've been lobbying for a new entry level club-racing class in NSW, and late last year St George gave us our own class - 650 Twins. Its designed to be affordable racing on modern production bikes, and is a LOT cheaper than supersport/superbike racing - has limited mods allowed to keep costs down - but is based on modern production bikes, so we don't face the problems with parts, aging bikes etc that the 400cc / New Era guys face. There are about 15 of us prepping bikes around the country for the 2007 season, with SV650s being the most popular - but other eligible bikes are the Duc 620, Cagiva Raptor 650, Hyosung GT650 and Kawi ER6.

Suzuki have been great in supporting the series, and offer a fantastic racer discount - $7300 for a NEW SV650 to registered racers who commit to racing it. And if thats still too much for you, there are a lot of cosmetically challenged SVs and other eligible bikes at the wreckers - get creative! (I'll have my racebike ready to go for about $6000 - and its an 05 model with 3000km on it...)

So far NSW is lagging behind, with only 4 of I know about entering the class for the first race in Feb (may be more that I don't know about, of course), so we will be combined with the 250 strokers and GRO classes on the grid until we can make up at least 10 starters - but at least we will have our own class, points, prizes etc. I did two races last year in the class - awesomely good fun! If you'd like to read about that check out my blog on www.svdownunder.com/blog/technogeekery.html - but if you would like to know more about the class or consider coming racing with us, drop me a PM, email, or just post up here - I'd be very glad to answer questions, or help you getting a bike ready if you ride an SV.

A snap of my baby beastie in progress:

http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a208/technogeekery/Racebike/stripped_down.jpg

Got a way to go :)

[dungbeetle]

hmmm not a bad idea mono...sv650's go pretty cheap!!
hey techno. do ya need some wheels? i have a few in my garage from various suzukis..

[Jordan]

Hey... shanes got one ;)

[dungbeetle]

haha yes he does, but its broken!!!:D

[shane]

haha yes he does, but its broken!!!:D

:mad: :headshake:

[MadHatter]

Maybe we could get a RATs bike in there... I'll ride [hint hint]

Them's fightin' words..

[Technogeekery]

Nope, got wheels thanks, these were just off for the day getting some nice sticky rubber fitted :)

If any of you are interested in racing an SV or other twin, just post up your queries, or drop me a PM, I'm happy to help ya get it ready.

[Technogeekery]

OKay - we are essentially done. Lots of bits and pices to fit in if I can, but she is essentially complete, and I took her for her first ride today. Nicked out on some back roads to see if the gears and brakes work! Bit scary, I haven't done more than start her up before today, and I'm racing in a week. But she starts, stops, goes, changes gears, turns and feels okay. Lots of adjustments to do at the track, but I think she is a goer :smile:

Here is what she looks like:

http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a208/technogeekery/Racebike/prep200702_right_sm.jpg

http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a208/technogeekery/Racebike/prep200702_leftside_sm.jpg

http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a208/technogeekery/Racebike/prep200702_left_sm.jpg

I'll try to get some nice trackside pics on Friday, as I suspect that is the last day that she will look quite like this :lol:

Bring on the weekend, I can't wait to see how she goes! We race on Sunday at Eastern Creek, so if anyone here is coming down to watch the St George Series Round 1, pop in to pit garage 35 and say hi :)

http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a208/technogeekery/Racebike/prep200702_back_sm.jpg

http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a208/technogeekery/Racebike/prep200702_rightrear_sm.jpg

[Bigdog]

Looking good mate. Good luck on the weekend.

[Cleverlie]

Puts shanes sv650 to shame. Nice bike!

[Zee]

One day when I'm fast (hoping alot) I may join you :drool:

All the best for the weekend :ayyy:

[VINNIE]

Good luck mate

[Technogeekery]

Thanks people, appreciated :)

Zee - this is ENTRY-LEVEL racing - I am living proof that you don't have to be fast to have fun racing :) Its about as cheap as racing gets on modern bikes (that bike pictured has cost less than $6k inc purchase price) and it is specifically aimed at people who want to get into racing but don't want to start off on much more powerful 600/1000 race replicas. And the very best way to get fast around the track is to spend more time on it - so don't be scared to give it a crack - its the most fun I've had in 15 years :)

If anyone is interested in checking it out, get thee to EC this Sunday, racing from 10am, we are in pit 35 so come & say hi :)

[Cleverlie]

6k ay, looks like im off to get a job so i can start racing!

[Technogeekery]

Less than $6k :)

and there is a SV650 on the market at the moment that I reckon you could get on the track for about $4.5k (a bit older, and a bit more elbow grease required - but would make a great project...) Email me if you want details...

[Cleverlie]

Man you make it sound so tempting but i'll get back to you when i get a job so don't hold your breath.

[Technogeekery]

Race Report - Honda St George R1 Eastern Creek 11/2/07

http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a208/technogeekery/St%20George%20R1%202007/ECR1_threequarters_side_sm.jpg

In short, Round 1 was a disaster. I'd booked in for a practise day before the official race practise and race day, to get my bike set up properly as it hadn't turned a wheel in anger. Basically I'd built it over 2 months, but not had the opportunity to test it. So bright & early on Friday I was at Eastern Creek - and crashed it in the second session, while still well off race pace. It was a low-side crash in Turn 2, one of the tightest (and slowest) turns at EC - and while its a difficult corner to do well, I'd never come close to crashing there before and had no warning at all from the bike.

Managed to get the damage repaired, but then crashed again on Saturday, in Turn 9, another very slow corner following a lot of hard braking. Again no warning, and again well off the pace I'm used to doing - which really concerned me. Crashing is bad enough, but crashing when you don't know why is very worrying, particularly as there was no warning. I did a lot of work on my suspension, which helped some - but I had lost a lot of confidence in the bike and myself - so was very tentative come race day.

http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a208/technogeekery/St%20George%20R1%202007/110207JPM_331_sm.jpg

I managed to complete 2 races, but was experiencing difficulties with the throttle, as well as being really worried about the suspension, so was well off my usual pace. Two races were wet, so I sat them out - with no confidence in the setup of the bike in the dry, going out in the wet was just too risky.

Altogether very disappointing - not at all what I'd hoped for. But I have since taken the bike in to NSW's race suspension guru, Terry Hay, who has pinpointed a major problem with the geometry & suspension setup that he can fix relatively easily - so I am having the suspension completely overhauled this weekend, and booking in for a track day soon to test it all out thoroughly well before we go racing again. That should give me a lot more confidence in the bike itself, and I can work back up to race speed in the knowledge that I'm not likely to over-ride the suspension again.

But on the positive side - the bike pulled well, is fast, and I have a plan in place to get her into race shape quickly. I have a better understanding of the suspension and a much better appreciation of how much work racers have to put into bike setup, whcih will help me over the years to come. And of course two crashes with no injury to me or others and nobody else involved can be counted as a win of sorts... You can read about the weekend in more detail if you like on my website www.svdownunder.com/blog/technogeekery.html.

Many thanks to my sponsors who helped me so much in getting out on the track this year. PLease click the links below to visit my blog or to check out the great products from my sponsors:

http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a208/technogeekery/TGBanner_468_60.jpg (http://www.svdownunder.com/blog/technogeekery.html)

http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a208/technogeekery/Sponsors/sig_dragon.jpg (http://www.tyrewarmers.com.au) http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a208/technogeekery/Sponsors/sig_staintune.jpg (http://www.staintune.com.au) http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a208/technogeekery/Sponsors/sig_setup.jpg (http://www.setupaustralia.com/)http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a208/technogeekery/Sponsors/sig_amsoil.jpg (http://www.a1oils.com.au) http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a208/technogeekery/Sponsors/sig_batteryworld.jpg (http://www.batteryworld.com.au) http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a208/technogeekery/Sponsors/sig_roadrocket.jpg (http://www.roadrocket.com.au)http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a208/technogeekery/Sponsors/sig_ratedr.jpg (http://www.ratedrparts.com)

[Dunno]

Sounds like you had an interesting weekend mate. I spose you can put it down to a learing experience & will have a better understanding of your bike & suspension next time out. Good luck with it TG.

[triumph]

mean looking beast.

[prawns]

Suspension can be a tricky bugger, Ive been trying to set mine up for 2 years just for street riding (and I still dont "get it" and I still arn't happy - my tyres keep turning blue now lol) How much are you paying this guy to set it for you?

Great blog - Ive added it to my favourites and look forward to reading about how much fun your having once you get those forks serviced and rear raised , sounds like a great cheap way to get into the sport :)

[Zee]

Always hate it when I crash and don't know why :confused1:
Suspension aye, worked on it for years (cars and bikes) and still don't get it. :(
This guy you're using to tune it........does he he know his shit?? I suppose your next meeting will answer that :)

Looking forward to your next progress report :ayyy:

[Technogeekery]

Yeah, its a lot of fun - especially when I'm not crashing...

Terry Hay runs a company called Shock Treatment - he is probably the best suspension tuner in NSW, and does the suspension for many of the best road and offroad racers in NSW - so should be able to get my suspension working as well as it can be, given the budget nature of the bike and the budget nature of its rider :)

I don't know how much it will cost yet, am still waiting to hear what work needs to be done (the shock needs to go on the shock dyno first) but it won't be cheap. But then confidence in the bike is priceless, and crashing is also not cheap...

[jasonbw]

TG, howd you go about getting sponsors? Do you pay trade price or free or what? Good move any which way!

I'll have to work on the wife, shes put her foot down on my thoughts of joining the FZ cup, maybe James' series is the go.. :)

JasonBW