Lap around the Isle of Man

Stick Man

Stick Man

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I've watched many of these, but man, this was awesome. Front tire stays off the ground almost as much as it does on, lol. I believe the front tire was just a suggestion, haha. Anyway, when I was road racing, I always wanted to go over there and do the TT. I had planned with a racing buddy to go in the year of 2001, had everything worked out, and then crashed and got hurt at a track day before the TT, so no go for me. Might have been a good thing, lol.

 
He's using just about all of those tires when they're on the ground.
 
As one of the comments said:
It’s almost like the front wheel is just a suggestion. Like “hey man, we put a front wheel on this thing. Don’t know if you want it, but there it is.” Incredible.
 
I love IOM. Watch it every year. Respect it. Enjoy it.

But man, the price is just too high, imo.
 
It's interesting how different the riding style is too say, motogp or superbikes.
 
I'm amazed every TT I watch. Having rode track, I'd never pursue speeds such as these with anything remotely close to the road surface.

My KTM RC8R was just as bad for wheelies though. Give is any amount of gas, and KTM's short throw throttle would always get it up in the air (really took some getting use to that throttle for curvy roads).
 
Wonder how long it takes to memorize the course? That's the only way I can see running that fast.
 
lasttombstone said:
How many of you guys have done track days. where and when? Just curious as to who I may have run into back then.
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I raced with WERA southeast back from 98-01. Number 880. Did track days with Brad Coleman, Andy Caldwell, etc. Can't remember half those guys name from back then.

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LizardKing said:
Wonder how long it takes to memorize the course? That's the only way I can see running that fast.
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From guys that I know who have actually run the course many times, it takes years to learn all the nuances. Games on PlayStation/Xbox can help with connecting turns and what not, but nothing can prepare you for the shadows, elevation changes, etc.

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Stick Man said:
From guys that I know who have actually run the course many times, it takes years to learn all the nuances. Games on PlayStation/Xbox can help with connecting turns and what not, but nothing can prepare you for the shadows, elevation changes, etc.

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Although I didn't play many video games as a kid ( didn't have the attention span), I was honestly thinking that could be a good training tool. So long as the course is EXACTLY the same....
 
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lasttombstone said:
How many of you guys have done track days. where and when? Just curious as to who I may have run into back then.
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I have, but west coast. Laguna and Sears.

Went to VIR for first time for a shooting match. Was blown away by how sweet that track looked. Would love to do a track day there.
 
That'll get the blood pumping! Takes me back to being 18 and stupid on the BRP.
 
Joey Dunlop said in an interview, "There's a green blur and a gray blur. I try to keep it on the gray blur." Back in the <ahem> day, I raced at VIR (before it was renovated!), Roebling Road, Kershaw, Charlotte (yes), Rockingham and Mid-Ohio on mostly 500 singles (Velocette, BSA, Ducati). AAMRR, FGPRA, WERA, then AHRMA. I never was any good, but I may have got close enough for a tiny whiff of what TT riders gulp by the bucketful - and I can't imagine riding at those speeds, between buildings, trees and stone walls. The thing is, you outrun your eyes: normal humans can't "see fast enough" to process it, much less react to it. I am in awe of those who can, but I can't comprehend it. I couldn't carry those guys' bags.

I remember when the TT was one of the events comprising the GP World Championship circuit. The top GP riders like Barry Sheene started refusing to ride there (and eventually the TT was dropped from the championship schedule) in the mid-70s, riders insisting the TT course was too dangerous for professionals to be required to ride it. At the time I thought they were crybabies - the TT is the greatest race in the world! - but I don't feel that way any more, especially after watching this latest video. They were right. I'm glad the TT still exists, but a rider shouldn't have to stake his world championship - or his life - on it. As was said above, you ride the TT differently from a purpose-built race track. The TT is a championship all by itself.

Obligatory photo of yours truly "back in the day" at Roebling
RF-VELO2.JPG
 
@Red Marley, that's awesome man. I forgot that I did a few races with CCS also. I did my school at Road A with Ed Bargy back in 98 I believe. We were the first one's to put rubber on the new section after they took out the gravity cavity. We also were the first one's on CMP in Kershaw in 99 if memory serves me right. Thats also the track I high-sided at and was hurt big-time from. We raced Roebling, Little Talladega, CMP, and Road Atlanta mostly. Man I miss Road A, I freakin loved that track. Did some endurance races there too. Anywho, love the pic man. Here's one from Roebling myself.

228845_2316330990954_5701437_n.jpg
 
I'm confused about how you can see the shock absorbers compressing and expanding like crazy, but the bike seems to be holding flat. does the bike generate downforce at speed like racing cars do?
Also, when did they start making small high definition cameras in gyr0-stabilized chest rigs?
 
DrScaryGuy said:
I'm confused about how you can see the shock absorbers compressing and expanding like crazy, but the bike seems to be holding flat. does the bike generate downforce at speed like racing cars do?
Also, when did they start making small high definition cameras in gyr0-stabilized chest rigs?
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No real downforce. But they are using fairing winglets now in super bike and MotoGp.
They provide around 20-30lbs of downforce from what I inderstand
 
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I think MotoGp banned the wings. But some production bikes have them.

885799EB-A484-4D23-B5A7-D85F7D0D7617.jpeg
 
DrScaryGuy said:
I'm confused about how you can see the shock absorbers compressing and expanding like crazy, but the bike seems to be holding flat. does the bike generate downforce at speed like racing cars do?
Also, when did they start making small high definition cameras in gyr0-stabilized chest rigs?
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They do generate a little down force, you're just seeing a really high dollar suspension at work on a very high dollar bike. Also, when a bike is leaned, it creates its own down force, and as you force the bike to turn, it just creates so much pressure on the suspension, that that's what you're most likely seeing. I changed from stock forks and rear shock, to a Penske rear and Race Tech valved and springs front forks, and the difference was night and day. My lap times dropped significantly from just good suspension.

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lasttombstone said:
Red Marley........ was it fun going under the old Coke bridge?
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Ha! You know the Oak Tree is gone now? I actually made my way into the track on a bicycle after it was abandoned (before it was renovated) and did a lap with cows watching. Never ever thought it would be what it has become.
 
Been around that island once back in 90'. Was in Scotland training with SEAL Team 2 and we went over there to do some air to ground bombing with the USAF F-111. Bombing range was at sea. Drove that course allot slower in a British stick shift Land Rover (left side road driving, right side wheel and shifting with left hand, don't remember which foot the clutch was on)


CD
 
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Stick Man said:
They do generate a little down force, you're just seeing a really high dollar suspension at work on a very high dollar bike. Also, when a bike is leaned, it creates its own down force, and as you force the bike to turn, it just creates so much pressure on the suspension, that that's what you're most likely seeing. I changed from stock forks and rear shock, to a Penske rear and Race Tech valved and springs front forks, and the difference was night and day. My lap times dropped significantly from just good suspension.

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This.
Suspension is everything. Everything.
Especially where I live.

I had Ohlins on the race bike and I have Ohlins on my supermoto. Fortunately, I have a good friend who is a master suspension tuner, did it at the WSB level with Team Suzuki...and he can dial bikes in to perfection. It's a freakin art.
Before any other mods to any of my bikes, suspension is the first thing on the list.
 
Friday said:
This.
Suspension is everything. Everything.
Especially where I live.

I had Ohlins on the race bike and I have Ohlins on my supermoto. Fortunately, I have a good friend who is a master suspension tuner, did it at the WSB level with Team Suzuki...and he can dial bikes in to perfection. It's a freakin art.
Before any other mods to any of my bikes, suspension is the first thing on the list.
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@Friday, Ohlins.......oh my, what I would have done back then to be able to afford those, lol. Story time, haha.
I was maybe on my 3rd race ever at Roebling when a Traxxion Dynamics guy was there watching a customer ride on practice day, just happened to see me coming through turn 9, then later at 3 and 4. I happened to be near the guys as they were talking at the truck, dialing in his bike, and asked if he would help me. Dude walked over to my pit, helped me set sag, and explain in great detail how a suspension works, and how to properly adjust all the different "clickers", and then tell me what he saw, as in how my bike was reacting and why, and off I went. Holy smokes, big difference right away. That's when I started down the rabbit hole of "I'm gonna learn everything I can about suspension, and how to properly set it up". That day at Roebling, I went from mid to high 1 minute, 28 sec's a lap, to 1.24's, and later to 1.18's with the RT front and Penske rear. And I guess all my years on dirty bikes helped with the feeling of what the bike was doing, I just had to figure out HOW to make it better. And man, WSB level tuner......droool. I loved watching Pierfrancesco "Frankie" Chili back in the day. Did he tune for them back then do you know?
 
Me and my parents have been wanting to go for a few years now, but my work gets in the way. Typically my last day is the next to last day of the TT.
We'll work it out one day.
 
@Stick Man

In your racing days, did you ever spend any time on any of the brand specific forums? R6messagenet, for example?
 
kcult said:
@Stick Man

In your racing days, did you ever spend any time on any of the brand specific forums? R6messagenet, for example?
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No, there really wasn't much going on, forum wise, back in late 90's, early 2000's while I was racing. When it got going, I was mostly on Wera's message board, where I still lurk from time to time.
 
Red Marley said:
Ha! You know the Oak Tree is gone now? I actually made my way into the track on a bicycle after it was abandoned (before it was renovated) and did a lap with cows watching. Never ever thought it would be what it has become.
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I was there for some car racing back in the late 60s with a Corvette club. In 2000, after I had retired, I started working there as a corner worker to pick up some pocket change. Ended up being in charge of the whole flagging opperation and doing most of the race control for the events. Had to get out of it in 2012 but saw some great stuff during both time frames.
 
Stick Man said:
@Friday, Ohlins.......oh my, what I would have done back then to be able to afford those, lol
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I can't afford that stuff either! I've done a lot of work for Ohlins USA and would trade, and I got to know everyone real well and they'd give me sugar deals on last years model or whatever.
A set of Ohlins forks on the MotoGP bikes costs between $125,000-$140,000. Just the forks. Of course that's their unobtanium stuff that you & I will never see.
Their retail stuff is still pricey though. The shock for my supermoto is $1800.
I was spoiled having an ace tuner good buddy. I would pit and tell him where it was good where it was not so good, and tell him 'fix it'. :D And damned if he didn't. These guys are worth their weight in gold. But you gotta be careful, they treat suspension like we do AR15's. You buy it but you're not done. They then wanna change the spring, put this valve in, change the shim stack, and then tell you to really get the most out of it I need the Marchesini wheels. Bring your checkbook lol.

What I really struggled 'affording' was tires. Dadgum. I'd get maybe 4 hours before they'd start to let go. Of course I favored the Dunlop's which ran about $450 a set. That's another thing with suspension, what it does to tires. When my tires were gone, they still looked perfect but just no meat left. No weird heat markings or rash. Some of the guys, their tires were tore to hell and it's because their suspension sucked.
The suspension has the most profound effect of what you can do with the bike. No other mod gets these results. Give me the bone-stock motor and a top-flight suspension and let me go. :cool:
 
Geezer said:
He's using just about all of those tires when they're on the ground.
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You wouldn't believe it if I told you, but I will anyway.
On these race bikes, you average about 2 square inches of contact between the tires and the road. One square inch on the front, and one square inch on the back.
They're nothing like a car.
Now imagine 180mph and it's just 2 square inches between you and the road. But wait, the turn coming up slows you down to 135. As you crank it over on the very edge of the tires asking them to hold on 2 square inches, the suspension is maxed out in it's capacity, you're trailing on both brakes, and you're steering. Getting these four completely different things to jive at the same time is a freakin miracle.
Drag boats, Rally cars...there's quite a few racing disciplines that will kill you young. But motorcycle roadracing is the most intense motorsport in the world.
 
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