AMA Pro Racing Approved Test at Barber Motorsports Park Rockstar/ Makita/ Suzuki will be the primary for the next AMA Pro Road Racing approved test to be held June 9th and 10th at Barber Motorsports Park. This test will not be open to the public and teams need to submit a gate list prior to arrival.

Sunoco 260GTX fuel will be available at the pumps and a credit card will be required. Dunlop Tires and fitting services will be available. If you need tires, please inform Dunlop of your needs before the event. Cost will depend on the number of riders that attend. The cost of insurance will be added into the perrider cost of the test. Gates will be open at 6:30 a.m., while the track will be open from 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. with a one-hour lunch break. There will be a mandatory meeting on Wednesday morning (time TBD). One representative from each
team must attend.

For more information please contact Rich Doan via email at raceteam1@earthlink. net, by office phone at 909-364-0186 ext.305, or by cell at 909-215-3849.

Live and Learn; This past weekend was spent at Beaverun Raceway in western Pennsylvania, where we were racing in round 4 of the WERA Sportsman north central sprint races.  Our original plan was James (TRS) and I would arrive Friday morning to get a full day of testing prior to the weekend, but the forecast was calling for thunderstorms all day so we arrived Friday night instead.

I’d like to touch on an interesting part of our trip.  Although I’ve been to Beaver three times, I asked James to print off some directions as we’d be arriving in the middle of the night… with that being said, I’d like to have a word with someone at Google, since their directions had us get off the freeway one exit too early and we quickly found ourselves driving on a heavily wooded small country road at 10 mph.  I knew this was not the way I’d come in before, but we continued ahead anyway. After 30 minutes of crawling through the hills, we found ourselves driving next to a very high fence and realized that we were in the back woods behind the track… or at least we hoped so.  Finally after driving by the sixth rusted out broken down tow truck, and the third back-woods-Bob’s welding house/shop/trailer, we arrived on the road that lead us in to the front side of Beaver.  (Note to google, the best directions aren’t always as the crow flies:) I had yet to ride the new bike at Beaver, so we were coming in to the weekend with no data at all.

Saturday morning came all too quickly, and just as soon as we set up our pit, the rain came in.  It rained on/off all morning and finally let up at lunch.  I signed up for the Heavyweight Solo 20 as opposed to the Middleweight in hopes that the track would be drier later in the day.  The wind had picked up a bit and the track ended up drying up quite a bit for all the races.  Prior to the weekend James had a made a few adjustments to the front end as I was using every bit of it at Grattan.  Aside from the front end change, we decided that I’d ride the bike the way it was and make our adjustments after the race.

I was gridded dead last, but got a decent holeshot and was able to pass three riders in T1.  I spent most of the race trying to figure out my braking markers as well as my shifting points.  With four laps to go I had worked my way up to about 5th place or so, when all of a sudden I noticed a bit of sputter coming on to the front straight.  It  didn’t get any better, and by T3 I knew that I was running out of gas!  Although I was pretty upset watching everyone finish the race, I guess you live and learn.

After the race we talked about the set up and gearing.  The bike was turning in much quicker than before.  While I was pretty happy with the front end change, we decided to change the gearing.  Once the work was done James and I were looking forward to a nice dinner with Nathan, Frenchie, and Eric + co. at the house just down the street from the track which they had rented.  It’s always good to talk racing with Nathan and Eric as they’ve been at it quite bit longer than I have and both are not the type to hold back on advice/opinions.

Sunday morning brought heavy clouds, but I was sure we’d have a dry day as a very beautiful person I know did a special rain dance for us back in Detroit :)   I ran all four practices on the same tires that we had used in the Solo 20, which also had bee run in the Grattan Solo 20 and Grattan morning practices.  James made a few adjustments after the first session and we had a bit of a scare coming into T1.  The combination of the back end being very loose and me missing one downshift upset the bike and I was not that I could get the bike slowed and settled enough to turn in.  I kept her straight up and went straight in to the grass with no problems.  The wet grass of a Beaver is very slick…(no pun intended).  After the 3rd session I was spinning the rear tire all over the place.  Although it was clearly done, I decided to go out in the last session to continue working on lines.  Nathan rode behind me for a few laps and after the session helped me out with a few areas where I was struggling a bit.

Race 1: was C Superbike.  We were on the 5th row which wasn’t quite as bad as starting dead last.  I was able to get by a few riders straight away and was running by myself for the last few laps in 6th place.  On the last lap coming into T1, Matthais Schaub came up the inside on the brakes.  I went a bit deeper, and although he had the inside line I was able to maintain my position.  I ran a bit wide in T2 and he muscled by on the inside.  I was right behind him exiting T3 when all of a sudden the rear tire broke loose and my body was quickly ejected from the bike.  I was able to hold on to the grips however and when my legs finally stopped flying, they landed on the ground, both on the right side of the bike.  What ended up happening looked exactly like this:

However, in my case, I could not get back up on the bike and was quickly headed towards the grass.  Once I hit the grass, bike and rider went down.  Although I’ve tried a few times, D.O.T. race tires just don’t stick very well in wet grass!  I was able to pickthe bike up and ride it back to the pit with no problem.  The front end was slightlytweaked, my windscreen was broken and my clutch lever was bent a bit, but stillrideable if necessary.

Once back in the pits, the bodywork was ripped off and James began diagnosing the front end.  In no time he had the front end straightened out while my dad and uncle helped check over any other loose bits.  Having a pro like James to work on your bike is comforting.  If he had not been there to verify that the bike was good to go, I would’ve been a bit reluctant to ride it.  Eddie Kraft lent us a clutch lever, and we  were good to go.  A few last minute tweaks and my next race was up.

Race 2: The bike didn’t feel just right in the warm up lap and I wasn’t about to push it.  My holeshot was less than desirable and a few riders came by me coming in to T1.  After a few laps I began to feel somewhat comfortable on the bike again, but I noticed the temp gradually rising.  With a few laps to go the red temp light was flashing and I knew we  were running way too hot.  I decided to not take any chances and came in early.  When the bodywork was off, James found a pin hole on the vacume side of the cooling system and sorted it out (with the help of my Uncles flame proof fingers).

My 3rd race was C Superstock and I was gridded on the 8th row.  This was my worst race of the day.  Nothing went right.  Half way through the race I ran way wide in the carousel and five riders came by.  By the last lap I had reeled them in, only to pass one of them on the brakes in the carousel before the front straight.

The last race of the day was B Superstock and I found myself battling with Allan Pett. His 750 is quite a bit faster than my little R6, but on the last lap I was able to get a better drive on the back straight and drafted him to the kink where I got through.  Final result was 8th.

Flat out, I’m not happy with my riding at this point.  While down a bit on power, James provided me with a capable machine (working on the power thing as we speak).  I need to learn how to make it work.  Our gamble with the gearing didn’t pay off and we were too peaky coming off a lot of corners, but I make no excuses.  I knew that this year would be tough after having missed most of the entire season last year.  I made several mistakes this past week end, but I live and learn every time I throw a leg over this machine.  I’ve taken my notes (as well as my lumps:) and can only look forward.

I am glad that I was able to finish the weekend after crashing.  I have most of my mobility back in my foot, although I’m still dealing with a decent amount of pain.  I have a newly acquired shoulder injury, but that shouldn’t affect my riding.  I’d like to not only thank Eddie Kraft for letting me borrow his spare clutch lever, but also congratulate him on his riding over the weekend.  He had it figured out for sure.

Next up:  Hotlanta, Gawja.  We’re leaving for Road Atlanta on Friday and I couldn’t be any happier.  It’s by far one of my favorite tracks and we’ve yet to run the R6 there.  It will be good to see some old friends and we look forward to learning more about the bike and how to make it work for me.  Unfortunately James will not be able to come, but I’m sure he’ll be there in spirit.

A final note:  My Uncle Dan came to the track this past week end.  Being an old school motorcycle junkie who’s been terrorizing the streets of Detroit with my Dad starting back in the late 50′s, he’s seen his fair share of racing.  This was his first time seeing me race. While he had a blast, I hope to perform better next time he comes out.

This past weekend was spent at Grattan Raceway, where we were competing in the Pirelli/WERA Sportsman races. I’d been looking forward to last weekend for well over a year now, as it would mark my return to the racetrack after a brutal crash on May 5 of 2008 where I suffered a severely broken right foot. The first Grattan round of the year is always run counter clockwise, which is very interesting as it’s a completely different animal. Prior to last week end, I had only run two sprint races counter clockwise so, needless to say, there was still a lot to learn.

After sorting out a few issues on the dyno, we packed up on Thursday night so I could get an early start on Friday at dawn. The weather was not looking good while driving to the track in the morning. Skies were black and it was slightly raining. James met me at the track, as we knew there was a lot of work ahead of us if we were going to lay down some respectable times over the weekend. We’re now on board with Pirelli, and getting used to a completely different tire would require a lot of suspension changes.

The rain stopped and we were able to get one session in before lunch. It was not pretty. Everything felt wrong, but I stayed out so I could at least come to grips with the layout of the track. Once I came in James made several wholesale changes to both the forks and the shock. At lunch we agreed that I shouldn’t try to over-analyze the changes that have been made and simply ride the bike and report back about how it’s handling. After lunch, every session was better than the previous one. I would run about 4-6 laps and pull in. We’d talk briefly, James would make a few changes, and out I’d go. Once the session was over, we’d discuss in great detail exactly what I was feeling. Sometimes we’d go back a step, but most every change we made was positive.

By the end of the day Friday, I was feeling fairly comfortable with the bike and tires. We were able to keep up with several well-respected riders and that was good enough for us being that this was our first day on the new tires. We accomplished exactly what we set out to do, and that was to get a good baseline.

James left to go back home and wouldn’t return again until Sunday. On Saturday morning ARNCHU Racing’s Nathan Dressman and Randy Sherman showed up with their creepy vans and unloaded where we would share a garage for the weekend. Morning practices were cold and wet. I got a lot of laps in on Friday, so I decided to sit them out. My dad showed up just before lunch and helped me change wheels. After lunch, Nathan and I geared up as we were both in the Middleweight Solo 20 race. I did not feel nervous at all. Smiles were huge as I was heading out to the grid. I had been waiting a long time for this, and I may have come close to winning the warm up lap….:)

As it would be in most every race all week end, I was gridded just about dead last. After getting past a few riders on lap one, I came up on J.B. and Jeff Agnes. I sat behind them for one lap and took a few notes. The very next lap I got by both of them and put my head down. I was closing on Nathan around 10 laps into the race. I had him in sight for a few laps, but then he picked up the pace just about the same time as I began to fade. I knew J.B. and Agnes were close as I could hear them just before exiting T9. With two laps to go J.B. showed me a wheel coming in to T3 and that was enough to wake me up. I put my head down and the next lap was my fastest of the race (thanks J.B.). I was relieved to see the checkered flag and was pretty happy to finish one spot behind Nathan in 5th position. Jeff Agnes and J.B. are both well-respected riders, and I was happy to have kept it together and cross the line in front of them. That’s all we had on the agenda as far as racing was concerned on Saturday. We had a nice variety of BBQ for dinner, while meeting some new friends as well as catching up with some old ones. Randy tried his hardest to scare off any females and he did a very good job for the most part….

Sunday morning was freezing (literally). The low was 38 degrees the night prior, but the sun was bright and the day looked promising. We were having an issue with the quickshifter on the R6, so I wasn’t able to practice during the first two sessions. The next two sessions went well. Although the quickshifter was still not functioning properly, the bike was running very strong and pulling big 2nd gear wheelies out of corners.

The first race of the day was C-SBK. My holeshot was horrible and I was dead last coming in to T1. I got past a few riders every lap and with two to go I had a clear track ahead of me. I could see Eric Spector way ahead and knew that it was too much of a gap to make up. The final result was 7th place. We were happy with my riding, but the holeshot… not so much. A funny note about the race: as pointed out at the rider’s meeting, the timing does not start/stop at the checkered flag. There are two large cones a few hundred feet after the flag. Apparently after passing the checkered flag, Eric Spector sat up and got off the gas while Eddie Kraft who was behind him stayed in it and just barely beat him through the traps!

The next three races were even more frustrating. In B-SBK I tried to run around the outside of a provisional novice and he ran way wider than I expected. I did not want to lean on him so I ended up in the grass. The same 5-6 riders who I just spent most of the race passing, all came by. Although I was upset, I kept my cool and ran a few of them down before the end of the race. The good news was that I turned a 1:24.4 in doing so. In C-SS, it was more of the same and the result was not good. B-SS was frustrating as I got stuck behind a very fast 750 who was shooting debris all over me for two laps. He was a point and shoot rider and it was difficult to get by. Once I did I put in a few good laps and got past several guys. As we were shown the white flag I was starting to reel in J.B. By turn 4 I was all the way on him but decided to wait until the front straight to draft him safely just before the checkered flag.

All in all, it was a very productive weekend. We learned a lot about the Pirellis and for the first time got a very good baseline set up, which is something that, before the weekend, we had yet to achieve. Prior to my wreck last year, I had only logged two track days and one weekend of wet racing on the R6. We’re learning every time I go out, and I’m proving that I can run with the boys. The bike needs some refinement as does the rider. It was a pleasure to work with Mark Van Dogen (www.uber-racing.com) from Pirelli. He knows his product inside and out and has been working Moto ST and the Canadian Superbike series for the past few years. We look forward to learning more about the tires as we progress this year. As always, James was a tremendous help. His suspension knowledge is second to none, and he’s built me a very competitive machine. It’s going to be a good year and I look forward to running up front as the season progresses.

KMC
WERA #9

Going testing, making new friends and seeing some old ones for the first time in a long time. This weekend we blew the dust off the team bike, it’s an ‘08 Yamaha R6 that has so far spent a lot more time on the lift than on the track. It was awkward for me at first; it’s funny how fast you get rusty. Running teams and building race bikes was everything to me a few short years ago and now for the first time in a long time it’s really more like a hobby. I still have every intention of winning races, I just don’t have that feeling like my life rises and falls on the outcome anymore. For 2009 we’re (Team-TRS) keeping it simple, we’re retaining Kevin Callaway ‘the rider’ and just focusing on club stuff, likely won’t do any Pro races and that’s just fine with me. The whole ‘new attitude’ has already paid some dividends as this past weekend’s outing was one of the most enjoyable in recent memory. Not that it went smoothly or anything….

Friday we started the weekend off on the Dyno. We had just worked a deal with Washtenaw Community Collage that has allowed us to use their state-of-the-art dynamometer. It’s an amazing piece worth (so I’m told) about $300,000.00 and has variable air pressure and air temperature controls – all while swapping air some 12 times a second. I’ve been running dynos for well over a decade now and can honestly say I’ve never seen anything like it outside of the GM proving grounds. We’ll have more on the Washtenaw support and their motorcycle program as the year unfolds.

For our part I can tell you that we (I) didn’t start out the gate like I would have liked. We got the bike in the room and set up. A job that somehow seems like I’m using my two left thumbs when doing it in an unfamiliar environment for the first time. I pulled out my laptop to connect the YEC engine mapping software to the Yamaha ECU and realized that I couldn’t see the ECU. No worries, I had copied the entire disc to my hard drive in the event that there was just such an occasion. Well, to make a long story short the software wouldn’t look anywhere but at the CD drive for drivers and I couldn’t reinstall the whole thing because I didn’t bring the serial number. So, back to Brighton for the disc.

After returning we got the device working in short order and went about our business successfully. Well, successfully is a relevant term because I had tried some different cam timing numbers and while they did, in fact, produce the best looking BPH and Torque curves ever on a 600. The numbers were about 10 or 12 points south of what we would like to see for peak numbers. Couple this with the attempt to salvage an exhaust that had gone through the big wreck last year and I think we had about ten leaks. For those of you who I haven’t lost already, this means that even though we’re in this state-of-the-art room with this cutting edge tuning software, we have no idea of the validity of our numbers. End of the dyno day.

So Kevin and his Dad come and pick up the bike because, as I had noticed while on the dyno, that out of a check list of ten things that they needed to take care of when they took the bike back from me, seven of them hadn’t been done and two of three that were done were wrong. In the meantime, I had gone to meet some friends for dinner all the time wondering if we were actually going to make it to this test session the following day. About 1:00am I get the call that some of it’s done and some not but they wanted to bring it to the shop…no problem. 1:30am Kevin shows up and we pulled the bike out of the trailer and got right to it, 5:30am it was ready to go and off we went. I’m going to skip the part about when Kevin borrowed my car to go to Taco Bell and somehow blew the tire off the wheel and I had to run out to rescue him.

Realizing that if anything good is going to come out of this day Kevin would need some sleep, I volunteered to be the wheel man and that’s really about all I can tell you about the ride out because that’s all I remember. But we did get there (somehow) unloaded and that was really the first time I noticed that despite the last minute drama stuff the bike looked pretty good (thanks to KMC and D) and it was absolutely ready to go. The first hour or so was by far the hardest. There was nothing left to do and it seemed like the time had stopped.

So Kevin (fresh off his hour and a half cat nap) gets on the bike and rides all day. He rode well and we made some progress. This all goes back to the opening about keeping a more relaxed attitude this year. Kevin is just back on the bike after recovering from a one year hiatus caused by a shattered foot suffered in the second round last year. I really had no idea what would happen. (ie If he could ride the bike or if we would even be in the game.) We were – and that’s enough to make it a good result, for now.

The other saving grace to the whole “all nighter” thing was that I got to see several of my friends (race friends) the ones I usually don’t see all winter. Several of them have ridden for me in the past and of course I’m always wondering who will be next. It was good to see Jonas, he’s always a pleasure and happened to be the fastest on the day. It was a first outing for almost everyone, so I’m not going to post any times. Dave Grey was likely second fastest and on this day and managed to forgo his nickname. Of course he didn’t escape completely unscathed as he and another rider got together in a ‘racing incident,’ unfortunately for Dave it wasn’t a race and it also happened to be his sponsor’s number one son. Eddie and Joe Kraft were there. Eddie looked good as always, but like everyone else this day, I think the track record was safe. It was good to see them and others – Dan Prater, and Monte to name a few.

So we have a bike. It needs some work. We have a rider. He needs some work. But the day (not the night before) served to set a tone and if we can keep it up I’m sure Team-TRS will return to its winning ways and the experience should be enjoyable. With so much of my focus going towards the media side, it only makes sense to club race for the love of it all.

It’s Been a long couple days as the 2009 Season gets underway. As we have for years we (Team-TRS) is sponsoring a rider in the WERA North Central Division. His name is Kevin Callaway and we just concluded our first test in 2009. I have much to report but am exhausted. These are the first couple images from that Session. It’s a Saturday at Grattan Raceway Park at the STT day and you couldn’t ask for nicer weather. Enjoy!

The subject of today’s dissection is the 2009 newly turned out Monster Yamaha Tech3 M1. Undoubtedly a state-of-the-art machine and the just slightly refined version (maybe the exact version) of the World Championship winning M1 ridden by Valentino Rossi in 2008. As Tech3 did their Livery rollout today at the GP Zero round in Valencia we though it might be cool take a look under the pretty new colors.

Front right wheel, not exactly like the one on your scooter! Fist you see the Ohlins GP front fork with Magnesium bottoms, fitted with the (god only knows what raw material) Brembo mono block radial caliper brakes and full carbon rotors. The forks are holding a ten spoke forged magnesium Marchesini wheel wrapped in a Bridgestone slick. Bolted on is a carbon fiber fender with some trick carbon brackets holding the front wheel speed sensor and the fork travel pot for the on board electronic telemetry. My focus here is on the really cool technology not the price but as we move back on the bike we move further into the real prototype bike, most of what we’re looking at here is actually acquirable (with some connections) and for sale to anyone with about $ 35 – $ 45,000.00 spare change. Why is there a wheel speed sensor on both sides of the front wheel? Can’t say for sure but it’s not likely that they’re both wheel speed sensors, it could be a rotor temp sensor or who knows what.

Front right lever and bar are somewhat anti climatic with the Brembo Radial (likely a 19 x 20) brake master with the trick flip-up lever and the roller bearing ¼ turn throttle (could be a 1/8 turn or a progressive rate depending on rider preference). The left side is quite a bit more interesting in my opinion because there are some recognizable things that are what you might call wolves in sheep’s clothing. The first thing is the radial (MotoGP seems to prefer straight) Ohlins Steering Damper. It may look like your grandma’s damper but it’s in fact a forged titanium body, high pressure nitrogen charged with a nitrite coated plunger rod, fully adjustable of course. You can also see the radial mount hydraulic clutch master cylinder and if you look real close just in front of it is the adjuster dial for the front break lever. To round it out you have the flip up lever and the steering deflection pot for the telemetry. Nice paint!

If we stick our heads into the countershaft area we find a virtual treasure trove of one off pieces. A simple but trick nine way adjustable rear set with a separate shifter mounted directly to the pivot on the lower engine case. I’m taking a bit of a guess here but I would bet that there are actually two shift rods coming off the shift lever, one that you can’t see running straight up to the shift shaft and the one that you can see going to the shifter control unit mounted on the frame. Hiding under there is an Ohlins TTX style rear Damper (shock) mounted to the lower linkage that includes an adjustable dog bone that you can just see right at the very bottom of the shot. Unlike their World Superbike cousins they don’t use active damping in MotoGP. Somehow I doubt they’re saving any money though. Another thing (as a suspension guy) I find interesting is that apparently the spring sits practically on the lower clevis on this shock. They have a very cool looking offset on the swingarm pivot and apparently like the pivot high. Generally speaking this position is used to increase the angle without raising the ride height in order to try to achieve more off corner grip. Those cables and the hose hanging around the countershaft sprocket are somewhat alarming. I’ll just assume it’s some kind of depth perception issue from the camera (but you might want to check that out).

The right side pivot area gives a better look at that adjustable swingarm pivot. I hate to be repetitive but that is very cool and very nicely done. The thing that jumps out at you though on this side is the dry clutch (slipper of course), familiar to our Ducati friends but never seen on production Japanese sport bikes. There are two primary advantages to the dry clutch, the first being that there is far less drag on the motor when the clutch isn’t dragging in the oil and the whole clutch assembly is lighter because it’s not wet. There are other advantages as well such as not putting all the waste created by the friction plates through the oil but on the down side if you smoke it ‘you smoke it,’ you’re done. It’s always good to make your rider as comfortable as possible and that couldn’t be demonstrated any better than in the heal kicker plate morphed into an all around MotoGP running board. Again this is a guess and I’m no metallurgist of course you can’t overlook that camera thing too but in my experience when you cut aluminum (referring to the whole for the sub-frame mount) it is dull, you see that high reflective finish when you work with magnesium. The only extraneous wire fond running around over here is likely the rear wheel speed sensor but it could be a rear break pressure sensor or even an engine speed sensor. It’s impossible to know without being able to see where it terminates.

When looking at the right side of the rear wheel there’s not much but I think it’s awesome that they nitrite the axle. I like the fact that the axle adjuster is basically the same piece as on our R6 and just FYI the adjuster isn’t bent; that’s the valve stem on the wheel, more of that camera voodoo. More forged magnesium wheels and a 520 chain wraps it up on this side but I would feel remiss not to point out the titanium stand. The right side brags on yet another cool and very small Brembo caliper, another wheel speed sensor and a multi piece full Titanium exhaust with an almost comically short ‘Shorty Can.’ In this case the carbon fiber hugger isn’t just for show nor is it to provide a place for the sponsor stickers but it is actually an integral part of the aerodynamics of the machine and helps to evacuate heat from the engine compartment.

That pretty much wraps up our tour of the M1 for today we hope you enjoyed it. As I’m amazed at all the amazing technology we covered keep in mind we didn’t say a word about the engine, what the electronics do and what they are capable of, or anything that you could consider in depth about chassis or geometry. It’s something to think about how many separately perfected components come together to create one truly state-of-the-art prototype race bike.

Wheelbase – What is it and why should I care?

The wheelbase on a Motorcycle is the measurement from the center of the front axle to the center of the rear axle. The length of the wheelbase affects how your motorcycle handles characteristics both in the corners as well as when your bike is straight up (or in a straight line.) The quick version is a longer wheelbase improves straight line high speed stability. This can be an advantage on bumpy tracks or on tracks with very high speed sections. It also has a positive effect on braking, especially when high speed hard breaking is required. The downside to the long wheelbase is that it can slow down the quick-turn-in or the ability to flick (change direction quickly) the bike from side to side. It can also have a negative effect on what I refer to as finishing a corner. By finishing I’m referring to the part of a corner after the apex when you are trying to get back on the gas, if your wheelbase is too long your bike will want to run wide. For example at a high speed track like Daytona the long wheelbase can be beneficial on the high banks but detrimental at the high speed chicanes on the back straight.

Adjusting the wheelbase can be done in several ways, some considerably easier than others. The easiest way is to use the rear wheel axle adjuster. This may entail carrying a couple different length chains but once you get the hang of it you’ll find it well worth the investment. Most contemporary sport bikes have anywhere from 15 to 25 mm of adjustment. It is also possible to change the wheelbase with the adjusters by changing the sprockets. Assuming you have a gear ratio chart for your bike you can manipulate the ratio between the front and rear sprockets to achieve the same final drive ratio while using a taller or shorter rear sprocket in order to achieve the desired result.

The second (or third depending on how you’re counting) option is to actually change the swingarm. This may sound crazy to some but it is a common practice at the professional level. The longer or shorter swingarm has a similar effect to moving the adjuster with one key difference. If you go to a longer swingarm you will experience greater stability when sliding the rear wheel of the bike. This is extremely advantageous when exiting corners hard on the gas in a high speed bumpy turn.

The thing is, you should try some different settings so that you can feel the difference for yourself because adjusting the wheelbase can change your handling significantly over an entire lap. All tracks will present the need for some compromise but the compromise that gets you from point A back to point A the quickest is the right one. Every 10th of a second counts when you’re running at the front!

Introduction

All of Total Racing Solutions (TRS) advanced suspension products are adapted to the brand and model of your motorcycle. This means that length, travel spring action and damping characteristics, are tested individually just for the motorcycle that you have decided to fit with TRS suspension.

Before installation

TRS and/or Öhlins Racing AB can not be held responsible for any damage whatsoever to shock absorber or vehicle, or injury to persons, if the instructions for fitting and maintenance are not followed exactly. Similarly, the warranty will become null and void if the instructions are not adhered to.

WARNING!

1. Installing a shock absorber, that is not approved by the vehicle manufacturer, may affect the stability of your vehicle. TRS and/or Öhlins Racing AB cannot be held responsible for any personal injury or damage whatsoever that may occur after fitting the shock absorber. Contact TRS or other qualified person for advice.

2. Please study and make certain that you fully understand all the mounting instructions and the owners manuals before handling this shock absorber kit. If you have any questions regarding proper installation procedures, contact TRS or other qualified person.

3. The vehicle service manual must be referred to when installing the shock absorber.

Tuning the Suspension

Motorcycle road holding qualities:

All motorcycles are designed with a suspension geometry that includes height and fork angle. The changing of components can affect this and it is therefore essential that both the rear and the front ends match each other.

Changing to TRS and/or Öhlins suspension gives optimum performance only when both the front fork and the rear suspension interact properly. It is of great importance that the front and rear loaded heights are within the specified values.

Design

All Öhlins shock absorbers are pressurised. The fluid is put under gas pressure and the gas and the fluid are kept apart by a separating piston. The separating piston is often fitted in a separate reservoir, connected by hose, or fixed directly on top of the shock absorber (piggyback).

There are also types of shock absorbers where everything is fitted inside the main cylinder tube (internal gas reservoir), and even a small number of emulsion shock absorbers that do not have a separating piston. Pressurisation of the fluid is made with nitrogen. The pressurisation prevents cavitation of the fluid and the shock absorbing action is therefore more even. The external reservoires also contribute to better cooling of the fluid, giving longer service life for both the fluid and components.

Öhlins shock absorbers have integrated temperature compensation. As the temperature increases and the fluid flows more easily, the flow is controlled accordingly. The shock absorbing effect is therefore independent of the temperature.

The more advanced models permit individual adjustment of compression damping and rebound damping, and also certain adjustment of the length of the shock absorber.

Öhlins shock absorbers provide the possibility for adjustment, making them adaptable to most motorcycles, riders and ranges of use. All of the shock absorbers have adjustable pre-loading of the spring action; either mechanically or hydraulically.

Function

Fluid is forced through needle valves at a low rate of flow and through a number of apertures in the piston at a high rate of flow. The flow through these apertures is regulated by shims (thin steel washers) that at high pressure are deflected to open for the fluid. On most models the needle valves can be set individually.

By altering the size of the shims stack (i.e. number, thickness, diameter) the characteristics of the damping action can be varied (this should only be done by TRS an Öhlins authorized service shop).

Compression damping

When movement of the motorcycle causes compression in the shock absorber, the fluid flows through the needle valve (combined compression and return valve) in the piston rod. If velocity of the piston is high, i.e. in the case of rapid compression, this will not be sufficient and consequently the shims underneath the piston will open to allow a greater rate of flow.

The fluid that is displaced by the volume of the piston rod is forced into the external fluid chamber via a separate compression valve. Even this valve is fitted with shims that open at high piston velocity. The separating piston is displaced, thus increasing the gas pressure.

Rebound damping

When the spring presses the shock absorber out again, the fluid flows back through the needle valve in the piston rod. The fluid flowing into the chamber is forced by the pressure of the gas back into the shock absorber via a separate non return valve.

If velocity of the piston is high, the shims on top of the piston will also open to allow the fluid to flow though.

Settings

Basic setting

Always ensure that the basic setting made by TRS and/or Öhlins is correct. It is adapted to the make and model (in its original state) and for a rider of average weight.

Spring pre-load

Pre-load on the spring/springs is very important because it affects the height of the motorcycle and the fork angle.

Everything must harmonize

In the recommendation table there are front fork springs that are specifically adapted to the shock absorbers recommended for your motorcycle.

If none is noted in the table, then “intact” original springs are the right choice. Incorrect spring action can produce a fork angle that is too steep or too flat. This in turn will give a tendency for oversteering or understeering, which could seriously affect the handling characteristics of the motorcycle.

Setting the Spring pre-load

Measuring – Proceed as follows (it will be much easier if done by two persons):

A) Place the motorcycle on a stand.

B) Raise the rear end of the vehicle so that the suspension is in a fully extended position.

C) Measure the distance, e.g. from the lower edge of the rear mud guard or from a point marked by a piece of tape, immediately above the rear wheel axle, to the wheel axle.

D) Make a similar measurement on the front axle, e.g. from the bottom of the upper fork crown to the front wheel axle. The fork must also be fully extended.

E) Allow the motorcycle (without rider) to apply load on the springs and repeat the measuring procedure.

F) Then take the same measurements with the rider and equipment on the motorcycle.

NOTE!

It is important that the rider has a correct riding posture, so that the weight is balanced on the front and rear wheel in the same way as when riding.

The measurements must not differ from the following sizes:

Without rider (static sag):

Rear: 10-20 mm
Front: 15-30 mm

With rider (ride height):

Rear: 25-40 mm
Front: 35-50 mm

NOTE!

Older gear shaft drive driven motorcycles (not para lever shaft drive) usually raise the rear end during acceleration. We recommend that the the static sag is extended to 15-20 mm and the ride height to 35–45 mm on these motorcycles.

Adjusting

Adjust the pre-load with the rings on the shock absorber or by hydraulic pre-loading. In the first case, hold the upper ring and adjust the lower one to the desired position. Then lock with the upper ring.

For hydraulic pre-loading, increase by turning clockwise and reduce by turning counter clockwise.

NOTE!

On shock absorbers that have mechanical type adjustment the position of the adjusting/pre-load rings can be adjusted. On a shock absorber that has hydraulic setting the basic position can be adjusted. Such changes should be attended to by an TRS and/or Öhlins authorized service shop.

The original setting of the shock absorber, when delivered from TRS, should always be a base when the settings are changed by use of the adjustment devices.

NOTE!

The spring pre-load affects the ride height, it does not affect the spring stiffness. Therefore, on models with a linkage to the shock absorber, the suspension may actually feel harder when you reduce the pre-load and the shock absorber gets into the harder range of the link system.

Front fork springs

To optimize the road holding qualities of a motorcycle the front fork must match the rear suspension. Springs are available for a large number of motorcycles. These, in combination with

TRS and Öhlins shock absorbers, contribute to superior road holding qualities. The original make of springs should be used if there are none of our springs in the recommendation table. However, they must be in good condition and not fatigued. Remember to change the fluid in the front fork at least once every year. We recommend Öhlins front fork oil.

NOTE!

It is important that the recommendation table is followed for new front springs. If there are no recommended front springs you must ensure that the existing springs are in good condition. Neglecting to check the front springs could seriously affect the handling qualities of the motorcycle.

Setting the Damping

The adjusting possibilities of Öhlins shock absorbers facilitate fine setting. You can optimize adjustments to suit your own weight and equipment, your individual way of riding and the condition of the road. To be able to improve the road holding qualities it is of the utmost importance that you fully understand the functioning of the shock absorbers. Then you can learn by trial and error how they affect the motorcycle.

Depending on the model there are adjustments for rebound damping, compression damping and adjustment of the length of the shock absorber. Damping is set with knobs and screws with a normal right-hand thread. By turning them clockwise the damping action is increased, and by turning them counter clockwise it is reduced. The knobs have definite positions with noticeable “clicks”, making it is easy to count to the right setting.

Rebound damping action affects the characteristics of the motorcycle most. The setting knob is located at the bottom on the piston rod. It can be adjusted in about 40 steps.

NOTE!

If no “click” is felt in the rebound adjuster, the shock absorber must be inspected by TRS. It could be due to low gas pressure or lack of oil.

The compression damping knob is located at the end of the external reservoir. This can be adjusted in about 25 steps.

Some models (PRX) have separate adjusters for high speed compression and low speed compression. The low speed compression is adjusted in 25 steps. Use a slotted head screw driver.

The high speed adjuster has a wide range within about 48 clicks. Use a 14 mm key.

NOTE!

When making new adjustments it is easiest to go back to fully closed, and then count forward to the new setting. The adjusting device should not be turned too hard.

CAUTION!

On Öhlins shock absorbers

The hexagon of a two way compression valve is naturally anodized aluminum. The high speed adjuster has a key width of 14 mm and a range of 48 steps (clicks). The low speed adjuster (slotted head screw) has a range of 25 steps.

The one way compression adjuster is gold anodized. The adjuster (slotted head screw) has a range of 25 steps. Do not turn the hexagon as this will allow for the oil to spurt out of the shock absorber.

NOTE!

High and low speed refers to the shaft velocity of the shock absorber. It is not necessarily related to the speed of the vehicle.

Setting your Motorcycle

NOTE!

Always begin with the basic settings recommended of TRS. Always make notes, adjust in small steps and make only one adjustment at a time. Adjustments should be made with two steps (clicks) at a time. Adjustments should not be more than four steps from the basic setting.

By utilizing the adjustment possibilities you can test by trial and error, and learn how they affect your motorcycle.

Always begin by test riding the motorcycle with all adjustments at their delivery setting. Choose ashort run of varying character, i.e. long and sharp bends, hard and soft bumps. Keep to the same run and adjust only one setting at a time.

Start with the rebound damping:

If the motorcycle feels unstable, loose and rather bouncy then the rebound damping should be increased. Begin by turning the adjusting knob 4 steps (clicks) clockwise. Test run again and adjust two steps back if it felt too hard and bumpy.

If the motorcycle is hard and bumpy, especially over a series of bumps, then the rebound damping should be reduced. Turn counter clockwise 4 steps, test run and make any necessary correction to 2 steps.

Compression damping:

The low speed compression adjuster affects ride height, smoothness over small bumps and grip. The high speed compression adjuster affects stability, firmness in depressions and fast corners.

If the motorcycle has a low riding position, the low speed compression should be increased. Turn clockwise four steps and test run again. If this was too much then turn back two steps (counter clockwise). If it feels unsmooth over small continuous bumps or has bad grip, the low speed compression should be decreased. Turn counter clockwise four steps. Test run and make any necessary correction in two steps at the time.

If the motorcycle feels unstable in fast corners and has a tendency to bottom easily in depressions and chicanes, the high speed compression should be increased. Turn clockwise six steps and test run again. If this was too much then turn back three steps (counter clockwise). If it feels harsh and too rigid or has a tendency to hop during braking, the high speed compression should be decreased. Turn counter clockwise six steps. Test run and make any necessary correction in three steps at the time.

When you have sufficient feel of the motorcycle you can make further fine adjustments. It is feeling and experience that counts.

NOTE!

Ensure that the springs are properly pre-loaded before attempting to make any adjustments. A simple rule is that increased pre-load of the spring should be followed by an increase of rebound damping by two steps.

When you feel that you have achieved an improvement, go back to where you started and check once more. Be observant of other relevant factors such as tires, temperature, etc. Test run to make sure whether further fine adjustment should be made.

Setting the shock absorber length

Sensitivity of the steering can be adjusted by altering the length of the shock absorber, without affecting other characteristics. The length is adjusted using two nuts down and the treaded clevis at the end of the piston rod. The shock absorber can be adjusted up to 12 mm.

Adjusting the shock absorber length

A long shock absorber results in steeper inclination of the front fork (steeper fork angle) and consequently sensitive, quicker steering. A short shock absorber gives a greater angle of the front fork (flat fork angle) and consequently slower and smoother steering. Each complete turn of the shock absorber gives one millimetre. The length may never be altered more than to where the groove that is cut in the thread becomes just visible under the lower nut of the level brachet. Make small steps and test run.

If you have any questions please call (810) 588-6729

…as I came off the tri-oval banking with a huge slam, clearly bottoming out my suspension at 160 I started to wonder exactly what I had got myself in to…

This past weekend we went down to Nashville, TN for the first round of the wera nc regional sprint races. Isn’t nashbilly in the south, you may ask yourself? Why, yes it is. 9 hours south of Detroit to be a bit more precise. So how does a race in nashtucky fit in to the north central schedule? This week-end was combined with the south east and mid central regions. Why? Again, nashcountry is clearly not in the north. It’s kind of central…I guess? 80% of the grids were made up of north central riders, so where was the south east and mid central support? After all, we were south of the mason-dixon…right? I mean, I clearly recall seeing mesh hats with confederate flags on them for sale at the local gas stations…

I have never been to the Nashville Superspeedway. Most every single NC rider that I spoke with had the same silly grin when asked why it was that we ran down here in the land of nash. “Don’t ask…” was a common reply. “I’m wondering the same exact thing right now” was another good one, spoken as yet another rider went down. This time in turn one at about, oh, 140. He cracked his swingarm in three places, sub frame looked like a fat girl was playing trampoline on it, and I’m pretty sure his wheels and triples were toast as well. “I got labeled a whiner when I asked this question last year” another well known rider told me. O.k., so I get it. The general consensus is, yeah it sucks that this race falls in our region, so just shut up and race.

Back to the team…My dad and I drove through the night on Friday and arrived at 6:30 a.m. on Saturday. Oh yeah, it was raining. After getting set up in one of the garage spaces, we made our way to tech. Everything went well and we put the warmers on. The rain didn’t let up, it became stronger. I skipped the first round of practice hoping the rain would stop. It clearly had no intentions of slowing down, so I went out on d.o.t.’s and tip toed around the track to get familiar with the layout. “Late on, and early off” is what you always hear about this track with regards to the banking. Well, when you’re entering the banking at about 120 with your knee on the ground, it’s easier said than done. Actually, entering the banking is harder on the bike than exiting most times. I’ve talked with a few riders who have cracked their frames in years past by entering incorrectly. However, there is a smooth line on and off the banking, and once that line was found the track was much more fun.

The sun came out at lunch time and we mounted a new set of Michelins. It looked as if we would get some dry laps after all. I had entered the Middleweight Solo 20, which was race #3. Words can’t describe how anxious I was to get my first race on the new bike under my belt. I didn’t get the best holeshot of my life, but it wasn’t the worst either. Turn two was jam packed and I made it through safely. Being that I was still learning the track, I wasn’t trying to push myself too hard just yet. I followed a few guys, watched their lines, then passed them one at a time. After passing a few, as well as getting passed by a few, I started to feel a bit more comfortable. After four or five laps, there was nobody in sight. I had a clear track in front of me as well as nobody in sight behind me. I started to think that maybe I should pit in and wait for a group of riders to come by to latch on to. I decided against it, and continued on. My times were fairly consistent and I learned where I needed to go faster. All in all, Saturday went well and we knew what we needed to work on for Sunday. Time for much needed rest.

The weather was beautiful on Sunday morning. Chirping birds woke me up and I couldn’t have been any happier knowing the rain was gone…or was it? Morning practices were great. I got with a group of 5 riders and went back and forth all session. I turned a low 1:06, which was far better than my best time in Saturday’s Solo 20. I continued that pace in the second practice session and came off the track very happy, knowing that there were still a few areas where I could improve.

My first race was C-Superstock. The sun stayed out and the track was perfect. I finished in 12th place, which I was not very happy with. I ended up getting stuck behind a pack of 4 slower riders and could not get by them. Considering this was my first point’s race, I played it safe and didn’t push the issue. And then came the rain…

My next two races were in the pouring rain. I finished in 5th place in B-Superstock and C-Superbike. The new Michelin rains were excellent. I was getting so much traction that the bike was pulling the front tire up between turns 2 and 3! Everything was smooth and I was very happy with the results.

The last race of the day was B-Superbike, and the rain was coming to a halt. We decided to stay with the rains, and thing got a bit greasy. I was spinning the rear all over the place and decided to play it safe and maintain the position I had gained. 6th place was the final result. While I knew I could’ve pushed harder, I was still happy with the result and the points gained.

All in all, we were pleased with our first WERA race of the year. My dad was a huge help and I could not have got through the week end without him. It was also nice to work with Dave from Michelin. He went out of his way to help me out and we won’t forget that. Although James couldn’t make the trip, he was there in spirit and was able to help me out via telecommunications on several occasions.

Next on the agenda is Nelson Ledges this coming week end. The whole team will be out, and we’re looking forward to a long, successful week end.

Kevin Callaway
Team-trs.com
WERA #9