ninjette.org

Go Back   ninjette.org > General > Ninjettes At Speed

Notices

Reply
 
Thread Tools
Old September 27th, 2016, 07:24 PM   #41
Burphel
ninjette.org member
 
Burphel's Avatar
 
Name: Brian
Location: NW USA
Join Date: Aug 2016

Motorcycle(s): Triumph Bonneville, Ninja 300

Posts: 204
Works really good. $25 a day, easy to load/unload, and it gives you a little privacy/comfort for camping.
__________________________________________________
Let he who has never re-used a crush washer cast the first stone...
Burphel is offline   Reply With Quote




Old September 28th, 2016, 05:52 PM   #42
Burphel
ninjette.org member
 
Burphel's Avatar
 
Name: Brian
Location: NW USA
Join Date: Aug 2016

Motorcycle(s): Triumph Bonneville, Ninja 300

Posts: 204
Project Day 8 / Testing Day 1: Sept 23rd

So, the bike is almost ready for tech. Packed it up yesterday and drove out to the track, unloaded late at night and set up the uHaul trailer for camping. The morning was cold and rainy. No refunds for track days, but I didn't want to take an untested bike out on a wet track, so I decided to use the morning as a soggy couple hours of project time.

*Took the bike through track day tech. Passed with flying colors, and nothing seen that they could see needing done for raceday tech.
*Put together my new SVRacingParts front pin stand, using the largest pin. Piece of cake, and nice and sturdy.
*Pulled the front and rear wheels and took them over to the Dunlop trailer to get a set of Alpha 13s and 90 deg valves installed. Kept the stockers for re-sale if anybody wants 'em.
*Stuck in new fork springs. Traxxion Dynamics calculated 0.875s for me, a bit softer than I'd been expecting, but still a good deal stiffer than stock and they turned out OK in the afternoon.
*Wheeled the bike over to KFG, the local suspension guru to check my sag settings (since that's all I got). They gave me a nice discount on their usual baseline service since I didn't really have anything to adjust. Turns out I was way over on the front and way under on the rear. Nothing to be done with the rear as it was already on the highest setting.
*Took the bike back, opened up the forks again (have I mentioned that I hate the guy who designed the circlip cap?) and shaved ~15mm off both preload spacers. Cleaned, deburred and reassembled the forks. Wheeled the bike back over and it was close enough.
*Drilled and wired the exhaust hanger bolts. (Before loading the bike Thurs, I'd stuck the stock muffler back on and RTV'd the heck out of the joint to the header so it had time to cure)

At this point (around noonish), the track was starting to get a dry line, so I threw on the warmers, suited up and took her out as soon as my group rolled around. Turns out the tire warmers I got from SVRP are 3-temp ones. Fancy! I don't know what to do with the other 3 temperatures, but I'll figure it out. If nothing else, I figure I can put it on low to keep my feet warm in the trailer at night. I got about 3 laps in, very gingerly since my brake pads still needed bedding and the "dry line" was about 3ft wide in some places - like the braking zone at the end of the back straight. The big thing I noticed was a shuddering, gravelly sensation in the front when braking. It didn't make things particularly unstable, just didn't feel right in a way I'd never experienced before. Asked around, but no real answers.

Second session, I put in a few more laps, a little hotter since the track was drying nicely. Another rider chased me for a bit and after coming back in commented that my chain was rather loose - thinking maybe that could be part of the problem. So I readjusted and lubed it. About this time, the racer selling me his spare fairings arrived. I decided to leave them off for the time being since I was still unsure what was causing the handling problems and would have been a bit tight on time anyhow.

Third and final session, I went out for the full 20min. Pretty fast, although the shuddering was still there, especially at the end of the straights. Chain maintenance hadn't done much for handling, although it picked me up another 3mph on the front straight.

*After I finished for the day, I noticed gear tech for racing was opened up already. Cool beans, walk over in my dead cow suit and get my stickers!
*Fitted up the fairings and the Zero Gravity Touring screen I'd ordered (I can't get my chin to the tank, so I figure I'll take all the aerodynamic help I can get). The Dzus fasteners I got are too short, but I'm informed by my mentor that zip-ties will do as long as the main bolts are done right.
*Peeled off the old numbers. As soon as I took the backing off to put mine on, it started to rain again .

Cue "screw this, I'm going to bed."
__________________________________________________
Let he who has never re-used a crush washer cast the first stone...
Burphel is offline   Reply With Quote


Old September 28th, 2016, 06:34 PM   #43
Burphel
ninjette.org member
 
Burphel's Avatar
 
Name: Brian
Location: NW USA
Join Date: Aug 2016

Motorcycle(s): Triumph Bonneville, Ninja 300

Posts: 204
Testing Day 2 / Race day 1! w00t! Sept. 24th

So, morning is still pretty foggy and cold, but the weather is calling for it to warm up around noon. At this point, I'm still planning on just getting tech taken care of and hitting the practice day. I had a chat with my mentor, though, and she suggested trying to do the ULW GP race. GP in this case meaning it's a 15 lapper instead of the usual 6, so the hot-shots won't be in as big of a rush, plus it's great seat time for the money.

*Warm up the bike and wheel it over to tech with the belly pan.
*Tech is happy with the bike except that he notices my steering stem is pretty loose. I describe my brake rattle issue. That's it.
*Get the bike back to the pit and quickly remove fairings, pull the top triple, and find that the main steering stem bolt is barely even tightened.
*Discover that the shock tool for the Hagons on my Triumph is a *perfect* fit for the head bolt. Nip it up.
*Put everything back together.

At this point, it's just about 9:45. Registration closes at 10, and I still haven't picked up my transponder (I'm renting from the club). So I grab my stuff and rush to the tower. Get things all sorted out and then realize the next practice starts in 30min. And I have to put in practice laps to race. Rush back down to my trailer, flip on the tire warmers and start throwing on my leathers. I finish gearing up just in time for 2nd call. Check tire pressures and they're a bit high so I bleed 'em down to the Dunlop guys' suggested. Warmers off, bike down. I got out a bit late and take the first lap pretty gingerly because I'm not sure the tires got really hot, and it's been foggy most of the day. Second lap, everything clicks. The front end chatter on braking is gone, the bike feels ok, and I drag a toe for the first time (I know, it's supposed to be the knee, but I'm running stock pegs still, and I'm short). One more lap, and the checkered is thrown. Not fast, but the brakes, suspension, engine and rider are all functioning at a safe level. We're ready.

With the GP, we got to run first race of the day, so it was only a hour or so wait. I kept suited up and just left the warmers on. First call was just before the national anthem. I think this is the first time I've actually done the "athlete nervous at-ease" thing as an adult. By means of salute, I fired up the bike and bounced her off the limiter for a second at the end.

Out lap... Nervous and a bit slow, but trying to hustle so I didn't keep the other guys waiting on the grid. Found my slot (back row), did my launch routine like I knew what I was doing, and wasn't last for a whopping 5 seconds. That'd be how long it took for the guy who had to start from the pit lane to catch me. Kept going, riding my own ride, and started getting lapped about 3 laps in. About what I'd figured. No biggy, just keep to the right on the straightaways and let the fast guys do their job and pass me. One or two felt a bit sketchy, but I managed to keep it on the island. Not very fast, but everything going well up until about 11 laps in (for me). During the left-to-right flip between 7 and 8, it suddenly felt like the engine just died. It felt like a false-neutral, but the timing was wrong and the engine didn't go screaming up the RPMs. Figuring the track exit was nearby, I clutched up and coasted around 8 and then got my hand up to exit. About that time, the power came right back on, shooting wide across the apex at 9 and straight toward airfence (also across the noses of two very annoyed fast guys). I managed to get my hand back down, get the bike under control. Checked over my shoulder and proceeded to cut back across the line toward the exit. Get back to the paddock, kill the bike, open my visor and hyperventilate for a minute. Best lap for this race was 1:42.882. Well off the pace, but a slight improvement.

I got a talking to from my mentor and another official, but I assured them I hadn't intended to put a hand up and then go wide. And that I had, in fact, exited so I could get my unpredictable, shook-up ass off the track before I hurt somebody. I did some riding around the access roads and couldn't replicate the problem. Best guess is I was a gear too high and the throttle lag from the stock tune bit me in the ass.
__________________________________________________
Let he who has never re-used a crush washer cast the first stone...
Burphel is offline   Reply With Quote


1 out of 1 members found this post helpful.
Old September 28th, 2016, 06:58 PM   #44
Burphel
ninjette.org member
 
Burphel's Avatar
 
Name: Brian
Location: NW USA
Join Date: Aug 2016

Motorcycle(s): Triumph Bonneville, Ninja 300

Posts: 204
Testing Day 3 / Race Day 2! Sept 25th

Nice and sunny out. A bit chilly early on, but the track is dry at least. I went out for the full first practice and no further engine problems. I did notice a similar situation, where I was covering the clutch and my fingers twitched or something and I lost power. This is my new best guess on the turn 9 incident yesterday. Note to self: This isn't the street, keep ya damn fingers off the levers until it's time to use them. Bike is starting to feel right again.

Race 1: ULW SS. This is a regular 6-lapper. Goes without incident this time. Still slow, but the race was red flagged when I was about turn 3 on the 4th lap. Seems somebody had lost it at Turn 9 and the airfence needed to be repaired. Rider would walk away. Go airfence! Also, go me... nobody had passed me before the red flag was thrown! It may not have been full race distance, but I made my secondary goal of not getting lapped! Best lap 1:45.187 (down a bit from yesterday, but so were the leaders).

Race 2: ULW SB. 5 lap race due to a major cleanup just before lunchtime. Really, everything felt as right as it could be for this race. Nice weather, most of my butterflies taken care of. Once again lapped at about the 3rd in. But better lap times overall and a *lot* of toe scraping. I definitely need to move rearset brackets and clip-ons up a bit on my priorities list. Best lap 1:42.123 (for reference, the leader ran a 1:22.861).

After pulling in from the second race, I notice a loud boiling noise coming from my radiator and a huge, sudden backflow into the coolant reservoir. A passing expert kindly advised me to check my cap and thermostat when I get home.
__________________________________________________
Let he who has never re-used a crush washer cast the first stone...
Burphel is offline   Reply With Quote


Old October 5th, 2016, 10:31 PM   #45
Burphel
ninjette.org member
 
Burphel's Avatar
 
Name: Brian
Location: NW USA
Join Date: Aug 2016

Motorcycle(s): Triumph Bonneville, Ninja 300

Posts: 204
I haven't done anything with the bike really since the race day. Either I've been working or the weather's been nasty. This weekend, I'm hoping to hit the local kart track for 2 practice days and get in some seat time. At the moment, I'm planning on pulling apart the thermostat and either drilling some holes if it looks ok or leaving it out if it's corroded/funky. See if that fixes the radiator issue.

I also have some farkles in the mail, although they won't be in until next week. I picked up a pair of new Yosh rearset risers for $65 and a wrecked but still straight set of Chinese clip ons/preload caps/aluminum stem nut for $100. Yay eBay!

This will likely be my last chance to ride/troubleshoot with the bike until spring rolls around. Lots of stuff to tinker with over the winter though. And who knows, I might get a bug up and take a long weekend trip down to Cali somewhere.
__________________________________________________
Let he who has never re-used a crush washer cast the first stone...
Burphel is offline   Reply With Quote


Old October 6th, 2016, 04:11 PM   #46
Burphel
ninjette.org member
 
Burphel's Avatar
 
Name: Brian
Location: NW USA
Join Date: Aug 2016

Motorcycle(s): Triumph Bonneville, Ninja 300

Posts: 204
Quote:
Originally Posted by Burphel View Post
I also have some farkles in the mail, although they won't be in until next week.
Or they could both show up today! I'm pretty jazzed as this'll let me get 'em installed before 2 solid days of flogging at the kart track. I'm guessing proper ergos will make a huge difference.

The Chinese clip-on set isn't too bad. The anno's already faded, but they appear to have weathered a small crash without any damage other than the sliders. The bars are a bit heavier than they need to be, but that's no biggy. I'll be skipping the bar-ends that came with, those are *really* heavy, but would probably be good for touring if you don't mind the look. Visually, it looks like they're trying way too hard to make it look cool rather than functional. So I'm skipping or modifying a few of the bits like the manual preload adjusters (I'll keep one and use it as a tool). If you're in the market for a few lightweight upgrades, this gets you 3 fairly nice pieces for a decent discount over buying individually from more reputable suppliers.

And that weight will be compensated for by the Yosh rearset brackets. These things are beefy. I knew this would be the heaviest option for rearsets, but it's far cheaper than other options and I get to keep the folding footpegs. I might have to drill-tanium them during the winter. And no, I'm not joking. Structural integrity is all well and good, but I'd rather have one of these break in a crash than bend the frame mount or part of the footpeg assembly. As long as it supports my weight, that's good enough.

__________________________________________________
Let he who has never re-used a crush washer cast the first stone...
Burphel is offline   Reply With Quote


Old October 7th, 2016, 06:51 PM   #47
Burphel
ninjette.org member
 
Burphel's Avatar
 
Name: Brian
Location: NW USA
Join Date: Aug 2016

Motorcycle(s): Triumph Bonneville, Ninja 300

Posts: 204
Project day 9: Oct 7

Picked up my bike at storage for the track day tomorrow. It was raining a bit too hard to work on it before loading up, so I did a couple things once I got home.

*Got the left grip off the bar. What a PITA. Kawi went a bit nuts with the grip glue.
*Levers/buttons/grip moved over to new clip ons.
*Clip ons temporarily mounted above the triples. I couldn't get the stem nut off with the bike in the trailer and didn't feel like unloading and reloading just for that. They're only part-way on, but it should be good enough for towing.
*Yosh rearset brackets installed. This makes a *huge* difference, even just sitting on the bike lashed to the trailer.
*Filled up with E-free 92 so if I don't get another ride in, the tank's good for the winter.

*Oh, I didn't mention this, but the picture reminded me. Sometime last weekend I relocated the ignition off of the steering stem and have it zip-tied to the lower fairing brace. Mainly this gets the key out of easy view, although less weight on the steering head is theoretically a good thing.

Tomorrow is supposed to be dry, but start out cold. My plan is to show up in time for gate-open and tinker through the first session or two to let the track get warmed/dried up a bit. I need to get the clip ons mounted properly and I want to put in the preload adjusters. Also, I need to torque all the stuff I've done today. Also, I'm planning on pulling out the thermostat from it's housing and either drilling it a bit or just leaving it out entirely depending on how it looks.

__________________________________________________
Let he who has never re-used a crush washer cast the first stone...

Last futzed with by Burphel; October 9th, 2016 at 04:43 PM.
Burphel is offline   Reply With Quote


Old October 9th, 2016, 03:14 PM   #48
Burphel
ninjette.org member
 
Burphel's Avatar
 
Name: Brian
Location: NW USA
Join Date: Aug 2016

Motorcycle(s): Triumph Bonneville, Ninja 300

Posts: 204
Project day 10 / Testing day 4: Oct 8

With the end of any race season, begins the fun of WINTER TESTING!!! I wore a special suit to commemorate it (ok, the weather looked questionable, so I wore my Aerostich). The morning was pretty misty, but no real rain. But, the track was still quite wet and didn't really dry off until afternoon. Fortunately, I had some bits to install and a mod to do. This worked out great as all the other riders kind of huddled around my bike for typical garage chat and occasional help when needed.

*Finally got the stem nut off and the aluminum one installed. If you're looking for serious weight reduction, I'd give some thoughts to getting one of these. The stock bolt is a big heavy chunk of iron for something that doesn't have much stress on it.
*Pulled the fairing and took apart the thermostat housing. The thermostat itself looked fine. I drilled 2 extra 2mm holes in the housing for extra warm-up flow and reinstalled it.
*Tried installing the clip-ons below the triple tree. They don't work. The riser doesn't sit far enough out from the fork tube to clear the upper fork clamps.
*So I dropped the forks about 20mm extra and clamped them on above. This gives basically stock ergonomics, but pretty drastically alters the bike's geometry. Generally not a good idea. I'll be looking for some better clip-ons over the winter. The bar portion is pretty standard, so at least I'll have spares for that in the event of a crash.
*Installed the preload adjusters. Leaving them full-out for now.

After getting the bike all put back together, the weather started to warm up a bit. So I threw on the warmers and got my gear ready. A couple of the riders got permission and went out and did a bunch of slow laps in their cars to help dry out the track. Followed by a few brave souls on bikes. Before we knew it, a dry line started coming out. Since I didn't know the track, I took it nice and slow on that line the first few times.

As the afternoon went on, I started feeling more and more comfortable on the bike and on the track. Near the start, I had one run-off where I overshot a corner and had to ride through the grass to the next one. Other than that, a pretty good first day for a very technical track. By the end of the day, I was catching and occasionally passing people. That said, riding on a kart track is *exercise*. I need that, but damn was I tired by the time I called it quits. They've got another one scheduled for November if the weather's nice enough. I really hope it works out.

Observations:
*No more boiling radiator noises at the end of sessions. Granted, it was a lot cooler out. We'll see what happens next summer.
*The Yosh rearset risers made a huge difference in being able to turn effectively.
*Not having the lowered bars to go with it was awkward. The bike still felt really tall at the start of the day, but I got used to it.
*I need to track days at kart tracks more often. Great exercise, and I'm convinced if I can keep the bike on the pavement here, a regular road course is going to feel like a six-lane highway.
__________________________________________________
Let he who has never re-used a crush washer cast the first stone...
Burphel is offline   Reply With Quote


Old October 9th, 2016, 03:34 PM   #49
Burphel
ninjette.org member
 
Burphel's Avatar
 
Name: Brian
Location: NW USA
Join Date: Aug 2016

Motorcycle(s): Triumph Bonneville, Ninja 300

Posts: 204
Winter Project Checklist:

*Fluid change after the November kart track day. Antifreeze in the radiator and fresh oil. Top off fuel tank with E-free and a shot of Seafoam. Oil change and maybe send old oil in for analysis just for shits and giggles.
*Check coolant hard-lines for paint inside.
*Take of fairings and torque every nut/bolt I can find. Consider safety wiring everything and RTV everything I don't.
*De-tab the frame and front fairing bracket.
*De-sticker the fairings, clean up and epoxy over the rashed areas.
*Add a drain plug to belly pan for rain.
*Proper clip-ons.
*Replace chain with 415 chain/sprocket kit.
*Aftermarket exhaust and tune.
*Rear shock.
*Stainless front brake line.
*Maybe an aftermarket front rotor.
*Ignition key eliminator.
*Keyless gas cap.
*Clear tubing reservoir mod for the rear brake.
*Motionpro radiator reservoir.
*Consider getting titanium bolts for brake calipers and rotors/sprocket nuts.
*Maybe try to find a sponsor or two.
__________________________________________________
Let he who has never re-used a crush washer cast the first stone...

Last futzed with by Burphel; October 9th, 2016 at 04:42 PM.
Burphel is offline   Reply With Quote


Old October 9th, 2016, 04:13 PM   #50
jrshooter
ninjette.org guru
 
Name: john
Location: placerville
Join Date: Apr 2016

Motorcycle(s): ninja 300

Posts: 386
i had boiling over problems after sessions also.
i believe my problem was the hard waterpipes coming off the waterpump.
what ever they lined them with looks like paint, came off the inside of the pipes
and in theory clogged my radiator. must of flushed 20 times, and run a brush thru the pipes.i have new pipes but am leary to put them on because there lined also.
jrshooter is offline   Reply With Quote


Old October 9th, 2016, 04:40 PM   #51
Burphel
ninjette.org member
 
Burphel's Avatar
 
Name: Brian
Location: NW USA
Join Date: Aug 2016

Motorcycle(s): Triumph Bonneville, Ninja 300

Posts: 204
Quote:
Originally Posted by jrshooter View Post
i had boiling over problems after sessions also.
i believe my problem was the hard waterpipes coming off the waterpump.
what ever they lined them with looks like paint, came off the inside of the pipes
and in theory clogged my radiator. must of flushed 20 times, and run a brush thru the pipes.i have new pipes but am leary to put them on because there lined also.
Thanks. I'll have to check that when I switch to antifreeze for the winter, maybe flush the system with a cleaning product.
__________________________________________________
Let he who has never re-used a crush washer cast the first stone...
Burphel is offline   Reply With Quote


Old October 9th, 2016, 04:54 PM   #52
jrshooter
ninjette.org guru
 
Name: john
Location: placerville
Join Date: Apr 2016

Motorcycle(s): ninja 300

Posts: 386
Quote:
Originally Posted by Burphel View Post
Winter Project Checklist:

*Fluid change after the November kart track day. Antifreeze in the radiator and fresh oil. Top off fuel tank with E-free and a shot of Seafoam. Oil change and maybe send old oil in for analysis just for shits and giggles.
*Check coolant hard-lines for paint inside.
*Take of fairings and torque every nut/bolt I can find. Consider safety wiring everything and RTV everything I don't.
*De-tab the frame and front fairing bracket.
*De-sticker the fairings, clean up and epoxy over the rashed areas.
*Add a drain plug to belly pan for rain.
*Proper clip-ons.
*Replace chain with 415 chain/sprocket kit.
*Aftermarket exhaust and tune.
*Rear shock.
*Stainless front brake line.
*Maybe an aftermarket front rotor.
*Ignition key eliminator.
*Keyless gas cap.
*Clear tubing reservoir mod for the rear brake.
*Motionpro radiator reservoir.
*Consider getting titanium bolts for brake calipers and rotors/sprocket nuts.
*Maybe try to find a sponsor or two.
mabe to your list. quick story, when my knee is down my toe sliders are down with proper foot position. i have rear sets raised all the way up
the suspension guys at the track recomended i raise the rear 1 1/4 with dogbones and drop the forks flush. going to try this set up at the track this week end.
jrshooter is offline   Reply With Quote


Old October 9th, 2016, 06:13 PM   #53
Zaph42
ninjette.org sage
 
Zaph42's Avatar
 
Name: John
Location: Appleton, WI
Join Date: Apr 2015

Motorcycle(s): Ninja 300 (race), Ninja 1000 (road)

Posts: 504
Quote:
Originally Posted by Burphel View Post
*I need to track days at kart tracks more often. Great exercise, and I'm convinced if I can keep the bike on the pavement here, a regular road course is going to feel like a six-lane highway.
I just got back from a day at the kart track myself. Mine is a 1 mile course with 18 turns. It's nice exercise and indeed after kart track riding, regular full size tracks feel like a relaxing sunday drive. I love it, this little 300 feels like it's made for the kart track.
__________________________________________________
Ninja 300 - CCS Ultralight Thunderbike Racing
I want to "like" your post but I can't due to forum rules. Sorry.
Zaph42 is offline   Reply With Quote


Old October 9th, 2016, 08:49 PM   #54
Burphel
ninjette.org member
 
Burphel's Avatar
 
Name: Brian
Location: NW USA
Join Date: Aug 2016

Motorcycle(s): Triumph Bonneville, Ninja 300

Posts: 204
Quote:
Originally Posted by jrshooter View Post
mabe to your list. quick story, when my knee is down my toe sliders are down with proper foot position. i have rear sets raised all the way up the suspension guys at the track recomended i raise the rear 1 1/4 with dogbones and drop the forks flush. going to try this set up at the track this week end.
Well, the Yosh risers feel about right, so I think I'll be good on body position once I can get the bars lowered right. As for geometry, whatever shock I get will definitely have height adjustability and I'll get the settings all dialed in by the local experts in spring. For some reason, aftermarket dogbones aren't allowed in OMRRA Supersport rules.
__________________________________________________
Let he who has never re-used a crush washer cast the first stone...
Burphel is offline   Reply With Quote


Old November 4th, 2016, 10:55 AM   #55
Alex
ninjette.org dude
 
Alex's Avatar
 
Name: 1 guess :-)
Location: SF Bay Area
Join Date: Jun 2008

Motorcycle(s): '13 Ninja 300 (white, the fastest color!), '13 R1200RT, '14 CRF250L, '12 TT-R125LE, '15 CRF110F, '13 TT-R50E

Posts: Too much.
Blog Entries: 7
__________________________________________________
Montgomery Street Motorcycle Club / cal24.com / crf250l.org / ninjette.org

ninjette.org Terms of Service

Shopping for motorcycle parts or equipment? Come here first.

The friendliest Ninja 250R/300/400 forum on the internet! (especially Unregistered)
Alex is offline   Reply With Quote


Old November 5th, 2016, 09:57 AM   #56
JohnnyBravo
Certifiable nontundrum
 
JohnnyBravo's Avatar
 
Name: Harper
Location: NC Milkshake stand
Join Date: Mar 2013

Motorcycle(s): 2013 SE NINJA 300

Posts: Too much.
MOTM - Sep '13, Sep '16
Good to see you're having fun
__________________________________________________
JohnnyBravo is offline   Reply With Quote


Old November 6th, 2016, 04:46 AM   #57
Burphel
ninjette.org member
 
Burphel's Avatar
 
Name: Brian
Location: NW USA
Join Date: Aug 2016

Motorcycle(s): Triumph Bonneville, Ninja 300

Posts: 204
No major progress lately. At the end of the month I'll be moving again (I'm a travel nurse, so this is expected). The good news is my new place for the winter has a big ol' attached garage! I be wrenchin' in my PJ's, yo!

A week or two ago I got in a different set of Chinese clip-ons that I think are going to do the job nicely. They're the kind that bolt onto the stock location, but the bars are lower and the fork caps are open. Also picked up a header off the Classifieds here.
__________________________________________________
Let he who has never re-used a crush washer cast the first stone...
Burphel is offline   Reply With Quote


Old December 9th, 2016, 09:05 PM   #58
JohnnyBravo
Certifiable nontundrum
 
JohnnyBravo's Avatar
 
Name: Harper
Location: NC Milkshake stand
Join Date: Mar 2013

Motorcycle(s): 2013 SE NINJA 300

Posts: Too much.
MOTM - Sep '13, Sep '16
Congrats on the garage!!!
__________________________________________________
JohnnyBravo is offline   Reply With Quote


Old April 21st, 2017, 08:24 PM   #59
Burphel
ninjette.org member
 
Burphel's Avatar
 
Name: Brian
Location: NW USA
Join Date: Aug 2016

Motorcycle(s): Triumph Bonneville, Ninja 300

Posts: 204
Been a long time since I've updated. And I've actually got a bunch done over the winter.

*First up, I managed to trim 20lbs off the rider module. My leathers are actually a bit loose. Still could stand to lose a bunch more, but it's a great start. If anybody's interested, it's mainly been doing a protein shake with instant coffee in it first thing in the morning. Plus lots of skiing.

*Sponsorship stuff. So far, I've just been using Hookit.com. Got sponsorships with Shorai (super small/light batteries made of science and unicorn farts), Matrix Concepts (mostly pit stuff, toolbox and new tiedowns are the biggies so far), and Factory FX (decals and swag, notably custom number plates - I got sick of the cheap ones that don't stick well).

*Shorai Battery. Not sure if I posted pictures here, but I got a size below the one recommended for street use. Compared to the stocker, it's about half the size and weight. Starts fine...

*Got a full Tyga exhaust system off ebay. It's really pretty nice. Unfortunately, the muffler itself is hella loud and doesn't have any provisions for a quiet insert, so I've got a different slip-on coming. Shame, it's really cool looking. PIR has a 105ish db limit, and at the last track day, one of the guys said for sure I'd get meatballed. Also, the local tuning guys say they've had better luck with quiet inserts on the little Ninjas.

*Just got a PC5 in the mail today. Probably install tomorrow.

*415 chain kit from Speedmoto. Holy cow, it's like a bicycle chain. I also went down a tooth on the front sprocket. Between the two, the bike feels much more torquey. And I'm now reaching top speed just a bit below redline in 6th. Before, I'd pretty much top out in 5th and *maybe* get a little more by shifting to 6. More shifting, but it isn't nearly as miserable if you miss a downshift before a corner.

*Did some more safety wiring. Hit the oil and coolant gallery plugs.

*Cleaned the old stickers off the fairing and did some Plasti-dip accents on the nose and tail. Now I've done the belly pan as well. New number plates and sponsor stickers.

*Track day Easter Monday at PIR. Drizzled off and on, but I got in 2 dry (if chilly) sessions. I wasn't really working on speed, just shaking out the cobwebs and shaking down the bike.





A few more pictures in my albums if you're interested.
__________________________________________________
Let he who has never re-used a crush washer cast the first stone...
Burphel is offline   Reply With Quote


Old April 23rd, 2017, 02:14 PM   #60
JohnnyBravo
Certifiable nontundrum
 
JohnnyBravo's Avatar
 
Name: Harper
Location: NC Milkshake stand
Join Date: Mar 2013

Motorcycle(s): 2013 SE NINJA 300

Posts: Too much.
MOTM - Sep '13, Sep '16
Your ride looks good and fun
__________________________________________________
JohnnyBravo is offline   Reply With Quote


Old May 3rd, 2017, 02:10 AM   #61
Burphel
ninjette.org member
 
Burphel's Avatar
 
Name: Brian
Location: NW USA
Join Date: Aug 2016

Motorcycle(s): Triumph Bonneville, Ninja 300

Posts: 204
So, the first OMRRA race weekend of the year is in the bag. I managed to drop my best lap down about 6 seconds to a 1:36.7. Still have a ways to go before I'm into expert graduating times, but I have faith the speed will come. The new muffler didn't arrive until Friday morning, so I missed out on the track day and stressed a bit over whether everything would work out. But it bolted right up and was suitably quiet (Musarri aluminum with a quiet insert). I also got a Power Commander installed for when I can get around to dynoing the little bugger. But it runs pretty good on the PC base setting, so I'm going to prioritize getting a rear shock first.

Picture is (I think) from the Sunday Lightweight Supersport race. And I owe the photographer a beverage for taking the shot then instead of half a second later. Those guys were totally lapping me. Shot by Bob Edwards (original is better resolution, I need to upload it somewhere other than Hookit.)
__________________________________________________
Let he who has never re-used a crush washer cast the first stone...

Last futzed with by Burphel; May 3rd, 2017 at 02:12 AM. Reason: OCD
Burphel is offline   Reply With Quote


1 out of 1 members found this post helpful.
Old May 26th, 2017, 04:23 PM   #62
Just Gibby
ninjette.org member
 
Name: gibby
Location: San Diego
Join Date: May 2017

Motorcycle(s): Ninja 250

Posts: 10
Read this ENTIRE thread, love it! Keep it up man-
Just Gibby is offline   Reply With Quote


Old June 2nd, 2017, 07:03 AM   #63
Burphel
ninjette.org member
 
Burphel's Avatar
 
Name: Brian
Location: NW USA
Join Date: Aug 2016

Motorcycle(s): Triumph Bonneville, Ninja 300

Posts: 204
The second OMRRA weekend was a mixed bag. My first rain race was *awesome*. Largely because the tires and suspension just seemed to click. But also because I'm not generating much lean angle to begin with, so I just didn't back down much. I found myself ahead of 2 experienced guys on 250s and was actually racing and traded places with @Sirena on her 300 for a while. In the end, I made a few too many errors and lost her, but finished 6th of 8.

The last race... I finished. It was red flagged due to a fatal incident on the front straight. I was at the other end of the track and didn't see anything but the aftermath. I'm sad to say I didn't get a chance to know Kelly Johnson. But I can say that when she lapped me, she was 100% alive, which is something a lot of non-racers might struggle to understand. I prefer to think she finished ahead of us.

#303forever
__________________________________________________
Let he who has never re-used a crush washer cast the first stone...
Burphel is offline   Reply With Quote


Old October 1st, 2017, 12:11 AM   #64
Burphel
ninjette.org member
 
Burphel's Avatar
 
Name: Brian
Location: NW USA
Join Date: Aug 2016

Motorcycle(s): Triumph Bonneville, Ninja 300

Posts: 204
End of season update

So, it's been an amazing first year. My best lap at PIR now stands at 1:33.759, down from 1:42.123 last year. I have 3 expert qualifying races in the bag (winner's best time + 15%, I need 3 more). I'm also down 40 lbs from last year, which means I've hit my goal and I'll be ordering a custom suit over the winter. I've got the bike more or less where I want it to be in terms of performance. In particular, I finally got around to installing a Penske shock, which made all the difference in the world.

It hasn't all been good. As previously mentioned, we lost one of our racers in the June round. As you might expect, that made everyone involve do a fair bit of introspection. For myself and most of the paddock, we decided that the best way to honor her was to have a good cry, then come back harder and faster on the track, and to take better care of each other off the track. Also, I crashed in the July round. One of the race leaders cut a bit close passing me on a tight turn and I twitched the front brake. Fortunately, he helped me out with the cost of repairs and a new helmet. Once again, some questioning on the ride to the ER to make sure it was just a concussion, but next month I was back and pushing harder.

If anyone's on the fence about racing, I have to tell you it's an amazing and addictive ride. You'll wind up pushing yourself to do things you never dreamed you could. You'll make the kind of friends that you trust with your life. There are risks, and only you can decide if it's worth it, but the rewards are amazing, even if you're like me and don't have a trophy shelf. Yet.








Obligatory sponsor shout outs:
Shorai - batteries roughly the size and weight of a baby bunny.
Factory FX - custom number plates the corner workers can read 100ft away at 100mph upside down and hurtling towards them.
Matrix Concepts - have the coolest looking pit.
AXO - without their boots, I'd probably have lost another 5lbs the hard way.
NoToil - pour nasty crud down the drain with a clean conscience.
__________________________________________________
Let he who has never re-used a crush washer cast the first stone...

Last futzed with by Burphel; October 1st, 2017 at 05:13 PM.
Burphel is offline   Reply With Quote


Old October 1st, 2017, 08:56 PM   #65
Burphel
ninjette.org member
 
Burphel's Avatar
 
Name: Brian
Location: NW USA
Join Date: Aug 2016

Motorcycle(s): Triumph Bonneville, Ninja 300

Posts: 204
Bonus pic: I brought the Bonnezilla out of retirement for a track day earlier this year. I can still drop a knee on the old girl.

__________________________________________________
Let he who has never re-used a crush washer cast the first stone...
Burphel is offline   Reply With Quote


1 out of 1 members found this post helpful.
Old May 3rd, 2018, 01:41 AM   #66
Burphel
ninjette.org member
 
Burphel's Avatar
 
Name: Brian
Location: NW USA
Join Date: Aug 2016

Motorcycle(s): Triumph Bonneville, Ninja 300

Posts: 204
So, first race weekend of 2018's in the bag. Round 1 was amazing, stressful, and soggy. As per usual for spring rounds in Portland, the weather was patchy and alternated repeatedly between beautiful sunshine and pouring rain. Saturday, the Ultralight SuperSport race was in beautiful sunny conditions, and the winner set a new lap record. I was down in 11th, but managed to drop about 2.5 seconds off my best time and chalk up another expert qualifying race. The Saturday GP, it got rainy at the last minute, and while I have rain tires, I don't have a spare wheelset, so I have to commit about an hour early. I guessed wrong and sat it out. Sunday, the SS race was kinda gray and a bit damp, but still doable on A13s. No records here, but the leaders were taking it easy as well, so I was able to get in another expert qualifying time.

The Sunday GP was epic! Looking at the weather, and judging by a sudden cloudburst around lunchtime, I decided to commit to rains. It then proceeded to get sunny for about 3 hours. The track was thoroughly dry. At first call, I was able to see a big, gnarly wall of clouds floating in. By last call, the mountains were grayed out by the rain under them. By the end of the warm up lap, it was starting to drizzle, and by L2, it was positively pissing rain. Between fast guys choosing the wrong tires, some of the pack riders being more tentative than they needed to be, and a couple people not being tentative enough and winding up turf-surfing, I was able to get a 4th place finish!

This airbag doubles as a flotation device.
__________________________________________________
Let he who has never re-used a crush washer cast the first stone...
Burphel is offline   Reply With Quote


1 out of 1 members found this post helpful.
Old May 3rd, 2018, 01:46 AM   #67
Burphel
ninjette.org member
 
Burphel's Avatar
 
Name: Brian
Location: NW USA
Join Date: Aug 2016

Motorcycle(s): Triumph Bonneville, Ninja 300

Posts: 204
Oh... Bike stuff... Over the winter I went a bit nuts with the angle grinder, drill, and BBQ paint, probably dropped about 15lbs off the bike. New slip-on from Musarri to replace the old one (same brand, different model, a bit lighter). Finally broke down and bought my own transponder instead of renting.

Oh, and I lost about 20 more lbs, down to about 200 even. This required a new suit - I went with a Fly Apex 2-piece that actually fits me off the rack. I also really need to get new fork and shock springs, the bike's currently sprung for me at 250ish.

Also, I have one more race to get my expert license!
__________________________________________________
Let he who has never re-used a crush washer cast the first stone...
Burphel is offline   Reply With Quote


1 out of 1 members found this post helpful.
Old May 3rd, 2018, 07:25 AM   #68
Frank06
ninjette.org member
 
Name: Frank
Location: Maine/Nova Scotia
Join Date: Sep 2016

Motorcycle(s): many!

Posts: 107
Congratulations! (both on your performance and work on yourself and the bike)

Great pic BTW.
Frank06 is offline   Reply With Quote


Old May 3rd, 2018, 07:36 AM   #69
JohnnyBravo
Certifiable nontundrum
 
JohnnyBravo's Avatar
 
Name: Harper
Location: NC Milkshake stand
Join Date: Mar 2013

Motorcycle(s): 2013 SE NINJA 300

Posts: Too much.
MOTM - Sep '13, Sep '16
Sounds like you're doing good and having fun... That's what it's all about!!!
__________________________________________________
JohnnyBravo is offline   Reply With Quote


Old May 18th, 2018, 12:26 AM   #70
Burphel
ninjette.org member
 
Burphel's Avatar
 
Name: Brian
Location: NW USA
Join Date: Aug 2016

Motorcycle(s): Triumph Bonneville, Ninja 300

Posts: 204
Expert Number!
__________________________________________________
Let he who has never re-used a crush washer cast the first stone...
Burphel is offline   Reply With Quote


1 out of 1 members found this post helpful.
Old July 11th, 2018, 03:04 AM   #71
Burphel
ninjette.org member
 
Burphel's Avatar
 
Name: Brian
Location: NW USA
Join Date: Aug 2016

Motorcycle(s): Triumph Bonneville, Ninja 300

Posts: 204
Well, crap. Last round was awesome. Tried out the new Bridgestone R11s and really felt like they gave me a ton more confidence and basically let me take my racing up a level. Then on the way home, a driver in the oncoming lane lost their boat trailer's fender. Said fender found my van's grill and caved in the radiator. Insurance did it's thing, but I was still on the hook for getting myself and my bike back home, so funds have been a bit tight.

Just when it starts looking like I might be OK to race the next round and still have an emergency buffer, this happens:



So, it looks like I'll be corner working or something. I have the next weekend off and plan to do some investigating on the costs and timetable of a rebuild vs getting a scavenged lump off of eBay. I suppose it's better than finding out your motor's bad by having it grenade on you, but it's still a kick in the nads.
__________________________________________________
Let he who has never re-used a crush washer cast the first stone...
Burphel is offline   Reply With Quote


Old July 11th, 2018, 07:30 AM   #72
Topaz
ninjette.org member
 
Topaz's Avatar
 
Name: Topaz
Location: South Florida
Join Date: Mar 2017

Motorcycle(s): 2013 Ninja 300 / Suzuki DR-Z 400 SM

Posts: 214
Sorry to read that. Reading your thread was fun and inspiring. Hope you get your bike back soon.
Topaz is offline   Reply With Quote


Old July 16th, 2018, 01:07 PM   #73
Burphel
ninjette.org member
 
Burphel's Avatar
 
Name: Brian
Location: NW USA
Join Date: Aug 2016

Motorcycle(s): Triumph Bonneville, Ninja 300

Posts: 204
I got the old engine out over the weekend. I'll be ordering a replacement sometime today (wanted to talk to the local shop about receiving for me since UPS/Fedex are really weird in this town). I figure I'll take some time to do more de-tabbing while the motor's out, maybe lose another half pound or so. Also thinking about peeling back the wiring loom and getting all the wire for the street stuff tucked up under the tank. I won't make the next round in terms of time or money, so I'm going to volunteer for the weekend and hope for some good crash truck karma. I'll be back for August, though.

Behold, the Ninja 000!


And a nice action shot from the last round. Apexing Chicane A at PIR like I'm an expert or something. (pc Bob Edwards)
__________________________________________________
Let he who has never re-used a crush washer cast the first stone...
Burphel is offline   Reply With Quote


1 out of 1 members found this post helpful.
Old July 16th, 2018, 06:55 PM   #74
AchyGrappler
Motorbike Obsessed
 
AchyGrappler's Avatar
 
Name: Me
Location: SoCal
Join Date: May 2015

Motorcycle(s): 2004 Kawasaki EX250, 2004 Yamaha FZ1, 2006 Honda CRF 450 Flat Track Race Bike

Posts: 133
Quote:
Originally Posted by Burphel View Post
And a nice action shot from the last round. Apexing Chicane A at PIR like I'm an expert or something. (pc Bob Edwards)
Cool!
__________________________________________________
My race Ninja build and more motorcycle content. My Motorbike Obsessions
AchyGrappler is offline   Reply With Quote


Old July 18th, 2018, 10:21 AM   #75
JohnnyBravo
Certifiable nontundrum
 
JohnnyBravo's Avatar
 
Name: Harper
Location: NC Milkshake stand
Join Date: Mar 2013

Motorcycle(s): 2013 SE NINJA 300

Posts: Too much.
MOTM - Sep '13, Sep '16
Rack up the karma!
__________________________________________________
JohnnyBravo is offline   Reply With Quote


Old July 23rd, 2018, 10:04 AM   #76
Burphel
ninjette.org member
 
Burphel's Avatar
 
Name: Brian
Location: NW USA
Join Date: Aug 2016

Motorcycle(s): Triumph Bonneville, Ninja 300

Posts: 204
So, good news/bad news! One of my teammates had a spare engine he was willing to loan me. It's good to have friends! Friday evening/Saturday morning, I got the engine bolted in and was able to go out and do practices.

Saturday afternoon, I crashed. Kind of a wierd one, but my first real racing crash - I was on the gas and trying to pass somebody, not doing something dumb to try and avoid a crash. My old trackday mentor was right. It hurts less when you're leaned in, focused around the corner, and you just run outta traction.

Details: lowside late in Turn 1 at PIR going outside a slower rider. 75ish mph (5th gear, probably 3/4 throttle), nearly full lean. No real indication I could feel that something was amiss until I was sliding. As I was sliding, I'm thinking "I hope I didn't up the engine." A buddy behind me says my rear went out, but the tire was still melty on the edge, not scrubbed clean. A bit weird. Best guess is I got wide enough to be on dirty track, and my footpeg lifted the tire before it could show the expected wear.

I walked off. Leathers are off to the clubs friendly seamstress to see if they can be salvaged (lots of busted seams, but the leather itself is ok). Hit-Air vest worked like a charm and held pressure for a while, so it'll be good for another crash or two once it's recharged and the nylon patched. No damage to my helmet.

Bike's not too bad. Brake lever cracked the oil site glass, and the R rearset mount is cracked, along with the peg being ground down. R clip on is bent.

I figure ~$750 for the butcher's bill, including the leathers. Fortunately, the club credits us for the races we don't make, so next round will be real cheap. I kinda chilled and helped in the pits the rest of Saturday, then did a corner and grid on Sunday. I still have to unpack the van .

__________________________________________________
Let he who has never re-used a crush washer cast the first stone...
Burphel is offline   Reply With Quote


Old July 23rd, 2018, 08:39 PM   #77
CaliGrrl
ninjette.org certified postwhore
 
CaliGrrl's Avatar
 
Name: Kerry
Location: Ventura, CA
Join Date: Jan 2016

Motorcycle(s): Ninja650

Posts: A lot.
MOTM - Apr '18, Apr '17, Apr '16
Sorry you crashed, glad you're ok.
CaliGrrl is offline   Reply With Quote


Old July 24th, 2018, 09:28 PM   #78
kevie88
ninjette.org newbie
 
Name: Kevin
Location: Calgary, Alberta
Join Date: Jun 2018

Motorcycle(s): Ninja 300, Ninja ZX10R, Yamaha R6, TTR125L Minimoto

Posts: 2
Quote:
Originally Posted by Burphel View Post
No major progress lately. At the end of the month I'll be moving again (I'm a travel nurse, so this is expected). The good news is my new place for the winter has a big ol' attached garage! I be wrenchin' in my PJ's, yo!

A week or two ago I got in a different set of Chinese clip-ons that I think are going to do the job nicely. They're the kind that bolt onto the stock location, but the bars are lower and the fork caps are open. Also picked up a header off the Classifieds here.
Any links to the clipons?
kevie88 is offline   Reply With Quote


Old July 24th, 2018, 11:23 PM   #79
DannoXYZ
ninjette.org certified postwhore
 
Name: AKA JacRyann
Location: Mesa, AZ
Join Date: Dec 2011

Motorcycle(s): CB125T CBR250R-MC19 CBR250RR-MC22 NSR350R-MC21 VF500F CBR600RR SFV650 VFR750F R1M ST1300PA Valkyrie-F6C

Posts: A lot.
MOTY - 2018, MOTM - Nov '17
Quote:
Originally Posted by kevie88 View Post
Any links to the clipons?
Perhaps something like zeezzz:

http://s.aliexpress.com/3uIryQV7
DannoXYZ is offline   Reply With Quote


Old July 25th, 2018, 09:28 AM   #80
Burphel
ninjette.org member
 
Burphel's Avatar
 
Name: Brian
Location: NW USA
Join Date: Aug 2016

Motorcycle(s): Triumph Bonneville, Ninja 300

Posts: 204
Something like those, although I got mine off eBay. I've since switched to Woodcraft bars. Gets the bars down a bit closer to where they need to be.
__________________________________________________
Let he who has never re-used a crush washer cast the first stone...
Burphel is offline   Reply With Quote


Reply




Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
300 Race bike build Zaph42 2013 - 2017 Ninja 300 General Discussion 70 November 26th, 2019 05:05 PM
1987 Ninja 750R Build Thread hawkxcore 1986 - 2007 Ninja 250R Farkles 32 September 14th, 2016 06:18 PM
Race Prepping - Slow Build Thread Dsheumaker 2008 - 2012 Ninja 250R Tech Talk 138 March 18th, 2016 12:41 PM
2009 250 Track bike build thread daverdfw Ninjettes At Speed 16 March 16th, 2016 09:28 AM
300 Hero Build thread :) Hero Danny General Motorcycling Discussion 98 June 25th, 2015 06:47 AM


Thread Tools

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


Motorcycle Safety Foundation

All times are GMT -7. The time now is 11:06 AM.


Website uptime monitoring Host-tracker.com
Powered by vBulletin®
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
User Alert System provided by Advanced User Tagging (Lite) - vBulletin Mods & Addons Copyright © 2024 DragonByte Technologies Ltd.
Except where otherwise noted, all site contents are © Copyright 2022 ninjette.org, All rights reserved.