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On The TrackHad a trackday, a good or bad day at the track? Want to get started racing? Just like racing? Cmon insde and post questions, results or comments.
Lots of Titanium. Carbon fiber. As far as mods go alot of basic stuff you can do but they have there bikes set up to there spec. Not to mention some of the stuff they do is kept quite so outher racers do not find out.
First, there really isn't any weight to drop. All of the Grand Prix bikes are custom made and are not street bikes modified for the track. They build these bikes from the ground up with lightweight parts and with only what is necessary and nothing more; lots of carbon fiber and titanium is used.
The reason they have so much power from a 250cc motor (in the 250gp) is because it is a 2-stroke motor (if you don't know the diff. between 2-stroke and 4-stroke, let me know). 2-strokes, although not the cleanest running motor, makes a lot of power for its displacement. They also rev at very high rpms to make horsepower. The MotoGP bikes, which make nearly 240-250hp, are 990cc 4-stroke motors.
I hope that answers your questions a little. It's not very specific, but it gives a general idea about the GP bikes.
There's very few things you can't accomplish with a ton of money. Imagine the resources Honda has at it's disposal. Lightweight parts, brilliant engineers, virtually unlimited funds.
There's very few things you can't accomplish with a ton of money. Imagine the resources Honda has at it's disposal. Lightweight parts, brilliant engineers, virtually unlimited funds.
heh, yup. the answer is pretty much money. sad but true, because i have none of it
I'm going to say nothing about the 3 bikes you own compared to the 1 measly bike I own . But yes, I have no money either.
haha, well i live with my parents (17 in school, so i have reason) so i got a new svs when i was 15..sold it and got a the gixxer for 4300 bucks. pretty damn good deal. sold the sv for like 5 i think. and my dad bought the 2 aprilias for my racing. but racing is a money pit..which is why i say i dont have any money, cuz its only in my hands for very short period of time. lol
I'd love to be in your shoes (not that I can complain about having a bike that runs and a car that runs while in college), I have such a bad itch to go to a track, but just can't afford the full leathers + new rubber + track fees + possibility of bike repair afterwards right now. Having 2 bikes solely for the track? Haha, in my wildest dreams (and they'd probably be RS250's then, too). Mind if I come visit?
heh, yup. the answer is pretty much money. sad but true, because i have none of it
Yep, with enough money... and the ability to fabricate/diecast your own parts, I'm sure you can accomplish something. Check out Thorstens RC-51. A impressive read if you go through all the progress.
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"Sure, nine out of ten people would want a Harley if you asked them,but then again, nine of ten people don't know shit about bikes."
-JGullato
most of the GP bikes are crushed at the end of the season. the factories build a few bikes a year for their teams and teams they lease to. once the season is finished the bikes are returned to the factory to be destroyed. a bike or two may be saved. sometimes they go into the factory museum. Honda does this if they win the Championship that year. They may send one on tour for the dealer shows as weel. These bikes are generally gutted, however. most, if not all the engine internals are removed as well as the electronics. basically its the rollig chassis, the engine cases and bodywork.
it is quite possible to purchase supersport and superbikes a the end of the season. they are not cheap, however. check out the classified sections of cyclenews and Roadracing World after the season is over. you may find privateers selling off last seasons race bikes. occasionally you may see a factory supersport or superbike as well.
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I used to build these "factory" race bikes so I'll give ya'll the skinny.
First off a two stroke makes so much power because it fires the spark plug on a power stroke every time the piston reaches top dead center. That twice as many power strokes per rpm than 4 strokes. So a 500 2 stroke is cpable of being equal to a 1000 4stroke. Its all in the engineering of the engine. It takes crazy amounts of time to R&D all the mods necessary to do it and that is where all the money is. Its not the parts, its the time testing parts and fixing failures. The weight is not as easy to deal with unless your willing to spend tremendous amounts of money. You can get fiberglass bodywork almost as light as carbon fiber it just takes talent. The superbikes I worked on used fiberglass. Best money spent is lightening up unsprung weight, wheels brakes and such as it is something like for every pound that you get rid of on unsprung it would equal at least 6 pounds of sprung weight.
Now while Honda does lease their equipment, they dont neccesarily destroy everything at the end of the year. they use the stuff for further analyzing of parts to help the next generation of parts out and produce better product. To just crush stuff would be insane and if you knew the japanese you would know they are very cautious and full of pride. It would be plain dumb to destroy your best clues to bettering your equipment.
A word to the wise: If you think your buying an ex factory bike your a fool. It might be that bike but nothing in it is as good as it was when they used it. I garuntee it. The best way to get the same equipment is to find out who is the fastest qualifier consistantly and claim their bike. DONT let them take it back to the race shop to "freshen up" the bike or you will quickly realize you got burned and the motor and goodies in it are gone or changed.
I cant go into details as I would surely get sued by certain un-named people, but I learned from the best.... ITS ONLY CHEATING IF YOU GET CAUGHT
There's very few things you can't accomplish with a ton of money. Imagine the resources Honda has at it's disposal. Lightweight parts, brilliant engineers, virtually unlimited funds.
of course there's always an exception to the rule. in formula 1, it's well known that toyota has the biggest team and easily spends the most money...yet they still suck
__________________ My name is Inigo Montoya. You killed my father. Prepare to die
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Thanks,
Eric
1991 VFR750F Try and steal and I'll kill you, resuscitate you, then kill you again.
"There are 10 types of people in the world; those who understand Binary, and those who don't."
To just crush stuff would be insane and if you knew the japanese you would know they are very cautious and full of pride. It would be plain dumb to destroy your best clues to bettering your equipment.
Actually, they do crush their bikes. It's for tax purposes, if they don't crush them they have to pay taxes on them, if they do crush them they get a tax write off for research & development.
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If you want me to "find Jesus" I'm gonna need a shovel and a map - Me
What do they do to GP bikes?
. But yes, I have no money either.
