... turned out pretty well! We went to Grand Sport Speedway (Houston, Tx area) and turned a few laps.
The bike is certainly unique! I rode the morning on my '09 ZX6, then switched to the Duke. The thing is freakin' TALL! Its like riding a horse!
The front felt really light, especially on corner exit, so I dropped the front 4mm... that helped a lot. I will probably end up going another 2-3mm down.
I think its much better suited for the street (as is, anyway) but it was still really fun @ the track, too!
SDSmurf
2010-09-06 13:46:00 UTC
RobTaylor
2010-09-06 23:07:00 UTC
Post missing.
drswade
2010-09-06 23:33:00 UTC
Post missing.
drswade
2010-09-07 03:50:00 UTC
Pre-K,
I suggest you search the threads for Nichols triple clamp posts as well as any posts by GoGo.
If by saying you dropped the front end by allowing the forks to come up more through the triples, the next thing you will drop will be your bike! I sincerely hope not but you should really research this here. The forks should be moving down to raise the front end.
The front end probably felt light because it is a twin and any acceleration make the front end pull right on up.
Hopefully others will weigh in here.
Glad you had fun. The bike is truly different on the track but a real hoot!
I suggest you search the threads for Nichols triple clamp posts as well as any posts by GoGo.
If by saying you dropped the front end by allowing the forks to come up more through the triples, the next thing you will drop will be your bike! I sincerely hope not but you should really research this here. The forks should be moving down to raise the front end.
The front end probably felt light because it is a twin and any acceleration make the front end pull right on up.
Hopefully others will weigh in here.
Glad you had fun. The bike is truly different on the track but a real hoot!
Menlo-SD
2010-09-07 12:02:00 UTC
Post missing.
trackday junkie
2010-09-07 15:24:00 UTC
At the risk of sounding like a snob....
Nothing wrong with a "chicken strip" if you are railing the bike around at it's limit, not yours. Using all of the tyre means extreme lean angles, which should not be needed except if you have hung off as much as possible and the bike needs that lean angle to complete the turn.
I used all of the 180 tyre last year at speeds substantially lower than the speeds at which I ride now. This year I went to a 190 and found exactly 5mm of tyre left for a "chicken strip". As I improved my riding skills and became faster, those quickly disappeared. Lean angle looks cool but you can be harder on the gas if you are on more of the tyre. The purpose of hanging off is to decrease lean angle allowing more contact patch.
I have the benefit of having a team mate who pushes the SD to it's absolute max so I know the limits of the bike and that I can go faster.
As far as geometry. I am convinced that without the Nichols parts, I would be toast if I pulled some of the things I have pulled this year and still been on the stock triples.
The bike is so much more stable than before plus I am going way faster than before. I have no front end complaints. When I slide or chatter the front, I do so without fear because I know exactly what is going on.
GoGo had his front wash out over and over again last year. The Nichols parts fixed that. This year he had no crashes and did some amazing work on his SDR.
I am inclined to listen to no one unless they ride or have ridden a SD. I get this unsolicited advice all of the time: "You are all crossed up." "Hang off more with your head." I always have the "advisor" jump on my bike on the stands to "show me" It is pretty funny when the try to do it and realise that the bars are damn near a meter wide!
I know I can improve but unless you are an Orangutan, good luck riding this thing like a sport bike with clip ons. I do the best I can for now.
We are lucky to have a true suspension guru here in our area, Dave Moss.
Check out his videos on "On the Throttle". If you have a suspension guy that is really good and/or has experience with the SD, you should consult him.
http://www.superduke.net/forum/viewtopi ... light=gogo
Nothing wrong with a "chicken strip" if you are railing the bike around at it's limit, not yours. Using all of the tyre means extreme lean angles, which should not be needed except if you have hung off as much as possible and the bike needs that lean angle to complete the turn.
I used all of the 180 tyre last year at speeds substantially lower than the speeds at which I ride now. This year I went to a 190 and found exactly 5mm of tyre left for a "chicken strip". As I improved my riding skills and became faster, those quickly disappeared. Lean angle looks cool but you can be harder on the gas if you are on more of the tyre. The purpose of hanging off is to decrease lean angle allowing more contact patch.
I have the benefit of having a team mate who pushes the SD to it's absolute max so I know the limits of the bike and that I can go faster.
As far as geometry. I am convinced that without the Nichols parts, I would be toast if I pulled some of the things I have pulled this year and still been on the stock triples.
The bike is so much more stable than before plus I am going way faster than before. I have no front end complaints. When I slide or chatter the front, I do so without fear because I know exactly what is going on.
GoGo had his front wash out over and over again last year. The Nichols parts fixed that. This year he had no crashes and did some amazing work on his SDR.
I am inclined to listen to no one unless they ride or have ridden a SD. I get this unsolicited advice all of the time: "You are all crossed up." "Hang off more with your head." I always have the "advisor" jump on my bike on the stands to "show me" It is pretty funny when the try to do it and realise that the bars are damn near a meter wide!
I know I can improve but unless you are an Orangutan, good luck riding this thing like a sport bike with clip ons. I do the best I can for now.
We are lucky to have a true suspension guru here in our area, Dave Moss.
Check out his videos on "On the Throttle". If you have a suspension guy that is really good and/or has experience with the SD, you should consult him.
http://www.superduke.net/forum/viewtopi ... light=gogo