New Builds - Learners

Good Evening All,

I need to change the rear suspension on the bike, they are currently 11.5 inches. Can anyone give advice if 12 or bigger would be better?


Kind Regards


Eddie

My advice would be to get a few laps in on the current set up first before deciding if any changes were needed.

Ned, Ed is actually requesting information on recommendations that I past him as the bike suffered from chronic front end patter in fast corners despite my attempts to play with fork settings, oil weights etc.
My feeling is that it needs more weight on the front and looking at the aspect of the current bike longer shocks would achieve this.
Probably more than the ½” Ed is requesting, my feeling is that a decent set of adjustable shocks maybe 1 ½” longer would work well…

and before anyone asks, no its not possible to drop the forks though the yokes as the forks would then bottem out under heavy braking. Well mine anyway !!

Fair enough Mike and it's good that you passed your thoughts on to Ed. But having just watched the DVD "Fastest" (in the physics section) it emphasises the difference fractions in weight and position of the rider can make to handling.
Pete and I rode almost identical bikes I regularly broke handle bars Pete never did.

I'm sure Mike is right that a bit more weight on the front would make it more stable on fast corners.

Raising the rear of the bike would make the head angle a little steeper which may well be a good thing but it will have the side effect of reducing the trail making the high speed instability worse.

If you really want to go that way you will need shorter fork yokes to bring the wheelback towards the engine but of course need to check there is clearance between wheel and exhaust pipe or frame when the forks are fully compressed.

By far the easiest way to get some more weight on the front is to move the rider. Changing the clipons to the extended type (if they are not already) might help.

I believe Ned's broken bars was due to a too small balance factor giving rise to vertical vibration. When the balance factor was increased the problem went away.

Mick

Hi Edd

I really think that this is not a problem you need to be dealing with at the moment, getting laps and building you speed and confidence is the first and main point to focus on.

You will not experience the patter untill you are pushing the bike to the limits and that will come with time and experience, possible harder rear springs or adjust the compression on the rear units so they are a bit harder to stop the back end squting on power (we all weight different) and poss more preload in the forks with a spacer would be things to try but laps and time on the bike first are the way to go.
Ian

Good Evening All,

Many thanks for all the fair and valid input hence why I asked on here.

Will leave well enough until the experience is there

Kind Regards


Eddie

I agree with Ian. Practice practice practice ...

11 days to go for Mallory lads! If you are overweight it is a bit late to start your diet but give it some elbow anyway....

All the best!

CheerS!

PS -- no one córrected me - I was too early but it being a training day why no com,mments.

Good Afternoon All,

Can anyone recommend a way to align both wheels with ref to fitting a new chain or should it be set via front and rear sprocket, also what is a safe gap between chain and tyre.


Kind Regards


Eddie

im sure this was explained on a post on here somewhere in the past, but basically the way we do it is with some string!! looped round tyres, checking the gaps align the front wheel then adjust the rear so its correct, me and dad use the same method to align the sprockets usually need to move back or front wheel over slightly to get it accurate,
or clamping a straight edge to the sprockets is another good method to check their alighnment.
regards Derek

Hi Edd we use 2 ally box section straight edges hold them against each side of the front and rear wheel and adjust the pullers till the wheels line up.

Ian

Hi Ian/Derek,

Thanks for the info, have used alloy and string, maybe doing it wrong as the chain is far too close to the tyre.

Derek, it may of been asked on here before but better to ask than it is to assume.


Kind Regards


Eddie

as long as front and rear edge of each wheel is touching the straight edge on both sides the wheels are in line the chain prob runs about 10 15 mm from the tyre on some bikes.

Hi Ian,

Thanks for that, is the 10/15mm at static or include travel. Reason I ask is that if I push the chain it will hit the tyre.

Kind Regards


Eddie

Hi Ed so whats your first meeting going to be then ?

The chain looking from the top directly downwards the 10 to 15 mm is the distance you can see, or hiorizontally from chain to tyre, nothing at all to do with chain slack in any direction, as it asumes chain is under tension.
always better to assume rather than to ask, you can always do that afterwards I feel it kind of gives you a good feeling or confidence to make other decisions.
regards Derek

Derek,

The answer to your question is due to circumstances I won't be racing at Mallory and doubt very much Darley either.

I disagree with you, assume nothing. We did that last year and spent more time drinking than racing.

Better to have a base to start with and concentrate on the racing.

Kind Regards


Eddie

Hi Ed, we are all have different opinions, will it be three sisters.

Derek

The honest answer is I don't know, sooner rather than later I hope.


Eddie

Good Evening All,

Does anyone know roughly how much race fuel will a bike use at Mallory?


Kind Regards


Eddie

possibly 4 to 5 ltrs on normal race distance and two practice, its subject to so many things, I always have some left over after a meeting mixing 2 lots of 2 ltrs one before practice and one before the last race. but I feel my engine is very efficient on fuel, not sure about race fuel though, Like alomost every one I use 50/50 avgas and high quality pump fuel, Im sure.!

Derek

Hey Ed I;m sure Stella Artours marketing team may be interested in these Photo's, I have some funny quotes against each one, but Im sure not all would with them, So ill tell you when I see you again, any idea when's the big day Ed ? !
Derek

Lovely photos Ed. Loving the rollers! Heard they're not cheap, quite jealous.

All the best for the coming season.

Tim