I took the opportunity to take my new 570 to a 6 hr endurance ice race this weekend, www.aeira.com. My Corner Grass Racing Team buddies, Nizzo and Jag are defending champs, riding a BOSS tanked, FE650. Shane Cuthbertson and I are teaming up with them for a 24 hr endurance race on the 14/15 off February, so we decided to ride a 6 hr to get our feet wet and get a feel for their program.
The race started le mans style, with Nizzo starting on the 650 and Shane on the 570. Nizzo, holeshots and has a 20 second lead after the first 4 minute lap. Shane...well, couldn't find the handlebars inside the muffs and hit the first corner last. So, maybe it might be a long day...maybe not..as he ended the first lap in 5...passing 18 riders.
Nizzo continued his rampage, untill a fuel stop necessatated a fuel stop at about the 1hr 40 minute mark, when Jag took the controls...the rampage continued. Nizzo nailed the fastest lap of the day, Jag, seconds behind him. By the almost the 5th hr, their lead was almost 10 minutes and still going strong...unitll a little man named Murphy visited the CGRT Champions....and the bike came in on a rope. THeir back up bike was put into service, and along with a 30 minute penalty, they continued on, salvaging a 5th place finish. Sad but true, they had lost the lead, but still gained enough points to be 2nd in series points yet.
The rest of the team, Shane and myself were railing it on the 570. Due to the smaller tank, we pitted every hr, consuming 8 litres of fuel every fill...not sure what that equates to mileage wise, but was fun burning all that gas!!!!! We were running a brand new tire on teh front, so it stuck like tape to carpet, the rear was a little 'loose'. This tire had 15 hrs on it all ready, the knobs were chunking and the double linered, 1.5 inch screwed tire was coming apart by the end of the event.
The bike worked really well. We spaced the exhast out over an inch to gain tire clearance to the tire. A 15 tooth countershaft sprocket was mounted up front, with the std 52 on the back. ( the 15 is a tight fit, but certainly possible ). Other than that, the bike was ran stock with VP 110, ran 100%. We overgeared the bike, with one straighaway that we could pull 6th, but it wouldn't rev out. We'd like to try a 14/50 and see how it works, as long as chain length lets us have the wheel all the way back so the screws will clear the swingarm. We found the rear spring two soft, way to soft. It looked visibly sacked out. Shane is 40lbs lighter than I am, with him at 200, it was obvious that we were going to have to deal with a std setting that was marginal at best.
The bike cornered very well, despite the rear tire being quite loose. We dialed in some hi and lo speed compression at the first rider change, which helped...and remember, this bike has 4 hrs and no set up time at all onit....none, std sag, no screws turned.. we simply wanted to go racing...leave the tuning to the experts!!!!
So Shane an I cranked away, with Shane putting in mid 4 minute lap times, and I about ten seconds slower and a gas stop every hr...we finished 3...overall!!!!! We were estatic!!!
The bike got a tremendous amount of exposure, people oogling it all day....and we were super happy with it. One more race to test it, stiffer rear shock spring to balance the boingers, the gearing change, and throw away the xr 200 exhaust and put an Akro on it, we are sure we'd have a winner...now, about that big tank with a quick fill!!!!
BTW. the Nizzo and Jag show run 15 - 18 second pit stops, with rider change and 15 litres of fuel... um, we couldn't do that LOL.
To conclude, we had a hoot, and I really really love the new bike. It was so effortless to corner, to change lines and inspires confidence. Poetry in motion.
Also, the 24 hr event coming up, is supposed to have Jesse James, of West Coast Choppers fame, coming with a Spike TV camera crew....when the air times are available I'll post it.
cheers
fry
The race started le mans style, with Nizzo starting on the 650 and Shane on the 570. Nizzo, holeshots and has a 20 second lead after the first 4 minute lap. Shane...well, couldn't find the handlebars inside the muffs and hit the first corner last. So, maybe it might be a long day...maybe not..as he ended the first lap in 5...passing 18 riders.
Nizzo continued his rampage, untill a fuel stop necessatated a fuel stop at about the 1hr 40 minute mark, when Jag took the controls...the rampage continued. Nizzo nailed the fastest lap of the day, Jag, seconds behind him. By the almost the 5th hr, their lead was almost 10 minutes and still going strong...unitll a little man named Murphy visited the CGRT Champions....and the bike came in on a rope. THeir back up bike was put into service, and along with a 30 minute penalty, they continued on, salvaging a 5th place finish. Sad but true, they had lost the lead, but still gained enough points to be 2nd in series points yet.
The rest of the team, Shane and myself were railing it on the 570. Due to the smaller tank, we pitted every hr, consuming 8 litres of fuel every fill...not sure what that equates to mileage wise, but was fun burning all that gas!!!!! We were running a brand new tire on teh front, so it stuck like tape to carpet, the rear was a little 'loose'. This tire had 15 hrs on it all ready, the knobs were chunking and the double linered, 1.5 inch screwed tire was coming apart by the end of the event.
The bike worked really well. We spaced the exhast out over an inch to gain tire clearance to the tire. A 15 tooth countershaft sprocket was mounted up front, with the std 52 on the back. ( the 15 is a tight fit, but certainly possible ). Other than that, the bike was ran stock with VP 110, ran 100%. We overgeared the bike, with one straighaway that we could pull 6th, but it wouldn't rev out. We'd like to try a 14/50 and see how it works, as long as chain length lets us have the wheel all the way back so the screws will clear the swingarm. We found the rear spring two soft, way to soft. It looked visibly sacked out. Shane is 40lbs lighter than I am, with him at 200, it was obvious that we were going to have to deal with a std setting that was marginal at best.
The bike cornered very well, despite the rear tire being quite loose. We dialed in some hi and lo speed compression at the first rider change, which helped...and remember, this bike has 4 hrs and no set up time at all onit....none, std sag, no screws turned.. we simply wanted to go racing...leave the tuning to the experts!!!!
So Shane an I cranked away, with Shane putting in mid 4 minute lap times, and I about ten seconds slower and a gas stop every hr...we finished 3...overall!!!!! We were estatic!!!
The bike got a tremendous amount of exposure, people oogling it all day....and we were super happy with it. One more race to test it, stiffer rear shock spring to balance the boingers, the gearing change, and throw away the xr 200 exhaust and put an Akro on it, we are sure we'd have a winner...now, about that big tank with a quick fill!!!!
BTW. the Nizzo and Jag show run 15 - 18 second pit stops, with rider change and 15 litres of fuel... um, we couldn't do that LOL.
To conclude, we had a hoot, and I really really love the new bike. It was so effortless to corner, to change lines and inspires confidence. Poetry in motion.
Also, the 24 hr event coming up, is supposed to have Jesse James, of West Coast Choppers fame, coming with a Spike TV camera crew....when the air times are available I'll post it.
cheers
fry
