redelk
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posted June 15, 2004 03:13 PM
 Edited By: redelk on 15 Jun 2004 16:17
Been kinda busy
First it was "political season" (Part I - the primaries) at work, but got a break from that till late August. Now it's the racing team. Just got back from a track day with the team. We'll be heading out on Friday for the 8 hour endurance race at Texas World Speedway.
On a smaller scale, I can relate to what KB was talking about when loading up the Honda trailers for Daytona. A much smaller scale (and with less help too). About the only part that does suck about racing is unloading and reloading the trailer. Especially when you have just a few days to do it in and you still have to go to your "regular" job as well.
Starting to unload the trailer....
Waiting to be set free....
Waiting for service/repair/inspection....
My SpeedHealer came in today and hopefully my damper, frame sliders and pipe hanger will be in from Muzzy's soon. I might actually get to the one in the back right corner sometime next week.
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There are only three sports: bullfighting, motor racing, and mountaineering; all the rest are merely games.
-Ernest Hemingway
   
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Michael Lee
Zone Head
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posted June 15, 2004 04:19 PM
Thats a big azz trailer, I got first dibs on #23 (scooter) if ya ever come to Kershaw, SC . . . . 
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Hells Dark Lord
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living life, and loving it.
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posted June 15, 2004 05:12 PM
its good to see ya back there Sherm....
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When in doubt, lean farther and go faster....
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WARBIRD
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posted June 15, 2004 05:42 PM
Edited By: WARBIRD on 15 Jun 2004 21:37
Hey redelk.............looks like fun.....(work too...heh heh....) We use these sport chocks for transporting all the bikes. If you set them where you want your front wheel in the trailer and use the tie downs with the rails you have on the floor the bikes will stay PUT!!!!! I swear you could put one in the back of a pickup......push the bike into it with NO tie downs and it would be right where you left it when you got to where you were going.(Do NOT try this folks.....heh heh)
These things are great when coming off the track from practice and finding no one there to help you put the bike on the stand and you are about to fall over from exhaustion. (everyone is at the concesion stand.....  )
Just drive it right into the stand and voila!.......you can climb off the bike and walk away.
I didnt know it but it looks like Muzzys uses these?
http://www.baxleycompanies.com/Sportchock.html
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I'd Rather Be Roadracing.
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Michael Lee
Zone Head
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posted June 15, 2004 05:52 PM
nice pic warbird, seen some of those at the Hog shop in town, nice setup.
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extremelean
Pro
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posted June 15, 2004 06:41 PM
BUSY!!!!....horse crap.....bout the only busy thing you've been doing is things that we dont really want to discuss here......you should really get some help with that problem there red.
Dont come here trying to plead your innocence.....nobody wants to hear it.
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k bryant
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posted June 15, 2004 08:30 PM
Red - thatz impressive. Oh God, I'm gettin tired just looking at it. I know it takes a tremendous amount of time and dedication to keep all that stuff running, looking good, and prepped. You are to be commended my man.
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morrisjl2
Novice Class
Posts: 50
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posted June 15, 2004 08:57 PM
Excuse me if I am looking over the big, bad 12r.....Where is it?
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redelk
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posted June 15, 2004 10:06 PM
Edited By: redelk on 15 Jun 2004 23:22
ML - See the sticker on the front of the "uber" scooter? That's a track access for both the "race" and the "street" groups. We would have blown away those CBRs and Gixxers if we had remembered to safety wire everything. It didn't pass tech inspection.
Warbird - we'd just about kill for those chocks. Including the TZ250, we'd need about $1,500 worth of stands (including bolt kits and shipping). Even a half dozen Pingels would run over $350. When ALL of the expenses are tallied (entry fees, tires, oil, race and generator fuel, transportation costs, etc.), a single event could cost the team as much as $3,500. Even with contracts and contingencies with and from vendors (Dunlop and VP), it does even save enough to cover the meal stops going and coming home.
For now, we've be forced to use those shitty "triangles" that extremelean and his buddies include in the shipping crates of Kawi sportbikes. Not pretty, but they do work for holding the bike up while I'm strapping down the bikes or parking them in the garage.
Of course, that would be if we entered one endurance race and two sprint races per rider (total of eight entries). In reality, between injuries, crash repair and logistics, we probably have four to six entries. We also do not change tires on all of the bikes prior to all of the events since not all of them are currently racing (i.e. the SV and the TZ). Still, the team will end up spending over $30,000 in races and track days by the end of this season. That's including the fact that we sleep in the trailer while at the tracks.
Naturally, my share of all those "expenses" is substantially less than that of those that actually race, but it's nothing like a "free ride in exchange for my work on the bikes". Still, for all the "out of pocket" money I shell out and I don't even race or own a race bike, I wouldn't trade it for anything. We are also working up on some sponsorship in hopes of offsetting those expenses. It might work out and then again, it might not. Just like racing itself, we'll just keep at it.
The injuries sustained by my boys during this season have been very depressing and have ranged from bruised egos and scratched plastic to major bike damage and trips to the hospital with the insertion of pins and plates. Still, when I collect the insurance cards of the riders upon our arrival at the track, it just underscores the fact that... shit happens. That's racing.
We're currently a rider short in the upcoming 8 hour endurance race at Texas World, due to a rider getting t-boned during last weekend's open track day at Hallett. We do have a standby so we'll still have four riders.
XL - you know there would be a few "green" bikes in that trailer if KMC would get around to offering some form of "crate bike" that racers like us could afford. Instead, we're forced to settle for a bunch of "used" Yamahas. We not suffering that badly though since one was formally Chuck Graves personal R6 and another one was Ty Howard's when he was with Shogun. A gaggle of reasonably priced new 636s or 6RRs would make my life a whole lot easier. Just a thought.
KB - actually, everything is kind of a "mess" in the trailer pics since we've already started to unload it. We figure that we're carrying somewhere around TWO TONS worth of bikes and support equipment. Admittedly, it's nothing compared to just the amount tools in a single Honda AMA trailer, but I know you, XL and others here remember (or are currently) dealing with what seems to be "so much shit" that a team needs to carry to each event. True, 80% will almost never be used, but it's always that one thing you did not pack that will be the very part, tool or spare that you'll need at the next event. I'm real bad about packing way too much stuff, but I've never had to dig too far to get what ever I need.
What gets me is that even when the whole team is involved in loading or unloading the trailer, it takes longer that some of our endurance races. When prepping the trailer for a race, I rarely let anyone else on the team help since I'm real picky about what and where gets loaded. They all try to help but I just run them off and end up spending several nights getting everything ready. Of course, it usually ends up that the guys have to chip in at the last minute so we could hit the road at a decent time. With the nearest race track being around 300 miles, one way and the farthest being over 500, getting to the gates to score a good paddock spot, leaving on time is important. Trying to make up time by driving at a faster pace has just proven to cost more than it's worth. Go figure.
Morris - traded my "baby" for the 10R.
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There are only three sports: bullfighting, motor racing, and mountaineering; all the rest are merely games.
-Ernest Hemingway
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jonwright
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posted June 16, 2004 07:42 AM
quote:
They all try to help but I just run them off and end up spending several nights getting everything ready. Of course, it usually ends up that the guys have to chip in at the last minute so we could hit the road at a decent time.
There, gentlemen, is the crux of the deal. If Red could just actually accept other folk's way of doing things he'd make life easier on him self. I've been on the receiving end of his 'you stupid dumbass!' look on his face. Not pretty.
But having Red work on the bikes is a god send. We take good care of him. If Red says the bike is ready, we KNOW the bike is READY.
That's the good part about Red being obsessive compulsive.
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jonwright
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posted June 16, 2004 07:44 AM
....and a control freak.
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Hells Dark Lord
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living life, and loving it.
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posted June 16, 2004 08:40 AM
hey now dont talk about Sherm like that, he may want to knock you da fuk out afterwards......lol
____________
When in doubt, lean farther and go faster....
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redelk
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Please... speak to the hand.
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posted June 16, 2004 09:02 AM
quote:
hey now dont talk about Sherm like that, he may want to knock you da fuk out afterwards......lol
It would be pretty easy to get pissed... if he wasn't right.
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There are only three sports: bullfighting, motor racing, and mountaineering; all the rest are merely games.
-Ernest Hemingway
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jonwright
Needs a job
Posts: 2416
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posted June 16, 2004 10:11 AM
You know how an old married copule can jab at eat other and still be okay? Imagine five guys like that. We give each other shit all day long.
Sherm's obsessive compulsive control freak
Pierson's Attention deficit boy that's in it for him self
I'm the team whip cracker, whiner, and all around bitch with a snippy attitude
Thomas is just Thomas - quiet dude that gives Mikey shit
Mike is pussey whipped by his wife. More like pussey-chained.
And nobody can get pissy because it's all true!!!
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Hells Dark Lord
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living life, and loving it.
Posts: 7981
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posted June 16, 2004 10:45 AM
but where would you all be, if just one of the crew was missing....it would be like missing a finger, you dont know how important it is , untill you dont have it anymore....
____________
When in doubt, lean farther and go faster....
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redelk
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Please... speak to the hand.
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posted June 16, 2004 11:09 AM
Thomas is the rider that won't be with us at TWS due to his injuries at Hallett. When I was unloading the trailer, I took his gear bag out and Jonathan said nothing. Then I started to unhook his leathers from the rack and carry them out of the trailer as well. Jonathan just gave me "that look". It was a sad look of "he's still part of the team, even though he wasn't coming with us... his leathers need to stay in the trailer."
Thomas' leathers WILL go with us.
Jonathan is right and I'd even go as far to say that at any given moment between races, there will always be one or more of us that wish to simply wring the neck of one or more of the other members. When the leathers and helmets go on and the bikes are started and come off the race stand... IT'S FUCKIN' ON!
One would think we were all joined at the hip and we could not get any closer or unified at that point. Sadly, we have proven that we can get even closer and more unified... when one of the team members goes down. Though I hate for it to happen, again, I wouldn't have it any other way.
Again, Thomas' leathers will ride with us to TWS.
____________
There are only three sports: bullfighting, motor racing, and mountaineering; all the rest are merely games.
-Ernest Hemingway
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