stevewfl
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posted September 26, 2007 06:41 AM
wish I was closer to you guys!
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2010 Concours14
'08 R1 YAMAHA
ZX14 gone!
CBR600RR track bike
  
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jeff martin
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posted September 26, 2007 09:41 AM
I dont need to impress anyone on the street i ride for fun and have been for 25 years. I raced for 8 years all the way up and down the west coast in the 1980s, Riding on the street at track speeds is not a good idea and most people that do will die or be hurt. I am also a EMT and go to about 20 calls per year from motorcycle crashes and this year 2 doas from sport bikes. Theres plenty of rocks in the road deer etc etc to go fast on the public roads not to mention the people you might kill that didnt see you coming. Riding fast for stretches of road at a time is a blast but to maintain track speeds for 2 two 3 hundred miles is complete disreguard for yourself and everyone on the road. But i can say i used to ride in what we called a sunday morning GP against other local shops and after that days event i needed new rubber. But i was young and there was very little traffic by todays standard. I won 59 first 1st place trophys and many others during my racing so trust me i slow you down.
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i play with boats my wife plays with my dingy.
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Sticks_n_Stones
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posted September 26, 2007 11:36 AM
just blowing off steam jeff, dont take it personally. But it sounds like you will have no problem keeping up! And we have more than a few 1st placers in our lead group, so you'll get along just fine. Me? I'm the worlds best second place finisher. lol slight depth perception problem, ya see. Oh yeah, Im also a big sob so winning on the straights was never an option, even 20 years ago. What racing series did you run in? Might have met you.
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jeff martin
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posted September 26, 2007 03:56 PM
Had some shop sponsor, From bellevue suzuki racing team with chuck willey, Randy skiver, Craig Gottschalk and mitch lorenz was the parts and wrench guy. We raced is two west coast series superbike and class b and A mostly privateer event. Westwood track in canada, laguna seca, seattle internatioal raceway, portland speedway, and others. I also rode for kent kawasaki for two years, There bike my ass. Z1R turbo 900 and a kz1000 if i remember correctly. How old are you ? And i never take anything personally, Just dont touch my beer my truck or my bike. I always liked racing the bigger guys, Sometimes one maybe two brake markers later for me. 50 pounds makes a hell-of a differnce. 5' 4'' 140 pounds was 128 lbs or so when i raced motocross, then flat, then road, sure miss them days. Couldnt afford shit then, now i can but to old. Life sucks at times........
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i play with boats my wife plays with my dingy.
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Sticks_n_Stones
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posted September 27, 2007 05:55 AM
 Edited By: Sticks_n_Stones on 27 Sep 2007 06:56
quote:
Couldnt afford shit then, now i can but to old. Life sucks at times........
man i know what you're talking about there! same here, worked 2 jobs just to afford tires, mods, and track fees. Ran laguna seca whenever i could, and a few other tracks in southern California that I cant remember now. Ended up mostly club racing, friends all ran in your series, superbike, "A" I believe, from 1988-1990. I 'only' weighed 210 lbs then, 10% body fat but on a big ass 6'6" frame... My friends absolutely hammered into me there is NO excuses for losing. Bigger? you better be able to throw that bike around faster than any lighter guy. Too tall? not much good for anything in racing except being able to really shift the balance of the bike with minimal 'hanging off' - and even with race tires i learned how to slide both tires really well in nearly every corner, by keeping loose, knees wide and using my body as a shock absorber to keep from high siding on hookup. Not as easy now adays withthe tires high traction, but i can still do it. Funny you mention out braking bigger guys. That was my niche, right there. I frustrated so many guys that had just passed me on the straights by passing them at the markers! Yaa, it tended to screw up my lines a bit (hard to turn in the bike when the rear is in the air lol) but, as i mentioned, im a big sob and they normally didnt try for the repass or to cut me off on the exit. that and I have not doubt they all were positive I was gonna bail in the corner. lol ran off more than a few times, slid out a few more, but never dropped the fairings on the pavement. on the track at least. It was the most fun I ever had in my life. 18 yrs old, racing bikes, living at home, no worries except for how i'm affording the next set of tires. I just wish I could have afforded a 750 or 1000. I rode my friends Supersport? or was it Superbike? built Gixxer 750 in one qualifying and race after he was out of the points, and finished 3rd. And told him to never let me on that bike again because it was sheer luck I didnt wreck it. I was so scared of its capabilities that I accepted I was going to wreck. Assumed it and decided if I was going to wreck i might as well be up front when it happened! Was reprimanded for a few dangerous passes, though. heh heh did I mention I was 18 at the time? Only raced club and open track days after that. I dont remember there last names, but Steve was 6'2", blonde hair a real quite guy and raced the Gixxer 750, Mark was shorter, black hair big big ego and loud mouth (come to think of it that describes alot of them lol) and raced a purple FZR 750. Cant remember the guys who ran the 1000's. Oh yeah, I ran in the under 500cc? or under 600cc?class with my 250 Ninja (first place every race i entered). then went up to the 600 class with a 600 Ninja. A really slow 600. painfully slow. lol. Again, no $$ meant very few races, but that was ok with me. we had our own version of "sunday morning GP" going up the Sacramento River canyons up in the mountains. an awesome road, miles of twists, the higher you went the tighter the turns. And I always lost badly - uphill racing against much much higher hp bikes. Good thing it meant i never payed at our lunch stop! winner payed with us 
Man dredging the memories here. been awhile since I thought about it. a long while.
Oh yeah, I worked at the Kawi dealer in South Sacramento. 'South Sac Kawi'. Never thought to ask for sponsorship, they were into drag racing. And I was just the assembler/ lube/ showroom guy. IE janitor lol. fun days
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jeff martin
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posted September 27, 2007 07:55 AM
This is the best chat i heve ever had.... Brings up old memories here also, After reading your post i had to pull out the old picture book and blow the dust off. The thing in those days was the fact that every bike you rode, you rode to its limits within a lap or two even if the bike was new to your riding style it didnt take long to fad the brakes blister the tires etc. Now days the reaction time on sport bikes has to be very high due to the amazing hp to weight ratios and so forth. The thing thats amazing to me is now you can buy a bike off the floor, Do some saftey wires and go race. In the eighties it took at least a grand plus to set up a bike and man they where heavy compared to todays standards. My GS1150E was around 575lbs raced preped with 115hp but man that 16" front tire was fun, Almost always push thru the corners and slid the ass around on the way out. With stainless lines, slicks, I was running 1.26 around seattle internatioal raceway. But tank slap after a hard leaning corner i stuffed it into the hay and bent the frame. Then the next year i rode GS550E great bike with a lot less power of course but a lot cheaper to keep racing.
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i play with boats my wife plays with my dingy.
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Sticks_n_Stones
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posted September 27, 2007 10:24 AM
Ha ha I had a '84 GS550ES with K&N stage 3, Kirker, timing advance kit, and factory race cam kit on a milled head, and a homemade steering damper. (used a shock from a toolbox lid. worked great, just a bit long.) I got the heads and carbs off a wrecked bike, a total score because I only wanted the carbs and the Bent Bike didnt know it had the cam kit installed. Found out about 3 months later when I noticed the springs were different than mine. score! then a day later he tells me the heads are milled, and all the springs were like new - double score! Too bad it was still a slow turd lol. I actually never raced that one, though. Sold it for a down on a nearly new 600 Ninja a few months later. Which was NOT cheaper to race, but I learned how to do 'glass work and paint on that bike. Also had a GS750E with a blown engine that i sold to a friend- who put a 1150 engine into it after he bored n stroked it to 1280cc. wow that frame would flex! And then he would take it to the track with the 750 badges still on it and absolutely own people! Guys would get so upset when he blew them away on there 'new' ZX10's and FZR 1000's. He had to swear us to secrecy because he had them thinking he just had a "lucky parts combination from the assembly line". He went so far as to strip, repaint, and then 'weather' the engine to make sure the gaskets didnt look new or replaced. It worked. guys would just hang around us trying to lay eyes on what he had done. Most assumed he had a stroked engine. just not a stroked 1150 engine! fun times. Hey, remember when a 170 tire was considered big and they worried about its handling abilities? lol. yep them memories are coming back 
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jeff martin
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posted September 27, 2007 02:21 PM
Heavyier bike less contact patch was the makings of a power slide. Cant imagine the power of a 14 spinning a 140 or 150 tire. You know the funny thing is, my 929 really cups the front tires from hard braking and only 380 lbs or so, Wonder why my 14 doesn't... have they changed compounds that much. What do you think of the stock 14 tires mine seem to be wearing real nice. Whats your tire of choice, I ran a lot of dunlops.
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i play with boats my wife plays with my dingy.
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Sticks_n_Stones
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posted September 28, 2007 07:12 AM
Edited By: Sticks_n_Stones on 28 Sep 2007 08:17
929's are notorious for cupping fronts, you didnt know that? I've seen it happen a few times on friends bikes. Hey wait, some things are clicking here. Do you know Tony Moss of Arlington? A supervisor at Goodrich Aerospace? Shoot it has to be you! First name of Jeff, too. He does tire mount and balance along with miscellanous mods and repairs out of his garage just off Hwy 9 between Arlington and Marysville. This is Tracy, the big guy with the TL1000R. Met you end of last year I believe, at Tony's house, if its you.
And the stock tires are not near as bad as I thought from the way guys hear talk about them. after all, Kawi did spend along time with Michelin developing those tires just for the 14. BUT, I will go with Pilot Powers or maybe Pilot Power 2CT's. If the old D208's were still available I would pick them, though. those were my favorites on my TLR. Not that great of feadback, and took a while to warm up, but so much grip it didnt matter. Tire wear wasnt an issue, though, but with the 14 it is. I put alot of miles on the 14, and I will be better off with the Powers for mileage and bad weather riding.
TOMORROW: You up for a ride saturday morning?? its supposed to rain around 5 pm tomorrow but be fine in the morning. Im sure Tony will go with me, that would make 3 guys. Can probably get 1or 2 more guys on this short of notice, but thats it. Interested?
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jeff martin
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posted October 02, 2007 02:10 PM
Maybe we will get some of those nice fall days for riding. I dont think i ever met you before but who knows.. Its a small world my wife and I are living where she grew up. Only 200' fromher old house. And i met her in another state.... I really like the stockers on my 14 but i think i will go with dunlops when they die. Lately i have been working 60 hours a week and when i get home its time for beers and relaxing. maybe someday you will make it up to Diablo and have a cold one....Also been playing with some new maps for my 14..I really like the Yoshimuras so far and the LCD is the way to go. After i got it to work with the proper firmware.....
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i play with boats my wife plays with my dingy.
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Sticks_n_Stones
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posted October 03, 2007 05:54 AM
My 14 is stock for now, withthe exception of Two Brothers slipons. Next mod is flies out and a PCIII. When the chain wears out I'll probably go up 2 in the rear for better launching. Or not, dont particularly like the idea of losing 10mph top end. We'll see. And yes I will contact you if we can ever get a sunny damn day this month! Jeez where'd all the rain come from?
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'06 zx14
Muzzy M10/M14
PCIII w/ Muzzy map
Flies out K&N in!
bits n pieces...
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jeff martin
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posted October 03, 2007 07:48 AM
Does it run good with the slip-ons and no PC, When you get the PC let me know i have 7 dyno tuned maps and of course you can get Some maps from the dynojet web site. All the body panels that you have to remove are much more difficult than installing the PC. I purchased mine from Morepowerracing.com in Smokey point there great to deal with but i am still waiting on my BMC filter.....One thing i have been researching is a bolt on turbo kit when all the testing is done I am really considering it....Not that the 14 is slow but what the hell.... Always wanted a 130 mph wheelbarrow...Been on a 240hp Superbike before but it was 70lbs heavier than the 14 stock so a turbo would be a blast...It might eat back tires...The thing i dont want to get into in motor tear down, I dont want to change out the pistons if i can avoid it for a turbo kit...Maybe next year i will just keep my eyes open for a already set up 14 and keep mine the way it is for comparison.... Last year i saw a GSXR 1000 with a turbo set-up and the guy wanted 9 grand for it. Skagit power sports dynoed it at 255hp..Dont know what he did but it sounded a bit mild for a turbo on a 1000 cc....As far as the rain we got over 4 inches yesterday. Some days i want to move out of this state for better weather... I am very picky about keeping my bikes rain riding free..Only the wing gets the rain...See YA !
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i play with boats my wife plays with my dingy.
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Sticks_n_Stones
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posted October 03, 2007 10:29 AM
slipons made a very noticeable difference. as in it wouldnt wheelie in second gear before if i rolled on. now it does. supposedly around 12 hp or so accordingly to there site. I can believe it ! it really made a difference, let me tell you. might have lost some bottom end but i didnt notice it. with flies in it pretty much doesnt have a bottom end anyways.
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'06 zx14
Muzzy M10/M14
PCIII w/ Muzzy map
Flies out K&N in!
bits n pieces...
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jeff martin
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posted October 03, 2007 02:49 PM
I haven't touched the flies yet...Still undecided...Seems to have about the same power from 0 to 6 grand as my GSXR1000 so i am leaving them in for now...2nd gear Wheelie no problem just give it a crank and at about 7500 starts to pull the front end...You Gotta love it...I have a close friend with a Z-06 talking smack so i gave him a little race. Just to mess with him i paced him for about 800' or so then left him..He is still telling everyone how he kept up with me until 110 mph.. And i tell everyone i was trying to zip up my coat at the same time and just laugh..Funny as hell...But he wont race again....Funny how that is. LOL
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i play with boats my wife plays with my dingy.
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Sticks_n_Stones
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posted October 04, 2007 07:05 AM
never give a car a pace like that. they always say smack like he did. just plaster them quick and shutem up. I tried that on my TL1000R against a 280Z that had a built 427 smallblock in it. was doing 50mph adjusting my zippers on Boeing freeway and he pulled up next to me and revs it. I dropped down 2 gears ( but shoulda dropped 3) and neck and necked him to aprx 120 where he started pulling hard. Saw him a few weeks later and he said I was the only bike he ever raced where he had to use his nitrous to beat me. Claimed he beat Busa's, 12R's, and all kinds of 1000's with his car. Truth was they werent ready for him. If I had dropped 3 gears I woulda pulled him just barely. When I told him his car had to have at least 700 hp to pull like that he grinned and said "you're close". So pastem hard is my motto now. You never know what they are gonna say if you dont. Nothin like poppin egos
Oh yeah, a coworker raced a 01 Busa and a 02 RC51 with his 07 Z51 'vette and beat them both. Bikes were stock or close, vette had full exhaust and reflash. He raced them twice, too. I whooped his ass with my TLR, though. Those morons just couldnt ride. embarrassing.
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'06 zx14
Muzzy M10/M14
PCIII w/ Muzzy map
Flies out K&N in!
bits n pieces...
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