CBX Racing

CBXs, new bikes, old bikes, cars, trucks, general chat, off topic, this is the place to post it.
Post Reply
Mouse
ICOA Member
ICOA Member
Posts: 569
Joined: Fri Jun 12, 2015 9:56 am
Location: Canmore Alberta Canada
Location: Canmore Alberta Canada

Re: CBX Racing

Post by Mouse »

Great report Rick.
Looks like its 3 steps ahead and 1 back now instead of the opposite. The learning curve has been steep but sounds like your over the hump. Race hard! :D
Canadian Amateur Radio Call sign VE6 VES

Warwick Biggs
Amazing Poster
Amazing Poster
Posts: 952
Joined: Tue Nov 03, 2015 9:23 pm
Location: Australia
Location: Australia

Re: CBX Racing

Post by Warwick Biggs »

Thanks guys. It would be nice to have a clear run and trouble free race. Somehow, it doesn't matter how well prepared we are, something always seems to go pear shaped.

There used to be a big hay shed on the edge of the rise up over Lukey Heights that fell down decades ago and it doesn't matter what name they give that corner everybody still calls it 'the hay shed'. Its the same at Mac Park near Mount Gambier. You drop down from a rise thru' a series of ever sharper corners and the rise is still called 'the water tower'. The tower disappeared at least 30 years ago. Same at Brands Hatch, the IOM and I guess lots of tracks. Maybe its is true that motorcyclists are natural reactionaries resisting change or maybe its the perverse tendency to resist creeping commercialism. Or maybe Mark Knopfler is closer to the truth when he sings about the deep human emotions attached to race tracks.

I'm glad you liked my very short hammer story Jeff but what started out as a condensed short story that I was developing into a poem took on a life of its own with a tail on the tale as more and more extraordinary stories emerged from various locals that were touched by that hammer. Now I really don't know what to do with the damn thing. The story itself has a very dark and troubling climax and had to be ended as it was too close to some bones but it still has abstract potential as a poem around a universal theme that I'm still working on.

User avatar
Syscrush
ICOA Member
ICOA Member
Posts: 1714
Joined: Fri Sep 14, 2012 2:29 pm
Location: Toronto, ON
Location: Toronto, ON

Re: CBX Racing

Post by Syscrush »

Warwick Biggs wrote:So the verdict on the head de-rake to 24 degrees is, it worked. Light, precise, quick, stable handling. In other words the good prolink handling on the road has now been successfully translated to the special demands of the racetrack on slicks.
This brings me a lot of happiness! :D

I know that it was a long road to get the bike doing what you wanted it to, and thought it should - this is a huge milestone. It must have been an amazing feeling to finally have the bike reacting the way you've been hoping it would.
Phil in Toronto
A cool guy deserves a cool bike, a dork needs a cool bike...
Pics of Perry, my '79.

User avatar
Jeff Bennetts
Posting God
Posting God
Posts: 2408
Joined: Wed Mar 05, 2003 8:38 am
Location: Ohio, USA
Location: Ohio, USA

Re: CBX Racing

Post by Jeff Bennetts »

Warwick Biggs wrote:
I'm glad you liked my very short hammer story Jeff but what started out as a condensed short story that I was developing into a poem took on a life of its own with a tail on the tale as more and more extraordinary stories emerged from various locals that were touched by that hammer. Now I really don't know what to do with the damn thing. The story itself has a very dark and troubling climax and had to be ended as it was too close to some bones but it still has abstract potential as a poem around a universal theme that I'm still working on.
Whatever you decide to do with it I'd be interested in reading it, I like your racing updates and appreciate you taking the time here to let us know how you're doing on the track, it's also nice to see what makes a person tick, thanks for your stories whatever their content. :text-thankyouyellow:

P.S. I have a few hammer stories of my own, for another day.

Jeff

Warwick Biggs
Amazing Poster
Amazing Poster
Posts: 952
Joined: Tue Nov 03, 2015 9:23 pm
Location: Australia
Location: Australia

Re: CBX Racing

Post by Warwick Biggs »

I can email a copy of the story of Louie Mitri's Hammer to anybody interested in reading it but I need an email address. Its a bit long and too off topic to put up here. Not sure how to use the private chat on this blog.

This blog serves a number of useful purposes for me. It has become a bit of a diary from go to whoa and it is interesting for me to look back and see what was in my mind at a particular point. Also some of the advice has become useful well after it was given and I can go back and find stuff.

Also hopefully, some of my experiences might help other CBX owners experiencing similar issues. And yes, I'm pleased that we have made progress with the handling. It would be nice to have a reliable 140hp to challenge the replicas but that is asking a lot from any air cooled donk. I am now having a racing loom made up to hopefully cure the electrical gremlins once and for all and Louie Minetrone has some bits winging their way to Oz. Once that is all put away I might think of stronger rods and higher comp pistons.

Warwick Biggs
Amazing Poster
Amazing Poster
Posts: 952
Joined: Tue Nov 03, 2015 9:23 pm
Location: Australia
Location: Australia

Re: CBX Racing

Post by Warwick Biggs »

STOP PRESS:

CBX 111 NOMINATED FOR INTERNATIONAL ISLAND CLASSIC SUBJECT TO FINAL DECISION OF AUSTRALIAN CAPTAIN TROY CORSER STOP:
COLIN EDWARDS TO CAPTAIN US TEAM STOP: EDWARDS TO RIDE HYPERCYCLE XJ1200 IN XR69 REPLICA CHASSIS STOP: JEREMY MCWILLIAMS TO CAPTAIN UK TEAM ON HARRIS HONDA REPLICA STOP: MORE DETAILS SOONEST STOP.

User avatar
FalldownPhil
ICOA Member
ICOA Member
Posts: 929
Joined: Fri Feb 10, 2006 11:25 pm
Location: Marina Del Rey, CA. USA
Contact:

Re: CBX Racing

Post by FalldownPhil »

WOW !! Congratulations !!
I hardly know who to cheer for as Hyper-Cycle is a friend of mine.
May the best team win :-)
Thanks,
Phil
When you are up to your ass in alligators it is sometimes difficult
to remember that your objective was to drain the swamp !!

Warwick Biggs
Amazing Poster
Amazing Poster
Posts: 952
Joined: Tue Nov 03, 2015 9:23 pm
Location: Australia
Location: Australia

Re: CBX Racing

Post by Warwick Biggs »

Well Phil, you can tell your mate at Hypercycle that for Colin to be competitive with Jeremy, he will need at least 180hp in a sub 175kg package. He will probably need 7 engines as that is how many the Poms bring per rider and they use them all in one weekend. These 'replicas' are in every sense modern prototype racers. They have unobtanium everything, power shifters, slipper clutches and sophisticated electronics including traction and launch control. Even late model TZ750's with 140hp and 130kgs can't keep up with the replicas, so there are replica TZ and RG500 builders too with more power than the originals ever had.

The fastest bikes in recent years have been the 4 stroke replicas and they must be air cooled with round side carbs and accordingly they are inclined to blow up but they do look vaguely 'period' and they lap around the same time as a modern works superbike in the low 1'30's. Only a few seconds slower than the top MotoGP times recorded a few weeks ago.

By contrast the CBX is a genuine 35 year old mildly tuned road bike with 105hp weighing 236kg. If I ride really well I will still be 20 seconds a lap slower than the fastest bikes but in reality I won't be competing against them and probably won't qualify on the same grid. There is a second string of more genuine older bikes and that is where I expect to be competing. I will only get a guernsey if they need a few extra points in the slower group.

You can't take any of this too seriously as it is a bit of a circus. Last year there was a one man French speaking team from New Caledonia. It is all a bit of a hoot even if some of the teams go way over the top with budgets and pro riders but hopefully, we will all have a lot of fun and nobody will get hurt.

R.
ps: I have finally found 10mm EBC sintered HH pads for the Prolink calipers in the UK.

Warwick Biggs
Amazing Poster
Amazing Poster
Posts: 952
Joined: Tue Nov 03, 2015 9:23 pm
Location: Australia
Location: Australia

Re: CBX Racing

Post by Warwick Biggs »

Just an update. I did not make the official team and there is only 1 amateur regular historic racer in it. His name is Trevor Watson and he has a TZ750. He won the unlimited Australian Historic Championship this year so I guess they had to let him in. The rest are all pros on hot replicas. It seems national pride is at stake. Its worse than the Ashes (if you don't know what the ashes represent to Australians then you should google it).

Meanwhile the CBX has gone mellow yellow with a broad black stripe and red pin stripes, a non original but schmick paint scheme. This was because it was easier to source all the bits second hand than to repair my tank that I damaged at the Island test a few months ago. if there is any interest in fibreglass replica CBX tanks for around $600 I might have some made by Mick Jones at Mototumbi. In the meantime I'm very yellow. That was just the best I could manage in the available time b4 the big race. The digital ignition is running again and I can easily switch back to the Dyna if need be. I took the rims into town for new slicks today and it was hot. 43 degrees and another weather record broken but its aliens not fossil fuels. We are told that this is what they believe in Texas. I don't know about that but the price of beach houses is falling here.

I have a few more bits coming from Bill and Louis in Georgia but apart from replacing a fork tube and re-tuning the ignition on Roly's dyno we are 'all systems go'

So now all I have to do is survive the festive season and we are counting down to the Australia Day weekend at the end of January when all the cracks will gather for the fray. All the tried and noted riders from the stations near and far will muster at the Island track overnight, For racers love hard riding where the wild race bikes are, And the CBX snuffs the battle with delight. (with apologies to Banjo Patterson)

R.

User avatar
Syscrush
ICOA Member
ICOA Member
Posts: 1714
Joined: Fri Sep 14, 2012 2:29 pm
Location: Toronto, ON
Location: Toronto, ON

Re: CBX Racing

Post by Syscrush »

43 is significantly more than "hot". :o Will the temps start to come down a bit after the solstice this week?

Are you more comfortable running a fiberglass fuel tank than a patched steel tank? I'd be pretty uptight about it, especially at the track.
Phil in Toronto
A cool guy deserves a cool bike, a dork needs a cool bike...
Pics of Perry, my '79.

steve murdoch icoa #5322
ICOA Member
ICOA Member
Posts: 4069
Joined: Tue Mar 04, 2003 9:12 am
Location: St. Catharines, On. Canada
Location: St. Catharines, On. Canada

Re: CBX Racing

Post by steve murdoch icoa #5322 »

The "Ashes" i know but i did have to lookup "schmick".
Will it be a whitewash? haha.

How exciting to be competing at such a famous setting and competing in such a famous weekend of racing.

Warwick Biggs
Amazing Poster
Amazing Poster
Posts: 952
Joined: Tue Nov 03, 2015 9:23 pm
Location: Australia
Location: Australia

Re: CBX Racing

Post by Warwick Biggs »

Temperatures a bit cooler today with misty rain but not enuf' to record in the rain gauge. At least the forest is soaking it up. 43 is 110F in the old measures but we have had 47 on the verandah in the past. The hottest weather here is in January so the solstice is not such a big factor. At this latitude there is at most an extra 3 hours of sunlight compared with the winter solstice. Nothing like the Isle of Man where it feels weird to be racing at 9.00 o'clock at night with the sun still shining.

I have just discovered that silicon doesn't like petrol. The cap kept falling off my Honda brush cutter so I siliconed it up. I use silicon a lot especially those little pump action tubes. So convenient. Anyhow the brush cutter kept cutting out. Cleaned the air filter and fuel strainer, gapped the plug- no dice. Wouldn't run. Then I remembered the silicon. Its amazing how many parts are in a fuel cap and the silicon had begun to dissolve so over an hour to clean it all up and get those fine air holes clear. Hard to get fuel to flow against a vacuum.

Now I'm worried that the silicon I used to fill the floating pins on the brake rotors will melt and I'll find I don't have any brakes going into Turn 1 at 275kph (if I can go that fast). I will disappear under the Melbourne sign and sail straight in Wesernport Bay. Maybe I should clean them out and use high temperature silicon rather than gutter sealant? Any ideas anybody? The pins have to be solid in order to look 'period' under our rules because in 1982, so they say, there were no floating disks except on square four Suzuki GP bikes - wrong. But the CBX only had floating calipers, not rotors. On my bike everything floats - until it enters the Bay when everything sinks!

R.

User avatar
Syscrush
ICOA Member
ICOA Member
Posts: 1714
Joined: Fri Sep 14, 2012 2:29 pm
Location: Toronto, ON
Location: Toronto, ON

Re: CBX Racing

Post by Syscrush »

I would definitely use high-temp silicone on any part of the rotor. They can get super hot.

Good luck keeping clear of the Bay. :)
Phil in Toronto
A cool guy deserves a cool bike, a dork needs a cool bike...
Pics of Perry, my '79.

Rick Pope
ICOA Rally Director
ICOA Rally Director
Posts: 2270
Joined: Wed Sep 03, 2003 3:16 pm
Location: Lawrencburg, IN
Location: Lawrenceburg, Indiana

Re: CBX Racing

Post by Rick Pope »

Silicone and fuel/oil can have disastrous results. Some silicones react differently, and it depends on the liquids, but I've paid the price of other's misteaks. I had an oil pan gasket resealed on a truck. All they did was loosen the pan and squirt silicone in the gap, and re-tighten. Silicone oozed inside and eventually broke down to the point it fell off and plugged the oil pick-up screen. Needless to say, the repair required a new short block.
Rick Pope
Either garage is too small or we have too many bikes. Or Momma's car needs to go outside.

User avatar
Syscrush
ICOA Member
ICOA Member
Posts: 1714
Joined: Fri Sep 14, 2012 2:29 pm
Location: Toronto, ON
Location: Toronto, ON

Re: CBX Racing

Post by Syscrush »

Rick Pope wrote:Silicone and fuel/oil can have disastrous results. Some silicones react differently, and it depends on the liquids, but I've paid the price of other's misteaks. I had an oil pan gasket resealed on a truck. All they did was loosen the pan and squirt silicone in the gap, and re-tighten. Silicone oozed inside and eventually broke down to the point it fell off and plugged the oil pick-up screen. Needless to say, the repair required a new short block.
As far as I'm aware, as a general rule there's no sealant of any type that comes out of a tube and can withstand gasoline.
Phil in Toronto
A cool guy deserves a cool bike, a dork needs a cool bike...
Pics of Perry, my '79.

Post Reply

Return to “Daily Discussion: By, For & About CBXers”