CBX Racing

[Warwick Biggs]

Whoops a daisy. Why does it do that?

[Syscrush]

Have you looked at the new R7? It's basically an SV650 set up for the track. It should be easier to live with and cheaper to own than a track-prepped SV - IMO it's the most interesting new bike of the past several years.

[Warwick Biggs]

Yes, Phil, I have.

We have a few R7's racing here but they are simply not competitive in any of the modern classes without spending a lot re-building them. They haven't been on the market long enuf' to get cheap repairable right offs either. My pick of the mini twins or super twins as they are also known would be the 650 Ninja or the 660 Aprilia. They have the competition runs on the board. But it's not a class that really appeals. If you want fast, get an R6 imo. Yamaha are still selling them here, albeit track only at over $20K.

There are heaps of SV's being raced altho' they do require suspension and transmission upgrades, most commonly Ohlins or Nitron shocks and GSXR1000 front ends, stronger 3rd gear and 520 chain conversion. The one being built for me will have those mods. But I'm mainly looking for a cheap, reliable, road registered bike that I can also take to the track occasionally and run in the Limited class without any major expenses. Like all my bikes it has a 120/160 tyre combination and parts are plentiful and cheap. Cheap is cheerful and it won't cost me a penny - just a straight swap for the Duke.

I still think BM's are the best sport/touring road bikes money can buy but after being pinned against a fuel bowser by my last one they are just too heavy for this old codger. I have also agreed, subject to a track test, to purchase a Husqvarna 701 Vitpilen with hardly any miles on the odo that is being specially modified for me by a meticulous race bike builder with upgraded springs, revised geometry, Brembo M50 caliper, higher rear sets and Akropovic pipe. I have ridden a similar bike and they are simply the best platform for a top super mono. Nothing can brake as hard or as far into the apex or carry corner speed like them short of a MotoGP bike. If you want to spend upwards of $40K you can have the ultimate Vitpilen re-built by Kramer in the Evo2 or if you are lucky and rich enuf' and want the best mini twin you might line up for the next limited run of Kramer KTM RC8's.

But you don't need all the expensive carbon fibre and high end stuff, just to have a great track bike. Stock standard the Vitpilen makes 75hp from the 690 KTM motor and stripped for the track they weigh under 140kgs, with more single grunt to leap off corners quicker than most race bikes costing ten times as much. With a good stock 2-way quickshifter and intuitive lightweight handling from the fully adjustable White Power suspension, they run rings around stock R7's but when properly set up for racing, they can compete with the fastest superbikes on all but the highest speed circuits.

At the moment I'm still strong enuf' and fit enuf' to enjoy racing the Lump in the historics but for how much longer I don't know. I do know that I have already realised my physical and financial limitations in punting modern superbikes and super sports. A fast super mono will enable me to keep my eye in on track days without the pain of the latter bikes. At least, that is the plan. Plus, I like the idea of surprising the youngsters on their shiny trackday superbikes on something a bit down market and out of the ordinary.

[Syscrush]

If you want fast, get an R6 imo.

I agree 100%. But given the stated interest in bikes like the SV, Duke, and 701, I was assuming that the requirement is for something that isn't fast.

There are heaps of SV's being raced altho' they do require suspension and transmission upgrades, most commonly Ohlins or Nitron shocks and GSXR1000 front ends, stronger 3rd gear and 520 chain conversion. The one being built for me will have those mods. But I'm mainly looking for a cheap, reliable, road registered bike that I can also take to the track occasionally and run in the Limited class without any major expenses.

I don't doubt that the R7 is less capable than a properly set up SV, but It's hard for me to believe that one could have an SV with those mods at a lower total cost of ownership than an R7. If you're able to find one and it's what you want, then I hope you'll have a lot of fun with it.

I had an '00 SV650S that I converted to naked streetfighter. I put DL handguards on it with integrated LED turn signals, an Acerbis Cyclops headlight, Ermax hugger, undertray, and rad covers, frame sliders, and R6 RSU front forks, brakes, and wheel in the OEM SV triples (bored out from 41mm to 43). I also replaced the gauges with a Veypor and custom cluster of LED idiot lights, and replaced the pure garbage R/R with one from a CBR600RR. Shot the whole thing with black bedliner and threw on Maxxis Presa supermoto tires and rode it through a Toronto winter. It was a sweet bike, but the carbs never worked 100% right - and were especially bad in colder weather.

All that to say that I'll always love 'em - especially the "curvy" 1st generation.

[Warwick Biggs]

Well, it won't cost me anything Phil, so that is great because I don't fit with the KTM. I had thought of pulling the rear Marchesini off and using it on the CBX but not sure whether it looks 'perod' enuf' altho' the reduction in unsprung weight on the driven wheel would be great.

I finally got around to playing with the Lump and the Gunson colortune plug. I was waiting for a retired aircraft engineer to come over to interpret the colours and he was waiting for a nice day to bring out his track modded GS1000.

Here is a pic of the plug and I hope you can see that instead of a ceramic insulator it has a clear glass insulator so you can actually see into the combustion chamber in real time with the motor running. It was helpful and if you go fractionally to the orange (rich) side of blue on the throttle opening then you have the perfect mixture on the bypass circuit which is the first quarter of the throttle opening - that critical bit when you are feathering or accelerating.

What it told me was that I could probably go up to 65 pilot jets which is what they originally came with and I may still have them if I didn't swap them for smaller jets. On the CR Specials you are able to lean off over size pilots with the air screws but you can't get more fuel in by cutting the air, so it is like time - only goes one way.

[Syscrush]

Do you run it on a dyno when using these?

I expect you're not permitted to run a data logging Lambda sensor in competition, but it seems like there would be nothing stopping you from using one when testing & tuning on a non-race weekend, right?

[Warwick Biggs]

No Phil, I don't have a dyno altho' I keep thinking I should build one.

Our historic rules are all about appearances so Lambda sensors should not be allowed. However, the faux historics like the ultra modern Irving but vaguely Vincent that I have to compete against in Period 5 (up to '82) run them together with ECU's and 'mechanical' fuel injection and get away with it. It revs higher than a full race Ducati V twin and makes nearly double the power. The company that builds them bought some of Irving's patents and designs from his widow and uses their iteration as marketing for their services to the mining industry. You cannot buy one and their team appears to have an almost unlimited budget.

When Ken Onus made my current exhaust we discussed installing sensor screws in the headers so that they could be installed for tuning and then removed for racing. However, to be of any real use we would have required 6 and they are not inexpensive. Also at 18 mm they are quite large and the blanked off screw holes would be unsightly and so I decided against it.

I am still thinking of how I can reduce electrical consumption in a total loss set up. 3 basic options present themselves. Replacing the 3 X 2.4 amp coils with modern low resistance coil over plugs; running the pickup off the tacho drive to eliminate the wasted spark; or, dumping total loss altogether and installing a lightweight race generator or magneto to re-charge the battery. However, finding a competent and creative bike electronics person to work thru' these options remains a challenge.

[Syscrush]

That all makes sense. I've looked at the same logistics of setting up 6 lambda sensors on my bike - even if just for dialing in the tune - and came to the same conclusion. I will hide 1 downstream of the collector, but will rely on MAP sensor readings to get balance between cylinders.

[Syscrush]

No Phil, I don't have a dyno altho' I keep thinking I should build one.

Modern hobby electronics make this surprisingly accessible. You'd need more than this mechanically, but the electronics and software would cover you. From there, it's just a platform with a heavy rolling drum.

[Warwick Biggs]

Having approached the w/e track session with trepidation and not feeling 100% from covid as well as expecting a continuation of carb problems with the NC30, I was pleasantly surprised to complete 4 sessions with the little V4 absolutely flying. We were quicker than most of the modern 300 SS bikes. So much so that I kept running out of riders to dice with even tho' my sinus's were streaming and I was quickly running out of steam.

I also managed a final session on Dave's Vitpilen and never having used a both ways quickshifter, kept needlessly reaching for the clutch. Wow! Even tho' I was pretty knackered by this time and trying to acclimatise to a very different bike, it was so easy to ride fast. With stiffer springs in the WP forks and Z04 Brembo race pads in an M50 caliper it could be braked way later than anything I have ever ridden and I was at least 50 metres deeper into the final corner at the end of the straight than my latest braking marker. Shifting down well into the corners was also no problem with the auto blipper and slipper clutch and then it would hold any line I chose, encouraging me to be far more precise in using all of the track on the way out. However, the grunt from that big single had the Maxis rear tyre spinning up on exit and I had to avoid shifting up full throttle over bumps and inadvertent wheelies, so I had to be judicious with the throttle.

This thing is like a modern Manx Norton except it has all the modern electronics, revs to over 9,000 rpm and makes over 20 hp more in a lighter and stronger chassis. I think I'm in love and I can't wait to put a better back tyre on it and maybe a power commander to take advantage of the Akropovic race system. It is now on the stand in the workshop for a thorough going over with Loctite. Even with twice as many balance shafts in the motor than my KTM Duke it still vibrates, albeit more like a V twin than a big single.

Meanwhile, on the CBX front I am awaiting a set of 65 pilots on back order from Japan but my next race won't be b4 March 2024 due to various conflicting commitments. So, no rush and otherwise both my historic race bikes are ready to run whenever I am.

[Syscrush]

You're making me really want another KTM or Husky - glad you had such a good time on it after the disappointment of the KTM.

[Warwick Biggs]

The bikes are very different despite being similar on paper, Phil. The Vit has more power and torque from the KTM engine thanks mainly to different cams. But more significantly, the packaging is totally different. While the KTM is a converted MX bike in motard form, the Vit has a much lower centre of gravity with more of the weight moved forward onto the front wheel. It is also significantly lighter than the KTM.

The way they perform is also totally different. Where the KTM wants to slide, especially the back like a motocross bike, the Vit has tons more grip. Even with the Maxis road tyre Dave fitted for the test it was carrying more corner speed. The people who race them reckon the back should be lifted around 20 mm, usually by fitting a Nitron R3 rear shock but for what I want it for that is probably unnecessary. At least until my riding matches the capabilities of the bike.

Ducati has just released a supersquadro of similar capacity and layout but slightly less grunt in an effort to compete with the Vit so the supermono class is hotting up a bit. I reckon Husqvarna might have another go at the Vit and their Aero concept bike could be a pointer to where they are headed. They are also returning to road racing with a factory squad in the Euro series with a young Oz rider.

[Syscrush]

Ducati claims that the Superquadro Mono is the most powerful production single in the world (a title that my 690 once held).

Even though I have no opportunity or skill to make real use of one, I've been fascinated by the SuperMono/450GP builds that didn't quite take off 15+ years ago. It's dumb, but I still want one - even though I wouldn't f't fit my fat ass on one:

http://www.450gp.com/EN/vehicles.html

[Warwick Biggs]

But the claim is spurious. Not because it has yet to be independently verified but because even based upon Ducati's figures, the Vit produces more torque across the range. It is axiomatic that torque wins races, not horse power, so even if the Duc motor manages more power at peak revs, it is irrelevant to the purpose of the motor. In that sense the claim is spurious.

It is well known that Ducati has long benefited from Dorna's homologation rules by producing small runs of of road registrable race bikes with the latest tech and materials. KTM is now out-Ducati-'ing Ducati by doing the same thing, while Husqvarna as a now well funded small team within KTM is doing it's own thing with the Austrian giant's blessing.

This focus on small, adept and adroit individual teams in racing is virtually anathema to the Japanese way of doing things. At least until Japan produces another Soichiro Honda.

[Syscrush]

the Vit produces more torque across the range.

If that were true, it would also produce more power.

It is axiomatic that torque wins races, not horse power

I'm torn here, because I don't want to get into this argument again, but this is a patently untrue statement. Yes, there are factors other than peak power that matter, but at all engine speeds and road speeds, it's power that causes acceleration.

On my bicycle, I can generate more torque at the crank than an S1000RR, but somehow I don't think I would beat even the worst-ridden S1000RR in any conceivable race.

This focus on small, adept and adroit individual teams in racing is virtually anathema to the Japanese way of doing things. At least until Japan produces another Soichiro Honda.

The days of crazy Honda are so different from what they've been for the last 20 years that I honestly wonder if Soichiro Honda could even land a job at Honda in 2023, much less run it.