Upgrade 1: How to turn a Motorcycle to ‘yours’

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Ducati Update 1

I got a custom paint job on the way (the boring Ferrari image red dress gotta go!). Till it comes in, I’ve made some mods to the bike which 1) look better (for my taste), and 2) saving weight. I absolutely HATED that high/black windshield and replaced it with a shield from a friend until mine is coming. The mirrors got replaced by cheap SSR block off plates.

The shock cover is carbon now, and the heavy gas cap got replaced by a $19 (!!!) CNC machined gas cap which I believe looks bad ass. I am happy now that I couldn’t sell my brand new Hyperpro RCS steering damper I had left from the R1 project… because the Ohlins damper was not working at all. Now I have 24 position getting satisfied with.

How to turn a Motorcycle to ‘yours’

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Most riders are too afraid to turn some wrenches on their bikes themselves, but since we know that there is a potential to adjust levers etc to a riders advantage (see previous articles), we could more or less easily semi-project our bikes and make them ‘ours’ on a bigger scale. I have such a fun doing this as soon as I have a new bike, that I am willing to share the process with you. You might get a taste of one or another upgrade, and try it on your own motorcycle. All the things I am doing are going under the motto… finding performance (power and grip) resources, reducing weight (general and rotating masses), and last but not least- the look of it. All of this as affordable as possible! It all begins with the actual motorcycle and its raw numbers, so here is our ‘example’:

2014 Ducati Panigale 1199R

This is a pretty darn good bike already, so we don’t want to mess around much with geometries and electronics. The picture shows a absolute stock 1199 which comes up with these facts:

  • 195 HP at 132 Nm of Torque
  • 525 chain, 15/41 sprockets, gear ratio 1.77
  • Weight of 165 Kg (363.8 pounds)
  • Power/weight ratio: 1.1818 HP/kg

Let’s see where these numbers- and the appearance of “Cleopatra” is going…

Summarize- A necessary strategy

To just sit down with pen and paper  and to make notes in which direction you want to move forward makes sense already, but to also set upgrade limits per month and in logic installation phases even more. This makes you staying in control of costs and fall-out time. Plain said… if you just go by feel, then you probably start working on something which takes too much time- or to have parts ordered which you can not use at a certain time on the project. What happen is that you can’t use the bike at all in between. So spend your money wisely and order parts logically. Start only working on it when the parts arrived, and skip on the frustrations.

Let’s do this

Each time I’ve done a upgrade phase, I will post about it here as soon as I can. So watch out here for new posts- or go on ‘Coach’s Motorcycle Bible‘ where the story will be summarized. Watch out for the next step!

Coming soon: Upgrade 1

Report SBC Track Day at Thunderhill West Raceway on 8/5/2017

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Another track day by Superbike-Coach has been done last Saturday.

I personally have mixed feelings- while my crew reports clearly positive experiences from our participants. Six minor crashes and one more serious, is not what makes me happy, but things like this happen and we are still way beyond average vs other organizer statistics. There were some incidences on the track violating our rules, but it has been sorted out. There is always someone who tries to make things look bad and swims against the river. All we can do is to help to solve problems.

First off… the serious crash after lunch break on turn one was David Cardinal, and besides a broken leg he is totally fine. I’m talking to him since then and he impressed me with his unbroken spirit: “When is your next track day Coach?!”

David’s right handle bar came loose while he was braking into turn 2. Scary, isn’t it?! Naturally a rider grabs even more when the lever goes away… uncontrolled and in panic. That caused the bike to flip him front over. Here is what his video camera could caught: https://www.dropbox.com/s/ttdkaf4iysuclqf/Thunderhill.mp4?dl=0. We’ve seen the bike later and could confirm the loose center bolt which suppose to hold the bar in the clamp. You’re some tough kid David!

It always surprises me that some riders are still thinking that doing a track day fixes their riding problems, which is why I’ve made this article back in February “Does a Track Day make you to a better rider?!” Again- it does not. It actually add’s problems, especially when you are the first time on a race track ever. A track day is for the love of the fun. To expect wonders just for riding some laps with an instructor is more or less naive. Go to a solid cornering school. Do I know one?… yea, my Cornering School which I also run on a track… no parking lot non-sense. Next class is on coming Saturday. You think you are ‘to good for this”?!… then you might check on you ego first.

Thanks to my team! I can’t be more proud of all of you guys. Next SBC BBQ is coming up! Love you guys.

Superbike-Coach photographer Dean Lonskey could pick some featured pictures before he has thousands of rock solid pics uploaded to our server. As promised… all for nada… free…

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