Man, there's nothing like a new racebike. Imagine if you could get one for less than a hundred bucks! Superbike Italia set up my suspension this weekend at Grattan. I'm just blown away by the results! I already had all the good stuff on there, and had done what I thought was a decent job of getting it all dialed in. I was WRONG! Ken "Laid his hands" upon my bike. I watched what he was doing, and was fairly amazed as I saw how much he improved the overall balance. It was an education just to watch him work. Then I rode the bike.... I came back to the pits with tears in my eyes, on the absolute verge of a panic attack. I mean, I was absolutely freaking out! See, I've been riding the track long enough that I don't really think about how to ride the bike any more. The bike speaks, I listen, and I give her what she needs to be happy. Sounds strange, I know. But this technique works for me. Well the bike was asking for more throttle in places where I'd previously been tapping the brakes! Oh my Gawd! I started to feel like the bike was riding me, and that I wasn't ready to go where she wanted to take me. Yes, the change was THAT dramatic. Session by session, I got used to my new bike. Man, the thing would stick anywhere on Grattan's bump-riddled surface. Places that had previously been a no-man's land were now viable passing routes. It was just amazing. Best of all, I could now gap my teammate Nick. Previously, he'd had the annoying habit of leaving me, and on a smaller bike no less! Well NOW things have been put into their proper order. Seeya Nick! :lol: So obviously, I've gotta recommend a suspension setup from Superbike Italia as a must-have accessory for any motorcycle. I've paid other guys to set up my bike before, but NEVER with results like this. I told Ken that his shop's slogan should be, "We'll tune your suspension, but you'd better stock up on knee pucks!"
+2 I dropped 3 seconds after having him set up my bike. I had trouble with the bumps at Grattan ,and couldn't believe the places I was getting my knee down after the setup. I highly recommend.
+3 for Ken. He did a great job on my bike putting within a click on forks and shocks. And it was a cheap insurance plan to make sure I did not screw anything up over the winter while doing maintenance. :lol: Rob
Sounds like I know what I'm doing with my money this winter.(Only time I can afford stuff like that. It seems like I'm always broke with my new track obsession.......Then again. I like it so who cares right. )
Well, yeah. Good suspension is expensive. But in the meantime, any bike can benefit from a professional setup of the components it already has, and Superbike Italia does that very inexpensively. Get together with Ken at the next track day for a setup session. I already had the good stuff, but it wasn't set up right. Ken dialed my suspension in, and it only took about 45 minutes or less.
I set it off some suspension settings someone gave me, but to be honest with you I don't even know what a truly dialed in suspension feels like. I'm thinking that I just might look up Ken at Superbike Italia........Do you know if he will be at BeaverRun this weekend???????
your best bet would be to call him: http://www.sbkitalia.com/ ken's a really good guy, although I got off to a shaky start with him, I'd be happy to stand behind him. K3 isn't the first friend of mine to give their bike to Ken at Grattan and 45 minutes immediately drop 3 seconds off their laps. Ken's probably going to do both of my bike's suspension at some point this year. I kinda doubt that he'll make the drive to BeaverRun, though. I justchecked his schedule, it looks like he's going to Tally this weekend. More likely, however, MPH ( http://www.mphohio.com/parts.htm ) will be there. they're really good, too. Doug set my Beemer up for me at Gingerman last summer and they also straightened out my forks & delivered the bike to BeaverRun, last October. Both times it was as if some kind of magic had been applied to the bike. Dollar for dollar, suspension is the best investment you can make in your bike. even something as simple as proper set-up, as k3 is attesting, can make a world of difference. if you have an extra $60 in your pocket, a visit to the trackside suspension guru is a great way to spend it. as a novice, you might not see the difference right away, but it will pay off down the road. cheers, Lance
Thanks again Lance. I actually might have a couple extra bucks this weekend. It turns out that when you turn 25(I know I'm a youngin.) your car insurance drops off quite a bit.... . I'll try to look someone up. Also you are a fellow rider, ex-military and only live 20 min. max from me. So if you need any help lifting some stuff or something let me know. Just send me a PM( I know you are healing.) Take care.
I'd say you'd be making a wise investment to have Ken adjust your Yammy. But from what I've seen, you don't need to be any faster!
Gotta concur on the MPH folks . I had the ZRX there and once they waved their magic wand on it , what was a wallowy beast in the corners was transformed . This is what happens when your bike is not set up right It is a track muffler thought
Nope I just lost the fire (ignition fuse popped, traced to a chafed wire @ the kill switch) Unfortunately someone else did ,He said that he was target fixating at the big ugly green silver and black bike up on the hill , or maybe it was the rider. lol Ill be at MO July 3rd , I think working it out at the moment , you were riding the Aprilia right ?
that looks familiar....but i regret to say that was made before the fz1 was even on the track. took the bike to deals gap with 19 miles on the odometer to 'break it in'.
Well, it's good to hear you didn't go down. I did see your bike on the side though. I was the guy in the novice group on the pretty green ZX -6R