Paulie's FZ-07 SP: MotoGP Edition

[pgeldz]

@mrpuss, I'm using the foot pegs that came with the Driven TT rearsets. I like them because they are not 100% round, and more like half moon style which gives slightly more ground clearance at higher lean angles. I like how the toe pegs on the Driven TT rearsets ARE folding, but the actual footpeg isn't - because the footpegs act as another source of protection for the frame in case you go down...best of both worlds IMHO.
 
I'm not sure of a folding foot peg option for ya though unfortunately.

[pgeldz]

I'm happy to report that my first track day of this season was a success! It was met with a lot of adversity though.  Last week, my riding buddies toy hauler got stolen.  All his gear was inside except for his bike, helmet, and gas jugs.  He was my ride since the truck I'm restoring isn't quite finished yet, so when he told me what happened I thought the track day was scrapped.  He had other plans though.  He really wanted to go, so he got all new gear and everything needed to make it happen.  He arranged to borrow our buddies 3 bike trailer and we headed out to Chuckwalla Raceway in So Cal Wednesday night.
 
It's about a 4 hour trip for us, and with just 45 miles to go, the trailer blows a tire.  It didn't actually blow, but rather the tread came off and so did the welded-on aluminum fender with it.  We were in the middle of the desert, and it was pitch black.  Of course we didn't have a spare either.  I was thinking...all this trouble to get to the track - what happens when we actually get there and start riding?  Is this a sign for us not to go this time?  We mulled it over for a split second and made too much effort to make it...not much else to do but press on.
 
We did the last 45 miles at 35 mph because the steel belts were showing through the carcass of the tire and we did our best to not over heat them.  We made it, and one our buddies who was already there arranged for someone to go to town to get a new tire for us in the morning, so we could concentrate on the track day without worry.  Motorcycle people are the best...on to the track day!
 
I posted a little while ago that I finally got my forklift stand...well that was to set me up for some tire warmers for this season.  They came in and I couldn't be happier.  They are Capit Maxima Spina tire warmers from Italy, same brand as used in MotoGP.  These are nice because not only are they waterproof and flameproof, but the pair of them only require 650 watts witch is less then half of some other brands.  This means you don't have to have a giant generator to run them.  In fact, we ran a regular set of warmers AND these Capit warmers on a small 1800 watt generator and it didn't even break a sweat.
 
 

 
 
The last time I was at Chuckwalla (which was my first time there), it was cold as hell - in the 50-60 degree range (I live in Vegas so that's freezing to me, lol). There were a lot of crashes due to low track temps so I was very weary about the pace on track.  The locals said a good time for someone new at this track on a bike like mine was around 2:20.  I started right about there, and in the five 20 minute sessions I did got it down to a best lap of 2:13 and change.  Was pretty happy with that.  This was in the counter clockwise direction.  The next day was in the clockwise direction and I never really felt comfortable in that configuration.  I only did 2 sessions that day and called it quits.  Didn't even install the lap timer.  That was over Thanksgiving weekend last year and was the last time I was on track.  Rode my bike on the street once since, and it was only to visit a friend at his shop.
 
Fast forward 3 months to last Thursday, and I'm back at Chuckwalla for my first track day of the season.  Come to find out were running in my least favorite direciton, clockwise  
 
Since I don't have reference times for that direction, I asked around the paddock and the general consensus is that there is only about a .5 of a second to 1 second difference between clockwise and counter-clockwise.  
 
Headed out on the first two sessions to get to grips with the clockwise direction of the track, and put the lap timer on for the rest of the day.
 
My first timed lap was a low 2:14, only a half a second off my best lap in November.  I was really staring to get the feel for the track, not to mention the tires, Woodcraft bars and Driven TT rearsets.
 
The next session I was averaging 2:11's.  A guy I met at the track followed me for quite a while on his Ninja ZX6R and caught up with me at the end of the session.  He was stunned I was on a "street" bike with turn signals and street tires and going so strong.  He told me he couldn't pass me because my corner exit speeds were very high, but he did see 2 corners where my line could be much better and even make up more time.
 
I rode the last session with his advice in mind, and my lap timer was showing low 2:10's mid way through the session.  I still felt comfortable with my pace, so I decided to put my head down put in 1 "hot lap".  I got good drive out of the last corner and attacked this lap from the start.  I remembered the advice I got in the paddock and when I came to that corner I made a serious effort to change up my line and take his advice.  You can imagine my surprise when I looked at at the lap timer on the next straight and saw "-1.34" heading into the next corner.  I had the AIM Solo lap timer display +/- and it does it in real time, so I knew right away that the changes I was making on that lap were working.  I pressed on, and crossed the start/finish line to my best lap ever at 2:08.57!  I was ecstatic!!!
 
It was an awesome way to end the day, and the whole trip in general.  Here's looking to the next one
 
- Paulie

[Mr.Puss]

@mrpuss , I'm using the foot pegs that came with the Driven TT rearsets. I like them because they are not 100% round, and more like half moon style which gives slightly more ground clearance at higher lean angles. I like how the toe pegs on the Driven TT rearsets ARE folding, but the actual footpeg isn't - because the footpegs act as another source of protection for the frame in case you go down...best of both worlds IMHO. 
I'm not sure of a folding foot peg option for ya though unfortunately.

 My concern was damage to the rearset, but now that you mention it, overall damage to the bike with a folding foot peg would probably exceed the value of the rearset, not to mention the headache.  Good points sir. 
I did manage to find compatible m10 foldy elbows from 'twistedthrottle' that work with MFW pegs. Though after your insight I'll stick with the Driven pegs.
 
Thanks @pgeldz
 

[sorkyah]

 
 

I'm happy to report that my first track day of this season was a success! It was met with a lot of adversity though.  Last week, my riding buddies toy hauler got stolen.  All his gear was inside except for his bike, helmet, and gas jugs.  He was my ride since the truck I'm restoring isn't quite finished yet, so when he told me what happened I thought the track day was scrapped.  He had other plans though.  He really wanted to go, so he got all new gear and everything needed to make it happen.  He arranged to borrow our buddies 3 bike trailer and we headed out to Chuckwalla Raceway in So Cal Wednesday night. 
It's about a 4 hour trip for us, and with just 45 miles to go, the trailer blows a tire.  It didn't actually blow, but rather the tread came off and so did the welded-on aluminum fender with it.  We were in the middle of the desert, and it was pitch black.  Of course we didn't have a spare either.  I was thinking...all this trouble to get to the track - what happens when we actually get there and start riding?  Is this a sign for us not to go this time?  We mulled it over for a split second and made too much effort to make it...not much else to do but press on.
 
We did the last 45 miles at 35 mph because the steel belts were showing through the carcass of the tire and we did our best to not over heat them.  We made it, and one our buddies who was already there arranged for someone to go to town to get a new tire for us in the morning, so we could concentrate on the track day without worry.  Motorcycle people are the best...on to the track day!
 
I posted a little while ago that I finally got my forklift stand...well that was to set me up for some tire warmers for this season.  They came in and I couldn't be happier.  They are Capit Maxima Spina tire warmers from Italy, same brand as used in MotoGP.  These are nice because not only are they waterproof and flameproof, but the pair of them only require 650 watts witch is less then half of some other brands.  This means you don't have to have a giant generator to run them.  In fact, we ran a regular set of warmers AND these Capit warmers on a small 1800 watt generator and it didn't even break a sweat.
 
 

 
 
The last time I was at Chuckwalla (which was my first time there), it was cold as hell - in the 50-60 degree range (I live in Vegas so that's freezing to me, lol). There were a lot of crashes due to low track temps so I was very weary about the pace on track.  The locals said a good time for someone new at this track on a bike like mine was around 2:20.  I started right about there, and in the five 20 minute sessions I did got it down to a best lap of 2:13 and change.  Was pretty happy with that.  This was in the counter clockwise direction.  The next day was in the clockwise direction and I never really felt comfortable in that configuration.  I only did 2 sessions that day and called it quits.  Didn't even install the lap timer.  That was over Thanksgiving weekend last year and was the last time I was on track.  Rode my bike on the street once since, and it was only to visit a friend at his shop.
 
Fast forward 3 months to last Thursday, and I'm back at Chuckwalla for my first track day of the season.  Come to find out were running in my least favorite direciton, clockwise  
 
Since I don't have reference times for that direction, I asked around the paddock and the general consensus is that there is only about a .5 of a second to 1 second difference between clockwise and counter-clockwise.  
 
Headed out on the first two sessions to get to grips with the clockwise direction of the track, and put the lap timer on for the rest of the day.
 
My first timed lap was a low 2:14, only a half a second off my best lap in November.  I was really staring to get the feel for the track, not to mention the tires, Woodcraft bars and Driven TT rearsets.
 
The next session I was averaging 2:11's.  A guy I met at the track followed me for quite a while on his Ninja ZX6R and caught up with me at the end of the session.  He was stunned I was on a "street" bike with turn signals and street tires and going so strong.  He told me he couldn't pass me because my corner exit speeds were very high, but he did see 2 corners where my line could be much better and even make up more time.
 
I rode the last session with his advice in mind, and my lap timer was showing low 2:10's mid way through the session.  I still felt comfortable with my pace, so I decided to put my head down put in 1 "hot lap".  I got good drive out of the last corner and attacked this lap from the start.  I remembered the advice I got in the paddock and when I came to that corner I made a serious effort to change up my line and take his advice.  You can imagine my surprise when I looked at at the lap timer on the next straight and saw "-1.34" heading into the next corner.  I had the AIM Solo lap timer display +/- and it does it in real time, so I knew right away that the changes I was making on that lap were working.  I pressed on, and crossed the start/finish line to my best lap ever at 2:08.57!  I was ecstatic!!!
 
It was an awesome way to end the day, and the whole trip in general.  Here's looking to the next one
 
- Paulie

 
Damnit paulie.... adopt me already would ya?
 
gratz on an awesome track session
maybe we'll see you get sponsors and whatnot soon
 
 
 

[pgeldz]

@sorkyah, thanks man! I had a ton of fun. Wishful thinking on the sponsors though lol.
 
- Paulie

[sorkyah]

@sorkyah, thanks man! I had a ton of fun. Wishful thinking on the sponsors though lol.  
- Paulie

so thats a no on the adoption?

[pgeldz]

@sorkyah , thanks man! I had a ton of fun. Wishful thinking on the sponsors though lol.  
- Paulie

so thats a no on the adoption?

More wishful thinking, lol! 

 
- Paulie

[blackout]

Paulie, Awesome thread! Thanks for sharing.
 
-Craig
 

[aeisan]

Paul, you are going in the right direction bud! Good on ya! Glad to see you're well.
 
I had some catching up to do on this thread. Was great reading about your progress since last November.

[pgeldz]

Paul, you are going in the right direction bud! Good on ya! Glad to see you're well.  
I had some catching up to do on this thread. Was great reading about your progress since last November.

Thanks @blackout and @aeisan !   
@aeisan, where ya been?
 

 
- Paulie

[aeisan]

Torn between riding - and riding haha. Crappy choices right?
 
Been spending more time in the MTB saddle than the Yamaha saddle. Spring fever is upon us though, so I'm hoping to bring the two back into balance!

[pgeldz]

Happy to report another successful trackday at Chuckwalla.  Full write up and vid coming soon (waiting on footage from my buddies' R6 on-board cam).  For now though, just wanted to show @sorkyah , @gregjet , and @pattonme that I am getting closer to the apexes...a little too close in this case!, lol.
 
[instagram url=https://www.instagram.com/p/BDZzpQPvEJu/]
 

 
- Paulie

[sorkyah]

Happy to report another successful trackday at Chuckwalla.  Full write up and vid coming soon (waiting on footage from my buddies' R6 on-board cam).  For now though, just wanted to show @sorkyah , @gregjet , and @pattonme that I am getting closer to the apexes...a little too close in this case!, lol. 
[instagram url=https://www.instagram.com/p/BDZzpQPvEJu/]
 

 
- Paulie

thats not the apex.... thats a curb damnit

[pgeldz]

Lol @ @sorkyah !

[pattonme]

you'll get used to climbing the curb. I still don't recommend it. Tends to upset one's concentration. And ruins the next 3 corners.

[pgeldz]

you'll get used to climbing the curb. I still don't recommend it. Tends to upset one's concentration. And ruins the next 3 corners.

Tell me about it!  It's definitely a mental thing.  I CAN get closer, but in my head I'm thinking my knee is gonna catch the top of the curbing and throw me off, lol.  What I've learned thus far in doing track days, is that my potential is only limited in my mind.  I've improved in every track day since I started last year, and I'm sure the bike is no where near its limit  

 
- Paulie

[gregjet]

You still seem to be leaning too much and not climbing off enough to keep the bike more upright to get more power down earlier ( also makes the bike more stable under brakes). Your uphill side knee is sticking up into the air instead pushing on the "tank" to support you off the side.
I notice that because I used to do EXACTLY the same thing. Didn't know it until I saw photos of myself on the track.
Can you get a coach? They will see stuff you are doing that you don't realize you are.
Keeping the bike more upright and climbing inside is MORE important than with MotoGP bikes as they have torsional flex built into the frame to act as "suspension" when they are at serious angles. Street bikes are too rigid for that. A bump or hole will unweight or bounce the bike, or flex the tyre or swingarm or forks, if it is too leaned over as the suspension isn't in line with the bike's suspension travel. And NOT in a controlled way. Big unpleasantness results

[pgeldz]

@gregjet ,
 
Going to the track this weekend. I'll work on my body positing and take video
 
- Paulie

[12ival]

@gregjet , 
Going to the track this weekend. I'll work on my body positing and take video
 
- Paulie

Are you going out to Spring Mountain? I was thinking of going out their and watching. Just to see what goes on. Is that allowed?  

[blackout]

@gregjet , 
Going to the track this weekend. I'll work on my body positing and take video
 
- Paulie

Looking forward to the footage and write-up!

[pgeldz]

Are you going out to Spring Mountain? I was thinking of going out their and watching. Just to see what goes on. Is that allowed?

 
Of course it's allowed! There might be an entry fee at the gate of $10 though. Not sure if that's only for participants or spectators as well. Come on out though, if it doesn't rain, should be a great time!!!
 
 
 
 

Looking forward to the footage and write-up!

 
Me too, haha...if it doesn't rain that is. It's looking pretty gloomy to be honest, but I'm still gonna go no matter what. Weather changes too fast around here for it to put a damper on my weekend
 
I'll do the write up for sure, but video might lag behind just a little bit. I still need to put some video together from last time out at Chuckwalla, and then there's the footage of Laguna Seca I still need to do. I made big strides with the Laguna Seca vid a couple of weeks ago and got the intro almost wrapped up, but the meat of the vid is prob gonna take a lot longer. My schedule has been slammed packed as of late and I'm short on free time now-a-days. I'll get to it though...sooner than later I hope. As long as you guys keep enjoying them, I'll keep making them 
 
The Laguna Seca vid is much different than anything I've attempted thus far, because I want to make a short documentary film instead of just some footage of me doing laps. I developed a storyboard for it, and have been slowly chipping away at it. I'm working on the storyboard in tandem with the video editing, so when I make progress with one, I make progress with the other. Finally got the beginning/intro nailed down last week, and ran it by a friend of mine who was in town visiting. He's a professional graphic artist/art director and seemed to like it, so at least I'm moving in the right direction hopefully. Having said that don't go expecting some big production, lol...it's still just me and a GoPro when it's all said and done, with some clips I pulled off the internet to pull it all together
 
- Paulie
 
 
 

[pgeldz]

Finally got all the video footage from my buddies R6 to post up a proper video!
 
For a long time now, I've been wanting a straight up apples to apples comparison of lap times so I could see if I've had a measured improvement since I starting doing track days last year...
 
I finally got that chance a few weeks ago.
 
For those of you that may have read my last trackday write up, I posted that I had a pretty good improvement from a best lap of 2:13 something in November last year to a 2:08:57 this February at Chuckwalla Valley Raceway.  It wasn't a true apples to apples comparison because the lap from November was counter clockwise and the lap from February was clockwise.  In looking online at the track records for all the different classes they race in out there, their is a disparity of about 1 second consistently between the two directions.
 
A few weeks ago when I posted that small Instagram teaser clip of me running close to the curbing and my leg coming off the peg...it was in the counter clockwise direction, same as from November of last year.
 
So I finally have a straight up comparison to measure my progression.  The only thing that's changed are the tires.  Went from Pirelli SC SP's, their best street tire, to their SC2 (hardest compound available) DOT race tire and tire warmers.  It's still treaded and not a full slick, but the Pirelli rep and just about everyone else in the paddock said they're good for about 2 seconds a lap faster than the street tires, all things being equal.  I didn't do any set up changes to the bike either, so I was astonished when I finally had a look at the lap timer.  Not only was I a full 7 seconds a lap faster, but my consistency improved too, with most of my laps within .5-1.0 seconds of each other.  
 
Have a look:  Top row shows 2 best sessions from a few weeks ago, bottom row shows two best sessions from November.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
And for those of you who liked the Instagram teaser clip I posted, I finally got my buddies R6 footage to make the rest of the video.  This one is a little longer at about 10 minutes, but it really shows the difference of the characteristics between the R6 and the FZ-07.  Had some good battles once again with my buddy Sebastian.  Hope you enjoy it!
 
 
 
[video src=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Vo4atZkCvQ]
 
 
 
Oh, and @gregjet, I know exactly what you mean about my uphill knee not pushing into the tank, but it just seems impossible to do that with this bike.  The rearsets are just not high enough, and when I do get off the bike a little, my outside inner thigh is the part pushing me against the bike and more against the seat and not on the tank, if that makes sense.  I'll still work on it though...there's always something to improve upon it seems.
 

 
- Paulie
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

[jeffkisthename]

Thanks for the visuals @pgelds!
 

[gregjet]

OK here is my 2cents worth ( remembering I am NOT a trained coach for motorcycles, although I am for mountain bikes which only helps a tiny bit).
 
I reckon you 7seconds faster is mainly due to good old better riding. You look MUCH better and more relaxed ( more on that to come). The tyres obviously help and could mainly be a confidence thing. Your body movements are nice and smooth.
You still appear to me to have the bike over too far and not enough body out. The other guy seems to get his body out a bit better ( but he seems a bit too tentative with the throttle out of corners). You have your knee down solid(ish) so you could keep the bike a bit more upright and get you body out a bit more and you inside arm. That should make the bike seem more surefotted mid corner and allow you to acc. a bit earlier and harder out.
There are a couple of corners where you are hunting the throttle. It's dry and looks grippy and you don't have enough power to have power traction problems on this bike. Might be worth trying to acc. earlier and smoother to get a better slingshot. You don't do it on all corners but a couple seem to make your throttle hand a little skittish. one is near the last corner I think. Could be the 07's tendency to wheelie I suppose. If so see if you can put more pressure down on the bars and a bit more on your feet and less on your backside. And maybe a finer ecu tune if it is still jerky.
You do look a bit tensed up still. This could be just you but also you may need to refine you body and contact points. The MT/FZ seems to be biased to an upright motard position. There may be some seconds hidden in there.
 
Love the Rossi colour scheme leathers...
 
I am willing to go out on a limb and say the MT/FZ07 has one of the nicest engine sounds ( with a decent exhaust) of any motorcycle ever.
 
I so miss track...
 
 

[pgeldz]

OK here is my 2cents worth ( remembering I am NOT a trained coach for motorcycles, although I am for mountain bikes which only helps a tiny bit). 
I reckon you 7seconds faster is mainly due to good old better riding. You look MUCH better and more relaxed ( more on that to come). The tyres obviously help and could mainly be a confidence thing. Your body movements are nice and smooth.
You still appear to me to have the bike over too far and not enough body out. The other guy seems to get his body out a bit better ( but he seems a bit too tentative with the throttle out of corners). You have your knee down solid(ish) so you could keep the bike a bit more upright and get you body out a bit more and you inside arm. That should make the bike seem more surefotted mid corner and allow you to acc. a bit earlier and harder out.
There are a couple of corners where you are hunting the throttle. It's dry and looks grippy and you don't have enough power to have power traction problems on this bike. Might be worth trying to acc. earlier and smoother to get a better slingshot. You don't do it on all corners but a couple seem to make your throttle hand a little skittish. one is near the last corner I think. Could be the 07's tendency to wheelie I suppose. If so see if you can put more pressure down on the bars and a bit more on your feet and less on your backside. And maybe a finer ecu tune if it is still jerky.
You do look a bit tensed up still. This could be just you but also you may need to refine you body and contact points. The MT/FZ seems to be biased to an upright motard position. There may be some seconds hidden in there.
 
Love the Rossi colour scheme leathers...
 
I am willing to go out on a limb and say the MT/FZ07 has one of the nicest engine sounds ( with a decent exhaust) of any motorcycle ever.
 
I so miss track...
 

Thanks for the feedback!  The engine mapping on my bike is spot on though, so the jerky throttle at times is purely in my right wrist LoL!
 
I'm getting ready to make another video from last weekend at my local track so I'll have to take another look and see where I can improve, etc.  Got into a situation where I literally got hunted down by a buddy of mine on an MV Agusta F3 from over a lap away, and when he passed me something came over me and I tried to stay with him.  It worked until I made a mistake on a corner and ran over the rumble strips...good thing there was a lot of run off, but he was long gone and I couldn't catch back up.  Just to stay with him was something, because he's always about 3-5 seconds faster than me...
 
That'll be the next vid
 
- Paulie