Author Topic: Ready For The Races!  (Read 5907 times)

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High On Octane

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on: April 12, 2014, 02:39:50 pm
I spent a late night in the garage last night getting the bike ready for the flat track races today. I wanted to do it this morning but the boss is making me work today, so I had no choice but to do it late last night.  I did get a lot done tho!

I adjusted the valves one by one and I'm certainly glad that I did.  As I pulled the valve cover for the #2 exhaust valve I discovered that the valve adjuster lock nut had come loose and the valve adjuster was spinning all willy nilly.  So that was definitely the cause of some of the chatter I was hearing.  Also, the other 3 valves were about .005-.008 out of adjustment.

Next I pulled the exhaust and changed the oil in the engine and trans.  The engine oil didn't look too bad, as it shouldn't because as much as it leaks it is always getting a fresh supply of new oil.  Nothing of noticeable mention in the drain pick up screen, the filter or the filter magnet.  I didn't have a new oil filter, but the one that was in there I just installed last fall, so I did what the old manual says to do and just cleaned it with gasoline and then blew as much of the fuel out of filter as possible with compressed air.  The trans oil was in need of flushing as it had a nice metallic tint to it.  I ended up putting about 300ml in the trans and just over 2 quarts in the motor.  It turned out that I had EXACTLY enough oil to do them both.  :D

I also replaced the breather tube.  I have been using vacuum line for this but I noticed that the rubber keeps breaking down, so I replaced it with 4' of 5/16" fuel line.  I also cleaned the oil filter yesterday too while I was at work.

My biggest disappointment tho was about 8:30p when I went to Advance Auto Parts to buy new plugs and fuel filters.  Unfortunately, they are no longer stocking my plugs OR filters.  :(  I ended up having to drive to the other side of town like a maniac to the only store that had my plugs on the shelf.  I get there and find out they are open until 10p on Fridays and Saturdays.   :o   Anyways, I bought the last 4 plugs they had and passed on the fuel filters for now.  Good news is that the 2 plugs I installed I was able to index perfectly!

So I should be all set for this afternoon!  I'm super excited!  I've been racing around my whole life, but this will be my first time competing in a sanctioned race.  Wish Me Luck!   :D

Scottie J
2001 Harley Davidson Road King


Blltrdr

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Reply #1 on: April 12, 2014, 02:53:28 pm
Luck

Hope you do well today. Should be a blast.

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ace.cafe

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Reply #2 on: April 12, 2014, 03:12:34 pm
Good luck!

Video!
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ERC

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Reply #3 on: April 12, 2014, 03:47:44 pm
Good luck Scottie, hope you have a great time.  ERC
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High On Octane

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Reply #4 on: April 13, 2014, 05:40:57 am
I Took 2nd Place In The Main Event!!!!!

What an awesome night and wicked awesome fun!  We got 2 heats of practice laps in before the races started.  The first practice run kind of sucked tho because for some reason they let 3 or 4 pro riders in the same practice heat as us which made things a little nerve racking.  It's hard when you are trying to pass your friend and all of a sudden a guy comes flying around you in the turn sideways.  For the second practice heat it was just Hooligan bikes and it was a lot funner and easier to navigate not having to worry about when and where someone is going to come smoking past you.

For the 1st heat of competition I almost took the Hole Shot!   8)  Unfortunately my lack of experience had me riding up high in the turns instead of holding the inside lane.  After I dropped to 4th position I said to myself "Get inside dumb ass!" so I did.  I held onto the #4 position until turn 3 of the final lap when I came in real tight on the inside and overtook the 3rd position just before the checkered flag.    :D

During the intermission the winds started to pick up and reports from neighboring towns were stating that the overnight storm was starting to roll in from the west.  We spoke to the race organizers and they agreed to let us run the 1st Main Event so that we could pack up and head out before the storm reached us.

I came out and nailed the hole shot!   ;D  However, Nate made an excellent move splitting Kevin and I exiting out of turn 2 and took the lead on lap 2.  I stayed on him the whole time and in lap 3, I believe it was, he messed up and went into turn 1 hot and high.  I thought I had him for a moment, but he recovered just as I was making my move on the turn 2 exit and he pulled back in front of me.  I was on his ass for the last 2 laps, trying desperately to takeover the #1 position, but I just couldn't quite catch him.  But I did maintain and hold onto the #2 position for the entire race and placed 2nd at the checkered flag!   :D   I'm pretty proud of myself for taking the #2 spot in the Main Event.  Being that I was on a 56 year old machine when I have never actually raced on a track before.  Let alone a dirt flat track!

I have every heat on video via my helmet mount, so I will try to get some video posted sometime tomorrow.  I also filmed 1 heat of the Vintage Open Class and some other stuff.  Also, the professional photographers were there and they also got some pics of me and Jason racing that should be posted onto their website Wednesday evening.

Scottie J
« Last Edit: April 13, 2014, 06:25:01 am by High On Octane »
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High On Octane

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Reply #5 on: April 13, 2014, 06:04:48 am
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ace.cafe

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Reply #6 on: April 13, 2014, 09:01:44 am
Very awesome!
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High On Octane

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Reply #7 on: April 13, 2014, 01:59:34 pm
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ERC

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Reply #8 on: April 13, 2014, 04:14:50 pm
Wow VERY IMPRESSIVE great job with the camera again.   ERC
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High On Octane

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Reply #9 on: April 13, 2014, 05:01:18 pm
Here's a video of the main event shot from the Grandstands last night!  It's so cool hearing your name announced after placing in the Top 3!  The video is titled Race #1 but this was in fact the Main Event.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JcdoQY4N1Gc
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ace.cafe

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Reply #10 on: April 13, 2014, 05:53:52 pm
Killer!

You're hooked now!!
 8)
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azcatfan

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Reply #11 on: April 13, 2014, 07:22:36 pm
That's Awesome!  Great riding!  8)
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High On Octane

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Reply #12 on: April 13, 2014, 08:03:30 pm
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High On Octane

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Reply #13 on: April 13, 2014, 08:06:36 pm
Yeah Tom, I might be hooked now.  :D

You know, in the Main Event, I felt like I could have pushed the bike harder than I was except I was actually scraping my foot peg in the turns.  I guess that just gives me a good reason to install rear sets.  ;D  I was getting the ass end to slide a bit without being scared about it.  ;)  A couple more times out and I think I could take the #1 Podium Spot.
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ERC

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Reply #14 on: April 13, 2014, 11:50:57 pm
And a steel sole on your left foot.  ERC
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ace.cafe

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Reply #15 on: April 14, 2014, 12:01:43 am
Yeah Tom, I might be hooked now.  :D

You know, in the Main Event, I felt like I could have pushed the bike harder than I was except I was actually scraping my foot peg in the turns.  I guess that just gives me a good reason to install rear sets.  ;D  I was getting the ass end to slide a bit without being scared about it.  ;)  A couple more times out and I think I could take the #1 Podium Spot.

This is what every racer is always saying.
"If I did this or that, I could have been even faster".
It never goes away. It's in the blood.
Just enjoy it!
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High On Octane

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Reply #16 on: April 14, 2014, 01:47:07 am

This is what every racer is always saying.
"If I did this or that, I could have been even faster".
It never goes away. It's in the blood.
Just enjoy it!

No Damn it!  I NEED to go faster!  I want to win!    ;D

But yeah, looking back at race video footage is productive.  The first time you watch it's like "Yeah, that was cool"  Then every time after that it's like "You accelerated out of the turn too late.  You braked too early.  You lost your line."  But you know what?  I'm finally living a life long ambition and I can only get better.  You know?  I've already been thinking about going back to the track during the week when no one is there just to see how hard I can push myself and try to learn how to slide the rear end out on the entrance to the turn.  I learned last night that when guys are sliding their rear end on the entrance they are actually off of the throttle and using drag to slide out and then get back on the throttle in mid turn.  I'm pretty sure they never touch their brakes.

Scottie J
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ace.cafe

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Reply #17 on: April 14, 2014, 01:58:23 am
No Damn it!  I NEED to go faster!  I want to win!    ;D

But yeah, looking back at race video footage is productive.  The first time you watch it's like "Yeah, that was cool"  Then every time after that it's like "You accelerated out of the turn too late.  You braked too early.  You lost your line."  But you know what?  I'm finally living a life long ambition and I can only get better.  You know?  I've already been thinking about going back to the track during the week when no one is there just to see how hard I can push myself and try to learn how to slide the rear end out on the entrance to the turn.  I learned last night that when guys are sliding their rear end on the entrance they are actually off of the throttle and using drag to slide out and then get back on the throttle in mid turn.  I'm pretty sure they never touch their brakes.

Scottie J
What I'm saying is that even when you win, you are thinking about how you could go faster. It's the racer's mentality.
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High On Octane

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Reply #18 on: April 14, 2014, 02:09:30 am
Well hell!  I've been that way since I started riding a Big Wheel!    ;D
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ace.cafe

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Reply #19 on: April 14, 2014, 02:31:07 am
 :)
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Reply #20 on: April 14, 2014, 12:08:27 pm
congratz.so very exciting!
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Reply #21 on: April 14, 2014, 11:13:45 pm
Nice one, Scottie - a great weekend for Royal Enfields in competitions on both sides of the pond, by the looks of things!  8) 8)
 B.W.


DanKearney

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Reply #22 on: April 14, 2014, 11:24:36 pm
Nice goin' Scottie! 


Videos are pretty cool.  Looks like the front was really movin' in.  It's strange to see headlights on the bikes on a racetrack.


Cheers,


Dan K.


High On Octane

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Reply #23 on: April 15, 2014, 03:43:17 am
Nice one, Scottie - a great weekend for Royal Enfields in competitions on both sides of the pond, by the looks of things!  8) 8)
 B.W.

Indeed it was an excellent weekend for Royal Enfields! 2nd place finishes on both sides of the pond!  Cheers to you and your team Paul!

Nice goin' Scottie! 


Videos are pretty cool.  Looks like the front was really movin' in.  It's strange to see headlights on the bikes on a racetrack.


Cheers,


Dan K.

Yes the storm was moving in quick.  I felt like that scene in Fear And Loathing Las Vegas when Raoul Duke was in the desert reporting the desert race!  It was intense but I didn't hold back much.  Like I said, the last 3 laps of the main event I was scraping my foot peg and sliding the tire a bit.  I really want to go back out and practice some more.

AND I called the race track today and it sounds like I will in fact be getting a trophy for 2nd place!  I left before the end of the races because I was afraid of getting caught in the storm.  But I left a message for the guy in charge of that stuff and he is supposed to call me tomorrow to verify.  :)

Scottie J
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High On Octane

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Reply #24 on: April 16, 2014, 01:08:57 pm
I'm excited for today!  I'm leaving work early so I can go check out this 2 bed 2 bath condo with garage at 3:30p.  And when I'm finished with that, the photos from the professional photographer should be uploaded to his website this afternoon!   :D

Scottie J
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High On Octane

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Reply #25 on: April 17, 2014, 01:48:49 am
The proofs/pics were uploaded to the photographers website today!  Granted, these are just proofs, but I will be ordering the actual pics by the end of the week.  Check out pic #2 and how close my foot peg is to the track.  I told you I was scraping a bit!  ;D










Here is the link to the website for more photos of me and the rest of the racers

http://www.xtremexposurephoto.com/g/33-scottie_usher


Scottie J
2001 Harley Davidson Road King


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Reply #26 on: April 17, 2014, 04:09:48 am
Looking good Scottie!
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High On Octane

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Reply #27 on: April 17, 2014, 04:12:24 am
Here's The actual photos.














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Reply #28 on: April 17, 2014, 02:24:00 pm
Looks like you were having fun there, too. When a bike is enjoyable to ride, it goes so much better for you in a race  ;)
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Reply #29 on: April 22, 2014, 10:49:31 pm
Well done Scottie, I watched the vids they are great mate.

Your motorcycle looks fantastic too by the way.

Regards Charles
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