Absent, But Not Silent

I've been more absent in this personal blog of mine than ever before, but really, it's not for a dwindling interest in blogging, or content to even write about. On the contrary, I've been at my most prolific since becoming a paid blogger over at RiderzLaw.com, and if anything, I take blogging more seriously now than ever before.

What suffers then is my upkeep of this personal blog of mine, which even if this is where my moto-blogging adventures really started, has now taken a backseat to my blogging work over at RL. I suppose I could just copy and paste everything I submit to RL, but why be redundant?

Personally, it's enough for me that my thoughts and words exist somewhere, not necessarily everywhere.

At Thunderhil​l Raceway, May 2014 - Progress (Report)

This last time out in Thunderhill Raceway was my second time back on it on my 2002 R1, since bringing it out of retirement from the track after selling my 2007 R1.

During my last Thunderhill outing, I surprised even myself when I managed to turn in laps on the 2002 R1 in my first trackday back on it, that were knocking on my personal best that took me all of last year to achieve on the 2007 R1. I had been looking forward to this return to Thunderhill, as I wanted to know if I can build on the great start I had with my return to the bike I’ve been most familiar with.

There have also have been changes to the bike itself since the last time out. The bodywork swap itself isn’t much of a difference in weight, but no longer needing things like the headlight and taillight meant that some discernible weight was shed. Where weight-shedding that really matters occurred though was at the wheels; whereas I used to run the OEM cast aluminum wheels for my track tires, this time I opted to finally run my Marchesini forged aluminum wheels at the track, which are lighter and stronger than their cast aluminum counterparts.

As I always do during a trackday, I spent the first few sessions of the day getting up to speed to the track again. Thunderhill Raceway’sTurn 3 had actually been recently repaved, and so had to be a throw-away corner for the day as it offered questionable grip since its repave just the night before.

The shakedown sessions also allowed me to come to grips with the new behavior my motorcycle was exhibiting, which all could be attributed to my lighter wheels. Because the engine had lighter rotating mass to drive in the rear, the bike was accelerating quicker, hitting the rev-limiter sooner than I’ve been accustomed to. I had to adjust my shifting plans I’ve long adopted, as I now find myself needing to shift up to one more gear during acceleration, before I can get to my next corner’s braking marker.

And speaking of braking, while it’s never been a strong suit of mine out on the track, I felt as if I was also conquering this shortcoming this time out. Much like the engine able to spin the lighter rear wheel faster, my brakes also had less rotating mass to stop from the front wheel. This meant that I was able to brake later than I usually do, and stop in shorter distances. A couple of occasions I found myself lifting the rear wheel off the ground as I braked for a corner (Turn 14), which was not something I could/would typically do. I may have looked more chaotic than I normally would, but it was controlled chaos from where I was.

By the second half of the trackday after lunch, I felt I was acclimated to my bike’s new behavior, and the track condition had been stable, so it was time to run my lap timer to see where we were at. Though I had been running in the Advanced Group for the day, it was one of our most packed trackdays as far as attendance, so there was still traffic to negotiate, but at least the speed delta was not too bad.

I turned on my lap time and did a session. There was some traffic to be negotiated, but none too troublesome. When I returned to the pits at the end of my session and checked on my times, hoping to be where I left off three months ago, I was pleasantly surprised:

I did pick up right where I last left off, but even better, I bested my new personal best overall!

But before the day was over, I had a feeling I could even go faster for the day. It was a Friday trackday before a club racing weekend, so a lot of fast club racers were in attendance using the day for practice. Even the fastest of the fast racers were there in my group, as they would come flying past me out on the track. I devised a plan to be able to get a tow from them; I couldn’t just follow them right out of the grid, as their warm-up lap would be blazingly faster than mine. But if I could start my warm-up lap as they would be halfway done with theirs, they should be caught up to me just as I’ve finished warming up, and can therefore turn in my hot laps. This meant that by the time they came to pass me, I can comfortably push to try and stay with them.

And it worked, having timed it perfectly, they passed me one at a time, and though each one would pull away after passing me, they would be within my sight for a corner or two, allowing me to replicate their lines and approach. By the time one fast guy was too far out, another had passed me to give me a tow. For about a lap and half or two, I had numerous fast guys to follow in the different sectors of the track.

When I pulled into the pits and checked my lap timer, my jaw dropped.

A 2:05 lap time is the fastest I’ve ever gone around Thunderhill Raceway – I have a new personal best! I would’ve been fine with and only expected incremental improvements on this bike since returning it to the track, but I’m making leaps and bounds! I don’t know if I can get to lap times of 2:00 flat around Thunderhill Raceway before this season’s over, and I certainly did not set such a goal for myself and the bike this year.

But that is what I have my sights set on now.

There is just nothing quite like riding on something you have full confidence and comfort in to do what you want to do, when you want to.

Blacked Out

It's a new chapter with my R1.

Of course it had to have a new look!

Quitting Street Sport Riding (expounding)

Fitting track tires tot he R1 for the last time, indefinitely.

Following one of my latest entries when I wrote about hanging up street sport riding on my R1, I thought I’d just expound on that decision since writing it over a week ago. Understandably, one could think that I may have acted (or reacted) rather cavalier over something that has been a very integral part of my life – enjoying spirited sport riding in some of Northern California’s best motorcycle roads – that maybe I should’ve given myself a day or two after the incident before I decided on how the experience should’ve impacted me. Admittedly, the next few days after the incident, I was extremely distracted, finding myself going by my day-to-day tasks like a functioning junkie – I was present, but not really.

But to be honest, a week later and I’m still at peace with the decision that I made.

Those that know me know that I’ve always intended to “ride my R1 to the ground.” Even for all the blood, sweat, and tears I’ve put to turn my R1 into the bike that I would gladly retire in my living room, I never did have the heart to not ride it, so I decided that the only way I would retire it was if something so catastrophic happened to it, that I would be better off turning it into my living room trophy. It just so happens that no matter how many times the bike and I have hit the deck – and there have been quite a few – the bike just keeps getting back up with me, ready for more.

But what if I never get to ride the R1 to the ground? What if I end up riding myself to the ground first?

It was a profound experience to have looked over a fallen rider, myself standing over them in my own riding gear. It was a snapshot, a reflection of what could be the only thing left for me if I continued on with what I was doing. Because for all the experience, abilities, and skills I have in operating my sport machine on the street, and even if my spirited pace on public roads isn’t even half of what I do on a racetrack, the fact that I have been able to ride away and come home from the accidents I’ve had can only be pinned down to one resounding fact:

Luck.

That’s all I’ve been – lucky.

Everybody has made and will make mistakes on a motorcycle. But on the street, it isn’t necessarily the mistake that can hurt you – it’s what could be out there waiting for your mistake. If it isn’t an oncoming vehicle, perhaps it’s a guard-rail. If it’s not a guard-rail, then it could be a tree. If it’s not a tree, it could very well be a steep ravine to fall into. And believe me, I’ve known of riders passing away due to every one of those things I’ve written.

I’ve even known of riders who got killed for NOT making a mistake – they were simply a victim of someone else’s mistake.

At Sonoma Raceway on the 20th; if not out on a racetrack, the R1 will be garaged.

By all means, I’m not trying to discourage anyone from riding the street, spirited or otherwise, and even I’m not swearing off street riding entirely, just on this R1. This is a personal decision that only I will live with, and it may not even be something I can live with for long.

Either way, I’m at peace now.

Quitting Street Sport Riding

It’s Sunday night, 8:30PM at the time of starting this entry. About twelve hours ago, I rode to meet with my friend Jenn. She had previously asked me if I wanted to ride today. I hadn’t planned on it, but Jenn wanted to join a group ride, but not by herself, so I agreed to join the ride as well.

She and I arrive at the group meet spot just before 10AM, and the rest of the attendees started to filter in not long after. This group ride is effectively the only group ride I ever attend, so it was good to catch up with familiar friends and faces, and see the new crop of regulars and attendees. My interest may have been waning as of late over street sport riding, but having a laugh with friends never really gets old.

Kickstands were up at 10:30AM, with the riders divided in two groups – spirited and mellow – as is customary to this type of ride. I stayed with my friend Jenn in the mellow group. Thirty minutes later, we came upon a scene that I never want to see again.

The aftermath of a head-on collision, in the first group ahead of us.

The rider failed to negotiate a corner at speed, going too wide and colliding with an oncoming car in the opposite lane. Another rider – a friend of mine – was also involved, as the bike pictured above slid back into the lane after impact, right in the path of the second rider. My friend suffered serious injuries, but he will be fine.

The first rider did not make it, seven days until his 30th birthday.

When our group got there, I tried to do what I could to help contain the scene and clear up the road. I’ve done it before, more times than I care to count. But I’ve never seen a rider motionless, with pools of blood under them. I’ve never seen emergency personnel take turns to do CPR on someone for what seemed like forever. I’ve never seen a tarp go over a rider lying on the side of the road.

The same road that’s one of many I have frequented for my own riding pleasure.

Once law enforcement and medical personnel were able to contain the scene, we were all given the go ahead to vacate the area. Jenn and I rode together on our way home. We said our goodbyes, and I’m sure she was as glad as I was that it wasn’t one of us involved.

I got home, and I renewed the registration for my R1 that is to expire next month.

My days of suiting up for sport riding in the canyon and mountain roads are done. For how long, I don’t know, but it’s done as of now. What I saw today did not scare me, but rather gave me clarity. I’ve done these roads enough to last me two lifetimes, and it’s clear to me now that there remains nothing for me to gain by continuing to ride them the way I’ve been.

There is more riding to be done in various disciplines, and I’ll continue to ride my NT650 to and from work, while my R1 will only be ridden at the track now.

I mentioned that my interest in street sport riding had been waning as of late, but I never could quite put my finger on exactly why. Well maybe it wasn’t something for me to figure out, rather, something I needed to see.

Even if just once.

1988 Honda NT650 Hawk GT

Yup, the cult classic.

We don’t need to have me write the how’s or what’s and why’s of its cult status, just simply Google “Honda NT650” to get your primer. Rather, I just want to recount how exactly I came to ownership of what is effectively my very first Honda motorcycle, fourteen bikes owned later:

It was just a regular Wednesday, right in the middle of a work week. The day before, in wanting to try a very different kind of motorcycle that I’ve never had, I contacted a seller after coming across his ad in the local Craigslist. Ultimately, we agreed for me to see the bike that Friday, which would’ve been my next immediate day off from work. I typically don’t like waiting that long to see a bike in person that I have even just a bit of interest in (because I would be so fixated in the mean time!), but the seller assured me he hadn’t really had much interest in the bike since he posted it for sale fourteen days ago. I felt a little better about waiting then, but that really only lasted a day.

The next day while at work, I asked the seller if he had time that afternoon to show it. He did. I have a perfectly fine helmet I’ve retired sitting on my desk at work, so I thought, “hell, why not?” I made the arrangements to leave work early, taking my retired helmet with me, and headed to meet the seller and the bike. I even brought the cash for the seller’s asking price. The seller and I met, talked over and around the bike, then I handed him the envelope of cash to hold while I rode the bike.

All I knew before I got on the bike was this was a motorcycle first made 26 years ago in 1988 (I was only six years old!), with a production run of only four years after Honda pulled the plug from weak sales. I’m not going into the logistics of why they did, but suffice it to say that regardless, the NT650 was simply a bike that was made before it needed to be. The common consensus is – and I believe it be true before even riding one – it was simply ahead of its time. Way ahead. So then, what was it like to ride an old bike that was made too soon?

Well...

Neither old nor young, but stands the test of time.

When I was working for Monterey County in my late teens to early 20's, I remember working with a woman who was easily 30 years my senior, at least. Despite her age, she kept herself to a form that rivaled any young woman between her age and mine. And I'm not talking about the plastics, paint, or silver and gold women adorn themselves with – just naturally beautiful, and whether by diligent work or good genes, her body just defied its age. I always wondered what it would be like to spend time with a woman like her.

But now, I imagine it'd be just as much of a good time as I had riding a well-kept, 26-year old motorcycle that somebody built just right at their first try. And I would probably be right about this too – a first date just wouldn’t be enough. I would want to take her home.

So I did. The question now is this:

Will this be just an affair of infatuation, or can this be long-term?

Let’s find out.

Not Missing a Beat

I sold my 2007 R1 trackbike last month.

The intent in buying that bike was to retire the TAAF R1 from track duty to help preserve it, yet 2013 was actually the worst year I've had on it, having had a lowside in May, then taken out by a car in October. And since I really wasn't finding the confidence on the 07 R1 that I have on the TAAF R1 - despite working on it all season - suffice it to say, the honeymoon was officially over for the TAAF R1. It was time to bring it out to the track again.

Back in track duty, over a year later.

I had my first track outing on this bike again on February 24th, after about 14 months since I turned a wheel on any track on the bike. I was expecting some atrophy as far as pace given the time in between, so my goal was simply to end the day in the sub 2:15's lap time around Thunderhill Raceway, so at least I'd know that I can still do A-pace (generally). I would've been STOKED if I can do sub-2:10's, but it took me all season last year to finally do 2:08's on the 07 R1 - a pace that I was doing on this bike since 2011.

2:08's on the 07 R1, finally, during the last trackday of 2013

I spent the first two sessions yesterday getting acclimated on this bike again at track speed. Even though I've been riding it for the street, the two disciplines require a different kind of riding. I was also timing my sessions to get as much free track ahead of me throughout a lap, to keep my lines consistent. It was on the session just before lunch break when I decided to run my lap timer, and I was fortunate enough to string together some laps that had no traffic whatsoever.

And talk about a pleasant surprise...



2:11's.

Goal achieved!

Sub-2:15's indeed well before noon! Boy was I relieved that the extent of my pace's atrophy on this bike wasn't too excessive. I felt like popping a cold one open for lunch had there been one! So I wondered if I could get to sub-2:10's that day after all. I was getting my groove back on the bike, the conditions were awesome (clear skies, in the 70's, perfect track conditions), and with 34 riders in total for the day (private open day), low chances of dealing with any traffic.

I took my time getting back to the track after lunch, wanting to let everyone else get their post-lunch warm-ups done. It wasn't until almost 2PM that I went back out to get myself back up to speed. When I went back to the pits to rest for the next session, I didn't go out until the track seemed to have less activity, then I turned on my lap timer and went back out.

Unfortunately, while I didn't run across successions of riders during my session, I couldn't do a whole lap without having to get around at least one other rider each lap. I strung together four flying laps before giving up since I couldn't be without a clear lap.

But an even pleasant surprise...



2:09's!

 It took me half a day on this bike to do what it took me a whole season to do on the 07 R1.

I LOVE THIS BIKE.

The Gift That Keeps Giving Back

Just over two and a half years ago, I inadvertently found myself on the receiving end of one of the most fantastic experiences of my life.

 

Suffice it to say, though I had only hoped to display my bike in any area they could make available for me under the Yamaha banner, what Sarah allowed me to do at the time was more than I dreamt of. It was like an evolution from my decision to turn my motorcycle into a “moving billboard” for The Aneurysm and AVM Foundation (TAAF), to being able display this work in a motorsport event that I religiously followed!

That experience remains to be one of my fondest memories with my motorcycle, which in no doubt can be attributed to Sarah Timleck’s appreciation of my efforts for TAAF through what I had done with my bike. For the longest time, I didn’t know if my bike and I could ever top that accomplishment, and would’ve been happy to let that be the highest note. But fast forward to now, and much like then, my bike and I find ourselves with an amazing opportunity well beyond my intent...

Image courtesy of Performance Bikes

 Peformance Bikes (PB) is a motorcycle magazine hailing from United Kingdom, which in my opinion, is really the only motorcycle magazine worth reading no matter where you live as a motorist, even if you have to pay premium for an international subscription. Which reminds me,I should probably subscribe already and stop stealing my friend Rob’s monthly issues...

Each month, PB asks their viewers to submit their pride and joy, a handful of which are chosen by PB to be featured in their two-page Riders’ Specials segment, with a photo of the bikes and some choice words from the owners. Last month, I submitted my bike. So what that I was a reader from the US – worse that could happen was they say “Thanks, but no thanks,” and the best case scenario was they’d let my bike have a corner of their page in the next issue. As luck would have it, they did accept my bike for their Riders’ Specials column for the March 2014 issue. Of course I was beyond STOKED at the prospect of seeing a photo of my bike and my name printed on the magazine that I would religiously steal from my friend Rob!

Only, I didn’t just get a corner on their page after all...

The guys and gals at PB were awesome enough to choose my bike as their pick from all the submissions, giving my bike and words a full-page spread!

Even in the age of digital information and media, where your actions and words can reach farther than you could intend or imagine, there is still something to be said about seeing your work and name printed on a regularly distributed publication as an achievement. This moving billboard of mine I made to create awareness for TAAF, for it to reach as far as the United Kingdom in a publication that I respect – well – it makes one feel very accomplished.

This bike has taken me places I didn't think I could get to.

To be honest, it’s a bit strange to be continually rewarded for an effort that you intended as a gift to something greater than you. 

But I’m not complaining!