"100% Never Makes The Grid"

What Kevin means by this is, getting your bike 100% perfect before you place your bike on the starting grid, is impossible. There is always some additional adjustment that could be made to make the bike perform better. Whether it’s a different spring in the forks, different tires, different chassis geometry, maybe a different approach to a certain part of the track that they didn’t have enough time to test in practice and qualifying. I’m sure there is some way that you can use this analogy with your own life.

In April 22nd’s newsletter, Securing Fasteners, I talked about using the wire rope method for securing the front brake caliper bolts. However, in the list of things I need to do before my first track day this year, it’s towards the bottom. This would be a 95th or 96th percent item. Of course, you do have to pass tech inspection, in both track days and professional racing events. What does my list have on it? Well, that’s a good question. I could jot some things down and call it a list, but I’ve done that before. And it wasn’t all that great. I need a better list. One with priorities.

So here are my priorities. The first two are a chicken or an egg. Which one comes first? The bikes or the truck. You truly don’t have priorities, if two are tying for the same position. To have priorities, one has to come first, and I’m calling it the truck. The truck is more important than the bike, for a motorcycle track day??? I’m saying, yes. The truck hauls me and my family (irreplaceable items), plus my enclosed trailer which has my bikes (expensive, however, replaceable). If I can’t get to the track, then what’s the point of the bikes? The truck is coming up on an oil change. Since the first track day is two weeks away, this gives me enough time to get eyeballs on things as I’m changing the oil. If I see something out-of-sorts, then I have extra time to correct it. Such as, do I need brake pads? How do the belts and hoses look? Are any of the fluids low? If so, why? This reminds me, except for the oil and brake fluid, it’s been three years since all the other fluids have been changed. Next, is the enclosed trailer. I know, I know, I said the bikes were next, but I am considering the enclosed trailer as part of the truck. So next, I will be checking the trailer’s brakes and greasing wheel bearings.

Ok, now the bikes. I usually bring two bikes, one as a backup just in case something happens. Like the time I drove all the way to Willows, CA for a track day at Thunderhill and the fuel pump went out on me in the middle of the day. I only had one bike at the time and fortunately the track day provider rented me a nice bike at a cheap price.

Since I’ll be riding towards the end of May in Puget Sound. The chance of rain is high. Which means I need to mount and balance the new rear rain tire that I have for my Kawasaki ZX6RR. Oil was changed on that and the R1 at the end of last season.

In the next two weeks, here’s my list of priorities on top of my other priorities in life.

1. Truck’s Oil Change & Inspection

2. Check the Trailer’s Brakes and Grease the Wheel Bearings.

3. Install New Rear Rain Tire on the ZX6RR’s Spare Wheels.

4. Mount & Balance New Front & Rear R1 Tires.

Even though the R1 is my main ride (Bike #1), installing the new rear rain tire for the ZX6RR is more important because that bike also has a set of DOT’s, which can be ridin on a dry or damp track. This way, the ZX6RR is ready for any unpredictable end of May weather. From no cloud in sight, to a downpour. You never know what challenges life throws at you, however, it’s most likely I will have time to mount and balance new tires for the R1.

Other things that I would like to get done, but not a requirement. These are like the last percentages of things that may not make the grid.

1. Change the Fluids in the Truck, that haven’t been changed in Three Years.

2. Change the Fluid in the R1’s forks.

3. Secure the R1’s Brake Caliper Bolts using the Wire Rope Method.

4. Mount & Balance New Tires for the RC51.

I haven’t been sitting around all off season. Here are some things I’ve accomplished: An oil change and cleaned the exhaust screen on the portable generator. Installed and verified correct operation of the Kit ECU for the R1, this was a major project. Plus all the other hardware supporting the Kit ECU, such as non-ABS brake lines, exhaust, keyless main switch (ignition), keyless gas cap. Rebuilt the R1’s brake calipers and installed new brake pads. And added a wire rope method to securing the oil filler and drain plug.