Hi all,

Warning: No factual content in this posting at all. Just me rabbiting on ...

... but I just wanted to say I have had my first session out at Phillip Island on my 'new' 1994 NC30 track bike aka 'the bee'.

Marvellous, just bleeding marvelous. I love it.

I would consider myself quite a novice but at the end of two back-to-back track days I came out a lot better rider than I went in.

Now, why? Everything they say about riding a lower powered bike is true - surprise surprise. You've got to work at it, keep the revs up, concentrate on lines and corner speed.

I just love the way you *must* do these things to progress. Unlike riding a Ducati around there with mountains of torque to get you out of a shitty cornering attempt, you must do it right on the NC30. I got my first real taste of "lose 'em on the straights, get 'em back in the corners". Geeez that was fun.

It handles like a dream, and holding the throttle wide open around that track is just *awsome* fun. The NC30 power is more usable for someone like me. As someone once said - "I'd rather ride a slow bike quickly than a quick bike slowly". But, this thing is not actually slow at all (well okay, the max 210 or so on the straight) . I think my next time at the island will see me beat my personal best (set on a Ducati 999s).

.... and the (BT090) tyres don't look like they've been stressed at all. They were on it (used) when I got it and I've had a couple of days at Broadford (a much smaller, tighter track) and now two days at the island - and they still look just great. The 999s tyres would have trouble lasting two track days.

All in all, what a bloody terrific bike. I am hooked. Honestly, I cannot say enough good things about it.

Here is a vid of the last session. Yes, I am slow, but learning.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_dQrYPUYMNU

But .... things I would improve (all advice welcome):

* The brakes feel a bit lightweight and do not offer a great deal of feel. I'll give 'em a bleed before next run, but I suspect the result will be the same.
* It runs pretty hot. Even on a cool day it will boil when I get back to pits. The bike is race spec, so no coolant and no reservoir.
* There is a flat spot around 7-8k.
* Its got NSR250 clipons so the clutch cable doesn't want to be routed anywhere comfortably. I'll order a NSR250 item and see how that goes.

Greg.

You did a pretty good job there mate, well done.

From memory you said it was running at about 80 odd, I wouldnt say that is hot and mine was similar and got much hotter at broadford. Heat disapation for our little beasts is a problem, esp with the crappy small rads.

Brakes, replace the fluid, and if the pads are old toss them. I put in a set of Performance friction pads and they are much better than the SBS ones that were in there. Although being fair to SBS they were a tad worn so heat soak was more of a problem.

I think the flat spot is made worse as you are in too low a gear, go through the corners faster and the flat spot will disapear.....

Adrian.

Hey ... I know you. You're that bloke on, erm, the other NC30! erm, in the same pit :-)

Slow in corners? Yep. Funny isn't it, I went around turn 4 maybe 90 times in those 2 days and mostly felt I was buggering it up. Engine was strained. But I didn't actually realise how strained until I looked at the vid. And doing my post-game analysis of the vid the times it felt better was when I was actually in the right gear. Amazing that. :-)

I reckon next time down it'll be throttle wide open in T3 and more of it around T1. I need a better line going into the hayshed though to hold it open there. Stuffed if I know what to do at T9, but I'll figure it - I get through there fast enough for knee-on-deck, but it just feels like it is not fast enough.

.... and I'll change the bike to race-shift.

Pads? I think they're Carbone Lorraine.

Cheers for the comments.

I'm no expert but you should defo be flat in T3, also through hayshed, I was flat in both those on 999 abd would work up to it on a thou too. line is not important there as you can't carry enough speed on the little 400 for both those corners. Similar with T12 flat and changing to 5th on entry after you tip in. Do the same in T3 in 6th and I change to 5th just before tipping into hayshed.

I figured out late in the day that you can also go through T1 flat in 6th. But should change down to 5th just prior to apex to get better drive btw T1 and T2.

T2 and T9 are where I will get my biggest improvement. I doubt you have to brake going into both them, the down change and lean should scrub off enough speed but I'm still working up to that. Next time.

T9 you took a wide entry a few laps. Get out of this habit of you will be taken every lap similar on T2.

Legend. Thank you.

I happened to notice an fzr400 there doing 1:53s ... with (heaven forbid) a camera on board. I've pinged him re a youtube vid .... :-)

That probably wont show you more than the other vids you have seen. The main differene between 153 and 148 will be brake lever pressure and throttle position which you cant see on vids only via data.

Come to the next MV practice at broadford after the race one this Friday. it is an easier circuit to improve on as there is more brake to apex and pick up throttle. Also ride my bike back to back to me and we can look at the data afterward. You will see in metres and km/h where the differences are.

Probably the best track in the world,nice vid,im share i speak for 90% of members well jealous .

Very nice vid + track! Admit that I'm jealous

Nice vid.

This was my bro's bike that we both built up. It's a quality bike, good to see that you're both getting on well!

StrayAlien wrote:The brakes feel a bit lightweight and do not offer a great deal of feel. I'll give 'em a bleed before next run, but I suspect the result will be the same.

I think you'll find that they'll always feel a bit wooden compared to recent brembos. For a track bike I would be fitting a set of 03/04 600rr (or sp1/2) calipers on there with Rick O's adapter plates - but these aren't race legal in Oz. They offer better feel, stopping power is about the same as standard calipers. I also used performance friction pads on my race bike with the standard calipers, awesome pads.

StrayAlien wrote:It runs pretty hot. Even on a cool day it will boil when I get back to pits. The bike is race spec, so no coolant and no reservoir.

From memory it has the original rads, but these bikes do run hot. With the price of replica radiators on ebay so cheap these days it might be good insurance to replace the originals.

StrayAlien wrote:There is a flat spot around 7-8k.

It does feel a bit flat there but I wouldn't be too concerned, you shouldn't be spending much time down there! Your bike has full genuine hrc carbs - you could try raising or lowering the carb needles to lean/richen this part of the revs (can't remember what the settings in it were sorry).

It might be worth trying some slicks if you want even more fun next time - 090's are great track tyres, but slicks are that little bit better again. The bridgestone 165 slick is the usual choice for the standard rear wheel.

...Your bike has full genuine hrc carbs

I was wondering why it had a really loud induction roar. Love that sound.

Your RPM needle seems to have a mind of its own sometimes?