An excellent report on the track day! Thanks for sharing 💪

Regarding the new Dunlop slicks, Moto America racers set new lap records last year at Buttonwillow. There is an excellent article about that Dunlop test here. But I personally prefer to use Pirelli SC on K67.

Regarding the BMW suspension and geometry experts, you are absolutely right—there are not so many people who really know the stuff. I ended up working with Steve Weir as an engineer and Ivan Arias from Motorrad House as a mechanic to handle all the setup needs. I decided not to experiment after my crash at 150 mph because the front suspension locked up. Now, I can be confident in the qualifications of the experts who work on my bike and do it at the top level. I’m going to push hard to win the next CRA Novice 1000 season and have to get my bikes set up properly and adjust them based on my feelings and the data from the logger as needed by professionals.

You also mentioned the Rezoma mirrors. They are looking good, but you will be distracted more than it will help you to see anything. I had them on both my bikes. Even have one pair in the box just sitting on the shelf for $500+ I wish I knew I won't use the bikes on streets. I could save like $10k not buying all the toys 🤦‍♂️

Overall, thank you for the post. Like it 👍

 

Did they make any changes at the Chicane after the incident a couple weeks ago with 2 Fast?

 

Lots of details, good to know about the dunlops

 

@Dmytro - Steve Weir is excellent. Top notch. If I was on a 2024 bike getting on podiums I would be ringing him more often. There are 3 MotoAmerica - level mechanics who frequent the Ridge. All 3 are probably great but I didn't deliberately try to pay and retain any one of them to sort my stuff out. If I paid a lot more, I probably could have bought their attention and gotten stuff fixed.

Regarding Dunlops, I know that guys are setting records on Dunlop slicks. They are able to use brand new soft compound slicks for 12 laps then throw them away. I think if I ran the soft Dunlop slicks only when they were brand new, I might do better too, but I don't have an unlimited tire budget. I was amazed that I got 2 full days out of a Dunlop R8 rear and it is not showing any tearing. So for that, maybe the R8 is doing what it was designed to do and I was just expecting too much from it. But to me, it gripped like a poor hard DOT. Any time I pushed it, the rear would just spin and the front end would push really easily. I have an R7 that I will mount on the rear for the next day but I have heard that the R7 and R8 are pretty similar. I don't think I will get the level of grip I want until I go to an R5, but we'll see.

@2024RR, there are no big changes that can reasonably made for the chicane, except, I can say that when I RAN the A Group rider's meeting, riders were asked maybe 5 times to repeat back to me confirmation that they acknowledge that we were running the chicane. Big orange cones were out, but spaced out enough so that people didn't hit them. I was out instructing all day so I wasn't working with track marshals as much, so I don't know if anyone blew it. We had a few crashes on track in normal spots, but no red flags.

I somewhat wonder if anyone has found crisper transmission shifts with the Factory Pro Shift Star and spring. I know that was more popular on the 2010-2014 bikes and that the trans internals were improved somehow. Sometimes I feel like my transmission could be a little bit more crisp. But that is getting a little bit nitpicky.

I haven't made mention of it before but here are some notes about my favorite gadgets that people notice at the track as being super convenient:
Ryobi 1 gallon air compressor off 18v drill batteries, with digital tire gauge - when I run this I don't have to put an air compressor onto my generator.

Amazon.com: RYOBI 18V ONE+™ 1 Gallon air compressor : Tools & Home Improvement

Amazon.com: RYOBI 18V ONE+™ 1 Gallon air compressor : Tools & Home Improvement

www.amazon.com

I bought an i-power (Yamaha) inverter generator and it feeds my tire warmers without complaining.

https://www.amazon.com/iPower-Yamaha-Engine-2000-Watt-Generator/dp/B07L9N8SD7/ref=sr_1_10?dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.DIXEcEFHJ5O_XhF1Ss-e6l1PF-oOhuVWBK8FVN7MXiIqvbCfI0h5AApSobltDAoGb4dD1cT-_ZQ1HonTnFhL8VE7sFsIwxVYCzpmyL_mAoIKETRiy1QPmtX6D7r7aPzZ07ijYu--OKHHmyJiTT7Sx_4kCPhfdfJ4Q9-F9wei6sTp6iPLLG3Udc1tY-mAElhIOKz4K9HfkP4LQpg_EYhPD7R1aN5fjQy-8C2fRrhL-GA.nkPZiLo2j-nh9Pu9W1sOsd1F3RMaA6hCL7Hke3SsidY&dib_tag=se&keywords=i-power+generator&qid=1724293156&sr=8-10

Solar generator with a 100w solar panel - runs trailer LED lights, chargers for phone, lap timer, gopro batteries and more without having to run anything inside the trailer off a generator

Amazon.com: BLUETTI Solar Generator AC50B, 448Wh LiFePO4 Battery Backup w/ 2 700W AC Outlets (Power Lifting 1000W), 0-80% in 45 Min., for Camping, Road Trip, Outage (Solar Panel Optional)

Amazon.com: BLUETTI Solar Generator AC50B, 448Wh LiFePO4 Battery Backup w/ 2 700W AC Outlets (Power Lifting 1000W), 0-80% in 45 Min., for Camping, Road Trip, Outage (Solar Panel Optional)

www.amazon.com

Battery powered gas pump for the 5 gallon fuel jugs. It is so much nicer to not have to lift the fuel can and risk spilling fuel on the bike

Amazon.com

 

Hope to come up next year and meet you, usually around the MotoAmerica weekend if we can get our schedule to match up with a couple track days.

 

Good times!
I'm a Vesrah lover myself. The RJL-XX pads feel amazing on these bikes.
I also have to admit I'm a total Pirelli convert now. I rode on my first set of SC1 and SC2's a couple weeks ago. Not sure I'll go back to my Dunlop slicks now.
I was shocked how good the tire was wearing as well in the hot 90+F days. SC1 rear had textbook wear.

Ride on.

 

Yeah, SC1 is really good, but the rear lasts only one day on hot days. Which is not a problem for me. I’m looking for a better grip and confidence in the corners.

 

I have always loved pirellis. My 2 biggest crashes were on dunlops that let go with no warning. The pirellis give me more feedback that I am able to use, before they let go.

The track org I work with only carries dunlops, which is a major bummer.

 

Did they make any changes at the Chicane after the incident a couple weeks ago with 2 Fast?

yes, they added more cones, tall bright orange ones spaced out. They are tall enough you can clearly see them once you are on the straight.

The local dealer ran out of Pirelli Superbike Slicks is SC1 or SC2, so I had to switch to Dunlop slicks. All I could get was an R5 front and an R8 compound rear. Ugh. These tires are so hard and provide so little feedback compared to the Pirellis I am used to riding on. They don't flex at all. I hate them. They are so hard and the wear is fine after 2 days on a rear without much wear, which is saying something, but if I try to put down even a mediocre lap time the rear starts spinning mid corner and before corner exits. It kind of does this grip-slide-grip-slide thing that is really not fun. Front and rear both slide far sooner than a Pirelli would. I probably need to go to an R3 front and R5 rear, and things would be a lot better. I still hate Dunlop slicks.

Kumpy (Kumpy Race Services, Dunlop dealer) ran out of R8's during the 2-fast days I was there last week and ran an R7. I love the Dunlops, I appreciate the firmer sidewall and for me it provides better feedback than the squishy vague flexible Pirellis. With the Dunlops, the key is you got to get them hot and have the set at the right temp. The seem to last for ever and have great grip. At 275lbs geared up, I can get heat in them and they work great for me.

For this track day I installed new Vesrah XX brake pads. I always use Motul RBF600, with Brembo RCS19/M4 calipers/Spiegler lines and retained ABS. Braking is perfect now. These pads are awesome. I went too hot into the chicane and drug the rear tire for way longer than I ever have, as my ABS was freaking out, but it turned out fine.

Vesrah Pads for the win!! Sage (Pirelli tire dealer who sells them) was out last week and I need to change mine out. Have run them in all my track/race bikes, great feel, last a long time, easy on the rotors and they have relatively minimal brake dust.

Gearing of 16/44 for the Ridge with the chicane is overkill, with a 200/65 rear. I could imagine going down to a 15t front even. I can shift into 6th at 160mph on the front straight, which means that I am not using all of the gearing that I could. I could also imagine shortening my chain by a link to I can shorten the wheelbase, but I don't need to do it. Just an idea for the future.

On my 2023 I am now running a 15/46 which works great for me.

 

yes, they added more cones, tall bright orange ones spaced out. They are tall enough you can clearly see them once you are on the straight.

Kumpy (Kumpy Race Services, Dunlop dealer) ran out of R8's during the 2-fast days I was there last week and ran an R7. I love the Dunlops, I appreciate the firmer sidewall and for me it provides better feedback than the squishy vague flexible Pirellis. With the Dunlops, the key is you got to get them hot and have the set at the right temp. The seem to last for ever and have great grip. At 275lbs geared up, I can get heat in them and they work great for me.

Vesrah Pads for the win!! Sage (Pirelli tire dealer who sells them) was out last week and I need to change mine out. Have run them in all my track/race bikes, great feel, last a long time, easy on the rotors and they have relatively minimal brake dust.

On my 2023 I am now running a 15/46 which works great for me.

I can feel the grip go away when the heat goes out of the Dunlops when I have to ride slower for control riding or instructing in a slowerr group -- much more than I had with the Pirellis. No question that they are much stiffer than the Pirellis but a wide margin. I don't doubt that the R8s would last a long time, but I need more grip and feedback I think. I got my Dunlops from Kumpy. He in fact has ridden my bike at the Ridge, recently. He loved it.

Vesrah pads - no debate. I bought mine from Kurveygirl.com because of price

15/46 sounds beastly. I have run 16/45 and 16/44 and can imagine going to a 15t front. Hmm...

 

Ya keeping heat in there for instructor purposes presents a challenge for me as well. Slow is ok as not going fast enough to worry about it in the corners with low lean angle involved but when I et medium speed riders, its fast with more lean angle involved that the tires are not ready for as there is not enough heat. Fast riders, no worries.

Last week I rode a Yamaha MT10 that the Yamaha Champ School had out there for Demo's. It was a blast and would make a great instructor bike with street tires on it for the slow-medium students. A second bike is ideal for instructing slow students as the S1KR is so uncomfortable for me at slow speeds.

15/46 was a change but I dont use 1st gear anymore and this helps keep stay in the right power band on the 2023 around the Ridge. At Pacific Raceway, its a bit short so a 44 or 45 rear might be the happy medium between the 2 as I dont want to switch back and forth.

 

Karl was up there (Ridge, Pacific, Oregon Raceway) a couple months ago on Metzler TD Slicks.

 

yeah, I have thought about getting an R6 or Triumph 675R for slow students, and for rain days has been an idea that I have been tossing around in my mind. I actually don't mind my s1000rr at all for riding slower, but I don't want to send it in the grass in the rain.

 

I lived about 20 minutes from The Ridge before moving to Tennessee, and I miss being able to do track days there. I watched the track being built, and made it out on one of the first track days, and REALLY like the track. I'm getting pretty old, 68 in a few days, but I still enjoy pushing myself to my own limits.
There's a new track being built near me here in Tennessee, Flatrock, and I look forward to doing some track days there. BUT... Flatrock is going to be a membership track. They're selling houses and garages around the course. I read that there will still be open track days, but I don't think they will be as frequent as The Ridge.

 

I lived about 20 minutes from The Ridge before moving to Tennessee, and I miss being able to do track days there. I watched the track being built, and made it out on one of the first track days, and REALLY like the track. I'm getting pretty old, 68 in a few days, but I still enjoy pushing myself to my own limits.
There's a new track being built near me here in Tennessee, Flatrock, and I look forward to doing some track days there. BUT... Flatrock is going to be a membership track. They're selling houses and garages around the course. I read that there will still be open track days, but I don't think they will be as frequent as The Ridge.

@defranks17 I am 52 years old and still getting out there as best I can. I don't know if I still will be out there 15 years + from now, but hope I am still able to do it!

 

I'm in the mid 70's and do about 24 Track days a year still. Have two more weekends this year. One at Buttonwillow and the season finally at ThunderHill East. Season Pass with Pacific Track Time. May pick up another weekend with Carters before the end of the year.
I'll be planning on the Ridge again next summer around the time Moto America scheduled to be there. Hope to get in about 4 days on the track, usually one is the Aprilia day and the week before MA with 2 Fast. Maybe if they schedule close to OPRT I'll ride with them.

 

Last time at the Ridge I rode the old Boxer Cup and demoed a 660 Aprilia.