I want to ride my bike fast

[MotoHawk]

Hello all, let me refrase the title, I will make a good effort to go as fast as possible. this is my first post, I have been poking arround all the web sites on land speed racing, this forum is a great find, I see lots of experience and can I say, speed fanatics.             
The plan is to run at the BUB Trials in Sepember, with some practice at El Mirage. I see there are some different rules, so I will be posting up lots of questions until the SCTA rule books come out in March, the reasons for not attending Speed Week are numerous, but I think lack of motel space and my crew saying no, and lots of possible runs at the Bub meet sound like an easier time for a newbie?
If I am correct, I can run at El Mirage as a guest, this sounds like a good test to go through tech and also the rookie runs and get a feel for the bike and conditions, plus it is not that far away. I can not join a club because of not being able to help out with duties. Of course if I get "hooked" which sounds like all you guys are, we will see how things work out. This all started when my buddy Brian went last year, he got to run with his friends bikes, running on the salt flats was a dream for him, good thing he did, unfortunately he passed shortly after, now I am getting a feeling for what he felt. Plus I hate to sound corny but after seeing Worlds Fastest Indian and a few other small signs I want to do this.

I will be running in Production frame/ Production engine, 650 cc ('03 Kawa 636)
Here are a couple of questions that maybe should be in another subject;

AMA says "stock exhaust" for production, what does SCTA/BNI say about an aftermarket system or even a slip on?
Can I install a Power Commander?
I think for engine shut off and fuel shut off my kill switch does both? If I wire a lanyard to this circuit is this sufficient?
I will be changing my rear valve stem to metal and pretty much preparing the bike for a track day with safety wiring what is required. 

That is enough for now, looking forward to meeting you, Mike

[Nortonist 592]

Welcome to the forum and good luck.  If memory serves right you can run El Mirage twice a year as a guest.  Running P/P means you have to run the stock exhaust.  but there is a rule in production that says all performance mods must be out of view.  An interesting and "interpretable" rule.  If you can make your kill switch work you should be ok but I would check with the powers that be before just in case.  The rest is basic race prep. which you seem to be familiar with.  When you get your rule book check the helmet and leather regulations.  Nothing spectacular but its a need to read.  See you on the dirt.

[Dean Los Angeles]

The exit diameter of the muffler cannot be enlarged. You can gut the rest of it. Anything you can't see is fair game. The rest that is visible has to be stock.

[Seldom Seen Slim]

Put on a real tethered kill switch -- DO NOT drill your factory switch, install a screw-eye and tie your lanyard to that.  That WILL NOT PASS tech (well, Bub's inspectors might, but it sure won't at EM, at ECTA, at SCTA/BNI).  Pingel makes a good switch, so do other vendors.

The function of the factory switch is fine -- it shuts off the fuel pump and shuts off the engine.  And you need the factory switch to meet the intent of the rule that you can kill the engine without removing your hands from the clip-ons.  But I won't pass it if that's all you have for a kill switch, and I don't think any of the other inspectors will, either (again, at least not at a non-Bub's/AMA event).

Metal valve stems and caps both front and rear.  No interpretation there, either.

Production, as others have pointed out, means no visible changes.  Gut the factory exhaust cannister -- fine, but the outlet diameter better look exactly like it did when the factory shipped it.  Diameter, restrictors, braces, etc.

Power commander?  I do think so -- as long as it's hidden.  Bring a program for 5000 feet denstiy altitude -- and be ready to bump that up to 7500 or whatever it is when you run (weather information is posted at the ERC fuel trailer) -- or you'll be way too rich (assuming you're from someplace closer to sea level).

Good luck, and we look forward to seeing you on the Salt.

[Stainless1]

This year the lines at Bub were not that short.  I was at every meet this year, and the best lines were at the World of Speed.  Our longest wait was less than an hour.  We waited up to 6 hours at Bub.  I think the slowdown at Bub was all the guys that figured out they could record return, hence get another run within a couple of hours, no matter how fast they went the first time.
There were a lot of "run what you brung" riders as well.
As others have said for production, just hide anything you do other than the required safety mods from view.  Your production chainguard will not be OK at EM, you will need 3/32 thick steel or 1/8 aluminum for the full length to the back of the rear sprocket, 1.5 X the chain width.  That and the lanyard kill will give you something to do between now and the time the SCTA book comes out.  Rules are different for Bub, check the AMA for those.
Have fun, this is a hobby, and yep, you will get the disease...Speed makes you OCD...

[JackD]

There was a page full of description on how to avoid that kind of wait at the BUB meet and equalize the number of runs for everybody.
Sadly, the method fell on deaf ears that had only 1 objective at the expense of the rest of the field.
It was published here in response to a question about why it was so slow and how it might be improved..

[bak189]

I understand for the 2007 BUB
Trials there will be some major changes in order to speed up the
running process..............stand by.......
more news comming..........................

[JackD]

"Lettuce by Rabbit"

[MotoHawk]

 Thank you very much, (Slim)I will mount the lanyard kill switch in a very sanitary way, also thanks for the info on the Power Com., I have some homework to do on this.
The aluminum chainguard will be the first project. (thanks stainless1) That ? was on my list, here are a few more things I am not sure of.
The covering of fuel lines, fire sleeve or aero/quip? I take it aero/quip is a name brand? Unvalved, I need to check my shop manual?I s my factory set up OK?
One more, I removed the passenger pegs as required or optional, but to support the stock muffler I fabricated an aluminum mount using the stock mounting band, is this OK? I can supply fotos if needed.
Mike

[/quote]

[Seldom Seen Slim]

Contact me off-list (jon@infodestruction.com) if you'd like a photo or two of switch mounts.  You can get units that clamp around the bars, bolt onto the flat surface of the steering head, and so on.  I like the Pingel because it allows the lanyard to be pulled off horizontally -- just like might happen in a real incident.  Too many folks have the lanyard located coming out of the top of the switch, which'd be fine if you could arrange to fall UP from your bike in the event of a get-off.  Last year one racer insisted that his upward-pointing switch would work.  So I had him start the motor and yanked the cord backwards - just like'd happen if he fell off.  The cord broke, the motor kept running, the guy left inspection to go change the orientation of his switch.  End of that story.

Aeroquip is a brand of firesleeve, yup.  Factory set-up usually includes an electrical fuel pump inside the tank, right?  So when you activate the kill switch by either a get-off or by using that kill switch with your thumb -- you've shut off the fuel flow, and therefore (correct me if I'm wrong here, someone) you wouldn't need firesleeve 'cause "all unvalved fuel lines" are inside the tank.  Do I have that right?  I can send photos of my wife's bike -- where the fuel pump is remote-mounted.  You'll see firesleeving all over the engine area.

Removing the pegs is for safety, and also because you're required to have your feet on the pegs 100% of the time -- and if you were to, for instance, move your feet from front to rear pegs during a run (say, to attempt to change aero) you wouldn't have your feet on the pegs for a little while, would you?  So no second set of pegs:  No possibility of time spent moving from one set to another.  Also -- there are class requirements for peg location of which you might run afoul if you were using the rear pegs only (altered class wants pegs within 6" of rear axle), so take off the passenger pegs and it's cool.  A mount for the pipe is fine -- probably required by the inspector.  Just as long as it doesn't look suspiciously like somewhere your boot will ride during a run.

Chainguard:  Go overboard rather than trying to make something just good enough.  Weight isn't an issue on the Salt, and (for instance) a guard that has a bend at the rear end -- and covers part of the "vertical" run of the rear sprocket -- might help catch any chain lube that's flung off at speed.  Just don't make that overhanging bend so big that you can't get the wheel off (don't ask me how I know this, just like I've learned so damn many other things).

Keep asking.

[JackD]

You might find a slight change in the chain guard spec . and perhaps you might want to put it near the end of the list until you see more in print.

[MotoHawk]

You might find a slight change in the chain guard spec . and perhaps you might want to put it near the end of the list until you see more in print.

JackD, do you think the chain guard rules will change for both SCTA and the AMA? Seems like if you use SCTA rules you will be OK with AMA specs.

The fuel sleeve explanation sounds good to me, what ever it takes to be safe.

I new there was a good reason for no rear pegs, hell, I took them off for estetics, I do not know any babes who would ride back there anyway. I could picture a rider trying to reposition his feet at a buck fifty plus!
Not me, but I see why the rule.

I will PM you on those pics, thanks again on all this GREAT info.

Any pictures of some homemade chainguards, just in case I need one?
Metal fab is no problem, I have lots of metal and know plenty of welders

[JackD]

It was the SCTA rules that I spoke of about chain guards.
Just kinda hold your breath on that one.
You have plenty else to do.

[Stainless1]

I hope you are right Jack, can't imagine why anyone would think a chainguard needs to be heavier than 1/16 stainless.  Of course, I am thinking of making one from 3/8, just to stay ahead of the foolishness....
Sometimes this stuff is almost as much fun as driving all night to get to the races.