So Close...

Wow, I installed the GP shift parts tonight after work.  They look really cool, I just hope I can remember that the shift patterns are reversed.  Now I understand why a slipper clutch is so important.  :)

I'm not sure if I'm getting better having thought through all this stuff before the parts arrive or if the milling / machining of the parts that I'm buying are just superior.  Everything I've purchased lately seems to slip into place as if it were the stock parts.  I suppose with a race bike as popular as the 848 was it should be that way but I remember having to file and drill at lot more when I was modifying the Monster 1100.

Speaking of the monster, here's a pic of her in the dining room before I sold her.  I really tricked her out too.  Miss that bike, what a comfortable pleasure to ride.

 

Back to the current project.  I positioned myself on the 848 while it was on the rear stand and started to get a feel for everything that has changed since the last time I rode her.  With carbon fiber shift linkage replacing the stock Ducati power shift linkage it feels so much tighter.

 

 

I do plan on replace the microswitch in the circuit but I don't want it to change the feel of the linkage.  Does anyone know where I can purchase a Starlane stress switch?

 

Starlane Powershift Sensor

 

OK, we're waiting on just 1 more package from Germany and I'm ready for the unvailing!!

Until Ambien Dana returns again!

Surprises Mounting

I must say that it's getting more and more difficult not revealing where the bike is in the build.  While I'm waiting for those last few parts to arrive I been able to go back and do some things better.  A friend of mine on a racing forum I participate in pointed out to me that my caliper wire wraps weren't really right.  I went back and looked and sure enough he's got a good eye.

I redid them last night and they are the best safety wire wraps yet.  It's so much fun being able to measure my skill increasing so easily.  Wrenching is a blast and I hope to really get profficient at it.

 No real spoilers here unless of course you didn;t know that I was gonna do the stainless racing tank.
Oh if you could only picture the paint job that lay beneigh.

Cheers till next post!

-Diz

DZ Racing

To the dismay of a few of my girlfriends I've finally arrived a moniker for this whole racing obsession that seems to resonate with me.  Those that know me well know that I'm an introvert at heart who has acquired learned extrovert super powers.  One of my mods of operation is playing the 'dumb blond' who is more 'dumb like a fox' than ditzy.  Nicknames are an essential part of bonding for me and over the years I've had more than a few. 

My initals, DMZ are cool right out of the gate; especially since I'm a bit of a software nerd.  Server folks of course always debate the DMZ.  It's a scary place indeed!  <sarcasm/> 

One of my dear friends used to call me DZ, pronounced Dee Zee, over the years it slowly transformed to Diz and finally landed at Diz Zy.

This same friend of mine happens to be a wonderful artist and when I asked her to help me visualize a logo that personified dizzy racing, here's what she came up with...

DZ Racing Logo

Now, we simplified the color scheme to match my favorite color and added the text.  Now a team is born.

I've got a bunch of woman from work who are gonna come out to the track with me and help me in and out of the paddock.  We're also going to pose for this awesome grease monkey photo shoot.  We plan on getting a bunch of 'umbrella guys' in speedos too!  It's gonna be a blast.  Naturally I'll be ordering a run of girl's black tank top logo shirts.  And of course, yellow speedos for the guys.  Hmm, I wonder if I should get them team umbrellas.  ;)  Should be cool - or 'um hot.  you decide.

Oh and little something special for me too!

  

 Until next time!

DZ (prounced  dízzee)

Safety Wiring is Fun!!

OK, I'm pretty much done back posting the progress of the bike and now I'll proceed more realtime.

Well if I've learned one thing from talking to everyone, safety wire guidelines are subjective.  That is to say that the rule books seem pretty vague and seems to change from season to season.  I think this is much important than just how much of the bike must be wired to pass inspection.  I think it's also an a notable reminder to ensure that you've considered torque and buttoned up any work you do before to put the bike to the test.

Several racers and techs I've spoken to have given me some consistent advice...

If you don't want it falling off at 180 MPH, then drill it and wire it.  I may have gone too far...

But I must say that wiring is pretty fun.  I drilled a few key nuts and bolts myself but I ordered an enormous number of titanium 'race ready' parts and they are just beautiful.

I know that not many girls will look at titanium bolts and see beauty but I'm in love with every aspect of engineering...

And maybe a little insane.  OK, give me some advice folks...  Did I over do it?

-dana

Race skins are in fitted and now being sent out for paint!  I won't show the skins again until everything is reassembled!!

Tearing Her Down

Like many things in life you've got to destroy a little before you can rebuild.  Here's a pic of the 848 in my dining room (oh yeah, I'm doing all this work in my dining room) just before I started to dismantle her to start measuring and figuring stuff out.

I didn't really own any tools before I started this project but if I'm gonna wrench this whole thing myself, then I needed to get some real tools.  Sears was having a sale on roll-a-round tool chests and I talked the manager into selling me the floor model when they didn't have the piece I wanted in stock.

 

Taking the front fairing off was way too easy leaves me inclined to just keep tearing things apart.

Getting the nut off that held the rear sprocket took me quite a long time.  You should see the pile of parts I've got laying around now!

Until next post!

-Dana

Learning to Lean - Getting Licensed!

I flew down to Miami late in November to get away from the cold weather and to take my Basic track license test.  The class were held at Homestead Motor Speedway and it was a blast.  I took my Basic course with the folks from Penguin Racing and it was really awesome having folks I knew there at the track to chat with.  I rented nearly everything down there including a Ducati 748.  The 748 was quite a bit heavier than my 848 Corse and didn't nearly the pep but that was less important for getting through the classes.

Homestead was awesome!!  The track was pretty wide and the paint through the Apex was perfect.  As you can see from the above pic, I wasn't afraid to really get down in the turns and even touched my knees several times during the day.

I've attended the 'Track Experience' days at Louden NH and if there's one gripe I have it's that the Apex markers are not easy to spot.  They call Louden a technical course which I suppose comes down the the fact that the turns don't flow as nicely together as other tracks do.  Hometsead was a really fast track, once I started to memorize my lines and hit my marks I was easily getting more confident braking pretty late.

The written test was really easy and I scored a 100% on it.  I've since sent in my certificate of completion and my CCS license should be here pretty soon.

Totally getting excited about my Amateur season coming up in April!!