Mods for Track Use

Hi all,

Really enjoyed the first few track days I've done, this year want to take it a little more seriously and hopefully get out of the Novices into the Inters.

Bike is a stockish '08 SD. Crash protection and slip on Akras but otherwise standard.

Mod-wise I am thinking:

- MH box with RC8 stacks, 2ndary flies removed
- Aftermarket levers for improved crash survivability and to give me the originals as spares if I really bin it well.
- CycleControl rearset adjustors to improve ground clearance.
- Custom map to make the most of the MH.

Questions to you lot:

1) Are there any mods you'd do before ones on the list above? Regrettably I am not yet massively rich, so carbon wheels, full systems etc will have to wait. Total budget's about £650 into which the above just about fits, possibly.
2) Has anybody had a per-cylinder fuel map done? I read in the MH install guide that this might require modification to allow wideband sensors to be fitted on the dyno which sounds like a pain in the ass, but I do fancy a per cylinder map...

Any advice much appreciated. With any luck, will make CrashFest later this year so will look forward to meeting a few peeps there or elsehwhere over the summer.

I think your list is about right.

I fitted smaller pegs to imporove ground clearence.

I think fancy wheels are a waste of money on a superduke anyway.

You should also bear in mind, if you are riding in novice and new to TDs, the majority of improvement of performance is going to come from you - not your bank balance.

I think you have a great 'budget' list with maybe the best improvements. Maybe stompgrip/snakeskin if you feel like you need it but best thing to do is a track training and have your suspension dialed in for your weight.

You can get some free instruction on the trackday that will help.

To spend your cash on.....

Suspension set up
CPR Rottweiler box with RC8 stacks with flies AND shafts removed
Custom map for above
Cycle control jack up plates and DHM alloy pegs
Decent tyres.
Levers
DIY quick action throttle.
40t rear sprocket


Good quality engine oil. ( I use silkoline 10w50)
Good quality brake fluid. (I use Motul 660 synthetic)

By "trackday" - I'm going to assume you don't mean drag racing (?).

Absolutely 0% of these things will improve your riding (or lap times) going from a Novice level:

- MH box with RC8 stacks, 2ndary flies removed
- Aftermarket levers for improved crash survivability and to give me the originals as spares if I really bin it well.
- CycleControl rearset adjustors to improve ground clearance.
- Custom map to make the most of the MH.

Mods? Yes - definitely: Mod the rider.

For improved control, confidence, and better lap times, consider:

- Spending money to get your suspension sorted, even if your SD is already perfectly sprung for your weight, there's a lot of tuning that can be done to improve ride and handling. There are trackside tuners that will be able to set you up and advise you on further changes (if needed) at nearly every trackday.

- Attend a performance (track) riding school, e.g. California Superbike, or others like it in UK. You can learn more in 2 days at a good school than you will get on your own in 10 trackdays. I can guarantee significant improvements in bike control and rider confidence; which translate directly into more speed everywhere.

- tyres, gas, and trackdays: Like just about anything, proficiency will come with practice and experience.

No matter how much you spend on the bike to get 5 or even 15 more horsepower out of it, there are going to be people who will consistently blow you away on nearly bone stock bikes (and many with much less horsepower), because they invested in the rider.

EDIT: If you feel need to change something other than the suspension on the bike, I agree with Ducati Pete's suggestion of shorter footpegs (e.g. Spiegler's "race" pegs).

+3 on suspension. You can't beat a bike that has been setup by a pro. Not sure of any guys out in your neck of the woods. HM Racing is a bit of a ride away but worth it.

If you want to keep it simple easy and cheap.......

Just do the suspension and pump cash into trackime. Maybe tyres too.

The CPR box is a better airbox IMO than the MH and cheaper if your going the power route.

The instructors at trackdays will do enough to get you riding quicker and they're free. Hop out for a session, have a debrief, then get used to the new change. When you've absorbed that grab him another. Then you can chip away and learn at your own speed. (Btw I'm one of the guys who can't be arsed with at the CSS bollocks. Loads of folk gain from it though. I think it's over thought)

There will be suspension guys at the tracks who will set the bike up and give you a data sheet.

Also Simon Crafars instruction book is very good as its aimed purely at track riding

++++ on everything said before.

I had a Superduke and thought I was faster than it was. So I went and bought an rc8 thinking it would make me quicker. So far I'm so much slower and the 8 has about 25 more bhp.

In summary its all about time on the bike. Don't bother spending too much, get some instruction, spend on suspension and get on track as much as possible.

Thats my goal for this year, get back to the pace, speed and aggression I had before.

+1 for Simon Crafars book and DVD too. I think I subconsciously used some of his techniques, just got to practice, practice, practice!

Hey guys, thanks for taking the time to weigh in, I appreciate it.

I probably should have qualified my first post with a statement to the effect that I know I'm the weak link and that the bike in stock trim is way faster than I am.
I agree with everything said above about training and time on the bike being worth more than shiny go-faster trinkets.

I did CSS Level 1 towards the end of last summer and really enjoyed it. My thinking for this year is to try and do as many track days as possible (at least 5, hopefully more), get an instructor session at every new track I go to and try to implement the stuff I learned about last year. I ride every day during the summer and I'm lucky enough to have what amounts to a go kart track in the middle of my commute with loads of hairpins and a humpback bridge to jump so there will be lots of quality time in the seat.

Mod-wise, I always really enjoy reading the threads on here about people working on their bikes and improving them. I am also pretty crap at that sort of thing, so I thought fitting that stuff myself could be a good way to learn and start getting better.

I will work suspension into the programme somehow and get the Simon Crafar book. MH box has just been delivered to my hotel here in the States, so maybe I can use what I would have paid on customs duty to fund the additions you guys suggested

Ditch the stock heelplates and get a stiffer pair like MH or carbon fibre. This may give you a bit more feel with the bike.
I also like racing grips like Renthal.

I'm kind of making a list with some cheap (I prefer the term 'cost efficient') mods myself for when I get my SD. Pegs and adjusters top my list but I think thats personal, I felt the stock pegs are a bit too low.

The 3 s's

Suspension, slipper clutch and Some exhausts

As standard the Superduke is a good track tool ....all the above make it better

The very first thing you need is good tyres....proper track tyres (not sports /road) see manufactures rating ...they all make good track tyres
and a good suspension setting

I'd love to try a slipper clutch Dan, but I think I'd prefer to learn to ride on track without one first. I suspect it might become a crutch if I went straight to it.

Ditto the exhaust - bike's wearing slip-on Akras right now, I will probably spring for a full system at some stage, but it's big pounds, so will have to wait.

Mister 666, I was thinking SportsSmarts - I ride the bike every day on the road as well and I don't have any spare wheels or a van to transport to trackdays so track tyres are going to be problematic.

None of the permormance mods will make you that much faster, suspension is a MUST, soon as you get hang of it a slipper helps a lot when braking downchanging quickly more vital at some tracks than others.

Think I'm going to treat myself to a set of Dunlop GPRacer D211. As tempting as slicks are I might get the road legal version as I can then finish them off on some spirited road rides.

You must run correct pressures

Track cold

30 front 21/2 Back

Track Hot
34 Front 25 Back

Road

32 front 34 rear

These might sound strange...but they work (they are designed to run altra low psi bigger contact patch)

Nice one dude

Trust me on this and SD nerd. If your really want to go fast.It has to be you.Do a advanced school.
Watch a guy on a bone stock bike do laps faster than you ever thought were possible.
I Raced 30 years ago.I just started to get back into it.My first day was on my duke I did ok even after 30 years.

Then I bought a 2011 RC8R and yes I went way faster than the duke.But for what that bike can do i used a 1/4 of it.
I took advandage of a former champ giving me some pointers he dialed in my susp.
That made a huge differance.The guy Ed Sorbo was on a old honda hurricane was so fast he could have laped me.
He told me to follow him so I could learn his lines.I did and it made a big differance.
This guy is on a bone stock 20 something year old bike and was one of the fastest guys on the track.
making your duke fast helps. but it's all about the rider.

Take the school learn how to go fast read some books sport riding techniques by nick Ienatsch. great book I learned a lot
My RC8R was fun and fast but put a guy like ED and the bike is a missile.
I know I need more track time.Every time I do a day I do get faster because it is comming back.But if you can get a guy that is way faster than you teach you the lines.and take a 2-3 day school you will not believe how much faster you will be.

Spend the cash on you.Even pro's in every sport have coaches.When I was 20 I was fast at 57 things are differant so I need help.I plan on taking a advanced course at a big track like Miller or ABC.My bike can do 200 mph.
I don't know if I can do that or have the stones to go that fast. but I want to try.

One thing for sure I won't do it until I do the school.When I see a guy fly by me on a bike that I should really be able to smoke.
I love to see great riders do there thing it's like watching a ballet.It takes training training the more the better.
I am not saying don't fix your bike I use pirelli cora rossa great on the track won't last long on the street.
Tune your susp. All that will help you get to the next level.
Good luck brother I know how it feels to want to get to that next level.Because once you do you their is nothing like it.It's such a gas to be able to go fast.Nothing else in the world feels like it.
Have fun be safe