lukemillar - NC30 Post Classic race bike

[lukemillar]

Nice video! Couple of close shaves at 02:10 + 04:38! Looks cracking fun and hope to get involved in that kind of thing one day!

Yep, The wide angle cam pushes things further away as well! They're both F1 bikes - RG500 and a FZR1000, so ridden well, I have no chance! The second one is a new rider and if you watch his lines, he runs wide and misses a lot of apexes. Since we're not really racing for position, I decided to not chase too hard even though we were running similar lap times.

So you have a quickshifter on your bike? What setup do you drive with
the FCR's?

Michael

No quickshifter at the moment. They are legal in the class, but I need to get a few other things sorted first!

Haven't really run the FCR's yet. I need to get in a decent test day, to get used to the difference between them and the CV's. I seem to still have a big hole around 6-7k and so I'm not really planning on get some more dyno work until the engine is built and in the bike.

Do you happen to know what jets, needles etc. you ran on yours? I'd be curious to see how our setting compare.

[Zippy]

Fantastic thread and great to read about your racing adventures.

[VFRkieran]

Just read through the thread for the first time very interesting read i must say. Its a shame about your friend passing though.

[miper]

Good work that man. I too was competing at that meeting and with it being the first race for 22 years it was really enjoyable. Managed to finish a couple of secs behind ya Luke so looking foward to the next one. Might have to sneak in and put a tow rope on the back of you.
It was indeed a tragic end to the day and thoughts are with all his family and friends.

[alexwitham]

It was indeed a tragic end to the day and thoughts are with all his family and friends.

All the best from myself, and I'm sure everyone else here at greybike matey.

[lukemillar]

Thanks all for all the replies

Good work that man. I too was competing at that meeting and with it being the first race for 22 years it was really enjoyable. Managed to finish a couple of secs behind ya Luke so looking foward to the next one. Might have to sneak in and put a tow rope on the back of you.
It was indeed a tragic end to the day and thoughts are with all his family and friends.

You'll have to come and find me and say hello.I'll be in garage #7. It was looking touch and go that I might not make this round as the new engine wouldn't start but after much perseverance.... IT'S ALIVE!!

Going to be getting the Motoman run in of it's life tomorrow! I'll post up a proper post and race report after Saturday when I get a chance, but my initial reaction is that it sounds incredibly smooth and revs very easily/freely. The proof will be in the racing though!

[lukemillar]

After round 1, I have really thrown myself into getting this engine finished. The shims from Australia arrived and dropped right in. I rechecked all the valve clearences and got a perfect 0.18mm IN. 0.27mm EX. all round. Apart from putting on the valve covers, it was finally done. Only things left on the list was to transfer various brackets and hoses from my current engine and then swap them over.

Finished! Sat the FCR's on top for the full effect:


Started stripping the Samco hoses from my current engine:


Stripped everything from the old engine. Ready to remove the engine mounts


And after much cursing and manhandling... it's in!:






While the bike was apart, I took a Dremel to the under tray and cut it as per the HRC F3-TT manual as it has been annoying me for ages:



I fill up the bike with some fresh mineral oil and intend to break it in at the track on Friday. I fitted some R847-10 race plugs, which needed a bit of cleaning up but they seem ok. Crank the bike on my old battery which starts to die almost instantly. Fortunately the oil light goes out, so at least I have oil pressure. I swap out the battery to the super light Shorai Power LiPo battery that I have been saving for this bike. There must be 1-1.5 kg saving just between them! The battery is awesome and although the bike coughs and splutters a fair bit, it fails to start. It gets me wondering whether I have the valve timing correct and am getting decent compression. It is also about 5 degrees in the garage, so I call it a day and try again the next day. After changing out the plugs, it finally fires into life. It won't run for long as the tank is off so will just use whatever fuel is on the carbs. However, it sounds really smooth and seem to rev very freely which is nice:

First run video:
https://vimeo.com/43591082

Tomorrow we head off for Round 2 and to run the engine in on the Friday testday.

[iDemonix]

Quick question: How did you physically do the engine swap? I ask because I have a built NC30 and it needs a new engine which is sat in my garage. I have a rear paddock stand and will buy a headstock one at some point, but clueless as to how I will physically manage to unbolt the old one and get it out slowly, then raise the new one and fit it :/ Doesn't help I can't lift heavy things due to my recent thumb surgery.

[lukemillar]

Quick question: How did you physically do the engine swap? I ask because I have a built NC30 and it needs a new engine which is sat in my garage. I have a rear paddock stand and will buy a headstock one at some point, but clueless as to how I will physically manage to unbolt the old one and get it out slowly, then raise the new one and fit it :/ Doesn't help I can't lift heavy things due to my recent thumb surgery.

Getting the old one out is really easy. Just support it underneath with a car jack and then undo the bolts. You'll need someone to help though move it out the way. Getting the new one in is trickier, but again, if you get someone to guide the engine and let the jack to the heavy lifting, then it should be fine. As soon as you get a bolt in either side, then it's fine.

[lukemillar]

With the new engine in the bike, we headed up to Manfeild for the testday and round 2 of the winter series. Weather is looking pretty changeable, but I'm hoping for some dry track time.

Friday practice

Main aim of today is to run the new engine in and catch any problems before raceday. I went out for the first session and everything was feeling good! After about 4 laps there is a really odd oscillation coming form the engine like something is out of balance. I pull straight in and I start having problems changing gear. I fear the worst and start diagnosing the issues. Luckily, someone points out that my chain is hanging about 2 inches off the rear sprocket and I then remember not tightening the hub pinch bolt after adjusting the chain. Doh! Run the engine in for the next session and then change out the oil and filter for race day. Overall it feels really good- very smooth and pulls strongly and cleanly. Looking forward to seeing how it affects laptimes. I'm still running the HRC spec CV carbs rather than the FCR's as I want to use a setup that works well.

Sat qualifying

The track is wet, but the sun is out! Still nervous about the new engine, so take it easy and just concentrate on being smooth in the wet conditions. Only get 4 laps, but don't get passed at all, so I figure I must have qualified ok! Ended up 5th on the combined grid and 2nd in my class.

Race 1

The track is now almost dry. I rush around checking out everyone's tyre choice and it's a mixed bag, but the majority and stick with wets for the damp sections on track. It starts to shower briefly just before we're called up so I'm happy with my choice. Get a pretty decent start for a change and hold my position into turn 1. Not being swamped into the first corner means I can pick the line I want and I get up to pace much quicker than usual. I chase down a couple of guys in front of me, which puts in into the lead in F3 and 3rd in the race. I catch Chappy in 2nd and start dicing. I have the pace to pass him, but he is just holding me off! Coming out of turn 1 on lap 4 of 6 and the engine stops dead. I coast off the track and retire.

Race video:
https://vimeo.com/43716480

I get towed back to the pits and think that I have blown the motor somehow. However, turning if over feels fine, so start working through it and find out I have no spark. Checking the plugs, leads and coil all seem good, so I'm guessing it's the CDI, which looks like it has got wet from the spray going under the rear seat. I can't seem to borrow on to test, so there isn't much left to do, but pack up and call it a day. I'm kicking myself for not taking my Ignitech with me, but I just wasn't planning on using it until getting the FCR's sorted. As soon as I get home, I plug it in, and the bike fires right up.

Despite the crap results, I'm pretty happy with the new engine. Going by butt dyno, it is definitely making more power than the stock engine. I'm hitting 6th gear on the middle straight, where I used to only ever get 5th and despite being damp and on rain tyres, I clocked a top speed about 10kph faster than my best on slicks in the dry. Even on track, the bike was just quick enough to keep with the F2 guys on the straights.

The season is a bit of a write off now with only 1 score out of 6 races, so I'm just going to concentrate on developing the bike. Next plan is to get the FCR's dialed in so hopefully I can run them at the next round.


Photo courtesy of Pipson

Big thanks to Ben at Motorad for parts. See you all next round!