Off-Season Rules Review - Bikes

[MiltonP]

I do not know the deadline for getting the 2015 rules book printed but I am open to either off-forum discussion with the inspectors or cordial open on-forum discussion about any rules that were debated this past season for the bikes.  Personally, I think we are in pretty good shape with maybe one exception, that being safety wiring both pinch bolts and the front axle.  I have heard the arguments for one or the other being enough.  I don't know enough about all the forks we run across but in general it seems to me that the axle is the key.  I can't tell if the pinch bolts are torqued down properly or even designed to truly stop axle movement.

Other debated items I am not in an urgent mood to change relate to chain guards and battery clamps.  Having spent significant time and money fabricating up chain guards, I don't necessarily want to let all the new folks off the hook for that joy but some of the new swingarm designs are a serious challenge and I would like to see those bikes run.  Batteries do need to be secure but some manufacturers are doing a great job at tucking them into secure spaces where a bike would essentially have to be in a hundred pieces before the battery can get out. I don't believe you could get an additional metal clamp ito some of those spaces.

As always, we try to show leeway as techs if a new bike shows up and the rider has made an honest effort to make it meet the safety rules.  Please reach out to us if you are planning on bringing one of the new more challenging designs out.

[Truckedup]

  Besides our 650 MP push rod record holder, my rider does motorcycle road racing on late model sport bikes. They require safety wiring of of lot of items...but not the axle pinch bolts.They also allow a stock chain guard and battery hold down....I would think more is likely to fail during 20 minutes at 60-160 plus MPH rather than 15-40 seconds  at high speed.
 I can't really debate safety rules but looking back at LSR at the various tracks were the rules made after batteries and or axles got loose?

[Stainless1]

  Besides our 650 MP push rod record holder, my rider does motorcycle road racing on late model sport bikes. They require safety wiring of of lot of items...but not the axle pinch bolts.They also allow a stock chain guard and battery hold down....I would think more is likely to fail during 20 minutes at 60-160 plus MPH rather than 15-40 seconds  at high speed.
 I can't really debate safety rules but looking back at LSR at the various tracks were the rules made after batteries and or axles got loose?

Truck n Milt, lots of LSR rules are written in blood... metal chainguards are required to actually protect the rider from a high speed chain break.... most of the stock ones are designed to look sporty and be light weight.  You really don't want your battery to smack you in the nuts when the little rubber strap breaks after you bike is tumbling at 230 MPH.... not a speed reached by a lot of track bikes... Safety wiring may or may not be necessary but if you are required to wire it you probably checked it was tight first.  AMA requires different stuff for different bikes at different races.... every org has rules, most LSR rules are the same so you don't have to change from one venue to the next

[dw230]

  Stainless,

DW

[Truckedup]

 For the record my bike complies with the rules and then some.....Just for the discussion... There's a few theories on chain guards. One says a substantial guard to protect the rider... The other says a broken chain will will foul the guard and lock up the rear wheel. So I guess either way you're throwing the bike away....Flat track bikes,at least last time I looked, don't use chain guards. 90 HP trackers do torture chains...

[MiltonP]

I take safety seriously.  I am only bringing up some of the items we inspectors have debated.  I wouldn't pass a battery below the seat with only a rubber strap.  I was talking about some of the new ddesigns where they are really buried behind steel and alloy. I am a believer in wiring/clipping axles just not sure the pinch bolts need it as well.  Some believe metal chain guards can catch the chain and potentially lock up the rear but I am not convinced yet.

[**RP**]

On most older model front forks there are no pinch bolts and the axle is held with clamps, so the clamp fasteners should be safety wired.  If the clamps can't come loose the axel nut can't come loose so no use wiring that axel nut in that application.  Instead of saying pinch bolts it might cover more application to use the words axle retaining fasteners.  Seems like any pinch bold that is holding an axle from becoming loose should be safety wired.

[Seldom Seen Slim]

Milton:  Your mention of battery hold-downs reminds me of a V-Rod (Harley) out at Bonneville.  The rider protested long and loud that because the battery was mounted on top -- where a gas tank cover usually lives and because the battery was in a locked metal compartment -- that it didn't need further securing.  The guy eventually made it through inspection without further hold downs.

Later during that event he had the misfortune to go down on the bike while moving along at some speed -- and as the bike tumbled the battery was seen swinging around in the air, tethered by one battery cable.  Personally I'd rather be worried about sliding to a stop when I'm riding and get off - - vs. worrying about that 10-pound lump that's up in the air a few feet above me and is headed for my body.   But that's a personal choice -- that we make sure we don't allow, by enforcing the hold down rules.

As usual, a rule written in (well, not blood, but how 'bout "written in sulphuric acid?).

[Jessechop]

On the pinch bolts I think a lot depends on application. For example forks with a single split at the pinch bolts would be far less likely of having an issue. I.E. Suzuki GSXR forks. You could for all intensive purposes remove the pinch bolts and the wheel would go no where. The axle cant come out, the calipers would keep the wheel from moving far. Would it be ideal? Of course not, just a worst case scenario. Now a older bike with removable caps could benefit from having the pinch bolts (nuts) wired. The cap could fall off and lots of bad things could happen.

Granted I have no dog in this fight, just my thoughts on it is all.

[Truckedup]

 The old Triumph forks on my bike have axle retaining caps held on by four studs and nuts on each leg.There was never any question in my mind so I safety wired all eight nuts. I also safety wired the various fasteners on the rear brake ( no front brake) . I don't believe brake safety wiring is mentioned in the rules? But it should be I think....

[roadracer]

I always was an either or guy on the axle/pinch bolts.  If the bike has no pinch bolts, older bikes, you secure the axles and it is good.  For pinch bolts, it they are secure you are not going to turn the axle cap or axle.  In my WERA days it was secure the pinch bolts.  As far as chain guards all of the road racing organizations said remove them.  Every chain I saw come off went sliding across the ground. The Aprilla bike manual states that if you are going to race the bike remove the chain guard.  I've broken 3 chains doing LSR and 2 of them came off OK.  One caught in the hub, luckily it was under breaking.  The wheel locked and unlocked multiple times.  I broke multiple chains road racing and the all came right off.  I'm not saying one way or the other is correct.  If I had a choice I would not use a chain guard.  Just my opinion from my experience.

[DKA]

While wringing out a 35 year old Triumph, the safety wired nuts on my forks are 8 that I don't have to think about.  There have been times around the half mile to three quarter mile mark that I've pondered the lack of wisdom in not wiring more of those little buggers; which I subsequently have.  In all my years of bike riding and wringing I have never had a chain break. Racing karts yeah, many times, but not on a bike. (did I just jinx myself?)   I think that the bike rules as they now stand are easy to live with and so far I haven't had a bad experience with any rule demanded item.  I like being safety minded but I'm a little wary of being too "proactive".  I do agree that there are bikes that would have to disintegrate before the battery was exposed and perhaps there should be some understanding by the inspectors.
David

[Nortonist 592]

Some times rules are hard to understand.  Seems like they are in place for the hell of it.  Running a single I have no problem with wiring nuts.  Some times I think I should wire my fillings!  A couple of years ago at Bonneville I forgot to tighten the fairing nut.  I watched it unscrew itself and there was nothing I could do except watch come loose take one bounce and bean me on the way by.  Lesson learned.

I've made my chain guards from 1 1/4" x 1/8" flat stock steel.  Not expensive and didn't require much effort.  I've only ever had a primary break on me at El Mirage.  Guard did its job and the chain whacked my toe on the way out.  Lost the nail two weeks later.  For all the years I've been land speed racing I've never really had a problem with rules.  They are there for us and LSR has an enviable safety record.  From what I've seen inspectors will, if they spot a problem, go out of their way to get a bike on the track.  A tip of the hat to them.

[MiltonP]

Yep,  I have had a lower mount bolt work loose on the EX500 in the past as well as a few clutch cover bolts on the Duc.  A few are not practical for safety wiring so I go through them all tech day and after the event.  Those old double sided swingarms are pretty easy to mount chain guards on.  Some of the newer single-side ones though are almost impossible without serious $$$$ and/or fab skills.  I am pretty sure we will never see them run. 

Finally got a damper mounted and test rode the Blackbird for the first time ever above 15mphthis morning.  She was sweet at speeds around town and stable approaching triple-digits.  Afterwards, I was deciding how we should wire the axles.  I couldn't easily see how the rear was retained so I am wiring both sides.  Must have been some form of c clip.  A quick look at the manual will clear that up.