Using Nitrous on the Salts, a first hand story

[DahMurf]

Flyboy,

If you run 'naked' aren't the body panels to be removed? The picture of the bike in prestage looks to have all the body work.

Not a bike guy, just curious.

DW

You're right Dan but he went on to write this about the Bub event

My goals were a constant spray of 20 seconds and a speed of 220 mph in the Modified Partial Streamline configuration.

Probably a good decision with the not so great salt. If you can't pull it to 200 fared, you're not gonna do it naked!

Deb

PS: John, thanks for sharing what you could about the balast issue. I've got a good guess who we're talking about, so tell him I hope he's doing well!

[Flyboy]

The last picture shows the modified partial streamline configuration. I did 174 mph last year naked and felt the nitrous and salt would not improve on that record. Because of the crowds and the fact that I was under the weather, this decision was easy to make.

[Jonny Hotnuts]

Ah-ha, JH, I've been waiting for this chance:

Of the records for M/PS/F 1350, A/PS/F 1350, M/PS/F 1650 and A/PS/F 1650 (which would include ZXZ12/14Rs and 'Busas -- the fastest speed is Jim Owen's 219.555 -- on his 1199 cc ZX12R.

Honestly SSS I am shocked that you would have thought I was referring to the busa.....when I said "it would have gone faster if the bikes name started with an "H" I was talking about Harleys.

Don’t be a V twin hater.



BTW:
All joking aside I was referring to the "who’s faster debate" between the zx14 and the busa. I have owned just about every type bike at one time or the other and to me the world’s fastest bike is the one I am riding that day. In truth I have loved all my bikes (including the zx 11 I had) but now I have busa power and suzys of all size (dr-z50 to the busa) are the fastest bikes made....put me on a buell and they will be the fastest.

On another note I am glad to see they finally updated the 08 busa, after basically remaining unchanged sense 99 I am glad to see the Suzy finally decided to update the bike. I'll bet they will be showing up on the salt very soon.
(nothin but love)
Jonny

JH,

The "guys" are not pouring molten lead in to the swing arm, they are drilling a small hole slightly off center and then pouring in lead shot (for reloading shotgun shells) as this will add about 85-90 pounds of weight and not only remain "stock" appearing it also is not taking away any aerodynamics.

This should not be done and used on a surface like asphalt or concrete because if the bike (big HP Turbo) starts to "come around" it will hop and will be very hard to control on any surface other than dirt or salt.

J

John, I agree...
I remember a few years ago that a guy was telling me that he had poured lead in the swing....for some reason I thought that poured referred to liquid. Now that I think about it, you would have to heat the entire swing arm to leads liquid state temp before it would flow into the space....and then you would need to be able to burp the air.....it could be done but it could change the temper of the aluminum and be dangerous as hell.

I learn something new everyday....

[Rick Roberts]

John, I did't get the PM, I'm sure it is an internet/websight error. I figure Scott got his PM but I did't so feel free to post my PM here so we can all benefit from your experience.  Glad this accident didn't happen at Goliad or any other LSR track, Thanks, now I don"t have to worry about the course at Goliad or taking a chance of losing a limb. Thanks for all of your help. Ride safe, Rick

[John Noonan]

Rick,

No worries.

Take care,

J

[dwarner]

..."this decision was easy to make."

OK,

Got it,

DW

[joea]

Flyboy......CONGRATS on the effort....good on ya......your
doing what it takes to go fast......nice job on gettin out there
and learning....

Joe

[wheelspin]

Flyboy,
Thanks for sharing your story. I am new to this as well and I certainly know about the conditions at BUB this year ( 194.116 mile speed, data showed 232 rear wheel speed thru the mile and I blistered the tire in 1 run! naked!) I am told that conditions at BUB 2006 (when I got my cherry popped) were better than perfect. Keep your head up and I hope to meet you next year on better salt.
Nathan McBride
95 M-bg

[wheelspin]

John Noonan,
Thanks for sharing the info about ballast.
Do you have any idea WHY this the case?
thanks
Nathan,
ps Dons bike was on a 240+ run (data) when the head gasket blew at super street bike... o-ring here we come.
N

[John Noonan]

Nathan, if you ever watch a superbike race and see the back tire sliding/spinning in to a turn and then hook up the bike either hooks and carrries the front wheel or it highsides if the rider does not roll out slightly..if the rider is entering a turn spinning the rear tire it may lead to a lowside situation when the tire loses more traction and spins too much.

When you have "extra weight" near the rear of the bike or past the centerline and encounter a bit of wheelhop and then traction on either concrete or asphalt the rear end starts to dance and it is very hard to control as fast as it happens since you have a lot of weight on or near the back of the bike.

Once while testing with just weight in the swing arm I noticed with big power (thanks Velocity) as the tire broke free (185mph) the bike started "dancing" and I thought I was going to wreck.

When I ran the bike the same way on dirt and right after on Salt at much greater speeds I noticed that the bike was much more forgiving and that the issues I had on pavement with much more traction were non existent on loose surfaces like El Mo and Bonne..Shortly after that a freind of mine that Guthrie knows experianced the same situation I encountered and had a nasty accident and after we spoke we determined the issue and realized what the problem was.

It has to due with sprung and unsprung weight, center of pressure and the amount of traction available..

I learned a lot from this and would only run limited amounts of weight for a track like Maxton and Texas with more attention to Maxton.

Take care and good seeing you again.

John

[tricktom1]

good info

[Flyboy]

Ladies/Gentlmen--

Time is fast approaching for a new season of running fast and decisions have to be made. As I ended my article on NOS I wanted to know if anyone had successfully used nos with their runs at Bonneville. Even a small 15 shot proved unsuccessful in the snow of 2007. With the superior salt we saw in 2006-- would a shot of NOS have kept the mototcycle wheel to the salt without using barbells on the rear end? It's the only bike I have and would like to keep riding it on the street considering my SUV costs $.36 per mile to operate.  Thanks--

[Stainless1]

Flyboy, weight is traction on the salt.  You might want to start looking for a way to make the bike heavier.  Increasing unsprung weight may be the easiest way.  It does not have to be permanent.  Or go on Ebay, find a swingarm, modify it to accept weight and change it out for your racing only.  It is always a compromise if you have a dual use bike. 

[Seldom Seen Slim]

I put about 70# of lead on the swingarm of my nitrous bike and picked up about 7mph at Bonneville.  Take that for what it's worth.

Also -- if you're going to use ballast please read and follow 7.B.24 (p. 103 in the '08 rulebook) concerning mounting of ballast.  It says that all ballast must be mounted ahead of the rear axle, although mounting tabs may extend past that axle.  I bolted lead onto the top of the swingarm -- some folks are using hollow swingarms that are filled with lead shot.  A neater installation might be to use depleted uranium instead of lead -- much smaller hunk of metal for the same amount of weight.  Likely to be a bit pricier, though. . .

[2fast4u2c]

Flyboy,

I have no knowledge of traction on the salt, but I can tell you some good ideas for tuning the juice for longer periods of time.  I noticed in your pictures that you're not using a solenoid that accepts a Teflon plunger.  Your rubber plunger solenoids will freeze and clog after a short time and cause a rich condition up top.  Also, your twin 2.5 lb bottles will not have the flow rate necessary for long runs, recommend a 5# bottle instead.  Your nitrous will only be as good as the higher pressured bottle at any one time.  Looks like you have a great setup, good luck this year on the salt.


Guy