Buell track mods

[Cooter]

If you are racing your Buell or doing track days, what mods have been the most effective for you, and why?

I've ridden an XB, 1125CR and now the EBR SX turned RX and find them all to be pretty capable totally stock. They all needed more aggressive brake pads and heavier fork oil, but I'm 220lbs geared up.

The Oberon clutch slave and quick shifter totally solved the heavy clutch lever. I don't even think about it anymore:up:

On the EBR, a 44-43 tooth rear sprocket works with most tracks. It will still power lift the front wheel in 3rd and I still don't hit 6th gear at the end of any medium length straight:eek-new: The CR needed the R pulleys though.

I swapped in an adjustable steering damper and still run 2 clicks from max! The stock EBR one is pretty useless.

I use "Fat Grips" on the clipons and its a HUGE confidence builder for bar control. I felt like the thin stock grips was like trying to grip a pencil in my fist.

After my last low-side/high-side I checked, and the very wide T-rex axle sliders on the very wide EBR swingarm is a bad combo for an off-camber corner:upset: They actually hit the ground and lifted the rear tire before the tire was even at the edge:hororr: The sliders are in the bin now. Never thought I'd have to check that!

It's funny that engine case sliders run about as much as just replacing the part. Even though its a track day standard add-on, I'm not sure how I feel about them...

I do run an APH Race pipe and ECM but I feel it's totally unnecessary. Stock set up on any of these bikes is plenty fast enough to be fun, besides we're not looking for lap times, we're looking for improvement right? LOL. And Cali is cracking down HARD, even at the track (90dB at Laguna Seca) because rich people buy houses next to race tracks and then complain about the noise

I'm trying new, more aggressive brake pads (thanks outthere). Next step is to lose the uber-cool front end and go with 330mm disks and M50 mono-blocks. The Showa BPF are still ok but I hate to say it... I'm not even that fast and every time I ride a different sport bike, the brakes are better than mine. I think I'm at the limit of Eriks design

 

[Cooter]

Might as well throw in your best hero shot too

 

[outthere]

Biggest improvement is definitely front pads/master cylinder and the Penske comes in a close second. I don't see anything to had changing the front end because I'm not going to ever brake later than I already do and the back wheels already off the ground anyway. What you will get from a more conventional brake set up is the ability to apply the brakes while leaned over and not have the bike stand up but on the other end, twice the cost. I don't know how long these performance pads last . Hopefully a long time @ $200 per caliper.

Whats one of the nicest features riding the XB? I use just 2 gears @ TH East. West a few more and also Sears Point requires a bit more shifting.

list of thing I've bought : Damper
Rearsets
Exhaust
Top clamp
Clip ons
Throttle
Rear pulley
Aluminum ft. pulley 1t smaller
Tensioner
Bodywork

 

[34nineteen]

Nice!!! You guy have way more guts and skill than i do!

I'm still wondering why Cooter had to buy a suit to match Bubbles? What helmet is that? I'm probably going to replace mine soon.

 

[outthere]

I don't think it takes guts. If your predictable while out there that's all anyone could ask. It's a hell of a lot safer than street riding and there's a group for everyone. I think one of the biggest prerequisites is being comfortable on a motorcycle. For me the most worries are getting the dang thing in and out of the truck. Last year I wrecked twice in one day. Getting the bike in the truck at the end of the day using a bucket as a step stool and getting it out while trying to gain enough speed to coast into the garage. I dumped the bike both times. The front fairing was destroyed by days end. I should probably keep my gear loading thing up, helmet included.

I'll add one more thing to this diatribe. It's a track day. Safety is of utmost importance and there's no trophies for crashing. I could go on and on and on as I've been doing this stuff since about 1970. My last crash was damn near a game ender.

 

[Cooter]

You are an absolute animal outthere... Best thing I did to the H-ellcamino was to replace the rear springs with air bags. The tailgate drops to about a 18" loading height so Bubbles can load my bike for me when I inevitably wreck again

RANT:
My friend Mark that we track day with, just bought a 2020 Chevy High Country for $73 THOUSAND DOLLARS, plus $7100 sales tax, plus $2100 DMV, plus destination, plus paperwork... oh lord... anyway... it has sky-net inside it, and will literally tow a house, but he can't load his R-6 in 5 FOOT high bed. He's pretty dang tired of me laughing at him. And it has STUPID tie down points. I feel I need to punch an engineer for missing the whole point of a TRUCK..

Rant off.

How did you deal with the belt length after changing pulleys? Pivot the idler bracket?

I 1000% agree with what outthere said about track days. I understand the trepidation if you've never done it before... "race track" and all... but it is seriously the safest thing you can do to ride your bike fast and as a benefit you get much better and safer on the street too. It's pure motorcycling joy! Most people get hooked and quit street riding all together, the risks of street riding become very clear after time on the track.

And I had my leathers first dammit! Haha. The helmet is my first street Bell. A Race Star Flex. Super light, SUPER comfy, and the RSD color scheme got me sold. It vents well on really hot days, and hasn't fogged yet even without a pinlock. I have the "Protint" photocromatic shield for street use and thats pretty cool to have it darken on its own. Shield changes are easy enough you could do it while riding, it has Jade infused into the pads to keep the funk down, the cheek pads and strap end are on rare earth magnets, carbon fiber shell and has 3 layers of different density EPS and a MIPS liner as well. I feel pretty safe in it and would happily wear it all day. Ain't cheap, but I divide the price by the 5-7 years I can use it, realize how much I spend on silly stuff... and my head suddenly becomes worth it.

 

[outthere]

I did pivot the idler bracket. Spring tension has a small range of adjustment and I run it as loose as possible without skipping.

I see you pain with the cost of a new truck. I will not go there and wouldn't have one without a 8' bed. Riding gears the first priority heading to a track day along with full body coverage. The bozo's are out there with there shorts t tops and tennis shoes while the weather's warm. Asphalt likes skin. Morons

 

[mike lowary]

I also use the aluminum trans pulley 1 tooth down. Im using the free spirits belt tensioner to compensate for belt slack. Also if you wanted to change to chain drive you can remove the spring in the tensioner and just run it solid.

 

[Cooter]

Damn that bike looks good.... Whats the gear ratio/RPM change at 60MPH for 1 tooth smaller on the trans?

 

[mike lowary]

Xb9 stock at 60mph=3283 rpm
Xb9 one tooth down=3409 rpm
Xb12 stock at 60=2937 rpm
Xb12 one tooth down=3050 rpm

 

[mike lowary]

The shorter gearing plus the almost 3lb weight savings over the stock steel pulley makes this modification very noticeable. Major bang for the buck