My race bike progress
 

So after 3 years of no riding in the street or tracks, I decided to get a bike mid last year, a Kawasaki ZX10r 2011'. 3rd ZX10r and bike number 18.

http://img195.imageshack.us/img195/224/jay1bs.jpg

Went for a couple of rides in the canyons and it just wasn't the same fun I remembered. Hit a superstreet race and finished 2nd, was a bit rusty and I was definitely out of shape:
http://img542.imageshack.us/img542/9...streetgrid.jpg

Finished 2nd and after talking with my old race buddies for 2 minutes, had to get back into things.

Went back for an open track day a couple weeks later and to help a new to track buddy of mine:
http://img192.imageshack.us/img192/2230/imag0040jr.jpg

Started sending out sponsorship proposals and surprisingly without racing last year, many companies were willing to help me out. Got the bike set up to pass tech and then sent it off for paint.

I have two sets of race bodywork so this bike will be a race bike that doubles as a street bike (street setup will have fog light and brake light with plates). But paint and sponsor decals will be identical.

Here is the bodywork:
http://img823.imageshack.us/img823/2...csgastqank.jpg

http://img35.imageshack.us/img35/7152/plastics1.jpg

http://img341.imageshack.us/img341/1725/plastics2.jpg

04-07-2012, just picked up the bike and brought it home, no sponsor decals made yet so they will go on soon.

http://img59.imageshack.us/img59/678...0407171228.jpg
http://img140.imageshack.us/img140/3...0407171251.jpg

I know my sponsors don't come onto this forum but would love to thank them for the assistance they have provided both from local shops to worldwide race companies.

First race here in the MRA is May 5th.....:tup:

Couple of updates.....bought my son his first gas bike last week. Will be a while before he can ride it under it's own power; need proper fitting gear and seat time.

For now he is very happy to have pops just push him up and down the sidewalk:
http://img818.imageshack.us/img818/1...0428174106.jpg

Promoting roadracing up in Ft Collins:
http://img838.imageshack.us/img838/6...0421092658.jpg

Tomorrow will be my first race of the season, will probably start towards the back since I didn't race last year. Pics taken from an open trackday practice 2012-04-23:
http://img254.imageshack.us/img254/6394/img2463em.jpg

Will be running the new Dunlops this year instead of Michelin's like I originally thought.

So first race was May 5th, started in the 2nd wave in 30th position, worked my way back to 6th. To be honest, I don't think I could have done any better even if the race was longer, was way too fatigued, my conditioning sucks right now.

couple of pics from the race:
http://img18.imageshack.us/img18/233/1266.png
http://img69.imageshack.us/img69/8180/1379o.png

Round 2 at Pikes Peak International Raceway was May 19, 2012. Never been there, just ran one practice of only 6 laps to preserve the tires I had. Pretty much winged it out there....

http://img26.imageshack.us/img26/2107/img480550.jpg

Wanted to say thank you to all my friends who have always believed this SLO fugger would do alright in racing. I don't consider myself a full blown racer, I still like heading out to Starbucks, taking rides in the canyons....cruising, etc. For those that have driven way out of their way just to show me support, words can't describe the feeling when I come back to the pit garage and see everyone there clapping and yelling....

Just out there to see what a regular fella can do among the competition.

Also many thanks to my sponsors....expecially for not racing last year. Only raced two weekends back in 08'.

New Logo:
http://img39.imageshack.us/img39/1999/teamslo.jpg

EDIT 10-19-2012 Rider Bio ad published by ScorpionEXO in Sept issue of SportRider and then for Oct in SSB (superstreetbike). Gearing up for next years season. More exciting things coming.....

Looking Good Bro!

Being in the industry: A lot of sponsors are hurting especially in the bike industry.

Remember: Smooth is fast! ;)

You are definitely right, this is what one piece of key advice I hand out to plenty of people. And for sponsorships, it sucks because many sponsors are having to cut back. So I am lucky to have the ones for this year.

I also help promote much more through putting together group rides, track days, twice a month for bike nights, and just helping others out on the forums.

Thanks for the compliment, can't wait until my street setup comes through.

One of my favorite bikes. Nice!!

Exciting stuff, slo. Good luck this year!

The compliments are appreciated..... I am pretty excited, I have a two year old and looking forward to his future in the sport if he gets into it. So far he is asking "Can I ride Papa's bike?".

Next Sunday will be my first track day on the new brakes/gearing, should be "interesting". Then off to May 5th for the first race of the season at High Plains Raceway.

Nice man!!!!

Couple of updates.....bought my son his first gas bike last week. Will be a while before he can ride it under it's own power; need proper fitting gear and seat time.

For now he is very happy to have pops just push him up and down the sidewalk:
http://img818.imageshack.us/img818/1...0428174106.jpg

Promoting roadracing up in Ft Collins:
http://img838.imageshack.us/img838/6...0421092658.jpg

Tomorrow will be my first race of the season, will probably start towards the back since I didn't race last year. Pics taken from an open trackday practice 2012-04-23:
http://img254.imageshack.us/img254/6394/img2463em.jpg

Will be running the new Dunlops this year instead of Michelin's like I originally thought.

:tup: Good luck.

I see what appears to be a GoPro stuck to your helmet yet I see no vid :stirthepot:

It looks good in the race skin. I still have my '06 CBR1000RR, but have been contemplating on updating it to something new.

Thanks.....

Yeah I had a contour gps..... camera was pointed too high and no gps, I got this so there is no BS'ing on speed since many like to "exaggerate" what they were actually doing.

This time I have read instructions haha.... and got the contour app on my phone so I can see what I am recording during setup. Mounted camera on the front of the bike for the race.

Can't wait to see how I do on these new Dunlops!!!

Very nice man! Very neat thing you're doing.

So just got home.... friggin tired!!! So since I did not race last year, I had to start on the 2nd wave. So started in 30th. 2nd wave cannot start until the last person in the first wave clears turn 1, ended up finishing 6th.

slo, very sweet looking bike. Better watch out for little guy b/c he will pass you up on his bike.....lol

And....wait for it...... not only passing 24 people.... but also lapping quite a few, and of course, my contour corrupted the file. .mov file but when trying to play it says undf.

So no video, it never happened, I will never be able to get video like that again in my life.

Need to get the little guy some training wheels! :tup:

What did the sponsors offer to provide in trade for advertizing on your bike,when I looked back into it late in the 80's and 90's , all that most local dealers or parts vendors, would give you is a measly 10% off parts and services.

This is a real joke as most shops, parts vendors are making between 30 - 50% mark up on their items.

You could actually get better discounts just surfing the net or buying on ebay.

The sponsors should actually provide some services for free and at least provide parts at their cost.

All the sponsors I deal with offer different sponsorship levels. But I am with you, I wouldn't put there stickers on for free, that is for sure. My sponsors are companies I specifically wanted, not other companies. And considering I didn't race last year, I feel lucky to have them. I wasn't sure what would happen when I first sent out my race resume with cover letter.

Bike looks great jay, even the kiddos


ThePhotographer

Congrats on the finish! From 30th to 6th is quite an achievement. There are some utility apps that might be able to recover the file, usually it is just a corrupt index or something like that which can be rebuilt.

Thanks everyone.....

Updated end of 1st post with a couple of race pics.... Apologies for repeating my thanks to my sponsors, but without them, I wouldn't have made it out there so thank you to all my 2012 sponsors.

Pikes Peak International Raceway in 2 days :)

You might not be totally out of luck on that .MOV file. Try googling to see what you can find out.

Good luck!

I tried a couple of different programs, no luck. Also the advice that contour gave me failed as well. Oh well....

Updated first post as well with my 3rd place podium from Pikes Peak International Raceway.

Good stuff! Good luck to you this year...wish I had the time to race this year, I do miss it :-(

New logo:
http://img39.imageshack.us/img39/1999/teamslo.jpg

I'd suggest better font but ..


ThePhotographer

Well I was hoping to have some good news after last weekends race at High Plains Raceway. Started off great, pulled into the lead about half way in the first lap, then things got crazy in a good way. The first 3 of us started making great passes, about 3 for each of us within the first two laps.

Coming out of turn 3 in the 3rd lap I lost all power. Through my hand up to let other riders know, got off the race line and went into the dirt to get out of harms way. Bike would not start back up.

What a miserable feeling to see the rest of the riders go by lap after lap. Much more worse was knowing my first full race season and that I "could" have gotten a top five (was already #4 and moving past 3rd for the season), now was completely impossible.

Anyway, TEAM SLO has now expanded, added a new teamate and good friend..... Time to put it behind me and keep on going, just gotta figure out what happened with the bike. Could have had disasterous results if the bike lost power while deep into a turn.....

Damn sorry to hear Jay


ThePhotographer

Small update even though I am no longer a 370z owner (traded her in for a Crewmax Tundra). One of my sponsors ScorpionEXO published a full page ad with me and the bike along with a Rider Bio in Sept issue of SportRider and then in Oct for SSB (SuperStreetBike). This season is now over but already prepping for next season.

Speaking of which.....Just got him a KTM this week.