Motard race report March 2011

First 1st
by Stretch Henrick

It has taken 10 race meetings on the short circuit to get to where we are now. Killian started motard racing in 2010 on the demo Aprilia SXV 550. Initially we ran the bike as is (stock tyres and all) with just the road gear removed and the mandatory changes done (wiring up of brakes, sump plugs etc). As the year progressed (and as Killian progressed as well) changes were made. Motard specific tyres and gearing came first followed by a performance pipe and air filter. The suspension was altered (several times) to accommodate Killian’s improving lap times.

Weak areas were identified and addressed. We tried drag racing (to improve starts) and took part in a Gymkana. The deal was that if he got good results, we would look at a 450 for 2011. A 3rd in the All Tar Modified class and another 3rd for the year in the Dirt class saw us uncrating an Aprilia SXV 450 for 2011.

Now, on paper, the 2 bikes (450 vs 550) should be identical except for bore, stroke, and smaller throttle bodies on the 450 but it turned out that the bikes have very different engine characteristics. Where one could rely on the 550’s torque to get one off the line fast (rev to 7 000 rpm, dump the clutch and you are in front) the 450 is a revver that requires a lot more finesse.

The 450 is also more critical when it comes to gearing. If you found yourself in too high a gear on the 550, just open the throttle and the torque would pull you through. Not so on the 450. During practice for the All Bike Race Day (16th December 2010) we ran the same gearing as we ran on the 550 but it was geared too tall. The only other sprocket option we had (at short notice) was only 1 tooth bigger which should only have made a 200 rpm difference but the 450 ended up running 800 rpm more. That extra tooth was just enough to get the bike into the strong part of the rev band.

We were pleased with the results achieved at the ABRD. A 2nd and a 1st in the Motard class gave us a 2nd overall. In the BOTT’s class we finished in 7th (put of 17) which, considering the 450 was by far the smallest bike in the race, was a very good result indeed.

For our first race of 2011 (12th Feb 2011) we transferred everything from the 550 onto the 450: wheels, suspension, bodywork, the lot. We fitted Michelin Soft compound both front and rear (we wanted a medium for the rear but for some reason or other we got sent a soft). The rear tyre was absolutely shredded by half way through the race meeting so we swopped it for our old 2010 standby rear tyre and finished the day with a 3rd in the All Tar class and another 3rd in the Supermoto class.

Shredded rear tyre

Saturday 5th March saw us at the track bright and early for the 2nd race of 2011. Killian qualified 5th in the All Tar class. In the Supermoto qualifier he clipped a tyre on lap 3 which meant he had to come in for repairs (bent brake lever) but still managed to qualify 3rd. Racing in both classes has definite advantages – double the practice and qualifying sessions.

The first All Tar heat went well. Killian finished 3rd overall and 1st in the Stock class. The tyres gripped well and the bike was going well in spite of a slightly leaky header pipe (courtesy of a slide out on Monday’s practice).

The first Supermoto heat did not go so well. Killian had just started lap 2 and went into the dirt section turnoff a bit hot. He braked as hard as he could but still ended up clipping someone’s rear wheel and down he went. The damage was minor (bent r/h handguard and handlebar mount) but it meant a DNF for that heat.

Dropped it at the dirt section turnin

The second All Tar heat also went well. Killian finished 2nd overall (courtesy of Carl Liebenberg going down) and another 1st in the Stock Class. He also did a personal best lap time of 49.1 seconds which was the second best lap time of the day.

The 2nd Supermoto heat was a disaster. Killian had to start from the back of the grid but a good start saw him exiting the dirt section in 5th place. By lap 3 he managed to pass Junior Joubert and was right on Dean Hart’s (who was riding like a demon) rear wheel when he overcooked it in the dirt section on lap 5.

This time it was the left side handlebar guard which was bent and so was his little finger. It was sticking up at a right angle, probably dislocated. A quick pull on the finger straightened it out (Killian did this, not me) and it popped back into place.

I straightened things out the best I could (I was running out of handlebar mounts) and got the bike re-scrutineered (again!) while Killian was inspected by the medics (downplaying his finger) and showing him his fresh roastie (right over Monday’s bruise) instead. Another DNF in the Supermoto class.

Roastie on top of bruise

We made a tactical decision to withdraw from the last Supermoto race and just do the 3rd All Tar race instead (before the pain really kicked in). We moved the clutch lever perch inwards, moved the grip right to the end of the handlebar and adjusted the long clutch lever with plenty of slack so that it only just disengaged the clutch. With this setup Kilian reckoned that, at best, he had 2 clutch pulls left in him.

We kept his hand in ice for as long as we could. Once he was suited up and gloved, I duct taped his little finger to his ring finger. The tactic was to go out last (to reduce the possibility of having to sit on the start line with the clutch pulled in), toe the bike into neutral when approaching the start line and to only pull in the clutch when the flag man leaves the track (about 5 seconds before the start light goes out) and shift without the clutch for the race.

The tactic worked. Killian was 2nd on the grid (front row) so even with a slow start he was 4th after 1 lap right behind Dean Hart. He lost 2 places in the next 2 laps but gained a few places when riders in front of him went wide at one of the bus stop chicanes so he finished 1st in the Stock class again.

The final Supermoto race turned out to be the best race of the day (rivaled only by the Westman vs Pantony Supermono race) Carl Liebenberg was on pole with Alec Combrink 2nd on the grid. Carl got the holeshot and was 1st into the dirt section. Alec had the edge in the dirt with Carl slightly faster on the tar. Alec managed to pass Carl on the entry into the dirt on lap 2 but the 2 were never more than a few metres apart for the whole race.

Carl (#711) and Alec (#29) turning into the dirt section

More often than not they were side by side coming into the dirt section and their battle had the spectators on their feet and cheering for most of the race. When the flag dropped it was Alec first over the like about a metre ahead of Carl. It was a brilliant display of riding skill by both of them. It also gave Killian a rare opportunity to observe and learn from 2 vastly more experienced riders.

Killian’s three 1st places gave him 1st overall in The All Tar Stock class for the day but no points in the Supermoto (dirt and tar) Class. Mixed fortunes indeed.

It is difficult to say if Killian’s improved lap times are due to his riding improving or due to the bike. There is no doubt about it, in the right hands, the Aprilia SXV450 is fast. It does require careful setting up and it must be ridden in the powerband to get the best out of it. Another interesting thing, in spite of being as fast as the 550 (maybe even faster) it uses much less fuel.

Nevertheless a solid 1st with barely a years racing experience is a darn good result indeed. Many thanks to Alpinestar, Shark, Michelin and Aprilia SA for all the help and support. Also many thanks to friends, competitors and marshals who rallied around to help. It is greatly appreciated.

Killian’s hand the next day

January/February/March 2011 Newsletter

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Jackie@eurobike.co.za

January/February/March



Hi all

We are already in March and this year promises to go as quickly if not quicker than last year. Stretch and I took off 4 days over Xmas and that too, went too quickly. This is the only holliday we take every year and it is far too short to cram everything we would like to do into it.

We closed last year on a bit of a “low” as it was really a bad year for most bike shops and we watched as many of the long standing shops closed their doors, this was more evident in Johannesburg than in Cape Town. Its sad to see this happen when you have been in the industry as long as we have. However, we opened again in January and had one of our best months ever – the workshop was buzzing as we struggled to accommodate all the bikes getting booked in and this has not yet stopped. Everyone must be taking advantage of the great biking weather in Cape Town!

RACING NEWS

Killian finished the 2010 season in 3rd place overall for both the Modified Tar Class and the Modified Supermoto Class (Tar and Dirt) racing the Aprilia SXV550 – well done. He participated in the All Bike Race Day on the Aprilia SXV450 and entered BOTT’s (Battle of the Twins) and finished 7th overall in a field of 17 bikes and most of them being 1098 Ducati’s, 999 Ducati’s and the GS800 boxer cup bikes – a fantastic achievement for his first time on the Main Circuit and on a 450 Aprilia!! He finished 2nd overall in the Motards.

His first race of the new season on the SXV450 was on 12 February and he finished 3rd overall in the Motard Tar and Super Motard (Tar/Dirt) in the stock class. His race on 5th March he finished 1st overall in the Motard Tar class (see more regarding this in Stretch’s race report which is on the blog)

We would like to thank the following sponsors who are assisting with his racing: Langston Racing for their generous donation of Alpinestars leathers, gloves, boots, knee guard, neck brace, socks, brake pads, Shark Helmet, Michelin Tyres, and Aprilia SA for the discount on his spares.

Steven Matthew”s races a RXV450 and he finished 1st overall in the EWXC in Novice B Class for 2010, he finished in the top 2 in the Social Enduro and offroad Classes and is hoping to do the Roof of Africa on his Aprilia RXV450. A fantastic achievement for Steven and this was the first year that he raced an Aprilia, in previous years he has raced a Honda.

Next Motard Race – 9 April at Killarney on the Half Main
Next Enduro Race – 12 March in Wellington

Killian (#4) and Dean Hart following on a KTM
PHOTO COURTESY OF EYE CATCHER IMAGES

NEWS FROM APRILIA

The designers and engineers at Aprilia obviously haven’t spent the last two years sitting around discussing Max Biaggi’s relentless progress towards his and Aprilia’s first World Superbike championship. While the Roman Emperor stamped his authority on the racetrack the boffins worked hard at improving the breed even more for the rest of their customers, and the fruits of their labour will be seen in the first quarter of 2011, when the championship winning V-four arrives in Special Edition RSV4 F (APRC) guise.

Aprilia’s roots are in racing and the competitions department works closely with the manufacturing division. This collaboration over the past two years while racing the RSV4 in World Superbike now brings the same technology that allowed Biaggi to challenge so strongly in 2009 and dominate the World Superbike Championship in 2010 to a roadgoing version of the litre-class V-4 superbike. This all comes together in the Aprilia Performance Ride Control (APRC) package.

Apart from the state-of-the-art traction control that has eight manual settings and automatically adjusts itself to suit the characteristics of the tyres on the bike, the new RSV4 Factory APRC SE features Aprilia Wheelie Control (AWC) with three settings, Aprilia Launch Control (ALC) with three settings for lightning-fast starts on the racetrack, and Aprilia Quick Shift (AQS) for ultra-fast gear changes without the rider closing the throttle or using the clutch.

The APRC package uses an automotive inertial sensor platform with two gyro meters and two accelerometers feeding the ECU information about the dynamic conditions of the motorcycle. This is then used to fine-tune the engine management parameters accordingly, while leaving the rider with the capability to adjust any of the APRC components individually.

Unlike most other motorcycle electronic rider aids, the Aprilia systems give the rider plenty of choices rather than arbitrarily emasculating the machine at any faint hint of potential trouble. The eight-setting traction control cleverly “learns” the tyre radius and final gear ratio when the rider asks it to, and then does its job accordingly, where most other systems are optimised for a single size and type of tyre. The three-setting Aprilia Wheelie Control monitors where a wheelie starts and where it is likely to end and kicks in to make for a softer landing, and the launch control system allows the rider to simply open the throttle and dump the clutch when the flag drops or the light changes if he chooses, or launch the bike from the line in the conventional fashion. This system also provides three settings for the rider to choose from.

Apart from the race-developed electronics the Special Edition RSV4 F APRC motorcycle comes with improved engine lubrication for prolonged track use, closer internal gear ratios, and a new, lighter exhaust with an advanced butterfly valve management system to suit the ride-by-wire mapping and allow improved breathing and efficiency throughout the rev range. The Aprilia Special Edition Aprilia also boasts new ultra-light forged aluminium rims shod with new-generation dual-blend 200/55 tyres specially developed in a collaboration between Aprilia and Pirelli.

Recently arrived in South Africa is the all new Dorsoduro 1200, a hard-core evolution of the stylish Dorsoduro 750 V-Twin supermotard. This performance-focused street fighter is blessed with stunning looks that make it stand out in any crowd. The new highly oversquare 90o V-twin water-cooled engine uses four valves per cylinder, double overhead camshafts and twin-spark ignition to extract 130 horsepower at 8700 rpm and 115 Nm of torque at 7200 rpm from 1200cc. The four camshafts are driven by a combination of gears and chains and the engine features triple-map Ride-By-Wire technology with Sport, Touring and Rain maps. Fully adjustable 43mm upside-down front forks and a piggyback design side-mounted Sachs rear shock are standard, as are Brembo brakes with radial calipers. The outrageously agile and sporty motorcycle is designed for pure functionality with very little in the way of ornamentation and an absolute minimum in the line of body panels.

The bike is also available with a two-channel ABS system and Aprilia Traction Control (ATC) with three different selectable levels of performance.

Thankyou to Andre van Rooyen at Aprilia SA for this article.

1200 Dorsoduro

The bike arrived and prior to even uncrating it we sold it to one of our customers who has a perchant for black naked bikes. The first time he saw it was when it came out the crate. It was not long before he had clocked up enough kays for it to have its first service. Liking more simplistic designs, Stretch did a modification to the tail end and made up his own “tail tidy”. It looks really good. We have just received the “gel seat” he ordered and this he reckons makes a big difference. (the standard seat is a bit hard).

The next shipment will be here mid April and the Importers have agreed to keep the price at R119 995 incl vat for this shipment only. If you want one, R5000 non-refundable deposit will secure one for you. They are available in black or perlascent white.

RS125 4 Stroke:

The RS125 will be replaced with a 4 stroke version and this bike should be in South Africa in June/July. The “doing away” with the 2 stroke’s has been on the cards for a long time and this is all due to 2 stroke emission laws in the States. If you have a 2 stroke then hang onto it as I see these becoming quite collectable, if you don’t have one – nows the time to purchase one.

In standard trim the RS125 pushes out 28hp and with an arrows performance pipe ups the power to over 30hp. The 4 stroke version will push out (depending on market) somewhere between 13bhp and 16bhp!!!

FACEBOOK

Please don’t forget to go and join our Facebook site. Under search type in EUROBIKE CAPE TOWN all in CAPITALS. We update the news on our page weekly. If you would like to start a discussion on the page then please do.

That’s all for now, don’t forget Coffee on Saturdays from 09h00 to 12h00.

For those of you in Cape Town please bear in mind that should you wish to go on a breakfast run then leave very early as our roads are full of cyclists and runners limbering up for the Argus Cycle Tour (Sunday 13th March) and 2 Oceans Marathon on (Saturday 23rd April)

Stretch and Jackie