Postby Doug MacRae » Mon Jan 30, 2012 9:05 am
When I first started to go fast on the track, I had a serious near-crash when I dug the side stand mounting lug into the ground while leaned over in a corner. Just like the lug in these pictures. I hack-sawed it off the frame in the pits before the next session, after that, no problems.
Oh My Oh My Oh My Bigger Brother Doug!... I look up to you from toe nail level.
You are the only rider on only bike I respect-fear the most in all the world of cycle-doom to compare notes with in handling and daring risk taking. Seriously you are the key for me to understand what's going on with Commando's that don't apply to other solid rigid engine chassis set ups. If you'd trust my construction I offer up Ms Peel to have your way with her, but got to last that long, ugh.
Gerry Bristow and I started on swash plate stabilizers in '03. Gerry was first i know to test teflon pad top steady but felt it buzz so sent it to me. Gerry had factory 850 in Italy he'd fly hi side ways up off a turn apex on a crest in special place so only one I could talk to about phase 3 and beyond straight steering handling antics. He was only able to ride till the end because I'd saved his L knee from joint replacement by long distance advice on upper neck brain stem injury/decay. At '04 Ohio rally he told me I was only reason he could travel but had one flair up after flying before hiking town steeps at ski resort, but thought of me - did his neck thing and immediately forgotaboutit even days later at camp grounds. One happy old fart I tell ya. Keep this data point in mind for your own future or old injury can make you infirm before your time.
Tom Davenport connected me with Bop Patton of rear cradle link fame just prior to Gerry's rub plate tests in '03 so I was first I know of to "make & test" a top rod w/o any buzz. I am not 1st to think up design John Taylor told me he'd drawn it up in late 90's but didn't produce d/t unknown buzz factor. Bryan Tyree was first in mid '70's with front link to tame rain groove freeways and it did.
I don't want to hurt bike or me nor die, nor anyone else pressing limits. I seek to know what limits your handling performance and how its sensed by you.
Of all the features of Ms Peel, compression releases included, a stand of some sort w/o the lug in the way has stumped me so far. I had alloy bicycle side stand scabbed on for Empire rally but on return just sitting in living room it fractured to fall on blower side that I'd feared so had already cleared a soft landing pad thank goodness.
Ms Peel becomes rather uncanny easier to pilot the harsher she's thrown around, the Only limiting quirks I've been able to induce going rather faster and harsher than I could spanking modern corner instructors or me on my modern, was ground effects lift/drop d/t fork eddies on air wedge ram down low *and* lo to hi side flings where 4 gal gas slosh hit forks so hard in flight - half way before landing to jerk front back to face outside of turn about a half a lane out of intended line of aim on steep down hill apex, ie: about directly at the tangent straight off the edge of turn at hi speed on rebounding tire squash and frame wrap/unwrap. YIKES!!! Hard hit on brake upright then straight steering phase 3 maniac power hook up saved us - barely- this side of painted line and cliff drop by nothing to lose reaction as too quick to bail out.
That early day in Peels pecking order discovery I'd called out to a group of sports riders for a hot shot in mood to dice it up with an obsolete cast iron rubber baby buggy. Two dozen heads and fingers pointed to the fella on a newish Triumph Speed Triple, who said he was heading back home on his favorite sections. I let him lead as didn't know the way and Peel's 520 sprocket teeth had a prior damage so chain would come off it I gave too much throttle, especially up steeps, so I couldn't accelerate to keep up in straights, but did keep him in reach up to 130 or so before next tight spots to slow down again for him in turns. He was one of the few to be jumping about in saddle and hi 5 hand smacks pulled up together after the joy ride instead of more commonl angry upset reactions. So point being - even torque crippled Ms Peel didn't hold up nothing out there.
Next time out, lifted, lighter, gas level aware plus vortex spoil generators, tail end drogue chute with big block power response, whooweepee!
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But But But, there was another event that day I've never spoken of here yet, that most severely ever tested me and Ms Peel - going 2-3 mph for minutes on end in a wheelie stand rolling burn out phase 5 handling lesion. No leaning at all so don't apply to this subject line.
