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So, you’re suited up and ready to murder all the apexes of the racetrack, set a blazing fast lap-time and then revel in your glory. But before you go out and do that, there are some basic changes that need to be made to your motorcycle. While one may not be able to get their hands on a race-spec motorcycle right out of the gates, stock motorcycles can also be used on the track albeit with a few modifications. And in this part, we are going to list them out for you.
The first modification takes care of the biggest issue possible issue on the track which is an oil-spill. Oil-spills are obviously dangerous, but they can shut down the track for a long period too. In the case of spin-on oil filters, it is always recommended to secure them with a hose clamp. Also, the oil drain bolt and oil filler bolts must be tightened well to make sure that something like that doesn’t happen.
Next, the mirrors must all be removed or completely taped. Same goes for the headlights and if you can disable them as well, that’s for the best. The taillight needs to be covered with duct tape or disabled. These are easy to do things and plugs for the headlight and taillight are easy to find. Another thing that one needs to tape is wheel weights (little metal thingies on the wheel called balancers). It is imperative that one checks the tyres and brakes as well. All the tyres have a TWI (tyre wear indicator) so one must make sure that their tyres are not worn out. The same goes for brakes where, in addition to the proper functionality, one must check the callipers and brake pads. Make sure the callipers are held in place and the brake pads have grooves cut in them to check the thickness and therefore, the life of the pad.
Apart from that, the regular checks like chain slack, throttle movement, oil, coolant and fuel levels are also important. Special attention needs to be paid to the throttle. One must make sure that it snaps back into its original position as soon as they let go. There must be at least some slack in the chain because a tight chain can not only snap and make a pretty scene, it also hinders the movement of suspension. And we do not even need to explain why checking the levels of engine oil, coolant and fuel etc. is important. Engine oil is one of the most important aspects for an obvious reason, which is, keeping the innards of the engine well lubricated so as to reduce the wear and tear. But lubrication is not the only part that the engine oil plays. Quite a few parts inside an engine depend on the engine oil for taking away the excess heat. So a good engine oil will go a long way in ensuring optimum performance and for our track outings, we leave it to Castrol POWER1.
Some of the advanced modifications may include mods to boost the performance of the motorcycle. Usually, the first step riders take in this direction is to reduce the weight of the motorcycle. Race fairings, lightweight Li-ion batteries, lightweight wheels etc. are some of the ways using which riders bring down the weight of their motorcycle. Then comes the engine, where riders install performance exhausts, air filters and such, in order to squeeze out a few more horses out of the engines. In the handling department, people usually go for racing rear-sets, performance brake pads and brake lines. Usually, the changes needed in the suspension setup is taken care of via adjustment but some people like to go for complete overhauls too. There are a host of options when it comes to performance modifications but the above are the few of the most prominent ones.
Another important thing that one must keep in mind is that most tracks do not allow helmet and body-mounted cameras. All such equipment including GPS and lap timers are to be hard tethered to the bike and properly secured. And last but not the least, regardless of whether one is a beginner or an advanced rider, the focus is para*mount. One must stay within the limits of their bike and themselves. This raises the question ‘when should one push their limits then? Be*cause in racing that is necessary. And we say, being a motorcyclist, you’ll know when you can do that…
The first modification takes care of the biggest issue possible issue on the track which is an oil-spill. Oil-spills are obviously dangerous, but they can shut down the track for a long period too. In the case of spin-on oil filters, it is always recommended to secure them with a hose clamp. Also, the oil drain bolt and oil filler bolts must be tightened well to make sure that something like that doesn’t happen.
Next, the mirrors must all be removed or completely taped. Same goes for the headlights and if you can disable them as well, that’s for the best. The taillight needs to be covered with duct tape or disabled. These are easy to do things and plugs for the headlight and taillight are easy to find. Another thing that one needs to tape is wheel weights (little metal thingies on the wheel called balancers). It is imperative that one checks the tyres and brakes as well. All the tyres have a TWI (tyre wear indicator) so one must make sure that their tyres are not worn out. The same goes for brakes where, in addition to the proper functionality, one must check the callipers and brake pads. Make sure the callipers are held in place and the brake pads have grooves cut in them to check the thickness and therefore, the life of the pad.
Apart from that, the regular checks like chain slack, throttle movement, oil, coolant and fuel levels are also important. Special attention needs to be paid to the throttle. One must make sure that it snaps back into its original position as soon as they let go. There must be at least some slack in the chain because a tight chain can not only snap and make a pretty scene, it also hinders the movement of suspension. And we do not even need to explain why checking the levels of engine oil, coolant and fuel etc. is important. Engine oil is one of the most important aspects for an obvious reason, which is, keeping the innards of the engine well lubricated so as to reduce the wear and tear. But lubrication is not the only part that the engine oil plays. Quite a few parts inside an engine depend on the engine oil for taking away the excess heat. So a good engine oil will go a long way in ensuring optimum performance and for our track outings, we leave it to Castrol POWER1.
Some of the advanced modifications may include mods to boost the performance of the motorcycle. Usually, the first step riders take in this direction is to reduce the weight of the motorcycle. Race fairings, lightweight Li-ion batteries, lightweight wheels etc. are some of the ways using which riders bring down the weight of their motorcycle. Then comes the engine, where riders install performance exhausts, air filters and such, in order to squeeze out a few more horses out of the engines. In the handling department, people usually go for racing rear-sets, performance brake pads and brake lines. Usually, the changes needed in the suspension setup is taken care of via adjustment but some people like to go for complete overhauls too. There are a host of options when it comes to performance modifications but the above are the few of the most prominent ones.
Another important thing that one must keep in mind is that most tracks do not allow helmet and body-mounted cameras. All such equipment including GPS and lap timers are to be hard tethered to the bike and properly secured. And last but not the least, regardless of whether one is a beginner or an advanced rider, the focus is para*mount. One must stay within the limits of their bike and themselves. This raises the question ‘when should one push their limits then? Be*cause in racing that is necessary. And we say, being a motorcyclist, you’ll know when you can do that…
