Ice Fest 2010 Race Sats..

[riverrat]

If I didn't blow my motor 5 days before icefest, I would have been on new studs and the 250 class might have had a different outcome, as long as I could drive it right.
I compared my studs to John's 5 year old studs, and they were at least twice as worn.
In the drags, through all gears, I was spinning terribly. I never hooked once until I past the finish line.
The 310 had a lot more power than the 250, but it almost felt slower at times because I was just spinning.
Oh well, thats racing. Hopefully next year I will be better prepared.
Anyway I was glad to be there, and would have finished third in the birbore class if I didn't loop it on the last lap for no apparent reason.

[JohnR.]

I have been to each IceFest Raffa has put on so far and every year everyone steps up there game a notch. The first year I think there were 3 or 4 of us on fully studded, race ready machines. Most guys were just goofing around and doing laps with some old tires with sheet metal screws in them. Last year some more guys stepped up with all out ice machines and this year there was a ton of serious vessels out there that could have competed for top honors. Think about this, last year I was the fastest guy out there and I was on those worn out studs that could only get me a 3rd on my T3 this year. Those old studs had pretty much zero usage since they were on my 330R last year so they weren't any worse, everyone who showed up stepped up their game a bit. For next year I know I'm going to have to be on good studs to be competitive in either class and I think I'll lower my 350X and put studs on it for the 4 stroke class too. I definitely need to do more practice laps here at home. I did a few laps this year but I spent more time hanging out and having a good time than I did actually putting track time in. I have to step up my game for next year all the way around.

John

[ChrisD]

I, personally, am leaving my panties at home next year! I need to get to the point where I don't lift from WOT on the track. Whenever I race on small tracks I brake into the turns, but never do that when I race quads. Go figure?!?! Well, we have the birth of a group headed for one-up-manship! Everyone bring their game next year and let's see what happens!

[JohnR.]

I hear you Chris but keep in mind sometimes to go faster you have to slow down. If you can drive it deeper into the turn then grab the front brake you will be quicker that way.

[riverrat]

I hear you Chris but keep in mind sometimes to go faster you have to slow down. If you can drive it deeper into the turn then grab the front brake you will be quicker that way.

I've been contemplating this. When we were there Chris asked me how I got into the turn. I told him, I just pitch it sideways, and the throttle. I don't actually know if this is the fastest way around that particular track. In doing that, I also leave the inside door open. One thing for sure, I had nothing coming out of the turns, due to the worn studs. Once I put fresh studs on, I am going to have to re-learn everything. Plus I won't be on a bent frame next year, and that might make a difference as well. My front brake was also shot, so that will be fixed, and I will have to practice using front brake to get into the turns, and then pitch once I am slowed down enough to turn.
I am still in the figuring out process with the 250R. Once I get really comfortable in more situations, I can be more of a threat. I really don't want to push it hard when I am not 100% confident, because I don't want to hurt myself or anyone else. On the other hand, I might have to loose a little fear of getting hurt to be good.
I was just figuring out how to be more up over the tank, and then over the wheels to change traction, and handling in the turns. The season is so short, there is not much time to learn. I can't believe we have to wait like 10 months for the hope of ice. I wish we had a dirt flat track to race on. I wonder how similar it is?
My dream is to get some property to have my own track. Something not to far away.

[JohnR.]

I think it depends on the track. If its a large track and I can stick the inside without grabbing a handful of front brake then I would hold it open but if its a small track that I have to back off the gas at all then I feel I'm faster waiting longer to back off the gas and blipping the front brake. Grabbing the front brake helps you rotate the trike too, it loads the front tire as long as you don't over do it and lock the front tire up. I had a good bit of seat time flat tracking my TRX250R up at a 1/4 mile dirt oval that used to run races up by New Paltz but I never got to take a 3 wheeler out on a real dirt oval. I can tell you that depending on track conditions the dirt can be a lot like ice but it can also be a lot different than it. You can also pitch the quad sideways a lot sooner than you can the trike but you don't always want to pitch it so soon. If you're sliding sideways your machine isn't really propelling itself forward. It seems that at least for my trike, I need to work on getting more traction on the front end to help turning and braking. In the rear I'm not sure if I need more side bite, forward bite, or maybe both. I feel like my side bite is pretty good most of the time but I could use more forward bite. About halfway through the turn on the oval I am shifting my weight back to try to get it to hook more. I could adjust the studs for more forward bite but I don't want to give up any of my side bite. I have those 20's here with very little time on them. I felt they were too much when I was running a 250cc motor but maybe they're the hot set up for the bigger motors. The only way to find out is to try them. I'd also like to try one of the Cheng Shin 22x8x10's on the front. I'm not sure how the trike will work with a "squared off" front tire though.

John

[riverrat]

Well I think obviously the more you turn the the front end, the more castor you introduce, and if the tire was too flat, you might just be riding on the outer knobs. But I think those tires have a slight roundness to them. If that roundness matches the castor, it might be a win. I am guessing you just want more studs contacting the ice in the front right? Chris's tire is pretty flat.
The other thing that might work is a softer tire with less air, then the tire would conform to the ice (just a thought). It's hard keeping studs in those tires at speed though.

[JohnR.]

The thing that has me shying away from a tire like Chris' is that I've been watching him spit studs out of it and my "Holeshot copy" hasn't lost a single stud. Air pressure is weird in the front, you'd think that airing down a little would help but when I did it on Greenwood Lake this winter I ended up pushing even worse. I'm going to sink a bunch more studs into that front tire this year and maybe that'll help some. If I get really motivated I'll order a CS front and give it a try. If it doesn't work I can always sell it to one of the quad guys I know and they'll just have to buy one more. The other thing I'm going to try is getting a front end on there with less caster, that should put some more weight over the rear and sharpen the steering up too. The 85's have 1/2* less caster build into the frame than the '86's so that's a plus for what I do with it anyway.

John

[riverrat]

I think if you get the tire I have in 21" or even 19" that will lower your front down putting more weight on the front. That could help also. Not only does it lower the front, it gives you more clearance to push your forks up. You could lower your front up to 5-6" with that tire. It will also reduce your virtual castor. I don't have any trouble with pushing. But I am no expert rider either.