2010 Bikes

The team is running 2 bikes this year with both Eric and Andy riding Suzuki GSXR 1000 K5 models.

We will be launching a new colour scheme created by Raptor Superpaint in a few weeks time. We are just waiting for the final touches to be completed before the new look can be unveiled. In the meantime, we have used some images of the bikes as they started the 2009 season.

 

These bikes all started life as standard road bikes complete with lights, number plates and a horn! They are modified to make them faster, handle better, stop quicker and to comply with the ACU road race rules.

Engines, Suspension and Bodywork

The road bodywork and lights are removed, along with the road exhaust system. Lightweight race bodywork is fitted along with a race exhaust system and race air filter which helps them perform better. The bikes are then remapped to allow the ECU to have the correct fuel/air ratio to maximize performance. As far as performance tuning is concerned that's it. The engines are standard and not tuned to aid reliability which is a key factor in endurance racing. Both bikes weigh about 190Kgs and are producing in excess of 170 horsepower at the rear wheel - more than an Audi A3 S Line car.

The front forks have race internals to provide better and more consistent damping and a race rear shock absorber is added for the same reasons. The geometry and suspension settings make a massive difference to the handling of the bike, and the team is fortunate to have Pete Clifford from Actiforce racing on board as a technical sponsor. Pete works with the team to help set the suspension up for the different tracks.

The handlebars are swapped to race items from SES Race Products. The main advantage of these is that they are slightly wider allowing more leverage when changing direction. They are also easier to swap in the event of a minor spill. The bikes also feature aftermarket rear sets or footpegs to allow for more ground clearance and adjustabillty and also for ease of repair in the event of a crash.

The stock steering damper is non-adjustable so that is swapped for an Ohlins unit, and the front and rear sub frames are both swapped for race versions as they are lighter than the stock items and can often be bent back into shape if damaged in a crash.

Brakes

The brakes are upgraded as strong and consistent brakes are imperative on an endurance race bike. The standard rubber hoses are replaced with braided race brake lines and the standard master cylinder is also upgraded with the team's main choice being a Brembo race unit. The team run SBS Dual Carbon race pads on stock discs. Race brake fluid is used to prevent brake fade under hard use.

 

Gears

The gearing is altered on the bikes to maximize acceleration and drive out of corners. The team will change the gearing on each bike to suit the rider, the track and the conditions. Longer faster top speed gearing is used at the high speed tracks like Snetterton with shorter gearing used at the slower, tighter circuits like Cadwell or even Oulton Park. Both bikes also have HM quickshifters fitted. They allow the rider to have full power gear changes when accelerating, as the quickshifter cuts the ignition for just 65 milliseconds to allow the next gear to click in. As the throttle is only briefly closed, less time is lost changing gear and this can mean improvements of up to half a second a lap at some circuits.

Tyres

The team are again using the Michelin Power One race tyres tor 2010. The compound and profile of the tyres is varied according to the track and the weather conditions. Supersport tyres being used in the dry conditions - these have minimal tread pattern but are still road legal. Full wet tyres are used in the rain as the heavily grooved softer compound tyres give the rider amazing levels of grip in what are normally very tricky conditions.

Electronics

Eric and Andy are using the Starlane Athon GPS-R lap timer (provided by sportsbikeshop.co.uk) on their race bikes. This sophisticated unit has some data logging options built in that allow them to download data from both bikes onto a lap top. They are able to view lap times, braking points, engine revs, bike speed and position on track. They can overlay data from both machines and this allows them to compare different approaches to the same corner. Although they both ride the same bike they have very different riding styles and the ability to see this in real time on the computer has allowed them to make changes and improve their performances.