GT750 Drag Bike

[water cooled]

Streamlining is allowed...most of of the H2 bikes use minimal or no fairings. John Gilchrist, Bob Boruta, Larry Smith/Brian Pretzel, Bird/Baxter and Mike Bianco/Pecoraro are the only ones that use nose fairings along with full "one-piece bodies.

The rules for fuel are restricted to only those that are approved by AMA and appear on their list. Since I was using a stock head with relatively low compression, I figured I would be using pump gas for a while but certain VP fuels are allowed/approved by AMA. Methanol (Alcohol) and Nitrous Oxide are allowed. I am not up to speed on fuel because I didnt need to consider anything beyond pump gas but I would like to learn a bit more this year about what options are available if needed for future engine modifications but there is a long way to go between here and there for me...

kevin

[water cooled]

What the heck is a lockup clutch...I know I will regret asking that question.

I'm not even spinning the tire yet...I dont know how much hp I can put through the clutch before it starts spinning. I upgraded all plates and springs in the stock basket with Barnett components. I think I need to get over 100+ before I have to change...

[tz375]

When you say "pump gas", you mean race gas available at the track or do you really mean from the local gas station?

I'd recommend moving to at least VP C12 to keep it in one piece and them moving to a gas that makes more power. Check out what the H2 guys are running. You may like to think about setting your motor up on the dyno with race gas as a baseline.

U4.2 is a great race gas but rather more expensive. We got our last pail (5 gallons) for $65, but it's probably more today. Adds about 6% power and good octane.

You could try MR8 but I would expect the burn rate to be high and timing may have to be backed off a bit. And it's ore like $25 a gallon.

I'd like to try Sunoco HCR in that motor - big bore and relatively low revs might work well with that fuel and it's not as expensive as some of the HiPo VP fuels.

Methanol keeps the motor cool and is theoretically worth 17% more power when jetted to suit, but in the real world, it's more like 10%. You have to use an oil blended to mix with methanol. Some oils don't like the stuff. Oh and it's a little bit toxic too.

I raced a Honda CB77 on Methanol for years in Australia. makes a great paint stripper too.

When you are ready to fit a squeeze bottle, we can get serious and move to a CR of around 15:1 or more and a more robust fuel that can stand the shocks. Is anyone running NO2 with straight methanol ?

Baxter et al can probably explain Slipper Clutches better than I, but here goes. The clutch has a set of toggles and weights so that as the revs increase, the weights move outwards under centrifugal force and create increasing pressure on the plates. The faster the motor spins, the more it forces the plates together. Once it's adjusted just right, the clutch will never slip again.

Once we get you up to 150+HP that will be on your shopping list for sure, but let's get through the Ton barrier first. That's the 2009 target for the start of the season and 125 is our end of season target. Right

[water cooled]

I ordered 5 gal of VP U4.2

The latest generation of our U4 based fuels, this fuel is a direct pour-in replacement for pump gas, with little to no jetting changes required - +2 main jets and +2 pilot jets at the most. Makes power equivalent to U4 with no sticky residue and a less pungent odor. Designed for stock and modified 2-stroke and 4-stroke applications. U4.2 passes AMA amateur fuel rules and is perfect for club level racing, CCS, WERA and AFM. U4.2 makes up to 6% more power than pump gas.
Color: Blue
Oxygenated: Yes
Motor Octane 102
Specific Gravity: .784 at 60° F

I need to double check and make sure that the RedLine 2-stroke racing oil will mix without issue.

[tz375]

Good choice. It smells evil though - like some sort of chemical soup, but it burns clean and leaves the plugs and pistons easier to read.

It can also stand more compression, so that head may have to come off for another shave.

What time is the action in MI? IS it eliminations all day and finals, or whatever they call them, later in the day or is it "practice" from 10-12 and then...

I have no been to a drag race in a couple of decades and this might be a good one to go and see what 's up.

[water cooled]

Richard,

Test and Tune is Friday 6pm-10pm and Saturday is two rounds of qualifying. Qualifying determines the pairs for Sunday which is single elimination. On the schedule, Super Eliminator would fall under "Sportsman class/ET which means we usually go off early on Saturday and once again in early afternoon, then about 10am on Sunday for the first round of eliminations.

Here is the link for details to the event.

http://www.amadragbike.com/news/templat ... &zoneid=11

[tz375]

Kevin, i was all set to go to Michigan until I checked the weather on Friday night. Set the alarm clock for an early start anyway and on Saturday AM the rain was pelting down and the weather channel said it was going to rain most of the day in Michigan, so I bailed out and worked on the yard instead.

So how was the weather there and how did the bike run? Did you smoke the H2 guys? Is it running better ie stronger than last year or des it need more time to get the right set up?

BTW I see the next race is at Indy. I need to talk to you about which day is best to be there? Maybe the Friday to help out and then stay for Saturday races or just turn up on Sunday and watch the action?

[water cooled]

Richard,

Rain delays until about 3:30 on Saturday. Then, the track got dried and racing started. They managed (somehow) to get both rounds in before midnight.

I had mechanical troubles the day I left for Martin. Several if not all of the H2 guys came over Friday and worked on the bike...finally getting it resolved late in the evening...but on Saturday the real problems came.

The carb mounting adapter pulled out from the block and dumped half of the cooling fluid into the crank. By about 11pm, we cleaned out the crank through the lower SIRS ports that had been blocked off. Just about everybody that could, help me get the bike repaired as best as possible and ran it again in the 1st round of the eliminations. I pumped a bit of water in the middle cylinder just before I staged and pretty sure I ran the outside cylinders on fuel and the center cylinder on water leaving a trail of steam from one end of the track to the other.

Needless to say, I put in a fairly slow dial in but was beat like a baby seal out of season...just never could develop any power.

I did take the opportunity to weigh the bike on an official scale and recorded 372 lbs with nearly stock front end. I tried out the new air-shifter and started to get used to it. Much better than foot shifting.

Here is a pic during the first round of eliminations. Before I staged, I checked the carb to see if they were still on the bike...when I hit throttle...the carb manifold let go and that was it. Further insult to injury, I red-lighted with negative .0492 but a 60 foot ET of 1.9032. During Qualifying on Saturday, I had one run with a Reaction Time of .0603 and 60 foot of 1.969 which is much better for me than Norwalk.

I need to make the necessary repair to the block, probably weld the adapter to the block and take the bike to the local track in Salem OH in order to do a better job getting ready for Indy on August 1 and 2.

[Suzukidave]

Sorry to read of the teething problems but it was nice to see the other racers came to your aid

[water cooled]

Dave,

Though I didnt expect to run in the 10's on this weekend, I did have higher expectations but what I learned over the past 3 days was invaluable.

The 16 guys that were there at Martin are some of the best two stroke minds in drag racing and I had the chance to spend the weekend with them.

It was humbling...no doubt but I wouldnt have traded the experience for anything.

What I will do, is prepare more thoroughly and make the corrections necessary. I love doing this and I am determined to go to Indy better prepared and more competitive...that much, I promise.

I have a lot of respect for every single one of those H2 racers. A nicer group of guys, you will be hard pressed to meet.

Kevin

[Suzukidave]

I have a lot of respect for every single one of those H2 racers. I better group of guys, you will be hard pressed to meet.
Kevin

I hang out on the Kawasaki list also http://kawasakitriplesworldwide.com/php ... 12d6afc9c4 and your right there just like us Suzuki smokers working and spending there spare time and cash to keep the 2 stroke sport alive

[water cooled]

Dave,

I think I get the best of both worlds....the Suzuki board member that love the GT750 and the H2 guys on the Kawasaki Board that love to drag race.

It's going to take time, but I would really like to be a part of some modern day classic Kawasaki v Suzuki show downs in Super Eliminator. (and I know thats no casual statement). Its going to require a much bigger commitment to begin to compete.

There are some terrific people helping me...both here in the US and abroad....and to me, thats a big part of the fun...all of them, dedicated to large bore two stroke bikes.

[Suzukidave]

Hi Kevin , whats been going on ?

[water cooled]

Hi Dave,

Work is progressing...I'm addressing the two major issues. The carb adapter failure and the blown cylinder head gasket. The carb adapter is out for welding. Though the adapter plate was originally bolted on to the milled spigots, I was limited dimensionally from installing larger bolts. It was welded through the intake opening so will need some cleanup of the weld performed. I'll be dropping the intake floors about 4-5mm and have bought 2 sets of carbide rotary porting tools to do that job...along with lots of emery paper and jewlers files.

The head is being cut right now removing .5mm more. This should correct the flatness issue as well as raise compression approx. 10psi. I'm taking the opportunity to reface the 10mm bolt surfaces on the head, getting rid of the stock flat and lock washer replacing them with (2) gr-8 flat wahsers and refacing the surface of the 10mm bolt that will be in contact with them. Im replacingthe Permatex copper sealer to ThreeBond 1194 and increasing the cylinder bolt torque to 38-40

The seat is going out tomorrow to get some additional work on the front edge and I would like to replace the foam with something higher density.

The mounts are done for the wheelie bars and will get welded to the singarm and struts next week. The bars will get stripped and cleaned up before repainting.

The tank and seat will get paint...I will try my hand at it and see how it goes.

The waterpump is getting 2 new "O"ring seals, new gasket and new bolts and I will try to get an oil pump cover made from a block of UHMWPE (polyethylene) that I have. It has good sealing properties, is abrasion resistant and decent temperature limits.

All this should be done before the 3rd week of July so I can make a Test/Tune at 42 in Salem OH before heading to Indy for the 2nd AMA Super Eliminator competition of the year.

I have some new gearing that I will try out at the Test/Tune to see how it works...15/50 with a new 530 chain. My current gearing is 14/45 which is probably close to a 15/48 ratio but maybe a little tall right now. I understand the 14T front is a bit risky for racing.

Kevin

[Suzukidave]

Kevin , did you get your intakes welded on ? i hope this was completed without warping from the heat . I know when i had my reed intakes put on it did all kinds of fun things to the bore that needed another bore to straighten out