So after the crash I fixed my bike up most of the way and probably still have 30% left to do.
Along the way I realised I was lacking tools, and luckily enough I got a friend to help me by lending me his knowledge, garage, and tools. It was a smart move since every 10 minutes we realised either my toolbox was missing what we needed or using a different tool made things a little more convenient, in terms of shape. Sometimes you just have those spots you can't access with a socket wrench.
Decided to go out and buy a lot of what I needed, but haven't gotten around to taking pictures of all of it, since it was a lot. But here's a few of them.
Socket adapters, realised I needed them when I needed to set a large torque value, using 1/2" socket wrench, using a socket that was 3/8".
Most importantly the extractor to remove the stuck screw in the clutch lever!
I hope this radiator works out. I went through the listings on Yahoo Auction and tried my best to balance price with the apparent condition. I got this for ¥5000 and I've got my fingers crossed hoping for the best.
¥5000
Bought brand new Hurricane adjustable clip ones 0-18 degrees, a new steering damper, and spare levers which I may or may not use just yet.
Hurricane clip ons: ¥11,512
Steering damper: ¥20,003
Alba levers: ¥1971
Probably the saddest part I need to replace is the rear-sets seeing that I bent up the Tyga ones. Got these Battle Factory, Japan made, rear-sets that was recommended by a friend. I hope the sizing for the shift lever matches that part I permanently attached to the clutch box by breaking a screw.
Battle Factory rear-sets: ¥32,025
And last but not least, Dunlop Alpha 13 tires. I've already committed to some Pirelli Super Corsa V2's to by off a friend, but figured I should take advantage of the free shipping on Webike and get these Dunlops as well.
I used these tires on my VFR and liked them a lot, and a lot of Japanese guys say it's best to keep those old Japanese bikes on Japanese made tires. They say the Pirellis are awesome for heavier, more powerful bikes like modern GSXRs and R6/1s but that an NSR goes well with Japanese tires. Not sure how much I buy that, but I'd like to compare the tires myself anyway.
Getting a license plate for a bike that I will never take onto the street, which also involved changing the "title" to my name.
The cheaper, non racer, Tsukuba family license requires you to have a license plate, which I am told I can just tape to my race fairings, since I have no way to hold the plate onto my bike.
Kind of a pain in the ass but oh welll, at least I was able to get it done quickly this morning since I'm going to try to get the license on Monday
So... I crashed for the first time at a circuit. It wasn't too bad, just a few scrapes and muscle ache, but more like I had a good workout (if tumbling around on the ground and sliding counts as a workout).
I'm more worried about the bike which is looking to be maybe around $800 in damage, including smashing my brand new Tyga Performance rear sets T_T
We live and we learn... right?
Starting with the start to my day. I have to ride out about 30-35 minutes on my street bike to go pick up my van which has my NSR in it. I get there and guess what... forgot my van keys at home. So I zip back home (made it in 15 minutes) and zip back (another 20 minutes), get to the van at the start of the first session of the day, while I'm still an hours drive away from the circuit.
So it's already a bad day.
I get there and there are tons....
.
and tons....
of mini bikes! So at this point I'm stoked and I pay my ¥5000 for the day and ¥1000 for the lap timer and settle in.
It's pretty lonely out here but my co-worker told me he's in the area and will stop by during his bicycle ride, so at least soon I'll have company.
I hit up the first session and run out of gas. Well actually I had just gone below the reserve level and forgot this bike has a reserve. So it's now a kinda more bad day.
So I tell myself "well at least there are still 3 more sessions for me to do for the group I selected to be in 大型(1)"
Originally I was practicing on smooth transitions between full banks and transitioning to full lean sooner, since I take forever to get to my full lean angle.
But my co-worker who used to race gives me some pointers and things I should try to practice, since he saw my second session out there and told me "wrong... all wrong, concentrate on braking in shorter spans and getting smoothly to full throttle sooner". So I go back out and try just that.
Just after doing some warm up laps I pick the pace up and on my second hard braking the front tire gives. Probably due to the fact that I'm riding tires from 2011, it's cold as hell, and well I think I was blipping the throttle and jerked the brake.
Just as I stopped sliding my head love tapped the ground and slid a couple inches. No impact so I'm fairly sure I can keep using the helmet, but I have a spare in case anyway, might be wise to use it. As far as I can tell the damage is cosmetic.
Most of the scratches in the picture are from me not taking care of my helmet. Only the large grey chip center-left is from the crash.
Well I still suck at left hand turns compared to my right hand ones and this would be the first time my left knee touches the ground....
Already took the rear set off, but here is a bent mounting point for fairings.
Ugly but functional gas tank....
Brand new Tyga fairings damaged, but not cracked.... phew
Smashed up and bent handle bars, and brand new lever from Tyga as well. Clutch mount is rotated but still all usable I believe.
And worst of all.... leaking radiator. A barely visible crack and probably around ¥10,000 or more to replace, still not sure of the cost, since it will be from Yahoo Auction.
And the slight, but still there bodily damage. Thank god for leather suits.
Got back to park my van late at night and was sad to part with the bike. I want to fix her up and ride her as soon as possible!
If interested you can see how slow I was going since I think I was nervous about cold and old tires. The mini bikes were getting 57 seconds on this track and big bikes getting 47 seconds. I clearly was not in my element, not to mention it was a pretty technical course filled with my beloved left hand turns.
I didn't once think I was going fast and really came out in this cold to get a chance to ride my new bike for the second time to get a better feel for how this bike rides.
But I might've been going just a little too slow :-/
I also learned that I don't need to go snail pace to warm up my tires.
First session: running out of gas on every turn 1 minute 5 second minute pace
Second and third session: warming up tires at 1 min 10 second page, speed up to a slow 59 second pace and crash in third session.
