Inane ramblings to avoid thread jacking

[Mother]

In other news... I found some much cheaper sources for new OEM parts for the CBR soon-to-be trackbike!  My initial estimate to make a trackbike (including the $850 Armour Bodies bodywork and Woodcraft frame sliders) was $3780.  I found a radiator for almost $150 less than the one I first found, plus savings on the other ancillaries like the throttle & clutch cables, the throttle-side switchgear, the upper cowling stay, etc.  New ready-to-track estimate including the same bodywork is now $3560 (that includes the $1960 buyback).

If I can find me some used parts for the remainder of the list, and if it turns out I don't need a whole new front brake master cylinder, I'll be able to lop another couple hundy off that total.

Soooo... what are some good options for track bodywork?  I mean, there's the flimsy $250 sets on fleaBay, but I read bad things about the generic cheap sets.  Then I see a full Armour Bodies set for $850 from Woodcraft.  Of course there are Sharkskinz, which it sounds like are the industry standard for track bodywork, and the 3 peices I'd need (upper front, lower, tail) come to $760.  To get the full set (including tank cover and front fender) would run more like $1000.  What is there in between, or is it even worth messing with?

Dan

first off, I am no racer

so take my advice with a pack mule of salt

if you are going to start racing

the cost difference between fleabay skins and sharkskinz is chump change compared to the cost of the sport

and

you will crash, get bumped, drop the bike, or something that bangs up the bodywork

not to mention the increased forces on all the other parts

so IMNSHO

stop any and all madness associated with trying to be frugal about racing

if you are going to race

then race

buy the right parts to do it

and

don't make the beast with two backs around with a cheap machine

[NEIKOS]

MOther . . . what's this "118" in your signature?

[ryandalling]

Ya know... you don't have to actually race... I may race next year... but I am having a blast doing as many track days as I can afford.... and I feel like I am becoming a much better rider because of it.... not sure if I can afford to do as much racing and track days as many of the fast guys.... but its still better than trying to ride within the speed limits on the road.  [moto] 

[Mother]

MOther . . . what's this "118" in your signature?

they only know in whoville

[ryandalling]

MOther . . . what's this "118" in your signature?

Famous 118's.....

USNS Mission Purisima (T-AO-118) was a United States Navy Mission Buenaventura Class fleet oilers during World War II which launched August 25, 1943
USS Don O. Woods (APD-118) was a United States Navy Crosley-class destroyer escort which launched February 9, 1944
USS General W. P. Richardson (AP-118) was a troop transport that served with the United States Navy in World War II
USS Giraffe (IX-118) was a United States Navy Armadillo-class tanker which launched November 11, 1943
USS Hendry (APA-118) was a United States Navy Haskell-class attack transport that served in World War II which launched June 22, 1944
USS Lea (DD-118) was a the United States Navy Wickes-class destroyer in World War I and World War II which launched April 29, 1918
USS S-13 (SS-118) was a second-group S-class submarine of the United States Navy which launched October 20, 1921
USS Shaula (AK-118) was a United States Navy Crater-class cargo ship in World War II, which was launched November 23, 1943
USS Sicily (CVE-118) was a United States Navy Commencement Bay-class escort carrier which launched April 14, 1945
USS Steady (AM-118) was a United States Navy Auk-class minesweeper that removed mines from minefields laid in the water, which launched June 6, 1942
The 118th Military Police Company is a military police unit of the United States Army at Fort Bragg, North Carolina

[Visolara]

Dan, let me know what Woodcraft parts you need.  They are one of my sponsors and I get a 40% discount.  Clip-on's, rear sets, sliders, stands (tho Im not a fan of them), etc. 

[NEIKOS]

It may seem odd but it disturbs me that a company named Woodcraft makes metal parts for motorcycles.

I keep imagining a nice mahogany rear set or a walnut instrument cluster or . . .

[jdubbs32584]

heh. wood. heheheheh

[NEIKOS]

. . . Famous 118's.....

OK smart guy . . . give me some famous 318s. 

[ryandalling]

OK smart guy . . . give me some famous 318s. 

According to Police chief Wiggum on The Simpsons; it is the Police code for waking a police officer in episode 5F06 Reality Bites

The British Rail Class 318 is an electric multiple unit train in western Scotland.

The BMW 318 is an automobile in the BMW 3 Series.

The Chrysler LA 318 engine, a 318 cubic inch small-block V8 engine manufactured by Chrysler Corporation for cars and trucks beginning in 1967. This engine is commonly referred to simply as "The 318."

Area code 318 is a telephone area code that covers the central and northern parts of Louisiana.

The mass of Jupiter is 318 times that of the Earth.

The number 318 represents for the Gnostics the value of the word "Christ".

The USS Baya was a World War II-era Balao-class submarine in the United States Navy that bore the hull code and number SS-318.

The SV-318 was the basic model of the Spectravideo range of computers, released in 1981.

318, Inc. is an information technology consulting company based in Santa Monica, California.

[duc_fan]

Dan, let me know what Woodcraft parts you need.  They are one of my sponsors and I get a 40% discount.  Clip-on's, rear sets, sliders, stands (tho Im not a fan of them), etc. 

Ooh, sweeeeeet.  If the stock right clipon is broke or bent, I'll have you order a set of clipons for it.  Not sure on frame sliders... if I buy the Armour Bodies bodywork, it includes a set of Woodcraft sliders.

Speaking of which, is this sponsor discount only on Woodcraft-manufactured items like the clipons and rearsets?  They sell the Armour Bodies sets on their website.  Do you get a price break on those, too?

Dan

first off, I am no racer

so take my advice with a pack mule of salt

if you are going to start racing

...

stop any and all madness associated with trying to be frugal about racing

if you are going to race

then race

Not lookin' to race, at least not in the next year.    But I completely understand and agree.  If I wanted to set this wanker up and actually compete, I wouldn't be trying to save $150-$300 by getting a cheaper set of bodywork, I'd just order the good stuff.  For now, it's an opportunity to build a bike inexpensively that I, my Dad, or my brothers can use on the track (trackdays) without worrying about rashing up one of our street bikes.

[Mother]

Not lookin' to race, at least not in the next year.    But I completely understand and agree.  If I wanted to set this wanker up and actually compete, I wouldn't be trying to save $150-$300 by getting a cheaper set of bodywork, I'd just order the good stuff.  For now, it's an opportunity to build a bike inexpensively that I, my Dad, or my brothers can use on the track (trackdays) without worrying about rashing up one of our street bikes.

<deep sigh>

Oh danny boy

can I call you danny boy?

that is how they get you

don't you see

Morilla is the pushahman

just gives you a taste...T.O.R. for 20 bucks

it's a free hit off the pipe mang

and then you get a "cheap" track bike for you and the fam...and soon enough you will be sucking <edited> to buy tires so you can race

[Visolara]

Not sure on the bodywork, I think they are just a reseller for it.  Woodcraft makes the metal bits we use, and offer us the discount on those items I know for sure.

I will let you know on the body work.

[duc_fan]

<deep sigh>

Oh danny boy

can I call you danny boy?

that is how they get you

don't you see

Morilla is the pushahman

just gives you a taste...T.O.R. for 20 bucks

it's a free hit off the pipe mang

and then you get a "cheap" track bike for you and the fam...and soon enough you will be sucking <edited> to buy tires so you can race

 

Won't ever stoop to sucking <whatever> for tires to race, but I see your point. 

[duc_fan]

Ahh work... end-of-year evals suck.  Hyper-competitive type-A frenetic bosses aren't pleasant, either.

In one section of the e-mail he sent out about filling out our end-of-year self-evals, here's a snippet of what he said:

This is your chance to boast about yourself and to let me know why you are better than everyone else.

Umm, I really don't like telling anyone why I'm "better than everyone else."  I have no problem stating my virtues on a resume, but don't ask me to make myself look bigger or better than my teammates.  We are a team, working together to accomplish a common goal.  We have complimentary strengths and weaknesses. 

There are lots of companies with a culture where the employees are out to kill each other.  Rockwell Collins wasn't one of them.  Flight Dynamics (the Portland facility which is now wholly owned by R-C) wasn't one of them.  We had a culture where the employees worked together as a team, and the competition was external, against Raytheon, Honeywell, L3 Communications, BAE, Thales, and the like.  I did not bother sending applications to those corporations where the employees ran around scared, or where they tried to undermine each other in order to get ahead.  I have no desire to work for such a place.  I deliberately chose to work for a company that was known for having a friendly environment for the employees.  My first three bosses (two in Cedar Rapids and one here) exemplified that concept by building teams of people with complementary strengths, and working with employees on improving their weaknesses.  This current guy is... well, he's not exactly a shining example of Rockwell Collins' best practices.

I'll bring it up to management, let 'em know how I think (respectfully).  If the cutthroat mentality is where we're headed, I want no part of it.  I'm all for beating our outside competitors, but I have zero desire to work in an environment where we're all watching our backs for fellow employees undermining each other.