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I actually just want to upgrade the front, since the rear is fine for me. So it'd be ~$140-160 for SS line and vesrah pads. The 650 shock is tempting, but I'd prefer something with adjustable rebound. I've been getting by with just shifting my weight to the balls of my feet when I go over bumps, but that only helps so much. There's just too many things I want to do with this bike.

I tend to change my mind a lot, so who knows, I may end up going to a TD sooner than later.
Good to hear :)

In 4 weeks time im lining up for a round 1 of state level 300 production championships,
Aside from some home made bits to suit my riding, a $60 ninja shock and a DNA air filter is the only performance bit ive spent a cent on.
Running std exhaust, havnt touched the forks, abs still there, no tune or anything.
Brakes dont work so all the more excuse to lay off them!
I wont come last.

The $320 annual race lic, $400 for tyres, $300 entry, $150 accommodation, $100 meals, $200 fuel.... etc etc etc is where the money gets burnt.
But id quit bikes at anything less than the rush a race start gives.
Recently did 2000km on the road over 4 days,
My first road ride on the r3 aftet 3yrs ownership (just to get the recalls done)
Batshit boring.
 
Do the trackday!!...It's the very best investment you can make. Ride the bike stock....being a newish rider, you will NOT outride the bike, but you WILL learn invaluable amounts of skill and knowledge...You will learn all about the bike's ability, you're true riding ability, etc. The knowledge you learn will equate DIRECTLY to your road riding skills which could save your life at some point. It's funny cause I still look back at the very first pic I bought from my first trackday and laugh....I remember seeing the photographer and saying, I'm really going to lean over for a good pic...When I got the pic, I was still nearly up and down, but almost pooped my pants cause I thought I was going to scrape hard parts....lol

The trackday org I work for is more of a school than just 'get on the track and ride'. They have classroom sessions after each session you go out on the track. You talk specifically about what you just learned, your mistakes, how to correct them, and then get to go put it to use again. They have body position seminars at least once a day in between sessions. They will even take you out one on one if you are having difficulty with a specific corner or skill (like getting on the throttle at the apex)...

As for gear, go onto the org's webpage or forum and ask to borrow. Most people would be ecstatic to have someone new at the track....our org is truly a family. You can go up to anyone and ask for anything and they will be glad to help....Also, like someone else said, being in the novice group, my org allows textile. I've crashed in textile before on the street and luckily got 0 bumps or bruises. They prefer to have them zip together, but as long as no skin is showing, they'll let you ride in Novice.

Lastly, just use your head when you're out there. The track is the safest place to learn. No cars, no cops, no sticks, leaves or sand on the ground - only you and smooth pavement. Use the time to learn and not just go as fast as you can. Respect the bike and use your right hand wisely and the chances of falling over almost diminishes. But again, what you learn could easily save your life.
 
I'd like to add that I do actually enjoy puttering around public roads, checking out the scenery, disconnecting from the old grind...etc. Having said that, the idea of track days are why I finally bought a motorcycle 2 years ago at 35yo. They are the reason I own a sportbike, and the only reason I'd be looking at 'moving up' to a 600. So yeah, you should get out this year and do one! Everyone should.
 
Discussion starter · #24 ·
My wife is going to personally seek you all out and... have a stern talking to each and every one of you about how you are risking my life. lol. All joking aside, I'll at least try to visit a track and observe.

Maybe I'll just get the SS front lines for now and save the pads for later. I really hate that front brake.
@Aufitt: How is that shock working out for you? I'm 5'7", 155-160 lbs, so according to Jesse's site, the Ninja shock should be good enough for me, even if I decide to track regularly. I can prolly lose the 10 lbs to make it more ideal too. Just gotta stick to my keto diet better and not cheat every weekend.
 
My wife is going to personally seek you all out and... have a stern talking to each and every one of you about how you are risking my life. lol. All joking aside, I'll at least try to visit a track and observe.

Maybe I'll just get the SS front lines for now and save the pads for later. I really hate that front brake.

@Aufitt: How is that shock working out for you? I'm 5'7", 155-160 lbs, so according to Jesse's site, the Ninja shock should be good enough for me, even if I decide to track regularly. I can prolly lose the 10 lbs to make it more ideal too. Just gotta stick to my keto diet better and not cheat every weekend.
Get her involved :)

You may feel the 15mm longer is too high at first, mainly because the r3 is so low in the bum std.
Your (light) Weight might be problem, im 75kg and started off running 4/7 preload,
Tyre wear didnt behave till I backed it off to 2/7 and its perfect at one track which isnt high loading, but all off cambers and extremely bumpy (which requires as soft a setup as possible.)
It has quite good dampening. Ill stick with it.
On the road I forgot all about it. (Except having to lengthen the sidestand I reinsatlled for a week)
When you dont notice something on a bike, it means it must be doing its job.
 
Discussion starter · #26 ·
Get her involved :)

You may feel the 15mm longer is too high at first, mainly because the r3 is so low in the bum std.
Your (light) Weight might be problem, im 75kg and started off running 4/7 preload,
Tyre wear didnt behave till I backed it off to 2/7 and its perfect at one track which isnt high loading, but all off cambers and extremely bumpy (which requires as soft a setup as possible.)
It has quite good dampening. Ill stick with it.
On the road I forgot all about it. (Except having to lengthen the sidestand I reinsatlled for a week)
When you dont notice something on a bike, it means it must be doing its job.
Ya, I've been trying to get her into it. At one point, she agreed to be my pillion if I got a cruiser, but I changed my mind and am stuck on my R3 now. She's slowly warming up to the bike, so I'm taking baby steps with her, but she's worried about how much sportbikes lean. Her definition of "lean" is any angle off from straight up, no matter how many times I try to explain to her that that is how bikes turn.

I kinda do want to raise the bike a little. I feel like it's actually a little too low for me, and lately I've been feeling weird flat-footing at stop lights. I almost feel like I'm more comfortable when I'm on the balls of my feet at a stop, if that makes sense.

I just ordered my SS front brake line and will be picking it up tomorrow. I'm at 14k miles now, and brakes need to get rebuilt anyway, so figured I might as well upgrade.
 
My wife has 0 interest in riding herself or being a pillion. Doubly so due to cycle-ergo, which basically shows her knees up somewhere between my kidneys and armpits, basically pushing my elbows away!
She's not 100% into me riding track, but she does feel like it's not as bad as she fears, and with no cars around plus safety crews, is better than The Streets in some places.
 
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That's true. It really comes down to money though. I just need to find a better-paying job. I'll go polish up my resume now. You know of any biotech companies in the Bay Area that need an automation engineer? Haha.

EDIT: added a word
No, but I know of some outside of Cali. Then you can actually live off of whatever salary you get lol Step 1 is to not live in the Bay Area! lol...plus as an automation engineer you can work at pretty much any manufacturing company in any industry. Most of them that are of decent size need automation engineers.
 
Discussion starter · #29 ·
Eh, well that depends on your definition of "automation engineer." The term is so loosely used now, that it applies to way too many types of jobs. I actually work with laboratory liquid handlers. Not sure how well it translates to all the other automation engineer positions that pop up on online searches.
 
Eh, well that depends on your definition of "automation engineer." The term is so loosely used now, that it applies to way too many types of jobs. I actually work with laboratory liquid handlers. Not sure how well it translates to all the other automation engineer positions that pop up on online searches.
All the ones I've known or talked to, as well as the job postings I've seen around in the last few years have quite a few things in common. Usually mechanical or electrical engineering degree (EE preferred), knowledge/experience with PLC, electrical circuits, some programming language is usually beneficial (although that varies greatly based on the industry you're in), and knowing your way around hardware components. I'm guessing you just deal with smaller scale stuff, where everything is tucked inside the machines, whereas in other industrial applications, they have NEMA boxes for all the electrical stuff on the outside.

Nevertheless, I guarantee you that you could find something just about anywhere in the country. I wouldn't limit myself to just a small area. You may not find a higher paying job in other parts of the country, but your disposable income would be higher because your cost of living would be way lower.

What kind of liquid handlers do you deal with? Like lab fluid pumps? Mixers? Others? Just curious
 
Discussion starter · #31 ·
All the ones I've known or talked to, as well as the job postings I've seen around in the last few years have quite a few things in common. Usually mechanical or electrical engineering degree (EE preferred), knowledge/experience with PLC, electrical circuits, some programming language is usually beneficial (although that varies greatly based on the industry you're in), and knowing your way around hardware components. I'm guessing you just deal with smaller scale stuff, where everything is tucked inside the machines, whereas in other industrial applications, they have NEMA boxes for all the electrical stuff on the outside.

Nevertheless, I guarantee you that you could find something just about anywhere in the country. I wouldn't limit myself to just a small area. You may not find a higher paying job in other parts of the country, but your disposable income would be higher because your cost of living would be way lower.

What kind of liquid handlers do you deal with? Like lab fluid pumps? Mixers? Others? Just curious
Mainly stuff like Tecan and Hamilton liquid handlers. They're basically enclosed robotic arm(s) that do stuff like move labware around with rotating grippers, and pipette liquids (0.5 - 1,000 uL usually). I also work with smaller instruments, like plate washers, incubators, and shakers. A lot of what I do is trouble-shooting/repair, but I've also been trying to teach myself some 3D design (FreeCAD) and coding, mostly with python and Excel vba.

I'm sure a lot of it would transfer to other industries, but I've honestly really never looked outside of biotech.

Moving to another of the part country would be nice money-wise, but another factor is that practically anywhere "affordable" is nowhere near as diverse as the Bay area, so I'd be in the minority and away from friends/family. Also, we're pretty spoiled here in that the only days we can't ride are when we don't feel like cleaning up the bike after a little rain.
 
I spend $59 for a rental truck to put my bike in, then ¥3600(~$34) week days/ 30 minute session and ¥4200(~$40)/ 30 mibut session. As mentioned, tires for the R3 are cheap, and at my slow ass pace, have done 12 track days and every day commuting on mine. Your mileage will vary.

Some orgs will give you track time for volunteering as a corner worker.

It costs more the first time as you start buying gear. If you are already good on gear, usually the guys that run canyon rides occasionally will already have their leathers, then that helps a lot.

Later on down the line when you start getting the feel of the track and look to improve, a lap timer might help you out. I know it has for me. Others may disagree on using one for just track day riders but I do think they has helped me out. I use an old iPhone, an external XGps160 and Harry’s lap timer.

Having a buddy take you the first few time helps. I know I was lost and anxious the first two times but then it got easier and easier. I mainly go by myself now.
 
IMHO, a lap timer is essential if you're looking at improving. Knowing you've improved or not, exactly which sector, are valuable feedback for a rider. A dedicated lap timer is desirable, but even just your phone (download Race Chrono) could do the same job.
 
For my first track day I all I had to do pay for was the day (~$200) and a tank of fuel. I rode there, I already had all the gear and my trackday provider allowed beginners to ride in Kevlar jeans. There are a lot of things that can make the day easier and more comfortable but are not necessary. @KimmyR3 I would disagree, it’s very obvious if you improved or not and where you are riding better/worse than other laps/sessions/days. I can tell if I’m a few tenths of a second faster or slower and these gaps are much larger than fractions of a second for beginners
 
Discussion starter · #35 ·
Well this is all good feedback. I'll just work on getting all my gear first, since I'll likely be wearing leathers 100% of the time anyway. And then I'll use track days to use up the sides of my tires. That way the cost of the TD itself will "pay for itself" in that I'll be using the whole tire, instead of just the middle, right? Makes sense to me.
 
Mainly stuff like Tecan and Hamilton liquid handlers. They're basically enclosed robotic arm(s) that do stuff like move labware around with rotating grippers, and pipette liquids (0.5 - 1,000 uL usually). I also work with smaller instruments, like plate washers, incubators, and shakers. A lot of what I do is trouble-shooting/repair, but I've also been trying to teach myself some 3D design (FreeCAD) and coding, mostly with python and Excel vba.

I'm sure a lot of it would transfer to other industries, but I've honestly really never looked outside of biotech.

Moving to another of the part country would be nice money-wise, but another factor is that practically anywhere "affordable" is nowhere near as diverse as the Bay area, so I'd be in the minority and away from friends/family. Also, we're pretty spoiled here in that the only days we can't ride are when we don't feel like cleaning up the bike after a little rain.
True but as long as you're in a bigger city you can always find something in that industry. I tried to get into the medical device industry and the problem is they only want people that already have experience in that industry, which sucks because I don't. Denver area is pretty nice and has quite a good presence in that industry.
 
Discussion starter · #37 ·
True but as long as you're in a bigger city you can always find something in that industry. I tried to get into the medical device industry and the problem is they only want people that already have experience in that industry, which sucks because I don't. Denver area is pretty nice and has quite a good presence in that industry.
Funny thing about robotics is that they're all driven by pretty much the same things. It's all servos, boards, and wires and maybe some other custom pieces thrown in. Sure there's custom firmware and software to drive it all, but the fundamentals are all pretty similar. All you really need is a way to get your foot in the door, since you'll get most of the training you'll need once you're in. ****, one of my jobs had me tearing down and replacing parts on a machine I'd never worked on before and all I had was an online manual and a tool kit. A couple days later I had it back up and running. It was a bit daunting at first, but it really taught me a lot about the machine. It helped that there were other engineers there that I could defer to for some of it, too, but largely I tackled it on my own.

A lot of job searching is just luck sometimes. When the market is saturated with applicants, sure, they'll try to thin out the pool by putting specific requirements in there. But I've found that in most of my positions, anything and everything can be trained, as long as the person is capable and willing to learn. Yes, there are exceptions to that, and some people are just bad, but for me personally, I feel people can learn most anything if given the time and resources.
 
Funny thing about robotics is that they're all driven by pretty much the same things. It's all servos, boards, and wires and maybe some other custom pieces thrown in. Sure there's custom firmware and software to drive it all, but the fundamentals are all pretty similar. All you really need is a way to get your foot in the door, since you'll get most of the training you'll need once you're in. ****, one of my jobs had me tearing down and replacing parts on a machine I'd never worked on before and all I had was an online manual and a tool kit. A couple days later I had it back up and running. It was a bit daunting at first, but it really taught me a lot about the machine. It helped that there were other engineers there that I could defer to for some of it, too, but largely I tackled it on my own.

A lot of job searching is just luck sometimes. When the market is saturated with applicants, sure, they'll try to thin out the pool by putting specific requirements in there. But I've found that in most of my positions, anything and everything can be trained, as long as the person is capable and willing to learn. Yes, there are exceptions to that, and some people are just bad, but for me personally, I feel people can learn most anything if given the time and resources.
Completely agree!
 
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