boasts many racing families, and, of course, fully endorses the racing ...
interested in doing track days, not thinking I would ever be fast enough to ....
Page 5 .... An example is our first endurance race ...... Honda and converted the
GSX-R. I went from a 2:01 to a 1:52 ... DD: My goals are to GoFast-DontCrash (
dot blogspot dot.
Who’s Under The Helmet?
boasts many racing families, and, of course, fully endorses the racing family concept, but there are those who have taken the racing family concept even further because, after all, the family that plays together stays together, right? And that’s exactly what CMRA racers Jane and Ken Ryder have done. The Ryders, who, incidentally, have one of the all-time great surnames for motorcycle racers, go beyond the
Story and photos by Linz Leard traditional spouse supporting spouse at the racetrack – the Ryders not only compete together on an endurance team, but If you’ve been roadracing for any length of time, you have probably drawn the ire of your significant other at some point for
something
related
to
the
sport.
Race-related
expenditures, time spent in the garage prepping for race weekends, commandeering the DVR so your eyes can be glued to the television to watch every televised race, and even an extended bench racing session with enthusiast friends are often catalysts for disagreements with those in
also compete against each other in the same sprint classes, and it doesn’t get more involved than that, folks! The Inside Line wanted to find out how the Ryders make it all happen, so we sat down with them in an effort to get to know Who’s Under the Helmet. (It’s worth pointing out that even though these interviews were conducted separately, the Ryders’ answers seem to overlap in many places. I personally found that to be quite interesting. – Ed.)
your life who feel themselves to be negatively impacted by your racing. Roadracing is an expensive, time consuming Inside Line: What do each of you do in real life, and where sport, and if you’re a racer, do you do it? you know all too well that the Jane Ryder: I used to work at need to fuel your desire for an
Mannatech,
adrenaline
can
Regulatory Affairs Manager,
sometimes exact a high price
but have been unemployed
on personal relationships. For
since June due to layoffs.
most racers, the sport is pure
Ken Ryder: I am a Voice over
hobby, which can create even
IP (VoIP) engineer. I work from
more tension because you’re
my home office.
rush
Inc.
as
a
probably not being paid to do this.
IL: How did you two come
But there are several ways
to
help
about
abate
getting
involved
in
roadracing?
interpersonal tensions that
JR: After enjoying several track
may arise from being a
days in California at Willow
roadracer, and most center
Springs, I decided I just had to
on involvement in the sport.
race, too. I started out with a
Get your significant other
1989 Yamaha FZR400.
involved in the sport, and
KR: I was introduced to track
he/she begins to understand
days from my friend Tim Hurley
it more and usually becomes far
more
supportive.
tolerant The
and CMRA
Ken Ryder sneaks in a quick kiss on his wife, Jane, at Texas World Speedway in October. The Ryders are more than husband and wife, they are a race team.
in 2002. I went to go take pictures of him at the track. I began
working
with
the
organization Hypercycle just a few months later and then volunteered to work on their AMA race team (Lion Racing) in 2004.
IL: I’ve seen several husband and wife teams over the years during my tenure with the CMRA, but it’s definitely not a common thing. How does a married couple successfully approach racing motorcycles, how does that conversation even start? JR: “I want to start racing”! We were doing the track days together and he could see
Ken Ryder (99) heads for Turn 3 during the Mini endurance race at Texas World Speedway in October.
I was getting the bug so it was naturally the next step, plus the gentle persuasion of our buddy JP helped. Ken was kind enough to let me get a new position and we moved to Texas in 2007. We then my feet wet first, so I had his support from day one. The next discovered the CMRA and the Mini endurance class. We step was for him to get started and then it was truly a team began renting the [Kawasaki Ninja] 250s to practice on with the intent of competing. Our success comes from having the
effort.
KR: The conversation was actually started by Jane. I was same goal – to get faster. Jane does all of the logistics and interested in doing track days, not thinking I would ever be keeps my time schedule in check. I maintain the bikes, trailer fast enough to compete. Jane on the other hand not only and truck. I do the calculations for gearing, and try to figure wanted to do track days, but wanted to compete. I became out other items on and for the track to make it better each her pit crew at Willow Springs Motorcycle Club (WSMC), and time. Sometimes we do great, and other times are a real worked all the maintenance and prep while she did the racing. learning curve. I bought a race prepped Aprilia RS250 late season in 2006 and finally began competing. I had intentions of getting Rookie IL: Three part question, here, Jane and Ken: First, what was of the Year in 2007 [at WSMC] but Jane was laid off, found the first motorcycle each of you had? Second, what is your favorite motorcycle of the ones you’ve Jane Ryder (678) drives out of Turn 10 during the Formula 4 race at Texas World Speedway in October.
raced? And third, of all motorcycles in the world, which one is your dream motorcycle? JR: 1) Ninja 250, late ‘80s model, I think. 2) 2003 Yamaha R6. The little bikes are fun, but I love the power and speed of the 600. It’s a bit outdated now, so I’m hoping to get a newer 600 at some point. 3) MV Agusta F4, the flat black model. KR: My first real motorcycle was a used 1989 Suzuki GSX-R750. I owned it for a total of 18 days before it got stolen. I then purchased a 1989 Suzuki GSX-R1100 about a week later! So far, my favorite race
machine has been the Aprilia RS250. There is no engine braking on that thing and it rails! My dream bike is a Ducati 916. I fell in love with that machine when it was first introduced. However, I really doubt I will ever own one, but if I did, it would be a trophy!
IL: What do the Ryders do for fun when they are away from the race track? What hobbies or passions does each of you have besides things with two wheels? The Ryders are a rather rare combination at the race track. They are husband and wife, teammates and competitors.
JR: Our other hobbies are also on two wheels! We spend a lot of time bicycling (road bikes) and have recently picked up mountain biking. I
also spend a lot of time at the gym (yoga, weights, cardio, but it’s definitely more fun when I get that chance. and the balance ball).
KR: When you say with, I think you are saying against! Austin
KR: I am teaching myself how to weld to increase some skills. [Gore] would be my first pick as he is faster than me and has However, I think our biggest hobby or passion is eating. shown me lines in the past at multiple tracks. When I can Beyond that, we have recently taken to mountain biking and catch his tailwind, I try to follow him for a few corners (if absolutely love it. We also enjoy road biking and going to the possible) and he shows me that I can enter a corner faster or lean over further.
gym!
IL: Who in road racing do you love to race with the most and IL: Standard question alert! Everyone has goals and aspirations in roadracing. Some get into this sport and want
why?
to
JR: Honestly, I haven’t
really
found anyone that’s about the same pace, I either
get
passed
and
The Ryders are truly hardcore. They were married in their leathers on Willow Springs International Raceway’s start/finish line in April 2007 during a race weekend. The Ryders employed a friend, Steve Slaughter, to get certified as a deputy marriage commissioner and officiate the ceremony. After vows were exchanged, the entire wedding party made a parade lap of the track, and then a wild reception was held next to the track until the wee hours. Photo: Calvin Schwartzkopf.
be
world
champions, others want to be
seriously
competitive at the club level, and still others
they take off or
just
I do the same to
have fun. What
someone else.
are your goals
There are only
in this sport?
a couple times
JR: I would like
I have diced it
to race in the
up
with
AMA someday,
someone and
that would be
I’m
my
not
sure
who they were,
goal,
want
to
ultimate but
I
definitely need
Danny Eslick and Jake Holden. Not only are they all great racers, but they are great people. KR: In AMA I root for Josh Hayes, Melissa Paris, Jake Holden and Danny Eslick. I have met all four, wrenched for Jake, and they are all really awesome people. In WSB I root for Carlos Checa, Noriyuki Haga, and any of the Kawasakis in the 600 class (they need the support!) In MotoGP I root for Colin Edwards, Nicky Haden, Valentino Rossi and Toni Elias. My favorites so far are Frankie Chili, Jake Holden, John Haner, and Danny Eslick.
IL: Describe your dream vacation for us? You’ll get bonus points for doing something that involves motorcycles, but it’s not mandatory. JR: For a motorcycle vacation, it would be some kind of tour of Europe and all the tracks. A couple of days of personal instruction at each of them would be amazing. For relaxation, definitely Bora Bora. KR: I bet Jane says Bora Bora! However, I would kill for a month long vacation going through Europe riding all the tracks over there; rent 600s and do a two day school track Jane Ryder, on the gas, exiting a corner at Texas World Speedway in October.
day at every BSB, WSB and MotoGP track!
IL: Of the CMRA tracks you’ve raced at, which one is your to be competitive at the club level first! I know I have a LOT favorite and why? of work to do…
JR: Texas World Speedway on the R6. It reminds me of
KR: My goals are to have some fun and be extremely Willow Springs with some long and fast turns. The more competitive at the club level. If I get fast enough, I would love technical tracks like ECR are tough for me. On the Ninja 250, to try and take on a race or two at the AMA level, but being I like Cresson. realistic, I doubt I would be able to do a full year.
KR: Eagles Canyon! I hate it in the morning due to it being so green, but when the track comes in, it is technical and fun.
IL: Surely you two watch MotoGP, World Superbike and AMA It seriously wears me out! racing, correct? Who do you root for when you watch that racing? Who are your favorite riders?
IL: If I were to listen to your iPod right now, what songs and
JR: I LOVE Colin Edwards and Valentino Rossi. Colin is such artists would I hear on it? an awesome, down to earth guy, and a great racer. After JR: Korn, Avenged Sevenfold, Stabbing Westward, participating in his Texas Tornado Boot Camp [earlier this Buckcherry, Cake, OneRepublic, Guns N’ Roses. Favorite year], he’s definitely a favorite. Rossi is just an amazing rider songs right now are “Speak” and “The Enemy” by Godsmack, with such great skill and character. How can you not love him? and “Secrets” by OneRepublic. Also worth noting, we like Nicky Hayden and loved watching KR: Adema, Buckcherry, Cake, Disturbed, Fair to Midland, Frankie Chili, so much so that our Dachshunds are named Hinder, Korn, Papa Roach, Shiny Toy Guns, and System of after them. As for AMA, I cheer for Melissa Paris, Josh Hayes,
a Down! Some of the names of the songs should not be the bug as a kid. I started way too late in life to really do printed!
anything in the sport of roadracing, so if I would’ve started when I was young, maybe that would be different.
IL: Tell us what you believe to be your biggest strength when KR: Hmmm! Three places! Back a couple million years ago you’re on the racetrack? What’s your biggest weakness?
to witness roaming dinosaurs, then to see what really caused
JR: I’ll go with being smooth. Ken always tells me I’m really their extinction, and the third would be to witness the Big smooth and I’ve had a few others tell me that too. My Bang! Explosions intrigue me and two of the most famous weakness is learning lines – people say to work on one corner would be the birth of the universe and the death of the at a time but I can’t seem to concentrate like that, which really dinosaurs. hinders my riding. I am always trying to learn all corners every time I go out there.
IL: It may or may not be related to the previous question, but
KR: I’m willing to take on a new track at any time and try to if you could spend one day with anyone, living or dead, who go [for it]. I may
would it be and
not
why?
have
the
pace, the race
JR: I’d like to
line, or speed,
spend a day on
but I am willing to
the
go for it! My
Valentino Rossi.
weakness is the
I would imagine
little voice in my
it would be a lot
head that tells
of fun and I could
me to back off
learn a lot.
too early once I
KR:
get
Lennon.
an
understanding of the
track!
track
with
John We
would talk about
It’s
Jane and Ken Ryder fuel up their bikes prior to the sprint races at Hallett in May.
hard to quiet that voice at times.
all things taboo: love,
politics,
religion, and of course
the
IL: Are either of you superstitious, or, at a minimum, have any meaning of his music. Then I could tell him how the dinosaurs pre-race rituals that you go through?
really died!
JR: I almost always have to blow my nose before putting on my helmet, and I MUST have a piece of gum while on the IL: Okay, time to divulge some behind-the-scenes secrets to track.
us. What hidden talents beyond racing motorcycles do each
KR: Nope! No pre-race rituals, no superstitions, just butterflies of you possess that the rest of us would be surprised to learn in the belly at times!
of? JR: Another tough question for me because usually this is
IL: If you had a working time machine, well, you know the turned around – at work, they’d ask for one thing about you drill. Who? What? Where? When? Why?
that would surprise them and the answer is “I race
JR: This was a tough question for me, but I think I would be motorcycles”. I really don’t have a hidden talent, so I’m gonna selfish and go back to when I was really young and would go with this: on a typical month, I will burn about 20,000 k/cal convince my parents I need a dirt bike so I could’ve caught from exercising alone, and when we are in the middle of
The Ryders do just about everything together, including going through corners. Here Jane leads Ken through Turn 11 at Hallett in May.
The least favorite part is the offseason. That’s just too much time to be off the track. KR: My favorites are the thrill of speed (not really on the 250s though!), and actually seeing and feeling my improvements in skills and lap times. More favorites, especially with
CMRA,
is
the
family
environment, [because] not only are the racers awesome, but the CMRA staff is absolutely incredible, the helpfulness and sincerity that is shared. I’m sure there are a few, as we call them, douchebags out there, bicycle season, it’s closer to 30,000k/cal. It’s a good thing but we have not had the pleasure of getting tangled with them. because my favorite thing in the world is chocolate lava cake! I hope it stays that way! KR: I would really like to tell you I am a world class whistler, but I can’t [whistle] to save my life! I guess it would be more IL: Do you have any idols or favorite racers in the sport, of a tic than anything else: I have a bad habit of counting stair someone you look up to and aspire to be like? If so, who are steps and remembering them later on. Numbers fascinate me they, and what makes you like them so much? for some odd reason.
JR: Colin Edwards: he’s an awesome racer and has been in the sport for a long time, but from what I have seen, he has
IL: What are a few of your favorite things about racing not let it go to his head. I love the way he tells it like it is and motorcycles? What is your least favorite thing
he’s so easy to talk to. Definitely a guy you just want to hang
about racing motorcycles?
out with, beer in hand, and just shoot the sh*t.
JR: I love following a faster person through a turn, realizing KR: Frankie Chili. Although he never had any championships, I can go faster and then keeping with that person the next the circuit wins he did get, his demeanor, his effort to win and time around. It gives me a little rush of fear and excitement his style of riding was an inspiration to me. and there isn’t anything that duplicates that feeling for me. I also love the way the people at the track are like a big family. IL: Last question, you guys, I promise. You both were, no We’ve met some awesome people here and at our previous doubt, given some advice when you started this roadracing race family (WSMC). An example is our first endurance race thing. What piece of advice would you share with a youngster at MBSRC, we had raced the E Superstock race and then just starting out? had to do the endurance race immediately after. We were JR: Try not to get too frustrated about someone being faster rushing around trying to get ready and almost forgot to put – figure out what you need to work on and concentrate on on our number, but Kier Johnson came over and helped put that. The speed will come. I still have to remind myself this the numbers on and made sure we were ready and calmed all the time! things down. It was awesome. There have been several KR: When in doubt give it throttle! Believe it or not, it has occasions throughout the season that we have been helped gotten me out of a couple hairy situations by doing that. Wait, or have helped others. It’s so nice to know there are some no that’s not it…I know; please wave at me when you pass genuinely nice people out there.
me so I know you are having fun!
Racer’s Rides
crowd. Additionally, I could argue that, by design, some of these bikes were never meant to be great - or even good - at anything in particular, other than being exotic, different, exclusive and almost certainly expensive. In the course of this discussion, my friend asked me if I thought that works of art could be functional tools, too. I
Story by Linz Leard didn’t have to think about it very long – the answer is yes. At this point, I started talking about MotoGP bikes and how they I was talking with a friend the other day about motorcycle classifications. I maintained that if a person endeavored to do so, he could divide motorcycles into two categories: Functional Tools and Works of Art. The motorcycles labeled functional tools would be made up of just about every mass produced motorcycle, a bike that is typically very good at what it is designed to do, but has had no more or less attention given to it during assembly than the bike before or after it on the assembly line. Of course, there’s absolutely nothing wrong with these kinds of motorcycles, but aside from the way they do their job, there’s little that makes them special relative to their peers, and in general, they are relatively close to each other in terms of performance
are hand-made from unobtanium, ungodly expensive to build, can’t be owned by mortal beings (or, in many cases, owned at all except by the factory that produces them), and aren’t really based on production bikes (although CRT bikes in MotoGP starting in 2012 present a case for argument here). Therefore they are works of art. But wait! These bikes also do what they were designed to do better than anything else in the world. Therefore they are functional tools. And right then I realized that my two categories are not all encompassing and that there are some shades of gray in the motorcycle world. Argh! Why does everything have to be so soft around the edges? So I admit that while it is not common, in my opinion, there exists the rare occasion when a bike is both a work of
and
functionality. Conversely, motorcycles classified as works of art are, I explained,
made
up
mostly of hand-made, limited
production
motorcycles.
These
bikes, by my reasoning anyway,
are
mostly
derived
around
the
concept of being unique in some vein or another right from the start, and are
often
quite
specialized. This is to say that they are, with little
exception,
designed for a niche
The exotic Pierobon F042 and the criminally fast Ryan Andrews were a lethal combination in 2011. Photo: Barry Nichols/foto41.com.
cans. You’ve likely seen this stuff on television during the world and national level races, and now you know who makes it. But Pierobon, which
is
based
in
Bologna, Italy, and has been in business for more than 50 years, contends that they are primarily
a
frame
making company. In the Don’t be fooled by the old school air-cooled Ducati motor. It’s plenty strong. Photo: Barry Nichols/foto41.com.
past, supplied
they
have
hand-made
frames to Ducati, and
art and a functional tool. The CMRA had one such bike grace starting last year, began supplying frames to Moto2 teams. its presence this season, and that bike is the 2010 Pierobon So what about those exquisite, high-end race team F042 owned by David Sprague.
accessories? Those are just a ruse for Pierobon’s real
Hey, wait just a minute, here. Pierobon F042? What purpose: building frames and using them in exotic works of the heck is that it? Well, first a little history about Pierobon art that are also functional tools, such as Sprague’s F042. the company. Pierbon has deep roots in world championship
The Pierobon F042 is a hand-made production
level racing, including MotoGP, Moto2 and World Superbike. motorcycle that can be purchased directly from Pierobon A quick look at their w e b s i t e (www.pierobonframe s.com) will show you that
a
large
percentage of the company’s business lies in fabricating and selling all kinds of beautifully made race craft such as pit boards,
portable
engine
starters,
engine
stands,
motorcycle
stands,
motorcycle
wheel
transporters,
and
quick
fuel
dump
The Pierobon F042 uses a massive swingarm that borrows its design heavily from a Moto2 bike. Photo: Barry Nichols/foto41.com.
assembled and ready to go in both street and race versions. It is built upon an aluminum
trellis
frame
made
by
Pierobon (of course) that is said to be 13 pounds lighter than its Ducati counterpart. It’s a beautifully crafted piece of hardware, stout looking and with incredibly wonderful handmade welds and powdercoated a deep blood red color. A huge box section swingarm, sharing a similar design as those Pierobon builds for Moto2 bikes, is all business at the rear. Hanging from the frame, and serving as a stressed member, is a Ducati Hypermotard-based air-cooled engine. Yep, that’s right! This is not the four-valve per cylinder, watercooled flagship Ducati sport bike engine, but the old-school, air-cooled, two valve motor. There’s no school like the old
The Pierobon F042 is narrow and small, but makes a thunderous boom when it’s running. Photo: Barry Nichols/foto41.com.
school! Sweet! The engine, though, even when stock, isn’t rear wheel horsepower on the dyno, and churns out an particularly anemic, and this one isn’t even close to stock. impressive 85 foot-pounds of torque. The extra horses are a While the Hypermotard powerplant in stock trim makes about result of a laundry list of modifications, including bumping 95 ponies, the one in this F042 makes right at 116 rear wheel displacement from 1078cc to 1123cc via forged Pistal pistons, and
increasing
compression from streetfriendly
10.7:1
racetrack
to
a
power-
producing 13.5:1. The pistons are attached to a lightened and balanced crankshaft
via
Pankl
titanium connecting rods. Seriously
reworked
desmodromic
cylinder
heads
titanium
with
internals make sure the engine breathes as it should, and allow the Titanium and top-shelf go-fast parts. They are everywhere on this bike. Photo: Barry Nichols/foto41.com.
motor to spin to lofty (for a big twin) 9100 RPM.
The thirsty engine is fed by Marelli IWP042 race fuel injectors poor little sprocket simply can’t handle the brute strength this with 45mm venturis and the air/fuel mixture is sparked by a beast makes. Nemesis N-7000 Type 3 ECU digital ignition system with data
The exhaust system is a Pierobon-built Zard unit, and
logger. All of the engine’s critical sub-systems can be is hand-made from titanium pipes capped with carbon fiber monitored by the rider via a Falcon digital instrument panel. mufflers. An STM 12-tooth slipper clutch is mated to a A curious point of interest is that the rear sprocket on the six-speed gear box which has a Supertech hard coating F042, which is a tiny 33 tooth custom made piece by Renthal, applied for durability. Interestingly, the gearbox does not has to be replaced about twice per year due to the wear it incorporate close ratio cogs. A close ratio transmission was suffers from the huge amount of torque the engine creates tested, but it was determined to be unnecessary given the versus the small lever arm (diameter) of the sprocket; the wide powerband of the engine. (It was Boulder Motorsports who is credited with figuring out the gearbox issue, by the way, but more on them a little later.) An oversized oil cooler is mounted to ensure that vital fluids stay adequately cool on the inside of the motor. On the outside of the motor, just about every panel and every cover on the engine is made from carbon fiber or magnesium, and virtually every fastener on the engine is made from titanium. In fact, just about every fastener on the bike, from the axles to the engine mounting bolts to the pinch bolts on the forks, is made from titanium. You wouldn’t expect that the suspension on the exotic F042 would be anything less than premium stuff, and you would be right in that assumption. The forks are 43mm Ohlins FG511 units with 25mm piston kits installed with proprietary F042 valving. The rear shock is a multiadjustable
Ohlins
unit.
A
closer
inspection of the suspension shows that it has telemetry gear affixed to it in the form of a Nemesis N-8001 fork travel potentiometer in front, and a Nemesis The Pierobon F042 is glamorous and beautiful from any angle, but it’s also all business when its fuse is lit. Photo: Barry Nichols/foto41.com.
N-8002
shock
travel
potentiometer in the rear. Data from this system can be downloaded and analyzed, of course.
Brembo brakes, Ohlins forks, Marchesini wheels and a carbon fiber fender. Nothing but the best up front. Photo: Barry Nichols/foto41.com.
highly capable homegrown CMRA
racer,
Ryan
Andrews. To say Andrews and the F042 turned in a respectable performance would
be
a
complete
understatement;
the
combination claimed a win in the Heavyweight Twins Expert race, and a third place in the Island Racing Services
C
Superbike
Expert class. Andrews, who was racing the bike for the first time, turned the fastest
lap
of
each
respective race, including a blistering 1:45.586 on lap 3 of the C Superbike race. Later Andrews would say The Pierobon F042 rolls on Marchesini forged that he feels that with a little more set-up time, 1:43s would magnesium wheels, a 3.50 x 17 incher in front, and a 5.50 x be attainable on the bike, and that’s seriously heady territory 17 incher out back. The lightweight wheels have Pirelli DOT at the sprawling Super Speedway’s 2.9 mile road course. The tires mounted on them, sourced from John Hutchinson of duo would go on to record equally impressive performances South Central Race Center, and Renthal sprockets are set in at all of the CMRA events they entered in 2011. And everyone motion by a gold DID 520ERV3 chain. To make the wheels noticed. stop turning and haul the bike down from the serious speeds
But
it is capable of, there is a Brembo braking system consisting how
did
of huge monoblock front and rear calipers with titanium such
a
pistons, with the front brakes actuated by a 19mm Brembo v i s u a l l y master cylinder. The huge calipers squeeze Brembo race- s t u n n i n g spec brake pads.
yet equally
Finally, the bike’s hard parts are covered in Pierobon c a p a b l e carbon fiber half-faired bodywork held together by titanium bike like the Dzus fasteners. All this titanium helps the bike, which is F042 come diminutive in the first place, weigh somewhere around a to feathery 320 pounds when full of fluids.
CMRA
Given all the good stuff this bike is made from, and the
the in first
the healthy amount of power it produces, it’s easy to assume p l a c e ? that the F042’s performance threshold should be quite high, Well,
for
and it is. The bike made its CMRA racing debut at Texas t h o s e World Speedway in April of this year, and was ridden by the answers we
Tucking in behind this windscreen rewards the small in stature. Photo: Barry Nichols/foto41.com.
A seriously breathed on Ducati Hypermotard-based engine powers the F042. Wheelies are a function of how far and how fast you twist the grip. Photo: Barry Nichols/foto41.com.
form in Sprague’s head, and he says that while he tore the bike down over
the
next
few
months, he started to have thoughts about building a “very light, extremely precise, and powerful bike” for the track. Sprague says he perused the Internet for ideas and happened upon
the
Pierobon
F042
at
Boulder
Motorsports,
a
dealership located in Boulder, Colorado, that has a reputation for building
and
racing
went directly to the source – bike owner David Sprague. When high-end motorcycles, many of them from Italy. Sprague was asked how he came to own the F042, Sprague says, “This intrigued by the F042, but knew little about it and he wanted question actually begins in the fall of 2009 when I asked Mark to know more. Andrews, owner of Euroshop of Waco, if he could teach me
Sprague says, “My sister-in-law moved to Denver
the basics of Ducati maintenance.” Sprague elaborates, “At with her husband, and when we came to visit them for the time I had attended a couple of track days and wanted to Thanksgiving, my wife, father-in-law, brother-in-law and I build something for the track. In this case it was a
mechanic’s
lien-
obtained 1998 Ducati 748.
So,
every
Wednesday night for a few months we worked on the bike to get it to a rideable status. I took the bike out to a couple of track
days
until
the
galley plug in the crank backed out and the crank
bearing
failed
during one session.” This
is
when
radical ideas started to
Ryan Andrews and the Pierobon F042, all alone out front, in The Bus Stop at Hallett Motor Racing Circuit in May. Photo: Linz Leard/NineSevenImages.
Ryan Andrews guides the F042, aka Honey Badger, through a sweeper at Eagles Canyon Raceway in September. Photo: Linz Leard/NineSevenImages.
horsepower? It has a [Ducati] 1098r front end and Ohlins forks and shocks? Holy crap, what
does
that
do?
Datalogging of everything!” And Motorsports’
then owner,
Boulder Brian
Sharp, started the bike for Sprague and Sprague was seriously moved once again. “The
sound
was
unlike
anything I had ever heard.” At the time, Sprague was riding a Ducati 999S and says he has loved the Ducati sound ever since the first time he heard made a side trip to Boulder to see what the shop was like.” one, but when he heard the Pierobon F042, well, his senses Sprague goes on to describe Boulder Motorsports as a were raised to another level altogether. “freaking CANDY STORE!” [for motorcycle enthusiasts].
At this point it was too late and Sprague had come
Sprague further remarked, “There was everything in there. to realize it, saying, “The next moment I don’t know what Jakub Smrz’s 2009 Ducati World Superbike motorcycle was happened. A period of obsession washed over me as I there along with a nice sprinkling of Desmosedicis, 749RSs, carefully plotted my acquisition. There was no way I could and a host of other red-clad beauties!” Impressed by the build something like this for the price I was quoted.” The fantastic collection of Italian production-based motorcycles, wheels in Sprague’s mind were now in full motion, and the Sprague says he ultimately made his way past the “highly- F042 wasted little time in causing him to abandon his idea of tuned
commercially-
available bikes and saw the Pierobon in the flesh” for the first time. It was,” he explained, “a feast for the eyes.” Sprague
was
smitten by the F042 right away, but he was also unsure of exactly what he was looking at. “Covered in carbon fiber and dripping with
titanium,”
Sprague
says, “it was a full-frontal assault on the senses! It weighs
just
over
300
pounds? It makes 116
Ryan Andrews stretches Honey Badger’s legs on the front straight at Texas World Speedway in October. Photo: Linz Leard/NineSevenImages.
to both of us! Since we don’t race we thought that Ryan Andrews might like to have a go on it for fun. I think at the beginning Ryan was somewhat skeptical of its performance but I think that feeling is long gone [now].” While Sprague himself doesn’t race the bike (yet), he has, of course ridden it at track days and says that he finds the bike to be wonderful in most respects. “The best thing about the motorcycle is its precision in handling and low power pull,” The new Pierobon X60R on display at this year’s EICMA show in Milan, Italy. Photo: Dave Gallagher.
Sprague
says.
“It
power
wheelies like nothing I’ve ever ridden before and I think that
building his own exotic track bike; Sprague was now working Ryan will agree to that. My least favorite thing is the lack of on making the F042 his own.
wind protection from the fairing around the leg area. There
As if he needed more reason to want the bike, two additional motivating factors became evident during his visit to the Boulder-based dealership: this particular Pierobon F042 had a pedigree of solid results (it was piloted with success by well-known Colorado racer Shane Turpin), and, perhaps more importantly, the bike was priced quite attractively. Maintained to perfection and immaculate in nearly every detail, Sharp offered the bike to Sprague at what he calls a “very nice discount” compared to a brand new bike, which will set you back a hefty $60,000. (Price is, if you recall, a component of the works of art category.) Sprague is quick to add that it certainly helped make ownership easier when his wife, Dawn, fell in love with the bike, too. So a deal was struck between the Spragues and Sharp, and soon after Mark Andrews and David Sprague met Sharp in Amarillo to pick up the F042. Sprague says, “We just met halfway after I went back home because he [Brian Sharp] likes to deliver personally to the new owner and we just thought Amarillo would be nice halfway point.” Of his unique acquisition, Sprague says “My wife Dawn and I are now in possession of something very cool
A display case at this year’s EICMA show in Milan, Italy, shows off some of the tasty bits that Pierobon is famous for. Photo: Dave Gallagher.
are rumors, however, that Pierobon is working with Brian first time I rode the bike at MSR Cresson, I got off the bike Sharp in making some significant modifications to a and told David, ‘It doesn’t give a sh_t what gear you’re in. It subsequent generation of this motorcycle.”
just GOES!’ And then I started calling it Honey Badger and
Throughout the season, Sprague’s F042 attracted a the name just stuck.” legion of fans at the track, and became affectionately known
But alas, all good things can be made better, and
as Honey Badger. The name is taken from a species of animal David Sprague has already begun work on making Honey similar to a weasel called a honey badger, which is noted for Badger even more vicious. Sprague has acquired a Pierobon being fearless and tough and for viciously attacking any X60R kit, an improved version of the already potent F042. enemy when escape doesn’t appear possible. The honey Most of the X60R’s components are shared between the badger has shown itself to be tireless in combat and can wear F042, but there are a number of significant changes. The out
much
larger
animals
if
pressed
into
physical bodywork, for example, is revised to afford the rider more
confrontations. That describes the F042 pretty accurately as wind protection, which directly addresses the relative lack of the bike is easily capable of downing more modern wind protection Sprague complained of earlier; the new motorcycles (well, at least in terms of engines since the carbon fiber bodywork is fully faired, and Sprague will be F042’s chassis is quite advanced), and doesn’t seem to be having his new body panels painted in a similar paint scheme working too hard when it does. The term “honey badger” as the original Honey Badger by Jesse Davis at Davis Rod & became somewhat of a viral Internet sensation in this year, Cycle. with multiple catch phrases centered upon the theme that no matter the situation, a “honey badger don’t give a sh_t.” Those that have watched this bike in action, and have seen it chew up and spit out the competition, know the above phrase to be true - this Honey Badger don’t give a sh_t! Watching the Pierobon F042, er, Honey Badger, with Ryan Andrews in the saddle has been nothing short of exhilarating this season. When the bike comes to the grid, spectators (and other racers) know there’s something special going on. At the last Texas World Speedway race of 2011, Andrews rolled Honey Badger to pit out and waited for the signal from race control that the track was green for the warm-up lap. A couple of spectators stood near pit wall and one of them pointed to the bike and said, “Man, that bike is beautiful! It should be in a museum!” His friend responded, “Well, maybe, but it’s a killer race bike, a true hammer! It simply pulverizes the competition!” Hmmm. So one guy thought the bike was art and worthy of a museum, and the other guy called it a pulverizing hammer, a tool? Well, they’re both right. Andrews himself is a little more blunt when he describes riding the bike. He says, “Trust me, put the bike in third or fourth [gear] and just ride it. It’s a [expletive] tractor. That’s why it got the name Honey Badger. The
Riding Honey Badger to the limit means never having to say, “Man, I sure wish this bike could wheelie!” Ryan Andrews makes it look easy. Photo: Linz Leard/NineSevenImages.
The Pierobon F042 poses on the front straight at Texas World Speedway with owners, riders, supporters and builders. From left to right: Thom Meyer, Dawn Sprague, David Sprague, Ryan Andrews, Brian Sharp, Mark Andrews and Tammy Andrews. Photo: Barry Nichols/foto41.com.
Another change the X60R will see is the on Leonardo da Vinci’s timeless Mona Lisa. But Duchamp’s disappearance of the twin K&N filters with velocity stacks, readymade art, which he named L.H.O.O.Q., became quite which were standard on the F042, in favor of a carbon fiber a coveted work of art in its own right, and was soon airbox with snorkels that create a ram air effect. Force feeding recognized to be far more than a simple addition to a the engine more air means more power, and should be masterpiece. The name Duchamp gave his painting seems especially evident on the long straights of some of the to fit Sprague’s Honey Badger quite accurately, too. After all, CMRA’s tracks. Because of the new fresh air intake system L.H.O.O.Q, which, when pronounced in French, forms the on the X60R, the new fuel tank will be shaped a little sentence "Elle a chaud au cul". (I’ll leave you to look up the differently from the F042’s, as well.
English translation of that French sentence, but I will say that
Sprague is, of course, naturally excited about the if you thought the Pierobon F042 was a sexy, exotic work of X60R upgrade to his F042. “The parts will be arriving from art, then elle a chaud au cul will also describe the Pierobon Italy any day now,” he says, “and the engine [in Honey X60R perfectly.) If the Pierobon F042 is a sexy, exotic work Badger] is being inspected and looks to be in good shape.”
of art that hits like a hammer, pulls like a tractor, and attacks
On the surface, the X60R’s improvements may seem like a Honey Badger, then it is going to be big fun watching somewhat minor, sort of like a motorcycle version of the what the Pierobon X60R can do on the racetrack. famous French artist Marcel Duchamp painting a mustache
Who’s Under The Helmet?
racer Dean Dufrene., who did exactly that in 2011 - travel around the WERA circuit chasing other challenges. In-between his stops on the WERA road, Dufrene still managed a couple of CMRA races as well. The Inside Line thought it would be interesting to find out what prompted Dean Dufrene to take his show on the road this season, so we sat down with him in an effort to get to know
Story and photos by Linz Leard Who’s Under the Helmet? (After Dufrene went to the GNFs, I asked him how his races at Road Atlanta races panned out. Racing with the CMRA means putting some serious miles on your transportation vehicle, especially if you live at
His last answer, given weeks after I first interviewed him, addresses his GNF experience. - Ed.)
one extreme or the other of the club’s geographic region. While the CMRA is blessed to have so many tracks relative Inside Line: Okay, Dean, let’s get this out of the way for those to many other racing clubs, it’s a hefty haul of about 600 miles that don’t know – how do you pronounce your last name? between our most southern track and our most northern Dean Dufrene: “Dew-Friend”, if you ask my grandmother, but track. To race with the CMRA, especially to put in a whole I tend to say “Dew-Frain” as in the character Andy Dufresne season, takes dedication. Still, it’s not uncommon for our in the movie Shawshank Redemption. racers to want to travel into other regions to test the racing waters “over there”, wherever that may be. One of the more IL: What do you do in real life, and where do you do it? popular destinations is the Western Eastern Roadracing DD: I am the Piping Lead for Mistras AIMS Group. AIMS Association (WERA), and CMRA racers regularly venture stands for Asset Integrity Management Services. We are a into WERA territory to test the meddle of the WERA regulars. management system that enables chemical plant owners to Sometimes, though, one of our CMRA family will head maintain the integrity of its assets in a fit-for-service condition out into the expansive world of WERA National racing, which for the desired life of its assets. In layman’s terms we are means really, really long trips from track to track. The reasons a racer has for his quest
into
other
territories is often interesting, after all, the CMRA has some of the best racers in the country, so why would you want to travel
around
the
countryside to see what the other guys can
do?
That’s
Hmmm. a
good
question. Meet
CMRA
Dean Dufrene (771) dives into Texas World Speedway’s Turn 1 during the season finale in October. Dufrene has been chasing WERA points most of the year.
helping chemical plants keep better track of their you ask this question, because I just rode TWS on October maintenance/inspection programs through software that was 1 and 2, and it was my first track day in Texas this year and developed by us so that we can attempt to stop things from it all came back to me. The “race to the race track” [story] is blowing up. The job might not be a good fit for you Linz, my favorite. because we know you like to blow things up. Haha!
Many know this and for those that don’t, Linz is a mentor to me. One of our first conversations was about the difference
IL: You’re from New Orleans, right? Some people are fiercely between a racer and a track day guy. It didn’t take long to loyal to their home towns. Are you? And if so, why?
realize I would not be the track day guy, hence how I
DD: I love my city and I always will. It’s where I spent the commenced to get involved with the CMRA. I started racing majority of my life, and I didn’t leave on my own terms. I think in 2009 on a Big Bike endurance team. It was Zeb Harris, that is the hardest part about my new life here in Houston, Brandon Warren, Moe Agha and me on the team. Those guys Texas. But, Texas has also been a blessing to me. I don’t were great and I pretty much learned how to ride a bike that know where I would be if Hurricane Katrina didn’t happen. year. I had only done three track days prior to that, and had Success is how high you bounce when you hit rock bottom. ridden on the street for only about four months. Those guys WINNING! And I love the Saints. They are such a feel good [on the endurance team] were patient with me and helped me story and Drew Brees, Reggie Bush, and Sean Peyton have learn a lot about bikes and riding. helped the city rebuild. In fact, I am celebrating my birthday
In 2010, I set out to do the whole season sprinting, but [a
and 2011 being a blessed year down there in November. I lack of] money and a nasty crash in Turn 1 at TWS set me am bringing some friends with me from Houston and other back and I didn’t race again until the last TWS round. This places. It should be a blast. I get the chance to show people year I vowed to make the full [WERA] season and although the city from a local’s perspective and not the media’s.
it’s been a struggle to make it to the track every month, I wouldn’t trade it for anything except more money to do it all
IL: How did you get involved in racing with the CMRA and over again. how long have you been racing with the club? DD: Haha! Good question. Well, I bought a street bike in 2008 IL: You raced mostly with WERA this season, but plan on and one of my first rides was to Oak Hill to watch a friend of doing the season finale at TWS. We still consider you a CMRA a friend race. Paul [Wilkenson], long haired guy whoe used racer, of course, but tell us a little about your experiences to be with Team Mancuso. It was my first time ever hearing racing with WERA. Compare the tracks and competition you of road racing. Then every time I went to Stubbs to get faced. something for my bike, the parts guy, Dustin Johnson, always DD: First of all, thank you, I started in the CMRA and I told me I should go to the track. Finally, one day me and two consider them my racing family, but being able to race all over buddies rode to Grand Sport Speedway [in Hitchcock, Texas, the country this year is a once in the lifetime experience that for a track day] and did the parade lap. I was hooked.
some never get. I have been blessed to be able to hang with
I bought a track bike and posted up on one of the local Tim Hunt at Apex Race Services, Jonathan Boswell at forums that I needed a ride to TWS because I knew nothing Mousebox Racing, Michael Godin at KWS, Lenny Albin at about the track. Some weirdo named Linz Leard offered me Race Tech, and be around up and coming superstars like a ride to the track. He seemed pretty knowledgeable about Jake Lewis who is also a part-time CMRA guy and won the the track so I offered him gas money for his trouble and off 2011 AMA Horizon Award, and Jake Morman. Those guys we went. On the way to TWS, he began explaining things to have taught me so much and have always gone out of their me, but it was so much info that by the time I got to the track way to help me whether it is on or off the track. I didn’t remember any of it, which he said I wouldn’t anyway.
Some of the tracks are amazing and are definitely not as
So I just went out and had the time of my life. And it’s funny bumpy, so in that facet I think the CMRA has prepared me
Dufrene, with no points in the CMRA Big Bike events this season, had to start on the back rows and work his way toward the front in all of his races at Texas World Speedway.
very well to go race other tracks. VIR is my favorite! A very guys everywhere – from the East to the West and the North fast, technical and physically demanding track that has a lot to the South. My main opposition has been Curtis Murray and of fast switchbacks and blind corners. If you mess up the entry Ryan Haddock – who have been working with Jason DiSalvo to one of those corners it’s easy to end up in the grass. You and Brian Stokes all year. Plus the local fast guy who shows really have to have good reference points there. There is not up at every track and is [somehow] a permanent Novice but really a track on CMRA’s schedule that I can compare that runs top Expert times. It’s been harsh trying to learn a new to. Road Atlanta is second on my list and reminds me of VIR track, find a set up, keep it on two wheels and be competitive. in some aspects. Barber is amazing, but it’s not one of my Some tracks I learned quicker than others. Like I said, VIR is favorites to ride. Miller Motorsports Park was okay, but I raced my favorite track, but with only three practice sessions on in the rain so that took away some of its luster. It kind of Thursday, it was tough to go fast there. I was still learning the reminds me of an upgraded TWS minus the banking. track in my first race, and my bike was overheating, too, but Speaking of TWS, I was able to ride there this weekend [the my team is remarkable and they helped me between races. first weekend of this past October] for the first time in a year I came back and finished on the podium in race two. My lap and I couldn’t believe how bumpy it was. All the tracks I have times were one second off Ryan’s, and that is his home track. raced this year are great tracks. They aren’t as bumpy or in
I have to say I love the LSTD Friday practice [on CMRA
poor condition as some of the Texas tracks. That’s why I think race weekends] a lot better, but racers race and that’s why I the Texas tracks are good in preparing me to race other love both WERA and the CMRA. I really wish they would host tracks. It’s like the old saying about Oak Hill, “If you can go a National again like they used to. When we went to Miller fast there, you can go fast anywhere.”
there were the USBA guys, the MOM guys, WERA West and
My competition in WERA has been brutal. There are fast WERA National riders. It is good to gauge your talent against
other racers from other regions. I am looking forward to where hard work and preparation meet opportunity. I have coming home and racing with the CMRA in front of friends taken care of my part so if I get the opportunity I can say I like and family, as much as I am about racing at the GNF in my chances. Atlanta. It’s like a NFL team travelling on a four game road trip and then coming home. They seem to have an extra gear IL: Like a lot of racers, you converted your street bike into a that day. And from the looks of it, that is what it will take for race bike. What made you decide racing was more important me to do well at TWS.
than street riding?
I like the pressure and I am trying to get everyone I can DD: Well, it’s the rush really! You told me a few times to ride to come out and support not just me, but the CMRA and the that ragged Honda [Dean’s first track bike was an older Honda sport of roadracing as a whole. As far as comparing the CBR600, and he raced it into the 2010 season] until I felt like competition I don’t think that is fair to do. I think if you take it was holding me back, and as a good student, I did! ECR the fastest WERA guys and the fastest CMRA guys and name last year in March, I felt like I had the pace until we came on a date, time and place you would see some DAMN good the gas. Then everyone seemed to walk away from me. I felt racing from start to finish. I think that is where the GNF lost like it was time. So in between ECR and TWS I parted out the some of its luster because that’s what it used to be. Wouldn’t Honda and converted the GSX-R. I went from a 2:01 to a 1:52 everyone love to see Ty Howard, Mark Junge, Tim that weekend. Needless to say it was a smart move. Haha! Bemisderfer, Corey West and Tim Hunt in a race, or Derek Wagnon, Garrett Gerloff, Zach Herrin, Jake Morman, J.C. IL: It’s one of the most popular questions on the face of the Camacho, and Jake Lewis? That would be awesome to planet, Dean, so I’m gonna ask it – what’s your favorite food? watch. I would pay to see it, but I also understand money and DD: Shrimp anything! I love to cook and can do so pretty logistics to make something like that happen.
good, but shrimp etouffee or shrimp fettuccine are amongst my favorites.
IL: Are there any particular racers who you have the most fun racing with? Who do you consider to be your greatest IL: Okay, here’s a two-part question: Relate a favorite racing competition?
memory that you have, and then follow that with a dreaded
DD: Ryan Haddock has been the guy I have had the most racing memory that won’t leave you no matter how hard you fun racing with because we seem to battle every race and he try to forget it. is a good guy under the helmet, also. I would love to beat a DD: Favorite racing memory is my win in the rain at Miller. I few guys at the GNF like Curtis Murray and Joe Melendez. found out it was on Father’s Day and my father passed away They are considered the cream of the crop and both have before my first race at Oak Hill. So I dedicated that weekend tossed around the idea of being bumped [to Expert] mid- to him and trained really hard for it. It was mid 70s season. Luckily for me, they didn’t and I get one more chance [temperature] and sunny on both Friday and Saturday, but at it.
when we woke up Sunday morning it was in the 40s and
CMRA? Is this a set up? Haha! Obviously I have had a raining. To me and my faith, that was God’s way of saying He close eye on the results all year, so when I get to race TWS cast the mountain into the sea. To top it all off, I turned on the I want to be up front battling with Peyton Inge, Craig Thomson television and there is Joel Osteen all the way out in Salt Lake and Jose Silva. I know it will be tough having to come from City in the middle of Mormon country! He was talking about the back, but I look forward to getting a good start and seeing how we need to stop dreaming for little things because our just how fast those guys are. I was out watching earlier this God is a mighty God. year when the CMRA went to TWS and I know those guys
I posted on Facebook that very moment that it was an
have some speed. All I can say is it should be a fun weekend! awesome feeling when you know your destiny. I knew I was I need a few small things to go my way, but I believe luck is going to win. And I did. I led from flag to flag and the only
battles I had were with Experts who didn’t want to let me by.
I have 10 points to make up at the GNF, but I feel like I
The hardest part was holding my emotions in and maintaining will be ready, because once again I am going to rely on the my breathing for six cold and wet laps. What was funny is I CMRA to get me ready to race nationally. The one time I got had two laps of practice in those conditions and [that was to race with the CMRA this year was the mini-endurance at also] the first time I ever rode on rain tires. Tim Hunt gave me ECR after a disappointing weekend at Talladega. I went out a few sound words of advice before I went out and I just and did well at Miller. Home is where the heart is and I am trusted what he said.
stoked about racing with my CMRA family at my home track.
But with the good comes the bad, right? Actually, I have IL: Standard question alert! Everyone has goals and a few things I would like to take back, like the crash [in 2010] aspirations in roadracing. Some get into this sport and want in Turn 1 [at TWS] when I was a few seconds faster than the to be world champions, others want to be seriously leaders, the C Superbike race at Miller where the weather competitive at the club level, and still others just want to have played tricks on us and the decision to go with DOTs instead fun. What are your goals in this sport? of rains cost me the race when I was definitely faster, but my DD: My goals are to GoFast-DontCrash (dot blogspot dot most dreaded [experience] would be my last race at Barber com)! One short term goal is to find the speed to make an where I struggled all weekend. I talked to Lenny Albin AMA grid maybe as soon as next year. But first, I am trying between races and he got me refocused. I was in third or to accomplish the goals I set for this year which is to win a fourth, which was good enough to walk away with the C WERA National Championship. Superbike points lead only to have my shifter snap off on the last lap. To have that happen and move me from second to IL: Last year you were number 380 and this year you’re third in the [race for the] championship still hurts.
number 171. Why the number change, and what’s the Dean Dufrene poses with his Suzuki GSX-R600 at Texas World Speedway, the place where he started his racing career. In the off-season, Dufrene retired this bike in favor of an ex-Team Hammer Suzuki GSX-R600. His 2012 plans see him racing closer to home and competing in a mix of CMRA, WERA and AMA events.
significance of the number selections?
America is better than outside of it right now. And plus we
DD: It had to do with the number 17 being a lucky and favorite need to grow the sport on this side of the pond. But if I must number [of mine] and this year being the 1 [meaning] where answer, I root for Ben Spies and Colin Edwards. Both are I have a breakout season; therefore it’s really 17:1 which class acts and both are local guys who got their start in the equates to 171. [The number] 380 meant nothing and I just CMRA. The wall at Oak Hill had both of their names on it. Oak picked that number because that’s [pretty much] all that was Hill was my first race, so I guess it’s easy to root for them. left at the end of the season when I got my license. IL: What destination have you never been that you’d like to IL: Word association time, Dean. I say a random word, and go, Dean? It could be any place in the world for any reason, you tell me the first thing that pops into your head. Ready? but you’ll get extra points if it’s motorcycle related. Okay, here we go:
DD: Isle of Man TT. I mean to race it! I got the chance to meet [Isle of Man racer] James Vanderhaar at VIR and those guys
Texas World Speedway: The place where it all started!
are nuts. But, that’s why we race because of the rush, so why
Highside: A ride I don’t want to take!
not around a mountain with no run-off?
Hawaii: Pretty girls and coconuts! Casey Stoner: His wife is smoking hot!
IL: What’s playing in your truck’s CD player at the moment?
Rollercoaster: The hottest whip out there in this game we call DD: A little bit of everything right now. life. New Orleans Saints: Who Dat?
IL: We all know that money is an object, but let’s pretend that
Ty Howard: A fast guy who can teach fast. I wish I could pit it’s not for a minute. Which bike would you race in the CMRA with him at the racetrack and pick his brain all weekend!
series if you could afford anything, and why? DD: I love the Suzuki, so until something else steals my heart
IL: Over the years I’ve read about and known some racers I’ll stay with that. But since money isn’t an issue, I’d run an who were superstitious or ritualistic. Do you have any SV, a 600, a 750 and a 1000! Hey you said money isn’t an superstitions about roadracing or rituals you perform on race object! day? Do you have a lucky t-shirt or a rabbit’s foot in the pocket of your leathers, perhaps? Maybe you do that Rossi bowing IL: Do you have any hidden talents that the rest of us don’t to the foot peg thing?
know about and would be surprised to learn of?
DD: I actually say a small prayer before I go race or practice. DD: I am pretty good with the ladies! And I am a pretty good It became a ritual when I didn’t say it once at TWS last year cook. and ended up in the grass in Turn 1. I started doing it every time I go out. If I forget for some reason before I throw a leg IL: What would you offer the new racer in terms of advice or over, I say it on the warm up lap, and finish when I get to the life lessons in club roadracing? grid. I try not to do it in front of anyone, not because I am DD: Don’t get into it thinking you are the next Valentino Rossi, embarrassed but when I call upon Him to work miracles I like Ben Spies or even Ty Howard. Ty is in a class many of us to do so in private. There is a picture or two of me doing it are not and never will be in. And when you do that, you usually and that’s awesome too, but that’s not why I do it. And I am set yourself up for failure, or the fun is taken away when you not a Rossi fan so it certainly didn’t start that way.
can’t finish in the top 10 of the Expert class after dominating the Novice ranks. Also, stay humble. No one likes a cocky
IL: Speaking of Rossi, you watch MotoGP, right? When you kid. watch MotoGP, who do you pull for? DD: I guess you can say I watch it, I think the action in IL: Final question for you, Dean. Okay, it’s not really a
question, but still. Leave us with a brief quote, either yours or and rain on Friday and it made for a rough start to the final from a favorite source, that sort of sums up your approach to race weekend of 2011. life and/or racing, won't you?
I got a decent practice session on Saturday morning and
DD: I can’t say I have one that sums it all up but I will give signed up for a regional race to get some extra practice. I got you three [that do a good job]. This is pretty much how my a great start from the second wave and put my head down. year went on and off the track: “The greatest form of maturity At the midway point I saw the leaders and began pushing is at harvest time. That
even harder. This was
is when we must learn
a
how to reap without
championship deal and
complaint
the
I was trying to get that
amounts are small
Number 1 plate. A
and
mistake by me as I was
how
if
to
reap
one-race
without apology if the
cresting
the
amounts are big.” –
entering
Turn
Unknown.
“I
tucked the front. The
believe the greater the
bike came out a lot
handicap, the greater
better than I did, which
the triumph.” – John
isn’t saying much. I
H. Johnson, and then
tumbled through Turns
“Most successful men
2 and 3 and down the
have
not
hill to the edge of the
their
distinction
Also,
achieved
hill 2;
I
by
track as you enter the
new
Esses. I banged my
talent or opportunity
head, shoulder, hand
presented to them.
and ankle pretty hard.
They have developed
It was the farthest I
the opportunity that
ever
was at hand.” – Bruce
definitely the hardest I
Barton
have hit the ground. As
having
some
tumbled
and
I write this today I am IL: So how did the GNF go? DD: It was definitely a rough way to end my season. It was a long 30+ hour round trip
Dufrene had a solid first year chasing WERA points. He narrowly missed bringing home a WERA Number 1 plate in 2011, but hopes to snag one in 2012.
still suffering from a concussion
and
swelling, bruising and soreness from head to toe. But like all racers
drive for less than 20 laps. Plans changed a week before the do, I patched the bike up, forgot what my body was telling me trip and I had to make the long drive out to Atlanta alone. and got ready to lay it on the line again on Sunday. I was Priorities wouldn’t allow me to get off work a day early at the leading the C Superstock class by 12 points heading into the last minute, so I didn’t get practice or to see the track until weekend and just needed to finish the race with points to lock Saturday morning. Combine that with blistering cold weather it up. I made the decision that since I was paying [to race] and not getting paid [to race], I would give it my all and race as
hard as I could. I lined up on the front row in the middle of away from Ryan Haddock or Curtis Murray. They both Curtis Murray and Ryan Haddock. I looked at both and gave deserved to finish where they did. Nor can I hang my head in the thumbs up signal as I always do. Those guys have been shame or disappointment because you line up to race and a pleasure to race with all year. Curtis actually gave me the any racer can win on any given day. In the end, we all had parts I needed to fix the bike and be able to grid up. Not many some bad luck and we each gave it our all! I finished in second would do that, but it shows he is a class act. He came to my place in C Superstock and in third place in C Superbike in the crew and told them he had an extra bike if I needed any parts, championship chase. Even though I set my goals of winning even before I made it back in the crash truck. Curtis has been those championships in the beginning of the year, I had no the class of the Novice group all year.
real clue that I would be racing for it on that day. In the end I
I had a conversation with Ryan after the awards came up a tiny bit short. ceremony and he told me before the GNF he had signed up
There are so many people who helped me get to this
in and raced in 84 races this year. Haha! Compare that with point. Linz Leard has helped me since day one; all the me being on the bike a total of ten times all year. Oops! Sorry, pictures, stories and advice have been motivating and I got side tracked! Back to racing. This is it! All year came inspiring. Tim Hunt has been such a huge help to me all year down to this one moment. It was show time. The starting long. I couldn’t have made it to each round without his procedure is a tiny bit different [in WERA]. When the “2” board support, knowledge, and guidance. He taught me what it is held high, it’s time to relax. As it is lowered, the bikes are takes to be a National Champion. The perseverance, hard kicked into gear and revved up. Once it is flipped to the “1” work, dedication and a laundry list of other characteristics that board, the revs go higher. Then it is flipped sideways and any he walks, talks and lives by is amazing. I watched him yard moment after that the green flagged can be waved. Okay, it’s sale his bike on Saturday in one of the most evil crashes ever not much different, but a little bit different. Ryan, Curtis and I all got really good launches and I was
and get up and walk away. I can’t wait for 2012. Jonathan Boswell, Matt
able to pull away a little bit, which really says something Tingsanchali, Aaron Ralph, Jake Lewis, Mike Godin, Luie because I have a stock bike, while Ryan is on a Graves Zendejas, Tryce Welch, and Dan Crawford have been the [Motorsports] bike, and Curtis on an AMA-spec GSX-R600. best teammates I could ever ask for. The journey is not over As I eased off the clutch and we headed up the hill into Turn and I cannot for sure say where it will take me, but I know one 1, I noticed I had no power and I was on the rev limiter stop along the way is [the] AMA. It was good to see some immediately after changing gears. Coming out of the Esses, other CMRA guys out there [at the GNF] as well. They I had no power and knew I smoked the clutch. It was a gut represented the club with honor and did really well! So in the wrenching feeling that I have never felt before. After working end, it wasn’t my best weekend, and definitely not how I extremely hard all year and spending every penny I had, this planned to end the 2011 season, but I accept it for what it is was the worst possible way it could end.
and will give it my all in the off-season to prepare for the
I came in and immediately my crew pulled the cover and Expert ranks! smelled [the smell of burnt clutch] and saw the smoke. We
Road Atlanta is still tied with VIR for my favorite track, but
tried to adjust it and get me back out to finish with some points I plan on getting revenge next year. Other than that, the GNF and win the championship, but I couldn’t make it up the hill in was everything it is hyped up to be and the racing was Turn 1. That’s how my weekend went. Haha.
fantastic. Whether it was watching Opie Caylor get a stop and
Honestly, things happen for a reason. I think if I had won go penalty and still winning his race or Curtis Murray chasing those championships, I would have just been a local racer down Skip Salenius and Elena Meyers in the 750 race from doing a race or two per year. Now, I am out for revenge and the Novice wave (he finished second overall to Elena Meyers) still chasing my dream as I did not accomplish my goal of or Jake Morman leading Garret Gerloff and Kris Turner for a being crowned a National Champion. I can’t take anything couple laps before highsiding in Turn 5, it was all good.
Racer’s Rides
good stuff and surely helps the handling manners of the bike – the forks have Traxxion Dynamics internals with extenders installed, and the rear shock is a Penske triple-clicker, but just parts alone aren’t enough, and Leone knows that. Thus he gives credit to the good folks at P1 Suspension for tuning the premium suspenders so that his motorcycle is a sweet handler.
Story by Linz Leard
But there’s more to Leone’s motorcycle than its suspension. The bike also features a Steve Upchurch-built
The Suzuki GSX-R has been a staple in the CMRA paddock since it was first introduced in the United States in 1986 (the GSX-R was actually debuted in other markets in 1985). Since that time, the GSX-R has won scores
of
races
and
dozens
superstock spec motor, a Dynojet PCIII USB Power Commander, and a LeoVince Titanium EVO III GP full race exhaust system. To stop the bike’s forward motion from the well-built motor, there are a set of EBC rotors out front which
of
championships with the club. And proven its greatness not only locally, but at virtually every other racetrack and with virtually every other racing organization in the world. Its reputation is such that “GSX-R” has become a household word in the motorcycling community – for some children, “Gixxer” is the first word they spoke. As such, it’s been a pretty good bet that when you want to venture into roadracing, a Suzuki GSX-R is a great choice to do it on. Enter Karl Leone’s 2006 Suzuki GSXR600. When Leone, a long time motocrosser, decided to get into roadracing in 2008, he chose a bike he felt would be a great choice for not only a new rider, but an experienced rider as well. Leone says he bought the bike, which was already in race trim, in part because Suzuki was dominating roadracing at the time, but also because the bike’s previous owners, Lance and Dustin Doucet, had “won several championships on it”. The bike’s resume spoke volumes to Leone who says, “I knew it was well set up, and it was race ready.” When asked about his favorite thing about the bike, Leone is quick to echo the bike’s pedigree and capability, saying he likes “the way it handles”. The suspension is
Karl Leone stands next to his Suzuki GSX-R600. Leone and his bike both look like they are straight out of the factory garage at an AMA race. Photo: Linz Leard/NineSevenImages.
Karl Leone in action at Texas World Speedway in October. Every time Leone climbs on his GSX-R, he gets faster. He has his eyes set on even more improvement in 2012. Photo: Barry Nichols/foto41.com.
bodywork.
Sponsor
decals and Leone’s own meticulous attention to detail when it comes to aesthetics make the bike a visual treat; it is quite pleasing to look at. But Leone’s bike is a race
bike,
too,
and
although he isn’t able to make
all
the
races
because of his work schedule,
he
compete
when
does his
schedule allows him to make the race events. When
he
does,
he
are grabbed by Vesrah brake pads in stock Suzuki calipers. primarily can be found in the Formula 40 Heavyweight, Galfer braided brake lines make sure those important parts Formula 1, and C Superbike classes. Leone says he likes work when the Vortex brake lever is grabbed (or foot-dabbed, these classes because he races “against mostly veteran should that be the case). Speaking of Vortex, they also racers in the club from whom I can learn a lot.” However, he supplied the rearsets, clip-on handlebars, fairing stay, admits that racing a 600 against 750 and up bikes is a bit of sprockets and frame sliders on Leone’s bike. Other trick bits a disadvantage. Of his racing, Leone says, “I have been a include SuperMoto Engineering front and rear axle sliders, [CMRA] member since 2008 and the first couple of years I Moto-R case savers and an RK gold chain. The bike rolls on spent getting my license, bikes, trailer, and all the equipment sticky
Bridgestones
supplied
by
South
Central Race Center. If you’ve seen the bike around the CMRA paddock
or
on
racetrack,
the
you’ve
probably noticed that it’s one of the prettiest in the pits. The bike looks not only
nice,
but
also
professional, thanks to the very slick paint work applied
by
Bradley’s
Collision Center in Port Neches, Texas, to the Hotbodies
Racing
Karl Leone (848) carves up Turn 8A at Texas World Speedway in April 2011. Photo: Barry Nichols/foto41.com.
to be fully prepared to race. I raced Minis and Big Bikes in 2008 and 2009
and
concentrated
on
learning the ins and outs of the sport.” Leone is quick to point out that the first two years of his racing was firmly rooted in having fun. In 2010, though, he started looking to improve his roadracing skills and hone his abilities. Leone says, ”I started the 2010 season off by telling myself that I was not going to ride a lot of motocross; I was going to concentrate on roadracing big bikes.” Leone sold
Karl Leone dives into Turn 1 at Texas World Speedway in October. Leone credits much of his improvement in speed on his Suzuki GSX-R600 to a well-thought out set-up. Photo: Linz Leard/NineSevenImages.
off his Mini and started focusing on his GSX-R600. He says Leone continues by stating that his future goal is to “pick up that at that season’s opening round at Texas World more speed and experience,” and notes that in 2011, he Speedway, his fastest lap was a 2:32, which he says “was shaved off another few seconds from his 2010 times. By the very disappointing to me because I know I am a lot faster than end of 2012, he says his aim is to trim another 5 to 10 seconds that.” Leone then adds, “I just didn’t feel comfortable on the off his lap times. bike so I got help from Brandon and John at P1 Suspension
Just before this article went to press, Karl Leone made it
and Billy Weise at WRW Racing, and between them helping known that there’s been a recent addition to Karl Leone’s race me with my suspension, tires, tire pressures, and riding tips, stable – a 2007 Suzuki GSX-R1000, which was originally by the end of the season at TWS I ran a 2:11 lap time which purchased to be a street bike but has since been converted is not fast by any standards, but shaving off 21 seconds in to a dedicated roadracer. He says that so far he’s done few one season was a great improvement for me at my age (48).” things to the motorcycle and even fewer to its power plant, insisting that since it’s a litre bike Karl Leone takes pride in his Suzuki GSX-R 600. It not only has to run and handle well, it has to look good, too. In the club racing world, that’s not very common. Photo: Linz Leard/NineSevenImages.
he felt there is “no need for modifications” to the motor, and “that my best interest was to spend my money wisely on suspension”. Leone has had P1 add Ohlins cartridge kits along with DLC to the forks, and a Penske triple clicker to handle suspension chores in the back. Leone says he hopes to get up to speed on his open class GSX-R during the 2012 season, and then adds, laughing, “Then I won’t have any excuses other than to say ‘I got my ass whooped!”
