Track Day on 170i

GregsBuddy · Post by **GregsBuddy** » Mon Jan 29, 2018 6:16 pm

Hello,
Yesterday, I joined a group for a lapping day at the kart track in Stockton with the Superbikecoach.com provider.
The group was broken into A, B and C riders by experience. There were no cruisers, one Goldwing with bags and many sport and standard bikes of different displacements from 300cc - 1,299cc's. And one scoot...
The Buddy held its own. Where displacement helped on a couple of straights long enough to use the power, the scoot' cornered as well as many. It drug the sidestand on both sides and I had to keep my distance from curbs, but it was great fun and I learned the scoot's limitations from experience. The front brake would be improved with more power. It takes me four fingers to fully use the front brake and it should take one or two. The sidestand could be removed for more clearance. I plan to put more preload into the aftermarket YSS shock to increase cornering clearance for the next track day in early March.
The 170i is a fun track day scoot and one can learn a great deal by pushing limits.

350kmi · Post by **350kmi** » Mon Jan 29, 2018 8:23 pm

This sounds like a fun day out and an excellent riding experience.

What tires were you riding on and were you happy with their performance?

GregsBuddy · Post by **GregsBuddy** » Mon Jan 29, 2018 10:18 pm

Hi 350KMI.
Nearly new Heidenau K80's.
They worked very well. A couple of small slides while healed over and throttle wide open. I'll probably boost the pressures one PSI for more stability for the next track day.

lovemysan · Post by **lovemysan** » Mon Jan 29, 2018 10:19 pm

I took my buddy to a road course for some guided laps and had a good time. It poured rain all day but it cleared up just enough for us to run. I still had fun. The buddy could easily outrun the grom leading. I've gone to gatlinburg the last 2 years and ran the tail of the dragon. Once on the buddy and once a z125. The downside of the buddy is frame flex and the engine/swing arm twisting on hard cornering which causes the cornering to be inaccurate. Its like riding a wild horse.

GregsBuddy · Post by **GregsBuddy** » Mon Jan 29, 2018 11:36 pm

I really like the wild horse as long as it doesn't touch down on the sidestand. Flexing and twisting is kinda fun.

Post by **jrsjr** » Tue Jan 30, 2018 1:03 am

lovemysan wrote:...The downside of the buddy is frame flex...

Two Words - Frame Brace

If you still want your street scoot to be a step through, just weld a tab on the frame so the frame brace bolts on. Then you can just bolt it up on track day.

Christophers · Post by **Christophers** » Tue Jan 30, 2018 1:33 am

GregsBuddy wrote:I really like the wild horse as long as it doesn't touch down on the sidestand. Flexing and twisting is kinda fun.

I assume you mean 'center stand' both here and in your original post : )

One would really have to be leaning the bike over ... I have no idea how you could lean enough to drag the side stand LOL : D

There's a great solution for that...
Removable kick-arm!!

http://www.modernbuddy.com/forum/topic30613.html[/img]

babblefish · Post by **babblefish** » Tue Jan 30, 2018 5:34 am

Sounds like a lot of fun Greg. Not sure I'd want to do that on my Buddy because its squirrelly enough on city streets...now, my Blur might be a lot of fun. Takes a lot of lean angle to start scapping things on that one. It also has pretty firm suspension. A little too firm for city streets but should do well on a track.

GregsBuddy · Post by **GregsBuddy** » Tue Jan 30, 2018 6:33 pm

Babblefish:
I'm considering a Blur or Smax as a potential track bike. Both appear to be potentially good at this activity.
As for gaining more lean angle with the 170i, the next thing to touch down on the left side, after the CENTER STAND is the belt case. It hits VERY shortly after the center stand; ~5 degrees. On the right side the cooling air intake touches first, followed by the center stand and muffler.
For the next track day, the following:
I increased the preload on the YSS shock to full yesterday.
I'll remove the center stand and cooling air intake.
Then the belt case will hit first on the left side but at least I'll have some more lean to play with, especially with the preload at full. I'll probably top out my drive to go as fast as I'm able to with the 170i without major surgery. If I'm happy with it, I'll keep doing track days. If not, I'll pursue a Blur or Smax and see where that takes me. Track days are now a part of my activities with scoot's...

350kmi · Post by **350kmi** » Tue Jan 30, 2018 8:06 pm

NCY sells a 220mm front rotor for the Buddy, I wonder how much it might help with track riding. It uses the stock caliper relocated a bit. I think the Black Jack and Psycho editions might have come with a version of this bigger rotor from the factory. I have been thinking about upgrading but haven't yet.

https://www.scooterworks.com/NCY-Brake- ... -P568.aspx

https://www.scooterworks.com/NCY-Genuin ... 12637.aspx

GregsBuddy · Post by **GregsBuddy** » Tue Jan 30, 2018 9:45 pm

350KMI,
I just ordered the NCY rotor and caliper mount. It is quite a bit larger in OD than the stock item. Ironically, I was just returning from a ride to lunch and was pondering how to improve the brakes in the garage. I have a larger caliper of similar design that I picked up in Vietnam at the motorbike market in HCMC (Saigon). I had other plans for the calipers (I bought matching left and right hand calipers) but the plan may not work out.
Anxious to try the NCY. At the track day it was clear that the front brake is not powerful enough. To maintain control of the bike and throttle I must use no more than two fingers on the brake. Three may be possible with practice. No way when I had to use all four fingers. The brake handle was coming nearly to the twistgrip with three fingers. The next step will probably be to change to a braided brake line to reduce braking force.
Great Fun!!

exmayor · Post by **exmayor** » Tue Jan 30, 2018 10:04 pm

I changed out my rotor last summer on my 125 and it made a noticeable difference. I have always been a two finger breaker and it gave me confidence to do that on the Buddy. Iâ€™ll add the braided steel line in the spring when I bleed the brake.
To get the wheel back on I had to slide the caliper and mount bracket onto the rotor, get the axle thru the wheel and then mount the caliper bracket to the fork. I also left the rotor loose on the wheel and torqued it after all was mounted.
It may be an issue with my NCY fork but it only took a few minutes to sort out.

exmayor · Post by **exmayor** » Tue Jan 30, 2018 10:08 pm

I have looked for some alternative sinterd pads but have not had any success. I& you come across some please post link
Thanks

GregsBuddy · Post by **GregsBuddy** » Tue Jan 30, 2018 10:14 pm

Your Honor;
Where are you planning to get the braided brake line? I can make one but would prefer to purchase it if it's available. Installing fittings is not easy!

exmayor · Post by **exmayor** » Tue Jan 30, 2018 10:56 pm

I am going to go with this
https://www.scooterworks.com/NCY-Brake- ... -P984.aspx

GregsBuddy · Post by **GregsBuddy** » Tue Jan 30, 2018 11:24 pm

I wish I'd known about this before I ordered the rotor and caliper mount.
I wonder how the suggested caliper update works as well.
UPDATE: Just checked the calipers. Not a good suggestion from what I see and read.

New2Scoots · Post by **New2Scoots** » Thu Feb 01, 2018 8:46 pm

If I'm riding at the limit my Buddy 170i gets down my favorite twisty road a little faster than my motorcycle. Wheelbase is about 15" shorter. 10" wheels vs 17" & 19". Like a Smart Car vs a school bus.

GregsBuddy · Post by **GregsBuddy** » Thu Feb 01, 2018 8:54 pm

Is there any other way to ride a scooter?!