Little Red Race Bike
LITTLE RED RACE BIKE
TEAM CYCLE WORLD, NOVICE DIVISION, GOES ROADRACING
JUST HOW VERSATILE IS Yamaha’s Seca II? To find out, we headed for Willow Springs International Raceway in Rosamond, California, where I was entered in the Novice-only Seca II Challenge race.
Preparing our project bike for roadracing was fairly simple. After removing the lights, horns and turnsignals, we safety-wired the obligatory nuts and bolts, and added numberplates, a Regina racing chain and, hoping to perk up acceleration off comers, a 49-tooth Titan Tough rear sprocket, one tooth up from stock. A set of prototype rearsets from Indigo Sports and a WP steering damper were the final additions.
The Seca II Challenge series, intended for beginning racers, is in its inaugural season and consists of six WERA events and an equal number of AMA races. Yamaha is supporting the series with contingency money-including $1000 for a win. At Willow Springs’ WERA-sanctioned California Cycle Jam, the Seca II Challenge drew 14 competitors, each going for glory, prize money and a chance at qualifying for the series final at Road Atlanta, where the winner will take home $5000.
My race is broken into two waves: Metzeler Future Stars-another Noviceonly 600cc class-followed a few seconds later by the Seca II Challenge. I’m gridded in the middle of the third row. This is only my second-ever roadrace, and tensions rise as the starter waves the green flag. The pack shuffles through the first two comers, then, exiting Turn Three, two Future Stars crash, littering the entrance to Turn Four with bikes and broken plastic. The race is red-flagged. At the restart, I reach Turn One mid-pack,
only to acquire a front-row seat for a near collision between two other riders. I roll out of the throttle, a costly mistake as the Seca II is not quick to make up lost momentum. The next few laps are relatively uneventful. The initial adrenaline rush has passed, and I’m thinking about braking and shifting, concentrating on line choice and trying to squeeze my 6-foot, 2-inch frame behind the Seca’s tiny fairing.
I’m pleased with how well the bike is handling. Sure, it’s no YZF, but as I ease off the brakes and peel into Turn One, the Seca’s modified fork gives good feedback and absorbs the bumps, just like it’s supposed to. The shock is also much better than stock, although a quarter-turn less compression damping would have helped. And for a single-disc setup, the Seca’s modified front brake gives firm, progressive lever feel with no hint of fade, even braking hard for tight Turn Three. The rearsets offer plenty of ground clearance, but the leading edge of the Vance & Hines SS2-R muffler drags in Turns Six and Nine. At my Novice lean angles, the DOT-approved Metzeier MEls never break traction.
The leaders have long departed, but return on the seventh lap when, with little regard for fragile egos, they pass me in high-speed Turn Nine, their right knees skating over the scarred pavement. On lap eight, more carnage in Turn Two signals the return of the red flag. This time, we will not restart. What, no checkered flag, no trophy? I was just getting comfortable.
In retrospect, our Project Seca II proved to be a terrific Novice racer. It didn’t take me to the winner’s circle, but then that’s my own fault. Still, we were out there, safety-wire, numberplates and knee pucks, basking in the heat of competition, suffering the agony of defeat. Because it doesn’t intimidate with size or an overabundance of power, the Seca II is a good learning tool, teaching the rider about all-important cornering speed. With a few minor adjustments, our Seca II will be ready to impart a few more lessons.
I can’t wait. —Matthew Miles
SUPPLIERS
Bel-Ray P.O. Box 526 Farmingdale, NJ 07727 908/938-2421 15/20-weight fork oil: $5
Essex Parts Service 2350 Pendley Industrial Park Blvd. Cumming, GA 30131 404/889-4096 AP Lockheed 550 brake fluid: $9
Giocar America Corp. 104 San Federico Ave. Santa Barbara, CA 93111 805/967-2726 Galfer Kevlar pads: $43 per caliper Galfer lines: $100
Lockhart-Phillips, U.S.A. 991 Calle Negoclo San Clemente, CA 92673 714/498-9090 Axle hairpin cHp: $1.80 Neoprene numberplates: $5 per 3 Stick-on numberplates: $11 per 3 Sidewinder handlebar grips: $7
Metzeler Motorcycle Tire North America 4520 107th St. SW Mukitteo, WA 98275 206/348-4000 MEl 110/70-17 front: $134 MEl 140/70-18 rear: $155
Nichols Distributing 4135 West 126th St. Alsip, IL 60658 708/597-3340 Camel valve caps: $.50 each K&N handlebar: $24 Maier vinyl numbers: $2 per 3
Progressive Suspension 11129 G Avenue Hesperia, CA 92345 619/948-4012 Fork modification: $85 Adaptive rear shock: $395
Regina USA, Inc. RU. Box 469 Waukesha, WI 53187 414/521-1998 520 URN chain: $101 Masterlink: $5
Sihilling Metal Polishing 1018 Chestnut East, Unit C Santa Ana, CA 92701 714/543-7051 Polish wheels: $300
Sprocket Specialists P.O. Box 265 Palermo, CA 95968 916/533-0802 Titan Tough sprocket: $58
Indigo Sports 12405 Slauson Ave., UnitJ Whittier, CA 90606 310/945-8149 Rearsets: $210
Vance & Hines Racing 14010 Marquardt Ave. Santa Fe Springs, CA 90670 310/921-7461 SS2-R exhaust: $450 Dynojet carb kit: $102
White Brothers 24845 Corbit Pt. Yorba Linda, CA 92687 714/692-3404 WP 140mm steering damper: $225 38mm adapter plate: $35
