Shawn Torpey

A track buddy got some good video of the hawk tearin up Thunderbolt NJMP on the 4th, so I thought Id post it up. She did pretty good, got my best lap time of 1:39.89 one lap before I crashed out on the last session. Oh well, now I got an excuse to buy a Sharkskinz front!!
YouTube - ‪Turbo329 and a Superhawk at NJMP Thunderbolt‬‏

Turbo329

Shawn!!!!! There you go bro! I posted here looking for you: https://www.superhawkforum.com/forum...derbolt-26083/


hahahahahahaha Bro you rode the wheels off that thing man!!!!!! Good stuff!

I saw your bike come in on the truck but I didn't know how bad it was and by the time I was all loaded up I think you were gone man. Glad you're okay.

How did the bike make out?

Tormoz

Looks like good times! I got a chuckle out of the "Passing on the outside" part because when I used to race, I got burned doing that when the rider I was passing swung wide. No major damage done, and my own fault. You got away with it, though!

Turbo329

Yeah this guy swung wide too and when I passed that guy going onto the start finish straight you couldn't see it in the vid but the guy swung wide also. Gotta be selective I guess. Scary stuff.

I was very impressed with Shawn's riding. He was banging that SuperHawk OUT! hahahahahhahaha

Shawn Torpey

Thanx for the compliments!! Ill be out for a lil while until this shoulder heals up, but I got a lil project to keep me busy. Hawks not 2 bad, just a couple odds and ends. Im hopin to be back on the track in August. I just cant get enough!!

Turbo329

How and where did you go down? I pulled in early during the last session. I was exhausted!

Shawn Torpey

It was either turn 5 or 6 I forget the #s. It was the sharp left two turns after wheelie hill. Not a 100% sure how the rear end slid out on me, but it went fast. I was already pretty much on the ground anyway slidin knee when I saw my headlight and realized there was no longer a bike between my legs! Now I dont even think I was back on the gas other than a lil maint. throttle when it went. Earlier in the day was the first time I ever got the rear tire loose and it was totally controlable cause I felt it go, in fact it happened a couple times and I was liking it. It was kinda fun like dirt, but when I went down there was no feeling of a slide the bike was just gone like it was on marbles. After I went down instead of running far from the track like ur supposed to do, I ran to my bike, thats my baby I gotta make sure shes alright! When I saw the bike the first thing I noticed was a 8 or 10" long piece of rubber that looked like a snake on my tire right on the edge. When I say snake I mean, well take some playdough and roll it into a 1/4" snake, you know. I could definetly see that breaking traction. The only thing I could think of is that mabe after bike after bike kept takin the same line all those lil pieces of tire rubber built up on the track in the form of a snake and at full lean that got between my tire and the pavement and off she went, but I cant really say thats the case for sure. Mabe I was just going to fast through that turn, it is the sharpest turn on the track. All in all I dont really believe in bad things, everything happens for a reason. If I had to wreck my bike and seperate my shoulder to learn a valuable lesson (respect that corner!), so be it. It could have cost me more so in the end I made out, but the thought of a whole month without a trackday is kinda depressin me so let get some ice on this shoulder

Turbo329

Wow that's weird that you would lose the rear in that turn (I hope you weren't playing with that rear brake again). most guys lose the front because they trail brake hard through there. In fact that turn had a lot of accidents that weekend.

I seperated both shoulders in '04. My left was a complete AC tear and my right was a mild seperation. In my opinion you should let it heal completely. I wouldn't look to get back on again until late Sept or Oct. You don't want to re-injure it. Separations usually occur when you have a strong collar bone. If you had a weak collarbone it woulda went 'snap!'

When I used to ride Michelins a lot of my fast friends told me that they wouldn't ride Michelins because they 'just let go' without warning. Sounds like you caught the Michelin bite. I personally never had a problem with Michelins though and so I stuck with them for a long time. Also, if you ran a '39 then you might want to consider race rubber. I felt I could've went faster in a few places particularly that long right-hander before the decreasing radius, but I went in there hard one time and felt the front working more than I would have liked so I backed off. Next time I'm going to run DOT race and let rip. The way we were riding I don't see any reason why we can't realistically get down to the 1:37-1:39 range with stickier rubber and keeping it twisted.

Shawn Torpey

Nah ur definetly right I want to make sure its fully healed before hittin the track again. Dr said 6 weeks, but I guess I gotta wait and see. It definetly wasnt a rear brake slide. Actually I think the only corner Im even using rear brake lightly was turn one just for a lil extra stopping. I wish I peeled the rubber off b4 running to the fence, it was pretty weird.

Turbo329

Heal up quick bro! I might be done for the season as I've done 9 days this year. With anniversary coming up in August and saving vacation time for a trip out of the country that might be a wrap for me. If I'm lucky I may be able to squeeze in a Saturday in Sept or Oct.

I'm probably going to get my suspension done (Race Tech forks and Penske Rear) and throw some lighter rims on the bike. My rear wheel is 37lbs with the tire. Sheesh that's heavy. That's probably what killed my acceleration out of the corners. lol

BTW, a 1:39 is a "A" group/ Blue group time (Faster "A" group guys are running 35s and better). If you're running that consistently on your next outing you might want to get evaluated for a bump out of the red group. You were cookin' dude!

Shawn Torpey

Thanks man! We were havin fun werent we. Good luck on ur trip. Sure I'll see u there again, if not Sept than next year. Hope ur ready, fast funny things happen to Superhawks in the winter months!!

nnjhawk02

Shawn

My buddies keep after me to go to track @ NJMP.

Anywoo > Have U done any suspension mods?

Turbo329

I don't know what else he has done to the bike but I do know that he does have a Penske Shock on the back.

b1m3x8

Shawn you are somewhat close to me. Funny thing that happened today. Mt. Holly Honda had a dyno day and there was another hawk there. I have never seen another hawk in NJ. The other hawk owner was telling me about a red hawk at the track. That must of been you! Small world.

nnjhawk02

Well as name says - I'm from NNJ, but reside in Pa now.

Maybe we should get a ride a VTR ride together?

Pa has great roads w/ low LEO presence

Shawn Torpey

Man NJMP is a blast If u get the chance I would definetly check it out. As for suspension like Turbo said I do have a Penske rear shock and I have Racetech springs and gold valves up front with a fork brace. You wont need either or if its ur first track day, but they are definetly the best upgrades to the bike if u can swing it. I dont kno if uv ever tried a track day, but not only is it the best time Ive ever had on a motorcycle, it may be the most fun Ive ever had in life PERIOD! Its badass!

Shawn Torpey

I do see one other guy, from NY, with a hawk at the track. I get a lot of good comments about mine and alot of "I used to have one of those and I used to love it! Dont get rid of it"

Shawn Torpey

Sounds like fun! I drove up to Bethlehem once and had a blast. There sure is a lot of nice ridin in PA. Thing is I gotta CA seperation in shoulder now. Ill let u kno when its healed.

b1m3x8

I would like to do a track day. I still need a suit, gloves (gauntlet style), and boots. That should be a nice chunk of change. When is the next track day there?

Turbo329

Team Pro-Motion, Inc. Motorcycle track riding.

Motorcycle Track Days | NESBA

Absolute Cycle Performance LLC Rahway, NJ 1 (877) 382-9800

All of these clubs go there. I've ridden with TPM and NESBA this year. You can't go wrong with either one. I believe TPM has gear rentals as well as a 'Try the Track' program.

Turbo329

That explains EVERYTHING! hahahahahaha


Glad I was a part of it.

last weekend was the most fun I've had at a track day in years. No pressure, just pure fun.

Scooberhawk

That was a pretty sweet video. You were definitely cookin' out there. I have to say, by now, everyone should have figured out that there is no substitute for getting the stock shock off the bike. I love my Penske. I need to do a track day. I'm a track day virgin.

b1m3x8

Thanks, I knew about NESBA but not TPM. I may take TPM up on their gear rental program.

Shawn Torpey

Haven't checked my email in a while. Yeah Team Promotion had a special, one trackday, you took a class in morning on and off track and I got to rent a suit gloves and boots all for under $200. Now that I have my own gear trackdays cost $75 on wkdays, for a whole day at the track its a steal! Be prepared to spens some $ once u get into it, but a lil at a time and people share at the track

Suspension is the way to go, lot of people rave about diferent forks from different bikes on the Superhawk, but I've had great success with the above mods and cbr600 f4i calipers, master cylinder and Vesrah brake pads. All the brake stuff is pretty much bolt on got the stuff on ebay for like $80 minus pads. They aint cheap.

nnjhawk02

I did the upgrade - 3yrs ago.

Ohlins rear w/ Racetechs upfront. Best Mod evuh

I gotta do it. I will let U guys know, should be able to swing it this year. I'm selling a Gixxer for my buddy & his giving me $$ for doing all the sale work. Track day here I come

Shawn Torpey

Oh yeah your all set, you gotta put them mods to work! The brake mod makes a great dif too. I didnt do it til after a couple of trackdays so I got to feel the difference. Once u get ur speed up you'll want it. They have a calender on their site, pick ur date early and call them wit questions. Let us know the date, If I'm better I'm there. Hopin to b healed in Sept.

Shawn Torpey

Oh and thanx again for the great video! I love the editing and its really helped me to study my form. I got a while to do my homework.

98VTRrider

I was sorry to hear about your off in turn 5, that's the same turn that I dropped my superhawk last summer, and i ride with a local guy that went down there on his RC51. Must be something with big V-twins and that turn.

heal fast, I hope I see you at thunderbolt again. who knows I might have a track superhawk ready late this season

Travelinguy1960

I watched you blow by in the video and never look back.

Always been proud to be riding the 996 and my sons friends find it hard to keep up with the "safe old Marine" all day long on their ZR6R's and GSXR's .
In any case they are usually exhausted from shifting a 1000 times in a day of riding.

Catching you in the video passing and watching your twin exhaust disappear....

It was inspiring Brother!

Hope you are very well, very soon,
Gunny
Seattle

Turbo329

No prob. Like I said, it was the most fun I've had all year trying to catch back up on an old outdated bike, not knowing if I was going to bin it. hahahahahahahahahahaha

Your form was fantastic. Turn 5 bites a lot of people. I try to stay on the line through there. I think there's a slick part of that turn towards the inside of it where people like to pass. I think from now on I'll just go in there a little slower and try to get better drives out rather than pushing the front through there. That seems to be the safest bet.