Posts Tagged ‘ motorcycle racing ’

Motorcycle Leather Race Suit New Pro Racer

August 17, 2011
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Komodo has built a hard earned reputation in the racing world.  Our products are     designed solely with rider safety and quality of construction in mind.  This

design  philosophy has earned us world wide recognition as a leader in “race proven” products as Komodo has been the leading choice for privateer racers in North America, Mexico, Canada, Europe, Australia, Malaysia, China and Saudi Arabia.

Committed to rider safety, Komodo Gear has invested heavily in research and development and     continues on it’s journey of using the best materials and construction methods available in every     product we manufacture.  The Pro Racer is the next level in rider safety technology and is available as a custom suit option that delivers world class features.

- Full grain leather
- Triple stitching in impact areas
- Kevlar Flex and stretch accordion panels for exceptional maneuverability
- Reinforced seams in impact areas
- Stainless steel molds on shoulder, elbow and knees
- Quality construction that is world class
- Stingray panels on forearms

More privateer racers ride in Komodo Gear products than any race apparel product on the market today. Don’t take our word for it.  Do a search on Google and you will see that Komodo Gear is the definitive leader in rider safety when it comes to motorcycle road racing, drag racing and track days.

Komodo Gear is purpose driven motorcycle gear.

We’ll see you at the Track!


Eagles Canyon Raceway – Komodo Gear Track Day- Texas

April 26, 2011
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NEXT TRACK DAY SUNDAY MAY 8th 2100

The barrier has been removed to becoming a better rider and finding out what your bike can “really do”……….SAFELY! There is a new track day organization available to the riding public through Eagles Canyon Raceway in partnership with Komodo Gear and Island Racing Services. We are not interested in “certifying” you, turning you into a “racer” or intimidating you because you have never ridden on “a race track”. What we are interested in doing, is showing you how much fun a Sportbike can be! But, I must warn you; you will probably learn a hell of a lot as well!!

It’s all about having FUN! You can now get your sport bike on a real race track and ride alongside your friends in a safe and friendly environment. Classes will be smaller than other track day providers, so you will receive real, personal attention from the instructors who are industry experts. You will also benefit from discussions on track essentials, defensive riding and the incredible technology that has gone into your bike. It all amounts to being a better rider and having a really good time.

For More Information Please Contact

Organization: Eagles Canyon Raceway
Link: www.eaglescanyon.com
e-Mail: registration@eaglescanyon.com
Phone: (940) 466-9775


6 Steps to Prepare Your Sportbike for a Day at the Track

April 3, 2011
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Because the track is not the street, we have come up with a several recommendations for making your track day more successful.

We would love to hear your raceday bike tips

Motorcycle Technical and Preparation:

Headlight and Blinkers – Tape over your headlight, tail light, turn signal lenses and any reflectors.  Remove your mirros.   We also recommend taping over your speedometer; it will only distract you. Painters tape works best.

Bodywork:

Tighten down all the bits; double check the bolts and screws.  This means check everything before flight!  So don’t overlook your mirrors, turn signals, horn, etc.  It’ll make the bike safer for everyone on the track.

Lights:

Before you get on the track you’ll need to disconnect the headlight and the brake light.  The heat generated from the bulbs could “bake” the tape on – ugh…

Tires:

The facts are simple when it comes to tires.  Street tire pressures will be fine if you’re running street tires and not riding beyond their engineered purpose.  Consult with your dealer on the type tire you are using for accurate pressures.  Tires really make a difference on the track; we recommend the Michelin Power One for track day use

Apparel – Safety and Protection:
Wear a quality leather riding suit, full gauntlet leather gloves and sport riding boots.  Two-pieces leathers that zip together and one piece leather suits are perfect.  No mesh products (gloves, jackets or pants) as they present too much liability.

Helmet:

Full face helmets are the way to go; certifications such as D.O.T. and Snell are good.

Spine:

Highly overlooked by all riders; use a back protector, they are worth their weight in gold.


MSR Houston Race Review – Danny Kelsey

March 26, 2011
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Many things had crossed my mind leading up to round one of the Central Motorcycle Road Racing Association (CMRA) and none of my thoughts were even close to what I should have been thinking.  Most years my feelings leading up to the first race of the year are filled with anticipation and a bit of nervousness to get the first green flag underway.  This year was different in a strange way.  It was as if all the pressure had just been amplified, but at the same time it was like I was going to ride some laps with friends with no worries in the world.

You see, there happened to be quite a change in my program about 3 weeks before race weekend.  I was anticipating riding the same bike I rode last year, a 2009 Suzuki GSXR 750.  Then, with short notice I was given the opportunity to ride for Team M&M Racing.  A new team that was still in the process of putting everything together.  Team M&M is fielding the 2009 Honda CBR1000 for the stock classes and a 2008 CBR1000 for the modified classes that I would ride in the Superbike and Formula 1 class at the CMRA.   I was somewhat excited to be back on a Honda because my first year of racing I started out with a 2005 CBR600.  I won 49 of the 54  races I entered in one season.  So the past has proven that Honda seems to work well for me.  However, I had never really ridden a newer, race ready 1000cc motorcycle.  But I must say that I am very lucky to be associated with the people that I am with this year because everyone knew that I would be showing up to race a bike that I had never ridden before.

It was very welcoming to hear the team owner, Mitch tells me “Just go out and have fun, don’t worry about going fast.” and that’s just what I did!  As I took off from our pit area I noticed the bike felt really good.  As any seasoned rider will tell you, sometimes when you get on a race bike that feels set up just for you, it doesn’t take a track to know it.  It’s like making friends easily, I was comfortable on a new racing platform instantly.  It’s sounds odd, I know, but it’s a weird feeling.  Without even hitting a bump, you feel like your suspension is already tuned for that track and ready to go.

Needless to say, my first day of practice went on without a hitch, except for one, for just a moment.  And I will be the first to admit that I am a very fortunate rider.  Due to the people that surround me and support me,  I have never had a race bike with stock suspension.  One of these CBR1000’s I was riding still have stock fork internals.

And to add to that, it also had a leaking fork seal that we had discovered at the track.  There was a point I thought it would be a good idea to pull out the old race bike from last year to ride in the stock class just to get through the weekend.  But during Friday practice I decided, what the heck, I’ll just take it out to see how it works.

To my amazement, I went faster on that bike then I did on the other.  So, last year’s GSXR 750 race bike went back into the trailer.  By the end of Friday practice I felt like I was ready and comfortable with the new Honda racing bikes.

Leading up to the first race was different from years before.  Not quite sure why but I had no nervousness at all, no butterflies, nothing.  I just went out to ride my own race.  I started a bit back on the starting grid because I did not send my pre-race entries in quick enough.  (The CMRA determines your starting grid on the first race based on order of entry.  After that it goes by overall finish.)  As I was pulling up to my 8th or 9th row starting position, I thought to myself…..It would have been a good idea to practice at least one start on this bike before the race.  Turned out I did not get a good start.  I was about as far back as I had been sitting on the grid.  As I entered the first turn that far back I knew I had to make some moves fast because this particular track, about 1/3 of it, is very “one line“, meaning it is really hard to pass in that section.  As I exited the first turn to head down the long straight I tried to get a good drive out of the turn despite the slower riders ahead of me and out break them over “the launch” (a name of a section on the track.  A small, very fast hill just before a sharp 90 to the right) into the beginning of the one line turns, and I was able to do so.  I entered the sharp switch backs in 4th position, not far behind the lead.  I speeded down the long, back straight and was able to take over and into 3rd position!  Over the course of 6 laps I was able to jockey myself up to 2nd then back to 3rd by the end of the race.  It was a good race for me but I lost taking 2nd place from my own mental error.  What I mean by mental error is basically being a baby and not making the pass for second soon enough and instead playing ‘follow the leader’ for 3 laps letting some of my competitors catch up to me.  But I had leaned from my mistake and was not going to let that happen again.

The second and third race went about the same but there were some highlights in both that made them far more exciting then the first.  In the second race, I had worked my way up to third place, just behind the person that took 2nd away from me in the first race.  On the last lap I positioned myself just right.  A couple turns before the final sweeper to the left, I was able to put a front wheel in on my competitor to let him know I was there.  By doing that I spooked him a little and pushed him off the line he was aiming for, causing him to loose a bit of exit speed.  This was important for me because my bike would not hang with his (the BMW 1000 race bike) on the long, back straight.

By the end of the next straight and entering into the last long sweeper to the left I was able to make that needed pass on the BMW before the finish.  That race was really exciting and I’m sure it was fun to watch for everyone else.

By the third race, I was ready to go.  Maybe a bit too ready.  I was determined to get a good start, so I just decided to stay on the gas longer then everyone into the first turn.  It worked good at first, but then when I had to break, it turns out I came in a little too hard.  I blew the first turn, went off the track and was able to get back on just before being in last place.  I ended up finishing second in this race.  I was really happy though.  In that race I was about 10 sec. back from the leader out of the first turn and by the end of the race I had caught up to under a half a second.  I feel I should have won that race, but then again, maybe I shouldn’t have run off the track on the first turn!

Overall, I was more then happy with this past weekend at the track.  I was able to post the second fastest time all weekend next to Ty Howard.  So, that is a big accomplishment for me and to know that I have what it takes to get up front and battle for the lead.  The next round will be at Texas World Speedway and I look forward to another fun and challenging race weekend.

To See More Of Danny’s Stories go to Komodo Gear Forum.


The Evolution of Komodo Gear Racing Gloves

March 21, 2011
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Komodo Gear has been producing motorcycle racing gloves for the public since 2005. Later that same year, we introduced the Meso racing glove. I’m going to spend a bit of time on the Meso race glove, because it was our very own design and was a labor of love. It took a while to actually bring the Meso to life because we were working with several different people (racers, designers and our factory). We made several different prototypes as there were a lot of “hands” on board in this glove design. Intellectually, the design of the Meso glove was truly our own. In looking back, the Meso glove actually proved to be very effective in testing and was adopted by many profssional racers starting in the beginning of 2006. This also means the glove was being harshly tested (crashed) heavily. The fact that the racers didn’t return them and used them for the full racing season said a lot about the quality and overall design of the glove. Komodo took a big risk with the Meso because it really was a new idea (a clean canvas design) including the fit and different use of materials. Like a lot of creative ideas, they either go big orgo bust; thankfully, the Meso was a huge hit!

The Meso actually incorporated Kevlar stitching throughout the entire glove, it was constructed of all leather, used commercially available TPU on the knuckle and on the fingers. The gauntlet was huge, it covered the full length of the wrist and offered a lot of protection for the racer. The main ingredient of success was the careful executio of the overall design and fit. The Meso glove was also comfortable. Instead of just using leather overlays on the palm, we actually found a way to incorporate a large Kevlar panel that covered the majority of the lower palm (including scaphoid) without inhibiting feel or function for the racer. This was a key safety feature because it’s a natural tendency to put your hands down during a crash where the palms take a lot of punishment and heat. Incorporating the Kevlar palm made sense and the design worked as planned. The Meso design was proof that Komodo was going in the right direction, it was a well received glove that was in use across the world in road racing. This included racers in the AMA, WSB, CMRA, WERA, CCS and even British Superbike! When you create a product that works, you really study it to find its faults so you can evolve it. Why start over whenyou have a solid design that is working? As you can see in the pictures, we took the Meso from an idea (we actually drew it up), then began making prototypes at our factory and then getting them into the hands of professional racers for use and review (that was a real test). Once the racers gave us the nod of approval, we then put the finished product into production for use by real privateer racers once we knew we had a really solid glove.

Naturally, a year of hard racing from dozens of pro racers on 3 different continents will quickly help you find your weakness. The lessons learned were quickly put into R&D and more testing ensued, and that is how we came up with our next generation glove, the K-FX, which was launched in 2007. As you can see in the pictures, the K-FX was an evolution of the Meso glove. We tuned the fit, added more TPU in critical areas and also incorporated the now famous KNOX SPS protectors on the palm in combination with the Kevlar panel. This wasn’t an easy task. We actually sat down face to face with the Geoff Travell, the owner of KNOX, and discussed our strategy for the K-FX glove. Thankfully, Geoff liked our idea and approved our use of his new design, the SPS. It’s our understanding that Komodo was the first company in North America to actually use the SPS protection system in a production race glove. The relationship with KNOX proved to be invaluable. The K-FX glove was truly a success as we sold the glove all over the world. Like any product, the work is never complete. You continue to see the glove succeed, but also get plenty of feedback from racers and customers. You can never be content with a design, regardless of its success. After three years, we have now decided to further evolve our glove line.

New for 2011, Komodois officially introducing the new, “Pro Racer”, glove. Like it’s predecessors, the Pro Racer shares many of the same safety features, but also incorporates a few new safety features such as a Kevlar upper.

It is a fresh safety feature that already compliments an extremely race proven design. Komodo worked very closely with a professionaldesigner on the Pro Racer glove to retain many of our proven safetyfeatures. As you can see in the pictures, we were able to retain the same palm, but instead of using the KNOX SPS system, we are incorporating stingray. Stingray is nothing new as it’s been in use for many years, just like Kangaroo has been used for years. The difference is that Komodo is able to use the both stingray, Kevlar and kangaroo in combination and keep the price point at a level that is reasonable and acceptable for the club racing community. As mentioned, you can never be content with your position, so we also refined the fit on the Pro Racer even further. We also designed new TPR moulds for a more custom look and continue to use commercially available Carbon/Stainless steel knuckle moulds. Our customers have complimented the new look and also have told us it’s our best fitting glove, yet. That in itself is quite exciting since many of our customers have told us our last generation K-FX glove was the best fitting glove they have ever worn. So, take a few moments to study the new Pro Racer glove and you will see it’s heritage from the Meso and K-FX glove along with a few new additions for a completely new look – and feel! Take comfort knowing that you have access to a glove that uses all the technology you can find in MotoGP, now available to the public for under $200.00!


Komodo Gear’s Rider Spotlight Alan Phillips

February 28, 2011
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The 2010 season is surprisingly over already and one to put down in the record books. This past season had its ups and downs but was definitely my most progressive in many different ways. I learned a lot this season about more than just riding, I learned about my bikes and suspension and how to give better feedback to my sponsors and suspension tuner Jim Cambora (Raceworx). Not only did I learn how to go faster and how to give better feedback but I met and made so many new friends this past season that helped me remember why I race, Its not only because of the speed and adrenaline rush but its the fun and people in the pits that make it such a good experience for anyone.

At the start of the 2010 season I came in with high hopes and dreams. It took me longer than I thought it was going to take for me to learn how to ride my 2008 r6 and even longer to learn how to make myself comfortable.

The first race of the season was a wet one and I ran DOT tires in which most of the top dogs were on rains and my results weren’t to the standards I was hoping for, putting me farther back on the grid for the next round than I would have liked. As the season progressed I moved myself higher up in the points and started getting more comfortable on the bike which is the big key in going faster. It wasn’t till about the 8th round of the 10 round series that something really just kicked inside my head. I had always been the one who was patient and “too nice” on the first lap to where my great launches off the line turned into letting everyone by in the first turn and having to play catch up the rest of the race. I finally just told myself going into the 9th round that I needed to just go for it on the first lap and not hold back and just keep moving forward from there. One problem which was really the only downside of my season was that Saturday of round nine I raced in the endurance and ended up high siding and landing solid on my shoulder straining my Sterno claveclier joint, it could have been worse but my Komodo K-FX suit saved me from any severe damage. The crash ruined my hopes of a top 5 finish in my classes in round 9 but it didn’t keep me from wanting to try harder in round 10. The last round of the season was one of the best I’ve had all season. The few weeks prior I had sent my bike to Jim Cambora who had ideas on changing the whole geometry of the bike to try and make me as comfortable as possible and to try and make me drop 2 seconds from the previous time we were at the track earlier this season. When I first rode the bike on Friday practice we had small issues that we needed to work out but I was feeling real confident on the new setup. Come race time Sunday I was ready to go and had the most determination I have had all season and went out and already met my goal of going 2 seconds faster and carried that through the rest of the weekend. I was very happy with my results from the last few rounds and have a very good feeling about the 2011 season and have set some goals in which I intend to achieve.

All in all this past season was more than just and very progressive season but it was also a very fun year and a very good experience.  Id like to thank a few people because with them this season would have been possible, would like to thank my Mom and Dad, David Roy, North Texas Superbikes, Dunlop tires, Komodo gear for keeping me safe and stylish all season long, Jim Cambora (Raceworx), Tony Ta (house of paint Designs), Andy Castaneda, Lonestar Trackdays, and all my friends and friends I’ve made this season for making it one of the best seasons I have ever had. I’m looking forward to next season and its time to start training hard so that I can start the season off as strong as possible.

-Alan Phillips-
CMRA#62


Motorcycle Track Days – Where it All Begins!!!

November 6, 2010
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Track days are “where it all begins!” This is where you actually get a chance to ride on a real race track! Track days are becoming quite sophisticated these days. You have real instructors who are truly knowledgeable about tires, chassis, gearing, suspension, apparel, etc. Gone are the days where the local race track is hosted by a promoter. The owners are typically ex-racers themselves, which offers a great advantage since they know the learning steps from street to track. The track day will have instructors with hundreds of hours of track time from either instructing or from racing. Either way, they know how to go fast! That’s why you’re there.

It’s a learning process where if you don’t listen and apply yourself, you’ll soon learn the hard way, “crashing”. It’s a process that only takes a couple of times to remind you, this stuff is serious and can be expensive – it’s up to you.

You’ll be surrounded by literally dozens of other riders who desire to learn how to rider their bikes fast and also refine their riding skills. It requires class room time (which is actually fun), investment in the bike and in proper safety equipment. Neither of these core fundamentals can be overlooked or taken for granted.

If you decide that you want to continue to learn and refine your skills, you can always take private lessons from professional racers such as Ty Howard at Typhoon Motorsports. Ty has instructed hundreds if not thousands of riders and has groomed many club racers to the next level – the AMA.

After a few private lessons, you’ll know if you want more. Once you realize MORE is what you want, then the natural choice is to join a racing club. One such racing organization is the CMRA. What’s unique about the CMRA is that it has produced worldwide motorcycle road racing legends – such as Ben Spies, Nicky Hayden, Colin Edwards, Kevin Schwantz, Ottis Lance, Doug Polen, John Haner, Ty Howard, Sam McDonald, Ricky Parker, etc. As you can see, this in not your average racing club! This is THE racing club, which is located in Texas that continues to shape and mold some of the most talented racers on the planet who progress into the professional and world ranks.

As you can see, track days are a fantastic way to get the experience you really want on your sport bike. There is no better or safer way to learn how to ride fast and competently than through a well run track day.


Motorcycle Racing Leathers Customer Testimonial

November 5, 2010
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Customer Testimonial of Komodo Gear’s Motorcycle Racing Leathers.