www.zxrworld.co.uk

There is always a list of folks to thank after a Manx GP but one person stands out and is perhaps most relevant to other ZXR400 owners and thats RMKD

Again this year I was riding a bike with a RMKD tuned engine....................I saw 134mph on Sulby Straight and was I think 5th fastest 400 fact is RMKD buld fast 400s
And I'm not the only one Ross Johnson,Ben Palmer and Bob Farrington all had successful MGP with RMKD engines
Bob had his at 138 on Sulby

Also Bob and I were part of the club winning team

If you want a fast and reliable ZXR400................there is only one place to go.................RMKD

Thanks Roger

Roger is well known for building excellent engines - However Dynotek near Basingstoke have built ours for several years and the reliability and power have been superb too,

I'm sure Dynotek build great engines that are lovely for wobbling round carpark circuits..................My RMKD engine has done more miles in one day than the average Dynotek engine does in a year. In fact my RMKD engine has been sat at max revs for longer on one straight than some complete races that the average Dynotek engine has done.

I consider it EXTREMELY rude of you to post such a comment in a thank you message for RMKD go start a new thread if you want to sing the praises of some other engine tuner

I agree Cargo how VERY rude. Maybe the NG streetstocks with its handfull of riders at best! is more prestijus than the Manx win of Ross Johnson and other top results from you hero's on the most endurin ,dangerus circuit in the world. 4 laps of the TT corse 150 miles? flat out? on a 20 year old bike? that is testiment to an engine builder and rider. Big respect from me.

cargo wrote:I'm sure Dynotek build great engines that are lovely for wobbling round carpark circuits..................My RMKD engine has done more miles in one day than the average Dynotek engine does in a year. In fact my RMKD engine has been sat at max revs for longer on one straight than some complete races that the average Dynotek engine has done.

I consider it EXTREMELY rude of you to post such a comment in a thank you message for RMKD go start a new thread if you want to sing the praises of some other engine tuner

Cargo - of you arent careful you will be getting us older riders a reputation for being grumpy monkeys!!!! lol - Roger must be pissing himself. which reminds me - he has one of my engines which I have been very slow to go and collect - action required

Interesting the speeds you quote Cargo. I seem to remember that when MCN roadtested the ZXR400L in the 90s they claimed 141mph, presumably at Bruntingthorpe or some such proving ground. If you're not getting that on a race tuned engine with all the road gear junked it suggests they were being a bit optimistic. What do you reckon a stock L should top out at with standard gearing / tyre sizes etc? From your experience it suggests 130 might be good going.

Tirpitz wrote:Interesting the speeds you quote Cargo. I seem to remember that when MCN roadtested the ZXR400L in the 90s they claimed 141mph, presumably at Bruntingthorpe or some such proving ground. If you're not getting that on a race tuned engine with all the road gear junked it suggests they were being a bit optimistic. What do you reckon a stock L should top out at with standard gearing / tyre sizes etc? From your experience it suggests 130 might be good going.

i was at bruntingthorpe the other day, my bike was doing 127mph according to gps, it was reading 136mph on the clocks.

standard 15/45 gearing, 95 mains, k&n air filter, stock can on sandybikespares headers.

The 134 figure I mention was the best top speed I saw for my bike.
and on one evening I was 5th fastest top speed.

I have in the past seen others achieve top speeds over 140 on ZXR400

IMHO Sulby speed trap is NOT located at a good spot to see real top speed as it is positioned just before "the kink"

Some will bottle it
Others will be thinking about braking
Getting good top speed requires a good exit from Quarry bends. There was water across the road in the middle of Quarry bends
This year the wind was an issue on some parts of the course I could not use top gear on other parts of the course my bike was over reving. Before the kink on Sulby on race day my revs were about 500 down on previous days and actually picked up a little mid kink.

Race average is interesting................I managed 94.5 race average and top speed on sulby about 133

My mate saw a race average around 97 but his top speed did not break 130
He would go well on a proper fast bike.

MCN IF they did get 141 out of a stock bike ( something I very much doubt) they prob did it with a 8 stone rider and a tail wind and no corners to worry about.
When Suzuki launched the X7 250cc MCN tested it at something like 106mph top speed..............the fastest 250 ever they declared. My mate with his Honda 400/4 was very worried that his 400 would be seen off by this leaner 250.................he and many X7 owners soon discovered that MCN told lies..................that continues to this day.
It's not fit to wipe your bottom with

Interesting.

I hear what you're saying about average versus top speed. It's always the smooth guys who win on the roads, all about carrying speed. The guys who don't look like they're trying, not yanking the thing about, just flowing who take the race.

Aye, MCN - More Crap than News. I used to buy it when I was wet behind the ears many moons ago but as you say, I've wiped my erse on better stuff.

I should like to see a speed trap on the run down to Brandish, used to marshal there and I always thought it was a faster spot. I seem to remember Mick Grant saying he geared his bikes to top out before braking for it, then it was geared right for the rest of the course. What do you reckon to that train of thought?

I'd have to figure out the speed from the gearing but I was able to hit redline with a 17/45 using the draft of another bike at a race a few years ago. There was a straight section that was really long.

Tirpitz wrote:Interesting.

I hear what you're saying about average versus top speed. It's always the smooth guys who win on the roads, all about carrying speed. The guys who don't look like they're trying, not yanking the thing about, just flowing who take the race.

Aye, MCN - More Crap than News. I used to buy it when I was wet behind the ears many moons ago but as you say, I've wiped my erse on better stuff.

I should like to see a speed trap on the run down to Brandish, used to marshal there and I always thought it was a faster spot. I seem to remember Mick Grant saying he geared his bikes to top out before braking for it, then it was geared right for the rest of the course. What do you reckon to that train of thought?

The run down to Brandish is very fast and faster now that Brandish is a top gear corner on a 400...............during this years race the fastest place I reckon was at the Highlander................there was a tailwind and as I came over the Crosby jump/wheelie and hit the little down hill bit the bike revd out to 15600 The braking marker is well after the Highlander and even though a far bit is up hill it is also the end of a long top gear run from Union Mills with a nice downhill bit right at the end to get the revs into the blood zone.

Fastest bit on my mountain bike was from Top of Bagarrow to the Bottom....................so even there could be fastest if you get the top corner right and in top gear.

Gearing and wind are major factors in top speed and particulary on the Isle of Man...................getting the gearing right on a particular race day is a compromise that does not always give a true top speed....................demonstarted by the fact that my mate was faster on average with a slower bike oh and he has a bucket load of talent too

Personally I think its stupid to be arguing over who builds what..and very childish...

Who knows what?

Just get on with it.