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ZAG Racing LLC, Ukiah, CA (2026)

08/26/2024

The topic of helmets is a broad one and with my history in riding and running a race team, I have been fortunate to work with many brands over the years. Currently, there are no less than 12-16 helmets sitting around here and most of them are retired. Starting with Shoei very early on, I also used AGV, Schuberth, NEXX, Shark, Joe Rocket and HJC over the years. All very well-built lids with a variety of unique attributes. I recently saw a post about a question on whether a damaged helmet was still good to use and that prompted my post. I will try to keep this brief and let others add additional details.
- Fitment – Most helmet brands these days have some adjustability. Because of this, the most important part of a test fit is the crown (top of the head). The helmet should feel like a perfectly fitting cap and not pinch in any place. No pressure should be felt on the sides and no air should be felt on the top. When I have found myself with a helmet that didn’t fit the crown properly, I was always rewarded with a headache after riding for an hour or two and that sucks. Modern helmets come with adjustable cheek pads. These should be inserted to create a light “squish” on the cheeks. Not compressing you into a toothpaste tube lol.
- Visibility – Remember that you are going to be almost exclusively in a “head-down” position and looking up through the face shield. That is if you are doing any sort of sportbike riding. It gets tricky here because some manufacturers provide more eye port than others. Try it on, head down and look up – if you are seeing nothing but cushion, try a different brand until you find one that provides good visibility. You should also have liberal side to side view as well. Remarkably, some brands designs do a horrible job with viewports even when they are high-end brands.
- Of course, buy a helmet that has the latest and greatest certifications. You do not need to spend a king’s ransom on a helmet, but you should make it a financial priority right after you purchase the bike to begin with. It is without doubt, the most important piece of safety equipment you will strap on.
- Helmets age out and that’s a fact. Your helmet from high school is probably not going to cut the mustard anymore and most track day orgs will require a helmet inspection before letting you out on the track. The biggest culprit for aging out a helmet is without doubt – the sun. Heat and more importantly, UV rays, degrade the materials of the helmet from day 1. The more you ride, the more UV your helmet is exposed to. Since these materials are selected for their “crush” characteristics, you may find yourself wearing an eggshell on your head after many years of use instead of a functional set of materials selected to protect it. On top of that, sweat inside the helmet degrades the pads and cushions and what once was a perfect fit, is now wobbly on the head.
- Any helmet that has contacted the ground should be retired. That is why most motorcycle riders treat their helmets like Crown Jewels. Even falling off the handlebars is enough for me to question whether to continue using the helmet. The plus side to this policy, is that you get to have a cool collection to put on the garage shelf – if you have been riding long enough.
Of course, there are many other details in selecting the perfect helmet, but I felt these were the broad strokes, at least in my personal history.

08/16/2024

Street tires on the track – a short checklist
If you plan to use your street tires on the racetrack, we shall assume you are new – or relatively new to the experience of track day riding. Here are some perfectly reasonable thoughts on street tires used on the track.
- Street compounds heat up more quickly than race compounds. Based on the idea that the track is new to you, you should not need tire warmers. A lap or two will bring them into the temperature zone where they work well. They do not provide the same level of grip, but we have to assume that being a newcomer, you won’t require that extra level of grip just yet.
- Tires begin to harden and lose grip from heat cycling so reducing this on a race tire has a lot of benefit. Not the only reason but, a primary reason many use tire warmers on their race tires as they help to provide a constant compound temperature from start to finish of the day. Yes, using them also keeps the tires closer to their optimal temp before heading out onto the track but most experienced riders understand that a lap or two is required before pushing it. No reason not to do that on a track day as there is no reason to go balls-out on the first lap of the session.
- Ideally, and responsibly, you would put a new set of tires on your bike before going out on the track – whether they are street or track. Many use take-off race tires but they generally have experience on the track and understand the limitations of running used tires. New riders do not have that luxury.
- Aside from the DOT code on the tire (manufacturing date) and the general proximity of the wear bars on the tire, the biggest and most noticeable deficit to running old street tires on the track are the tires being “squared-off” (primarily the rear). Street tires spend most of their time on the center and hence tend to wear the center of the tire over time. This is horrible on the track when getting used to corner approach and leaning the bike in. This flat spot introduces a transition from the flat spot to the still-rounded outside edges of the tire. New tires with their profile intact do not present this to the rider. Lean in is smooth in the transition from upright to leaned over.
- Finally – it is perfectly acceptable for a new rider to the track to use street tires. Again, I will endorse putting a fresh set on there as it is cheap insurance and provides the best possible tire scenario for learning properly. Once you finish your track day, you can continue using the tires for your general street riding. The reverse – not so much. Race tires are horrible on the street and not recommended – nor are they legal on the street. If you are already doing this and have no issues with it – carry on – but if you haven’t, stay away from it. Race tires require a lot of temperature to work best and for most street riding, you are never going to achieve those temps consistently. DOT race tires, with their sipes, are indeed attractive but they will do little if you encounter any real rain on the street.

08/12/2024

What is the single most important thing to understand before you can go faster around a racetrack?
Reference Points (aka Markers)!
It is a very common conference with riders on track about getting around the circuit faster. Some would say – “get on the gas earlier” or “brake later” or “carry more speed through the corner”. These are all valid broad-stroke recommendations, but these things cannot be effectively implemented without some point of reference.

The idea of reference points around a track seems basic but it takes a lot of practice to do it correctly. Once you can, you can begin to push those markers a little at a time and reduce your lap times in the process – safely! When I would approach a track that I had never ridden before, my approach was simple. After taking a good look at the track map, I would head out for my first laps and just ride around naturally (meaning no markers). After a lap or two of learning the layout, and getting my tires warmed up a bit, I would look for markers around the track that coincided with what I was doing naturally. So, as an example, when I would start my natural braking point, I would look for something to use as a reference for that point. A line in the track, a rock on the side of the track, a tarmac patch, or anything that stood out to me. Now that I had a reference marker for braking into that corner, I could begin to push that marker as I got more comfortable. If I was braking at the marker for a lap or two, the next lap, I would brake 1 foot past the marker, moving myself closer to the next marker (turn-in). Always asking for just a little bit more at a time – never too much to risk my safety.

For any corner, the markers were always the same for me in most instances. They are as follows – braking, turn-in, apex, exit. By having them in mind continuously on track, I could easily measure my confidence and improvement corner by corner. Some corners for me would improve quickly, while other corners took more time. Most riders have a preference for either left hand or right hand corners. I was always more confident in left hand corners so it made sense that a track with more rights than lefts would take longer for me to gain confidence. Regardless, the act of defining markers as soon as possible is the key to getting around the track faster and sooner so without them, each corner is just a best guess. It is beyond the scope of this post to explain the entirety of how to approach learning these markers efficiently but once we begin to post some video content, we can take the conversation further. For now – the internet search is indeed your friend.

Today's random picture is of my sons 1994-95, Honda R125 GP bike. These machines were incredibly nimble and easy to learn on, but I never had the opportunity to ride it more than once or twice. When it ran properly, it was a proper weapon on the track but there always seemed to be an issue here or there and that made them a lot of work to keep running.

08/10/2024

I like to jot things down as they come to mind. I will keep these things brief so that I have it logged but will do a more in-depth video on the topic later. Here are a couple of things to consider if you are thinking of buying a dedicated track day bike.
- Many folks enjoy track days but continue to use their street legal bike for the task. That is totally fine as long as you are having fun and not risking too much with the bike.
- Many new street bikes are coming with many rider aids. If you enjoy these aids, you might not be interested in the comments I am about to make as many suggestions are on older bikes.

You now have a choice - you can either purchase a track bike ready to go or you can buy a street bike and convert it to a track bike. Maybe it is the one you currently own? Here are some thoughts on that topic:
- By far, the most economical route is going to be buying a track bike that has already been converted / prepared. You certainly can "cheaply" convert a street bike but dollar for dollar, you will get much further on money that has already been spent by the previous owner. The trick will be to find the perfect one for you.
- Model year changes are important when looking at track bikes. As an example, you can buy a 2005, Suzuki SV650 or a 2006. There are many differences between the two. The 2006 has a different frame design and also is fuel injected. The 2005 runs carburetors and potentially be more difficult to keep tuned.
- You would circle the potentials like a shark. Some folks really want to recoup the cost of all the parts they have put into the build while others are willing to accept that there will be a loss.
- If you want to maximize your purchasing dollars and available options, wait until the end of the season. That is when a lot of racers want to move up to the next class or model and because they are salivating to move on, may accept a bit less than they would ordinarily.
- If you are not a mechanic, you really should have someone with you who is to inspect the proposed machine. Not just to evaluate the running condition but to also identify any and all replaced parts on the bike. There are so many cheap Chinese knockoff parts these days that a bike might look super racey but it has a plethora of substandard parts.
- Check the frame, check the wheels, check the forks, make sure these things are all straight. If it is an ex-track bike, you should expect some damage. These are not garage queens, but you should also expect the most important aspects of the bike to be in rideable and tunable shape.
- Ask what is included. There is a lot of additional money left on the table if you do not ask these questions. Things like paddock stands, tire warmers, spares like additional sprockets, etc., may not be listed but probably are available. Many times, sellers will hold on to these items to use on their next bike or to sell separately to make more money. If the selling price is in the ballpark of what you think you want to spend, use your bartering skills to get this stuff out of the seller over trying to get a lower price. If they refuse to include anything with the sale, sure offer them less but you will walk away with a lot more value if you go for the parts.
- One more for now - Take your time when looking over the bike. Never let a seller rush you through that process and if they are rushing you, walk away as there is probably a reason for that. Keeping with the previous "value" comment, take a long look around the garage where the bike is staged. You want to ask for every stock part, every used tire or chain or stock item like levers etc., that you can get your hands on. If you are ready to buy, simply say that you are ready to pull the trigger and the only thing stopping you is wanting to get access to these things. Track bikes are not flying off the shelves here. You might even want to go home and think on it for a while or more importantly, let the seller think on it.

Make this a process and not an impulse buy. You can truly maximize your dollars here and you can lose a lot of them as well. Once I shoot the video for this, I will go into greater detail and will look at some existing ads, to see what is out there with you in real time.

08/07/2024

Tempus Fugit (time flies). Many years have passed since the creation of this page. My son and I spent so many years exploring the world of motorcycles and although we do not partake directly in the sport anymore, the mark it has left on the both of us is not easy to erase. I find myself with a wealth of information gathered over those years about anything you could imagine, and I feel like it makes sense to offer this intel up to those that may be just starting their journey. Having said that, the ZAG Racing page will soon undergo a transition. Yes, it will still be 100% focused on motorcycle racing but will become a new resource for younger people and parents who are finding themselves being pulled into racing with their kids. A new name for the page is probably in order so that will all get sorted out as we go. Another very important aspect of the change will be the inclusion of many videos where I will have the opportunity to go through things in greater detail. The hope is that together with members of the page, we will create a diverse arena for which to discuss the world of young racers and the parents who back up their efforts. Please stand by as we make these progressive changes to the page.

07/28/2024

Will it work this time?
We have been here before with Ducati although a much poorer version of it. The company took a risk on introducing something radical and what the community received was the 999. The Ducatista collectively filled their shorts as this new machine, minus pretty much anything Tamburini contributed with the 916, rolled out with polarizing looks and an OMG absence of the beloved single-sided swingarm (SSSA). Although a very capable machine on-track, it did not take long before the grumblings began about this abomination of Ducati design language and grumblings shortly gave way to outright revolt. So, Ducati under pressure, introduced the 1098 and the SSSA was back and so were a lot of 916 styling cues.
Fast forward to a very financially healthy Ducati in 2024 and we see another run at deleting the SSSA from their brand new Panigale V4 for 2025. Ok, the 2024 V4 Panigale is pretty much the angriest looking motorcycle that I have seen from Ducati, and it seems to display pretty much everything that any faithful Ducati owner would want from the flagship motorcycle. Sure, they run dual spar swingarms in MotoGP but those are prototypes. The new Panigale looks quite a bit sleeker when compared to the 2024 model and it has a bucketload of new merit BUT the SSSA is gone - again!
Maybe not as radical a change as the 916 to 999 looks but that will be the question - will the removal of the SSSA again put Ducati on their backfoot as the faithful scream once again that they want it back. And will Ducati even care, now that they are flush with cash.
From where I sit, I believe that 2024 Panigale V4's will begin flying off the shelves now. Many of which will simply stay in their original delivery containers to sell for many times more dollars than they are now - down the road. Is it the end? Will Ducati be pressured once again to bring it back? I bet they are receiving a lot of feedback even now. If you really are a fan of the SSSA, it looks like MV Agusta might be the only game in town for it starting next year.

07/25/2024

The new Ducati, Panigale V4 has been uncovered! I have mixed feelings about this new machine. First, I do like the more fluid lines of the design, but I liked the last iteration too. Although the single-sided swingarm has become iconic with Ducati and has sold a lot of bikes for them, I do see the reasoning behind the twin-spar swingarm as well. It does offer some advantages for increasing the handling.
I guess where I have met a wall - and maybe it's an age-related thing - is the continued path of more and more rider aids. I get it, it's a beautiful thing on the surface and I hope that it provides thousands of miles of grin-factor riding but for my personal tastes, it is an even broader disconnect between the machine and the rider.
My love of motorcycling was born long before any of this stuff was even in the womb of the grandmother of the guy or gal who started it all but to me, there is still something to say about a machine that pulls no punches when you screwup. It might sound a little nuts to say that but it was how I grew up with these contraptions.
So I will be content to look and drool over the beauty of the new tech but will ultimately head back to my Ducati 1098. Might not be nearly as slick as the new Panigale but it also has nothing to say when I twist the throttle aside from "Ok Boss".

What are your thoughts?

07/24/2024

Nothing is more satisfying than a clean motorcycle, right? Hitting that machine with the suds and the polish is a very gratifying experience but then you look down at that chain and sprocket assembly and there is that cringe moment.
Cleaning your chain and sprockets can be a bonding experience with your bike as it allows for some closeup inspection of parts condition while you are at it. Worn teeth, stretching chain and other little things can easily be caught when you are working that close. Here is how we do it and the tools we use to get a gleaming chain setup in the end. You might find our choice of cleaning solutions non-standard, by I assure you, this process is the easiest I have found over many years.

Supplies:
- short stool or sit on the ground if that suits you better
- larger sheet of old cardboard to soak up old grease and cleaning materials
- The chemicals - WD40 - Dawn dish soap - water from hose
- Tools - toothbrush and a couple of old rags - garden hose or secondary spray bottle with only water.

This goes a lot smoother if you have the rear wheel off the ground as you will be spinning the wheel as you are cleaning.

- First, use that magical liquid called WD40 and spray it on the chain slowly as you rotate the wheel around. No need to overdo it, simply get enough fluid moving to cover the chain nicely. Don't worry about the sprockets, they are getting it too.
- Let the WD40 sit a few minutes to soak into the accumulated grease and grime, then, using your toothbrush, start scrubbing the coated chain as you slowly rotate the rear wheel. Yeah, it's getting messy now as the WD40 does an amazing job of breaking down grease and grime. This is why you placed that sheet of cardboard underneath the bike ;)
- Scrub around the outside links first and then the inside links while slowly rotating the wheel. Depending on how dirty your chain is, you will want to repeat this process a couple of times before moving on. For me, it is usually two passes with two coats of WD40.
- Once you have done a couple of passes, use some Dawn dish detergent in a spray bottle and go around the chain as before by rotating the rear wheel, using it to spray off as much built-up grease and grime as will come off. Give it a good look and see if it is clean enough - which for me, is pretty clean. Previously, I would use Simple Green for this process, but I found it wasteful. Dawn does a spectacular job for this, and it is pretty cheap by comparison.
- If you feel the chain is clean, simply use a garden hose, or a second spray bottle filled with fresh water to do a final clean on the chain, sprockets and surrounding areas.
- Next, use another coat of WD40 around the entire setup to displace any water that still exists on the chain. Use a rag at the very back of the rear sprocket (never towards the front so as to make sure you do not pinch your fingers with the take-up between chain and sprocket), removing the residual WD40.
- Now, you can apply the chain l**e of your choice. It does not need a gross amount of lubricant either. A simple clean coat of lubricant will reduce the amount of work required the next time you choose to clean your chain.

Of course, many will have alternate ways of doing this work, but this is the way I have done it for many years.

07/11/2024

Yes, we were amused and flattered lol.

07/10/2024

A few archival photos to share for the MV Agusta brothers and sisters. Explanations of photos included

01/19/2023

A couple of Javelin Broderick’s race posters from both his WERA racing days and from his first year in AMA Pro Racing

ZAG Racing LLC

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