HPV Race Report
I did my 2nd-ever fully-faired HPV race last weekend. 2 years ago I did the race on my homemade rig. This year I raced on a proven race-winning bike. Quite a big difference! But actually a similar level of thrills: more speed and safety this time, though, thanks to a rock solid rig.
There have been HPV races at the wonderful auto/cycle race-course at Waterford, Mich., for decades now I think. It’s a 1.5 mi approx course about 15′ wide, nice asphalt with all kinds of twists, curves, hairpins, one nice climb, chicane and off-camber.
My upright racing pals say that it’s quite nice to race on, but I think things change when you’re going 40mph as opposed to 25-30mph. I’d say it was THRILLING.
My HPV is dual-suspenion and fairly compact compared to the very fastest streamliners. So, I don’t know if I’m just more desparate but I find I corner sharper than the faster rigs. Maybe they’re taking a better line. I’ve raced uprights also for 15 years, so I thought I knew about lines, but these streamliner guys probably know more. Anyway, I ride the 8 or so corners at the limits of traction. Man, it rattles the nerves. Actually, I find the HPV racing to require equal parts of relaxation (to calmly drop into a fast turn), nerve (push traction to the limits) and strategy (how to best maintain momentum over a complex course). The wind plays a role, too; sometimes it gives traction in curves, other times you feel it trying to lift the wheels out from under you as it tries to carry you wide and you lean over further to resist it, wondering how far is far enuf….
I lapped the 3rd-tier HPV’s (30-40mph-max) and hung with one of the 1st-tier streamliners (50-60mph-max) awhile, learning from his lines. I’d say was the only 2nd-tier bike (35-50mph-max) out there. I don’t mind being 2nd-tier as my bike is intended for street-use and commuting while the ultimate streamliners are for closed-courses only.
I duked it out a long time with another 1st-tier bike. I’d ride just 10 feet behind him. I was going full-out. On one full-power uphill curve I saw his knee pause and I attacked and was on the inside of him in the few inches he made available. It was a thrill. These bikes coast to beat the band;
I didn’t know I could gain on him so fast. But that’s all it took. Also, I hoped he’d hold his line. I rubbed by him in the corner at 30mph, 8″ off the ground.
The main event was THE HOUR. It was cool to do 26.5 miles (including a flat tire!) on a complex course, for 4th place. 1st did 31.5 miles. There were about 30 hpv’s out there total. But my speedo said I averaged 28.7mph. (I lost
a lap or so in the pit.) It felt cool going 30.5 on the headwind straight.
40mph on the twisty downhill. (Discovering the front flat going into the 1st 35mph hairpin after the downhill was a thrill also, man, talk about *almost* going down quick. It happens quicker than on an upright. Nice’n’squirmy,
sliding.
Enhances the nerves nicely.) (My USCF pal says the RR’s here average 25mph.)
This event was promoted hardly at all, I’d say. But it is a neat one to race (or spectate) on whatever bike you like. It’s a wonderful venue. There’s a class for absolutely everything. No holds barred. People are always coming up with new and better innovations. The whole scene steadily gets better dialed in.
The classes keep an eye on each other, too…it being considered cooler to beat riders in the class above you. They go from Stock to partly faired to full faired to assistance-required. Biggest class is Super-Mod—fullyfaired where
you’re self-supported yet the rig can have moving parts like doors, hoods, floor boards.
Ladies and Jrs classes, too. Plus there’s LOTS of test-riding between events.
It was a good time. Prizes. No crashes or quarrels. Plenty of big speed.
I would think that USCF racers would have a great time in these rigs and at these speeds on this type of course. It’s a lot more like auto-racing, which ain’t bad sport either. Ya gotta mix it up! (People get good results on some VERY homemade rigs.)
PS: If you have a hankering for big prize $$$ there are two new ones out there for any HPV—the 75mph DeciMach ($21K) 200meter and the 50-Mile Hour (approx) for $30K (as I recall). (If you do the 75mph on a self-start rig, you get a big bonus I heard.)
