Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/1002797
2018 PIKES PEAK INTERNATIONAL HILL CLIMB P102 Feature without a drama. We also took on board a new sponsor in Dymag wheels, who sent us two sets of ultra-gorgeous carbon fiber wheels to race with. These new carbons took a bit of un-sprung mass out of the equation, but also proved to be a head- ache with suspension settings, as their lighter mass made getting the KTM to handle correctly a serious chore. CHASING TAILS The two-day tire test, the week prior to race week, felt like nothing short of a disaster. Having hardly ridden at anything like race pace leading up to the test, I felt dodgy on the bike, to say the least. Day One was held from the mid-section of track to the finish, with Day Two held on the bottom third that makes up the qualifying route. The Dymags were playing havoc with the suspension settings, and by the third run I was 20 seconds slower than Carlin Dunne. Twenty whole seconds. I may as well not have been there. One run from the finish, I came in with a bike that refused to turn, handle or inspire anything remotely to do with confidence. The KTM was fighting me everywhere, so team mechanic Nate took the suspension right back to mid-level soft settings, and we worked forward from there. The final run netted some speed, knocking off 10 seconds and making Thank You, Guys Anyone who has pursued anything remotely competi- tive on a motorcycle knows it costs money, time and resources, usually all at once. I have been incredibly lucky here at Cycle News to have partnered with a few very important and passion- ate companies, all of whom have played an extremely im- portant role in this endeavor. First, I need to thank Tom Moen, John Hinz, David O'Connor, Nate Abila and Chris Fillmore at KTM North America for first, allowing me to race the KTM 1290 Super Duke R under the umbrella of KTM North America, and secondly, to maintain it over the course of race week. The bike has never been anything less than exem- plary. The way the machine was prepared makes you realize guys on actual race teams really do have it good. The second group I need to thank is Pirelli Moto USA and Oscar Solis. Oscar has become a great friend over the years, and Pirelli as a company has been be- hind the Pikes Peak journey since we started it back in 2016. The Pirellis are the tire for this place, regardless if this year we couldn't get them to work prop- erly in the race; but that doesn't have anything to do with the tire and everything to do with the track conditions, which are the most unique on earth in terms of asphalt racing. The support Pirelli has given us has been extraor- dinary, and we are absolutely in their debt. Dymag came on board for the race at the last minute this year, thanks to the efforts of Jamie Nicely. The wheels were an outstanding addition to the Super Duke, even if they initially caused us a few headaches with the suspension settings. Once sorted, the Super Duke would turn direction much faster than with the standard wheels, which is saying something because the standard wheels are extremely good. The carbon wheels are expensive, but they represent one of the best dollar-for-dollar performance improvements you can make to your machine. Erik Peat, Mike Stokes and the crew at Apex Sports in Colorado Springs have been a part of this Pikes Peak journey since the be- ginning, allowing us to use their facilities and giving us innumera- ble laughs along the way. Thanks for making race week somewhat easier, guys. Finally, I need to thank Kit Palmer, Sean Finley, Jesse Ziegler and Bryan Robb at Cycle News. These guys give me the best job in the world and allow me to indulge this Pikes Peak dream, even though I know it drives them nuts. Thanks again, everyone. It means the world to me.