450grl
October 19th, 2009, 20:12
After so many people talked to me at the Lucas Oil race, and asked questions....I thought I'd try to give you guys kind of a run down of what it's like driving an SR1 - I know a ton of you guys are probably wondering what it's gonna be like!
Well, since I am learning how to drive it still, I thought I'd share a little of what you guys can expect!
It's crazy because your Rhino still FEELS like your Rhino. Still smells, looks and handles like your Rhino. But the big difference comes when you go to start it, and you forget you have a clutch pedal (haha).
CLUTCH IN.....first gear (anyone who has ever ridden a quad or dirt/streetbike will feel right at home with the first gear forward, rest of them backwards shift pattern), then.....clutch oooooout....helps to keep your heel on the floorboard with your clutch foot for more clutch finesse - mine is a surprisingly easy, short little clutch throw.
Shifter....we used the stock Rhino shifter, because I like it (it's cute), and it has a short throw and a light little rubber shift knob. Those things help you to be gentle when you shift - the more leverage, the harder you will tend to shift when you get panicky/things get tricky!
The first thing you will notice is that when you press on the gas pedal, it GOES!!! Rolling into the gas is something I had to learn how to do....with the Rhino motor, it's JAM the pedal to the floor until the end of the race - lol! With the SR1, if you jam the pedal to the floor, you will see your ass end pass your front end pretty quick! haha! Or you might just sit there for a second or two while your wheels spin.....all great problems to have, btw! Not complaining!
Another thing you will notice, is that the R1 motor has a suprisingly usable powerband! I thought it would be more "spazzy" - like a built Banshee....but it's actually got a lot of low and mid range power/pull - even though it likes the high end the most! At Lucas, I never even got into third gear (although not a bad idea on that front straight).
So, once you get used to the fact that when you push the gas, you have a ton of power, then you start to have fun! Gears one and two are quite tall, 3 is pretty tall, too - 4,5 and I would imagine 6 (haven't found enough pavement for 6th gear!) are not as tall, but they are still there if you find a place where you can use them!
Jumping is a little different - I have found I have to set up my Rhino before launching it, much like a truck, now. I have to brake/gas just before a jump sometimes to keep my nose from lifting, and you can use your gas/brake pedal in the air to adjust as well......I have also found that it is just fun to blip the throttle in the air - I am practicing that next time I head out! haha!
Cornering is my biggest challenge.....but I am learning how to pitch it sideways and use all that HP/wheel spin to keep from tipping/catching the ruts! In two wheel drive, it's SO easy to upset the rear wheels with just a brake tap.....then you have to be careful to give it just the right amount of throttle throughout the corner...if it's nice and loamy, you can really feel the power pulling you through - my back end hunches down and I can feel the outer rear tire really biting in - SO cool!! When it's wet, it's like dancing on your tip-toes.....and throttle control becomes much more important! When it's dry, it's a matter of feeling the feedback from the rear wheels all the way through the corner and adjusting for it on the fly......
The sound is awesome, even from the inside (loud - YES, but I wear earbuds anyway, so I LIKE it!)....I still can't get over how SMOOTH the power sounds....when you blip the gas, it's just such a buttery smooth power delivery - compared to that one cylinder working it's hardest.....I still find myself noticing that sometimes.
All around experience? It's made racing FUN again! It's made it more challenging, busier, faster, more exciting and sometimes I freak myself out and get that "Oh **BAN ME****BAN ME****BAN ME****BAN ME****BAN ME**, I almost ate it bad!" adreniline rush again! Also - I don't worry about my belt anymore....I don't feel the clutch digging into my left thigh anymore. I don't feel like my motor is maxed out and cooking it's little heart out anymore.....and I can drive my Rhino into the trailer after a hard day at the track, and not touch it again until the next time I go out (except maybe to clean it....)
So....that's my impressions so far of the SR1. I'm having a blast running around, but can't wait until I can do it with a bunch more of you out there!
Well, since I am learning how to drive it still, I thought I'd share a little of what you guys can expect!
It's crazy because your Rhino still FEELS like your Rhino. Still smells, looks and handles like your Rhino. But the big difference comes when you go to start it, and you forget you have a clutch pedal (haha).
CLUTCH IN.....first gear (anyone who has ever ridden a quad or dirt/streetbike will feel right at home with the first gear forward, rest of them backwards shift pattern), then.....clutch oooooout....helps to keep your heel on the floorboard with your clutch foot for more clutch finesse - mine is a surprisingly easy, short little clutch throw.
Shifter....we used the stock Rhino shifter, because I like it (it's cute), and it has a short throw and a light little rubber shift knob. Those things help you to be gentle when you shift - the more leverage, the harder you will tend to shift when you get panicky/things get tricky!
The first thing you will notice is that when you press on the gas pedal, it GOES!!! Rolling into the gas is something I had to learn how to do....with the Rhino motor, it's JAM the pedal to the floor until the end of the race - lol! With the SR1, if you jam the pedal to the floor, you will see your ass end pass your front end pretty quick! haha! Or you might just sit there for a second or two while your wheels spin.....all great problems to have, btw! Not complaining!
Another thing you will notice, is that the R1 motor has a suprisingly usable powerband! I thought it would be more "spazzy" - like a built Banshee....but it's actually got a lot of low and mid range power/pull - even though it likes the high end the most! At Lucas, I never even got into third gear (although not a bad idea on that front straight).
So, once you get used to the fact that when you push the gas, you have a ton of power, then you start to have fun! Gears one and two are quite tall, 3 is pretty tall, too - 4,5 and I would imagine 6 (haven't found enough pavement for 6th gear!) are not as tall, but they are still there if you find a place where you can use them!
Jumping is a little different - I have found I have to set up my Rhino before launching it, much like a truck, now. I have to brake/gas just before a jump sometimes to keep my nose from lifting, and you can use your gas/brake pedal in the air to adjust as well......I have also found that it is just fun to blip the throttle in the air - I am practicing that next time I head out! haha!
Cornering is my biggest challenge.....but I am learning how to pitch it sideways and use all that HP/wheel spin to keep from tipping/catching the ruts! In two wheel drive, it's SO easy to upset the rear wheels with just a brake tap.....then you have to be careful to give it just the right amount of throttle throughout the corner...if it's nice and loamy, you can really feel the power pulling you through - my back end hunches down and I can feel the outer rear tire really biting in - SO cool!! When it's wet, it's like dancing on your tip-toes.....and throttle control becomes much more important! When it's dry, it's a matter of feeling the feedback from the rear wheels all the way through the corner and adjusting for it on the fly......
The sound is awesome, even from the inside (loud - YES, but I wear earbuds anyway, so I LIKE it!)....I still can't get over how SMOOTH the power sounds....when you blip the gas, it's just such a buttery smooth power delivery - compared to that one cylinder working it's hardest.....I still find myself noticing that sometimes.
All around experience? It's made racing FUN again! It's made it more challenging, busier, faster, more exciting and sometimes I freak myself out and get that "Oh **BAN ME****BAN ME****BAN ME****BAN ME****BAN ME**, I almost ate it bad!" adreniline rush again! Also - I don't worry about my belt anymore....I don't feel the clutch digging into my left thigh anymore. I don't feel like my motor is maxed out and cooking it's little heart out anymore.....and I can drive my Rhino into the trailer after a hard day at the track, and not touch it again until the next time I go out (except maybe to clean it....)
So....that's my impressions so far of the SR1. I'm having a blast running around, but can't wait until I can do it with a bunch more of you out there!