After dropping my GSXR off in Colorado, I was deciding what to do. I needed some help and guidance only an experienced race mechanic could give me. Enter Gran-Prix Motorsports and Mechanic Tim Aryton. I knew Tim in junior high and high school. His goal was always to get his bikes to go faster. And he was an ex-roadracer for Vance and Hines and had Gixxer blood running through his veins. He owned and built a Nitrous-breathing 1986 GSXR-1100 that he got for a song. He was the right person for the job.

In the Colorado mountains above Evergreen CO,
February 1996. Note the sand and snow. UUUGGHHH!

I took the motor into Tim for an inspection in September 1995, before I went back to Fort Jackson to finish my tour there. He took a look at it, and informed me of the Web Cam problems and the dirty assembly. On his advice, I had the parts and had the following work done:

Cylinders resleeved

Leaking valves replaced/#2 intake repaired (again)

Head ported correctly for the RS-38s

Rocker arms re-welded, hardened and reground by Megacycle

Megacycle cams w/roadrace lift to replace the faulty Web Cams

Cylinder tops O-ringed for more reliability

Copper base/head gasket

Correct Mikuni push-pull throttle

Fork oil change

I picked up the motor in February 1996, before I went to Korea. I installed it after being up 44 hours straight (drove straight from D.C. to Denver). I'm lucky I didn't break anything while installing it. It was ten degrees outside. My dad helped keep me sane while we got that damn freezing cold motor in the frame. We had to use a space heater to heat the intake boots to get the RS-38s in. Tim did some good work. The next morning, after pumping in some 110 octane gas, she fired right up.

After retorquing the head and the preliminary checks, I took the bike out for a romp in the mountains. She ran better than ever before. Torque and BALLS all over the powerband. I was genuinely shocked at how well the bike ran. Since the weather wasn't the best, I didn't get a lot of riding in, but I had a real good time hitting some nice runs in the foothills. There was really too much sand out there to do serious riding, but the time would eventually come.

In the Colorado mountains above Evergreen CO, Summer 1997.
The GSXR is in the center of the photo, partially
obscured by another rider.

After the obligitory year-long tour in Korea, I was back in March 1997 and itching to ride. I hooked up with some riders who worked at Gran-Prix Motorsports and after watching the 1997 Daytona 200 (too much testosterone and propensity for BAD SQUID-LIKE behavior), we hit the hills once again. Had a great time, but riding was still hindered by sand all over the place. We rode smart, and everyone came home fine. After two weeks, My "Gixxer" would be winterized and put into storage (is there a pattern here or what). I was off to Fort Hood, Texas.