PT Running Reports

Pumilio Tiempo smoking down the straightaway!

Pumilio Tiempo Zooming By!

Aug 14/04. Conditions: Ambient 40C / Humidity 80%. Started easily. Crash bars worked very well. Bike can start off from crash bar position and lift itself up. Great runs. Made video clips.
Aug 10/04. Conditions: Ambient 40C / Humidity 80%. Started easily. Crash bars worked very well. Radio glitch stopped play. Hit a curb and bent the front fork. Easily repair, one of the benefits of the Pumilio fork design.
Feb 9/2004: Update: Well I didn't get to run the PT in December as planned due to spending time working on the Gregori RG1. I did however buy a second Pumilio Tiempo because I so enjoyed building the first one! The new PT2 project is coming along nicely, so far I've assembled the front hub, rear swing arm, and the frame. Next step is to install the engine. Currently producing an animation (from single images) that shows the PT2 frame rotating through 360 degrees; why? Well because I want to and also to clearly illustrate the beautiful workmanship of the laser cut frame components. Stay tuned, so far I've produced an animation of 90 degrees of rotation . Phew, only another 270 degrees to go .... image by image!
Nov 2/2003: Update: Replacement front 'fork' installed, unfortunately due to hectic schedule didn't find any time to run the PT in October. Plan is to run the PT in mid December.
July 19/2003: Conditions: Ambient temp 47^oC / Humidity 80%. Fuel 5% nitro / 20% oil. Started easily, had one good but short 6 minute run. The local driving school was out in full force and too many student drivers 'sharing' the parking lot made for nervous biking, so much so that we crashed the bike at high speed and bent the front 'fork'. Made several short video clips. Replacement front 'fork' ordered from Pumilio Design. Plan is to straighten the bent fork to match the replacement, this way we'll have a back-up ready to use incase of future crashes! Other notes: It's just too hot and humid at the moment to run the PT so we'll park it until mid October when we have cooler less humid weather.
July 9/2003: Conditions: Ambient temp 42^oC / Humidity 66%. Fuel 5% nitro / 20% oil. Started easily, but 'stalled' a couple of times during multiple runs. The new 1100 mAh battery / battery holder performed well; holder did not scrape on the ground while making turns. After approx 30 minutes 'air time' the new 1100 mAh battery was at 60%. Attempted to make a video clip but camera battery died!
June 14/2003: Conditions: Ambient temp 45^oC / Humidity 45%. Fuel 5% nitro / 20% oil. Started easily. 3 x 10 minute runs. Flawless runs.

June 13/2003: Conditions: Ambient temp 38^oC / Humidity 45%. Fuel 5% nitro / 20% oil. Started easily. 2 x 10 minute runs. Brilliant first run. Good high speed turns and improved low speed turns. Flipped the bike at the end of the first run and landed heavily on the front wheel. Lost steering capability about two minutes into the second run (snapped the steering servo spring part no. 0509, suspect it was weakened when the bike flipped) but was having so much fun that I continued to run in wide circles using the brake to 'sort of' steer. Clutch brake system works efficiently and seems very well suited to the bike. Did not experience any speed wobbles. Experimented with the new digital camera and captured images of the PT in action.
June 6/2003: Conditions: Ambient temp 38^oC / Humidity 43%. Fuel 5% nitro / 20% oil. Started easily. 2 x 10 minute runs. Total success, most fun so far! Practiced running the bike at 'walking pace'. Excellent progress on medium corners while staying off the training wheels. Phenomenal acceleration! Training wheels worked well, but this time I hardly needed to rely on them.
May 30/2003: Conditions: Ambient temp 30^oC / Humidity 40%. Fuel 5% nitro / 20% oil. Started easily. 2 x 10 minute runs. Good progress on tight low speed turns and went like crazy on the straight sections. Training wheels worked well, but bent LHS training wheel axle ... needs straightening and another blob of epoxy. Aluminum battery cradle performed well/just enough ground clearance. Best runs so far! 1500 mAh battery performed well but battery plug glitch stopped play.
May 16/2003: Ambient temp 40^oC / Humidity 30%. Fuel 5% nitro / 20% oil. 1 x 10 & 1x 5 minute run. Made turns and managed several circuits. Started to explore low speed turns. Getting better at this all the time! 250 mAh battery was at 70% after 15 minutes run time. Need to install larger capacity battery.
May 8/2003: Conditions: Ambient temp 40^oC / Humidity 30%. Fuel 20% nitro. Started easily. Made left & right turns without problems, MK II training wheels really do the trick. Mmmm, starting to feel like I'm getting somewhere.
May 7/2003: Ambient temp 45^oC / Humidity 30%. Fuel 20% nitro. Started easily. 1 x 8 minute run. MK II training wheels worked really well. Bike able to start off on training wheels. Bike made turns both left and right. Lost bike front wheel, oops, forgot to Loctite it on!
May 1/2003: Ambient temp 42^oC / Humidity 30%. Started easily. 3 x 10 minute runs. Very fast in a straight line. Training wheels worked well but need to modify to get more 'leaning room' for the fairing. Managed extremely wide right hand turn in a circle. Wouldn't do left hand turns. After the run found out that suspension arm was interfering with steering, needed adjustment. Re-adjusted front suspension for max travel. Repositioned retaining screw in suspension arm to bottom hole. Now lots of front suspension travel.
April 19/2003: Ambient temp 38^oC / Humidity 25%. Fuel 20% nitro. Started easily. 1 x 10 & 1 x 5 minute run. New steering servo spring installed (part no. 0509). Experimented with turns 'off throttle'. Explored 'U turn' capability some more. Epoxied body armor performed well. Brakes performed well. Zip tie 'monofork' armor worked well. Rubber swing arm protector worked well. 'Birdhouse' starting box performed well. Need to develop a training wheel system.
March 27/2003: Ambient temp 35^oC / Humidity 18%. Fuel 20% nitro. Started easily. 1 x 15 minute run. Used temporary Tamiya silicone sleeved steering link. Turned 'off throttle' and managed 'U turns'. Didn't drop the bike as much, Valentino Rossi would be proud of me! Steering link silicone slipped and after that steering deteriorated.
March 22/2003: Started easily. 2 x 10 minute runs. Tighter turning circles. Still dropping the bike too much. Big crash, bike survived (very sturdy design). Broke the steering servo spring (part no. 0509).
Feb 20/2003: Ambient temp 25^oC / Humidity 15%. Started easily. Steering too wide. Still dropping the bike.
Feb 12/2003: Fuel 20% nitro. Started easily. 1 x 10 minute run. Wow, accelerates like a 'Bat out of Hell'. Dropped the bike at the first turn! Clutch bell brake performed well.

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