ProtoDie ProtoLite 600 Sand dunes Video

[ProtoDie]

Well after a few years, I finally put together some sand dunes video action.
We went to Silver Lake a few weeks back and shot some pics and some video. We had some great dunes perfect for jumping.

We had a problem with the video camera operator though.
(my Dad did not know how to run the zoom, or the on off button)
So we got good pictures of lots of air, but very little usable video.

Which gave us a good excuse to go back the following week

The dunes had changed and we did not find a good "air" dune / jump again, which was a bummer.

Any how, here is a link to the sand video
just click on the Sand Demo tab, and it may take a few minutes to load.

Protolite mini buggy ,design, Fabrication,Racing Michigan

[TutTech]

Wow that was so cool. Nice.
The jumping was good and it all just looked like a blast.
Looks like it had just rained maybe too?

Man your cars just scoot and those are 600! wow very cool.

[ProtoDie]

Thanks Tut
Ya ,I have been real pleased with the GSXR 600's performance.

I hope to design and build a 2 seater in the next year. Then I may put a bigger motor in that, but for our single seaters the 600 seems just fine,,,,,and cheaper too.

[TutTech]

I just watched it again and I noticed at the top of one of the dunes you turn and sort of come over a lip at the same time, in the shot before you actually come up enough for you paddles to rpm up and throw a little dirt well on this run you sort of are turning more and your inner tire comes off the ground and your outer wheel almost does too. Man almost pulled a small wheelie out of it. Around the 2:45 second point. Plus the little jump behind the tree at like 4 minutes. Cool little action shots.
Was that wide open when you took off from the wet area across the valley floor?
It was all good and thanks for sharing makes me want to go play.

It really runs great and sounds awesome. Very strong and to see both cars run is cool.
I really want to get more into this type of buggy but my experience etc. and the racing local to me
is bigger stuff shoot my car is the mini on the track.

Well looks like you had a blast I look forward to seeing your 2 seater.
Oh question what size paddles and tires/rims are you running and do you like them?
Seems like maybe you could go a little bigger back paddle as you seemed to have the power
for it but heck I am only watching a video so what do I know.

[ProtoDie]

We are running a GBC sand shark paddle 20x11x10 on Douglas red label 10 x 8 rims

The smaller tire helps us maintain the same gear ratio we normally run .

I have been pleased with how they perform. It is a directional paddle to help with turning.

Some of the video is when I am running shredder nobbies on the rear. They also worked good, but do not hook up quite as well as paddles.

With the paddles, I was spinning the tire on the rim a little on the flat wet hard pack sand,,,,,,,,,,when I dumped the clutch at 9000 rpms

The cars are very stable, and I am not afraid to crank the wheel hard when haulin arss,,,,,,,yup,,,fun

[plkracer]

The gsxr's have pretty good power. In my vid, the last runs on the road were under full power. I was in 6th when I was coming toward my cousin, but the wheels started to spin and the back end got loose so I let off. Out in the dirt I only opened it up once, and that was when I locked up the wheels trying to slow down for the turn. That was in second gear, starting about 4000 rpm.

Proto, what size is your rear sprocket?

[ProtoDie]

12 in the front & 54 in the rear, with 20" tires

Gearing seems pretty good for what we do. If I ever go to larger tires, I would want to increase the sprocket size too.

[plkracer]

Your pretty low then. I'm set up with a 13-60 and 25-27 inch tires. What is your top speed?

[ProtoDie]

On paper, it calculates out to just under 130 mph.

I have had it 94 mph in mid 4th it was still pulling good,,,but ran out of road.

So I am guessing the calculations could be close, but I will have to see for myself

I just added a in car video to the website.
Nothing too crazy, but it is what we had.

just click on the sand in car video

Protolite mini buggy ,design, Fabrication,Racing Michigan

[plkracer]

Oh wow, it must be the internal gearing differences between the 750/600, or just the rpm they turn, but I'm calculated to go about 105 with the 25's. My cousin had it up to about 90, and he said the rpm's were past 10,000 in 6th.