Does this weld make my frame look fat? Hacking's bike sports molten muffintop image by jimola

Perusing the pit this AM at Mid-O with my Nikon, camera leveled at a Monster Kawasaki ZX10R, I was not-so-subtly collared by one of Jamie Hacking's mechanics.

"Shoot lower," he said.

I assumed that I was getting in the way of the busy mechanics, and immediately stepped back.

"No, LOWER," he said, and pointed me in the direction of the footpeg brackets. "that's where you want to point your camera."

Er......nice footpegs, says I. The billet work is breathtaking.....?

"Nah, look at the area just behind the the frame."

Upon closer inspection, there was additional material behind the mounts, just rearward of the frame, with neat, rippled welds typical on handbuilt factory machines. Mid-Ohio is the first race for this new modification. The mechanic explained that the material was added to increase rigidity in that specific area of the frame, with the goal of increasing traction. Only one of Hacking's machines had the mod, although the other had noticeable bracing on the side spar of the frame (Hayden's bike also has this additional material.)

She's shaking that thing, boy she makes me sing... image by jimola

Adding rigidity in the search for more traction might seem to be a switch, given the trend to decrease stiffness on many factory racebikes in order to improve feedback, increase tire longevity, and decrease rider fatigue. But in the case of Hacking's Monster Kawasaki ZX10R, "tuned flexibility" means making the bike stiffer.

The mod was developed by the AMA Superbike team, and is not being used by the World Superbike Kawasakis. Hacking's modded bike is called "Black Betty Special".

Hacking ran in first place during morning practice on his "old" bike; so it remains unclear whether Black Betty is a) Rock Steady, or b) Always Ready.

More as the story develops.