Whip Posted May 13, 2006 Share Posted May 13, 2006 First some observations.... The bike handles better if you keep half a tank of gas in it instead of keeping it filled…. The second Trackday is much more comfortable and fun than the first…… No matter how fast you think you are the instructor will pass you one handed and pointing at you to do something….. 20 minutes is a long time to hold your breath……LOL Now the story begins….. A different company put together this Trackday....in the first TD...We were broken up into groups of 6 with an instructor that road with us....Between each 20 minute session he would talk to us about our riding and the track for 30 of the 40 minutes between sessions....I needed this and enjoyed it very much... After the parade lap... The second Company basically said 5 minute call to the C group(beginner/me)...When the last of the A group left the track they let us go....Checker Flag come in…… kill 40 minutes talking to other riders and making new friends…..5 minute call off we go again.…..This worked good for me because I think I would have gotten bored with the instructor telling me the same thing as the time before....I guess I could have move up to the intermediates but I didn't feel like it...(chicken)... I did pay the suspension guys before the session started $25 to set the bike up because I had put in new front springs and didn't have time to play with it at all.... After the parade session we were let loose....a very wide range of riders skills on the track...rules were simple no passing in the corners....no stuffing....leave 6 feet from you and the next rider at all times.....These rules were out the window after the second lap Three good experiences.. I met a young man with his CB600R after the parade lap..he had never been to a trackday before.....he was discouraged about the pace of the Parade Lap and did like that he couldn't pass....he didn't understand what was gonna happen in a few minutes...anyway he wanted to make sure he was up front next time so he didn't get caught behind any slow people.....I didn't laugh because I wasn't really sure how fast he was....so you can guess what happen..... he gets out front of the first session and everybody is being real nice as the tires heat up and then all of a sudden someone decides they didn't like the rules...so now it's almost a race...I get behind him and a guy on a K bike seen in the pix is next to me and we blitz him coming out of one of the corners and then I think 10 bike passed him before the next turn.....Don't think for a moment that means any of us are really fast. We aren't... The next story is the guy with the K bike and his wife that I enjoyed talking to between sessions...he road his bike there and his wife follow in the car...just in case.....he was a perfect gentleman and his wife was a joy to talk to.....we road about the same speed and enjoyed our version of dicing.....trying not to wreck The last story is funny only because you had to be in my shoes.....My last session I was getting pretty cocky...I was running near the front of the slow group all day(kinda like being a tall midget)...so in the last session I wanted to go last .....so I could see how many riders I could pass....I started passing a few and thought a was all alone on the track for a few minutes when one of the riders I had passed earlier and took special notice of (could be the long blond pony tail sticking out of the back of her helmet or the skin tight leathers or the yellow 916 ..you guess)... Went by me like I was a parked car....It was a part of the track I was having trouble with...a big two turn horseshow....I caught up a little and followed her for several laps..learned more watching her than I did all day....and I figured out the horseshow using her lines.... she then promptly tried to kill me when her bike quit on an uphill left right combo and she turned left into me and almost killed us both...no harm no foul... All in all a great day... Now some pix of yours truly being a kid again…. Now some pix of your truly being a kid again…. Old school....me and the bike Heads a little low Way too much fun! Showin the K bike around the track Counter-steering does work....check out the front wheel.... I had a lot of fun and cannot wait for the next time....feel free to critque Whip BTW more pix at my home page.... Link to comment
russell_bynum Posted May 13, 2006 Share Posted May 13, 2006 Looks like fun, man!! Personally, I like it when the only passing rule is "6-foot margin". Invariably, what happens if you can't pass in corners, is you wind up with some yahoo who parks it in the corners, but is riding a ZX10R or something and they light it up on the straights. It's a PIA to pass them and people wind up either disregarding the rules (and if the trackday org is worth their salt, they'll put an end to that), or trying all kinds of crazy stuff to get around. I do understand "outside only" passing in corners since they don't want someone going down and taking out the person they were trying to pass, but I've found that the most relaxed passing atmosphere was with groups that allowed passing anywhere as long as you gave the passee room. As for the guy who thought he was fast...you'll see that time after time. The people to watch out for are the geezers who show up with some ratty old bike like a Honda Hawk or something wearing leathers that look like they're older than the Earth itself. Those are the guys who're most likely to be lapping you halfway through the session. The ones who brag about being fast are invariably the ones who wind up being slow as hell. What track was this? Was it the same track as your last track day? How do you like the track? I really enjoy doing different tracks because I think you learn more when you have to slow down and learn the track. We're doing 3 new (to us) tracks this season...Pahrump, Buttonwillow, and Reno Fernley and I can't wait. Of course...our recent day at Streets of Willow was almost like a new track for me since they changed Turn 4, and I finally figured out Turn 8. Those two things totally changed a bunch of my reference points and it was like the whole back half of the track was new to me. Link to comment
Firefight911 Posted May 13, 2006 Share Posted May 13, 2006 Sounds like an awesome time Whip! Thanks for the insight to this track day and thanks for the photos. You look like you're having a ball out there. Haven't done a track day in quite a few years. Really need to change that soon! The ST on the track would be fun, although, I truly want a more raw, naked bike for the track. Thanks! Link to comment
russell_bynum Posted May 13, 2006 Share Posted May 13, 2006 I truly want a more raw, naked bike for the track. Link to comment
Firefight911 Posted May 13, 2006 Share Posted May 13, 2006 I truly want a more raw, naked bike for the track. Way to go Russell! Now that is what I am talking about! Hang on, I have an itch! And now it is worse thanks to that picture! OK, what's it going to cost me if I go looking for one of these fine rides? You really are a cruel, cruel man! Link to comment
MachineJoe Posted May 13, 2006 Share Posted May 13, 2006 Whip, thanks for sharing. I've been wanting to go to a track day so bad for the last year or so. Your right up on your experiance gave me more confidence to do one. I live about 2 hours from the Mid-Ohio track and will have to give a call to get hooked up. Great pics too Link to comment
Whip Posted May 13, 2006 Author Share Posted May 13, 2006 Russell The Track is called The Motor Sport Ranch and Country Club.... http://www.motorsportranch.com/ You can join it like a Country Club...and put a home on it... very cool.....I guess you could live there...I don't know...Lots are 70k .. $3000 initiation...$75..a month..and then for a view $ more you could rent a garage and keep all your stuff there...144 days a year the track is open to the members....you then have to pay $20 for 1/2 hr sessions....most of the time you would be the only one on the course...one day a month you could bring a friend..... The track was lengthened it is now a 3.1 mile course with only one straight away and I never got into 5th gear.....it is a very tiring track....Your always getting ready for a corner.... All of the tracks are 3 to 5 hours from my house...There are two companies and 4 times a month that are available to me...it's starting to get very hot around here and 110 degrees standing around in leathers doesn't sound like fun...Texas World Speedway is 6/15...I hope to make it...I may try a "cool vest".... Whip Link to comment
Whip Posted May 13, 2006 Author Share Posted May 13, 2006 Raw.....Naked..bike for the track You left out under $4000........... Link to comment
russell_bynum Posted May 13, 2006 Share Posted May 13, 2006 Wow, that sounds really cool! I know what you mean about heat. All of our tracks are in the desert, and it will be too hot to do anything except sit inside and drink lemonade very shortly. When we were at Willow 2 weeks ago, it got up into the 90's. Link to comment
David Posted May 13, 2006 Share Posted May 13, 2006 I do understand "outside only" passing in corners since they don't want someone going down and taking out the person they were trying to pass, but I've found that the most relaxed passing atmosphere was with groups that allowed passing anywhere as long as you gave the passee room. +1 I can't stand track days where I have to pass only on the outside, and it doesn't really make all that much sense. There is some connection between speed and skill, and so if I'm passing on the outside, the (typically) less skilled rider is likely to take me out if s/he goes down. Vs. a faster, more skilled rider passing on the inside and not being as likely to go down. The best rule is safe passing (6 ft.) and no stuffing. As for the guy who thought he was fast...you'll see that time after time. The people to watch out for are the geezers who show up with some ratty old bike like a Honda Hawk or something wearing leathers that look like they're older than the Earth itself. Those are the guys who're most likely to be lapping you halfway through the session. The ones who brag about being fast are invariably the ones who wind up being slow as hell. Absolutely. Link to comment
Firefight911 Posted May 13, 2006 Share Posted May 13, 2006 Raw.....Naked..bike for the track You left out under $4000........... Damn! Now I have a drool rag hanging from my chin! Less than $4K?!?! WooHoo! Wow, that ranch sounds like a motorcyclist paradise! Thanks for all the info, etc.! Cool stuff for sure! If only we had a graemlin on a bike with a knee draggin the next line below!!! Link to comment
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