Me throwing £14k down the track

[Liam_]

I did my first track day on the BMW back in august. I had been looking forward to it even before I bought the bike, so when i got to the circuit and the weather was one of the better days I was pretty excited.

In the past I've always used proper fast road/track tyres but seeing as the tyres I had on the bike had about 1000miles on them it seemed a bit of a waste to chuck them so I decided to use em.

I hadn't been on track for nearly 2 years so i started off slowly getting familiar with the track again and learning any new feature like the kerbs on the chicanes and just as well, had i took my old line through their i would have went to the moon.
After a few laps i decided to up the pace a little but for some reason i just could get up to speed, I couldn't hold a line through the corners, bike felt nervous and the long left down to the hairpin the rear tyre was squirming all over the place to the point the bike was almost power-sliding, then into the hairpin i was getting some strange vibes through the bars almost like the tarmac was rough. I knew from memory that a lot of bikes go down on that corner and dig into the tarmac so i put it down to that.
After a few more laps i returned to the pits to gather my thoughts as to why i was struggling.
Tyre pressures?! i got a hold of a tyre pressure gauge and to my horror the pressure shown was 50PSI!! both front and rear. Holy shit i thought but it was soo high i thought the gauge was faulty, so I only knocked 10psi out of the tyres. If the gauge was right then that was still too high as i should have been running 30 at the front and 28 on the rear.

Back out i went and the bike felt a little better but still not up to a pace that i was used to on previous bikes. I persevered and kept trying and yet again the issues i was having before came back.

https://urbanracing.net/bike/bmw/5.jpg
https://urbanracing.net/bike/bmw/6.jpg
https://urbanracing.net/bike/bmw/7.jpg
https://urbanracing.net/bike/bmw/8.jpg

Thinking it was in my head and just being a bit rusty I kept going and then

Everything as normal
https://urbanracing.net/bike/bmw/1.jpg
Hmmm, the vibration in the bars again.
https://urbanracing.net/bike/bmw/2.jpg
Oh its gone all light.
https://urbanracing.net/bike/bmw/3.jpg
I can still save it.... errm no
https://urbanracing.net/bike/bmw/4.jpg

That rough feeling i mentioned through the bars was me pushing the front end too hard and it was sliding, on that lap i was way beyond what the tyre could give. also coupled with the fact they were road tyres and the pressures would have gone up again once the heat got into the tyres, no doubt back up to 50psi.

The damage:
https://www.urbanracing.net/bike/bmw/9.jpg
https://www.urbanracing.net/bike/bmw/10.jpg
https://www.urbanracing.net/bike/bmw/11.jpg
https://www.urbanracing.net/bike/bmw/12.jpg

The crash protectors did there job by limiting what hit the deck so I got off lightly. Mirror, indicator, rear brake lever, bar end, a few scratches on the bodywork and the exhaust which is made from Titanium and Carbon Fibre i was told the spark trail from the bike was impressive
I've replaced everything except the exhaust, i'll leave that till over the xmas period when the bike will be wrapped up for the winter until I decide weather to replace like for like or go down the route of a full system. I'm also going to get the suspension setup.

Lessons learned:
Don't use road tyres if you want to set a lap record.
Check the tyre pressures before you go out on track.
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I got a dig bick. You this read wrong. You read that wrong too.
Yamaha R1 2016

[VTRkemshell10...]

cant see any pics????
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Past Rides: Sym Jet Euro X, Gilera DNA, Aprillia RS125 (Spains No1 Replica), 1991 Honda NSF, 2006 Honda CG125, 1992 Honda CB400 Super Four, 2000 VFR800 FY-I
Current Rides: 2001 VTR1000 FIRESTORM

[shereen]

I dont know if it is just me but I cannot see any images.
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"The Internet is the first thing that humanity has built that humanity doesn't understand, the largest experiment in anarchy that we have ever had"

[The Artist]

[waffles]

Can't see any pics either, unless you ride a tiny red cross
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Theory test - 19/8/09, CBT - 11/10/09, MOD 1 - 16/8/10, MOD 2 - 27/10/10
Past rides Yamaha XT125X, Triumph TT600, Honda XR250
Current rides Suzuki GSXR 600, Honda MSX125

[Liam_]

Sorry, i just noticed my domain name expired, i've renewed it now but it'll take a few hours for the DNS to update around the world.
Check back later
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I got a dig bick. You this read wrong. You read that wrong too.
Yamaha R1 2016

[waffles]

Just goes to show that crash bungs can be a very worthwhile investment
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Theory test - 19/8/09, CBT - 11/10/09, MOD 1 - 16/8/10, MOD 2 - 27/10/10
Past rides Yamaha XT125X, Triumph TT600, Honda XR250
Current rides Suzuki GSXR 600, Honda MSX125

[nowhere.elysium]

[JoeDougieDoug...]

Man thats a sweet bike Good pics too. good job.
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CBT Passed - 22 / 10 / 11 >> Theory Passed - 16 / 02 / 2012 >> Mod 1 Passed - 07 / 03 / 2012 >> Mod 2 Passed - 18 / 05 / 2012.

[Hetzer]

How the fuck did you have 50psi in your tyres?!
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"There's the horizon! Ride hard, ride fast and cut down all who stand in your way!"

[Liam_]

[Liam_]

[Hetzer]

[Liam_]

[mattress]

Right, I must buy some sliders and bobbins before the spring.

[evoboy]

Road tyres are fine on track with the correct pressures.

Obviously not as good as dedicated track tyres.

Id say it was more a combo of suspension setup and too high tyre pressures.
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Suzuki GT250 x7------- Fazer 600------CB250RS------Aprilia Rally 70----- Bandit 600

APT Motorcycles

[TheDonUK]

From the thread title i expected carnage, i think you got away lightly with the dmg done. Unlucky.

14k for a bike though?? Bloooddy hell

A Blokle over in Twickernam is great at setting up suspensions, look him up, hes a nice guy.

httP://briannicholson.wordpress.com/
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[Current Bikes - GSXR-750 K5 & C90-97 ] [Previous Bikes: Runner 125, YBR 125, GS500, Bandit 600, Hornet 600, ZX6R-99, C90-99, R1-99, XT600E-04, GSXR-750 K4, CRF250L '16]

[D O G]

[Liam_]

[Redoko]

Considering, the damage isn't that bad at all.
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"Let's face it, this is not the worst thing you've caught me doing."
Sudika Sportsman SK50QT > Gilera DNA50 > Honda CBR125 RW7 > Kawasaki Zephyr750 > Suzuki GSXR600 > Honda Hornet CB600F '51

[RONSTER]

Hi Liam gutted for ye but glad wasn't to much damage ,,,there is a guy just at the bAck of the ducati shop who does set ups and meant to be top drawer ...a mind u had a scary one on that track before so time t try decent tracks 
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Life is for Living....having fun..and no regrets!!!!! black 600 gixxer...white gsxr 1000...Bmw s1000r

[bEN_]

That does look like an odd one, did the front slide quite abit initially before it let go ? in the picture of it giving up it looks like you'd have been just starting to roll the throttle on
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2010 Ducati 848 Dark

Lamp Post Enthusiast

[swiftb]

Devastating to drop it mate - but if you can afford to track a 14k bike you can afford to fix it Lets be honest - it might be a bit annoying now but in a few years youve got some awesome pictures to look back on!!

[Deano]

[Liam_]

There is a suspension tech up here in Glasgow that I'm going to try and use. Stewart Miller who used to be a Ohlins suspension tech for the Kawasaki MotoGP team, He's now working for the Marc VDS team CRT bike for Scott Redding.
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I got a dig bick. You this read wrong. You read that wrong too.
Yamaha R1 2016