My track day cherry - Silverstone

White Noise · Mr Dudwee Joined: 17 Dec 2004 Karma :

Well with a full 6 months of riding under my belt and general encouragement from Davo, I did my first track day today! With Davo and my mate Marcus, oh what a day!
Arrived there and went to the briefing we were told that due to the fast nature of Silverstone if you do jump off your bike you are probably unlikely to see it again in one piece! So got a bit worried there, only to be compounded sat on my bike for the sighting laps, waiting for what seemed like an age for it to start, got round them fine and back in. now for the bit that I was very worried about! The first session!
For this did a lap of the track to warm the tire’s up in doing so I somehow ended up pushing it fairly hard, got to the nice start finish straight, gave it the big beans until I came to the right hander (copse) and had to brake and turn, for some reason these things I knew I had to do, I semi tried to do and gave up! Went straight onto the run off area at about 80-90 and came to semi stop, luckily still upright and rejoined the track. I took things very slowly after that and go the first session over with. But came in with a big grin on my face!
The second session came around and we where back out, I was feeling good and I discovered a new over taking technique, actually going round the outside of people on corners! It’s a great feeling going around the outside of RSV mille with my knee down! Was feeling good till someone 1 bike in front of me lowsided at 60 ish, that sobered me up a bit! plus seeing a 4 weeks old 750 gixxer that had flipped and had a nice dent in the frame! insurance write off me thinks! Thumbs Down

after that all seemed fine on the 3 rd session I felt like I was hooning about, leaving my mate on a R1 behind! i was completely amazed by the amount of people i was overtaking on the outside of corners! Twisted Evil

On the final session of the day I decided to get a instructor and go round with him. It was great as we were making dam good progress and having a laugh as well with alternate follow my leader going on! We came in at the end of the session and said it was fun with a smile on his face!
All in all, learned a hell of a lot, including that I am going to probably need a new rear tyre by the end of the year, that knee sliders are too dam expensive and that riding bikes like this is the way forward! also just ridden my bike home from davo's and it feels so easy to control whereas before today i found it hard to control. Thumbs Up

Good day and my thighs hurt like hell from jumping all over the bike, and only a small bit of damage caused to the bike due to the bike trailer
If you are thinking about doing a track day, do it! Just make sure its one I am going to as then you won’t be the slowest on the track! Wink

WN

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Buy my wife: 96' Yam XJ600s (Diversion)
Wing Commander White Noise - SE Clique
Riding Tip #86: See God, then back off a bit: Problem is i haven't seen god yet, just a close up of tarmac on revett straight

Silver · World Chat Champion Joined: 03 Oct 2004 Karma :

Addictive eh? Wink

Glad you enjoyed it!

I can't believe how much my riding has improved since I started doing trackdays. It's not all about hooning around, you do actually learn more about riding a bike and what it can do.

G · The Voice of Reason Joined: 02 Feb 2002 Karma :

Hehe, another convert Wink

- glad you enjoyed it.

I tend to hold a knee slider just above the ground, at the point I know that it will touch if I've leaned further than I have before.

Current set (quite chunky to start with and hard wearing) have lasted me over a year on track and occasionaly as a roundabout fairy etc Smile

.

Silver · World Chat Champion Joined: 03 Oct 2004 Karma :

White Noise · Mr Dudwee Joined: 17 Dec 2004 Karma :

Really did enjoy it! hopefully next one just round the corner! Very Happy

G · The Voice of Reason Joined: 02 Feb 2002 Karma :

The ideal method is to hang off before you start braking - so this may be a way down the straight.

This leaves the bike as stable as possible, turn in as fast as possible (something I definitely need to work on Confused

).

cbrbiker · Spanner Monkey Joined: 17 May 2005 Karma :

Bendy · Mrs Sensible Joined: 10 Jun 2002 Karma :

He might 'have an accident' in a few weeks, if he's fully comp.

White Noise · Mr Dudwee Joined: 17 Dec 2004 Karma :

G · The Voice of Reason Joined: 02 Feb 2002 Karma :

Silverstone is pretty good for overtaking - longer corners and a lot wider than most tracks in the UK.

Don't expect it to be quite so easy at a narrower track Smile

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TOM M · World Chat Champion Joined: 18 Mar 2005 Karma :

Sounds like you had a good day Thumbs Up

I want to do a track day on my zxr400, but ill have to get a set of leathers, crash mushrooms first Thumbs Up

Will probably have to wait untill next year know as im off to uni in 3 weeks.
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Now owner of a 1200 Bandit

..... · Quote Me Happy Joined: 15 Jan 2005 Karma :

Looking good Thumbs Up

Glad you had a good day and didn't bin it Wink

So do Davo and Marcus owe you ££ seeing as they lost their bet?

Gonna do a track day possibly at the end of September. Bit skint at the moment from having two weeks off work. But as soon as I get the money together for crash bungs and the trackday I'm off.

Would like to do Donington, but seeing as Brands is close by that will probably be the track I go for.

Nice pic BTW

Davo · Davo To The Rescue! Joined: 05 Apr 2004 Karma :

I thought it was a bloody good day, although have to say did prefer Brands Hatch (did the Indy Circuit), just seemed more technical and involving.

Eventually managed to pursuade myself to get out of the seat and hang completley off the bike for cornering, which helped me go a lot quicker through the corners.

Started to find I prefer starting towards the back of the group and chasing people in front of me, although did find my bike slightly underpowered for Silverstone and went overtaking on the corners but just unable to keep up with people down the straights.

Did have one amusing moment, where I went to go around another R6 (same model) got on to the straight and we both pinned it, but couldn't get away from each other. Eventually I managed to get ahead of him by out braking him into the corner. Apart from that incident free, although nearly found myself in a gravel trap when my hand slipped off the front brake going into a tight left hander.

Last session, I was impressed that I managed to keep up with a guy on an R1 (except on the straights)

Got any suggestions for next track? Was thinking of Cadwell Park or Donnington.

G · The Voice of Reason Joined: 02 Feb 2002 Karma :

Brands Indy is very technical - I've found it frustrating as I find it a lot harder to get near 'right'.

I really like Cadwell, best track I've done and many say the best in the UK. Definitely 'involving' and the relatively small track makes it feel faster, though it's not.

I've kept up with quite a few litre bikes at Snetterton - just get on the power earlier coming out of corners - downgearing also help I suspect, as there's going to be less of a difference in acceleration.

Silver · World Chat Champion Joined: 03 Oct 2004 Karma :

White Noise · Mr Dudwee Joined: 17 Dec 2004 Karma :

Silver · World Chat Champion Joined: 03 Oct 2004 Karma :

White Noise · Mr Dudwee Joined: 17 Dec 2004 Karma :

Silver · World Chat Champion Joined: 03 Oct 2004 Karma :

White Noise · Mr Dudwee Joined: 17 Dec 2004 Karma :

Silver · World Chat Champion Joined: 03 Oct 2004 Karma :

Yorkshire Puddin' · Derestricted Danger Joined: 05 Sep 2005 Karma :

Erm, new here so forgive this but you have 6 months riding under your belt and had trouble with the zx(nice choice) before the track (not now obviously) and you were going rounds R1'S.

WTF!!! your either very talented or nuts

or have i totally mis-read this post Embarassed

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Knee down, Pegs down and stilllllllll the feckers came past.......doh!!!!!!!

Davo · Davo To The Rescue! Joined: 05 Apr 2004 Karma :

Bendy · Mrs Sensible Joined: 10 Jun 2002 Karma :

Yorkshire Puddin' · Derestricted Danger Joined: 05 Sep 2005 Karma :

Novice group that explains it, still pretty good effort if you have only been riding 6 months.

Last track i did there were no spots left in the inter's so i ended up in the fast group...........at the back Cool

, my little zx6 against full on and semi serious track prepped zx10's, gixer thous etc etc....talk about little fish big pond, outta ya depth blah blah.

Still had the track to myself most of the time and didn't come last either Shocked

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Knee down, Pegs down and stilllllllll the feckers came past.......doh!!!!!!!