Bike Safe track evening....

Dark · World Chat Champion Joined: 02 Jun 2004 Karma :

Bike Safe ran a pilot for a bike safe track day last night and a group of us got to go on it. It was very odd.

A group of 60 people was split into 10 groups of 6 according to how fast they claimed to be. I was in the fastest group and my missus and a mate was in the slowest (this they had no choice about as they'd never been on the track before).

We were all led out on the track fro what was called braking practise. This lasted an hour! Shocked

it was basically an IAM styled advance braking tutorial. We locked the back wheel, then locked the front, then lifted the rear wheel, and practise heavy braking. Was quite fun actually.

Then each group was led out and around the circuit following the instructor for 25 mins with everyone getting a chance to ride directly behind the instructors using what he called the "Duck and Drake" technique to circulate the riders. This was pretty slow and was just to show what lines he suggest we use.

Then there was a 25 minute free lapping session. Unfortunately they set some rules for overtaking that were just plain stupid! we were only allowed to overtake on the left, but first we had to indicate left, wait for the rider in front to see our indicator and then indicate right, once they've moved over you can then pass but only on a straight Confused

As you can imagine this caused chaos! Out of 60 riders there was only two of us that could ride at a decent pace and after the two warm up laps behind the instructor we immediately put our left indicator on and left it on constantly Laughing

It was bloody difficult only passing on the left with numpties meandering around all over the place in the middle of corners and there was nearly tears quite a few times as us faster riders grew more and more impatient. People in the end started making risky manoeuvres and i was glad the session was over before someone took someone else out!

Over all it was a fairly good evening, but the wank overtaking rules ruined it. They may do more in the future, but i don't think i'll be going on one.

Oh and chasing a police rider on a BMW was fun, he was lapping surprisingly quick. I really enjoyed hassling him for a couple laps Cool

I did manage to lower my best time round Cadwell to a 1m47.2 second lap despite the traffic problems, so well chuffed with that Thumbs Up

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My Bikes in order:- Yamaha RXS100 / Suzuki X7 250 / Yamaha RD350LC / Kawasaki
KR1S 250 / Kawasaki ZXR750 H2 / Honda C50 / Kawasaki ZX7R P5 / Kawasaki ZX10R / Suzuki GSXR 400 / Honda CBR1100 Blackbird & Yamaha FZR 600

feef · Energiser Bunny Joined: 11 Feb 2002 Karma :

Whosthedaddy · Super Spammer Joined: 11 Dec 2005 Karma :

Sounds like fun Thumbs Up

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Current : MSX 125 Past : CBR 900RR Monkeybike : c50 LAC : ZXR750 H2 : FZR600 : ZX7R P3 : YW100 : TRX850: Trophy 900 T309 : GSXR 600 L0: Monkeybike : XJ6S Whosthedaddy

Dark · World Chat Champion Joined: 02 Jun 2004 Karma :

Shaun · Likes 'em bent Joined: 17 May 2003 Karma :

Dark · World Chat Champion Joined: 02 Jun 2004 Karma :

Shaun · Likes 'em bent Joined: 17 May 2003 Karma :

From either a 2:07 or 2:08, one of them there numbers.

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

Don't think he's quite up ro lap record times for a zx10 yet, maybe Yamaha Past Masters Smile

- however 1:47 is still a pretty reasonable time whatever, can't make it /all/ up with the power by a long way.

Doing big stoppies infront of the police sounds interesting. The overtaking sounds complete cack though - have people told them their opinions of this?

Dark · World Chat Champion Joined: 02 Jun 2004 Karma :

feef · Energiser Bunny Joined: 11 Feb 2002 Karma :

Dark · World Chat Champion Joined: 02 Jun 2004 Karma :

Those lap records seem to be a bit out of date. These seem a bit more up to date

https://www.ngroadracing.org/circuits/cadwell_park.htm

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

Best powerbike lap at Bemsee/MRO was a 1:32.7 or something.

I managed a 1:43.9 on a minitwin (and wasn't the fastest by a decent chunk), so suspect they may have had slightly iffy conditions for the racing this year or something?

colin1 · Captain Safety Joined: 17 Feb 2005 Karma :

i like the idea of braking practice

to be honest i think its either a track day or a bike safe event, if its a bike safe event I dont really think you should be going for fast lap times if you know some of the people there are eratic and would never do a normal track day.

So yes you were very naughty and Im glad you arent going again Wink

Maybe they should just make it no overtaking at all and make it really bikesafe.
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colin1 is officially faster than god

Shaun · Likes 'em bent Joined: 17 May 2003 Karma :

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

Davo · Davo To The Rescue! Joined: 04 Apr 2004 Karma :

Dark · World Chat Champion Joined: 02 Jun 2004 Karma :

Well from my perspective i'm glad i tried it, but wouldn't do another as its not really what i want out of a day on the track.

But a few people i've spoke to who have never been on the track and are less confident on the road thought it was brilliant.

It was my missus's first time on the track ever and once she got on there she wasn't scared at all, the pace of the people around her was low enough not to have too many people racing past and the tuition she received was spot on at her level of riding.

All of the track first timers said they'd consider going on another one.
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My Bikes in order:- Yamaha RXS100 / Suzuki X7 250 / Yamaha RD350LC / Kawasaki
KR1S 250 / Kawasaki ZXR750 H2 / Honda C50 / Kawasaki ZX7R P5 / Kawasaki ZX10R / Suzuki GSXR 400 / Honda CBR1100 Blackbird & Yamaha FZR 600