Cadwell Track Day 17/07/04

[jay12329]

I arrived at the track at around 8:30 last night as it was just starting to spit with rain. Laura and bendy were on hand to wave me to where everyone was set up.
My tent was quickly put up, and soon our own BCF village had sprung from the grass. Then the rituals started. Weird shapes made of candles and evil worship to the sun gods of old got under way. The BBQ, fireplay, and general messing around took us to the early hours. I got to bed around 12:30, some people went before me and some were still up. After about 4 hours sleep I got up and stuck my head out of the tent to be greeted by rain wind and general coldness. It looked like out ritual duck sacrifice hadn't worked but it soon began to brighten.
Signing on and briefings were attended and we were soon raring to go, the track was quickly drying and looking better by the second.
I got out on track and it all came flooding back to me, i was soon overtaking into corners and belting around the track.
As the day continued the pace hotted up, I got stuck behind a R6 for a few sessions which was really frustrating, but stuffing it past both bendy and a R1 into park made me smile again .
Rain interrupted play in the final session so I got a little wet on the way home but the sun did come out for a bit of fun on some of Lincolnshire’s newly re-laid roads.
A great day was had by all, and everyone survived intact, that is if you ignore Danny removing his foot peg, but I’m sure he'll tell you all about that.
J

[Laura]

Well after arriving at cadwell after a 250 mile journey with wave attached to poppy, we finally arrive. A hour later Alex and G arrive followed by the trailer crew and then shaun jimbo and the stokie massive.

Soon camp all set and I went to bed early being knakerd.

Well today, poppy went out on the first two or three sessions then I have to admit I was taken over my cat power. Since alex lended me the cat to play on I managed to knock 20 seconds or so of my best time on poppy.

I then borrowed the cat for the rest of the day.

Well apart from danny falling off good day

/me thinks it may be nearly time for poppy to go into retirment.

Laura

P.S thanks alex
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Good girls ride motorcycles bad girls thrash them.

[Shaun]

Well, it all started on mid day friday, we planned to leave for cadwell at around 1-2pm but because of certain people being extremely late **cough** Helen **cough** we didn't actually leave until just after 4pm.

Around 8 miles into our epic journey we hit a big line of traffic, turns out a truck had spilt its load, this wasn't a major problem for me and Jimbo but the directions and navigator were in Helen's car.

Eventually after waiting around for the car to get to where we had pulled over we arranged to meet at a McDonalds, so half an hour later we met up and decided to get food since we were running quite late by now. We continued our journey at a very steady pace since we were following a 1 litre ax and woman driver.

I can't remember the exact time we eventually arrived about 8:30 - 9:00, was very tired and aching by this point. We joined everyone else and set up camp and just started messing around for the night. tried to go to bed at 1 am but couldn't get to sleep because of certain people messing around in the 2 tents to the left of the one I was in and 3 immature boys messing around. Several fag breaks later and little walks I eventually managed to go to bed at about 3:30 - 4am and got some sleep, couldn't sleep properly still but got a good enough rest. the biggest shock of that night was getting up to go the toilet and looking round to see a naked guy standing a few metres away from me with his back to me, I waited a few minutes in the tent before going to the toilet.

The next morning we awoke at around 7:30, annoyed Mike for a while and enjoyed some breakfast courtesey of Kev, went to sign on at around 8:00 and had our briefing. After the briefing I set to taping up various bits and removing my mirrors then eventually heard the novices shouted for over the tannoy. I suddenly got very nervous. We lined up and went out onto the track admittedly in the first and second session I was crap, my lines were crap and I was making it hard for people to get past me. Then I came to the mountain, instinct told me to pick second gear so I could accelerate better, that was the first time I made the mistake and the front wheel lifted slightly and didn't land well at all. I wasn't put off by this too much until it did exactly the same on me the next lap, for the rest of the day I went up the mountain in 3rd to prevent this from happening.

After we came out from the second session people decided to reveal the secret of the sacred cones to me, can't be bothered to explain it but using them improved my lines greatly so I wasn't such a pain to anyone else and it improved my times as well. I also decided after the 3rd session that my favourite corner was parks, I was getting my knee down on there almost every time, never managed to get my left down though.

I got quicker through the day and apart from thinking I wasn't going to make it around a sharp left hander once everything was going brilliant that is until the 5th session. I came down the bank after gooses neck to see a marshall waving a yellow flag in my face, I came round a left hander to see a thundercat and someone weraing the same leathers as me at the side of the track by the new chicane. I kept telling myself for the rest of the next lap that it wasn't Danny but the next time I got to the chicane Danny was standing with the marshall grinning at me.

When the session had finished we waited around for Danny to be delivered to us with his bike in the van, at first look the bike looked terrible, the exhaust was facing the wrong way, indicators were hanging off and it had the obvious scuffs as expected. Ten minutes later Kev had made it look much better but it still wasn't rideable unfortunately due to a snapped foot peg, oh well someone had to keep up the BCF track day tradition I suppose.

The sixth session came round ad clouds had gathered I went out and was following Laura for a few laps when it started spitting, I stayed at normal pace for a while when I started getting a bit worried, at this point Mark and Bendy flew pat me and Laura. Then suddenly without much warning the heavens opened, it came down heavy, worst I have seen rain come down for a while, me and Laura both slowed right down and had both already made the decision to get off the track. Then G took the oppurtunity to test out his wets, was a good laugh until he didn't come back off the track making us think he had crashed when he had actually just run out of petrol.

We then eventually all packed up, G filled my bike up which was good of him since I was running low plus it was a bargain. The journey home didn't take long and as soon as I knew where I was going I shot off as my back was killing.

Best lap time was 2:17 which I wasn't expecting to manage to get below high 20's and if you couldn't be bothered to read all of that I really enjoyed it and would love to do it again some time soon.

[Mr C]

[Nighteyes]

[Demonic69]

Feckin shitty day Got a puncture. Spent bloady ages fitting my new C&S only to find the heffing chain was 2 links too short, spent ages fitting the old C&S, missed most of the racing, Danny Stacked it, I got piss wet through then had a tentative ride home on a dodgy rear tyre.

Sounds like a good day for most though, which is good
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Back on a Blade. Just feels so right.

[Kickstart]

Hi

Pretty good day out, and I took an amazing number of really crap pictures. Going to have to work out what I am doing wrong.

Thumbnails are here:-

https://www.alfa-pages.co.uk/TempPicture/Cadwell-20040717/

All the best

Keith
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Traxpics, track day and racing photographs - Bimota Forum - Bike performance / thrust graphs for choosing gearing

[Bendy]

We're back, it's late, I'm tired.

Will post photos and ting tomorrow. Good day though.

[kev]

My eyes hurt.
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20:02:36 Jammy-R6: any holes a goal
20:02:48 kev: even if its a hairy mans arse
20:02:56 Jammy-R6: hell yes

[Korn]

My arse hurts
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3516 Miles, 11 Countries

[kev]

[Dusty]

Was a good day. Mostly nice weather...

The Passat got us back to the end of the road, before deciding it didn't want to do any more work.

https://dusty.my-site.me.uk/cad/cad170704/thumbout/cadthumb061.jpg https://dusty.my-site.me.uk/cad/cad170704/thumbout/cadthumb060.jpg https://dusty.my-site.me.uk/cad/cad170704/thumbout/cadthumb059.jpg


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Gallery

[Bendy]

I've slept, I've had a shower, I feel vaguely human again. Let's begin...

After the usual loading taking three times as long as we expected and having to go to Reading for a special spanner kind of things, me, Danny and Ste set off in the ol' Golf to trundle up to Cadwell at a nice 55mph. Kev rings to tell us about a swarm of killer bees on the M25/M4 junction but by the time we get there, they've gone. M1 sucks, meet G and Alex at the services for a burger... get to Cadwell at about 8pm having left at 2.30.


https://www.evilbendy.co.uk/images/cadwell/cad1.jpg
I'd brought a bag of tealights with me (remembering eating Chinese in the pitch dark last time) so we set about constructing a pentagram so we could make an offering to...

https://www.evilbendy.co.uk/images/cadwell/cad2.jpg
...The Dark One in hope of getting some sun the next day. Alas, the offering took the form of...

https://www.evilbendy.co.uk/images/cadwell/cad3.jpg
...Donald! All of this rather bemused our fellow campers.

https://www.evilbendy.co.uk/images/cadwell/cad4.jpg
Alex entertained us with a bit of fire juggling and then everyone turned in for the night.


Saturday we awoke to find it looking rather like this...
https://www.evilbendy.co.uk/images/cadwell/cad5.jpg

But fortunately the track was pretty dry, and got drier as more laps were done so it was all cool. First session out I was slow, a combination of taking my time to get re-aquainted with the circuit and the fact that I was still half asleep. Got back in to the swing of things as the day went on, though I did get overtaken by a 33bhp Hornet . Me and Jay actually had a good dice for a few corners, me getting him on the power and him getting me on the brakes - good laugh until a bloody slow R1 got in the way and spoiled it all.

https://www.evilbendy.co.uk/images/cadwell/cad6.jpg

Korn was playing by himself in inters while G and Alex were fighting with each other in fast.

https://www.evilbendy.co.uk/images/cadwell/cad7.jpg


https://www.evilbendy.co.uk/images/cadwell/cad8.jpg
Lunchtime!


Back out in the afternoon and everyone's getting quicker and more confident. Danny passed me on the long corner just before the downhill swoop into Mansfield and buggered off towards the hairpin. Going a little quickly I thought. Next thing I'm hard on the brakes as a womble-shaped creature in red and white leathers is tumbling along the road. Myself and another bike pull over to a stop but see Danny get up in one piece and are waved on by the marshalls. A few more laps and it's back to the pit to await the arrival of the the recovery van and to survey the damage (I'm sure Danny will explain what happened when he wakes up).

https://www.evilbendy.co.uk/images/cadwell/cad9.jpg

https://www.evilbendy.co.uk/images/cadwell/cad10.jpg
By this point in the afternoon, the BCF pit was it's usual tidy self.

Out again, with an ominous dark cloud creeping towards us. I was on a mission this time, passed Shaun and Laura as a few rain drops started to appear on the ol' visor, then had a go at Mark but didn't quite get through. Sat on his arse looking for a chance round pretty much a whole lap and was going to go for it at the end of start/finish when the heavens opened big-style and it went from damp to serious standing water in a matter of about 30 seconds. I sat behind Mark for about 3 laps I think as it just got wetter and wetter. We were trundling round at about half normal pace but it wasn't actually too slippy, just had to be smooth. Most people had come in by this point, but we were quite enjoying it.

Back to the pits, the rain easing off, and it's decided that G should try out his wet tyres, so a quick change is in order...

https://www.evilbendy.co.uk/images/cadwell/cad11.jpg

...and G is dispatched to the track, where the organisers are now pretty much running a free-for-all for anyone from any session that wants to go out on the wet track.

https://www.evilbendy.co.uk/images/cadwell/cad12.jpg

https://www.evilbendy.co.uk/images/cadwell/cad13.jpg
Alex takes advantage as well.

They're out for ages as there's only about 6 bikes on track and the plan seems to be just to run a long session until the end of the day. So we watch them go round and round and round and on the final flag everyone comes in except for G. Bit of a heart in mouth moment when I see the ambulance setting off, but fortunately he's only run out of petrol and returns to the pit some time later courtesy of the recovery van.

https://www.evilbendy.co.uk/images/cadwell/cad14.jpg

Time to load up. Korn's back tyre's totally bolloxed so he finishes it off in the time-honoured tradition:

https://www.evilbendy.co.uk/images/cadwell/cad15.jpg

Half of BCF probably think I'm a right bossy cow now for ordering them about but we got everything loaded fairly quickly and managed to be out of there by about quarter to seven, ready for the long and tiring drive back home.

https://www.evilbendy.co.uk/images/cadwell/cad16.jpg


Will sort out more pics later on.

[craigT19]

looked like a good day
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Bikes owned :- 2001 nsr125, 1999 zx6r, 2006 yzf-r1, 2009 xmax 250, 2012 yzf-r1, 2015 MT-07
Current bike : - 2016 MT-10
BCF member pops. sadly missed 1945-2003

[tgabber]

Cool pictures Bendy

Especially like the night shots.

Definitely looks like a good day.
____________________
"It's all about dislocating expectation"
Kawasaki KMX125 -> Aprilia RS125 -> Kawasaki ZZR600

[Ant]

in that second to last pic of korn, doesn't he look like trevor the wifebeater out of Eastenders??
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04 ZX10R ~

[Wave2k]

thanks lawa for takin me

and G for bringing me back

and im the skillfull photographer of half bendys photos
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Ducati 1299 Panigale
2009 Corvette C6 z51
RS125->CBR400->RXS100->GSXR750K2->Ducati749S->CBR600RR5->TL1000R->DRz400->RSVR1000->Honda VTR SP1->CBR400->GSXR1000K6->Honda H100->CBR600RR3->Ducati1299

[G]

Keith's photos from the morning:

https://www.giffould.com/gallery/thumbnails.php?album=20

[kev]

Me and Korn got a shout out on a pirate radio station on the way home.
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20:02:36 Jammy-R6: any holes a goal
20:02:48 kev: even if its a hairy mans arse
20:02:56 Jammy-R6: hell yes

[Danny]

I’d really been looking forward to this trackday, was a bit nervous I have to admit.

First two sessions I was all over the place and not really following the race lines. Then near the end of the 2nd session it was all beginning to come together.

I asked an instructor to follow me for a few laps in the 3rd session, I felt that I was doing quite well and it was flowing nicely. He said my lines were fine and said I could do better by going straight on after Mansfield and not following the track like others were doing.

Had lunch courtesy of Kev.

The session after lunch was even better than the previous ones, I was really enjoying it

Keith and myself tried to fit a camera to my bike but couldn’t find the leads, the camera would have been destroyed had we managed to get it working, but at least it would have been some damned good footage.

The 5th Session.

All going well, confidence building to dangerous levels…..

I managed to get past Bendy at Chris Curve, then came flying down the hill and thought I could overtake the person just in front on the short straight before the new hairpin.
I did manage to overtake the person I wanted to, but unfortunately just as I got in front of him the two people in front of me slammed on their brakes for the upcoming hairpin.
I then pulled the front brake and the next thing I remember is cart wheeling down the track.

I picked myself up off the floor to find Bendy and someone else waiting patiently at the side of the track, who were soon waved on by the martial once he got my bike off the track.
Another bloke had pulled over next to by bike, he told me that my bike slid into his and somehow did in a way which kept his bike upright and undamaged? I apologized and he rode off to enjoy the rest of the day.

The martial explained that he saw my back end up come then my front wobble then suddenly the bike just went down, I assume this was due to the front locking up?

I walked over towards the bike and could see the exhaust pointing the wrong way which did rather worry me, but once it was up off the floor I could see the damage wasn’t so bad.

Rather dazed and confused I waited around for the medic and the recovery van, a couple of mins later I pulled up to the BCF pits to find everyone clapping.

Crashing aside, I had a fantastic time and am looking forward to next one, thanks to all those who helped me.

[MarJay]

Well,

Here goes!
I Arrived at cadwell after an uneventful journey (well, if you call being hit in the face by a bat uneventful! - yes a flying mammal type thing! )

I arrived after my experience with a huge bat to a strange BCF ritual where many BCF members were in a trance like state. The time was around ten thirty pm.

Many members were gathered, or huddled around a large flaming pentangle. I removed my lid and wandered over. It was some moments before anyone ceased the strange chanting to speak to me. I spoke to M1ke first, and his eyes appeared glazed. He didn't look into my eyes and he said: "We obey only the dark one."

After a few minutes, the ringleader meandered over to grant me an audience:

https://www.evilbendy.co.uk/images/cadwell/cad2.jpg

After persuading Jay that satan worship was not the way forward, We proceeded to chat about G's tarty new racebike. Bendy pointed out that the 5's on the tailpiece and the nose fairing, if inverted, might look like G's. Not being one to baulk at a challenge, I grabbed a stanley knife from G's tool chest and set to work.

https://www.bikechatforums.com/files/g_564.jpg
https://www.bikechatforums.com/files/g2.jpg

Considering it was pitch black at the time, I'm quite proud of my handiwork! After this we retired for the evening with a cup of cocoa and a good book.

Well, we did... but then I was kept awake by a couple in a tent near to ours who decided to talk the whole night (and answer a mobile phone after it rag for a long time). I wouldn't have minded, but evidently they were "getting jiggy" at the time.

Next day I rose early and showered. The track was buzzing with bikes and kev who was up and about and unfortunately naked. Luckily for my sanity he was wearing a duvet.

After the signing on and the briefing we messed around preparing bikes for our first session whilst G and Dusty went off for the first fast group session. When our time came, we lined up in the holding area. The organisers checked our wristbands, and we were off! After the sighting laps I was really into it and I felt really fast. This is because the track is fresh in my mind after the last trackday. I overtook quite a number of bikes on the first session despite the track being damp from some overnight rain.

The morning sessions continued like this with me feeling fast, but the last morning session was delayed by the air ambulance coming to pick up a chap from inters who had flown some distance from his bike. TBH this made me somewhat edgy, and I felt a lot less smooth on this session.
https://dusty.my-site.me.uk/cad/cad170704/midout/cad015.jpg

After lunch I was back on form and quickish again. After this session the instructor came to me and said that I was improving but my lines through a couple of the corners were not as good as they could be. He said that he thought I was smooth and fast though! I was quite pleased about this!

I tried to improve my lines on the next session again and felt quicker. I saw someone wearing alpinestars leathers that I thought I recognised standing my the new chicane at the bottom of the mountain. I thought nothing of it until I headed in for the end of the session. It turns out poor Danny had a slight mishap and outbraked himself coming into the chicane. A couple of the others who were watching said that I looked smooth on the circuit. I was well pleased!

After we inspected the damage on the poorly thundercat we headed out for the last session. I felt fast again, bolstered with my new confidence! I was really going for it until I saw a few spots of rain on my visor. I eased off a bit untill the deluge came. I was still enjoying myself so I stayed out. I enjoyed practicing my lines on a clear circuit. I thought that the circuit was clear purely because I was at the front of the group and no-one wanted to overtake. In actual fact, the rest of them had pulled in the moment the rain came, and only myself and Bendy stayed out. I only decided to pull in when I felt water in the leg of my leathers.

When I pulled in, everyone was sheltering under the tailgate of the passat. The organisers announced a further fast group session, and so everyone set to in changing G's bike over to wets.
I tried not to get in the way and I was busy trying to get my bike back to road spec again. I believe G set a really fast lap, and then ran out of fuel!

I waited for G to return in the van and then headed for home. All in all, a fantastic and most enjoyable day. Next stop, Silverstone!


____________________
British beauty: Triumph Street Triple R; Loony stroker: KR1S; Track fun: GSXR750 L1; Commuter Missile: GSX-S1000F
Remember kids, bikes aren't like lego. You can't easily take a part from one bike and then fit it to another.

[M1ke]

A few times that I managed to take, I didn't get as many this time as there were too many distractions and I was enjoying watching too much!

I will just list the fastest lap times for people as I think thats all people really want

G = 1.47 (dry) 1.54 (wet)
korn = 1.58
A zx6 that was wheelying lots = 1.51
Shaun =2.17
dusty = 1.54
Danny = 2.14
Jay (33bhp hornet) = 2.31
Chap on an SP2 = 2.06
Laura = 2.27
Bendy = 2.28
jimbo = 2.12

All in all I think EVERYONE that rode at the last track day improved on their times, most noticably Laura knocked 10 seconds off her last times, G knocked around 5 seconds off his as did dusty. Bendys fastest last time was around 2.33 last time so well done there

If I didn't time you i'm sorry but there were alot of people riding this time! And bare in mind that these may not be your absolute fastest times, these were taken at various times throughout the day.

The guy on the SP2 that I timed can be found here https://www.alfa-pages.co.uk/TempPicture/Cadwell-20040717/Full/Img_6034.jpg I cant find one of the zx6.

Mike -
The bcf trackday timer

[Korn]

Very enjoyable day, drove up with Kev in his borrowed Mondeo running on free fuel (some sap had poured 50 quid's worth of super unleaded into their diesel and then had to pay Kev to drain it ) and after shopping to buy grub for the BBQ at a ridiculously expensive motorway services Marks & Spencer's we made good time the rest of the way. Arrived to find the BCF village already being erected and spent the evening making an offering to the rain demon in the form of ol' Donald barbecued in the center of a flaming pentagram.

Woke up the next day to find the rain had stopped during the night and after a damp start to the first session (and very nearly stacking it in the pits ) the track dried out and we had a glorious day's weather. I felt better in the inters and had considerable fun trying to chase the faster people in the group, improving by a few seconds on last visit's best laptime. Just before the last set of sessions the heavens opened and we had a mini rain storm - complete with thunder - so G was talked into sticking his wets on and impressed us for the next session by ploughing up huge plumes of water caning down the start/finish straight.

After it was all over I decided to put my rear tyre out of its misery before loading up our shite and heading home, with me and Kev stopping to sample some Lincolnshire sausages on the way. The boredom of the motorway journey back was broken by smoking cigars and texting shout-outs to the "BCF kru" to a pirate radio station we picked up, and apart from being stuck for 30 minutes in road works went by a lot quicker than the journey up.

Much fun was had, next one please
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3516 Miles, 11 Countries

[Shaun]

[G]

That SP2 could /definitely/ do a lot faster than that time... was probably held up or somethin'.

I was just about able to not loose /too/ much to him on the corners; didn't have a chance at all on the straights.