Knockhill Track Day 170720

[derillius24]

I was at Knockhill yesterday for my first track-day on my 10. Went along with my dad and one of my best mates and it was a fantastic day. Left Dundee early in sunshine but by the time we got to Kinross, 15 miles from the track, it was pouring – they say that if you can’t see the big hill behind the circuit, it’s raining – if you can see it, it’s going to rain soon. Looked like it was going to be yet another wet Knockhill outing!

Unfortunately, my friend who was coming from Aberdeen called at 8.30 to say, unbelievably, that he’d crashed his bike two miles from the circuit. Clutch lever snapped clean off right at the perch. Fortunately, his missus was following in a van so he managed to get it loaded up and get to the track. Bloody shame though, he’s a good rider but it fair knocked his confidence for the rest of the day. After a couple of botch job failures on our part, Eddie Stone at ERS Racing managed to adapt an old brake lever and perch from a dirt bike in his workshop and got him going again – top man.

The weather was changeable all day. About half of the sessions were dry, others ranged from drizzly to wet. We’d all booked into novice because it was the only group with any spaces remaining, but to be honest I was glad. There were plenty of very decent riders in our group, experienced road riders with varying levels of track experience, most were on 600 - 1000 track bikes, and the standard in the inters group looked really high. Everyone except two in that group were on litre track bikes and they were quick. The fast group was mental. Lots of club racers and even Rory Skinner who is always spectacular to watch; a small, unassuming 17 year old taking lumps out of everyone on an R6 and getting his elbow down all over the place. Impressive! Great group of lads in our group and we had a really cool time chatting with them all between sessions.

The MT-10 was incredible on track. I was a bit concerned that it’d be a bit of a handful around Knockhill - it’s a tricky, gnarly track - but it was just awesome. Precise handling, huge torque to get past slower riders safely and plenty of frightening high speed wheelies over the start-finish straight crests! I was on Road 5s and they were superb. I'm sure a faster rider would've found their limits, but they were perfectly adequate for my pace and experience, and they were excellent in the wet sessions. Got my knee down for the first time (😀) and kept touching the pegs down at the hairpin - body position needs some work.

My dad was awesome on his Street Triple. He raced Knockhill and East Fortune for many years in his younger days and it was super cool to see him get on it again. I was working hard on my braking, and was feeling better and better on them, but my old man was so f***ing good on the brakes. He kept doing me into the hairpin and Duffus dip (and hasn't let me forget), and despite being on one of the smallest capacity bikes in the group he was taking lumps out of everyone. A good 20 years older than anyone else in the group, too. The racing spirit lives on .

Superb day, brilliantly well organised and run by the Knockhill staff who were as friendly and helpful as ever, and all home safe and sound. I want to do it again right now!

TL;DR: MT10 was awesome, had a blast.

Cheers!

https://i.postimg.cc/zXSJXmkh/40-D085-D8-8859-4-EB7-BEA7-366135-C6783-E-1-201-a.jpg

https://i.postimg.cc/0Qp4dvjd/4-B1841-D3-E243-451-A-A5-BE-CF341-EEB3743.jpg

https://i.postimg.cc/XN9WQMmP/629852-DA-4-AC6-45-AC-BD49-8-CF3-AF092529-1-201-a.jpg

https://i.postimg.cc/1t6kC6CF/68-B78-BF3-5-DBA-4-C7-D-8704-D0-F863-BCD278-1-201-a.jpg

https://i.postimg.cc/D0TttZHM/72281-F0-C-2-AE6-488-B-BC41-50392164-F07-C.jpg

https://i.postimg.cc/9Fc6bDG4/C2-C499-BA-6343-4-C15-80-C2-CE68-E3-F3-AF3-A.jpg

https://i.postimg.cc/bwJKX4Vp/F463-BD2-D-6-A45-4809-B178-E13-F0-D25-C4-FC.jpg

https://i.postimg.cc/yN3txczG/F8-C843-DF-1-E19-4-F24-B60-A-14770-B8464-BF.jpg
____________________
CG125, CBF250, DRZ400-SM, Z750, Street Triple R, Tuono V4R

[struan80]

Love Knockhil, I used to race an XR2 there in SMRC. A trackday is definitely a good way to get the adrenaline going. You can get hooked on it. Before you know it you'll be getting a dedicated trackbike.