Rainy Trackdays?

[AngelGrinder]

I'm doing Snetterton tomorrow, and the forecast isn't looking too promising.

I've done 3 trackdays but have always been lucky with the weather. I won't lie, my bike isn't my everyday transport, so it doesn't get used alot in the rain, although I don't mind it.

If it's wet on track is it still worth going out? I know the likelihood of binning it is far higher, but I can also see it massively helping my confidence and skill if it goes well.

What would to do or have you done in the past?

I have Diablo 3's so they're not the worst choice for a rainy day, but I do have a useless to the point of pointlessness rear brake!
____________________
Currently Riding - 2002 Aprilia RSV1000 Mille

[Slacker24seve...]

Done 2 trackdays, both wet. First one went well until the last session where it all got a bit messy in a relatively high speed crash bang wallop scenario.

The second was with the Hornet owners' club. Mostly not riding Hornets, interestingly enough. 48 riders and nobody binned it* and most people had a good, if rather moist day. You do end up learning a lot and the gentle rear slides are fun. I was riding plain old Diablo Corsas; to be honest there are far better tyres in the wet.

*Special mention goes out to WelshD1k who failed to brake in time for the chicane and bounced over the kerbs and grass, somehow managed to stay on but I assume had a much tighter ringpiece afterwards. Oh how we laughed.
____________________
Triumph Daytona 675 track bike + girlfriend's Honda Hornet 600
Selling a hack/winter bike for less than a grand? PM me.
Banger rallies are ace

[P.addy]

[Souleh]

Hitting the track on sunday and was thinking the same!!

Fingers crossed

[0l0dom0l0]

Never done one in the wet and to be honest I think a wet trackay would do me good.

only thing I don't like is the fact I have a road attack front and an 023 rear. No doubt a good enough rider could KD it with the 023 no problem but the road attack never gave me the same confidence in the wet.

With a complete set of 023's I'd be more than happy to go out and give it some.
____________________
CBT Passed: 30/08/2009, Theory Passed: 31/08/2010, Mod 1 Passed: 6/9/2010, Mod 2 Passed: 13/09/2010. Restriction ended 13/09/2012.

Bikes: 2007 Derbi GPR 50, 1998 Yamaha Fazer 600 (written off), 2002 Yamaha Fazer 600, 1994 CBR 600F, 2003 Triumph Daytona 600, Kawasaki ZX6R J1.....Current: 2006 Yamaha FZ6, 1998 Suzuki TL1000R and a Honda VFR 400 NC30.

[Souleh]

Im on 016's! Slippy time

[DrDonnyBrago]

Next time it rains, go for a ride and hit some roundabouts or some tight sections, there is a surprising amount of traction in the wet .

[Wafer_Thin_Ham]

You don't need a rear brake really, even in the wet.

There's more grip than you think, and more grip than there would be on the roads in the rain because the surface is better.

You can always try and pick up some cut price wets of course.
____________________
My Flickr

[DynaMight]

Surprisingly theres normally a lot less (if any) crashes on wet trackdays, It really keeps people in line. If you have a good set of road rubber on, you'll be surprised how fast you can actually go due to the amount of heat you can get into them.

Naturally build yourself up slowly else it'll end in tears. It's nowhere near as fun as the dry, but always worth going out in the wet if its a new track. I personally dont normally bother if its a track I already know fairly well, but do if its a new track (to me). I dont have wets and generally have Racetec/Supercorsas on, so not exactly known for their wet weather ability.
____________________
My bikes are at https://www.bikepics.com/members/dynamight/

[robbieguy2003]

I'd be tempted to give it a go, i'd prefer proper wet though. When it's that light and greasy wet i'd imagine that is worse, though saying that i'm guessing tracks are nowhere near as bad as a road when it's slightly wet?
____________________
Current Bikes: Honda CBR 600RR - '07, Suzuki GSX1250 FA ST '11
Old Bikes: Suzuki Intruder 125 LC - '2001, Honda CBR 600F - '92, Honda CBR 600RR - '03

[AngelGrinder]

Just been out on first session and it's absolutely rediculous here, standing water etc and the rains very heavy! Only managed 3 laps before someone binned it on the straight giving it too much throttle. I took it very slowly, mainly to the fact I can't see much and the water has made the surface very shiny and hard to judge. Just going to poodle round and learn the circuit I think!

Hopefully the rain will calm down!
____________________
Currently Riding - 2002 Aprilia RSV1000 Mille

[Souleh]

Nice one guys cheers

Sunny and beautiful today but who knows what itll be like come sunday

Hitting the track on 1 month old bt016's with 1 previous TD done so plenty of life in there

[robbieguy2003]

Good luck fella

Hope the weather sorts itself out a bit!
____________________
Current Bikes: Honda CBR 600RR - '07, Suzuki GSX1250 FA ST '11
Old Bikes: Suzuki Intruder 125 LC - '2001, Honda CBR 600F - '92, Honda CBR 600RR - '03

[AngelGrinder]

Weather brightened up eventually, was a good day in the end, the final session was 100% dry.

The 2nd session had very little rain and you could actually see the track, so I became really suprised how much grip I had and was absolutely zooming. Had a really big rear slide rolling on throttle onto the straight, but luckily bike settled down before I hit the grass. Had ALOT of rear lock-ups from changing down too early, damn the Twins engine braking!

All in all, had a good day, learnt alot. Asked an instructor to follow me for a bit (not done it before) and got some good comments from him. After using his advice, it actually slowed me down alot, but I became smoother, so I guess building up the speed and confidence is what will come next.

I think I will invest in a gear indicator, just to stop me going down the gears too far, had a few hairy moments!

So, all in all, even though the weather was crap, still had a great day!
____________________
Currently Riding - 2002 Aprilia RSV1000 Mille

[0l0dom0l0]

[AngelGrinder]

Just be smooth and a bit gentler really. I found after a lap or 2 I was not thinking about the rain, and just thinking about being smooth. The corners really will suprise you how well you can go round them. Never felt any slipping in corners, only on throttle openings and downshifts.

I imagine a IL4 will be alot nicer in the rain than a litre twin, due to the smoother nature. Getting the throttle opened on th RSV was a very gentle procedure!

Also suprised how hard you could brake in a straight line. I'm guessing this is to do with the fact your still forcing 200kg of weight into that small rubber contact patch.

Talking of weight, here's what I did while getting the bike ready the other day -

https://a6.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/263111_10150309892829134_505134133_9139132_2947854_n.jpg

https://a5.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/264163_10150309892414134_505134133_9139129_1034752_n.jpg


And here's what Snetterton looked like this morning -

https://a1.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/265029_10150309893154134_505134133_9139134_3310937_n.jpg
____________________
Currently Riding - 2002 Aprilia RSV1000 Mille

[Souleh]

Umm

BT016 Pros were great, no chicken strips today

https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v231/alexanderpd/17072011459.jpg?t=1310923337

https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v231/alexanderpd/17072011457.jpg?t=1310923854