Anyone done Brands Indy?

EuropeanNC30R... · Gay Hairdresser Joined: 20 Jun 2002 Karma :

I've booked myself in for this Sunday, the weather forecast isn't looking bad Praying

Just wondering if anyone's done it before and knows what it's like etc? I'll be riding a vfr400.

Cheers
Maurice

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

I did one session on a KR1S that was dripping oil onto the rear tyre; also had knackered rear suspension.

It's a fairly basic 'horse shoe' shape.
Not sure of the corner's names, but you start with (padock hill?) a medium speed right that falls away very quickly. Straight up to a pretty straightforward one eighty degree hairpin at the top of a hill.
However you can't go right to the opposite side of the track on the exit as you need to be on the right hand side for the next corner; a fairly sharp ninety degree left. A small straight and you're up to a faster more sweeping left, that follows into a longer sweeping right that goes back to the start finish straight.

I might pop along and take some pics. If I do, do you want any tools etc bringing?

EuropeanNC30R... · Gay Hairdresser Joined: 20 Jun 2002 Karma :

Thanks for the info Smile

I do intend to take a small socket set, some spanners and allen keys etc, but if you're coming in the car it might be handy to have some extra Smile

cliff · Doctor Sicknote Joined: 10 Feb 2004 Karma :

What time sunday? I might come down for some photos and return to the old haunts. (I used to live right near Brands). Smile

____________________
Sweet reggae music.

Bendy · Mrs Sensible Joined: 10 Jun 2002 Karma :

Want anyone to bring a trailer? Wink

EuropeanNC30R... · Gay Hairdresser Joined: 20 Jun 2002 Karma :

Signing on is at 8am, though the riding doesn't start until 10am (council moaning apparently), straight through lunch until dusk.

Laughing

I'm not going there with the intention of throwing my bike down the track!

cliff · Doctor Sicknote Joined: 10 Feb 2004 Karma :

LustyLew · World Chat Champion Joined: 19 Apr 2004 Karma :

Hmmm, it must only be a small track day.

I've been there many a time as a medic, corners to watch out for on the Indy circuit are, Paddock Hill, Druids (hair pin) and Clearways.

Plenty of 'offs' to be had there!
____________________
Like a Yorkie - I'm not for the girls Wink

Adam_P · World Chat Champion Joined: 23 Jan 2004 Karma :

swaffs · World Chat Champion Joined: 18 Mar 2004 Karma :

I've just tried to book a space with focused events. All sold out

Crying or Very sad

I'll probably be there with camera etc. might bring a mate with his Gixxer for some BCF induction.

Hope to see some of you there.

Swaffs
____________________
Swaffs Photography |
BCF vinyl stickers
"Look not back in anger, nor forward in fear, but around you in awareness."

swaffs · World Chat Champion Joined: 18 Mar 2004 Karma :

Bendy · Mrs Sensible Joined: 10 Jun 2002 Karma :

Nor me nor Jay nor Danny nor Mike.

G on the other hand, I reckon he's always intending to throw it down the track and when he doesn't, concludes that he's not trying hard enough. Smile

EuropeanNC30R... · Gay Hairdresser Joined: 20 Jun 2002 Karma :

Hmmn it'd be a nice luxury to have a backup trailer, but kind of hard to justify you towing one all the way from Slough etc just 'in case' I have a mishap. Also if I know there's a trailer waiting I'll probably subconciously take less care.

VTR SP1 · Brolly Dolly Joined: 31 Aug 2004 Karma :

How much did that cost then?

sp1

EuropeanNC30R... · Gay Hairdresser Joined: 20 Jun 2002 Karma :

It was £85.

Bendy · Mrs Sensible Joined: 10 Jun 2002 Karma :

The car with the towbar's off the road at the moment anyway.

So don't crash. Very Happy

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

I can always return with a van, but would prefer not to take it down initially (providing I can get it started Confused

).

Or we can all push it down the road and call recovery Smile

.

EuropeanNC30R... · Gay Hairdresser Joined: 20 Jun 2002 Karma :

Yeah I'm thinking RAC.

"hello, Rac?"
-"How can we help you?"
"Erm, I've had a little accident in the Brands Hatch carpark"

Laughing

If they get arsey I've got breakdown from my insurance company too Thumbs Up

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

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

Both M and me have got breakdown to recover us from dragracing tracks with burnt out clutches Smile

.

jjonth · Renault 5 Driver Joined: 09 May 2004 Karma :

Brands is a good track. After Paddock hill, it's suprising how quickly Druids comes, you look at it and its seems like a pretty long straight up there, but your there in no time even on a 125 lol. After Druids is Graham Hill Bends I think, the sharpish left hander which is good fun on a Honda 125 with your toe sliders scraping and your knee without you even sticking it out. After that theres the esses leading on to the follow through (or whatever its called). The esses are great as you can really hammer through on a 125, then you go into the Follow through which just goes on and on lol, another one of those where everything is scraping all the way around. Ive only raced there once and its a pretty easy to learn track (just Paddock Hill thats tricky), I got my time down to 58secs (77mph) and my bike was running way too rich as we lost the one we needed sometime that day (full throttle just bogged it down the straight, thank god its short lol, so i had to 3/4 it all the way just to stop it from bogging), the radiator was clogged and it was probably undergeared as I got it as good as we could due to the jetting so it was pretty slow down the straights lol (really slow, as been a 1991 model its pretty much the slowest thing out there anyway).

Dunno what its like in the wet, but if its grippy in the dry (which it is) then it is probably lethal in the wet, just like Donington. Razz

Anyway enjoy yourself. I can't wait till March as its gonna racing all year and I have a brand new 2005 bike for it, it's got like 10bhp more than mine has at the moment, thats 45 at the rear wheel + a 68kg dry weight (about 75 with enough fuel for a race). Gonna feel like an absolute missile compared to the 91 and my Aprilia road bike.

swaffs · World Chat Champion Joined: 18 Mar 2004 Karma :

Well...

A nice day cold, but dry (until the last session)

Maurice decided to join the track day crashing club.....

Seems like he had a little colision with another bike on the straight, unfortunately Mau lost..

G managed to catch the after collision pics...

https://www.swaffs.co.uk/images/Maurice.jpg

Myself and G took various pics.
more in the phot thread.

or look in my gallery below.
____________________
Swaffs Photography |
BCF vinyl stickers
"Look not back in anger, nor forward in fear, but around you in awareness."

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

Sorry to hear about the crash Sad

Is he/the bike okay?

Good pictures though.

swaffs · World Chat Champion Joined: 18 Mar 2004 Karma :

he was fine and rode away with needing the truck/ambulance.
came out again for the next session.

more pics here;
[url]: https://www.bikechatforums.com/viewtopic.php?p=389676#389676[/url]

you can see the crash damage in that thread.

Swaffs
____________________
Swaffs Photography |
BCF vinyl stickers
"Look not back in anger, nor forward in fear, but around you in awareness."