Lydden Trackday write-up (HOTTRAX)

[Gazdaman]

Well, the morning of the 20th of May, I dragged my arse out of bed at 4am after only 3.5hours sleep. Threw the panniers over the bike, put the tail pack on only to be disturbed by someone shouting "OOOIIIIII" very very loudly, whilst banging on the window of my house.

Then 2 of my housemates ran out to aprehend me from stealing my bike. Which was sweet

Anyway, got on my way, 3 hours, lots of ipoding later I rolled into Lydden hill paddock which for anyone who's been there knows it's a dusty track basically. I then met up with everyone. (Turned out MarJay sneaked into the scrutineering hut and slept in there! Cheeky bastard.)

- G's SV650 race bike. (Piloted by Bendy)
- MarJay's RGV250 with track fairings
- Luke's SV1000 with a bodged on SV650 race fairing
- Jay12329's Honda Hornet semi-track bike.

then me, on my faired Bandit, that I just rode there.

https://www.bristolbikers.com/gallery2/albums/Lydden2/lydsmall1.JPG

Obviously Bendy and SV, and myself with lid on.

Orange is the theme for BCFracing, I was handed the tape to tape up my lights etc, but I added some racing stripes on the bike, when my back was turned, my lid was 'chavved', and Jay added my stripes.

Signed on at about half 7. Only for the woman (whom I've never met before) looked at my form, asked if I liked Silverstone (my last trackday that I did with them, I was astonished she knew that, and I accused her of having that written down somewhere), she then noted that it wasn't my usual email address. And she even remembered that when I booked Silverstone I left the comment that I was black flagged at Lydden last time!

Either my name stands out, or my comment got her back up and therefore remembered me, but either way, quite a memory on her! Either that or I do too many trackdays.

Briefing started about quarter to 9. About a minute after it started it absolutely pissed down with rain. The ground was quite wet after having rained most of the night. But this left standing water all over the place and generally 'dampened' spirits.

Anyway, I was booked into intermediates 1 group (the same one Jay told me he was in). It turned out he was in inter's 2, so I was by myself in my group, never mind.

I was first out, out of our group, and I lined up directly behind the instructor, so was first out. We did 2 sighting laps before I was waved past, I wasn't overtaken for a good 3 laps, felt weird having the track completely my own in front of me.

After me Jay went out, then Bendy, Luke and MarJay. It was still wet, so things were taken very cautiously.

It went on like that for a few sessions, the track was starting to dry out and by the 3rd session you could give it a bit of stick.

Then the track almost completely dried, and the sun appeared for a while. Then we all had some brilliant fun, knees were grounded, pegs were ground down.

https://www.bristolbikers.com/gallery2/albums/Lydden2/lydsmall5.jpg
https://www.bristolbikers.com/gallery2/albums/Lydden2/gazsmall.JPG (I'm on the right)
https://www.bristolbikers.com/gallery2/albums/Lydden2/lydsmall8.jpg (Bendy on left, Luke on right)
https://www.bristolbikers.com/gallery2/albums/Lydden2/lydsmall9.jpg MarJay being held up by a very slow 'fightered' ZX6-r.

Then after lunch, the track was still quite dry, Jay was in very high spirits, very confident, knee was down on every corner. He was a happy man. Until he tried to play hide and seek...

https://www.bristolbikers.com/gallery2/albums/Lydden2/jaycrash.JPG
https://www.bristolbikers.com/gallery2/albums/Lydden2/lydsmall6.JPG
https://www.bristolbikers.com/gallery2/albums/Lydden2/lydsmall7.JPG

The crash mushroom did its job very well, other than some mud, a very slightly scratched end can, a broken brake lever, and a slightly bent footpeg hanger, the bike was fine. Jay on the other hand was quite shaken.

After lunch, Jay and I just took some photos of the Novice group (Bendy, MarJay and Luke). Luke took great pride in 'owning' Bendy on the hairpin.

https://www.bristolbikers.com/gallery2/albums/Lydden2/owned.JPG

After that the heavens opened, and didn't look like there was much chance of them closing again, so we packed all the bikes away, SV650 and RGV into the van, Hornet and SVthou onto Jay's trailer.

MarJay drove the injured Jay back home, Bendy drove the van, I hopped on my bike, and rode home.

A brilliant day, can't wait for more pictures to surface.

Let this be a lesson to you, even if it rains, don't think the day's a write off.

Gaz

[michael j]

Sounds like an excellent day was had by almost everyone
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Ducati 996

[Cillit-BANG]

Looked like a great day.

[Gazdaman]

I think I did 5 or 6 sessions and was completely shattered and called it a day.

Gaz

[G]

Lydden is a very physical track thanks to very few straight bits.

[MarJay]

Lydden. Now upgraded to my second favourite track after Cadwell.

I love the twisty ones!

The RGV was perfect for it apart from a small hole in the power around 8krpm. If I get it set up on a dyno it'll be my perfect track weapon.

Well chuffed!
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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.

[Shaun]

I guess this proves it, hornets shouldn't be allowed on track!

[Bendy]

Actually, I had a fairly shit day.

Had the CBR all ready to go on Friday morning and *pop*, there goes the fork seal again (conclusion - bent fork in Brands Hatch crash last year). Cue much rushing around to collect G's race bike and get the tyres changed.

I'd booked in novices because quite frankly my riding confidence has turned to shit. The CBR was off the road all winter, then back on for a bit, then off again with a bust fork seal, then back on but feeling weird (the bent fork)... so since the middle of November I've done maybe 300 miles, and a fair bit of that was motorway.

So out on the SV, which all feels rather weird. First session, I'm riding like a complete wuss, but fair enough, getting used to the bike. Second session I get stuck behind this really slow guy on some Kawasaki streetfighter. Why I can't just turn the throttle and get past him, I don't know, but I can't. Return to the pits REALLY annoyed with myself... I've ridden this bike here before and I was overtaking everything in sight, so I'm painfully aware of just how badly I'm doing.

Third session I start to get it together, the brain switch flips and I start thinking about getting past people rather than thinking about riding the bike. Speed probably doubles compared to the previous sessions (that's how slow I was going!) and I at least make Luke put some work into getting past me, and keep him in sight when he does.

I miss the fourth session cos Jay's just gone down and I go to make sure he's alright. Session five I'm doing alright again, though I get past a bunch of slow people to find myself rather alone for a few laps - I prefer having someone to chase so that kinda halts my progress. Jay and Gaz are at the hairpin taking pics and just on the last lap Luke goes for some major pose action and 'owns me' around the outside for the benefit of the cameras.

Rain comes in big style and while I could use G's wet tyres, everyone else is making 'lets go home' noises and I don't really protest too much.

Conclusions... it's really depressing to see how much slower I was compared to the last time I rode at Lydden, I'm obviously not one of those people who can take a 5 month lay-off and be straight back out at the same level as before. New forks are ordered for the CBR and I'm just going to have to get some hours in before Cadwell, where I need to be back at Inters level or risk a shitey day of getting my ass kicked.

[Shaun]