Over 700 miles, 4 days and a Desmosedici
Discussion
Firstly sorry for the delay in update. I really wanted to update it sooner however I was waiting for the trackday images CD to arrive and it took longer than I expected.
Anyway without much further ado it's time for Episode 3
So Friday the 5th had arrived.
I was rudely awoken by the alarm just before 7am, the first thing on my mind was the weather. A quick glance out the window showed it being a bit misty with a layer of due resting on my bike.
Great. I just hoped it would be clear enough for the Sun to burn it off.
A quick trip downstairs to be greeted with a hearty fry up before setting off saw me leave around 7:20ish. I couldn't remember the set up the last time I was at Anglesey and as I had read signing on was at 7:30am so I wanted to be there fairly promptly.
Cue a lovely, if a little short, morning blast with a fuel can strapped to the pillion seat and a tank bag full of tools on fairly empty roads which saw me arrive at approx. 7:40am.
I need not have worried as signing on was done with minimum hassle and without even checking my licence or anything!
I didn't manage to bag a pit garage but then neither did I put much effort into looking for one. I ended up parking next to a lovely couple who had travelled from Exeter for the day and let me loan the back of there van for bunging any valuables etc in whilst on Track or wandering off (Cheers again Martin and Tracey!)
After a little wandering feeling a little lost and not really knowing what to do I decided to get the mirrors and pillion grab rails off, coupled with plenty of tape on the lights and over the bolts for the mirrors I had now engaged Track mode (optional setting on all VFR750's I believe).
After a little while an 899 Panigale and an S2R Monster pulled up side by side both with Irish plates and I was looking forward to seeing them both on track, sadly it wasn't meant to be as the riders had booked on with Smallboy renting for the day. The reasons will be explained later.
Fast forward and after a non-exciting briefing it was announced that Inters would be out first. b
ks!
I had been hoping for a little more time to settle my nerves.
A quick nervous poo later and all was well.
Inters were called to the pit lane and so not wanting to hold people up in the first session due to being on a road bike, with road bias tyres and no tyre warmers, and the niggling question in the back of my head of "What's that final corner going to be like?" I opted to leave it a little before I joined the queue.
Around the back of the pits I went to be faced with a 1/3rd full pit lane. Double bks!
I decided to just hope for the best and with 3 sighting laps I was sure I'd at least get some temperature into the tyres, being waved through the pit lane up to the front after watching people be released and suddenly I was on the front row for the second wave. Triple bks!
The 3 sighting laps felt ok and the pace felt slow although naturally it should I suppose. So after the instructor peeled in I knew it was time to start being a little serious. The first corner felt ace, the second, lovely with a little rear tyre squirm. A good reminder not to push hard too early, track temperature still wasn't up to much.
A quick glance behind exiting the second corner too see if I'm about to hold others up or not showed I had a comfortable margin, with that a little weight was lifted and onto the rest of the lap. Heading up the braking point of Rocket (the uphill slow left hander) and red flags were waved. fking ultra st bks!
I was just starting to get a rhythm. I wish I could say this was the only time it happened.
A guy had binned his street/speed triple right on the exit and there were a few bits of plastic scattered but it didn't look to bad and the rider was walking away.
I was later told the cranked had seized high-siding him. No idea if it was a mechanical defect or preventable mechanical issue or whether he was just too eager.
Back in pit lane and we were told 5 minutes of clean up as oil was down. A few minutes later and we were sent back to the paddock. 15 minutes later everybody was called to pitlane, it transpired there was oil over 8-10 feet of the circuit right on the apex. They had tried cleaning it with all sorts but it was still dodgy and so had coned the section off which meant that for the morning the exit of Rocket ran right up to the kerb and meant single file traffic!
Too much writing time for a few pics. I have no idea of the order/sessions etc but then again I don't give two hoots.
As a side note the above blade was also on PR3's, had his plate on and was knee down most places... I caught him in the corners most times
Onto the second session and the first decent bit of pace gathering. A couple of times while cranking the bike over I had the pegs touch down. I've touched the pegs down a couple of times on the road but other than a mark or two my hero blobs were almost brand new looking.
I had hoped the pegs wouldn't be down too much on track later in the day.
The second session felt overall good and I started to pick up the lines and braking points a little and surprisingly I overtook a dedicated R6 track bike painted in an 80's Yam scheme, think yellow with black squares and white flashes... oh you guys know what I mean, more surprisingly I didn't get passed by too many people although a 748 Duc did lift me up tipping into the fast right kink as you head up towards rocket
Whilst waiting for my third session I noticed Matt from Smallboy and decided to see if he remembered me trashing his bike just over a year ago, not surprisingly he did I also got chatting to Szymon who I found out owned the Duc 899 and his girlfriend, Nina, was in novice who owned the Monster. He explained the reason behind not taking the Pan on track was due to him stacking it at Mondello some time ago and causing 2000 Euro's worth of damage! For his mind the risk was to great which is understandable.
This is where things get hazy, the more I try to remember the more the later sessions start to merge into one however I think the third session went something like.
Pegs down quite a lot for prolonged periods while cornering, a little unnerving at first however I quickly realised it was purely a clearance issue and nothing more.
Whilst starting to get more comfortable I was noticing when winding on the power out of corners the rear were shimmy/bog down slightly.
I think the 21 year old standard shock is slightly past it's best
Annoyingly the sparks aren't easily visible but I assure you they're there if you you look!
Fourth session I grabbed Martin (Mav), one of the instructors on hand to see if he could give me a few tips on the lines etc.
The whole of the session felt uncomfortable and when I saw Mav pull alongside, tap the tail as a follow me sign I just felt a little more out of my depth.
After a lap or so he waved me by and started following. The only real moment I had all day was exiting the right of peel, cranked right over pegs doing there best impression of a grinder on the surface of the tarmac, I just started to open it up and I think I shifted my weight slightly, peg dug into the ground and I had the beginnings of a high side, it wasn't violent enough to do anything than knock my already falling confidence.
I saw Mav after the session and the first thing he said was "Sorry Tom just heading back out in this session with someone, I'll find you after" and with that he turned away, two steps later he turned back and said "fking hell, get the fking footpegs off!"
I'm still not sure what he meant by that.
The real debrief afterwards went along the lines of- My lines aren't bad, I'm pushing the bike well but the bike is holding me back really (I don't for a moment think I can out ride the bike before anyone jumps on me for me pretending to be a riding god), I should get a track bike and within 4/5 track days there is no reason I can't move up to fast group.
Cue huge grin coupled with a massive confidence boost!
He also said I could hang off more and I could brake a bit later but mainly the bike isn't up to it. I know my body position needs work and I could hang off more but the seating position doesn't feel so great when hanging off, maybe it just takes practice.
Final session/sessions (I can't even recall how many there were) went by with a more relaxed attitude, less peg scraping but felt quicker/more comfortable.
Highlight of being on track, catching a big bang R1 on the brakes into the final corner.
Lowlight being done around the outside by a girl with her knee on the deck on an RS125 at the second corner.
So that pretty much wraps up the day. The evening had it's own events but for now enjoy a few more pictures. I'm pooped after writing all that.
Tyres looked like this
Mmm melty
I forgot to say, the Desmo was being spanked in the fast group by a gent that had brought both his Desmo and his Pani Superleggera to the track. His Desmo was #993 of 1500 and I did get pictures of them side by side but my phone wiped them
Szymon (the guy with the 899) said he spoke to him and he was friendly and approachable, apparently he had a 998R at home that he didn't want to risk at the track... go figure!
But yes for all those who haven't heard a Desmosedici on full chat in person it sounds like what you might imagine God may sound like gargling razor blades and whisky down a traffic cone. Angry yet full of raw power. Really it was
Stay tuned for your next dreary installment of my mediocre adventures. You stay classy BB
Anyway without much further ado it's time for Episode 3
So Friday the 5th had arrived.
I was rudely awoken by the alarm just before 7am, the first thing on my mind was the weather. A quick glance out the window showed it being a bit misty with a layer of due resting on my bike.
Great. I just hoped it would be clear enough for the Sun to burn it off.
A quick trip downstairs to be greeted with a hearty fry up before setting off saw me leave around 7:20ish. I couldn't remember the set up the last time I was at Anglesey and as I had read signing on was at 7:30am so I wanted to be there fairly promptly.
Cue a lovely, if a little short, morning blast with a fuel can strapped to the pillion seat and a tank bag full of tools on fairly empty roads which saw me arrive at approx. 7:40am.
I need not have worried as signing on was done with minimum hassle and without even checking my licence or anything!
I didn't manage to bag a pit garage but then neither did I put much effort into looking for one. I ended up parking next to a lovely couple who had travelled from Exeter for the day and let me loan the back of there van for bunging any valuables etc in whilst on Track or wandering off (Cheers again Martin and Tracey!)
After a little wandering feeling a little lost and not really knowing what to do I decided to get the mirrors and pillion grab rails off, coupled with plenty of tape on the lights and over the bolts for the mirrors I had now engaged Track mode (optional setting on all VFR750's I believe).
After a little while an 899 Panigale and an S2R Monster pulled up side by side both with Irish plates and I was looking forward to seeing them both on track, sadly it wasn't meant to be as the riders had booked on with Smallboy renting for the day. The reasons will be explained later.
Fast forward and after a non-exciting briefing it was announced that Inters would be out first. b
ks!I had been hoping for a little more time to settle my nerves.
A quick nervous poo later and all was well.
Inters were called to the pit lane and so not wanting to hold people up in the first session due to being on a road bike, with road bias tyres and no tyre warmers, and the niggling question in the back of my head of "What's that final corner going to be like?" I opted to leave it a little before I joined the queue.
Around the back of the pits I went to be faced with a 1/3rd full pit lane. Double b
ks!I decided to just hope for the best and with 3 sighting laps I was sure I'd at least get some temperature into the tyres, being waved through the pit lane up to the front after watching people be released and suddenly I was on the front row for the second wave. Triple b
ks!The 3 sighting laps felt ok and the pace felt slow although naturally it should I suppose. So after the instructor peeled in I knew it was time to start being a little serious. The first corner felt ace, the second, lovely with a little rear tyre squirm. A good reminder not to push hard too early, track temperature still wasn't up to much.
A quick glance behind exiting the second corner too see if I'm about to hold others up or not showed I had a comfortable margin, with that a little weight was lifted and onto the rest of the lap. Heading up the braking point of Rocket (the uphill slow left hander) and red flags were waved. f
king ultra st bks! I was just starting to get a rhythm. I wish I could say this was the only time it happened.
A guy had binned his street/speed triple right on the exit and there were a few bits of plastic scattered but it didn't look to bad and the rider was walking away.
I was later told the cranked had seized high-siding him. No idea if it was a mechanical defect or preventable mechanical issue or whether he was just too eager.
Back in pit lane and we were told 5 minutes of clean up as oil was down. A few minutes later and we were sent back to the paddock. 15 minutes later everybody was called to pitlane, it transpired there was oil over 8-10 feet of the circuit right on the apex. They had tried cleaning it with all sorts but it was still dodgy and so had coned the section off which meant that for the morning the exit of Rocket ran right up to the kerb and meant single file traffic!
Too much writing time for a few pics. I have no idea of the order/sessions etc but then again I don't give two hoots.
As a side note the above blade was also on PR3's, had his plate on and was knee down most places... I caught him in the corners most times
Onto the second session and the first decent bit of pace gathering. A couple of times while cranking the bike over I had the pegs touch down. I've touched the pegs down a couple of times on the road but other than a mark or two my hero blobs were almost brand new looking.
I had hoped the pegs wouldn't be down too much on track later in the day.
The second session felt overall good and I started to pick up the lines and braking points a little and surprisingly I overtook a dedicated R6 track bike painted in an 80's Yam scheme, think yellow with black squares and white flashes... oh you guys know what I mean, more surprisingly I didn't get passed by too many people although a 748 Duc did lift me up tipping into the fast right kink as you head up towards rocket
Whilst waiting for my third session I noticed Matt from Smallboy and decided to see if he remembered me trashing his bike just over a year ago, not surprisingly he did
I also got chatting to Szymon who I found out owned the Duc 899 and his girlfriend, Nina, was in novice who owned the Monster. He explained the reason behind not taking the Pan on track was due to him stacking it at Mondello some time ago and causing 2000 Euro's worth of damage! For his mind the risk was to great which is understandable. This is where things get hazy, the more I try to remember the more the later sessions start to merge into one however I think the third session went something like.
Pegs down quite a lot for prolonged periods while cornering, a little unnerving at first however I quickly realised it was purely a clearance issue and nothing more.
Whilst starting to get more comfortable I was noticing when winding on the power out of corners the rear were shimmy/bog down slightly.
I think the 21 year old standard shock is slightly past it's best
Annoyingly the sparks aren't easily visible but I assure you they're there if you you look!
Fourth session I grabbed Martin (Mav), one of the instructors on hand to see if he could give me a few tips on the lines etc.
The whole of the session felt uncomfortable and when I saw Mav pull alongside, tap the tail as a follow me sign I just felt a little more out of my depth.
After a lap or so he waved me by and started following. The only real moment I had all day was exiting the right of peel, cranked right over pegs doing there best impression of a grinder on the surface of the tarmac, I just started to open it up and I think I shifted my weight slightly, peg dug into the ground and I had the beginnings of a high side, it wasn't violent enough to do anything than knock my already falling confidence.
I saw Mav after the session and the first thing he said was "Sorry Tom just heading back out in this session with someone, I'll find you after" and with that he turned away, two steps later he turned back and said "f
king hell, get the fking footpegs off!"I'm still not sure what he meant by that.
The real debrief afterwards went along the lines of- My lines aren't bad, I'm pushing the bike well but the bike is holding me back really (I don't for a moment think I can out ride the bike before anyone jumps on me for me pretending to be a riding god), I should get a track bike and within 4/5 track days there is no reason I can't move up to fast group.
Cue huge grin coupled with a massive confidence boost!
He also said I could hang off more and I could brake a bit later but mainly the bike isn't up to it. I know my body position needs work and I could hang off more but the seating position doesn't feel so great when hanging off, maybe it just takes practice.
Final session/sessions (I can't even recall how many there were) went by with a more relaxed attitude, less peg scraping but felt quicker/more comfortable.
Highlight of being on track, catching a big bang R1 on the brakes into the final corner.
Lowlight being done around the outside by a girl with her knee on the deck on an RS125 at the second corner.
So that pretty much wraps up the day. The evening had it's own events but for now enjoy a few more pictures. I'm pooped after writing all that.
Tyres looked like this
Mmm melty
I forgot to say, the Desmo was being spanked in the fast group by a gent that had brought both his Desmo and his Pani Superleggera to the track. His Desmo was #993 of 1500 and I did get pictures of them side by side but my phone wiped them
Szymon (the guy with the 899) said he spoke to him and he was friendly and approachable, apparently he had a 998R at home that he didn't want to risk at the track... go figure!
But yes for all those who haven't heard a Desmosedici on full chat in person it sounds like what you might imagine God may sound like gargling razor blades and whisky down a traffic cone. Angry yet full of raw power. Really it was
Stay tuned for your next dreary installment of my mediocre adventures. You stay classy BB
I enjoyed that, for some reason I particularly enjoy the track day reports from fellow BBers I can feel the fun in the post. I so want to do Anglesey.
Are you going to get a track bike?
How did you find the PR3's on the track? Great tyre on the road and for a novice/inter rider the perform well, tread block movement was a bit horrible mind you.
If you are keeping the bike for road and track try the PP3's. Whilst i'm not a lover of them on the track, I think I held them in too high a regard. They wear brilliantly and they are a better all round tyre than the PR3s
Are you going to get a track bike?
How did you find the PR3's on the track? Great tyre on the road and for a novice/inter rider the perform well, tread block movement was a bit horrible mind you.
If you are keeping the bike for road and track try the PP3's. Whilst i'm not a lover of them on the track, I think I held them in too high a regard. They wear brilliantly and they are a better all round tyre than the PR3s
LoonR1 said:
Another good instalment. I'd take the story about the seized Triumph with a pinch of salt. Talent running out is far more likely.
No one ever goes, I fked up it was me, do they. there is always someone blaming something or someoneUnless your me and I call myself a f
king clown for being a tit...I agree Loon however I heard it off someone that had no affiliation with him as far as I'm aware. Could be a Chinese whispers job.
Cheers MTB, although I've only ridden Anglesey from what I do know it's fantastic. I love it and would certainly choose a 7 hour nice trip to Anglesey than a 1 hour boring trip to Castle Combe.
With regard to the PR3's they seemed fine and honestly I didn't notice this tread block movement people seem to mention. Either i'm too st to notice or the bike is too soft to show it although it's more likely a combo of both.
I may track it again but it's certainly not going to be a track bike by any means. If it was going to make it a track bike I'd need to spend about £500 minimum to get it ready and I'd rather put that towards a dedicated track bike.
Eta thanks for the kind words chaps.
Cheers MTB, although I've only ridden Anglesey from what I do know it's fantastic. I love it and would certainly choose a 7 hour nice trip to Anglesey than a 1 hour boring trip to Castle Combe.
With regard to the PR3's they seemed fine and honestly I didn't notice this tread block movement people seem to mention. Either i'm too s
t to notice or the bike is too soft to show it although it's more likely a combo of both. I may track it again but it's certainly not going to be a track bike by any means. If it was going to make it a track bike I'd need to spend about £500 minimum to get it ready and I'd rather put that towards a dedicated track bike.
Eta thanks for the kind words chaps.
Edited by MotorsportTom on Thursday 18th September 23:03
"(I saw Mav after the session and the first thing he said was "Sorry Tom just heading back out in this session with someone, I'll find you after" and with that he turned away, two steps later he turned back and said "fking hell, get the fking footpegs off!")"
There is only one "Mav" out there, stumpy little funny fecker from Tottington nr. Bury.....one of the funniest guy's you'll ever meet!! He's a mate and I shall ask him for the explanation for you - hopefully there will be an interpreter handy 'cos it's pretty hard to decipher what he's going on about at the best of times !
Great read so far and yes, PR 3s will easily do the job on track up to quite a decent pace,I've instructed on them at Cadwell and Castle Combe when they were still on bike after a road trip and surprised me how they performed,only starting to slide after severe abuse once overheated but with good feel and predictability and great for those iffy colder / damp days.
There is only one "Mav" out there, stumpy little funny fecker from Tottington nr. Bury.....one of the funniest guy's you'll ever meet!! He's a mate and I shall ask him for the explanation for you - hopefully there will be an interpreter handy 'cos it's pretty hard to decipher what he's going on about at the best of times !
Great read so far and yes, PR 3s will easily do the job on track up to quite a decent pace,I've instructed on them at Cadwell and Castle Combe when they were still on bike after a road trip and surprised me how they performed,only starting to slide after severe abuse once overheated but with good feel and predictability and great for those iffy colder / damp days.
hebegb494 said:
"(I saw Mav after the session and the first thing he said was "Sorry Tom just heading back out in this session with someone, I'll find you after" and with that he turned away, two steps later he turned back and said "fking hell, get the fking footpegs off!")"
There is only one "Mav" out there, stumpy little funny fecker from Tottington nr. Bury.....one of the funniest guy's you'll ever meet!! He's a mate and I shall ask him for the explanation for you - hopefully there will be an interpreter handy 'cos it's pretty hard to decipher what he's going on about at the best of times !
Great read so far and yes, PR 3s will easily do the job on track up to quite a decent pace,I've instructed on them at Cadwell and Castle Combe when they were still on bike after a road trip and surprised me how they performed,only starting to slide after severe abuse once overheated but with good feel and predictability and great for those iffy colder / damp days.
Apparently he doesn't like being asked if he's a plumber There is only one "Mav" out there, stumpy little funny fecker from Tottington nr. Bury.....one of the funniest guy's you'll ever meet!! He's a mate and I shall ask him for the explanation for you - hopefully there will be an interpreter handy 'cos it's pretty hard to decipher what he's going on about at the best of times !
Great read so far and yes, PR 3s will easily do the job on track up to quite a decent pace,I've instructed on them at Cadwell and Castle Combe when they were still on bike after a road trip and surprised me how they performed,only starting to slide after severe abuse once overheated but with good feel and predictability and great for those iffy colder / damp days.
LoonR1 said:
hebegb494 said:
""Apparently he doesn't like being asked if he's a plumber ""
He needs to stop parking his van with " M.Platt.Plumbing and heating"
further from the garage he is in then !
He's a Heating Engineer, don't you know He needs to stop parking his van with " M.Platt.Plumbing and heating"
further from the garage he is in then !
Ps try to get him to say "this,that and the other..." there used to be a winner take all sweepstake for that one !
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