the bb trackday thread.
Discussion
Reardy Mister said:
So if you had warmers, you'd push from the out lap?
Have you used warmers before? theres definite added confidence to the beginning of the sessions. Even if its a mental thing that when you dont have warmers you cant go quite as hard straight away its still there.Cracking pictures mtb, glad to see your grumpy posts back
Tim85 said:
Reardy Mister said:
So if you had warmers, you'd push from the out lap?
Have you used warmers before? theres definite added confidence to the beginning of the sessions. Even if its a mental thing that when you dont have warmers you cant go quite as hard straight away its still there.Cracking pictures mtb, glad to see your grumpy posts back
Reardy Mister said:
No I haven't, that's why I'm asking if he goes 100% straight from the off or still does a few warm up laps, even with warmers used. The point is to try and assess the extent to which the benefit of warmers is largely psychological, especially in inters. Which is not to detract from their value, riding fast is a confidence game, as we know. But I do suspect much of it is in the mind, given the performance and operating window of a modern trackday/fast road tyre.
I think theres a definite benefit even in inters. Although it does baffle me when people take their tyre warmers off then try get to the front of the queue and sit for 10 minutes with their engine off. tyres are amazing these days but id still not like to go out and get straight on it without warmers. Even if it is in my mind i dont want to find out if its not. Also dont forget theres a lot of cross over between top of inters bottom of fast so when does it become 'acceptable' to use warmers. Try some if you can and youll understand the feeling. 
I use warmers. My rear Warner broke at Donongton a few weeks back. All the lights worked but nothing else. Every session for the first lap I nearly high sides myself going round every corner. I couldn't understand it until I realised that error.
Warmers work but only if you're going to push from the outset.
Warmers work but only if you're going to push from the outset.
Tim85 said:
Reardy Mister said:
No I haven't, that's why I'm asking if he goes 100% straight from the off or still does a few warm up laps, even with warmers used. The point is to try and assess the extent to which the benefit of warmers is largely psychological, especially in inters. Which is not to detract from their value, riding fast is a confidence game, as we know. But I do suspect much of it is in the mind, given the performance and operating window of a modern trackday/fast road tyre.
I think theres a definite benefit even in inters. Although it does baffle me when people take their tyre warmers off then try get to the front of the queue and sit for 10 minutes with their engine off. tyres are amazing these days but id still not like to go out and get straight on it without warmers. Even if it is in my mind i dont want to find out if its not. Also dont forget theres a lot of cross over between top of inters bottom of fast so when does it become 'acceptable' to use warmers. Try some if you can and youll understand the feeling. 
gwm said:
The supercorsas felt sticky after one lap, it was a pretty warm day afterall.
MTB was just being super cautious as he's a big girl.
I binned it the trackday before pushing too hard on cold Wets. Possibly. I wasn't going through the same ball ache regardless of how slow I went around. MTB was just being super cautious as he's a big girl.
I had a guy quite irate come up to me and say he passed me on Lap one then I passed him later. I think the brunt of his argument was that I'd taken his overtake personally. When I pointed to the bike on the sidestand with no warmers the penny dropped.
Also I run my tyres a good few psi down. I struggle to turn the front on super corsas till they are 33 psi.
Track day report!
This will probably be a bit s
t compared to most reports because I can't think of eleventy million words when just one will do but I've got some time to fill so you can read the bks I'm about to post.
Turned at Oulton this morning way too early at about 6:20. There was barely anyone there but I know Loon was coming at some point so dumped my bike in a garage and waited for him to turn up. Less than half an hour later he arrives and promptly goes to a garage about 6 down from the one I was in. Moved the bike and did the usual minimal changes to turn my thunderace from road bike to track monster. 10 minutes later the mirrors were replaced with some racing cable ties and some air was let out of the tyres. It's not even 7am yet and I'm ready even though I'm due on track at 9:20. Similarly Loon had not a right lot to do and we fked about for the rest of the time.
Time for the briefing. Pretty standard briefing with lots of mentions of Ducatis breaking down. They let us out when Simon remembers that after all that fking about he forgot to put the baffle in his exhaust. This meant he had to wait in what seems like the longest queue in the world when you're in it. Not so for me, I was second and passed without the baffle.
We go out for our first session with sighting laps. I felt terrible on the bike, I don't exactly hang off like Marquez normally but I wasn't very comfortable at first. Soon got over it and the sighting laps were over and we did a few laps. I had an issue with the brake lever being too far out which was very uncomfortable and there was a horrible noise from the front end. Went in the pits adjusted the lever and found that the horn was vibrating against the bottom yoke so I took it off. Saved some grams there so I'm sure I'll have gained at least 0.2 of a second.
Second session I went out and was having fun. Loon tried to overtake me going into Hizzy's but I was already committed and didn't really have time to think about altering my line. The next lap I catch up to a yellow R1 which was slower. I lined him up for an overtake into Island bend which was fine until I got a false neutral which fked the corner up and let him and some other past. I was then behind the yellow R1 for the rest of the session. Loon came back in missing the end of his exhaust. It turns out that BMW's do have character as well.
Third session we start queueing up to go out and I saw Baron Von Grumble in front of me on his fireblade. I've seen some of his track videos and he seems reasonably quick so expected him to ps off into the distance. He did but then my tyres were warm and I caught and passed him. That was somewhat surprising but then realistically he is just another normal bloke like the rest of us.
4th session was fairly uneventful again until near the end. I'd caught up to BVG again, followed for a little bit then overtook him through cascades. He tried to get me back going into island bend but I outbraked him and that was the end of that.
At dinner time one of the marshalls said my bike was too loud. I said that no one had said anything before but I'll stick the baffle in for the afternoon. I also poured about 400ml of oil into the engine as it's a 90's Yamaha which is basically a two stroke.
Can't really remember the 4th session I don't think anything good happened. There's a video that might have something in it or alternatively it will be boring.
5th session I went out and followed loon, he gave me some tips but we only got one lap before a red flag. We went out again but because of my lack of ability I couldn't keep up with loon.
6th and final session for me I just went out, relaxed and tried to practice some of the stuff loon had taught me. Realistically I don't think I did a right lot because I was tired.
Curlie467 did turn up at some point through the day. He was in awe of my blistering pace and wanted an autograph for his collection. (This might not have happened)
Day 2 at Oulton tomorrow. Who knows what could happen.
This will probably be a bit s
t compared to most reports because I can't think of eleventy million words when just one will do but I've got some time to fill so you can read the bks I'm about to post.Turned at Oulton this morning way too early at about 6:20. There was barely anyone there but I know Loon was coming at some point so dumped my bike in a garage and waited for him to turn up. Less than half an hour later he arrives and promptly goes to a garage about 6 down from the one I was in. Moved the bike and did the usual minimal changes to turn my thunderace from road bike to track monster. 10 minutes later the mirrors were replaced with some racing cable ties and some air was let out of the tyres. It's not even 7am yet and I'm ready even though I'm due on track at 9:20. Similarly Loon had not a right lot to do and we f
ked about for the rest of the time.Time for the briefing. Pretty standard briefing with lots of mentions of Ducatis breaking down. They let us out when Simon remembers that after all that f
king about he forgot to put the baffle in his exhaust. This meant he had to wait in what seems like the longest queue in the world when you're in it. Not so for me, I was second and passed without the baffle.We go out for our first session with sighting laps. I felt terrible on the bike, I don't exactly hang off like Marquez normally but I wasn't very comfortable at first. Soon got over it and the sighting laps were over and we did a few laps. I had an issue with the brake lever being too far out which was very uncomfortable and there was a horrible noise from the front end. Went in the pits adjusted the lever and found that the horn was vibrating against the bottom yoke so I took it off. Saved some grams there so I'm sure I'll have gained at least 0.2 of a second.
Second session I went out and was having fun. Loon tried to overtake me going into Hizzy's but I was already committed and didn't really have time to think about altering my line. The next lap I catch up to a yellow R1 which was slower. I lined him up for an overtake into Island bend which was fine until I got a false neutral which f
ked the corner up and let him and some other past. I was then behind the yellow R1 for the rest of the session. Loon came back in missing the end of his exhaust. It turns out that BMW's do have character as well.Third session we start queueing up to go out and I saw Baron Von Grumble in front of me on his fireblade. I've seen some of his track videos and he seems reasonably quick so expected him to p
s off into the distance. He did but then my tyres were warm and I caught and passed him. That was somewhat surprising but then realistically he is just another normal bloke like the rest of us.4th session was fairly uneventful again until near the end. I'd caught up to BVG again, followed for a little bit then overtook him through cascades. He tried to get me back going into island bend but I outbraked him and that was the end of that.
At dinner time one of the marshalls said my bike was too loud. I said that no one had said anything before but I'll stick the baffle in for the afternoon. I also poured about 400ml of oil into the engine as it's a 90's Yamaha which is basically a two stroke.
Can't really remember the 4th session I don't think anything good happened. There's a video that might have something in it or alternatively it will be boring.
5th session I went out and followed loon, he gave me some tips but we only got one lap before a red flag. We went out again but because of my lack of ability I couldn't keep up with loon.
6th and final session for me I just went out, relaxed and tried to practice some of the stuff loon had taught me. Realistically I don't think I did a right lot because I was tired.
Curlie467 did turn up at some point through the day. He was in awe of my blistering pace and wanted an autograph for his collection. (This might not have happened)
Day 2 at Oulton tomorrow. Who knows what could happen.
Just to add to Tom's report, I tested my MX abilities out again at Island flat in 4th, as I managed to knock the pads back with a bit of a sloppy wheelie coming out of Cascades, so had no brakes for the little dab into Island. Grass, gravel, grass and then back on track. My awesomeness knows no bounds.
curlie467 said:
Was good to see you both briefly. Looking good out there Tom!
Nice car Loon, I presume it was yours?
It is, I don't like it anymore. Nice car Loon, I presume it was yours?
LoonR1 said:
Just to add to Tom's report, I tested my MX abilities out again at Island flat in 4th, as I managed to knock the pads back with a bit of a sloppy wheelie coming out of Cascades, so had no brakes for the little dab into Island. Grass, gravel, grass and then back on track. My awesomeness knows no bounds.
I bet your envelope was so monumental you could have filled a mail sack curlie467 said:
Was good to see you both briefly. Looking good out there Tom!
Nice car Loon, I presume it was yours?
It is, I don't like it anymore. Nice car Loon, I presume it was yours?
Oh yeah, I blew one of my exhausts to pieces. I then fitted another and it came in at 99.1dB static (limit 102dB) without a baffle and then three sessions later it was tripping the trackside meter apparently. I'm getting a bit fked off with the noise at Oulton, as if I baffle it then it'll blow itself apart like the other one did.
I'd post a photo, but this st site seems not to want me to do that anymore
ked off with the noise at Oulton, as if I baffle it then it'll blow itself apart like the other one did. I'd post a photo, but this s
t site seems not to want me to do that anymoreD
At least you stayed upright at island, mine was a bit more eventful.
Sorry it was only a brief hello.
LoonR1 said:
Just to add to Tom's report, I tested my MX abilities out again at Island flat in 4th, as I managed to knock the pads back with a bit of a sloppy wheelie coming out of Cascades, so had no brakes for the little dab into Island. Grass, gravel, grass and then back on track. My awesomeness knows no bounds.
Thats a bit harsh, just because I said I liked it!curlie467 said:
Was good to see you both briefly. Looking good out there Tom!
Nice car Loon, I presume it was yours?
It is, I don't like it anymore. Nice car Loon, I presume it was yours?
At least you stayed upright at island, mine was a bit more eventful.
Sorry it was only a brief hello.
curlie467 said:
Thats a bit harsh, just because I said I liked it!
At least you stayed upright at island, mine was a bit more eventful.
Sorry it was only a brief hello.
It was, but it was bloody quick. That's the second time I've done that through stupidity, rather than a genuine reason. At least you stayed upright at island, mine was a bit more eventful.
Sorry it was only a brief hello.
LoonR1 said:
It was, but it was bloody quick. That's the second time I've done that through stupidity, rather than a genuine reason.
We are only human, it happens!What's the deal with the M3. Too much awesome and able to use it to its full potential? Its probably like other BMWs and a bit dull.
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