First ride of 2007
Discussion
Today was too good to miss, took half day and took my new chain and sprockets to be fitted (15/41 - 1 more up on the rear). Got home, got changed, checked pressures, took it off the Optimate, fired her up and off I went.
A little stiff to begin with with cramp setting in by moving across the seat but after 5 miles the tyres were warm enough to start the fun, a 2nd gear GAY power wheelie from 80 on a private road that looked remarkably like the outside lane of an M route heading south, landing at 100+ with a chirp from the front 2ct got me laughing in my lid. Coming off the private road on a set of twisty private slip roads had me gauging the effective level of grip and presto the roundabout at the end had the slider kissing the tarmac for the first time in 2007. Woohoo, bring on Silverstone on the 18th.
Got the chain and sprockets fitted and now the 41 tooth rear is fitted the axle position has moved a whopping 10mm back towards the front of the bike. Paid the bill and got back on, waited patiently for some heat and then let her rip, my god!!! What a difference the extra tooth makes, I thought it was quick going down one on the front but combined gives the bike some mental drive! Anyway, back to the handling, now I have a shorter wheelbase the bike dives for the apex and holds, before you had to really influence the counter steer to get it turning quick. The front feels so confident. Back to the slip roads then. And, Presto! straight onto the left knee and drive drive. The world is going past too quick and I have only just opened the damn throttle.
I LOVE MY BIKE!
A little stiff to begin with with cramp setting in by moving across the seat but after 5 miles the tyres were warm enough to start the fun, a 2nd gear GAY power wheelie from 80 on a private road that looked remarkably like the outside lane of an M route heading south, landing at 100+ with a chirp from the front 2ct got me laughing in my lid. Coming off the private road on a set of twisty private slip roads had me gauging the effective level of grip and presto the roundabout at the end had the slider kissing the tarmac for the first time in 2007. Woohoo, bring on Silverstone on the 18th.
Got the chain and sprockets fitted and now the 41 tooth rear is fitted the axle position has moved a whopping 10mm back towards the front of the bike. Paid the bill and got back on, waited patiently for some heat and then let her rip, my god!!! What a difference the extra tooth makes, I thought it was quick going down one on the front but combined gives the bike some mental drive! Anyway, back to the handling, now I have a shorter wheelbase the bike dives for the apex and holds, before you had to really influence the counter steer to get it turning quick. The front feels so confident. Back to the slip roads then. And, Presto! straight onto the left knee and drive drive. The world is going past too quick and I have only just opened the damn throttle.
I LOVE MY BIKE!
Ace! My first ride of 2007 was riding from Redditch to Salisbury in what felt like a monsoon, with a hangover. Not much fun!!
I've also booked Silverstone on the 18th so I guess I'll meet you there - you'll be in the Inters though I imagine? I've only done one previous day, and never tracked the TLR before so i'll be starting in Novice, maybe moving up depending on how I get on.
I've also booked Silverstone on the 18th so I guess I'll meet you there - you'll be in the Inters though I imagine? I've only done one previous day, and never tracked the TLR before so i'll be starting in Novice, maybe moving up depending on how I get on.
Mad Dave said:
Ace! My first ride of 2007 was riding from Redditch to Salisbury in what felt like a monsoon, with a hangover. Not much fun!!
I've also booked Silverstone on the 18th so I guess I'll meet you there - you'll be in the Inters though I imagine? I've only done one previous day, and never tracked the TLR before so i'll be starting in Novice, maybe moving up depending on how I get on.
I've also booked Silverstone on the 18th so I guess I'll meet you there - you'll be in the Inters though I imagine? I've only done one previous day, and never tracked the TLR before so i'll be starting in Novice, maybe moving up depending on how I get on.
I am going to start in the novice group to give some pointers to my good friend Greg and basically take it easy to start with. It has been 12 months since the last track day so I don't want to go mental. I may look at stepping up a group in the afternoon for a bit of fun.
Remal, hope you mend well and soon! You will be back up in no time enjoying clean dry summer roads. All the best for your recovery.
veetwin said:
Mad Dave said:
Ace! My first ride of 2007 was riding from Redditch to Salisbury in what felt like a monsoon, with a hangover. Not much fun!!
I've also booked Silverstone on the 18th so I guess I'll meet you there - you'll be in the Inters though I imagine? I've only done one previous day, and never tracked the TLR before so i'll be starting in Novice, maybe moving up depending on how I get on.
I've also booked Silverstone on the 18th so I guess I'll meet you there - you'll be in the Inters though I imagine? I've only done one previous day, and never tracked the TLR before so i'll be starting in Novice, maybe moving up depending on how I get on.
I am going to start in the novice group to give some pointers to my good friend Greg and basically take it easy to start with. It has been 12 months since the last track day so I don't want to go mental. I may look at stepping up a group in the afternoon for a bit of fun.
Remal, hope you mend well and soon! You will be back up in no time enjoying clean dry summer roads. All the best for your recovery.
Ace. Well i'm on the bright yellow TLR with a Gixxer rear end on it.
I love reading posts like this!
Sounds like you had a great ride - no need to be putting bikes away for the winter nowadays what with global warming meaning the 2nd warmest Jan on record
A bumble bee cruised past me today as well
Hope to get out again this Saturday but managed to rideout 4 times in Jan with my biker mates so not too bad for winter.
Sounds like you had a great ride - no need to be putting bikes away for the winter nowadays what with global warming meaning the 2nd warmest Jan on record
A bumble bee cruised past me today as well
Hope to get out again this Saturday but managed to rideout 4 times in Jan with my biker mates so not too bad for winter.
Just got back from ExCel, not bad, enjoyed the ride more.
Took a detoured way home, involving some more roundabouts and bends, just came round the outside of a Boxster S on a sweeping left hander striaght onto the slider with a lovely spray of sparks. Thumbs up from the driver.
Back in the garage now, clean the salt off tomorrow, then get ready for the track day.
and it is only February 1st!!!
Took a detoured way home, involving some more roundabouts and bends, just came round the outside of a Boxster S on a sweeping left hander striaght onto the slider with a lovely spray of sparks. Thumbs up from the driver.
Back in the garage now, clean the salt off tomorrow, then get ready for the track day.
and it is only February 1st!!!
veetwin said:
Took a detoured way home, involving some more roundabouts and bends, just came round the outside of a Boxster S on a sweeping left hander striaght onto the slider with a lovely spray of sparks. Thumbs up from the driver.
What were the roads like? They're damp and greasy looking around here in Norfolk - annoying as it's not been raining but the roads refuse to dry out as there's no wind... I don't think I could get me knee down with the roads like they are at the moment so you're doing well
I went out for a blast on Sunday and the roads were VERY VERY greasy. Had half a dozen rear or both wheel slides in the space of 20 miles! I even managed to spin the back up on dry roads in third gear! I should probably clean the bike really, it's absolutely caked in salt - all i've done it spray some FS365 in it's general direction 
if the weather keeps up i will take mine out this weekend, i have that scotoiler anti corosion spray to put on all the bolts so that should work, i fired my bike up this week, hadnt been started for over 2 months and the alarm had sapped all the power, so i thought oh dear it will take forever to bump start, pushed it down he driveway and it fired up first time, i have to say i was most impressed with that 
Just cleaned up from yesterday's antics. Muc-off and plenty of elbow grease and prepped for the pending track day.
Removed plate, indicators, etc. taped up headlights, and a good old polish has sorted it right out. I must admit though, the rear tyre has a great flat spot (still legal tread) from the Pyrenees trip. I wanted to use the track day to spank the tyre and then replace it for the summer. It seems that I may have to do this before Silverstone as yesterday the started to fidget on high speed mid-lean angle bends (No probs when right over though).
As for the grip levels, yesterday morning was a nightmare, she was spinning up on cold tyres everywhere. After about 2.00pm everywhere seemed dry. I made sure the tyres were hot enough and then gradually built the lean angle (as I am a bit ropey after not being out since October). The left hander was the same as Wednesday afternoon so I was confident that there was grip.
Good luck to all going out this weekend as it is supposed to be gorgeous.
Removed plate, indicators, etc. taped up headlights, and a good old polish has sorted it right out. I must admit though, the rear tyre has a great flat spot (still legal tread) from the Pyrenees trip. I wanted to use the track day to spank the tyre and then replace it for the summer. It seems that I may have to do this before Silverstone as yesterday the started to fidget on high speed mid-lean angle bends (No probs when right over though).
As for the grip levels, yesterday morning was a nightmare, she was spinning up on cold tyres everywhere. After about 2.00pm everywhere seemed dry. I made sure the tyres were hot enough and then gradually built the lean angle (as I am a bit ropey after not being out since October). The left hander was the same as Wednesday afternoon so I was confident that there was grip.
Good luck to all going out this weekend as it is supposed to be gorgeous.
YamR1V64motion said:
if the weather keeps up i will take mine out this weekend, i have that scotoiler anti corosion spray to put on all the bolts so that should work, i fired my bike up this week, hadnt been started for over 2 months and the alarm had sapped all the power, so i thought oh dear it will take forever to bump start, pushed it down he driveway and it fired up first time, i have to say i was most impressed with that
FS365 is the Scottoiler stuff - I left mine after a 300 mile ride on New Years eve/day - it had FS365 on it from before the trip and even after a fortnight there was no furring on the bolts. It's been sat all week, truly filthy covered in road salt since last weekend - all I did was spray some FS365 on. It lives outside under a cover too. Considering how bad Suzukis apparently are for corrosion i'm impressed.
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