the bb trackday thread.
Discussion
Sidecar Man said:
Marquezs Stabilisers said:
In my limited experience no. You can be as sensible as you like but you can guarantee someone won't be. More red flags than a Corbyn demonstration.
But that's the same all year. 
Expect the out of season track days at least have less bikes per day?
I actually did a last minute snetteron trackday yesterday because the forecast was for it to be dry. The first session at 2 degrees celsius was interesting! A bit like Bambi on ice especially from oggies to the bentley straight. I was on supercorsa SPs to start and I was surprised how warm they were by the end of the first session. The rest of the morning was fine once the sun was out. Definitely not setting the fastest times but could push enough to enjoy it. I got blackflagged for noise though just before lunch, which is a first for me on my standard '22 RSV4. They had been on the tannoy telling people to put baffles back in their exhausts as the noise meters were tripping and speaking to the tyre guy he reckoned the cold was responsible. It rained a bur for one afternoon session and it was back to being like the first session but it made most people call it a day and the last session was back to being like the rest of the morning.
Alex@POD said:
What do you guys to to stay warm/dry on a wet trackday? Is an oversuit too much of a faff? For your hands, is a pair of latex gloves under your bike gloves a good idea?
I've only done one in the wet, and it was summer time so not cold. Not every session was raining either so I dried off after the morning. I wore a water proof jacket on one session when it was actually raining. Gloves/legs I just got wet, as I wasn't worried about being cold.
Waterproof trousers I wouldn't fancy as expect it would lessen the grip on the tank.
Just back from 2 fantastic days at Cadwell, a bit of rain on the first day didn't really affect the session and the second day was brilliant.
How do you get past a mental block though? I know I need to tip in a bit harder into corners and I need to get on the throttle quicker and harder, but I just can't bring myself to do it!
Fast corners like Coppice are fine, it's corners like the hairpin I go in really slow and can't get on the throttle until the bike is fully upright and pointing the right way...
How do you get past a mental block though? I know I need to tip in a bit harder into corners and I need to get on the throttle quicker and harder, but I just can't bring myself to do it!
Fast corners like Coppice are fine, it's corners like the hairpin I go in really slow and can't get on the throttle until the bike is fully upright and pointing the right way...
Alex@POD said:
Just back from 2 fantastic days at Cadwell, a bit of rain on the first day didn't really affect the session and the second day was brilliant.
How do you get past a mental block though? I know I need to tip in a bit harder into corners and I need to get on the throttle quicker and harder, but I just can't bring myself to do it!
Fast corners like Coppice are fine, it's corners like the hairpin I go in really slow and can't get on the throttle until the bike is fully upright and pointing the right way...
Practice, practice, practice. Brake a little later each session, roll on the power as you lift the bike up a little harder each session.How do you get past a mental block though? I know I need to tip in a bit harder into corners and I need to get on the throttle quicker and harder, but I just can't bring myself to do it!
Fast corners like Coppice are fine, it's corners like the hairpin I go in really slow and can't get on the throttle until the bike is fully upright and pointing the right way...
Relax, do the funky chicken as you get on the bike, shake your arms from the shoulders down to your wrists, do some stretching before you get on the bike also, don't look 6ft in front of yourself look through and past where you want to go.
Drink plenty of water and eat things like bananas, don't eat a full English or burger and chips or fizzy drinks, a full stomach makes you lethargic and also if you crash in and burst into a ball of flames and broken bones its better to not have much in your stomach for having anaesthetic in Hospital.
Don't drink alcohol the night before (cough)
Have fun, if you're not enjoying it you'll be tense.
Alex@POD said:
How do you get past a mental block though? I know I need to tip in a bit harder into corners and I need to get on the throttle quicker and harder, but I just can't bring myself to do it!
I take an alternate view to what a lot of people - especially online - take of trackdays. I just view a trackday as an opportunity to go way faster than I ever would on the road, but not also needing to push myself to go faster and faster. If I do gradually pick up little things and go faster then happy days, but I don't feel the need to be pushing myself beyond what I'm comfortable. I'm not trying to become a racer, hell I'm not even fussed about trying to make it in to the fast group so why stress myself and not enjoy the day for no real gain? Especially with the real risk of having to go home on the train with my bike scattered across a gravel trap.Alex@POD said:
That's fair, though I'm not talking about chasing a tenth here and there, there's a handful of seconds to be had in each corner. I'm probably using 50% of what's the bike is capable of, if that, and to some extent it breaks the flow a little...
Grab an instructor on your next day. They can normally get more out of you.Almeria trip 23rd-26th March
First time we have struggled with the weather but probably the best euro yet in terms of laughs, mates and just funny times
Bikes with fresh vinyl. Love it hate they stand out!
Morning briefing we see some (and I hate these) crocs in the same style!
Had morning showers on a couple days, a bit of spitting in the morning/lunch at times and some seriously heavy winds. Was told the day we left the next group arrived and first day was cancelled until evening for an open pit session as winds were too strong
It took my GSXR from an indicated mid 170's MPH end of the straight to a low to mid 160's doing everything the same!
I got plenty of these as well!
First time we have struggled with the weather but probably the best euro yet in terms of laughs, mates and just funny times
Bikes with fresh vinyl. Love it hate they stand out!
Morning briefing we see some (and I hate these) crocs in the same style!
Had morning showers on a couple days, a bit of spitting in the morning/lunch at times and some seriously heavy winds. Was told the day we left the next group arrived and first day was cancelled until evening for an open pit session as winds were too strong
It took my GSXR from an indicated mid 170's MPH end of the straight to a low to mid 160's doing everything the same!
I got plenty of these as well!
Birky_41 said:
Almeria trip 23rd-26th March
First time we have struggled with the weather but probably the best euro yet in terms of laughs, mates and just funny times
Bikes with fresh vinyl. Love it hate they stand out!
Morning briefing we see some (and I hate these) crocs in the same style!
Had morning showers on a couple days, a bit of spitting in the morning/lunch at times and some seriously heavy winds. Was told the day we left the next group arrived and first day was cancelled until evening for an open pit session as winds were too strong
It took my GSXR from an indicated mid 170's MPH end of the straight to a low to mid 160's doing everything the same!
I got plenty of these as well!
Did the following 5 days......................First time we have struggled with the weather but probably the best euro yet in terms of laughs, mates and just funny times
Bikes with fresh vinyl. Love it hate they stand out!
Morning briefing we see some (and I hate these) crocs in the same style!
Had morning showers on a couple days, a bit of spitting in the morning/lunch at times and some seriously heavy winds. Was told the day we left the next group arrived and first day was cancelled until evening for an open pit session as winds were too strong
It took my GSXR from an indicated mid 170's MPH end of the straight to a low to mid 160's doing everything the same!
I got plenty of these as well!
Wind,rain and temps down to 9 degrees,
Probably got a total of 2 days track time in all,
Plus some f**knugget smacked the hire car when it was parked up overnight.
Then we all caught a flu-like virus on the plane coming back.
Back again for 4 days over the May bank holiday. (must be better,surely???)
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