Discussion
Cadwell yesterday.
Went in the Intermediates for the first time (well first time full day). The Dunlop Qualifiers were on thier way out so had a word with the tyre guy on site about fitting some new Pirelli Super Corsa Pro's. First session was on the Dunlops, but was feeling quite good, knowing the circuit quite well now.
Anyway, got the tyres changed in time for the second session & was told to bed them in for a few laps. WOW. These things were amazing from the off. Felt better than the qualifiers on the 1st lap. By the 4th lap was beginning to push them (pushing to my standards obviously), when it happened. Knee down.
From this point on it just kept happening. 1st time was a tight hairpin. 2nd time was a 70mph(ish) right hander & the 3rd a 100mph+ left hander. All in the same session.
Its quite scary when it happens, especially at 100+.
Was beginning to think I was Rossi. Well, until Stu (StuB) showed me how its done in the afternoon. B@stard.
Only overtaken twice all day. Once by Stu & another time by a bloke on a 250, albiet a quick one. Can't count the amount of 1000's I overtook.
I'm beginning to thing this 'ickle 600 i've got is the dogz
p.s Did I say how good the tyres were
Went in the Intermediates for the first time (well first time full day). The Dunlop Qualifiers were on thier way out so had a word with the tyre guy on site about fitting some new Pirelli Super Corsa Pro's. First session was on the Dunlops, but was feeling quite good, knowing the circuit quite well now.
Anyway, got the tyres changed in time for the second session & was told to bed them in for a few laps. WOW. These things were amazing from the off. Felt better than the qualifiers on the 1st lap. By the 4th lap was beginning to push them (pushing to my standards obviously), when it happened. Knee down.
From this point on it just kept happening. 1st time was a tight hairpin. 2nd time was a 70mph(ish) right hander & the 3rd a 100mph+ left hander. All in the same session.
Its quite scary when it happens, especially at 100+.
Was beginning to think I was Rossi. Well, until Stu (StuB) showed me how its done in the afternoon. B@stard.
Only overtaken twice all day. Once by Stu & another time by a bloke on a 250, albiet a quick one. Can't count the amount of 1000's I overtook.
I'm beginning to thing this 'ickle 600 i've got is the dogz
p.s Did I say how good the tyres were
Thanks again for the lift Mark. I'm just glad you don't have those Pirelli's on the van 
It was good to watch Hobo in the morning (had to as it was full in the a.m.) and to see how much smoother and more relxed he was on the bike since the first track day earlier this year.
Weather conditions at Cadwell were perfect, but there were a few places with a lot of oil & cement dust down, Hall bends for example, which is not a nice place to start sliding about.
It didn't seem to matter where the hazards were though as people were throwing it down the road all over the place. I don't think I've been to a trackday with so many stoppages!
Anyway, I was getting worried about how fast the R6 was when I saw the state his new tyres were in after his second session of the day and I was watching his progress against some of the faster people in the intermediate group. He was about the quickest thing out there and watching the R6 outbrake everything into Coppice was quite good. It is a super fast corner and there were quite a few people with tyre warmers and slicks running in the internediate group (go figure?).
The bike also sounds awesone now, with that MotoGP rep pipe sticking out - it even had all of the Focussed Events team drooling over the bike :nod: I have a little video which I'll post.
Had a great laugh in the afternoon when I got to run. The old GSXR might be 10 years old, but she's still pretty capable. We ran at the front of the intermediate group and Mark passed me on the 2ndn lap, whilst I was still getting some heat in the tyres and checking the circuit out (Hall bends was pretty slippery and there was a lot of Cement at Barn on the apex too! Followed him for 3 laps or so and then upped the pace a little. The R6 is quick, but my 750 has loads more legs, so it wasn't too difficult. I lost Mark in traffic and had a look around, waited for him to come past again. He did, but 2nd in a line of 5 bikes. He passed the guys at the front, so I had to pass the 4 others to catch him up, which took a while. It gave me plenty of time to see how he was getting on, which seemed to be fine.
We finished the session together after doing 22.2 miles in 20 minutes round Cadwell.
Second session we were at the front again, but this time I increased the pace a little to see if the R6 could stay with me. Apparently not, but if the rate of improvement continues, then he'll be ready for the experienced group.
Towards the end of the day, they shortened all the sessions and there was a threat of rain in the air.
Had a great time though and I have to say it's brilliant fun to see someone improve so much in one season through slowly building up the speed on track days. I am convinced that Hobo is a competent rider and is so much more aware of the bike on the limits - in the dry. Not only that, but you then know you have nothing to prove by riding like a cock/racing on the public highway.
It was good to watch Hobo in the morning (had to as it was full in the a.m.) and to see how much smoother and more relxed he was on the bike since the first track day earlier this year.
Weather conditions at Cadwell were perfect, but there were a few places with a lot of oil & cement dust down, Hall bends for example, which is not a nice place to start sliding about.
It didn't seem to matter where the hazards were though as people were throwing it down the road all over the place. I don't think I've been to a trackday with so many stoppages!
Anyway, I was getting worried about how fast the R6 was when I saw the state his new tyres were in after his second session of the day and I was watching his progress against some of the faster people in the intermediate group. He was about the quickest thing out there and watching the R6 outbrake everything into Coppice was quite good. It is a super fast corner and there were quite a few people with tyre warmers and slicks running in the internediate group (go figure?).
The bike also sounds awesone now, with that MotoGP rep pipe sticking out - it even had all of the Focussed Events team drooling over the bike :nod: I have a little video which I'll post.
Had a great laugh in the afternoon when I got to run. The old GSXR might be 10 years old, but she's still pretty capable. We ran at the front of the intermediate group and Mark passed me on the 2ndn lap, whilst I was still getting some heat in the tyres and checking the circuit out (Hall bends was pretty slippery and there was a lot of Cement at Barn on the apex too! Followed him for 3 laps or so and then upped the pace a little. The R6 is quick, but my 750 has loads more legs, so it wasn't too difficult. I lost Mark in traffic and had a look around, waited for him to come past again. He did, but 2nd in a line of 5 bikes. He passed the guys at the front, so I had to pass the 4 others to catch him up, which took a while. It gave me plenty of time to see how he was getting on, which seemed to be fine.
We finished the session together after doing 22.2 miles in 20 minutes round Cadwell.
Second session we were at the front again, but this time I increased the pace a little to see if the R6 could stay with me. Apparently not, but if the rate of improvement continues, then he'll be ready for the experienced group.
Towards the end of the day, they shortened all the sessions and there was a threat of rain in the air.
Had a great time though and I have to say it's brilliant fun to see someone improve so much in one season through slowly building up the speed on track days. I am convinced that Hobo is a competent rider and is so much more aware of the bike on the limits - in the dry. Not only that, but you then know you have nothing to prove by riding like a cock/racing on the public highway.
Cheers guys - good write up...
Had my knee down at Snetterton for this first time on my most recent track day - I know it's not necessary but for me it provides a good guage of how far I'm leaning the bike. Started to work on my positioning - keeping my spine parallel with the bike rather than just moving my butt and keeping my head with the screen. This coupled with the Pilot tyres has made a massive difference to my riding on the road. I also maintain a positive throttle in the corners - all helps to settle the bike and make riding smoother... I may try and run in the intermediates on my next track day as I was getting held up in the corners last ime due to the beginners.
Really loving the bike much more than I ever did my fast cars - have I become a proper life time biker ??!
Had my knee down at Snetterton for this first time on my most recent track day - I know it's not necessary but for me it provides a good guage of how far I'm leaning the bike. Started to work on my positioning - keeping my spine parallel with the bike rather than just moving my butt and keeping my head with the screen. This coupled with the Pilot tyres has made a massive difference to my riding on the road. I also maintain a positive throttle in the corners - all helps to settle the bike and make riding smoother... I may try and run in the intermediates on my next track day as I was getting held up in the corners last ime due to the beginners.
Really loving the bike much more than I ever did my fast cars - have I become a proper life time biker ??!
Sorry to hear about the van mate. Got myself a fibreglass repair kit today, so I'll see what I can stick myself to 
Anyway, here's a few pics (mainly wheelies over the mountain) and hopefully a little bit of vid of the 'zorst. I love the guy on the Aprilia throwing mono wheeled "shapes"!
and the vid
http://s13.photobucket.com/albums/a29
Hope you like. Stu
Anyway, here's a few pics (mainly wheelies over the mountain) and hopefully a little bit of vid of the 'zorst. I love the guy on the Aprilia throwing mono wheeled "shapes"!
and the vid
http://s13.photobucket.com/albums/a29
Hope you like. Stu
Edited by stub on Sunday 17th September 14:04
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