Track day April 26

[SugarHillCTD]

I started this track day thread out of a detour in my injector firing order (?) post. Thought it should be moved to here.

On April 26, our daughter Jen and I will be doing a track day at New Hampshire Motor Speedway http://www.nhms.com/ directly across the street from the Saltcreek farm.

So here we go.... leathers for Jen and I are on order, my boots are here, Jen's are to arrive soon. New rubber from SWMoto for both bikes should be here in a day or two.

The 250R is getting some mods- rear fender eliminator, modded the sidestand to tuck in tighter (centerstand will be removed) and I have looked over how to remove turn signals, mirrors and pull the lighting fuses (brake lights cannot show). Fishtail Riding School doesn't require any safety wiring or coolant removal.

The RS will be lighting deactivation and rear turn signal removal- that's about it.

Jen and I are in different groups- she has never been on a MC roadrace track (at least on a MC) while I did a couple of seasons of club racing a long time ago. So I will get as many pictures as I can. Details to follow.

[Mystic Red]

[Saltcreek]

Got time for breakfast or dinner at the farm?

[SugarHillCTD]

Jim,

Gotta' look at the schedule. Jen took that day off and needs to go back to our house at the end of the day then get back to her place.

Thanks for the offer- I'll let you know.

John

[SugarHillCTD]

Leathers and boots arrived. Mine fit OK, Jen will try hers today.

Tires are on the 250- Pirelli Sport Demons- difficult to find good tires for that bike with 100 width front and 130 rear both in a 16" diameter.

Unsure of what I'm riding for the track- the Monster would be more fun but that needs some stiffer springs. Stay tuned

[Saltcreek]

John are you trailering or riding down? They let me come observe last year, maybe I can come down for a while and be your photographer.

[SugarHillCTD]

Jim,

Trailer. The bikes will not be street legal. Lights inoperative and taped over, no mirrors, turn signals off. We could do it there, but in my garage the night before will be a much better place to do those things.

Plus food, drink, change of clothes and other things we want to bring along to be there for the entire day.

But great about some pictures of us. Thanks.

John

[SugarHillCTD]

Ya' never know when that computer chair is going to highside and dump you out on the ground. Wouldn't want to get floor rash



Just trying to break the VERY stiff leathers in before track day- a week from Monday. Jen used hers a couple of weeks ago when we went for a family ride to check out the Concours.



Getting anxious to be on the track.

[Saltcreek]

Here's our boy John in front

[rydor]

Very cool

[SugarHillCTD]

LONG day. Lots of concentrating with all the skills you're working on. 20 minutes of classroom time, 20 minutes of track time and 20 minutes of recovery time- every hour, all day long.

But really fun and you learn how to really make a bike do what you want and at high speed- and why it does what it does. These people make it a safe environment.

So onto some pictures- they are limited because Jen (our daughter) and I were on the track at different times and they keep you busy between track sessions.

First- Jen at speed


She could have used a few more horses than the 250R has on tap with the climb on the back side of the course. But she worked hard with what she had.

Then a few of the old man.

Ready to go back out- that's my instructor with the X on his number plate- he was very fast and worked with me quite a bit- me following him and then him on my tail.

At speed


BTW several instructors and at least 2 students were on BMW S1000RR bikes- those things are scary fast.

All in all a great day and I will do it again.

[skdonlan]

Where's the K11RS? Worried it would show those other bikes up?

[SugarHillCTD]

Where's the K11RS? Worried it would show those other bikes up?

I had thought of using the RS. Glad I didn't- my arms were pumped up enough with a sub-400# bike and I was scraping peg on the right and exhaust on the left. I came in after each 20 minute session pretty soaked with sweat.

Trying to hustle a 600# RS around the track while trying to learn some technique would have been too much. A guy in my group was riding a late model K1200GT. He could drop me on the long straight but he was seriously hindered by the weight and me on a bike with 1/2 the cylinders and 1/2 the displacement could easily get past him on the twisty part of the course- passing him on the outside of corners (the only way it is allowed on a trackday).

[Beachcomber]

S100RR ???????? Can't afford one on my State pocket money [ pension ] - so I thought I'd build my own "homage" from bits in the garage.

Take one k1100LT - strip down and sell of all the unwanted parts and start playing !!!

This started 3 years ago - before I saw an S1000RR - guess what, I used the same fairing as BMW for their initial mock up - Yamaha R6!

First I used a Duke 916, but it looked really dated on the Kay.

Here's a pic of the fairing being mocked up on one of my K100's. I've since collected most of the parts that I need - 5 spoke Wobbly wheels [ R1100 and K1200], stainless underseat exhaust system [ courtesy of Keihan ], fairing, seat cowl [ modified R1 ], clip-ons, rear sets courtesy of Tarozzi.

It's #3 on the project list as I have to finish the Streetfighter first so I have a bike for this Summer. Then there's the K100 Sixties style Cafe Racer.............[img][img]http://i751.photobucket.com/albums/xx155/vonheyda/Bikes/Racerepmay09008.jpg[/img]


[/img]

[Off the grid]

Awesome John! Must have been a hell of a struggle to get a suit that fit you!

[SugarHillCTD]

Actually it is an off the rack Alpinestar suit.

Nothing too fancy but lightyears better than what I had back in the late 70's. Armored elbows, shoulders, knees, hips and I wore a separate articulated back protector.

The leather is pretty thick and it has a zip-out inner liner that can be washed.

Nice suit. Can't wait to use it again

[SugarHillCTD]

A temporary ( ) close to this thread ("I'll be back")

I wanted to let those who use PR2s or those who are contemplating them know what they are capable of. Now understand that the Monster is about 2/3's the weight of a K1100 and on a trackday the tires are able to warm up and stay that way for 20 minutes at a time.

But all day long I never felt anything uncertain about the grip- front or rear. They just STUCK. Not too bad for not being a dedicated sport tire (the Pilot Powers are their sport bike tire). I was occasionally touching the right peg and the left exhaust system to the pavement (lightly, please)

Visual evidence.....What chicken stripe?

[Off the grid]

Looks like a good time was had by all, glad no one lowsided. I give you props for leaning the bike over that much, my pussy factor always kicks in before.

How was it riding with other riders breathing down you neck? Was it nerve-wracking watching your daughter ride? What kind of speeds were you carrying?

[SugarHillCTD]

Confidence really builds as the day goes on. On the first couple of sessions I was really being on the safe side- cutting the throttle early before the corners, not getting off the side of the saddle, etc. But doing lap after lap and seeing the same corners really helps. By the last couple of sessions the shifting was truly automatic- 1 upshift here, double downshift next, etc.

This particular school http://www.fishtailridingschool.com/ is a very safe environment. Beginners (Jen's group) and intermediate (mine) are led by an instructor- 5 or 6 riders per instructor and each follows directly behind the instructor for one lap, then drops to the back. For the first few sessions there aren't any riders on their own. As you demonstrate that you are capable the instructor then follows you (VERY nervous to have him behind you) and for 2 or 3 final sessions you circulate on your own.

There is passing, but always on the outside.

You never look backwards

Left hand up if you are slowing or heading into the pit (no working lights)

I don't know exact speeds (they don't want you distracted so the speedo is taped over) but I think that I was hitting around 100 or so at the end of the straight- then one downshift, light on the brakes and hard over into the lefthander, knee nearly skimming the pavement. I did get most braking zones set but had a few OMMYGOD moments here and there when I would feel like I overcooked the corner. The sheer repetition makes you look at the little things that the instructor wants you to work on.

By the end I was coming out of one particular corner (you are rolling on the gas as you hit the apex) and had the bike drifting towards the outer edge of the track which was up over a small rise so I couldn't actually see where it was. If you can make it out, it is the hard right, turns 3 & 4



I will definitely do at least one or two more this year and I am looking for a trackday bike. 600-900cc or so should do it. The Monster was GREAT to ride- certainly fast but the thought of wadding up Johnnie's ride was in the back of my mind.

FUN.