timsterc
Novice Class
Posts: 71
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posted March 13, 2006 04:11 AM
First trackday on my '05 10R
WOW, I finally got my bike to a circuit and gave it a good seeing to. OMG it just goes and goes and goes. I went to Silverstone and hurled myself and my bike around the track at what seemed like far too many miles per hour to be in the realms of reality.
I got there at 07:30 on Sunday morning. It was a very, Very, VERY cold ride. Did I say it was cold? Only 0°-1°c on the way up there. Someone who took a car up told me about it whilst I was thawing out with a cup of tea and a bacon roll.
The Silverstone circuit, if you've never had the chance to ride/drive round it, is one of the longest (in GP format) and widest circuits in the UK. In other words it's very forgiving if you are offline. There is enough circuit to cope with that and you can still have a nice safety margin left. The pit facilities are also very good and well laid out. But you'd expect all of this from the cicuit that hosts the Formula 1 Grand Prix each year.
The 3 warm up laps for my group got cut short as someone felt the need to find out if the tarmac would scratch their bodywork. How they managed this at 40-50 mph is still confusing me a day later. So we only had 2 "sighting laps", but that was enough for me as I've been here before, back in 2004. It was snowing while we were learning the circuit again. Did I say it was cold?
The first 20 minute session was a blast and for the first 3 laps were used to get my crappy Dunlop 218s up to something like a reasonable temprature. To be fair, they were good enough for me to get a good idea of what the bike could be capable of. I can only imagine that it would be miles better on better rubber. I had dropped the pressure by 2-3psi front and rear for the day to help the tyre squash a bit more and warm up quicker.
After the first flying lap, albeit a slow flying lap, I was laughing so hard inside my crash helmet that I could hardly see the track. I was so blown away by the amount of power I have in my bike. This is the first time I have really "pulled the pin" and let the motor run up as far as I dared. There is something very sureal about letting lumps of metal wizz around at 13000-14000 rpm between your legs. It's best not to think about it two much or you'd never drive a car or ride a motorbike every again.
I was pulling 150mph down the Hangar Straight at the back of the circuit. That was a real blast, but I found that my visor kept misting up at the next corner as I was breathing so hard. Probably something to do with the amount of force the bike was exerting into my arms. In other words, it was trying to fly off down the road on it's own and I was still trying to hang on. It's just the most extreme feeling I have ever had.
The handling is really, really good. It seems to hold the line extremely well and gives huge amounts of confidence in the corners. I just can't belive how good this bike feels and handles. It helped that I had RaceLabs setup the suspension for me and my "not as svelt as I would like it to be" carcass.
Whilst there were a few poor soles who dropped their bikes, I was not one of them. But I did get the feeling that I'm a little too fast for the beginners group now. Maybe it's time to try the intermediate group.
I'm in love again with my bike. I was beginning to wonder if I was over this bike stuff and I needed a faster car to play with instead. But it's official now, I'll never get the same buzz as tipping in at 110mph and then gassing it out of the turn upto 150mph before hauling out the anchor and almost crashing into the screen as the bike stops dead, turn in again and repeat until huge grin appears on face that does not go away until you are asleep. Even then I'm sure I was still smiling, dreaming about the next time.
Here's a picture of my bike in the pits. Enjoy!
____________
Shiney side up,
Sticky side down.
;o)
      
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longy00000
Novice Class
Posts: 44
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posted March 13, 2006 08:20 AM
Sounds like you had good fun and i can only say i am desperately waiting for some better wqeather so i can let my 06 ten have her head on a track further up north, probably croft.
Waste of time booking one up here just yet as too much snow about still.
Role on the spring i need the speed!
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zeta xray
Expert Class
Posts: 416
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posted March 13, 2006 04:28 PM
Good read. I hate cold. I think it was in the high 80's here. Sounds like you had a good time.
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It is good to be green.
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timsterc
Novice Class
Posts: 71
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posted March 16, 2006 03:07 AM
We had a blast. I'm looking forward to Rockingham Motor Speedway on the 10th of May with R&G Racing.
Then off to the south of France for Nogaro with Byrne-Up late in May.
Roll on the big yellow thing in the sky.
Now, I must remember to order those Pirelli Diablos for the trip to France. ;o)
____________
Shiney side up,
Sticky side down.
;o)
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