GSVR
21st August 2005, 10:42
Thought I better do one of these.
Went across to Manfeild on the Friday for test day. Brillient day. Only 2 cars there and only about 10 bikes so had virtually unlimited tracktime.
Another SV650 rider was there and we are about the same pace so got in some good practice at riding at close quarters at race speed. Only problem was at about 2pm I got a hole in my radiator. Luckly it was at the end of a session so the engine didn't overheat. Loaded up the bike and went home to fix it. Had had plenty of practice by then.
Saturday (raceday) was another great day weatherwise. Will have to remind myself to get over there about 7.00am or so next time as I must have been one of the last to arrive. All the pit areas were pretty filled up. But I ended up getting a garage as Rob had it booked for the rest of the rounds and wasn't there.
At riders briefing the new safety measures were explained and a minutes sileence was observed in honor of Owen Brunton. Another nice touch was everyone had access to number 34 stickers to put on their bikes.
Practice was great 10 mins seemed like plenty of time after having tested the day before. Did something around 1.27 to qualify 11th on the grid. With the field in Clubmans theres always going to be a group on on larger bikes that I will never match and others on smaller or older bikes that will be slower so your looking a races within races and hopeing to improve your laptimes and consistancy.
First race was really enjoyable got off to a great start controlling the amount of wheelstanding and getting good position after the first corner. My pace was ok and had a real blast dicing with some girl on a GSXR600 and a CRF450 Mototard bike for most of the race. Finished 9th with the 600 leaving me behind towards the end but beating the Motard by a couple of seconds. Best lap was 1.2602. Still a long way to go to get to the 1.14s that Hayden Fitzgerarld does on an SV650.
Second race I was feeling relaxed and ready to put in some good laps. Think I got an even better start than the first one. Got past by the GSXR600 and the and RG500 (both Kiwibikers by the way) and they ended up finishing 9 secs ahead of me at the finish. My testday advantage was wearing off as others were now dialed in to the track. Had a incident on the last turn as I was pasting a backmarker I lost a bit of speed and a guy on a ZXR tried to overtake on the last corner. I felt a bit of a nudge and looked back to see this green bike. He was trying to jump in between me and the apex of the corner. Back in the pits looked at my exuast and lots of tyre marks and a bit of a scrape. Fortunately we both stayed upright.
Third race I was starting to feel a bit tired. I wasn't going to ride as hard as I wanted to finish my first full days racing. It was getting cooler and the sun was down to a point where I really needed a tinted visor on. Didn't get any places off the start and settled into a steady pace. Had a issue with my helmet fogging up a couple of times (heavy breather) and rather than lift it tried breathing gentler instead of lifting the visor. Ended up back of the pack and riding with a large gap to bikes ahead and behind. This race was halted on the 5th lap when a guy fell off coming onto the front straight. His bikes crankcase broke dropping oil and he required medical attention. Race results declared at 4 laps. My laptimes reflected my riding with best time of only 1.279.
Great to see the club rally and come back so well after such a bad day in the clubs history last round. And all the Kiwibikers and Clubmembers that helped out in the running of this meeting to make it such an good day.
Looking forward to Round 6 on the 24th September.
Went across to Manfeild on the Friday for test day. Brillient day. Only 2 cars there and only about 10 bikes so had virtually unlimited tracktime.
Another SV650 rider was there and we are about the same pace so got in some good practice at riding at close quarters at race speed. Only problem was at about 2pm I got a hole in my radiator. Luckly it was at the end of a session so the engine didn't overheat. Loaded up the bike and went home to fix it. Had had plenty of practice by then.
Saturday (raceday) was another great day weatherwise. Will have to remind myself to get over there about 7.00am or so next time as I must have been one of the last to arrive. All the pit areas were pretty filled up. But I ended up getting a garage as Rob had it booked for the rest of the rounds and wasn't there.
At riders briefing the new safety measures were explained and a minutes sileence was observed in honor of Owen Brunton. Another nice touch was everyone had access to number 34 stickers to put on their bikes.
Practice was great 10 mins seemed like plenty of time after having tested the day before. Did something around 1.27 to qualify 11th on the grid. With the field in Clubmans theres always going to be a group on on larger bikes that I will never match and others on smaller or older bikes that will be slower so your looking a races within races and hopeing to improve your laptimes and consistancy.
First race was really enjoyable got off to a great start controlling the amount of wheelstanding and getting good position after the first corner. My pace was ok and had a real blast dicing with some girl on a GSXR600 and a CRF450 Mototard bike for most of the race. Finished 9th with the 600 leaving me behind towards the end but beating the Motard by a couple of seconds. Best lap was 1.2602. Still a long way to go to get to the 1.14s that Hayden Fitzgerarld does on an SV650.
Second race I was feeling relaxed and ready to put in some good laps. Think I got an even better start than the first one. Got past by the GSXR600 and the and RG500 (both Kiwibikers by the way) and they ended up finishing 9 secs ahead of me at the finish. My testday advantage was wearing off as others were now dialed in to the track. Had a incident on the last turn as I was pasting a backmarker I lost a bit of speed and a guy on a ZXR tried to overtake on the last corner. I felt a bit of a nudge and looked back to see this green bike. He was trying to jump in between me and the apex of the corner. Back in the pits looked at my exuast and lots of tyre marks and a bit of a scrape. Fortunately we both stayed upright.
Third race I was starting to feel a bit tired. I wasn't going to ride as hard as I wanted to finish my first full days racing. It was getting cooler and the sun was down to a point where I really needed a tinted visor on. Didn't get any places off the start and settled into a steady pace. Had a issue with my helmet fogging up a couple of times (heavy breather) and rather than lift it tried breathing gentler instead of lifting the visor. Ended up back of the pack and riding with a large gap to bikes ahead and behind. This race was halted on the 5th lap when a guy fell off coming onto the front straight. His bikes crankcase broke dropping oil and he required medical attention. Race results declared at 4 laps. My laptimes reflected my riding with best time of only 1.279.
Great to see the club rally and come back so well after such a bad day in the clubs history last round. And all the Kiwibikers and Clubmembers that helped out in the running of this meeting to make it such an good day.
Looking forward to Round 6 on the 24th September.