kickingzebra
29th November 2006, 21:56
All started for me on friday, moto TT track day.
No one believed me when I said I was going slow and testing tyres.
had some shinko 003s on, to give a good run.
They worked OK, but it took a little while to realise the profile is simply too flat to go WFO around corners. My reccomendation then, is if you want some tyres to play with on the track, then 003s are good, but if you want to go really fast and scrape knees etc, then probably not the greatest. To clarify, grip is fine, damp/light wet performance is great, but lean angle achieveable is lacking.
So happy with the day, I headed for the hills. Paul (motobob) phoned up, we had one of our good ol half hour conversation while the gas station people are wondering if I am ever going to pay for it...
Keep wondering if I would have said anything different if I had known what was going to happen on sunday. We agreed to text each other through the race day on sunday to see how we were each going. I forgot. Paul couldn't have texted me easily. Man, Scuse the french, but that is fucking ridiculous. yeah, sure, shit happens in racing, but, why then? why to him? Straight up one of the best guys I know, and I am going to continue to support him for one. Full respect to Jill and Cleve. Gutted for you guys, there on the day must have been torture. Love to you both.
Anyway, to racing on Sunday. I had put on some flash new slicks, so wasn't having lean angle problems any more, but I had never run slicks before. Was very pleased with the result.
Heaps of bloody warm up.practice laps at PMCC. As much fun as I had there, I am dissapointed with the luddite approach. No track timing? Racing doesn't even start till near on 12:00? On the grid way too early, cold tyres etc. They really need to think about things like email entry, funds transfer electronically etc. This is 2006 after all.
Niggles aside, My tyres held up magically. like, OMG, OMG!!!
Went OK in the warmup laps, but just wanted to start racing.
Race 1 F1. Start high up on the grid, 2nd, due to having been at the last meet, and having placed reasonably. mediocre start. I end 6th or 7th into turn 1, Then I pass someone. Then I pass someone else, then someone crashes, then Anthony (Sugilite) runs off the track. Then Dennis Charlett opens the door on the finalrun down the back straight. So stoked at passing Anthony, I stand up on the pegs and slap my arse going down the finish line. Very molestrangler I feel, but it is hard to drop the trousers (and engage in some more Quasimoto branding) during a race while wearing a one piece.
Stoked to learn I came in 2nd in F1, with some very credible opposition. In fact stoked is an understatment, I was blown away!!
F2 race one, the motards are running with us. Including Squid. I used to panic at the sight of a motard sifdeway into the corner I am aiming for, but I was amping this time, so I was like, yeah baby, lets play, so doing their tricks to them, cutting them up on the white line, rumble strip etc, rear end slides every where. generally very psychotic riding. Got past squid, (into 4th?) then into the right hander before the hairpin. Lost the front end. Tumbing... Watch Jason go past again. Bastidge!! LOL. Lifted the bike, waited for the track to clear, checked the bike out. Brake lever end broken off, and rear brake lever bent up. Not engaged. So back on the bike, and doddle around the track. Steering a bit dodgy. Finished probably a lap shy of the full race, but finished none the less.
Sucks cause PMCC run each grid of the position in the previous race, so I had to start last on the grid in the next one.
Anyway, back into the pits, bend the rear brake lever straight. Couldn't be arsed replacing brake lever before the next F1 race, so filed it up. Loosened the top triple clamp on both sides of the forks, and gave it a soft whack with a rubber hammer. It was measuring 10.5 millimetres on 1 side, and 10.1 on the other. Amazing what a difference 0.4 of a millimetre can make to steering feel.
Next F1 race, I was still sore from the crash. went to it and came in 5th or 6th, after Fing up the start severely, and losing heaps into turn 1. (recurring theme dammit)
Was breifly considering throwing in the towel for the day, having lost motivation (too bloody tired) but then I thought of all my adoring fans (cause all of the spectators came to watch me race, no one else :) )
So I took one of my patented get hard pills in the arse, and carried on.
next F2 race, back of the grid. Big grid too, tons of motards. Cut through the chaff from the back of the feild to wind up 11th. Not too bad, 20 passes in 5 laps. Wished I had 3 or 4 more, would have wound up top 5.
So, not too stoked with the end result, but I have the feeling the practice of passing in a race environment will be invaluable. groovy baby.
Managed to wheely the finish line!!! yay, my life long ambition fulfilled! (and yet I feel soo empty?)
F1, start in the second line, Wheely, drop, wheely, drop wheely, then go.
Something to be said for 520 chain, drop one tooth front, up one tooth rear! Wheelies easy as like that!
Did OK, can't remember exactly, but top 5 finish. Still pretty amped, and enjoying myself again. Fun race, with a few passes in.
Next F2 race. Wasn't gonna put in a repeat rubbish performance, so kicked it in the guts. Dennis Charlett was GONE, but I gave it heaps anyway. Caught up Jason, (took a while) Then watched him and squid playing, thought to meself, I can use this situation, waited for the opportune time, and got them both in one go. Gapped them, figuring Squid would keep Jason busy for a while. He sure did, but I was a bit gutted not to catch the motards in front. 3 of them. bugger.
Anyways, gapped them enough to wheely the finish line really well that time!
Started packing up, planning on returning to hams via auckland hospital. Then, someone (darling wife I believe!!) Comes and tells me, to my chagrin, that Jason is still beating me on points in f2, with me 10th and him 9th. Stupid damn crash. Then she pulls out the corker.
I am THE MAN in F1 points!! Yeeehaa bearches, I'm it, top of the table!! LOL what a laugh. Anyway, I knew I was riding well on the day. Heaps of people ask me what I am doing differently to be going so much faster each time. That true answer is simple. I think about what I am doing and what i should be doing. And I don't ride bugger all between races. Oh, and a really busy sex life (except for 2 days before race day, ruins the killer instinct)
So all in all, what a bittersweet weekend. My good buddy, and respected source of knowledge and friendlyness, Paul is lying in a hospital bed, not racing in the usual manner again, and here I am on top of the table, winning an athletic pursuit. Oh yeah, and I was a nerd!!
Its rooted in the head, but my thoughts go out to Paul, Jill and Cleve (Me team apprentice, they head honchos...)
So, Jason, great riding man, one day you might even be as fast as me ;)
and Cleve, The Zebra would have eaten you in the dry....
Loves you all, thanks to Warr for coming to say hello, Meeky Mouse, for putting in a friendly face, Sugilite, for letting me beat you hehehe, Dennis Charlett, for actually letting me beat him, Jason, for being a good target, Squid, for being a bloody good Bloke, My dear and darling wife, and my apprentice racers, Road rash and Momentum, its all good, the ring pieces will stretch back after a few weeks.
Till next time, which incidentally is the cemetary circuit!!
(Gixxer day don't count, if I can't pass on the inside it ain't in the game ;) )
No one believed me when I said I was going slow and testing tyres.
had some shinko 003s on, to give a good run.
They worked OK, but it took a little while to realise the profile is simply too flat to go WFO around corners. My reccomendation then, is if you want some tyres to play with on the track, then 003s are good, but if you want to go really fast and scrape knees etc, then probably not the greatest. To clarify, grip is fine, damp/light wet performance is great, but lean angle achieveable is lacking.
So happy with the day, I headed for the hills. Paul (motobob) phoned up, we had one of our good ol half hour conversation while the gas station people are wondering if I am ever going to pay for it...
Keep wondering if I would have said anything different if I had known what was going to happen on sunday. We agreed to text each other through the race day on sunday to see how we were each going. I forgot. Paul couldn't have texted me easily. Man, Scuse the french, but that is fucking ridiculous. yeah, sure, shit happens in racing, but, why then? why to him? Straight up one of the best guys I know, and I am going to continue to support him for one. Full respect to Jill and Cleve. Gutted for you guys, there on the day must have been torture. Love to you both.
Anyway, to racing on Sunday. I had put on some flash new slicks, so wasn't having lean angle problems any more, but I had never run slicks before. Was very pleased with the result.
Heaps of bloody warm up.practice laps at PMCC. As much fun as I had there, I am dissapointed with the luddite approach. No track timing? Racing doesn't even start till near on 12:00? On the grid way too early, cold tyres etc. They really need to think about things like email entry, funds transfer electronically etc. This is 2006 after all.
Niggles aside, My tyres held up magically. like, OMG, OMG!!!
Went OK in the warmup laps, but just wanted to start racing.
Race 1 F1. Start high up on the grid, 2nd, due to having been at the last meet, and having placed reasonably. mediocre start. I end 6th or 7th into turn 1, Then I pass someone. Then I pass someone else, then someone crashes, then Anthony (Sugilite) runs off the track. Then Dennis Charlett opens the door on the finalrun down the back straight. So stoked at passing Anthony, I stand up on the pegs and slap my arse going down the finish line. Very molestrangler I feel, but it is hard to drop the trousers (and engage in some more Quasimoto branding) during a race while wearing a one piece.
Stoked to learn I came in 2nd in F1, with some very credible opposition. In fact stoked is an understatment, I was blown away!!
F2 race one, the motards are running with us. Including Squid. I used to panic at the sight of a motard sifdeway into the corner I am aiming for, but I was amping this time, so I was like, yeah baby, lets play, so doing their tricks to them, cutting them up on the white line, rumble strip etc, rear end slides every where. generally very psychotic riding. Got past squid, (into 4th?) then into the right hander before the hairpin. Lost the front end. Tumbing... Watch Jason go past again. Bastidge!! LOL. Lifted the bike, waited for the track to clear, checked the bike out. Brake lever end broken off, and rear brake lever bent up. Not engaged. So back on the bike, and doddle around the track. Steering a bit dodgy. Finished probably a lap shy of the full race, but finished none the less.
Sucks cause PMCC run each grid of the position in the previous race, so I had to start last on the grid in the next one.
Anyway, back into the pits, bend the rear brake lever straight. Couldn't be arsed replacing brake lever before the next F1 race, so filed it up. Loosened the top triple clamp on both sides of the forks, and gave it a soft whack with a rubber hammer. It was measuring 10.5 millimetres on 1 side, and 10.1 on the other. Amazing what a difference 0.4 of a millimetre can make to steering feel.
Next F1 race, I was still sore from the crash. went to it and came in 5th or 6th, after Fing up the start severely, and losing heaps into turn 1. (recurring theme dammit)
Was breifly considering throwing in the towel for the day, having lost motivation (too bloody tired) but then I thought of all my adoring fans (cause all of the spectators came to watch me race, no one else :) )
So I took one of my patented get hard pills in the arse, and carried on.
next F2 race, back of the grid. Big grid too, tons of motards. Cut through the chaff from the back of the feild to wind up 11th. Not too bad, 20 passes in 5 laps. Wished I had 3 or 4 more, would have wound up top 5.
So, not too stoked with the end result, but I have the feeling the practice of passing in a race environment will be invaluable. groovy baby.
Managed to wheely the finish line!!! yay, my life long ambition fulfilled! (and yet I feel soo empty?)
F1, start in the second line, Wheely, drop, wheely, drop wheely, then go.
Something to be said for 520 chain, drop one tooth front, up one tooth rear! Wheelies easy as like that!
Did OK, can't remember exactly, but top 5 finish. Still pretty amped, and enjoying myself again. Fun race, with a few passes in.
Next F2 race. Wasn't gonna put in a repeat rubbish performance, so kicked it in the guts. Dennis Charlett was GONE, but I gave it heaps anyway. Caught up Jason, (took a while) Then watched him and squid playing, thought to meself, I can use this situation, waited for the opportune time, and got them both in one go. Gapped them, figuring Squid would keep Jason busy for a while. He sure did, but I was a bit gutted not to catch the motards in front. 3 of them. bugger.
Anyways, gapped them enough to wheely the finish line really well that time!
Started packing up, planning on returning to hams via auckland hospital. Then, someone (darling wife I believe!!) Comes and tells me, to my chagrin, that Jason is still beating me on points in f2, with me 10th and him 9th. Stupid damn crash. Then she pulls out the corker.
I am THE MAN in F1 points!! Yeeehaa bearches, I'm it, top of the table!! LOL what a laugh. Anyway, I knew I was riding well on the day. Heaps of people ask me what I am doing differently to be going so much faster each time. That true answer is simple. I think about what I am doing and what i should be doing. And I don't ride bugger all between races. Oh, and a really busy sex life (except for 2 days before race day, ruins the killer instinct)
So all in all, what a bittersweet weekend. My good buddy, and respected source of knowledge and friendlyness, Paul is lying in a hospital bed, not racing in the usual manner again, and here I am on top of the table, winning an athletic pursuit. Oh yeah, and I was a nerd!!
Its rooted in the head, but my thoughts go out to Paul, Jill and Cleve (Me team apprentice, they head honchos...)
So, Jason, great riding man, one day you might even be as fast as me ;)
and Cleve, The Zebra would have eaten you in the dry....
Loves you all, thanks to Warr for coming to say hello, Meeky Mouse, for putting in a friendly face, Sugilite, for letting me beat you hehehe, Dennis Charlett, for actually letting me beat him, Jason, for being a good target, Squid, for being a bloody good Bloke, My dear and darling wife, and my apprentice racers, Road rash and Momentum, its all good, the ring pieces will stretch back after a few weeks.
Till next time, which incidentally is the cemetary circuit!!
(Gixxer day don't count, if I can't pass on the inside it ain't in the game ;) )