vtec
19th November 2007, 21:20
Well I know I was quitting but I still love riding so I'm still keeping a hand in by riding my favourite bike, the CBR250RR. A lot slower and safer than the big bikes but somehow it just seems more fun. I'll keep this short now that I'm only playing games and no longer being all that serious.
Saturday. Took all the road bits off, except for the indicators cause the screws were too tight. And slapped the obligatory race tape all over it and added some sexy masking tape numbers and voila a race bike was born in about 20 minutes... (I did the lockwiring and catch can the previous weekend). Snared a lift with Nicky and family, much much appreciated. Just took the stand some oil and a petrol tank, oh yeah and tape. Trying to keep it simple. Way more relaxing than fully loading up a landcruiser and trailer with tools equipment and spares, and still forgetting stuff.
Sunday Race Day. I'll just cut to the racing.
Streetstock/Post Classic practice. Went out at the front of the field, followed a guy round on an older bike for a while, and then got in the lead of all the post classics, got passed by one post classic with about a lap to go. Was strange going back to the little CBR250, couldn't do any point and shoot like on the 600, had to pick up heaps of corner speed and flow.
F3 practice. Circulated, and had some fun. Nothing special of mention.
Streetstock first race. Lined up on the back of the grid. It was a shambles, heaps of SS'rs started with the Post Classics ahh it was just messy. So some of the guys got a 5-10 second head start. I decided to put my head down and go hard and caught them pretty quick but then went too fast into turn 5 or maybe I just chickened out after sliding over the rough patch, but I had to stand the bike up on the rumble strip and ran off the track at about 100k/hr (estimate) Nearly made it all the way to the tyre wall but somehow managed to keep it up through the gravel and stop in time. Wobbled back onto the track and put my head down again. Luckily it was a 10 lapper and I caught back up and passed heaps of guys. Wasn't sure if I'd caught all the ss'rs but turned out later that I had. Loving the track time but I don't know if I'll keep racing this class unless someone like Avalon wants a challenge.
F3 first race. Another 10 lapper. Discussed start tactics with nicky. She said going on the outside was a big advantage cause you don't get bogged down. Sure enough my tactics of taking the inside had my all squished up and going nowhere and nicky was in front of me on the first lap after starting well further back on the grid, really impressive start. Worked my way past some 400's and 650's. Came upon a couple of pretty quick 650's, managed to beat them on the brakes and through the corners after setting up for a couple of laps. Had some great tussles cause I'm a bit underpowered on the straights but was nearly getting my elbow on the ground in the corners and my arse felt pretty close too. The Metzeler Rennsport on the front kicked arse and never missed a beat. The Dunlop GPRA10 on the rear however was getting a little toasty on the grippy Taupo circuit and that was moving around a fair bit, especially over the reseals and rough spots and when my peg touched the ground. Had difficulty getting the boots tucked in enough. Anyway back to the racing, the red 650 with the Quasi leathers tried to outbrake me into turn 1 at the end of the front straight, and he had me on the inside, but we were going past the corner and I instinctively started to lean in waiting for him to lean in too, but he never did, we locked bars just before he shepherded me off the track, this time I only just ran off and managed to get back on and sprint back into the race, only lost about 3 positions, and the 650 guy let me go first anyway (thanks Dave). Managed to finish 10th despite the runoff.
Streetstock/Postclassic race 2. Started on the front of the Streetstock grid with a ZXR250 next to me. Postclassics got a good 15-20second head start. Start was pretty even, and I cleared out pretty quick chasing down the post classics. I love racing against bikes with more power, there's just something exciting about being the underdog. Got through a few before we reached the Chequered flag. If my little cbr was one year older I'd probably enter it in post classics instead of Streetstocks. Would be nearly competitive.
F3 race 2. Was much more determined and keen now that we had actual grid positions sorted, and gave the start a good go. I think I was close to the top 10 after the first corner. I'm not as good at launching the baby cbr as I used to be. Got stuck into my work, and picked a few guys off over the 6laps. Just stayed focussed and rode really quite hard, trail braking hard and rear sliding around while full tilt with the throttle wide. Getting my body weight right over and just about sitting on the ground. This was my favourite race of the day, just because I was stoked about getting 7th out of 24 F3 bikes, and I was the only one on something smaller than a 400, with the majority of the field on 650's. My confidence and aggression has come a long way with riding 600's this last year and a bit.
Streetstock race 1 rerun. Launched all right but the ZXR250 was just ahead of me going into the first corner but I braked pretty late and shoved it up the inside then went about chasing down the post classics. Got quite a few of them aswell and had a great tussle on the last lap with one of them, didn't quite have the steam to get him after a lapped streetstocker kind of foiled my plans. Had a blast
This may have been my most enjoyable day's racing. I love the little bike. So much easier to ride, even though the suspension was probably not designed for this kind of riding and lacks any adjustability. Just one less thing to worry about I suppose, so it's all up to your riding to make improvements. The CBR250 is so light and flickable and because it's not insanely fast, you can get away with a lot of mistakes without getting smashed up.
Thanks go to Nicky and her parents for letting me tag along... otherwise I would have had to ride it down. And to the organisers, it seems like a tricky meeting to get help for, good on you for doing your best, I see the same faces doing it most times, it's a cool championship (taupo rocks).
I hope this was short enough.
Saturday. Took all the road bits off, except for the indicators cause the screws were too tight. And slapped the obligatory race tape all over it and added some sexy masking tape numbers and voila a race bike was born in about 20 minutes... (I did the lockwiring and catch can the previous weekend). Snared a lift with Nicky and family, much much appreciated. Just took the stand some oil and a petrol tank, oh yeah and tape. Trying to keep it simple. Way more relaxing than fully loading up a landcruiser and trailer with tools equipment and spares, and still forgetting stuff.
Sunday Race Day. I'll just cut to the racing.
Streetstock/Post Classic practice. Went out at the front of the field, followed a guy round on an older bike for a while, and then got in the lead of all the post classics, got passed by one post classic with about a lap to go. Was strange going back to the little CBR250, couldn't do any point and shoot like on the 600, had to pick up heaps of corner speed and flow.
F3 practice. Circulated, and had some fun. Nothing special of mention.
Streetstock first race. Lined up on the back of the grid. It was a shambles, heaps of SS'rs started with the Post Classics ahh it was just messy. So some of the guys got a 5-10 second head start. I decided to put my head down and go hard and caught them pretty quick but then went too fast into turn 5 or maybe I just chickened out after sliding over the rough patch, but I had to stand the bike up on the rumble strip and ran off the track at about 100k/hr (estimate) Nearly made it all the way to the tyre wall but somehow managed to keep it up through the gravel and stop in time. Wobbled back onto the track and put my head down again. Luckily it was a 10 lapper and I caught back up and passed heaps of guys. Wasn't sure if I'd caught all the ss'rs but turned out later that I had. Loving the track time but I don't know if I'll keep racing this class unless someone like Avalon wants a challenge.
F3 first race. Another 10 lapper. Discussed start tactics with nicky. She said going on the outside was a big advantage cause you don't get bogged down. Sure enough my tactics of taking the inside had my all squished up and going nowhere and nicky was in front of me on the first lap after starting well further back on the grid, really impressive start. Worked my way past some 400's and 650's. Came upon a couple of pretty quick 650's, managed to beat them on the brakes and through the corners after setting up for a couple of laps. Had some great tussles cause I'm a bit underpowered on the straights but was nearly getting my elbow on the ground in the corners and my arse felt pretty close too. The Metzeler Rennsport on the front kicked arse and never missed a beat. The Dunlop GPRA10 on the rear however was getting a little toasty on the grippy Taupo circuit and that was moving around a fair bit, especially over the reseals and rough spots and when my peg touched the ground. Had difficulty getting the boots tucked in enough. Anyway back to the racing, the red 650 with the Quasi leathers tried to outbrake me into turn 1 at the end of the front straight, and he had me on the inside, but we were going past the corner and I instinctively started to lean in waiting for him to lean in too, but he never did, we locked bars just before he shepherded me off the track, this time I only just ran off and managed to get back on and sprint back into the race, only lost about 3 positions, and the 650 guy let me go first anyway (thanks Dave). Managed to finish 10th despite the runoff.
Streetstock/Postclassic race 2. Started on the front of the Streetstock grid with a ZXR250 next to me. Postclassics got a good 15-20second head start. Start was pretty even, and I cleared out pretty quick chasing down the post classics. I love racing against bikes with more power, there's just something exciting about being the underdog. Got through a few before we reached the Chequered flag. If my little cbr was one year older I'd probably enter it in post classics instead of Streetstocks. Would be nearly competitive.
F3 race 2. Was much more determined and keen now that we had actual grid positions sorted, and gave the start a good go. I think I was close to the top 10 after the first corner. I'm not as good at launching the baby cbr as I used to be. Got stuck into my work, and picked a few guys off over the 6laps. Just stayed focussed and rode really quite hard, trail braking hard and rear sliding around while full tilt with the throttle wide. Getting my body weight right over and just about sitting on the ground. This was my favourite race of the day, just because I was stoked about getting 7th out of 24 F3 bikes, and I was the only one on something smaller than a 400, with the majority of the field on 650's. My confidence and aggression has come a long way with riding 600's this last year and a bit.
Streetstock race 1 rerun. Launched all right but the ZXR250 was just ahead of me going into the first corner but I braked pretty late and shoved it up the inside then went about chasing down the post classics. Got quite a few of them aswell and had a great tussle on the last lap with one of them, didn't quite have the steam to get him after a lapped streetstocker kind of foiled my plans. Had a blast
This may have been my most enjoyable day's racing. I love the little bike. So much easier to ride, even though the suspension was probably not designed for this kind of riding and lacks any adjustability. Just one less thing to worry about I suppose, so it's all up to your riding to make improvements. The CBR250 is so light and flickable and because it's not insanely fast, you can get away with a lot of mistakes without getting smashed up.
Thanks go to Nicky and her parents for letting me tag along... otherwise I would have had to ride it down. And to the organisers, it seems like a tricky meeting to get help for, good on you for doing your best, I see the same faces doing it most times, it's a cool championship (taupo rocks).
I hope this was short enough.