Str8 Jacket
17th March 2008, 12:03
I wasnt gonna post up a thread as I really didnt do anything spectacular! However I had ALOT of support and help from quite a few KBers and I really need to say thanks!
Last Weds night I was offered 2 bikes to take up the hill, 1 was KS34's CBR600 racebike and the other was Drew's FZR750 stunt bike. I choose Drew's bike and then the wheels started turning......
Early Sat morning Drew, Scracha and Limbimmy arrived to pick me up. Fark I was nervous! Me and LBTW shared a van and he drove, which was lucky cause I dont have a cage licence.... We got to the track around 9.30 and I sat on the FZR for the first time. Sweet, I could touch the ground and it wasnt *that* big. I was getting more and more nervous before we went out on the sighting laps. I hadnt really ridden a "big" bike for 2+ years and I had never ridden anything other than a 400. With the sighting laps out the way I knew I could relax as I found the bike easy to ride and the road was nowhere near as scary as I had thought it would be, though this was mainly cause I wasnt going that fast! My goal for the weekend was to see how much I had improved over the 2 day's. I was really hoping to see a big improvement and I was really hoping that I wouldnt crash or blow up Drew's bike!......
I remember being so nervous about crashing in front of everyone or stalling at the start line that I took my first 2 launches VERY slowly! My first run up the hill was 3.48mins, which for me was OK but in comparison to others it was SLOOOOW! Everyone was talking about how scary it was, that was because they were doing the run in 2 mins something where as I was literally just pootling up the hill! I finally mastered the launching bit towards the end of the day and got down to about 3.40 which was an average of 100kph. I was a bit bummed out but decided that my aim for Sunday was 3.30 mins.... Still I had had a blast and my face hurt from smiling so much!
That night Sully asks me what PSI I was running the tyres at, turns out he pumped them both up to 40 psi and I hadnt thought to check, we sorted that out for Sunday though!
Sunday.... Well I wasnt nervous but I had a headache all day, except for when I was on the bike. I was feeling so much more confident and I had got my starts sorted too. During one of my launches I realised that the front wheel was lifting but I didnt freak out and just leant over the bike keeping the throttle on and it was sweet, lol :niceone:
During my second run I had a major tankslapper coming into the left hand corner after the bridge. Ive never had a tank slapper beofre and I hope I never have one again! I managed to smack my funny bone into the tank and wind myself somehow.... The bike somehow straightened up jsut as I thought "Fuck it im gonna crash" and I almost closed my eyes! That run was the only one that I was not smiling when I got to the top. I had tears in my eyes, I couldnt breathe and my elbow hurt. Turns out that was the first of my string of good runs, I managed a 3.26 which was 22seconds faster than my first run.
I ended up with a best time of 3.20mins. I know its not an awesome time when looking at other results but it was a huge acheivement for me as I had then knocked of 28 secs from the day beofre!
I need to thank the following people for helping me get out there and have the best weekend of my life!
Drew, for letting me ride your bike and making it Hels-rideable. Also for you kick up the arse to even do it in the first place!
KS34 - Ken - AKA Coffee Guy, for paying for me to enter the race on Sunday and for all the support and smiles!
flame, for lending me her leathers for the day. They fit great too!
Sully60, for getting the bike there and home and not complaining!
Weaver, Vasaline Warrior, for helping me crash start the bike!
LBTW for putting up with me in the van all the way there and back and for picking me up and dropping me off!
Mrs Kendog and NumberOne for tracking my times!
Kendog fo rthe laughs and the photo's. You have a great nob Nige! ;)
koba, for just being you. You rock and I love you!
EVERYONE ELSE for cheering me on and generally making me feel calm. It was great to get to the top and see you guy's cheering and smiling!
This is what KB is really all about and we really are lucky! Thanks everyone, I really did have one of the best weekends of my life!
Last Weds night I was offered 2 bikes to take up the hill, 1 was KS34's CBR600 racebike and the other was Drew's FZR750 stunt bike. I choose Drew's bike and then the wheels started turning......
Early Sat morning Drew, Scracha and Limbimmy arrived to pick me up. Fark I was nervous! Me and LBTW shared a van and he drove, which was lucky cause I dont have a cage licence.... We got to the track around 9.30 and I sat on the FZR for the first time. Sweet, I could touch the ground and it wasnt *that* big. I was getting more and more nervous before we went out on the sighting laps. I hadnt really ridden a "big" bike for 2+ years and I had never ridden anything other than a 400. With the sighting laps out the way I knew I could relax as I found the bike easy to ride and the road was nowhere near as scary as I had thought it would be, though this was mainly cause I wasnt going that fast! My goal for the weekend was to see how much I had improved over the 2 day's. I was really hoping to see a big improvement and I was really hoping that I wouldnt crash or blow up Drew's bike!......
I remember being so nervous about crashing in front of everyone or stalling at the start line that I took my first 2 launches VERY slowly! My first run up the hill was 3.48mins, which for me was OK but in comparison to others it was SLOOOOW! Everyone was talking about how scary it was, that was because they were doing the run in 2 mins something where as I was literally just pootling up the hill! I finally mastered the launching bit towards the end of the day and got down to about 3.40 which was an average of 100kph. I was a bit bummed out but decided that my aim for Sunday was 3.30 mins.... Still I had had a blast and my face hurt from smiling so much!
That night Sully asks me what PSI I was running the tyres at, turns out he pumped them both up to 40 psi and I hadnt thought to check, we sorted that out for Sunday though!
Sunday.... Well I wasnt nervous but I had a headache all day, except for when I was on the bike. I was feeling so much more confident and I had got my starts sorted too. During one of my launches I realised that the front wheel was lifting but I didnt freak out and just leant over the bike keeping the throttle on and it was sweet, lol :niceone:
During my second run I had a major tankslapper coming into the left hand corner after the bridge. Ive never had a tank slapper beofre and I hope I never have one again! I managed to smack my funny bone into the tank and wind myself somehow.... The bike somehow straightened up jsut as I thought "Fuck it im gonna crash" and I almost closed my eyes! That run was the only one that I was not smiling when I got to the top. I had tears in my eyes, I couldnt breathe and my elbow hurt. Turns out that was the first of my string of good runs, I managed a 3.26 which was 22seconds faster than my first run.
I ended up with a best time of 3.20mins. I know its not an awesome time when looking at other results but it was a huge acheivement for me as I had then knocked of 28 secs from the day beofre!
I need to thank the following people for helping me get out there and have the best weekend of my life!
Drew, for letting me ride your bike and making it Hels-rideable. Also for you kick up the arse to even do it in the first place!
KS34 - Ken - AKA Coffee Guy, for paying for me to enter the race on Sunday and for all the support and smiles!
flame, for lending me her leathers for the day. They fit great too!
Sully60, for getting the bike there and home and not complaining!
Weaver, Vasaline Warrior, for helping me crash start the bike!
LBTW for putting up with me in the van all the way there and back and for picking me up and dropping me off!
Mrs Kendog and NumberOne for tracking my times!
Kendog fo rthe laughs and the photo's. You have a great nob Nige! ;)
koba, for just being you. You rock and I love you!
EVERYONE ELSE for cheering me on and generally making me feel calm. It was great to get to the top and see you guy's cheering and smiling!
This is what KB is really all about and we really are lucky! Thanks everyone, I really did have one of the best weekends of my life!