Track day mindset?

[Number One]

I've been thinking through my recent track day experience.

To be frank I was disapointed and didn't enjoy it much at all.

The 'weekend itself and the company' very much but the track day not as much as I would've hoped.

Vic Club ran a smashing day and weather aside perfectly well run. One of my heros was there allowing me to follow her about at snail pace showing me different lines and doing cool wheelies in front of me..so again not a bad day. But I didn't really enjoy it...

The problem was my mindset. I felt (and was) very slow and couldn't relax, just as we were called in each time I was just starting to feel more at ease. The result of the day was that I went considerably slower on my 650 round there than I EVER did on my wee 250 :crybaby: and in fact I would wager that my corner speed on the bucket is and would be much faster :o

So to improve I have been thinking about what was not working? The bike was the best set up it has ever been. The tyres (once we were on the slicks) were awesome. I had good comfy gears and nothing but the day to focus on. The only thing I come back to is my head space. I realise that I was in 'commuter' space. I had already decided that I didn't want to damage my bike so I had that strongly in mind. Also I hate pain so tend to not want to hurt or injure myself - I find that affects my level of competitiveness. Also ever since I have had this bike I have always ridden it carefully, conservatively and worked hard on being disciplined about speed and not letting my self ride outside my 'known to me' capabilities...I'm law abiding and I really don't want to give any of my money away. I spent the first 4-5 months with this bike riding around on shit brakes, stock suspension and horrible badly worn second hand tyres - so again have spent the majority of time riding this bike feeling awkward and through that doubting my own skills to chuck it around so by far the most riding I have been doing is (SADLY) commuting.

Even though we changed the bike considerably I found that I couldn't push myself. When it fined up, we chucked the slicks on the bike and I had a good long go in the ladies session. Started to feel in 'the groove' and experienced this queer feeling of being on my bucket in a race...next thing I found myself getting more on the charge....THEN I shifted gear the wrong way (as the bucket is reverse pattern) had a wee rear wheel lock up, poohed my pants a little and voila my brain went straight back into 'commuter' mode.

Photos show me checking out the infield as I tootled down the front and back strait :lol: I enjoyed the day and the chance to ride my bike but I not only felt awkward...I expected more from myself. I punt the bucket round ok...I should be able to transfer the same things to the 650 on a track...but my brain wouldn't let me go there...maybe next time I take the fiddy to the track :scooter: :woohoo: :pinch:

SO - how do you switch off your inner commuter and law abiding citizen in order to really give yourself a good testing out at track days?

[Quasievil]

Mate thats simply the way it is, for me sometimes Im dialled and sometimes im not, sometimes feel right about every thing and sometimes all is wrong, I have found tho that the more I do a trackday or a race the more chance I find myself dialled into it, particulary now that I dont ride on the road.

So dont worry just get into a few more days and get some more time on the track on your bike and you will get your head in the right place more often that not.

[R6_kid]

Look through the corner and open the gas. Those two things alone make a marked difference on my lap times at the bucket track.

Once you've done 5 laps you should have the track layout memorised, after that you can pick up the pace, and work on getting one corner right - the one your on.

Just out of interest - Why slicks? And were you running tyre warmers with them?

[Pussy]

I think you are being a bit hard on yourself, Number One!
We all have good days, and off days... your day on the track was probably one of the latter. Nothing wrong with your self preservation mindset... we'd be reading about a lot less binned bikes if more riders had it.
What's the bet you'll have a ball at the next one you go to!

[ajturbo]

hey matey...
it really just takes time on the track.. the more time the better you will get,
also i found that a good old woops.. i crashed, really does help (me), you will find your limits, sure it may hurt the bike a bit....
i don't mean go silly speeds into a corner JUST to fall off. lol

just get out there and do it as often as you can....

[Rodney007]

yeah like gareth said take your time, these are big bikes not little buckets :argue:

dont think about falling off, worry about that when you do, you want a clear head!
insurance and crashing is the very last thing on my mind, (dont even have insurance)

also tape up your speedo, take off your side mirriors if you didnt already,

why you running slicks?, id move to slicks on a bike when i can push the best road tyres to there limits,
and you cant really setup your suspension unless you can feel your tyres limits, so you want a less agressive tyre to benchmark your suspension setup IMO.

[erik]

SO - how do you switch off your inner commuter and law abiding citizen in order to really give yourself a good testing out at track days?

If you're mostly just commuting, do some rides on the open road in your favourite twisties leading up to the track day. Obviously you can't ride on them like you do on the track, but I've found it helped in the past to get my mind used to riding at 100km/h through nice corners, if I'd mostly been commuting. Also try shifting your weight for fun, to see what works and get used to what the bike feels like when you're hanging off etc. to help you get comfortable with the bike.

I've had some issues with my SV, getting used to it. I don't feel as comfortable hanging off it as I do on the bandit. I was having problems with my foot slipping off the peg, so I removed the rubber from the pegs and sharpened them. Also I think the shape of the tank pushes my knee out on the outer side when I'm hanging off which is a bit awkward and contributes to my foot feeling like it's about to slide off the peg. Rear set/riser plates seemed to help a bit, and I've just put some shorter dog bones on to raise the rear and that seems to have made it feel more natural as well, although it might just be I'm having a 'good' day.
So it could be issues with the bike that only affect you when you're trying to ride faster?

But yeah, like Quasi said, we all have good days and bad days.
Don't push yourself to go faster, just ride at what speed you're comfortable with and focus on riding better.

[ajturbo]

If you're mostly just commuting, do some rides on the open road in your favourite twisties leading up to the track day. Obviously you can't ride on them like you do on the track, but I've found it helped in the past to get my mind used to riding at 100km/h through nice corners, if I'd mostly been commuting. Also try shifting your weight for fun, to see what works and get used to what the bike feels like when you're hanging off etc. to help you get comfortable with the bike.

I've had some issues with my SV, getting used to it. I don't feel as comfortable hanging off it as I do on the bandit. I was having problems with my foot slipping off the peg, so I removed the rubber from the pegs and sharpened them. Also I think the shape of the tank pushes my knee out on the outer side when I'm hanging off which is a bit awkward and contributes to my foot feeling like it's about to slide off the peg. Rear set/riser plates seemed to help a bit, and I've just put some shorter dog bones on to raise the rear and that seems to have made it feel more natural as well, although it might just be I'm having a 'good' day.
So it could be issues with the bike that only affect you when you're trying to ride faster?

But yeah, like Quasi said, we all have good days and bad days.
Don't push yourself to go faster, just ride at what speed you're comfortable with and focus on riding better.
breathing helps also......

[wbks]

I almost feel like I'm in a video game, it makes it easy to relax and have fun. Though, admitedly, I'm not riding a Desmosidici GP8 around Sachsenring.

Which track was the track day at? Maybe it's because most road tracks are big and wide, as oposed to a cart track like you race buckets on so that combined with the bigger bike made you feel like you were on the road?

[Goblin]

insurance and crashing is the very last thing on my mind, (dont even have insurance)
Not the sort of thing to go admitting to here. :whistle: Agree with the whole post tho. :yes:

The more trackdays you do, the more you will enjoy and learn to relax. I was fair crapping myself at my first track day at Minefield. Now any track time is oooh sooo precious!! If it was your first time on your roadie then lighten up on yourself. Like Pussy said...nothing wrong with a healthy sense of self preservation.

Give youself time to adjust and soon enuf you'll be wondering what you were worried about. :calm: :sunny:

[Number One]

Look through the corner and open the gas. Those two things alone make a marked difference on my lap times at the bucket track.

Times at the bucket track are not the issue. What I was disappointed in was that I wasn't comfy flicking the SV around at Manfield in the same way I can flick the bucket around on a cart track. Knee down on the bucket is pretty easy and I hang off rather natural like too...on the SV it just felt foreign to even try :sweatdrop


Once you've done 5 laps you should have the track layout memorised, after that you can pick up the pace, and work on getting one corner right - the one your on.

Just out of interest - Why slicks? And were you running tyre warmers with them?

I know my way round Manfield pretty well - that wasn't the issue it was the entry speed I was confident carrying.

SLICKS? We were both riding the bike (Sully60 also) He made it look fast and I had brand new road rubber that I didn't want to root...also the rear road tyre just wasn't very good out there and yes we do have warmers. Sully used to race his SV.


yeah like gareth said take your time, these are big bikes not little buckets :argue:

dont think about falling off, worry about that when you do, you want a clear head!
insurance and crashing is the very last thing on my mind, (dont even have insurance)

also tape up your speedo, take off your side mirriors if you didnt already,

why you running slicks?, id move to slicks on a bike when i can push the best road tyres to there limits,
and you cant really setup your suspension unless you can feel your tyres limits, so you want a less agressive tyre to benchmark your suspension setup IMO.

I try not to think about falling off - I suspect it isn't as entertaining as when you come off on a bucket :eek5: The issue wasn't that I was afraid of falling off it was that my brain was stuck in Commuter gear...and I just felt cack (sp) No speedo as the bike was in race trim so nothing distracting like mirrors or gauges to worry about.

The suspension is now beautiful and is set up very good. Watched Sully knee down everywhere on it so seems it was handling pretty darned good to me :sunny: as I said the problem is NOT the bike...


If you're mostly just commuting, do some rides on the open road in your favourite twisties leading up to the track day. Obviously you can't ride on them like you do on the track, but I've found it helped in the past to get my mind used to riding at 100km/h through nice corners, if I'd mostly been commuting. Also try shifting your weight for fun, to see what works and get used to what the bike feels like when you're hanging off etc. to help you get comfortable with the bike.
'Yeah this I am sure would have helped - I just haven't had enough opp to get out on the bike for very long just keeps on feeling like I need more time on it.


Which track was the track day at? Maybe it's because most road tracks are big and wide, as oposed to a cart track like you race buckets on so that combined with the bigger bike made you feel like you were on the road?

You know I think that is pretty spot on actually :niceone: I even found myself struggling to use the whole track subconsciously living on the left hand side of the track :rolleyes:

[Trudes]

I was thinking about this after we were chatting about it, and we agreed on the "this is my road bike, I don't want to hurt it" thing, but maybe something to remember is that it was a track day, not a race day. I still reckon when it comes to the bike you need for commuting and joy riding on the road it's better to use a bit of restraint and self-preservation, leave the race mind-set for the bucket tracks or if you have a race-bike. You're being too hard on yourself, you were doing fine out there, (better than me, I was just pootling, as I always do as I use trackdays as fun time on my bike without traffic to try some different stuff that I might want to use on the road) and the main thing is you didn't crash and have to ride your bike back to the pits on a trailer!!! Cheer up emo kid:msn-wink:

[Number One]

I was thinking about this after we were chatting about it, and we agreed on the "this is my road bike, I don't want to hurt it" thing, but maybe something to remember is that it was a track day, not a race day. I still reckon when it comes to the bike you need for commuting and joy riding on the road it's better to use a bit of restraint and self-preservation, leave the race mind-set for the bucket tracks or if you have a race-bike. You're being too hard on yourself, you were doing fine out there, (better than me, I was just pootling, as I always do as I use trackdays as fun time on my bike without traffic to try some different stuff that I might want to use on the road) and the main thing is you didn't crash and have to ride your bike back to the pits on a trailer!!! Cheer up emo kid:msn-wink:
Emo kid :lol:

BTW peeps - I'm not beating myself up...more analysing it and trying to figure out what might help me next time. Yes there is a difference between a track day and a race day but I felt that I wasn't even riding as well out there as I do on the road. I think for instance of my recent tootle to Taupo. Went through much tighter corners and all the other palava that you get on the road and reckon I was maintaining a more comfy speed and was definitely riding smoother.

Anywho I am not down on myself about it....it's just that natural learning stage where you realise you still aren't as good at or confident with something as you'd like to be and it bums you out a bit.

[Trudes]

haha, I know the feeling hun, I'm sure I ride faster on the road than I do at the track, weird eh.
Oh well, just remember you're the reining Welly bucket queen.:2thumbsup

[discotex]

also tape up your speedo

I'm going to give that a try next time. I found when I ignored the speedo I was much faster and smoother but my eye keeps checking it on autopilot.

[R6_kid]

I'm going to give that a try next time. I found when I ignored the speedo I was much faster and smoother but my eye keeps checking it on autopilot.

Most trackday n00bs find that the last thing they did before they crashed or screwed up a corner was look at the speedo.

[ajturbo]

I'm going to give that a try next time. I found when I ignored the speedo I was much faster and smoother but my eye keeps checking it on autopilot.


Most trackday n00bs find that the last thing they did before they crashed or screwed up a corner was look at the speedo.

what i did once... in a race on the RG, was to watch the speedo as i exited the corner... then the next time around, looked to see if i could do it faster... and faster, but your right, it did slow me a couple of times...:doh:

[wbks]

One good thing I found to use the speedo for is a braking point along the straight. I was getting out of the sweeper, and down the straight consistently, so I was braking by the time I was at 150. Next time I waited till I got to 155 etc and ended up braking a lot later at 165. Sure, the distance markers are good for the rest of the corners but it's hard to tell when you're going to get to the 200m marker at speed or if theres a bike on your right blocking your view. Off topic but I thought I'd add something to the speedo thing. Rest of the track though I don't look at the speedo. I got scared when I realized I was going faster then I do on the highway while tucked in and leaning over haha. I do pay attention to my rev gauge in my peripheral vision though, just to make sure I shift at the right times

[discotex]

Most trackday n00bs find that the last thing they did before they crashed or screwed up a corner was look at the speedo.

I can believe that. It takes away too much attention when braking hard and basically means you don't use a turn-in point.


what i did once... in a race on the RG, was to watch the speedo as i exited the corner... then the next time around, looked to see if i could do it faster... and faster, but your right, it did slow me a couple of times...:doh:

It's good on exit. I figure I can use the tacho instead. I.e. if I cross point x at a higher rpm than last time I must have a better drive.


I do pay attention to my rev guage in my peripheral vision though, just to make sure I shift at the right times

You should be able to use rpm as your speed gauge as well if you need it. I.e. you know you get to 10000rpm in 5th before you roll off and you need to be in 3rd for the left at the end of the straight (made up example).

[Tony.OK]

One good thing I found to use the speedo for is a braking point along the straight. I was getting out of the sweeper, and down the straight consistently, so I was braking by the time I was at 150. Next time I waited till I got to 155 etc and ended up braking a lot later at 165. Sure, the distance markers are good for the rest of the corners but it's hard to tell when you're going to get to the 200m marker at speed or if theres a bike on your right blocking your view. Off topic but I thought I'd add something to the speedo thing. Rest of the track though I don't look at the speedo. I got scared when I realized I was going faster then I do on the highway while tucked in and leaning over haha. I do pay attention to my rev gauge in my peripheral vision though, just to make sure I shift at the right times

That depends alot on your previous corner exit speed though, as you get more comfortable you roll on earlier and reach a higher speed faster, you may be braking earlier than before if your speed is higher faster.
Looking at markers is good in that you aren't concentrating on the bike in front, watching the speedo going into a corner will eventually catch you out............tape over it and work on being smooth going in at a given point, you'll know if it feels early so then try braking progressively later.:2thumbsup

[sinfull]

Emo kid :lol:

BTW peeps - I'm not beating myself up...more analysing it and trying to figure out what might help me next time. Yes there is a difference between a track day and a race day but I felt that I wasn't even riding as well out there as I do on the road. I think for instance of my recent tootle to Taupo. Went through much tighter corners and all the other palava that you get on the road and reckon I was maintaining a more comfy speed and was definitely riding smoother.

Anywho I am not down on myself about it....it's just that natural learning stage where you realise you still aren't as good at or confident with something as you'd like to be and it bums you out a bit.
Why not bring a bucket to the next track day ? Where's the rule that ya have to be on a road bike ?
Be kinda fun to watch ya out brake (or not brake) and go round the outside of all the straight line jockies at full noise !

[jrandom]

I reckon all the others are onto it. Just keep at it and you'll feel better in due course eh.

Riding an SV650 on the track's gotta be fairly different to riding a bucket. It's a new skill set, so it's hardly surprising you didn't go out and rip it up. As someone said, a healthy sense of self-preservation is key!

Just keep plugging away. And maybe have a go on the SV at Taupo, too. Manfeild's fun, but in my limited two days of experience there, pace around Manfeild is all about how late you can brake and how early you can get on the gas, both of which require a certain willingness to explore the limits of traction. There's more of a swoopy buzz to be had around Taupo without the need to push either end of the bike beyond what you're comfortable with. (Yes, obviously every track is about when you brake and accelerate, but, y'know. Taupo and Manfeild are fun in different ways. Etc.)

And another thing. Corners on racetracks, even 'fast' ones, can actually be quite tight. The open run-off areas and wide track disguise the true nature of what one is doing, IMHO. The perception one gets while one is out there is not always accurate. You think you're riding worse on the track than the road, but I suspect that's just a matter of perception.

Anyhow. It all takes time. Get back out there, and relax and enjoy and ride your own ride.

[FROSTY]

Number 1 if its simply an answer to ya question you want then others have answered it pretty well
Even the likes of Rossi have off days where it just doesn't jell
A solution
There are two mindsets on this one.
One is to go out as soon as possible and ride on or past your personal limit. Focus on the corners n stuff and blast.
That works for some people pretty well because it gets their brain to shift gears into race mode.
That DOESN'T work for me
What I do if things don't seem to jell is slow down till im feeling comfortable. Forget style, forget other people just going round and round feeling like im not out of my depth.
I must say when that happens Im a grumpy shit to anyone around me.
Kinda crawl into my mental man cave when Im not on the track. --thats the back of my van usually.
A couple of thoughts for YOU.
1) next time take your bucket down and ride that -as you said you were cornering better on that than your SV so why not ride it to get your self confidence back.
2)The bike being "well" setup is a bit of a misnomer. Yep it was set up to suit your good man but maybee not well set up to suit where you are with your riding It might have felt alien to you.
Im all for the idea of starting with the bike being EXACTLY as you ride it on the road then as you find fault with it getting adjusted to suit

[slowpoke]

Working a weird roster often means I can't get to the track as often as I would like to, months sometimes. Put it this way, I did my first race meeting nearly 4 years ago and I'm still not up to double figures.

When I finally get to the track after an extended break I feel like I've got a lot of ground to make up and have to improve instantly. Having scared myself stupid riding outside my comfort zone I realised that is the absolute wrong way to go about it. It's all about confidence and being comfortable on the bike. And most of all it's about having fun. What's the point of doing it if it isn't any fun?

We aren't racing for world titles, we aren't going to have adoring fans clamouring for autograph's if you do sub-(insert time here), so just relax and enjoy exploring your boundaries.(hmmmm, must try that line on the missus....)

One thing I always forget to do is use reference points. I keep finding myself riding like I do on the road and judging a corner by eye instead of braking at X and turning in at Y. The reference points give you consistency which leads to confidence. Before you know it you'll be moving the braking point closer to the corner and people will be talking about "that fast chicky babe on the SV".

[Kendog]

Lot's of great answers, but I have a question.

What were you wanting to achieve from the track day?

You were on your road bike, not a race bike. You were at a track day, not a race day. You were riding in the slow group (not really like any slow track day group I have ever seen, everyone was riding at a pretty decent pace) taking tuition on lines, smooth riding, body position etc etc.

To me all that adds up to improving the way you ride in general, on your road bike, on the road perhaps?

[Number One]

Why not bring a bucket to the next track day ? Where's the rule that ya have to be on a road bike ?
Be kinda fun to watch ya out brake (or not brake) and go round the outside of all the straight line jockies at full noise !

If I'm braking on the fiddy I'm lapped three times! :lol: imagine it though at Manfield :rofl: 4 minute laps...I could take my knitting for the straits :lol:


Number 1 if its simply an answer to ya question you want then others have answered it pretty well
Even the likes of Rossi have off days where it just doesn't jell

True that - I guess it was more than just not gelling it was more like my brain was stuck in the wrong gear.


There are two mindsets on this one.
One is to go out as soon as possible and ride on or past your personal limit. Focus on the corners n stuff and blast.
That works for some people pretty well because it gets their brain to shift gears into race mode.
That DOESN'T work for me
What I do if things don't seem to jell is slow down till im feeling comfortable. Forget style, forget other people just going round and round feeling like im not out of my depth.

Actually I think the first option might have worked. I started off riding at a comfortably slow pace and I didn't manage to get myself working on the bike then either and so I didn't get any faster and because I felt like shite I didn't get any smoother either. I wasn't really trying things. This is my first 'big' bike and as a fairly cautious person who was returning to bikes after a break I have been really really conscious of riding it defensively all the time. This was also my first track day on it - what was frustrating was to know that I could do much better (and no I don't JUST mean faster) but I couldn't seem to even begin to push myself AND I didn't ride well (for myself) so that continued to keep me in that comfort zone of riding within my limits.



A couple of thoughts for YOU.
1) next time take your bucket down and ride that -as you said you were cornering better on that than your SV so why not ride it to get your self confidence back.
2)The bike being "well" setup is a bit of a misnomer. Yep it was set up to suit your good man but maybee not well set up to suit where you are with your riding It might have felt alien to you.
Im all for the idea of starting with the bike being EXACTLY as you ride it on the road then as you find fault with it getting adjusted to suit

RE 1: I think the comical value of getting on the big track on my fiddy alone is worth it :2thumbsup
RE 2: This bike has been developed and played with in partnership. Both of us ride it everyday. The set up is mint...no really I kid you not it's :2thumbsup



We aren't racing for world titles, we aren't going to have adoring fans clamouring for autograph's if you do sub-(insert time here), so just relax and enjoy exploring your boundaries.(hmmmm, must try that line on the missus....)

Aww really? :lol: speed isn't the thing for me - smoothness and feeling at one with the bike and shifting my weight and being able to maintain a more consistent speed are the things that I hungered for. Also I would have loved to explore my boundaries but I didn't get anywhere near them!


One thing I always forget to do is use reference points. I keep finding myself riding like I do on the road and judging a corner by eye instead of braking at X and turning in at Y. The reference points give you consistency which leads to confidence. Before you know it you'll be moving the braking point closer to the corner and people will be talking about "that fast chicky babe on the SV".

What I need is to back myself more in terms of entry speed. I slow down too much AND THEN I ALSO brake. My exit speed is generally good and I get on the gas quite early but what I need to do is not slow down so much....but then that's why I am going to race the lil fiddy this bucket season - that will teach me to hold entry speed pretty quick I imagine.


What were you wanting to achieve from the track day?

You were on your road bike, not a race bike. You were at a track day, not a race day. You were riding in the slow group (not really like any slow track day group I have ever seen, everyone was riding at a pretty decent pace) taking tuition on lines, smooth riding, body position etc etc.

To me all that adds up to improving the way you ride in general, on your road bike, on the road perhaps?

Wow Nige - great question...thanks for asking! Actually it tells me that you weren't listening when we had that conversation but that's ok I will forgive you :2thumbsup

I wanted to spend time on the bike, get more comfortable cornering and tip toe around the edges of my boundaries a little AND If I am really blatantly honest with myself I did want to do a laptime that was at least as good (IF NOT BETTER) as I did on my little 250 all those years ago :lol:

So I didn't have any designs on becoming the next Valentino or anything so lofty but I thought I would at least be able to go out and ride my bike on the track at least as well as I do on the road...and I was wrong and that shits me.

ONE THING I did think of today that might have contributed to my being a bit off..I was putting in a lot of time mechanicking on the day - we did two tyre/wheel and brake pad changes in the morning, I put the bike on and off the race stands I guess if I am honest I will admit that all took something out of me so I wasn't my usual rested (from sitting back watching Sully do it all pleading ignorance and hopelessness) self

Another thing I thought of today too...the drunken skunk impersonation I did the night before may also not have helped :oi-grr: :o

[Kendog]

Wow Nige - great question...thanks for asking! Actually it tells me that you weren't listening when we had that conversation but that's ok I will forgive you :2thumbsup
I never listen :laugh:

[Number One]

I never listen :laugh:
It's just as well :shifty:

[jrandom]

So anyways, what lap time did you actually manage?

:corn:

[quickbuck]

Not the sort of thing to go admitting to here. :whistle:

Ummm, he may very well have third party.
ie, no actual insurance for himself, but has it for everybody else....

I'm in that boat. If I bin and it was my fault, then stiff bickies.
If some muppet hits me they pay (or the insurance company does if they have it).
Yes, sticky if they don't have any.... but I make a habit of keeping away from muppet drivers....
So far I haven't had to buy my bike all over again in premiums!

[quickbuck]

what i did once... in a race on the RG, was to watch the speedo as i exited the corner... then the next time around, looked to see if i could do it faster... and faster, but your right, it did slow me a couple of times...:doh:


Yep, a good way to ask for a High Side....
Eyes so focused close to the headstock and all......

[quickbuck]

Another thing I thought of today too...the drunken skunk impersonation I did the night before may also not have helped :oi-grr:[/SIZE] :o

Ummm... There is the answer!

Yes,
I like a drink or 12 myself, and I have come to notice the chemical that makes drag cars run so well really upsets the grey matter.... can be up to days later.
It really does mess with the inner ear, and this is crucial for balance.....

Yes, I'm sounding like a nana....

Anyhow, next time, get a good nights rest.
Pit crewing and riding takes it out of you... even on a rack day.

I had a late night (yes drinking), and was spanner swinging last track day I was at. Lucky I was able to bring the bike home in one piece..... Only a broken rim......

Yes, the incident could well be attributed to fatigue and lack of concentration....

[Number One]

Yes say no to drinking kids! :eek: and don't get dehydrated the day before then drink warm beer in quick succession making self ill either :lol: :rolleyes:

Don't drink booze that often and most definitely not to 'pissed point'...so yes I possibly underestimated the impact of the hangover on my ability to feel at one with myself on my bike...I didn't think I felt THAT crud anyway it can't have helped. That's for sure

Just as well it was a bloody good night that night - felt totally worth it and I had a ball shooting the shit with the Dirty Filthy White Van Driving Arseholes :niceone:

It's not the drink...it's how we are drinking people :shutup: :laugh:

[Number One]

So anyways, what lap time did you actually manage?

:corn:
I wanted to beat 1.34 which I did on my old CBR250rr commuter road bike and I didn't

Cheers

[jrandom]

I wanted to beat 1.34 which I did on my old CBR250rr commuter road bike and I didn't

Sweet as au, you'll crack 1:30 next time, I betcha!

[Gubb]

Some good advice here folks, cheers.

I'll certainly be taping up my speedo on the 27th. Don't need any distractions. Will reset the trip computer, and check out my top speed after the session has finished.

win-win!

[wbks]

That depends alot on your previous corner exit speed though, as you get more comfortable you roll on earlier and reach a higher speed faster, you may be braking earlier than before if your speed is higher faster.
Looking at markers is good in that you aren't concentrating on the bike in front, watching the speedo going into a corner will eventually catch you out............tape over it and work on being smooth going in at a given point, you'll know if it feels early so then try braking progressively later.:2thumbsupI guess I should really pick a braking point but hey, I was a trackday first timer, I was getting nervous at 165 braking at the 200m and I see bike cams of guys doing over 200 at that point not braking:clap: I think my problem was under estimating how much speed could be carried into the corner, so I was braking way to hard and early to slow down so much rather than brake a lot later and still get to a steady speed for the corner. Anyway, this is off topic, sorry #1.

[jrandom]

I'll certainly be taping up my speedo on the 27th. Don't need any distractions. Will reset the trip computer, and check out my top speed after the session has finished.

My bet: 220-something.

[Gubb]

My bet: 220-something.

I am so insanely excited.

At least now I have a substitute for crack, I may finally be able to ween myself off.

[MsKABC]

Ummm, he may very well have third party.
ie, no actual insurance for himself, but has it for everybody else....

I'm in that boat. If I bin and it was my fault, then stiff bickies.
If some muppet hits me they pay (or the insurance company does if they have it).
Yes, sticky if they don't have any.... but I make a habit of keeping away from muppet drivers....
So far I haven't had to buy my bike all over again in premiums!

Yeah, for us it depends how much the bike is worth. Mine is not worth enough to justify comprehensive, but we have TPFT on it. So it wouldn't really make much difference if I bin it on the road or on the track, in that sense. My husband's bike on the other hand....

[Number One]

I think my problem was under estimating how much speed could be carried into the corner, so I was braking way to hard and early to slow down so much rather than brake a lot later and still get to a steady speed for the corner. Anyway, this is off topic, sorry #1.

NOT off topic at all. That's what I couldn't get my head around pushing myself to do....aside from just riding and feeling generally shite


At least now I have a substitute for crack, I may finally be able to ween myself off.

Say NO to crack :lol: though sinfull has a nice crack :blip: eh Bill? :lol:

[Number One]

Yeah, for us it depends how much the bike is worth. Mine is not worth enough to justify comprehensive, but we have TPFT on it. So it wouldn't really make much difference if I bin it on the road or on the track, in that sense. My husband's bike on the other hand....
The Bros would be cool fun too chick! I did manfield on my wee spada - bit painful down the straits but good fun and did wonders for my road confidence.

[jrandom]

sinfull has a nice crack :blip: eh Bill?

Jesus, woman, did you have to say that?

[MsKABC]

The Bros would be cool fun too chick! I did manfield on my wee spada - bit painful down the straits but good fun and did wonders for my road confidence.

Yes, I'm still planning to do one, it's just a matter of finding a free weekend. Unfortunately the closest track is Puke, while our preference would be Taupo.

It will be great fun on the corners but yes, perhaps a bit of yawn-factor going on down the straights :laugh: Well, maybe not for Nana-me.

[jrandom]

I am so insanely excited.

It's like that, aye.

:D


At least now I have a substitute for crack, I may finally be able to ween (http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/ween) myself off.

You mean wean (http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/wean).

[wbks]

Well did you gradually get better throughout the day? I felt like the track temp, and just more and more lap's (and choosing a better tyre pressure) improved it a lot and made me feel a lot more comfortable into the corner. Making sure to loosen up and relax a bit along the straight for a while helped a lot as well. Offcourse I'm even less experienced on a track then you but those are just things that helped me personally

[jrandom]

... our preference would be Taupo.

MotoTT, Saturday 28 March. Be there!

[sugilite]

hmmm, could be to much thinking and not enough 'riding'.

Another thing about race tracks, is they disguise speed by not having much scenery close to the track...almost seems like a bike loses 30% of it's power when going to some tracks.

Relax, have fun and the rest will come. :banana:
(I'd even go as far as saying, have no expectations, and set no goals till you at least feel comfortable)

[Number One]

hmmm, could be to much thinking and not enough 'riding'.

Did feel a little like that. Nice to meet you the other night too :sunny:

I was also following Flame and to be honest I did have a lot to think about behind her and I didn't feel in my flow

[Number One]

Jesus, woman, did you have to say that?
There's proof even! :lol: I see you Bill ;) What's it worth to ya to leave them where they are.....:whistle:

[sinfull]

And don't drink heavily the night before !! Or ya just waisting ya money and not making any gains by being there ! Not blowing out my crack here, i'm an experienced pisshead !

[Maha]

Say NO to crack :lol: though sinfull has a nice crack :blip: eh Bill? :lol:


Not blowing out my crack here, i'm an experienced pisshead !


Thought this was about Track Mindset not Crack Mindset....:rockon:

[Number One]

Thought this was about Track Mindset not Crack Mindset....:rockon:
It's alllllllllways about crack with me baby :blip: :lol: you know it! :bleh:

Looking forward to sleeping in a real bed tonight then are ya...dirty bloody campers :lol:

[Maha]

It's alllllllllways about crack with me baby :blip: :lol: you know it! :bleh:

Looking forward to sleeping in a real bed tonight then are ya...dirty bloody campers :lol:

Yeah...I had to jack up the front left corner of the caravan a few times...:lol:

[sinfull]

There's proof even! :lol: I see you Bill ;) What's it worth to ya to leave them where they are.....:whistle:
I don't do blackmail !!!

[Number One]

If the wagons a knockin don't come a knockin eh? :msn-wink:

[Number One]

I don't do blackmail !!!
tee hee hee - you got a big black wine bottle for a cock! :eek5: Or is it a small cricket bat? :crazy:

[sinfull]

tee hee hee - you got a big black wine bottle for a cock! :eek5: Or is it a small cricket bat? :crazy:
Lol not one to brag but ...... Howzzatttttt !

[Gubb]

IYou mean wean (http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/wean).

Kinda, I just finished listening to Dean and Gene "Ween". I'm tempted to piss up a rope now though.