South Auckland Street Skills

[bawked]

If anyone is keen I'm going for a ride out east after lunch, flip me a txt (my number is in my profile)

[nzspokes]

It sounds like you guys had a great time. Weather would have been perfect.

It was great. Loved it. You gotta come out next time. Great way to practice turns with out having to worry about cars. Group 1 trainers are great. How fast you go is not important. In fact in my group we were told to slow down to go faster....

I think there were 3 L platers in group 1, 1 that had only been on a bike a few weeks.

[nzspokes]

Still a bit of safety strip left which I'm happy about!

Mike said you were very good. He enjoyed following you. So with being in with me in Group 2 next time you expand on what you get from G1. And will be in faster traffic. I have no doubt you will be faster than me next time.

And most importantly you now are starting to know what your bike can do if it needs to in an emergency on the road and how far you can really lean.

My top speed memory thingy came up with 190kph which puzzled me a bit. On reading the instructions it says it remembers the highest speed you have held for 30seconds.

Have changed the bike back from track mod now, put the mirrors back on, tyres back up to road pressure and gearing back to normal. Also got Sharrys bike out from under the cover and started on getting it back going.

[Kartik]

Yes will definitely aim for the next time. Sounds like a great experience. Will also get some more seat time by then.

[aws]

Tyre after I got home. I was actually quite surprised at the state of it after just the first session, when all we did was follow the instructors around at road legal speeds. Diablo is really rounded over on the edge rather than having a lip like most tyres. I don't think I'll ever get near the edge of the tread.

[f2dz]

If anyone is keen I'm going for a ride out east after lunch, flip me a txt (my number is in my profile)

Would've been, but was a car driving day today to go visiting family. Weather was mint again today for it though.

I'm looking forward to the next track day already. I think I will do another ART day but then after the next I might swap to doing twilight playdays to just save a bit of coin.

Watching my footage I already notice that I think I'm not going through the gears enough. Also be interesting to see if I can speed up a bit now that I am more familiar with the track. The first few sessions my mind was going a mile a minute just trying to remember what to do, let alone remember reference points for everything. Only really started to get into the groove of things in the 4th session, but by the 5th I was pretty knackered and focussing a lot on just not binning it.

I wanna get the theory from group 2 but the traffic in that group is pretty daunting. If only I could join in that group for the theory but then ride in group 1.

[f2dz]

Tyre after I got home. I was actually quite surprised at the state of it after just the first session, when all we did was follow the instructors around at road legal speeds. Diablo is really rounded over on the edge rather than having a lip like most tyres. I don't think I'll ever get near the edge of the tread.

Damn that single sided swingarm is tasty.

You've coverted me with the whole 'coat everything in silicon spray' thing. Got a day off work tomorrow – might go out and gets me some. Also thinking about changing to chain wax but I'll do some more reading on that.

[aws]

To be fair none of us are riding to the limits of the bikes. Parked next to me was a guy with the same bike as me but his is standard. He is a marshal. And was in group 4 and keeps up fine.

Ive got a long way to go.Its all about the rider.

But kinda wishing I was doing it again today.

Yeah occasionally I tapped it out and found out that there was quite a bit more than I thought lurking in reserve. I think the biggest problem was my pants. The lining in my textiles made it like sitting on a block of ice - sliding around all over the seat. Slide down the back under power, then all the way to the front under brakes. Kept forgetting to take the weight of my arms under braking and I think subconsciously that made me not want to go quite as fast because I was just going to have to scrub it all off again. That back straight just goes by so fast and then it's brakes, brakes, brakes. And the front straight -well that's just way too fast for comfort!

[aws]

It was great. Loved it. You gotta come out next time. Great way to practice turns with out having to worry about cars. Group 1 trainers are great. How fast you go is not important. In fact in my group we were told to slow down to go faster....

I think there were 3 L platers in group 1, 1 that had only been on a bike a few weeks.

Some of those learners were pretty quick tho. I don't know how long Tania the vtr rider has been at it - she didn't exude confidence early in the day, but I could barely keep in touch thru the corners later on. I'm such a wuss in the corners, I think everyone in the group could have beaten me if it weren't for the straights and a fast bike.

[nzspokes]

Yeah occasionally I tapped it out and found out that there was quite a bit more than I thought lurking in reserve. I think the biggest problem was my pants. The lining in my textiles made it like sitting on a block of ice - sliding around all over the seat. Slide down the back under power, then all the way to the front under brakes. Kept forgetting to take the weight of my arms under braking and I think subconsciously that made me not want to go quite as fast because I was just going to have to scrub it all off again. That back straight just goes by so fast and then it's brakes, brakes, brakes. And the front straight -well that's just way too fast for comfort!

Funny thing was it was suggested to us to put silicone on our seats! So we can move easier.

What you weren't doing was supporting your lower body with you knees. If you grip the tanks with your knees all the weight comes of the bars and you throw less weight forward. If you dont have it tank grip helps.

The straight from turn 5 I dont brake a lot more roll off the throttle and use a little. Try to be smooth with it. In saying that I had one point where I had to much speed and had my boot on the deck and a reasonable amount of front brake on. I was amazed it held so from then on I went a bit quicker into it.

[nzspokes]

Yup awesome day. Knackered as well after that 5:45am start this morning.

Still processing everything but it was a really awesome experience. There was so much to learn and I slowly started getting the hang of it throughout the day and felt like I had made some progression by the end, I dunno if I'd say on fire, but cheers Rob! Was great to be out there with you and Andrew.

Here's a snap from the last session of me chasing Mr. MV off of turn 5.

I'll try to remember to bring a USB of some of the footage Andrew this Tuesday or the next, whenever you're there. Might edit together some of the best bits of the day and I'll post it up sometime.

One thing I will say from your photo is your in to a high of a gear. Let it rev!

[nzspokes]

Some of those learners were pretty quick tho. I don't know how long Tania the vtr rider has been at it - she didn't exude confidence early in the day, but I could barely keep in touch thru the corners later on. I'm such a wuss in the corners, I think everyone in the group could have beaten me if it weren't for the straights and a fast bike.

Well thats it, my first time there when i was on my 900 Hornet a 250 Hornet went outside me round turn 6 and I didnt see him again. Tiz not the bike, its the rider.

[f2dz]

One thing I will say from your photo is your in to a high of a gear. Let it rev!

I only noticed I was doing that later in the day. Half of the reason is because my throttle gets really touchy in lower gears, and I even noticed it a lot out today when I went riding on my day off.

I'll explain what I mean tomorrow at the ride. George from MD told me that it was previously happening because my chain needed changing, then it kept happening and he said it was because it was loose after my tyre change. A week after the service it still happens though..

[nzspokes]

Wonder if its got a badly done TRE mod?

[aws]

Funny thing was it was suggested to us to put silicone on our seats! So we can move easier.

What you weren't doing was supporting your lower body with you knees. If you grip the tanks with your knees all the weight comes of the bars and you throw less weight forward. If you dont have it tank grip helps.

The straight from turn 5 I dont brake a lot more roll off the throttle and use a little. Try to be smooth with it. In saying that I had one point where I had to much speed and had my boot on the deck and a reasonable amount of front brake on. I was amazed it held so from then on I went a bit quicker into it.

Turns out it's actually the textiles themselves. They just slide around on my seat. It's a bit disconcerting. MV actually sell a grippier seat for serious racers. I actually found it easier to hang off a bit as it stopped me sliding around as much.

I didn't have to much difficulty when I remembered to grip the tank. I just kept forgetting.