Writeup of Pacific Club RND1 @ TAUPO 18/01/04

[Kwaka-Kid]

Sorry this is so late guys, been really busy...
It began for me on saturday taking a quick walk of the track then catching up with a few other KB racers to settle into accomodation... then cruised out to the pub followed by an exhuasting time @ the local pools.. I think it must have been about after the pools that night that i started getting nervous about my first experiece @ centennial park the next day... but nevertheless i got a good nights sleep in much to the aid of some well deserved Reds (hey, it was a hard day @ the pools alright!)

Anyways come sunday raceday i was just trembling in my little raceboots and just couldnt keep still... went out for the first practise laps and found myself so far off pace i thought id have a better chance getting off and walking (no, seriously!) I managed to calm the nerves alot after that first race and accept the whatever happens happens and its just my first time out here so i just want to learn the track... this helped heaps for my 2nd practise finally getting the feeling that i might be able to hold onto the tailendcharley if i really try Well before i knew it i was lined up on my first grid @ taupo alongside gary on his yellow RVF... for the first time in the first race of the day i actually managed to spot the green-flag-man and was ready waiting in 1st gear.. boom AWAY! piled into the first corner with pace with 1 bike on the inside and 6 on the outside... ended up being shoved back and back and back, apparently there were a number behind me but i swear it can have been too many... nevertheless i took it smooth after the first 2 corners and found my line for the S bend (right left right) grinding my footpeg and knee each time.

Come the second race i was far better on pace and although it was really unofficial sorta thing and i didnt check my placing i was somewhere in the front of the backfield. I had one minor slide on the last lap and at the time guessed i put too much pressure on my knee and front wheel so the back was too light... the right hand endge of my tyre was now literally f***ed, and pretty much all over, when out of nowhere i got an alright start in the last (3rd) race managing to keep hold of mitch's gsxr400's tail... it was Great! i held on for dear life flying into the big sweeper trying to keep mitch's line using the theory of (if her bike can do it, mine can too! just follow!)... it was really intense and after playing chase for 2 laps and only being able to catch back up to her in the S's (after her GSXR pulls from my grasp on the straight) entering the first right hander my rear tyre just slid... it was a full on (feeling, dunno about what it looked like) slide and gave me the wobbles.. on a perfect hot/dry day.. i held it together but because of that stuffup it shook my nerves and i was already running too fast and out of line for the next 2 corners, just made the left into a straight and took a wide/fast and screwed line out of the exiting right hander of the S's... had to just slam the bike hard right hoping for the poor bike that it would stick and i would continue... but no, once more it was just too hard and fast and the rear tyre just slid with the front tyre beginning to drift with it... i held it but let it swing/drif really wide straight off the end of the right hander and found myself doing some offroad action for a minor straight and then hit the sweeper @ 90degrees to it, having to then do a major left and hope i dont get T-boned, so i shoved the bike down on the left, thinking more about the rear tyre sticking then where my feet were... Shite! burning feeling on left totsie!... i pushed to take a tight left line with my left foot not high enough on the peg... it ground right through my slider, sole, leather.. to my sock.. before i picked it up and thought "stuff this, 2.5/6laps complete.. it aint worth pushing to hold a position with this tire/pushing myself too hard" i backed right off.. over the course of 3.5 laps i merely circulated to complete the race without totalling the bike.. and even running into the corners slow, not applying power, i could feel the rear tyre slipping from benethe me... fun in a way but not the sort of thing i want happening when trying to race...

Anyways that is my "brief" writeup on how my races went, Mitch you better post here, if you ask me she sure lived up to her title "mighty mitch" in a thread a few months ago as not only did she have an offroad experience in a race, but she got awesome finishes the whole time! Really impressed me mitch, and sure as hell put me back in my place... but it was great fun outback diceing about regardless!

Oh and what did i learn from this Race weekend? Dont buy Dog toys from the warehouse... i gave a tug toy an official test, sure enough it ended up breaking with mitch still holding one end and me on my arse of the cold concrete floor of Taupo's warehouse holding the other.

Untill Nexttime! (hopefully with new tyres, no flywheel/charging circuit, no stock instruments, and more then anything without the nerves!(i wish))

[wari]

Good on ya KK ... nice writeup too .. wish I'd been there to see the action

[Hoon]

I was starting to think all you guys got swallowed up at Taupo from the lack of info!!

Nice writeup! I had the same problem with my first time at Taupo too. I underestimated what was involved learning a new track and was nowhere near ready for the first race. Its amazing how those MotoGP guys can break records on their first visit to a track.

Good to see you made it through - you did a lot better than I did my first time there.

I want to get down to Taupo for a track day or two before the AMCC round down there so maybe we can organise a trip!

[SPman]

And so the learning curve grows.
Good write up KK - wondered what happened down there. Taupo is a Fun track, once you get used to it.
New tyres? - see, your're learning fast already!

[Motoracer]

I want to get down to Taupo for a track day or two before the AMCC round down there so maybe we can organise a trip!

Can I come along as well? I'd be keen as!!

[Kwaka-Kid]

righteo, someone organise a day either late Feb or early march, as we have a race down there March 28th anyways (pacific club)... i can take one bike with mine in van comfortably.

+ i dont think i actually used the word fun enogh in that post... it was great... i must say i advise anybody thinking of racing just to get out and give it a shot.. i swear these KB racemeet/get togethers have been an awesome experience, not just for my riding skills etc but even just learning stuff whilst mucking around and chatting to a great bunch of people with interests along the same lines.

[Dave]

KK-you scary,scary,scary man.
Let me know when your racing next and i'll stay right away from the track-and the in field,and the pits!

[Kwaka-Kid]

haha dave! its all good dude, dont need to worry at all, that was one experience i am hoping not to have to repeat-unless i get good enough that im sliding new tyres and making some time out of it... ive looked hard into it and realised how if i had of bought a new set of tyres before taupo, i would have had a total ball and would have learnt more about lines and stuff @ taupo had i of been able to hold onto the rear of mitch for a complete race (heres me wishing). And so really i just sold myself out short just for the difference of the last 2 races on snotted tyres which had to be replaced anyway... but in saying all that, i think i did need to experience what happens to give me a little(or lot) of a scare as to why.. oh and also the BT090 on the front still has around 80% tread on top, but is about legal limit and very torn up only on the very very edge, so its being kept in my pile of street tyres for when i replace my NC24 with an NC30 (wider rims to take radial tyres)... yay.
cyah guys and i hope yah coming along to the movies on sat dave?

[Mitch]

Geat write up KK, I'm afraid I have been driving up and down the Island relocating to Wellington and this is the first time I have had a chance to get on-line (in an internet cafe none the less)
It was a fantastic weekend!!!!!
KK I just had everyone in this cafe staring at me as I cracked up read your comment on Dog Toys at the warehouse that was one of those truely hysterical moments!!!!! You ROCK!!
I think you must have been nervous for all of us KY as I was nowhere near as bad as usual hehe
The racing was amazing, it was perfect conditions and a great day for the guys (who hadn't been there before) to learn the track. It was also a great day for me to get to know the track better, I think by far that was one of the most successful weekends racing I have ever had. Not only did everyone come in with a smile on their faces but at the end on the day KK, Craig, Gary and myself packed up our bikes (all still in one piece)

[babyB]

good on ya guys glad ya had a good time. cool rightup kk.
hope to catch ya all at puke

[Kwaka-Kid]

And here we have it! some pictures from my weekend.

2 pix of me on the old viffer and one of Craig! hahaha had to put that one up, taken @ taupo pub with my Sony T610 cellphone. turned out well i thought.