Newbie to motorbikes, regret not doing it sooner (JCAW)

[JCAW]

Hi, my name is James and I have been riding for a month, thought it would be a good idea to start getting on KB.

I have a 1992 Honda CBR250RR with a mighty 86,000km on the clock, it felt fast for the first few weeks but now the sensation is starting to wear off. Loosing some weight (105kg) from my fat ass might help out the tiny 250cc though

My experience up until last month was nothing, but over the last month I have been riding to work each day. Apart from that I was also coaxed into doing a trackday in the wet on my third day of riding by Garry at Playday, best thing I could have done as it did wonders for my general ability, especially learning to use the brakes effectively.

Yesterday I went for my second trackday, this time in the dry and apart from some people saying my bike was completely rooted after watching me, I was making huge in roads in terms of pace, dropping my previous personal best by 13 seconds to eventually hover around the 1:26 mark by the end of the day.

Here is a video of a lap from my last trackday, https://youtu.be/RlyByzEeVPo - I have done a lot of car racing at Hampton Downs so I am still getting my head around placing the bike correctly instead of placing it like I am on the right side of a car, but I am sure it will come with more seat time and in turn the lap time will drop another couple of seconds.

[ellipsis]

...yoohoo......

[JCAW]

and a picture of the bike

[GrayWolf]

Hi, my name is James and I have been riding for a month, thought it would be a good idea to start getting on KB.

I have a 1992 Honda CBR250RR with a mighty 86,000km on the clock, it felt fast for the first few weeks but now the sensation is starting to wear off. Loosing some weight (105kg) from my fat ass might help out the tiny 250cc though

My experience up until last month was nothing, but over the last month I have been riding to work each day. Apart from that I was also coaxed into doing a trackday in the wet on my third day of riding by Garry at Playday, best thing I could have done as it did wonders for my general ability, especially learning to use the brakes effectively.

Yesterday I went for my second trackday, this time in the dry and apart from some people saying my bike was completely rooted after watching me, I was making huge in roads in terms of pace, dropping my previous personal best by 13 seconds to eventually hover around the 1:26 mark by the end of the day.

If you are really serious in what you've written??? Step away from the bike and think hard for a few minutes.
You say you have car racing experience, so you spent time as a novice learning your 'craft'? But you are on here, after only a MONTH of riding, already talking about lap times, and going to improve them, and the bike feels 'too slow' even before you have the skills of actually riding the bike??
Running before you can walk comes to mind, if you stop and actually think about it.
Here's a quick history for you, the 250 learner bike market's biggest sales was the UK up to the 1980's, when they were shut out by the 125cc law, due to 'excessive performance' of the 250's {X7 & LC were the final culprits}... Once the learner market was gone, suddenly a plethora of 'real' high performance 250's hit the market. In experienced hands those little buggers were quicker through the tight stuff, and would be snapping at the heels of far bigger machines. The CBR250 was/is one of those machines. You may indeed be a naturally talented rider, but there are so many differences between car/bike 'driving', situational/threat awareness, road conditions etc. As you've already noticed, there's a considerable difference to where you place yourself on the road. As a 'car racer' would you allow a driver of 1 month to be let loose on your track in a full chat 'bathurst car' without riding 'shotgun'?? That wee Honda is as quick off the line as many high performance cars.

Configuration
Liquid-cooled 4-stroke 16-valve DOHC in-line 4 cylinder

Power
Horsepower: 45 hp (33.6 kW) @ 15000 rpm
Maximum Torque: 21.5 Nm (15.6 ft. lbs) @ 12000 rpm

Performance
Top Speed: ~180kph (113mph) ~ unrestricted 200kph {125mph} approx.
0-100kph (0-60mph): ~5 Seconds

Please, take your time, learn your 'craft', then look at upgrading, but if you are a learner, even the current LAM's approved 'big bikes' will not be THAT much faster than the CBR. Just less peaky and revvy.

[ruaphu]

Hey James,
Welcome aboard KB and biking in general. Good to see ya doin the speed thing on a race track as opposed to the road like so many others (including myself) have done.

GrayWolf makes some very valid points and well worth following up on in order to keep ya self shiny side up.

From personal experience, it took me far too long to drag my sorry back side to advanced riding courses. Best fecking money spent ever in my view.

Once done, I learnt a whole heap of improved skills and outlook on how to ride. Worst part, I had to unlearn a heap of bad habits, traits and unsafe practices. Before the courses I thought I was a fair rider, err yeah nah!

Do go and book ya self into riding courses before ya learn any bad habits they'll give yourself the best opportunity to stay shiny side up in the long run (and help reduce ya lap times further, hehe) It's the best investment ya'll ever make on yourself and ya bike(s).

The vid is great man, love the sound of those little fours being strung out and the tacho buried deep past 10k, very addictive. Hard case little bike those ole CBR's.

All the best, take care and do lob the odd track vid in eh.

Cheers Ando




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Mental Trousers]

Here is a video of a lap from my last trackday, https://youtu.be/RlyByzEeVPo - I have done a lot of car racing at Hampton Downs so I am still getting my head around placing the bike correctly instead of placing it like I am on the right side of a car, but I am sure it will come with more seat time and in turn the lap time will drop another couple of seconds.

I watched the video before reading anything and I'd swear I was watching a racer having a bit of fun rather than a someone new to bikes.

The only thing you might improve was turn 3. On a bike you can square it off a little bit and drive out much straighter, but don't square it too much or you'll hit that nasty bump on the inside of the exit and lose the back.

[JCAW]

Thanks for the comments and yes, I am probably trying to run a bit before I walk and have been lucky not to drop the bike as of yet.

Normally I look after my own vehicles but since I know nothing about bikes I dropped it off to botany Honda to get its first service on Monday. They seem to have replaced a heap of parts to make it safe, the front wheel bearing was fooked, the front right calliper was sticking and the preload for the back was set for a much lighter rider (among many other required service items). I have also gone on a diet and aim to give the 250cc as much go as possible.

I have a picture from the last trackday, didn't realise how high I held my elbows - http://iforce.co.nz/i/2t2dexiq.3fj.jpg

I have my third trackday coming up in 1 week at Hampton Downs again and I can't wait, my goal is to string a clean lap together in terms of lines and then focus on getting the corner speeds up, that should see seconds drop off my time by the end of the day.

When I say I say the sensation is starting to wear off, I don't mean it's to slow, I just mean I am not shitting myself when I put full throttle on out of the corner. I don't anticipate going up to a bigger big for at least another year unless some bargain presents itself. I would like to race bikes but I need to get all my track cars sorted before that can happen.

[J.A.W.]

Thanks for the comments and yes, I am probably trying to run a bit before I walk and have been lucky not to drop the bike as of yet.

Normally I look after my own vehicles but since I know nothing about bikes I dropped it off to botany Honda to get its first service on Monday. They seem to have replaced a heap of parts to make it safe, the front wheel bearing was fooked, the front right calliper was sticking and the preload for the back was set for a much lighter rider (among many other required service items). I have also gone on a diet and aim to give the 250cc as much go as possible.

I have a picture from the last trackday, didn't realise how high I held my elbows - http://iforce.co.nz/i/2t2dexiq.3fj.jpg

I have my third trackday coming up in 1 week at Hampton Downs again and I can't wait, my goal is to string a clean lap together in terms of lines and then focus on getting the corner speeds up, that should see seconds drop off my time by the end of the day.

When I say I say the sensation is starting to wear off, I don't mean it's to slow, I just mean I am not shitting myself when I put full throttle on out of the corner. I don't anticipate going up to a bigger big for at least another year unless some bargain presents itself. I would like to race bikes but I need to get all my track cars sorted before that can happen.

Good on ya for givin' it a go James.. just ignore the doomcasters, & enjoy givin' it heaps..

Did you check out the Honda NSR '300' on-track vid, put up in the bucket section?

You might like to trade up to a 2-stroke for a track bike, they are even more fun..

[GrayWolf]

James, sorry didnt mean to come across as an Uncle, ok ,yes I did
Understand what you meant about losing the sensation now, it did read {to me} as 'getting bored already'. Track days are good for learning bike control, on that I dont think anyone will disagree, however, < and there's always one of them
There are in effect 2 main schools/camps of thought on rider training, some believe track days are the 'schizz', others {myself included} would go the 'rider training route' where you learn 'ROADCRAFT'.
There is always argument on this between both groups, and my viewpoint is, tracks do not have 'blind corners' where walls, hedges etc obscure vision. Tracks do not have vehicles coming the opposite direction on a 'balls out' corner. {Where indeed the cager coming towards you may be doing the exact same thing}, tracks {apart from pit lanes} do not have side roads, T junctions, slip roads to consider. Tracks do not have poor to OMFG surfacing right in the middle of the corner when you are cranked right over. I think by now you will get where I am going with this? Get yourself a copy of the UK Police Motorcycle roadcraft book. There is an ex Police motorcyclist in the boards who is now a civvy st Instructor. He would be a good port of call to have a chat with in PM {rastuscat}. The UK Police are trained in high speed persuite on a motorcycle, taking into account all the threat factors on a road, and believe me those boys can 'honk along'. The 'system' used is different to racing, it's about vision, safety, road positioning, rather than the 'best line'. And that is where I and others disagree with track only training, sometimes fastest line on the road ISNT the safest/best.
Use BOTH forms of learning, mate, track and roadcraft...


oh and as for out mate JAW? the red rep stats on his posts should tell you what you need to know about his advice

[J.A.W.]

James, sorry didnt mean to come across as an Uncle, ok ,yes I did

oh and as for out mate JAW? the red rep stats on his posts should tell you what you need to know about his advice

Yeah, & as if James needs your longwinded presciptive blather, which is as fat & useless in relevance..
.. to his track time on a light race-rep bike, as your personal choice of a porkasaurus CB 1300 is..

It would be equivalent to running a fully loaded maxi-SUV as a track car.. of no realistic value..

[sidecar bob]

I watched the video before reading anything and I'd swear I was watching a racer having a bit of fun rather than a someone new to bikes.

I couldn't agree more, I watched the clip & I think the original poster is probably Andrew Stroud trolling us.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ANAutsESxm8

[Mental Trousers]

I couldn't agree more, I watched the clip & I think the original poster is probably Andrew Stroud trolling us.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ANAutsESxm8

I met this guy on Saturday. Seems he is what he says he is.

Hopefully he doesn't go tidying up the bike too much cos it's going to get rolled, bowled and arseholed as he's already had one drop and isn't slowing down at all.

[GrayWolf]

Yeah, & as if James needs your longwinded presciptive blather, which is as fat & useless in relevance..
.. to his track time on a light race-rep bike, as your personal choice of a porkasaurus CB 1300 is..

It would be equivalent to running a fully loaded maxi-SUV as a track car.. of no realistic value..

Go ride your 'flexi frame' H2, or the plastic swing arm bush RD, and carry on dreaming, just remember my 'porkasaurus' CB1300 is still bloody quicker than, and handles better than, either of the 2T bikes you own..... and before you argue that, remember I owned an H1a, and a {stan stevens UK} tuned 350LC that was a 'bit' quicker than the H1. The H2 was a softer tuned, and more ridable bike than a H1.

[sidecar bob]

I met this guy on Saturday. Seems he is what he says he is.

Hopefully he doesn't go tidying up the bike too much cos it's going to get rolled, bowled and arseholed as he's already had one drop and isn't slowing down at all.

Fuckin awesome! Go that man!

[Erelyes]

Here is a video of a lap from my last trackday, https://youtu.be/RlyByzEeVPo

Moar vids please James, that one was a cracker!