Track Day Round Up 02/07

**Two Smoker** · 2nd July 2004, 19:23

Hey everyone,

Well here's the summary of today, i worked in the morning and turned up to Pukekohe at about 1300hrs..... It was raining but i wasnt fussed and keen as to get on the track.....

Signed my forms and got onto the track with Frosty, a guy on a CBR600RR and Scroter...... Blatted around for about 10 mins in the pouring rain, wondering why Frosty had stopped mid corner (then to find out that he had run out of gas

)..... I was getting used to riding hard in the wet again, and was getting my knee down at Castrol and the Hairpin....

After 10 mins, i came back in because the rain was so heavy it was blurring my visor

also the wind was quite interesting at 170-180kmh on the back straight......

Then finally all the wellington guys turned up, and once again time to go for another session, I was getting quite confident now (even though there was still swimming pools on the track... ) and working at getting my knee down all the way around castrol.... I ended up getting my knee down on Jenian, the hill, the hairpin and castrol...... We were joined by Johan Bruns on the track, so he could blitz everyone hehehe......Finished that session and had a small rear wheel lock up after Jenian, i released pressure and just went offroad bypassing the esses.... instead of offroad, it ended up being more like boating.... WT saw the whole thing, looked at me, laughed and pulled some nice monos down the backstraight lol....

Then the dreaded session, heaps of bikes on the track, and it was going hard from the start..... I passed the CBR600F around the outside of the left after the hairpin, but it was still the first lap, and my tyres were still too cold.... entered the hill at about 130ish (actual speed) and bang with out even blinking i was on the ground sliding and rolling my way towards the barrier

But luckily the mud stopped me and i didnt hit it.... Ended up having to push my bike all the way to the pits, Leather suit came of well, with no rips, only abrasions, and some of the seams have come undone (like 5cm worth) bloody impressed by them

The guys behind me said it was an impressive roll hehehe....

Virtually no injuries to me other than a bruised elbow, ankle and calve....

Im currently working like mad to get the bike ready for tomorrow, its looking good so far

Alright time for the other guys who went to add their 2 cents

**6Chris6** · 2nd July 2004, 19:31

Originally Posted by Two Smoker

Hey everyone,

Alright time for the other guys who went to add their 2 cents

My 2c
Do you need any help at all dude
My job for tommorro has been canceled so anything i can do to help tonight or tommorro?

**6Chris6** · 2nd July 2004, 19:31

PS glad no serious injuries

Yamahamaman · 2nd July 2004, 20:10

Originally Posted by Two Smoker

Then the dreaded session, heaps of bikes on the track, and it was going hard from the start..... I passed the CBR600F around the outside of the left after the hairpin, but it was still the first lap, and my tyres were still too cold.... entered the hill at about 130ish (actual speed) and bang with out even blinking i was on the ground sliding and rolling my way towards the barrier

Testosterone is a bastard isn't it! Wasn't even a race.

**MikeL** · 2nd July 2004, 20:28

Sounds like in spite of the unexpected encounter with the tarmac you still had an enjoyable day, TS. If you can walk away from it and get your bike on the road again within 24 hrs it can't be too bad!
I decided not to go out because of the weather and don't regret the decision. There will be other occasions...

**Posh Tourer :P** · 2nd July 2004, 20:30

Originally Posted by 6Chris6

My 2c
Do you need any help at all dude
My job for tommorro has been canceled so anything i can do to help tonight or tommorro?

It's up in our workshop getting it all sorted

**Motoracer** · 2nd July 2004, 22:38

As per the other thread, sorry to hear about the bin but glad to hear that you and the bike are ok.

Nice job on giving it heaps man!

See ya tomorrow

**FROSTY:Me** · 3rd July 2004, 03:04

I turned up in the pouring rain to find 2 other guys there.
scroter on his gsxr600 and a guy on a cbr600
No sight of the wellington contingent.
I thought fuggit I need as much practice as i can get on this bike so Out in the rain I went
Pukie is at first sight a simple track-off the start into a semi blind right hander (jennian) into a left then a almost u turn right (castol) -A huuge straght with a kink in the middle leads to a right hand hairpin,then a left, heading uphill into a cresting right hander onto the start finish straight .
First couple of laps were spent trying to find the least wet and slippery bits of the track . water running across the hairpin and big puddles entering castrol and jennian weren't much fun.
As my confidence came up so did the pace . I started to work on my achillies heel at pukie --the second half of the jennian/castrol esses. I just couldn't get the drive I wanted but it was confidence on my part to commit to the corner.
A couple of big slides and i decided to call that session and play with susspension and tyre pressures
Next session I convinced the other two guys to come out with me and I found out just how quick I'm not .
Although I could stick with and make a bit of ground on scroter in the corners I couldn't actually catch him.
I was a fair bit more committed in the hairpin but couldnt get the drive down to take advantage of it
Next session and the track was drying a bit and i seemed to be going slower and slower instead of improving.
The bike at this stage was starting to give a few problems
Coughing and farting at lower revs and generally being a bit piggy.
Two smoke arrived in time to show just how much of a wet specialist he is -scraping his knee through jennian and castrol -where my knee was still inches off the deck.
Unfortunately the bike decided to take a nap just as i was committing to the jennian esses leading to a rapid departure intto mudland.
No damage and no bin -good one.
Mental note to self--ensure fuel tank has um well-fuel in it when going on the track.
White trash ,The peoples hero and the other welly guys turned up just as the weather seemed to clear--woohoo -dryish track
The bike really started farting so I threw a new set of plugs in-which made no difference at all bugger it.
This session to be honest I was highly pissed off with myself -I seemed to be going slower instead of faster
Seeing two smoke get up after biting the dust had me relieved.
After being passed like i was standing still by most everybody I was lucky enough to hook onto yohans rooster tail for long enough to get a heap better line and drive through jennian/castrol -Then white trash without knowing it gave me a faster line through the left-right over the hill
Thanks a million guys
Confidence started to come up a bit --and bugger me -that familiar grinding noise of knee scraper on the deck as Im going round castrol and the hairpin -and actually getting decent drive virtually right out of the corner.
still feeling as slow as a wet week I was reminded by most everybody I had half the horsepower of everybody there -and Pukie is a horsepower track.
I must say it was cold comfort when I knew I was holding myself back from committing to corners and using the one advantage I should have--better corner speeds.
Next time out I found myself in a battle with a guy on a firestorm and this session was the highlight of the day.
lap after lap he would haul away from me on the straghts and Id spend the rest of the time reeling him in through the corners.Some bloody stupid gear changes on my part meant the one occasion I could have passed him was lost as he disapeared again into the haze.
I had a bloody good day but It has highlighted the deficiencies in my riding that I desperately need to work on. Better clutch control and gearchanges as well as more confidence in the bike are needed.
To get myself up to speed I think I do need to be practicing with similar bikes to mine to figure out what else I need to work on.
I've admitted defeat with the engine setup on the bike
a compression test reveals a couple of sickly pots so its head off time to see if I can find the missing 10 hp
I won't let this beat me but Its a touch depressing In a situation of -when the flag drops the bullshit stops finding yourself a long way short of the mark you set yourself.

LB · 3rd July 2004, 05:28

thanks for the write-up guys, had wondered all day Fri how things were going.

Glad you're ok TS.

Enjoy the BBQ tonight. Sorry I can't be there.

**Two Smoker** · 3rd July 2004, 05:52

Thanks everyone

Thanks for the offer Chris, but its sweet.... I should still be at the ride (with muddy leathers) but may be slightly late

If im not there by 1330, leave without me..... make it 1335, you never know....

Cheers....

And frosty your still bloody quick, dont know about this thing with me being a wet specialist

i odnt think im a anything specialist other than "slow specialist"

**FROSTY:Me** · 3rd July 2004, 09:09

TS let me paint a lil picture-One bloke out there all day on the same bike-struggling to find some kind of form.
Another guy turns up -first time on the track that day and on lap 2 is scraping his knee on virtually ever corner and getting good drive -IN THE WET where it counts most.
I was gutted you crashed for 2 reasons-1 I was scared lil TS was hurt and
2 I wanted to follow someone with your level of committment to a corner.
Dude when the ol testosterone gets going its hard to remember to take it easy for the warm up laps.
The good news is that you crashed well -How it is you never scratch a helmet baffles me

**jrandom** · 3rd July 2004, 09:15

Jeepers, guys. What is it with the endless "no, no, I'm not worthy - YOU are so fast, so lightning-quick, so mind-blowingly smooth in the corners - I bow before you" posts? I mean, once or twice, fine, but I'm seeing them flying in every direction, over and over, often back and forth between the same people!

*I* should bloody well get out there and show you what slow REALLY looks like.

Oh, and btw - glad you're OK TS. Keep up the good work.

**Racey Rider** · 3rd July 2004, 09:31

In the rain! Good on ya chaps.

Originally Posted by XJ/FROSTY

...then a left, heading uphill into a cresting right hander onto the start finish straight .

HILL!

Every time it's called a hill, it makes me laugh.

You'ld have to push your marble pretty hard for it to roll to the bottom of that "Hill".

**Zed** · 3rd July 2004, 12:01

Originally Posted by jrandom

Jeepers, guys. What is it with the endless "no, no, I'm not worthy - YOU are so fast, so lightning-quick, so mind-blowingly smooth in the corners - I bow before you" posts? I mean, once or twice, fine, but I'm seeing them flying in every direction, over and over, often back and forth between the same people!

I'm sure it's all said in the spirit of encouragement JR...I reckon it would go a long way if more of us complimented eachother on our riding abilities.

Originally Posted by jrandom

*I* should bloody well get out there and show you what slow REALLY looks like.

If we ever go riding together I'll be sure to post an accurate account of your skill level!

Zed