AMCC Advanced Rider Training October 7th report

[Devil]

also
big thanks ..... to jill for the pre track day scout of my nasty sport-tourer tires and emergency sourcing of some nu rubber..

*ahem*

[MadDuck]

Didn't think Gareth was riding at the moment?

HAHAHAHAHAHAHA......now thats kinda rough. If it was the big G dont you think I would have named and shamed

[surfchick]

hey devil- the suspension adjust ya did did indeed make her stiff as a board...much less malchy..i had to twist it back 2 notches i think as that first adj. was super hard like a boy racers suspension... i did the track day with what would have been one twist(your and mine added together) ..it seemed good to me but might be worth gettin someone else to ride her... any volunteers?

[jrandom]

any volunteers?

*Lurch voice*

You rang?

[Devil]

*Lurch voice*

You rang?

How the hell would you squeeze onto that seat?
*ducks*

I think I may know a guy who knows a guy who could possibly assist...

As for it being hard. Yeah, it's going to be like that, unfortunately you've bought a sportsbike

[Keystone19]

Good comment about Vince riding on the oil/cement dust. After a reasonably short time, much of the slipperiness was gone. BTW - who else spotted Jill taking the line inside that spill over the hill all the time?

Ahem...I rode the outside line as requested for the first few laps, tried the inside line, had a little slide and then found a non-slippery line over the dust. However my speed and lean were adjusted accordingly as reflected in my lap times...which are not worth repeating here!!! So I was a good girl - particularly in the novice group!!

[Devil]

So I was a good girl - particularly in the novice group!!

You're such a burglar, Jill.

[PeteJ]

Just a random thought, this one.

My son was riding; his first time ever on a track. He was a bit freaked by the speed on occasion, so I am wondering about advising him to tape over the speedo, as we used to do for proddy racing in prehistory.

Me: I have no speedo on my racebikes, so it was fun to see what the VTR's speedo showed. Compared with what I would expect, I think it is over-reading by 25kph when we were tapped right out down the back straight.

[Keystone19]

Hi Pete

Yes, I encourage people to tape over their speedos as I was encouraged when I first started out. The main reason is that with it taped over the rider is not tempted to focus on speed and on looking at the speedo when they should be focussing on the track ahead.

Same reasons you guys did it on the old proddy bikes I imagine...

Oh yeah, and I imagine your speedo is over-reading, most seem to from what I have been told.

[Leong]

Surprisingly, I really enjoyed riding Pukekohe. What a blast!! It's been around a year since I was last riding there. I'm very mindful of the high speeds, and the notoriety of the ciruit. Main aims were to break my 225km/h barrier on the back straight, try out using tyre warmers ( thanks vtec ) and to leave in one piece.

2 things for next time.. faster corners.. and get past 240 on that back straight (i always just held it there instead of going up the last gear to 6th cause the wind felt like a thick-wall of terror) so maybe next go i'll tuck up even smaller and 240 won't feel soo fast. and did i mention the enormous back-off period where I stopped accelerating at the kink? in some ways i just can;t quite get my head around how the breaks will manage to stop me going that speed any where near that hairy-pin. as it was i had to bury my knees into the tank moulding to stop myslef popping off the front. thank god ducatis are the shape they are... must work on the inner thighs for that tank grip

This is exactly how I felt last time I was there only my thick wall of terror was at 225km/h. I realised that tucking in behind the screen really does make a difference to how much front end lift those bumps at the kink cause. This is not helped by having a video camera mounted such that you can't tuck in. The video shows one lap where I tried tucking over to the side, and got to an indicated 275km/h, so that was one goal achieved.

First session, I went out (without video camera) and felt confident straight away. Passed a couple of mates and close to the end of the session saw them ahead of me!!!! Not to let an opportunity pass, I managed to lap these guys and was feeling really good - until coming out of the hairpin on the last lap I lean over a little further and as I get the gas on the rear end lets go. Fortunately its not far to the ground. I stop sliding quite quickly, pick up the bike with the help of a marshall and after a quick inspection, ride back to the pits. Damage is minimal, the worst being a scratched up can. Photo below. Again the crash bung did it's job, and the can stopped any fairing damage on the rear. Unfortunately the cans worth a lot more than the rear side fairing.

Second session. Mount the video camera - Video starts on the third lap ( ten minute limit on Youtube ). Had a bit of fun trying to get past a couple of bigger bikes.


So bike still goes fine - and luckily I can go home happy. Managed to get away without even a single bruise!!

The track surface down the front straight and entering Jennian was even worse that I recall, and I found myself using my legs as a second set of suspension to keep the bike in contact with the earth there.

I was doing the same and not being used to it, or particularly fit, had the worst case of cramp in the thighs ever that night - NOT good!!

And as for tyre warmers - vey cool to go out with the tyres already feeling tacky - and with fewer heat cycles, the tyres should stay in good condition longer too. Thanks vtec for the use of yours, and thanks Jill for letting me use yours next weekend!!

As for the next one - Unfortunately it's the same day as the HRC's "Special" Rider Development Day on the A1GP track at Taupo. Theres also the Suzuki Trackday the day after, so I'll be there for the double!!

[Keystone19]

Good vid as usual Leong! Well I think you got past your 225kph barrier fairly easily...I saw 275 on that dial I'm sure.

Just out of interest are you getting your knee down around Castrol?

[Leong]

Good vid as usual Leong! Well I think you got past your 225kph barrier fairly easily...I saw 275 on that dial I'm sure.

Just out of interest are you getting your knee down around Castrol?

Thanks Jill, YES!! First time knee down on the right.... just touching the knee down, not actually doing it consistently and going quicker because of it - need more practice!!!

[ArcherWC]

way to go Leong, you kicked my ass fair and square, rematch on sat, yeha

[ajturbo]

I passed an R6 on the back straight - and it wasnt broken down

Oh shit.....
i slip even further down

[Toast]

Leong - you got off soooo lightly with that crash, mate! The exhaust was barely even scratched, it was more the twenty buck exhaust strap that took most ot it!

275 is flying. Is your bike geared down? Or are those things just that fast?

Didn't see you out on the track at all. Save me from doing the maths on the video? What sorta times were you getting?