Hey there, just had to share my weekends adventure.. Went to a track day at Manfield race track for the 1st time 27/10/07, my mate Wayne and I drove down on Friday night and stayed at my bothers place in Ohakune.. 007XX was on an Auckland-Wellington-Auckland mission so she was on her VTR250. We were up at 5-30am and off to Manfield to sign on by 8-30, got the bikes off the trailer and signed into the intermediate group, after briefing the fun started, our turn came and out we went.. the track was not in great shape with quite a few patches and cracks but after quite a few laps I was starting to get some lines happening.
I had made a couple of mods and a few adjustments to the SV since I was out on the Taupo track a couple of months back so it was a riding bit different, 007XX was timing my laps and after the 1st session I had a best time of 1 min 35sec.. not startling but okay. Over the next 2 sessions I got more in tune with bike and track finding that my mods make it faster, feel more lively, handle better..and just HAUL out of corners.. so much fun!! by the end of the 3rd session I was lapping at 1min 28sec.
During lunch Suzuki rider Graig Shirrifs did some hot laps on his GSXR1000K7.. all tricked up.. 200hp at the wheel!! He tore around the track in a best time of 1min 10sec, damn that bike barks. I learnt alot watching his lines and smoothness around the track, and on the next session tried to apply what I'd seen and the 4th session I said to Wayne I was going up to the fast group because I had over taken everyone and felt safety was an issue.
It was a bit intimidating going out with the 'big boys' but figured I'm here to to learn, practice and have fun.. there were alot less bikes even with Wayne and myself added which meant more room to work on our lines.. we headed out and imediately I felt in the grove .. a couple of laps to get the tyres warm and I started putting on some pace.. apparently Micheal from Kiwi rider asked 007X who had stuck the chilli in my ass because my speed and lap times were noticably quicker. I felt like I was on fire and the SV was just barking, having moved the pipes higher on the bike it was!! I was getting to 220kph before braking into cocacola hairpin and up to 226kph along the back straight into Dunlop.. at the end of the session in the pits 007XX came over with a big smile to say I'd been lapping at 1min 22sec, I was stoked!!
The last session was more of the same.. head down arse up, really felt in sync with the bike... Full throttle along the front straight, change down,brake and turn right into cocacola hairpin hit the apex and open up the gas and drive out to the next right hander then on the brakes, change down and left into castrol, smooth drive out and flow around to the right and line up mid track change down and brake left for husqvarna.. hit the apex and feed the gas on, head down full throttle..bang another gear .. 10500rpm.. bang another gear.. 200kph 100 meters out from the corner and on the brakes sitting up like a chute, down to 2nd and right into higgens hairpin hit the apex and get on the gas..full throttle, hanging off the bike driving out hitting 10500rpm and bang another gear .. full throttle.. 10500rpm another gear.. tucked in head down.. another gear and aiming for the outside of dunlop corner hit the 100 meter mark 225kph aim in for an apex, off the gas.. gentle brakes throught the apex.. stand it up on the brakes to the middle of the sweeper, change down then drop to the right and aim for another apex.. on the gas and diving hard out of dunlop and onto the front straight..head down full throttle.. what a blast!!
An excellent day with very few mishaps I would definately reccomend anyone thinking about track days to just do it, you learn so much and come away a safer rider. 007XX headed for Wellington with Colapop, the Kendogs and the rest of the crew, Wayne and I headed back to Ohakune for a cold one, Sunday morning I headed up Mt Ruapehu to snowboard the last day of the season ..not a cloud in the sky ..outstanding!! Met up with 007XX about 1pm at the bros place and headed home. 007XX rode the whole way ..1300km+ in 2 days!! thats my girl..
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