This i first time i have ever been to manfield,
Me and motogirl traveled down to fielding friday afternoon, stayed in the common raceway motel, and caught up with the Kendogs same place.
Was some rain over night, awake at 6.30am and look out window and see its dampish outside, stuff around for a bit, up to gas station to full the bike up and spare petrol can.
Arrive at track little after 8, Sign up, and comment that i am yellow group, so even my group is colour matching me. Start unload the bike ,deck chairs, pinic basket and rest of our crap, in to a stall, And procide to stuff around for about 1, gas bagging to some kb members and like.
Briefing arrives, listen to the normal sorta stuff, and first group is novice(motogirl) group, so she goes out for her first blat, we have set it up that i am the group straight after her, so it means as soon as i get on the bike my tires are already warm from her riding it for 20 mins. who needs tirewarmers.
The first season i used to get to know the track(where bumps hollows etc are), it was a tad annoying since the lines i wanted to take still had some damp spots. But just taking it nice and easy since i know how fresh paint seams to have a natural reaction to try and taste the tarmat.
Before i knew it, motogirl was up again(4 groups with 20 min sessions), i spend the second morning session trying some different type of lines thru the corners, i was having problems with coke, mainly the deep line that goes thru the tarseal on the exit, since you want to cross over it while still leant over and was casuing issues, and just trying to find best line to suit me thru dunlop. But started to get know the track better by end of season and started feeling a bit more upbeat about it all. Half way thru this season had a guy pass me just out of castrol, to lowside right in front of me at Husqvarna.
Then came along lunch, and have a wee watch of Shrieffs on his gsxr 1000 k7, fuck that thing is fast, and i just more paying attention to where he was trying to put his bike on the track.
After lunch motogirl was out first, the cloud had gone, and it was getting pretty warm, and with a bit of food started feel a bit better, jumped on the bike once she came in (even tho she had the checkard flag waved at her twice), i just felt total sorted and in tune, was pretty much nailing every corner with confidance, and felt smooth, was only out for about 5-6 laps, then the dreaded Fi light came on my dash just as i was coming out of higgins, and bike wouldn't rev about 10,000rpm. Came in the pits, turn bike off and on again, and Fi light still on, was not a happy camper at all, I knew what the problem was, and hoped i could fix it.
Took off back to the pits, off with the seat/tank, air box cover, check the secondary butterflys, and yep the stva i had got from the states and put on wesnday before ago had same issue mine has(i knew it would apear sooner or later again, but just did not have time to put the 'fix' on it before manfield), though i see if i can figure out if i can get it going, with the help of 4 handy zip ties stva is good to go again. with about 10 mins before motogirl was due to go out again.
Was an unknown if my fix would last the distance or not, but it did, for her seasion. Jump on, didn't feel as great as previous season but still felt good, but keep an eye on the dash to see if the dreaded Fi apeared again, which didn't help.
Only had one hairy moment whole day which pretty good, was in my final session, exiting higgins, (there is a new strip of tarseal thru the middle of corner), i got on the gas end of the strip, and felt the tire start sliding, and though here we go, then felt it suddley grip, and next though was oh her i go over handle bars as ass leaves the seat. but to my good foturne it was all good, and just made sure next few laps not to get on gas that early.
Was good first time at manfield, was a bit strange going the oppsite direction than use to at taupo at the begining but middle of day was all good, i defenlity want to do manfield again in the future.
My PP 2cts look like had some hard use now, some tearing up sides(front & rear), and know my bike does get up and go when it wants to do, just the useless rider on the top holding it back, hard on the gas down the front straight, it felt like the front keep wanting to come up.
Couple of pics
(thanks Mrs Kendog)
Thanks to the team, at kiwirider, trackfun, and of course Suzuki for the great day, and chance of doing them.
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Originally Posted by Cajun
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