My track day pro pics

WWJD

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Yeah, it's old news but here's a few PRO pics of my first track day a few months back. These are the G00D L00KING ones by a pro photographers. Worth every penny!! Yeah, I'm a Busa AND track newbie, but I had fun. Everyone should try this once. I have NEVER, EVER been able to fully utilize or open up my Busa like I could on this track. Notice the "how the heck am I supposed to sit" racing tuck, the amazingly matching helmet from my last bike, the lack of hump i didn't bring cuz I didn't expect to get on the track... well, at least I AM looking through the turns and I'm kinda proud of my tape-up job! :)

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ooooh... those tires look so soft and inviting.... NO! CONCENTRATE!!

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hmmmm... I shoulda photoshopped blurr into the plants so I look faster. ;)
 
Looking good bro! Track time is worth at least 6 months of street experience. Keep up the good work and you will be railing people in no time.

Marc "Howlin Mad"
 
Hey,

Your pics look great! I took a Keith Code class this year - used one of their 600's and learned alot in a single day. Tracks are a great place to explore your limitations and learn!

Kent
 
Nice. One question, though. Any particular reason you put 'er on the track with the back seat on instead of the hump? Or, was it just on the bike and you didn't change it? Just curious... :super:
 
Bullet, you were the kid staring out the window during class huh.  :D   "the lack of hump i didn't bring cuz I didn't expect to get on the track"  

That better?  Man, sometimes... have to spell things out...

Looking good WWJD, Gimmie a few and I'll have you going 150MPH in the corners there.... :eek:
 
Great pics WWJD! How fast did you get to take your bike?

I'm jealous...I'd love a day at the track...
 
MikeyD: I went to Nesba.com and signed up for a free intro track day class/session at a track 2 hours from me. I got 2 20 minute sessions for free. It cost me nothing! That and no cash was required. Did I mention it was free?:super:
http://nesba.com/Events/free_events.asp

hehehehe Revlis, me missed my silly lil captions. Have you done track days or classes?

Bullet: I thought I was gonna be late and miss my intro class in the morning so I didn't pack the hump, just camera's and junk. But they let me ride anyway! So I stripped down, taped up and wet myself with glee. :D

I can not describe the feeling of Track Riding except it's about 10 time better than street/highway and feels SO MUCH safer... nothing to bounce off of, nothing in the way, flat slide outs, no sand on corners, and you really get to FEEL the bike and it's parts in action in a much more free and open way. My buddy's wife think's it's dangerous and won't let him try it, but it is SO MUCH SAFER than street riding!! Preach, preach, preach... anyway, everyone should try it. It's AMAZINGLY cool. There's lots of prep to read and I found it very intimidating at first, but WOW was it worth it.

And if you can afford to, buy the pics cuz they are way cool! I got a cd of 14 high res and 3 8x10's printed for about $75
http://sliderphoto.com/bin/photos.asp?Racer=3003&Event=053103
 
VaBusa: on the main strait I know I saw at least 160 on the speedo, maybe more but I wasn't looking at the speedo. I was watching me passing the other racers. Boy, I slowed them down in the corners though. If I go again, I'm putting a Slow Moving Vehicle triangle on my bike. Tehre were a couple women racing that day and a few gender not discloded due to leathers that I SUSPECT were women. I got some great video I might post somewhere if I figure out how!!! :) Sign up for a free session for a track near you - see the above link at Nesba.com
 
VaBusa:  on the main strait I know I saw at least 160 on the speedo, maybe more but I wasn't looking at the speedo.  I was watching me passing the other racers.  Boy, I slowed them down in the corners though.   If I go again, I'm putting a Slow Moving Vehicle triangle on my bike.  Tehre were a couple women racing that day and a few gender not discloded due to leathers that I SUSPECT were women.  I got some great video I might post somewhere if I figure out how!!!   :)  Sign up for a free session for a track near you - see the above link at Nesba.com
I am checking out the link now...I'd love to take my Busa to the track just to run him without the usual worries - cars, animals, sand on the road...I'd not only have the orange triangle on the back to notify others that I'm slow, but I'd have a huge yellow ROOKIE stripe on my helmet...nature's way of saying "do not touch!" :D

160 huh?! Bet that was a rush...
 
The intro class is people just like you and me, so it's all good. 160 on the track was orgasmic. Not like the 185 I achived recently on the backroads - that was sheer terror [yet oddly exciting] but didn't feel as safe and controlled as the track. You'll love the free sessions, but I MUST WARN YOU ABOUT THE FUTURE ADDICTION POTENTIAL!!!!!
 
MikeyD:  I went to Nesba.com and signed up for a free intro track day class/session at a track 2 hours from me.    I got 2 20 minute sessions for free.  It cost me nothing!  That and no cash was required.   Did I mention it was free?:super:
WWJD,
Thanks for the info but...

AAAAARRRRGGGGG!!!!!!

NESBA stands for
NORTH EAST...

Do you have any info about sites on the other side of the continant?  I live in beautiful, ride year round, ARIZONA!

Ride Safe :super:
 
I'm doing a reduc day (www.ReDuc.com) on the 27th of this month.

Sayyyy...I like your tape-up job...painter's masking tape? Did you pull the fuse for your lights, and if so WHICH ONE is it? If you didn't did you have any trouble getting the tape off?

I noticed you're missing your tie-down pins [edit: never mind, I see 'em] -- did you have to remove those in the tech inspection? Anything else you had to do to the bike (I have an '03 silver/gray, as well)?
 
NESBA stands for
NORTH EAST...

Do you have any info about sites on the other side of the continant?  I live in beautiful, ride year round, ARIZONA!

Ride Safe :super:
Even though it's North East they MIGHT cover the whole USA as an organization.  I thought that too when a friend told me about it, but checked it out and they were in the Midwest also!!  I poked around looks like they don't cover AZ.  :sad:  Bummer.  But I guarentee there's tracks near you that do cycle track days.  I didn't wanna go at first becuase of how much it cost.  But after doing it, now I'm like  "Pffft... $194 for a day of this fun?:super:??  I'M IN!!!!"  I started poking around and found tons of "track day" sights:  MAM riders club, Trackaddix.com   stuff like that.  I have not done a second track day yet, but I think I will in the future.  You could goto your nearest track's website, look for the motorcycle days and see who it's hosted by - that will get you going.

Something to keep in mind cost wise:  it is possible to burn thru your tires in a day of HARD riding.  I noticed significant wear but I didn't have to replace them.  We all know costs involved to replace tires and stuff... keep it in mind.   OOOOOH but it's SO MUCH FUN!!!

A rider's manual covers track days in detail
http://www.nesba.com/membership_info/manual.pdf
but basically for the intro thingy, your bike must be in excellent shape, not leaking or rattling, good tread on tires, you need helmet, good gloves, protective jacket, boots, --- jeans are fine for the intro class but if you continue on, I think you're required to get pants too.  The parts about 'safety wiring' all your bolts won't apply to intro people, nor do you have to flush your coolant and use only water.  It's ALL designed around safety and all makes great sense.  Some rules vary per track.

Mcyote:  yeah that's easy peel painters masking tape from local hardware store, and a pocket knife to trim it nicely  :)  I went ahead and left the lights turned on and fuses intact.  Kept it on low beam and sort of hoped the wind speed would keep it cool.  No prob - the tape peeled right off and wasn't very hot really.  I WAS gonna just pull the wire off the bulbs.  For MY runs I pulled everything I could off the bike:  mirrors, reflectors, license plate, back handle bar, covered all plastics, emptied out the back seat storage, removed the fuzzy dice... for the intro didn't really have to do more than mirrors, and tape everything.  Just depends on how far you wanna take it.  :)  Read thru the 'manual' a couple times to soak it up and you'll get the flow.  Seemed like a lot fo reading to a newb like me, but wasn't too bad:
http://www.nesba.com/membership_info/manual.pdf

I hope you find a place to go.  I'm sure others will back me when I say the track is literally 10 times the fun and safety of street riding!!!

To the wannabees: This was something I watched from a far and thought "Well that's too cool, but I'll never get to ride on a track... I don't know anything, have no skillz, am not fast..." When the free thing came my way I thought why not, and now I have really cool looking pics, videos and memories of ME BEING the racer!!! You can too.
 
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