Track day - iowa

[WWJD]

Like many other Track organizations, Track Addix had nothing better to do on a national day off than setup a trackday for all the Rossi wannabees. There were many, many, MANY riders at this track day and many many more students in trackday training.

This is my brief account of my best AND my worst track day ever.
The track is located near Omaha Nebraska, so we stayed at a nearby hotel and watched the weaher reports rambling on about heavy rain, severe storms, potential large hail by 3 PM on our track day. Woke up and report was the same. We saw light sprinkles while prepping the bikes... but that will it hail on us later? Read on to find out!

Every Track day is like freaking CHRSITMAS all day long!

 

[CorrodedAlien]

 

[WWJD]

I never get enough of the look of a taped up, race ready Hayabusa! Anyway, since I suck and my buddy was new to the track we hit the "beginner" level which included about 25 completely new riders - on the track for the first time - taking the riders class. Normally, this would be fine, we've all been there: nervous, unsure, all our AMAZING street skills flushed in the toilet as we find out how fast we really AREN'T... but THIS was downright scarey. Just a few too many bikes on the track at once. Many unsure about speed and breaking and weaving a bunch, cutting each otehr off etc... it was tourture... as bad or worse than riding in rush hour traffic - ya never knew who was gonna do what next. So, while I am being polite to not stuff brand new riders into corners giving adequate space and not going for the pass, *I* was getting stuff into the corners but what I would have to call RUDE "beginner" riders who took advantage of the space I was leaving the n00bs, and passing on corners and cutting in and through open slots in straits and corners.... I'm thinking "Pffff. yeah... I can do that TOO, but I'm NICE and don't want to SCARE anybody." It was just scarey. WORST session I have ever experiecned. Until the NEXT session. Tried beginners again... now that slow pack of inexpereinced riders was trying to go faster - and the rude riders were still there trying to prove a point. After getting stuffed a couple times by this one guy, I actually got mad and chased him down and passed him back. I usually don't get mad at ANYTHING - and the track is ESPECIALLY not that place to start racing or holding a grudge... but I chased him down and passed him down and passed him easily within half a lap. I am not proud of that but I would guess he's posting up about stomping a busa at a track - just dumb. He should have been considering the other newer riders like I was.

Okay, I'm ranting. More pics

 

[WWJD]

4 bikes lined up. My buddy on the black R6 races and rides at advanced level but was nice enough to give up pointers and follow us around some and spread his knowledge.

I was extremely frustraded about the early sessions and after taking with our group, we decided to just bump into the intermediate level. Big step for me since I don't ride THAT fast and am just having fun - not really honing my skills. But we joined the intermediate sessions and it was heaven. The riders were curtious and knew what to do when, and were predictable. It was far less crowded too, since most in attendance were of beginner or less level. There were also the EGO riders in intermediate that THOUGHT there were really good, but not so much and maybe should have started in beginner - nice easy targets



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[omslaw]

Keep 'em coming, Greg!

 

[WWJD]

later in the day the did only TWO groups: Low-mid, and Mid-High. We decided to do mid high to avoid beginners again. In other words, I had gone from beginner status, to medium, then advanced in one day. I don't RIDE advanced, mind you, but was riding WITH them.

That was Nervana!

I had never before experieced the rush of actually being on the track in a MOTOGP race before Monday. There was a decent abount of expertly skilled riders who knew their bike, the track, their limits and it showed. I was getting passed on both sides IN corners, and lining up with packs of bikes 2 - 3 feet apart falling into corners and it was FREAKING AWESOME!!! It looked like TV or the video game but it was live and I was riding in the thick of it.

The busa held it's own well, but not as good as the skilled 600s, and I am not the best rider. it has more than I can take it to, but it represented just fine.

If I never track ride again [not likely with 7 more scheduled this summer] I will have enjoyed all I can out of it and die happy. But I look forward to the next ones even more now.



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[WWJD]

That was the bad and the good, now the Ugly: I've never seen so many ride offs and wrecks at one single track day. I think this day had as many as my last 6 track days combined. It must have been the amount of unskilled people there because they had the day off. There wer no SERIOUS injuries, but I saw quite a few bikes roll into the grass or mud and tumble a little. There was also a bike bike collision that forced the ambulance on to the track.

Maybe people were getting mad at the one guy that was stuffin people into corners.... and it was hot, and large number of bikes on the track at once... bla bla bla... anyway, it's ALWAYS rider error and can be avoided by keeping your wits.

STILL a great time!

 

[WWJD]

and THIS was another present on my 'Chrsitmas': they had a Dyno at the track. So of course, I had to do it since I never have.

The tech was named HITMAN out of Minn. and he also brought one of his Busa's

 

[WWJD]

why does my bike look like a scared kitten strapped into the dyno? maybe that's just me.... you know: big weepy eyes, ears laid back flat ears like "wimper wimper, what are you doing to me? ? ?" okay, maybe it IS just me...

strapped it it, did the thing

I wasn't really to concerned about the results, knowing many factors affect this from temp and air pressure to my dirty air filter and bad fuel delivery going on right now... never the less, I got two pulls for $40 and a printout stating my factory bone stock Hayabusa hits 150 HP and 92 TQ, at 28800 miles, being 3 years old with a number of harse trackdays under it's tank. Good enough for me. Reguarless of the numbers, it's mine and it's insane fast when the throttle is pinned and you are rowing the gears to the rev limiter. HITMAN recomended some mods, but I just smiled and declined. [see my sig line below]



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[WWJD]

dyno

 

[WWJD]

BTW the dyno DOES really EAT up your rear tire. You could visibly see how it was kind of cheese grated off the center tread. I hate my Diablo Strada's with a passion and am getting new tires anyway, so I was happy to destroy them as much as possible

 

[WWJD]

got the standard print out and snapped a pic of the screen. Yeah, I think it's a little low, but I'm having feul problems, it was hot and muggy humid and well.. who cares, still a fast bike!

From what I understand, DYNOs are kinda subjective anyway, but I always wanted to get this done.

 

[WWJD]

AND NOW FOR SOME SCHOOLING:

TODAY'S LESSON: HOW TO MAKE A CLEAN PASS

Step one: first be aware of the bike in front of you and to your sides. You all share the track and must be curteous to avoid mixing your paint with a fellow rider. keep your line. the better or faster rider will make a clean pass when he determines the timing is right to be safe

 

[WWJD]

STEP 2: give yourself adequate space and time your pass properly when going into the next turn as to allow yourself safe breaking and maneuvering. also make certain you allow the rider getting passed anough time and space to maneuver

 

[WWJD]

STEP 3: being SMOOTH is the best and safest way to complete a quality pass. maintain your race line and proceed normally

 

[WWJD]

STEP 4: Riding through grass is a great way to shave off speed and give enough space for the other rider to complete his pass with the largest possible safety margin

 

[WWJD]

STEP 5: Avoid laughing out loud at other riders who were trying to show you up. We've all been there and make mistakes. Laughing internal is much more appropriate.


No seriously, again, this was totally rider error, not estimating the amount of time to complete this pass safely, he ran out of road and could turn with out causing an accident.

I'd never wish harm to any rider ever. It is NOT a race, just a track day - BEATING people is pointless. Just waiting for a better opportunity can save you hundreds in parts and humility

 

[WWJD]

there IS just something about a Ducati. second best looking bike on the planet

 

[WWJD]

another

 

[WWJD]

"SEE YOU AT THE FINISH LINE! ... NOT!"

It was a hot, humid day and people were pushing to the limit.

Even me.

The twist ending to my day was ME riding off the track. [this is not a pic of ME off the track, just one of many others] Second to the last session, I came around a corner pretty slow and suddenly found myself heading strait into the grass. I was probably doing about 30. I hit the breaks, slowed way more and rolled about 30 feet into the grass.... Busa as stable as a rock. I looked at the corner worker who was grabbing his yellow flag and talking into his radio, gave him a thumbs up and he motioned for me to go on back onto the track. I did but went real slow and exited at the end of that lap. I quit because I could not determine WHY I drive strait off the track at slow speed - so I decided I had gone to far and was done for the day.

Track days on tecnical tracks are very strenuous - especially on a heavy bike like a busa. If my body says I'm done, I'M DONE.

I like my bike in one piece.

WORST and BEST track day ever for me so far.



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