Track Day

[1badasbusa]

I got a chance to head to our local road race track today http://www.beaverun.comand see how the Big Heavy Busa can do. It is the North track.I had to start in the beginner class cause I had never been on a track before. So after a few laps and I'm feeling ok with the track I started pickin up the pace. I got black flaged and kicked out of the beginner class. So I get to ride with some faster guys now in the intermidiate class and after a few more laps and feeling very comfortable with the track. I pick up the pace some more. After blitzing past guys on the staights and lapping some guys. I asked if I could move up to the advance class. Now mind you I am on a Big Heavy Busa with mich pilot road tires. No race take offs. The two guys I was pitting with ran in this class. Both were on R1s. An 03 and an 04. They had been flying all day. I figured if I could just follow there lines I would be ok. We head out and i'm behind the 04 R1 and we do a lap to heat the tires up. I'm feelin ready so I come to the inside of him on turn 10 which is a big horse shoe turn and then down the straight. I figured he has been movin pretty good all day I better step it up. After I went by I never seen him again. I was supprised. My best lap time was a 107.89 and I was running a consistant 109. He was at a 110 so I guess that is why I didn't see him again. I was really shooked that the only thing that came by me all day out of all the bikes that were there was a sv 650 and two little 125 2 stroke pure race bikes. All three race alot. They would get me through the tight stuff and I would real them in on the straights. It was a blast. I had always wanted to try going to a track and I'm glad I did. What A rush. O.. Its funny how the Busa is always so Big and so heavy but there wasn't one guy there that had a damn thing to say about the BUSA after  the day was done. With sport touring tires.

 

[omslaw]

Way 2 go!

 

[AlbanianEagle]

Sweet. Way to go. I love hearing stories like this, it makes me feel good.

 

[Con5179]

yeah cool story

 

[stkr00]

Track days are pretty awesome. Glad you had a good time. From the pics, it looks like you could hang off the bike more. This would help reduce your lean angle for the same speed through the turns. It takes a bit to get use to, but it does help a great deal...especially on a Busa.

I saw on the link that it was a BMW? day. Not sure what type of rules they have, but it seems pretty strange to be able to get bumped to Advanced in only one day.

I ride with NESBA, and it usually takes a while to get to the Advanced level. In NESBA Advanced you'll find a lot of Amateur racers, and even some AMA Pro riders. They're running 1:05's and 1:10's in Intermediate.

If you like Beaver Run, then NESBA is doing a track day there on October 22nd. You have to either sign up with NESBA then sign up for the whole track day, or you could just sign up for the Intro group which is the first two sessions FREE.

 

[Devil Dog]

Awesome...........One day, I'll get to a track.

 

[1badasbusa]

Track days are pretty awesome.  Glad you had a good time.  From the pics, it looks like you could hang off the bike more.  This would help reduce your lean angle for the same speed through the turns.  It takes a bit to get use to, but it does help a great deal...especially on a Busa.

I saw on the link that it was a BMW? day.  Not sure what type of rules they have, but it seems pretty strange to be able to get bumped to Advanced in only one day.

I ride with NESBA, and it usually takes a while to get to the Advanced level.  In NESBA Advanced you'll find a lot of Amateur racers, and even some AMA Pro riders.  They're running 1:05's and 1:10's in Intermediate.

If you like Beaver Run, then NESBA is doing a track day there on October 22nd.  You have to either sign up with NESBA then sign up for the whole track day, or you could just sign up for the Intro group which is the first two sessions FREE.

The guys that I was pitting with said the same thing about NESBA days. The intermidiate are as fast as the advanced days at the BMW day. I was looking at there site and thinking about joining. Is that wright that it is $75 to join for the year. If you are not a member then track days are $150 to $160. It sounds stupit not to join. Even if you only get 1 day in you would save some money. Or do I have it wrong??

 

[PaceMaster]

I too did one track day---60 plus laps or so during three 30 minute sessions. I pulled in early during the last two because the hotter the brakes became the harder it braked--and i could not muster enough muscle to hold myself up . Dayam---After i learned the track---i believe i had the lowest lap times except for the REAL Racer who put on the event--on his pumped up 929-with slicks. I too was using Pilot Road tires..... Others bikes there were R-1 , 996 Duc Sport tourer,919 Honda Hornet.
Just amazing how it feels to WFO a Busa lap after lap......Was trying to find a pic....
The veterans on this site know I am for real...and an old man at 54

 

[1badasbusa]

I too did one track day---60 plus laps or so during three 30 minute sessions. I pulled in early during the last two because the hotter the brakes became the harder it braked--and i could not muster enough muscle to hold myself up . Dayam---After i learned the track---i believe i had the lowest lap times except for the REAL Racer who put on the event--on his pumped up 929-with slicks. I too was using Pilot Road tires..... Others bikes there were  R-1 , 996 Duc Sport tourer,919 Honda Hornet.
Just amazing how it feels to WFO a Busa lap after lap......Was trying to find a pic....
The veterans on this site know I am for real...and an old man at 54  

Sounds good. I love hearin stuff like that. Cause we all know the Big Heavy BUSA Doesn't handle.

 

[1badasbusa]

I like this shot. I call it stocking my prey. This was a sweaping turn that led into a straight with a kink in it. Setem up in the turns and smokem on the straights.

It was a blast.

 

[1badasbusa]

I figured out how to shrink the pics to fit. Now if I could just load up my Avatar.???

GOT IT

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[stkr00]

Track days are pretty awesome. Glad you had a good time. From the pics, it looks like you could hang off the bike more. This would help reduce your lean angle for the same speed through the turns. It takes a bit to get use to, but it does help a great deal...especially on a Busa.

I saw on the link that it was a BMW? day. Not sure what type of rules they have, but it seems pretty strange to be able to get bumped to Advanced in only one day.

I ride with NESBA, and it usually takes a while to get to the Advanced level. In NESBA Advanced you'll find a lot of Amateur racers, and even some AMA Pro riders. They're running 1:05's and 1:10's in Intermediate.

If you like Beaver Run, then NESBA is doing a track day there on October 22nd. You have to either sign up with NESBA then sign up for the whole track day, or you could just sign up for the Intro group which is the first two sessions FREE.

The guys that I was pitting with said the same thing about NESBA days. The intermidiate are as fast as the advanced days at the BMW day. I was looking at there site and thinking about joining. Is that wright that it is $75 to join for the year. If you are not a member then track days are $150 to $160. It sounds stupit not to join. Even if you only get 1 day in you would save some money. Or do I have it wrong??

NESBA is $75 for a one year membership. This is a calendar year, and NOT where it expires on Jan 1st. It expires one year from the day you joined.

The prices shown on the Track Dates are member prices for the track. I'm not sure if you can sign up without being a member. If you sign up less than 15 days prior to an event, then it costs you an extra $20. I look at it as saving $20 by signing up early. There are no gate fees, and their crash/rain policy is one of the best around. You crash...your day can be a prorated credit back to your member account. If it rains, and they don't ride, the you get a full credit towards another day.

I think one of the best parts about NESBA is the quality of personnel. The Control Riders (CR's) are more than willing to help you out with free instruction and one-on-one help on the track. Everybody is friendly and it's like having an extended family. There are other track day organizations out there, so feel free to form your own opinions.

The pics look nice

Just be carefull leaning that hard without getting off the bike. I'm having the same problem though. I get my azz off of the seat, but I'm leaving my upper body over the bike's centerline. I just gotta keep working on it.

Here's a couple of links to threads on the NESBA site about body positioning. Lots of good reading...just remember to NOT try and change everything at once...just work on one thing at a time, and it will all come together.

Body Position...

Body Positioning Continued...

 

[1badasbusa]

DAMN , I was getting the Busa back and ready for the street after track day and look what I found. I think someone else was just talking about this too. I'm wondering if I raise the ass end up an inchand stiffin the suspension .Will it take care of touch downs. I didn't even relised that I hit the fairing. I know that I hit the pegs a few times but damn the fairing. My painter is going to love me.

 

[1badasbusa]

I got the peg not just the little nipple but the peg and the brake lever.

 

[1badasbusa]

brake lever

 

[1badasbusa]

the other side to. Damn both sides.

 

[1badasbusa]

Last one. If I raise it will it take care of this problem??

 

[stkr00]

Honestly...the best thing you can do to prevent dragging hard parts is to work on your body positioning as in the links above, and get your suspension set up properly...not just raised. Properly hanging off the bike will reduced the lean angle required to carry the same speed through the turn as if you weren't hanging off. Look at some of the pics in the links above and you'll see how far they're leaning, but NOT dragging any hard parts. When you start dragging hard parts, this lifts the rear whell and it can lose traction and cause you to crash. Be carefull out there.

Here's the link to a topic on suspension by JINKSTER:


This is what he recommended for me. I weigh about 175 so your settings may need to be different. This made a world of difference on the track.

NOTE: When you make the following adjustments, write down how many clicks you have to turn in each adjuster so that you can put the settings back to normal if you want.

First: (Front Forks)
<ul>
[*]Turn BOTH the compression adjustment (lower rear side of fork end casting), and the rebound adjustment (little screw on top of the spring preload adjuster on top of the fork tube) all the way in until the stop. DON'T crank down on them, just lightly seat.
[*]Turn the Rebound 4 clicks out.
[*]Turn the Compression 2 clicks out.
[*]With a socket, extension, and ratchet: Turn the fork spring preload ajuster all the way out. This is the hex nut on top of the fork tube.
[*]Position the ratchet handle so that you can count the turns as you make the adjustment.
[*]Turn the spring preload adjuster IN 9 turns. This would have only 1 line showing, but it's hard to see down in the hole.
[/list]

Senond: (Rear Shock)
<ul>
[*]Turn the Rebound screw (Bottom screw), and the Compression screw (Top screw) all the way in.
[*]Turn the Rebound 11 clicks out.
[*]Turn the Compression 8 clicks out.
[*]On the rear shock, you will see a spring with two star nuts on top. These are for adjusting the spring preload. The top one is a locknut for the actual adjustment star nut. You will need either a spanner wrench, or a hammer and punch will work fine.

[*]Loosen the top star nut (lock nut).
[*]Mark the lower star nut with a marker so you can count the turns as you adjust it.
[*]Tighten the lower star nut to add more tension (preload) on the spring. Two full revolutions should be fine.
[*]<span style='color:red'>TIGHTEN the upper star nut to lock in the adjustment.</span>
[/list]

The stiffer suspension will be a bit touchy and unforgiving to excessive throttle-on when coming out of a corner.

If it seems touchy and unforgiving, then soften up the rear by reducing the rear shock spring preload...If it feels vague or wallowy with a lack of feedback, then add some more preload to the rear shock.

Thanks to JINKSTER for the above setup

 

[stkr00]

Maybe this will help explain it...

 

[1badasbusa]

Thanks guys. I will try it all. The weird thing was  that I  knew that I touched the pegs alittle hear and there but I didn't relise that I touched plastic. I will have to deffinatly work on my riding position and I have been wanting to mess with the suspension. This helps out alot. Thanks again. O... So would you still recommend raising the rear an inch too? With the rest? Or just leave it stock?



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