GSpeedR

Disclaimer: long-winded with shitty camera-phone pics.

So I had my first trackday with Sportbiketracktime at CMP (Carolina Motorsports Park) Sept 27th and decided to cover all my bases and pop all available cherries. A couple people recommended STT trackdays to me over Nesba or other groups since they have great beginner instruction...and I've only been riding about 7-8 months. The novice group classes were great, we stayed lined up for about 3 sessions and then they cut us loose while giving pointers if we started to struggle.

I used my trusty 96' YZF600 and definitely had the oldest bike there by a decent margin, so I expected to get passed often. In the first sessions, I really had to muscle the bike into the corners and it seemed to move around a lot...which made it difficult to build confidence. I had to max out the suspension settings (comp/reb front/rear) to try to stabilize it a bit and that did help a bit, but the instructors mentioned that my bike was still moving around a lot mid-corner. Two instructors recommended I upgrade spring rates and discuss options with the Ohlins rep if I continue using this bike. Plus there's so much slop in the throttle (I tightened up what I could) that corner exit was a bit harder than I felt it should be. However, I feel that learning on a bike that doesn't handle quite as well as the newer bikes will only help me progress faster. It has more power than the SV650s and so I'm sure a good rider could still turn good times.



I really made a point to try to focus on hanging my whole body off (not just my hips) and getting completely off the seat while "kissing the mirror". The high handlebars made it difficult to sprawl across the tank, and the peg position didn't seem right either. It ended up that I would get my *** all the way off the seat and lay my outer thigh on it which seemed to twist my lower body towards the bike a lot; then I would turn my upper body forward to square my shoulders. So my inner knee pointed forward and not to the side (I need to get more flexible too)...so I only was able to graze a knee once even though I felt I was hanging off a ton, and consequently, I dragged my toes too much. It seemed that if I wasn't so aggressive with my lower body then I could square my whole body (not just upper body) and be a lot more comfortable.







I obviously need a lot of work on my form but that was the first time I ever tried to hang off and after looking at the pictures I'm at least trying harder than everyone else. Anyway, I really felt I was struggling in the first 3 sessions, entering way too hot and just completely inconsistent. After lunch something just clicked and I started to relax and look through the turn earlier, the looking ahead really helped so much. I was braking less and carrying a lot more corner speed and I figured out some of the trickier sections (like Turn 4-7: the left and 3 connected right leading onto the back straight). Suddenly I start passing a lot of people and have to really slow up to avoid divebombing people entering corners (no passing on inside). I started to get very aggressive and started passing a lot of bikes that should have been a lot faster, and my confidence grew more and more until...



I tried to pass one too many people entering Turn 1 after the front straight and entered way too hot and way too far to the inside (wanted to keep my distance from the other rider)...tried to make the corner and scraped pegs. I quickly realized I wasn't going to make it and stood it up as I hit the small section of grass right before I hit the sandtrap at what was at least 50-60mph. I got it straight up and stood up on the pegs and started thinking, "Holy crap I'm going to ride this out" when suddenly I'm airborne and staring at my bike flying sideways in front of me. The bike catches the sand and does a sideways sommersault while I tumble behind it and eventually crash into it. My adrenaline is pumping and I jump up immediately and turn off the engine and give the thumbs up while I try to pick it up and wait for the crash truck. Well we drag it 150ft onto the trailer and I get the ride of shame back to my truck.





I came away completely injury free (besides some soreness in my right leg which was probably from cramping up while hanging off) and so the sand definitely did its job. It also got F'ing everywhere. The front fairing and right clip-on was destroyed but I lucked out that the frame, tank and front-end appear to be damage free. So I will probably make the repairs and hopefully can get to VIR before the 2008 season is done. Eventually I'd like to get a newer bike (I'm in love with Kawi 636s) but I may ride this guy out a bit more while I learn especially given my aggressiveness.

On a completely unrelated note, I was in Argentina for 2 weeks in September and got the oppourtunity to ride this bad boy through downtown Buenos Aires.









It's a 1984 Kawi something-or-other Policia edition cruiser (no, the lights didn't work) and it was a scary scary ride. Being that I've never ridden a bike other than my own (besides the MSF 250s) and this beast was the size of the queen mary, it was tough going early on. Plus, I can only describe Buenos Aires traffic as "organized chaos"; put your vehicle wherever the hell you want and worry about the consequences later. Lots of small bikes out here and every single one of the them has a deathwish. That said, I must say that the drivers here are far more alert than our friends on US roadways. Caution bred by necessity.

ScareyH22A

Glad to hear you're ok.
BTW, that'll buff right out.

Quiks66

Good write-up, fun for me to read. I definitely knew what you meant when talking about how things just 'clicked' and you became much more smooth. When you're on the track for the first time, your mind has to calculate everything much quicker. After a while, you become used to your surroundings, what to look at, and what things feel like. You get quicker and then start to ride over your head...and then you're off the track. If you've ridden on the track, you've ridden off it too

Fix that bad boy and get back out there

Starscream

Nice write-up. Should get more guys in here to go out there and pop their track cherry

Fix that Fazer up and next time, you will ride better. It's easy to let it go to your head, too bad you had to eat dirt. But heck, in the track it's only a matter of time when you will go down lol.

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by GSpeedR &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Plus, I can only describe Buenos Aires traffic as "organized chaos"; put your vehicle wherever the hell you want and worry about the consequences later. Lots of small bikes out here and every single one of the them has a deathwish. That said, I must say that the drivers here are far more alert than our friends on US roadways. Caution bred by necessity. </TD></TR></TABLE>

Welcome to South America friend.

I bet most of the guys on small bikes with a deathwish where the famous motocouriers. You will see them on every big southamerican city. It's an interesting phenomenon, when you see them from various points of view.

And yes, drivers are more alert because nobody wants to have their paint scratched or their mirrors broken

MAD ITR 55

I was there on sunday the 28th. I tried to book both days but saturday was full and sunday was the only day. Glad your ok from your crash. I have some pics I'll have to make a thread.

ragnaroek

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Quiks66 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">You get quicker and then start to ride over your head...and then you're off the track. </TD></TR></TABLE>

so true...

*ponders the list of broken parts from my last get-off*

Jasper_db1

hooray for taking the old YZF out to the track!

I'll be taking mine (also a 1995) next year along with the RC51.

GSpeedR

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Jasper_db1 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">hooray for taking the old YZF out to the track!

I'll be taking mine (also a 1995) next year along with the RC51.</TD></TR></TABLE>

Yeah she's not much to look at but she's got a heart of gold.

I might strongly consider upping the front spring rates and looking into the Race-tech fork and rear shock kits to rebuild my old stock pieces...the bike has way too little control and is sprung very softly. I can still ride it and probably learn a lot but I would like some consistency and stability while leaned over.

slm

Don't forget that form can have a big effect on how your bike gets thru a corner. After 13 years though, I bet a fluid change in your forks and a shock rebuild could get your settings back from maxed out.

Willybeen

glad you're alright..

I have the same helmet... too. lol

Willybeen

OMG i have the same jacket too..... but i have a dainese suit for the track....

how weird.

MAD ITR 55

I'm going back on Nov. 22-23. You gonna be there?

GSpeedR

I'd like to get another novice class in before the years done...we'll see if I can get it repaired in time. I have to get a right-side clip-on (maybe left-side...the clutch lever is defintiely bent) and a new front fairing, which can be tough to find for an older bike. I guess as long as the side fairings are secured enough I go run without the front plastic and windscreen.