Blackbird, Top Box, Castle Combe, Knee Down?

[squirrel_hunter]

Well thanks to Avon & Somerset Police and their BikeSafe (http://www.bikesafe.co.uk/) Track Experience at Castle Combe, may I present the Honda Blackbird:

http://i153.photobucket.com/albums/s216/squirrel_hunters_photos/Castle%20Coombe%20BikeSafe%202010/policebikeday1579.jpg

http://i153.photobucket.com/albums/s216/squirrel_hunters_photos/Castle%20Coombe%20BikeSafe%202010/policebikeday1580.jpg

http://i153.photobucket.com/albums/s216/squirrel_hunters_photos/Castle%20Coombe%20BikeSafe%202010/policebikeday1581.jpg

http://i153.photobucket.com/albums/s216/squirrel_hunters_photos/Castle%20Coombe%20BikeSafe%202010/policebikeday1582.jpg

I'll tell you heaving that bike around the track was hard work. I went grass tracking at Bobbies and ran very wide at Avon Rise messing up Quarry Corner for me on the second and third laps before settling down with the bike. It was great fun though, I kept the SRAD in the picture below at bay but the 'Bird ain't quick in the corners.

http://i153.photobucket.com/albums/s216/squirrel_hunters_photos/Castle%20Coombe%20BikeSafe%202010/policebikeday1633.jpg

Was only one track session and before that an assessed road ride, but for £30 I can't knock it. My only criticism was the pace of a rider on a Blue Fazer who was dangerously slow in the chicane at the end of Dean Straight. In that they were doing about 5mph bolt upright right on the racing line where you are not allowed to overtake.

Oh and big thanks to Stretchie who's bike this is for allowing me to do this. In fairness I only called him about it after I'd had the riders briefing and was going for the noise test...

[Milky Bar Kid]

Good effort Steve! You rode it like you stole it...oh wait...you did...well, as good as! Great pics!

[Willcat]

arrrgh I wish I could go... but a rear tire with 3 plugs(one done in a garage and the other 2 by my self) on track isn't very appealing... plus i'm 200ish miles away up in leeds... anyway, how did the assessed ride go?

[Quiff Wichard]

i thought it looked like Viper on Stretchies bike !!

[Quiff Wichard]

oh and sorry my new fazer got in yer way.. I was trying to square the tyres off ready for the run to scotland

[G]

Good effort... The poor guy on the fazer your abusing was probably only interested in the bikesafe not the track session afterwards, but thought he'd give it a go anyway... Give him a break :p he probably just wanted to stay within his abilities and avoid the grass ;)

[squirrel_hunter]

i thought it looked like Viper on Stretchies bike !!

I don't know who should be offended more.

anyway, how did the assessed ride go?

The assessed ride was good. I always enjoy riding with the Police. It was a two to one session with a debrief at each stop. A ride to Malmsbury with a chap on a V-Max in front and then a return to the circuit with me in the lead.

[muddi]

Looking good in the photos! Well done..

That guy on the SRAD behind you aint even looking where he is going, tut tut..



err bike could do with a good clean underneath - look at the state on that zorst!! :smt107




snigger

[allantheboss]

What! You did not tell me about this! I wanna be (bike)SAFE!

And pah, you did that off of multiple roundabouts on the Bristol ring road. I wanna see you do it on a Goldwing now.

[Amplimator]

Must av been hav been hard work keeping that SRAD at bay on that bus














only coz he wasnt allowed to overtake :p

[gruntygiggles]

Last photo is brilliant. He looks like he's just looking at you to make sure he is seeing it right....a blackbird over like that...lol.

[yorkie_chris]

Sensible sport touring :)

[Lozzo]

What's the crack with no overtaking? That must make for a crap session if Mr Blue-Fazer is first out of the pits.
Nice bit of riding there, showing you can do a trackday on just about anything. Surprised they let you out with the box on the back though

[squirrel_hunter]

What's the crack with no overtaking? That must make for a crap session if Mr Blue-Fazer is first out of the pits.

The no overtaking rule was just for the corners, apparently they use it on car track days but decided to use it on the BikeSafe day as each rider was only getting one track session. I can understand why as the day wasn't about racing and they didn't want someone stuffing it down the inside of a rider into a chicanes and messing it up. For me it was only the Fazer rider who caused a problem because of it as if I caught someone on the approach to the corner I would hold back a little to carry more speed through the corner to get the drive out onto the straights where I could then pass.

Surprised they let you out with the box on the back though

Yeah I thought they would ask me to take it off but I had a quick word before I went out and they were happy with me keeping it on for the photos.

[Lozzo]

The no overtaking rule was just for the corners, apparently they use it on car track days but decided to use it on the BikeSafe day as each rider was only getting one track session.

Bah, where's the fun in that? :D


Yeah I thought they would ask me to take it off but I had a quick word before I went out and they were happy with me keeping it on for the photos.

It looks funny, I must say. I need to get some good knee-down shots of me on the Versys with all the panniers and topbox on, the boss said he wants a copy blown up to put on the wall in the Kawasaki bit of the showroom at work.