SV650.org - SV650 & Gladius 650 Forum - Eastern Creek, 24/3/08

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Eastern Creek, 24/3/08

I am sure you are all very keen to find out how Raf and my track day went.

It was full of the highest speeds and the lowest offs.

http://picasaweb.google.com.au/sarahlloyd/R1

pictures enclosed therein.

It's been raining pretty much since Raf got here, which has not really given him much time to get used to The Beast! but we had one sunny day on sunday which resulted in a very fast run through the royal national park just south of sydney, and a lovely swim and relaxing time with my friends afterwards.

it rained all sunday night, but the sky dawned clear and warm on the 24th. After arguing with the joint owner of the r1, he eventaully agreed to turn up as he could only see rain out his window but the weather was forcast for clear at eastern creek.

this meant no track bike for ages or if at all!

so for the first 2 sessions, i was on my 675 and raf was on the beast. the track was wet and more slippery than a nipple in a jelly wrestling pool. the track did soon dry out after that and low and behold, my track bike turned up!

the next session was amazing and wonderful and fast and scary and tops and i screamed myself hoarse coming down the straight trying to convince myself that i didn't need to brake for turn 1.

the only problem was, the beast decided it wasn't going to go around turn 2. it decided to slide along the track for a while leaving raf behind. i tell you its scary seeing the bike you know well slide past you on the track minus the rider you know even better and i can't imagine it was any more fun for raf.

raf, has a very bruised ego and bruised hip, knee and shoulder, but he is in one piece and no serious damage. (hence why i am writing this post rather than him. he feels he has a reputation to uphold or something)

the bike has lovely battle scars, and will be back on the road by the end of the week. the only real issue is a new rear set, the thermostat needs replacing and the fairing needs some gaffa tape till i can get a replacement.

i, meanwhile, continued on my track day after ensuring that raf was not dead, and had a very very good time. by the end of the day, i was taking turn 1 at about 190ish i think and was overtaking at least half of the beginners group. the other half were still overtaking me, so it worked out pretty even.

the 675 is just so nimble on the track, but the r1 just has so much more power to play with. its hard to say which one i liked riding best, i think i'll have to have another go just to make sure i decide correctly....

i think that covers all of it, raf is in the city for the next couple of days doing all that wedding stuff, and then he goes off gallivanting about the country with his family, and the weekend after, we head off on a little road trip of our own.

its certainly nice to know that you are all very cold and miserable there and are looking at single digit temperatures for silverstone, we have lovely 25 degree weather and warm sun.