Rockingham today - Review and pics

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Went to rockingham today with cartwrim aka Matt off here today.

Weather was absolutely perfect and it was the smaller national circuit which is actually pretty damn nice, not a very fast circuit at all, I dont think I got above 120 all day but the corners are lovely.

Had two of my biggest moments in biking yet today though which really put me back abit and calmed me down, and unfortunately Matt had a bad off which has caused a fair bit of damage he was waiting for AA to take him home when I left sorry about that mate, hopefully laura doesnt hate me for encouraging you

Mine number 1, pulled the break but still had throttle on because of the way my wrist was positioned, really could stop breaking but they wernt doing anything any as the throttle was on, tried to make it round the corner but decided to stand it up straight onto the wet grass and through the gravel trap coming just short of hitting the wall but kept it up.

Mine number 2 was a fairly substantial highside whilst doing the big loop corner left, I wasnt even to the edge of the tyre and wasnt on the power so no idea why it happened, it threw me right out of my seat with both feet of the pegs and my **** in the air, only thing attached to the bike was my hands.

We were both flying, didnt get over taken really other than by a lovely lady instructor on the red 675 (do you knoww here lozzo), Matt was way ahead of me though, absolutely flying so not bad for a first trackday.

Got my left knee down as well for the first time ever

Highlgith of the day was see/hearing a desmodici RR being used properlly

First pic for now as they are taking ages to upload....more to follow.

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Not sure why the pics didnt work......will try again.

Kerry was taking the photos and my camera is fairly hard to use so I dont think she did to bad lol Mostly of the hairpin as thats about all spectators inside the paddock can see.

Hairpin


Hairpin again








My tyres are completely shagged..... I did nearly 6000 on my SV tyres including various track time and they were still good when I traded them in......these tyres have done under 2000 miles and are wrecked

Tyres shagged? There's loads left on them.

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There is somr on the front the back doesn't have much left, its hard to tell from the pics, in the middle its on the wear indicator in a few places......they were mainly for the obligatory molten rubber shots thats necessary in any trackday photo post lol

I really like Rockingham National - had one of my best trackdays there. What happened with Cartrim?

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Originally Posted by lukemillar

I really like Rockingham National - had one of my best trackdays there. What happened with Cartrim?

Its my best trackday yet aswell, flows so nice.

We're not really sure, went off line to pass people and onto the dust and crap at the side of the circuit and the rear end went. It happened on the right just after the tight 90 degree right before all the lefts....I found that part quite bumpy aswell

Originally Posted by G

Its my best trackday yet aswell, flows so nice.

We're not really sure, went off line to pass people and onto the dust and crap at the side of the circuit and the rear end went. It happened on the right just after the tight 90 degree right before all the lefts....I found that part quite bumpy aswell

Yep - plus it is one a few tracks with a nice mix of lefts and rights!

The place I would get screwed is the little kink before Turn 4. There is one line to straight line the kink and if someone else gets there first..... Clipped the edge a few times

Well, I hope both the bike and Cartwim are ok.

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Matts totally fine, its was a pretty slow corner. The bike is straight so just looks worse than it is, I'm sure he will be on with some pictures in abit. From looking it needed a new clip on and some right hand plastics (seat unit, right hand main fairing and nose cone) and it will look good as new. Been looking on ebay all last night and it looks like you canget the right bit for about £340 but it now.

Hi all,

Got back home about 7:30pm after very nice man from the AA came to pick us up. As G said, I'm completely fine, feel a bit stiff this morning but I think that's mostly from clambering all over the bike all day.

I was pleased that I got through 4.5 sessions before coming off, would have been gutted if it'd happened in the first couple of sessions cos I was loving it. The track was pretty easy to get on with and the weather was spot on.

As for the crash, I think it was just my impatience messed me up. I'd reached a group of about 10 riders all bunched up before the 90 degree right hander, they were going pretty slowly and I thought I'd go round the outside of a few of them in the last right-hander before all the lefts and that bit of track obviously had less grip than the racing line I wasn't that far over but both tyres just washed out. I wasn't on the brakes or power, just a small constant throttle so it was a bit strange really.

It's going to be a while before I get everything fixed and to be honest I can't see me getting it fixed this side of Christmas , I've got too much else on. But as G said, it's straight, all the main bits are fine (forks, engine, rear swingarm, both wheels all fine). It's really just the right clip on screwed, front fairing and both indicators, RHS fairing and tail unit plastics. Plus the exhaust and brake lever. Which is still a lot, but fixable. I will be taking all the broken bits off and making a list and I'll take it from there!

Regarding the day, I thought No Limits were excellent, very good organisation. I really liked the track, not intimidating for a novice at all as you don't really get up to too fast. And cos it's short it's easy to learn. I would definitely go there again I was also pleased with my riding and I was particularly nailing the sequence of lefts which were ace. I'd felt something other than knee scraping during the third session and upon inspection I found it to be the left footpeg and clutch lever I didn't get overtaken at all but made loads of overtakes which I was pleased with.

I'll put up some pictures that the wife took later, hopefully I should get some from the pro too; he said they'd be posted this evening.

G, Laura said she was really glad that you and Kerry were there cos she'd have panicked on her own. You being able to tell her that I was ok and Kerry pointing out that there was no ambulance calmed her down .

I count myself lucky that I didn't take anyone else out and that I'm physically fine, it could have been a lot worse! You live and learn and I think I learnt that there is a lot less grip off the racing line . Also, I should have backed off and sat at the back rather than trying to be a hero round the outside

Cheers,
Matt

Sounds like you had a good time (other than the off haha). I had a wicked time at Rockingham national. Si also had a semi-highside on teh long lefthander I think, although I never had a problem with it. Grip was awesome for me all the way round. You do get held up by some slower people, but I just bided my time, its only a trackday, not a race!