Silverstone 20th April

[L3nny]

Got back okay, just stuffed my face at the all you can eat Chinese

Great to meet everyone. Had a great day.

Originally Posted by injury_ian

Great day! Epic track.
Did anyone catch the web address of the photo man?

http://britishsportphotography.com/gallery2/main.php

But he said the photos wont be up for a couple of weeks.

[Mr Speirs]

Originally Posted by flymo

One of us came VERY close though

Who was that?

[flymo]

Originally Posted by Mr Speirs

Who was that?

I took a 60mph trip over the rumble strip at Maggots to avoid the guy on the VFR in our garage, they had a bloody speed hump fastened to the ground. I lauched over that and somehow managed to stay upright, more from the benefit of gyro effect than input to the handlebars. Very close that one.

Still, what a bloody fantastic day, the track was awesome, the weather was just amazing. I didnt manage to meet everybody but good to meet those that I did.

[Mr Speirs]

Oh really...wasn't aware of that!! Glad you stayed up though!!

Ok, here's my take the on the day!

Night before met up with SV4ME and Flymo, great peeps, headed down to a local pub for some drinks and a bite to eat. Could not sleep when I got back to the travelodge, well too excited!

On the day, the closer we got to track time the more nervous I got. Completely sh1tting myself, all these nice bikes, pro looking riders, etc...

Session 1 - Took it real easy, rode well within my limits. Nothing special to report, I followed Metalhead the entire way to make sure I didnt get red mist and go in too hot

Session 2 - Was still buzzing from session 1, took a lap to warm up the tyres, and gave it a bootful the whole way. Was trying SO hard to get my knee down but kept scraping toes/pegs, which unsettled me a bit everytime it happened. To my surprise even I was passing people, although of course plenty passed me! Finished the session on a real high, although frustrated with the KD thing.

Session 3 - Got an instructor. I followed him and his lines for a few laps, then he followed me. Got my first small knee down! The highlight was the feedback afterwards though - I had all the theory, watched plenty of youtube videos, but I really needed someone to show me exactly what I was doing wrong. Made the world of differece!

Session 4 - Started getting really tired. But got some decent kneedowns! Realised that when I concentrate on getting my knee down my I'd run way wide for every corner. When I couldnt be bothered (becuase I was aching) my lines were much tidier.

Session 5 - No kneedown action, concentrated on tidying up lines and slowing down a bit. Was lagging!

Last Session - Determined to take it easy but knowing this was the last lap the red mist descended and for the first time today I got a natural knee down, as in it hit the deck without me really intending to do it.

Things I learnt/noticed on my first trackday:

1. This is a damn site more physical than I ever imagined, especially when I realised how much I had to move for a proper body positioning!
2. IL4's are rubbish at braking into corners. Caught a few thous in the corners, sitting on their back wheel knowing if it were clear I'd happily go faster. Everytime I was behind an IL4 they'd brake so much sooner than I needed to!
3. I missed every single chequered flag. Only knew to pull n by seeing everyone else do it! One session which got red flagged I sat in the pit lane waiting to go back out only to be pointed out that it was in fact now the Advanced session - how embarrassing!
4. This has definately taught me how much further I can push the bike. I braked harder, leaned further, rode faster than I ever thought I could. Back on the road, confidence levels all time high.
5. Silverstone food is...well I cant really describe it as food. I wouldnt feed it to my dog.
6. Some people in Novice were certainly not novices...
7. Much more, but cant think of anything more right this second.

As you guys noticed today for me I wanted 1 thing more than anything else (its just bragging rights for a new rider, I know) but I learnt so much more.

Let me finish my thanking everyone for making it an unforgettable day, lending me tools, talking to me, giving me tips and pointers, and generally being a fantastic bunch.

Cant wait to see the footage!

[L3nny]

Can't really think of much to put in a write up other than

- Had my suspension set up properly by the suspension guy before the first session which made my bike feel so much better and much more planted

- Got my left knee down for the first time on the left hairpin

- Locked up the front went off the track on the same bend on the next lap

- Was actually getting a bit fed up of getting my right knee down, I think I hang off too much as I was getting through knee my knee slider faster than the people in the advanced group. I also wore through my toe slider and wore a hole in my boot!!

- Got progressively faster throughout the day but slowed down a bit on the last two sessions as I was knackered

- Realised I am a pussy and brake too early

- Think I may move up to inters for my next track day

Few Pics









80 Mph knee downs take their toll on your sliders.



And tyres!!

[L3nny]

Originally Posted by hongman

2. IL4's are rubbish at braking into corners.

I think it's more down to the rider's cojones than the engine configuration

Originally Posted by hongman

3. I missed every single chequered flag. Only knew to pull n by seeing everyone else do it! One session which got red flagged I sat in the pit lane waiting to go back out only to be pointed out that it was in fact now the Advanced session - how embarrassing!

Don't worry you weren't the only one

Originally Posted by hongman

5. Silverstone food is...well I cant really describe it as food. I wouldnt feed it to my dog.

That sausage you had was leftover from breakfast and looked like a dog turd. Should have had the Mexican chicken, was yummy

Hehe. Don't a lot of people say that vtwins are much better easier to ge speed round a corner than il4s? More engine braking or something. All I found that as a real novice of I can outbrake most il4's then to me there meh be some truth to it? Or maybe it was due to the novice group.

A lot of the time I would be stuck behind someone that was equally as fast on the straights but mich slower on the corners, but I didnb have the confidence to overtake on a corner. The ones I did overtake were almost always on the throttle out of the corner, by goon on deeper in a lower gear and holding a tighter line.

Already talking to the mrs about the next track day

Wonder how sv4me is getting on at donnington...I can barely walk up a set of stairs today without my thighs burning hehe.

I also noticed from my photos how twisted I still am a lot of the time. I know it's not an excuse anymore but being a shortass really means I really need to get everything spot on in terms of body position to achieve kneedown. The hardest habit to break at the moment for me is to remember to shift my bum back and to not twist my head back centre, but to look past the mirror and drop my shoulder.

[L3nny]

A Vee Twin will have more engine braking but a Gixxer/CBR etc will have much better brakes than your SV so will be able to stop quicker when using engine and brakes combined. In the novice group no-one uses anywhere near the limits of their bike so anything they are doing wrong is going to be down to the rider's novice-ness.

I am thinking about the next track day too will probably be in June/July and will probably be at Donnington cause it's the only local track I have yet to do.

Stick some of your photos up on here, I am sure you'll get some feedback