Mallory Park 17th August

Originally Posted by weazelz

nothing wrong with pushing a bit less hard, it means that you can concentrate on being smooth. ride slower to be smoother to be faster -type of thing. the opposite is being brave, which gets expensive

I think that there's such a learning curve on the initial few trackdays that there is potentially a fair difference between having done two vs three. I couldn't get my knee down after my second trackday, but I could after my third

were your mates on SV's? any 600-4 will absolutely cane an SV down that straight. it's a tricky left-hander to get a good drive out of too - a bit off-camber, plus it needs a gear change whilst you're leant over to the left, which is quite unusual on a british track

don't beat yourself up mate, it'll come with time & practise. which is a great excuse to go on another trackday

We're crossing replies here! No they're not on SVs. There's 4 Kwak Zx6s (one 636) and a baby blade. I know what you mean about being brave. It's a very thin line between having a good steady day and binning it (I'd imagine). I did find I could move around on the corners more than I'd been able to or been brave enough to do before, particularly tightening my line on Gerrards without letting off the gas. It's funny how it tightens and then goes out and tightens again. I did stray over the green repairs and found it didn't affect me at all but still tried steering clear. Tell you what though my legs are still killing me! Dunno about weighting the pegs, I think I must've been squatting on them! Didn't help having to walk around Cambridge last night. Riding on track does make me far more confident on the road. Had to ride back from near Peterborough tonight in the rain with a fast-slow puncture and was ok. Sod's law getting a puncture just before getting rid of the bike.

I'm not beating myself up really. I know there's no point in hammering it with little experience and I have a good time every track day. I was nearly on par with another SV (with a tiny girl on it!) and a speed triple (with an old fella on!) so that kept me happy enough. If I do think I'm crap I just think of all the poor people who ride and have never/would not do a track day and think how much they're missing out on. What a hobby though. There's nothing like getting it right and flying round a corner with what feels like inches between you and the track. Those moments make the day for me.

My mates are booking up for the 3rd or 10th at Silverstone but I simply can't afford it. Think it's cutting it a bit fine too with the weather. Had too many wet ones already.

I'd love to see you or Blue mixing it up with the big boys one day. I should've payed more attention at Brands. I might try and get down to one just to watch cos it's so hectic doing one that I never really get to watch properly.

[lukemillar]

Originally Posted by teriyakimonkey

We're crossing replies here!....

At the end of the day, there will always be someone who is slower than you and someone who is faster. The main thing is that you enjoy yourself. I wouldn't worry too much about things like getting your knee-down, as weaselz said - it will come naturally as you get quicker and you get quicker by being smooth and practice! Maybe something like California superbike school might be an idea. I know it's expensive (equivalent of ~2 trackdays) but i think you would get a lot out of it.

One thing I have said before - getting your knee-down, because you are going that quickly that it happens naturally looks good. Hanging off ridiculously and creeping round corners to touch plastic doesn't!