What's Donnington like for a trackday on the SV?

Thinking of doing a trackday at Donnington on the SV, will the lack of top end speed be an issue here compared to places like Mallory, Lydden and Cadwell?

Anyone got any experience of the track?

Originally Posted by Tim in Belgium

Thinking of doing a trackday at Donnington on the SV, will the lack of top end speed be an issue here compared to places like Mallory, Lydden and Cadwell?

Anyone got any experience of the track?

No.

But i will be finding out on monday.

as long as it stops raining, i'll let you know

I've done three trackdays there on a variety of bikes. My old Gixer Thou K1, my daughter's trackbike R6 and my knackered old Bandit 600. Have to say I've never done the full GP circuit, just the National but I've always had a whale of a time. It flows nicely and there's enough to make it exciting without dangerous. There's plenty of run off where really needed (Coppice, Craner) and the back straight means you can easily max the bike out under the bridge and experience the front coming up over the dip (mega fun on a Gixer Thou at 150mph). I had the Bandit nailed most of the way round (despite a serious lack of ground clearance through the Old Hairpin and Coppice) and found the R6 was in its absolute element round there. Can't wait to take my SV to another one there to be honest. Donington was one of the main reasons I decided to build a dedicated trackbike.

The SV will be fine at Donnington. You will get done by the ss600's on the straight but it's down to talent everywhere else.

The back straight isn't as long as it looks on telly, I just got into 6th before braking for the esses.

Originally Posted by andyaikido

The back straight isn't as long as it looks on telly

It is on a 75,000 mile old Bandit 600

I find at all track days I get taken on the straights, even if I'm passing bikes with a 5-10 mph advantage on corner exits, above 110 the SV struggles, but Donny still sounds good so I'll give it some more thought...

Originally Posted by Tim in Belgium

I find at all track days I get taken on the straights, even if I'm passing bikes with a 5-10 mph advantage on corner exits, above 110 the SV struggles, but Donny still sounds good so I'll give it some more thought...

Donington's great on an SV. my personal preference is for the national circuit so you skip the "car park" section & get back to the craner curves quicker for another go

the back straight isn't so long - especially if you get good drive out of the loong dual-apex coppice

I'm definitely up for a visit to Donington later this year ... there and Oulton ... if we ever get a dry day

[johnnyrod]

Tim, I foundthis too but do the K3 cam swap (new K3 intakes, put your old intakes on teh exhaust side) and you'll get a wad of extra top end at 7000rpm+ just where you need it. I've been on a few track days (not Donny yet) with a mate on his 1997 GSXR600, whihc always ate me up half way down the straights. Last time we were at Cadwell I could just about fend him off on both main straights (125mph at the braking points). Given more distance I wouldn't have pulled it off but it was enough to keep me in the running. Same at Rockingham International, I could keep with a 748 up to braking points.

I fell off there

The tarrmac at Coppice is fairly hard

Hope this helps