Know it sound obvious but take snacks and drinks. First Supermoto day I did at brands Indy years ago I was so busy worrying about bike being safe between sessions I was not keeping my energy up and later in the day really started to affect my focus riding.
I was marshalling at druids that day, won't go into what happened but very scary situation to be dealt with, the two riders that were seriously hurt, the first marshal on scene was her first ever event!! MarmabladeNot Laura ?
No, Not Laura 
another new Girl, She handled it so well, The medic said she saved the young boys life by keeping him still till the medics got to him. Not sure i could deal with seeing what she saw at any time, let alone first meeting!!
Me and the bike survived!
Quick report: it was a pretty cold day: frost on the road and snow on some cars driving down. Sighting & First session: Took it really easy on the first session trying to figure out best lines and tentative braking markers (were on the Indy circuit). One of the best bits of advise I read online for other track newbies is take it easy on the first session! The sun was out (but was still freezing). Some guy overshot druids (surely target-fixated?) so the session was red flagged, but we got to rejoin after it was cleared. One lad had a BIG moment after overtaking at Graham’s hill (first/only real lefthander). Luckily I had a cam mounted off my frame protectors (vid to come)
Second sess: Sun had gone and started to drizzle just before. Rain got heavier during and a people began peeled into the pits; I had no excuse to come in given I had michellin Pilot Sporty 3’s on so stuck it out. A guy on a gixxer thou’ overtook at Graham’s hill and very nearly lost the rear. He immediately pitted to clean his leathers… I was doing 1:17s
Third sess: a car had dumped oil all over the track just beforehand. As I’ve come off on oil before and was on my only bike I pussyfooted around doing 1:20s trying to avoid the oil/concrete powder (I kept on original fairings)
Fourth sess: Over lunch it began snowing! Thankfully it was extremely light and didn’t settle. By the time we got on track it was basically dry and oil worries had left my mind so began to tentatively push again. I know it’s not a good time but got a 1:16.5, which I was happy with given the weather, tyres and first time on track.
At this point the weather was becoming colder and more changeable. As some of the people I work with were being spoons, I had to head into work and prepare some stuff for today. After the hr ride back I was pretty glad I didn’t stay for the last session (arriving there at 7:30 was a killer!). After about 4/5 guys came off and those 2 near misses infront of me, I was pretty happy to get the bike home in one piece. All in all it was a brill experience and would highly recommend. Footage to come
Was really excited to do my first track day tomorrow! but now I’ve picked up a puncture, and had to buy a new tyre. Its a PR3 again (rear).
Looking at the forecast, tomorrow is meant to be really really shitty! I’ve even thought about not going! But spending £90 on track, £125 for new tyre and £50 for a baffle. I still want to go for the experience.
I guess I’ll go round like a snail make sure I don’t come off
You only go as fast as your throttle hand turns ;)
How come you didn’t just mushroom the tyre? Hope the weather isn’t too cack
You only go as fast as your throttle hand turns ;)Was told that because it came in at a angle the hole they will need to bore out will be quite big and did not want to risk it being used on track.How come you didn’t just mushroom the tyre? Hope the weather isn’t too cack
TheLDNBiker
I took the tire back! (PR3 only few months old) If anything I can get it patched somewhere else and then sell it on re coup some money?
Wow thats pretty scary weather for a track day. If you do one in summer, the experience will be worthwhile! Glad you had a good time and didn’t damage anything
Good going there. I was doing 1.16’s happily in 1C weather in November last year. My CBF500 was great fun around there. Best thing is not binning it hey! It is a great feeling knowing what you can do on a bike given the open track and the opportunity to really crack the throttle open.
I’m alive and so is the bike! We survived the horrendous weather! on the A20 and M25 at 5.30am in the morning in some serious rain fall and winds, I thought to myself was I going to even make it there.
We made it, thankfully my richa waterproofs kept me dry! My boots however and gloves where drenched.
Cut all the boring bits out - as we all know, morning was horrid, still went out nevertheless! On a new rear PR3! It was sketchy as hell, I took it easy getting more and more confident, bearing in mind this was my first track day!
Approx 10 people (potentially more!) had come off, one chap in the garage next to me had a new hp4 and stacked it in the morning! Felt for him, until he started flipping out and ripping panels off it! Started having a tantrum etc In the morning I had the back end slip out 3 times and one wobble which I managed to keep on!
Anyways, decided to stick it out for the rest of the day, they combined the two interns together in the afternoon so we all managed to get 3 sessions of 20min!
Afternoon looked more promising, dry lines, had my suspension and psi adjusted at lunch, jumped on track and felt amazing!
Really enjoyed it and glad that the weather held out in the afternoon. A bloody great experience and I’M HOOKED!
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Wait till the good weather comes along you will have a blast ,I got hooked on them two years ago but only do them April to September,can’t be dealing with cold temps and rain.
I’m curious, does your bike feel better on the road now with the suspension adjustment?
I'm curious, does your bike feel better on the road now with the suspension adjustment? me_groovySuspension has been adjusted to my weight and riding style.
I’ve had my bike for two years, never touched it. But when riding and taking corners I always noticed my bike was fairly stiff/ didn’t really bounce back. I genuinely thought it was because the bike has a steering damper.
When I took it to the chaps they told me that it was really compressed (imagine a spring being compressed, it will have very little bounce back right?)
Honestly felt a change instantly, felt like the bike dropped into corners better and wasn’t a chore to bring her back up.
Riding into work today, bike feels fairly nibble.
Here’s my ‘chicken strips’ it doesn’t mean anything! But since owning the gsxr I’ve never been that low!
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I'm curious, does your bike feel better on the road now with the suspension adjustment? me_groovyB done my bike & the difference was noticeable right away
Good work! Yeah, love that feeling of getting rid of the chickens on track :) Amazed you can 1 finger clutch on long levers!
Technically the longer the lever the easier it is to move due to the force multiplying
true; but not if you apply the force near the fulcrum!Technically the longer the lever the easier it is to move due to the force multiplying
Curtis
Haha didn’t look at the pics!
I don’t ever usually have one finger on the clutch tbh. For some reason on that corner coming onto the straight I did on the day, I also noticed in some of my pictures my feet weren’t in the best of positions either.
Can’t wait to book next track day to fine out this little ‘issues’.