I had a trackday in the evening recently at Brands Hatch (Indy) for a couple of hours and took the opportunity to test a fix on my onboard-video-system. It all went swimmingly well and I started to feel comfortable again at the track. I’m still off pace though compared with last-year, but am making ground slowly. I don’t want any repeat performances of the crashes of '04, not on my nice new K5!
People standing at the pit-lane wall came up to me afterwards raving about the Racefit exhaust saying it sounded absolutely mental coming down the straight, popping and crackling as I downshifted at the end. Sounds good when you’re on the bike too
I have so much time to get off my lap times here, though this is only my second time at the circuit, I can see my lines need sorting out in a couple of corners, and I’m setting no braking markers for most of the track, so my braking is WAY too early and far too light. I shall rectify this asap! The diablo-corsa tyres are the dogs ******** and stuck to the tarmac, like **** to a blanket. There were a few fast boys out there who put me to shame, I can only hope that after a few more trackdays, I’ll be able to hang with them, fingers crossed
The organisers were also making a big point of no close passes, and if possible, no passing in the corners, as they’ve had some bad accidents lately because of this, hence the hestiation around slower riders. I would love to have just cut through them, but I didn’t want to be turned away from the event early!
That exhaust sounds the thing Jay! I’ve been behind you on track and I tell you that if it wasnt boring I would stay there just to keep leasting to it! ahahahahahahah, only jocking…my little kawa can’t keep up with you on your ‘big boys’ bike, I won’t even try it next time… but i’m having hell loats more of fun on it, rather than on my 1000
I will never forgive you for had forgotten the remote at Silverstone!!!
So… just how hard can you corner through Paddock Hill? I know my line was way too shallow, turning in too early, but assuming next time I can get the entry right, it just looks like the hill/camber is working against you, giving you less grip. I was taking it very easy through here, I’ve seen a number of people hit the sand!
I’ve calmed down a lot over the past few years so I used to take it much faster and deeper.
I remember one time I braked into Paddock on one wheel and went round the outside of my cuz (6R) with my peg sparking on the ground most of the way through the corner. How I didn’t come off I don’t know.
I saw a mate (Nick W) come off there club racing his R1 when with too much lean it dug in and unsettled the rear. The bike was a right-off and he was very lucky and got away with bruising.
Because the camber on Paddock Hill Bend is against you. You run out of ground clearance before you run out of grip.
The main issue is bottle. You should be hitting 150MPH on Brabham Straight before hitting the brakes. At which point the track is dipping away from you (down hill) and there is a gravel trap and tyre wall immediately ahead of you. The consequences of getting that formula wrong is awesome.
MAJOR bottle required!
Once you’re coming down the hill you should be hard on the gas. 115MPH+ braking into Druids after leaving your stomach behind in the dip.
You should be able to leave braking very late (as it’s uphill at that point) and continue braking reasonably hard all the way up to the apex (having gone in deep). I noticed most riders braking before and then peeling in. You loose a shed load of time and because it’s a slow corner, the bike is then too twitchy mid corner because it’s not being worked.
It’s easy to over gas it on the exit though so watch out, but what a corner!!
At Druids, on the gas (hence with some suspension compression) I wore away the edge of my can on my old Gixer 750 SRAD. It’s mental out there.
Great circuit for sure, I can’t wait to get back out there and put in a better performance. Cheers for the tip on Paddock Hill, it’s definately the main thing to conqour for me. I already brake up to the apex of Druids, though not being overtake in the corners that evening was a severe damper on lap times and speed.
To ride the way Iain has described requires total commitment, & if you ride like that then we ALL need track bikes…Im sick and tired of scouring ebay for replacement panels etc… that is always going to be in the back of my mind when on a track…I guess I should invest in a track tank & fairings…
having said all that, riding on the track is a completely different experience to riding on the road… waaaay more fun when you relax out there.
Go hard, or go home! So they say. I went over the line last year and ended up in the green /white stuff, I don’t plan on any more extra-tarmac excusions this year! I have been unable to go down the trackbike route because of logistics, I have no driving license, and owning a van would be prohibitely expensive in regards to insurance, I doubt I could afford to run two bikes and a van.
Things might be changing though, a friend is thinking about getting a van for this purpose, so I may go halves with him, pick up my driving license and use/borrow it when needed. If this works out, I’ll be looking to build/buy a track bike, perhaps a 400, with a view to taking it racing in a years time or something.
Absolutely, I am 100% fully legit! Well, as well as can be, being a sportsbike owner. Also, have you see the cost involved in getting a driving license nowadays? It’s criminal! And all those tedious tests, like I don’t play enough computer games already.
Ahhh! And there was me thinking he was just so very youthful! What a con! Hehehe… It’s not drying out here, I’m waiting for it to dry so I can ride home, otherwise I’m catching the bus, sod cleaning the bike for two hours tomorrow after all the muck ruins it!
I think we’ve been sold a dead dodo with this months weather… time to bring out the canoes.
There are a few evening sessions over the summer, the price being £79, which is £20 more than what we paid last week, unfortunately. It’s on the boundary of acceptable and overly expensive, in my view. Though we had a great time and I know there’s more people up for another evening session.
I’ll have a look at see what others think, then post up some choices we can agree on!
but i’m having hell loats more of fun on it, rather than on my 1000
. can’t wait to see the rest!, thanks.
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