Biker's Cafe Chatroom

BUDFORCE · 22 Oct 2018 at 19:29

Kreeeee said:
Just to add to this, here a few more thoughts on the day:

I went in expecting to absolutely fall in love with the track but seeing 12 people fall (who knows how many fell that I didn't see as I stopped watching the other groups later on in the day) and the people from the group above being dumped into the beginners group (the cause of quite a few of the accidents) put a bit of a downer on the day.

Having said that I really learned a lot and the tuition that came with the bike rental has really improved my riding. There were six of us in a group all renting R6s from the same company and all of us learning and jostling for overtakes was brilliant. It was pretty frustrating being quicker than the other beginners in the corners only to have them nail us on the two long straights in their ZX10Rs and GSX-R 1000s though

I am really keen on renting a bike at another track to see if I get the bug, but two of my mates are definitely taking up track biking after that first taste. I'm definitely not taking my road bike though after seeing how many people crashed because others either ran into them or overtook just before a corner and then slammed on the brakes forcing a rear-ender.

One thing I never got the hang of though was doing safe overtakes. Unless someone was a lot slower than me I really struggled to overtake them as their lines were often unpredictable and I wasn't that much faster that I could avoid an accident if they suddenly changed direction unexpectedly.

It really is incredible how hard you can brake and how fast you can corner with all that insane grip on a track.

So first please allow me to brag:

I did a track day at the Stowe circuit in a Formula ford, racing against 7 other people I think all in the same car. I came out at the end of the day with the fastest lap of the day, but by nearly 2 seconds.

I eyed it up on a previous trip to Silverstone and told myself that I reckon I'd be good at it, said the same thing to the misses as well. I am not confident (aragant?) in myself generally, but behind the wheel I am, I would like to say, that given the same oppertunities that some of these Forumla 1 drivers have had, I would be as good. I am also completely fearless on the track in a car.

I can uncategorically say, that having been a motorcycle rider since 18 (I am now 34) that I would be absolutely hopeless on a motorcycle on a track, and there is little to nothing that attracts me to doing it, at all!!!

...good on you for wanting to go back!

Kreeeee · 22 Oct 2018 at 19:30

BUDFORCE said:
So first please allow me to brag:

I did a track day at the Stowe circuit in a Formula ford, racing against 7 other people I think all in the same car. I came out at the end of the day with the fastest lap of the day, but by nearly 2 seconds.

I eyed it up on a previous trip to Silverstone and told myself that I reckon I'd be good at it, said the same thing to the misses as well. I am not confident (aragant?) in myself generally, but behind the wheel I am, I would like to say, that given the same oppertunities that some of these Forumla 1 drivers have had, I would be as good. I am also completely fearless on the track in a car.

I can uncategorically say, that having been a motorcycle rider since 18 (I am now 34) that I would be absolutely hopeless on a motorcycle on a track, and there is little to nothing that attracts me to doing it, at all!!!

...good on you for wanting to go back!

I've never felt so alive and terrified in all my life as I did at that starting line on the first lap! I'm completely fearless on a go-kart (250cc 2 strokes are very fast!) but being on a bike at a track is completely different and going from 240kmh down to 80 for the hairpin and feeling the front end squirm and the rear go light certainly makes you pucker up.

Lakeland · 22 Oct 2018 at 20:02

First proper ride on the new bike, not had this much fun in a long time

TripleT · 22 Oct 2018 at 21:04

Anyone want some muffs?

Bought a pair of Tucano Urbano R334 a few weeks ago as my new bike has heated grips plus I lost one of my heated gloves in a house move. I've now found said heated glove now so don't need these.

Used twice in the dry, haven't used any of the fitting bits, just slipped them on. Work well, just a bit bulky and prefer my gloves. Is nice wearing summer gloves in the muffs though for ace feeling.

Fireskull · 23 Oct 2018 at 10:01

Kreeeee said:
I'm definitely not taking my road bike though after seeing how many people crashed because others either ran into them or overtook just before a corner and then slammed on the brakes forcing a rear-ender.

People really hate each other on the continent? ;p It's a track day not a race, in all the the track days I have done I have never seen someone take someone else out, from your post you make it sound like it was happening every session lol, sure people crash but 90% of the time it's them panicking and doing something stupid.

The_Abyss · 23 Oct 2018 at 12:15

Probably easier to have less respect if you're riding a rental bike, by the sounds of things.

Fireskull · 23 Oct 2018 at 12:59

Hah true, but most of the rentals come with high excess!

Kreeeee · 23 Oct 2018 at 13:22

The_Abyss said:
Probably easier to have less respect if you're riding a rental bike, by the sounds of things.

Only my group of friends had rental bikes (maybe a few others with a different company). Most people had their own bikes.

The excess was 1000 EUR on our rentals so I certainly wasn't keen on crashing.

Fireskull said:
People really hate each other on the continent? ;p It's a track day not a race, in all the the track days I have done I have never seen someone take someone else out, from your post you make it sound like it was happening every session lol, sure people crash but 90% of the time it's them panicking and doing something stupid.

90% of the people there were French, make of that what you will

Crashes did happen in every session except the very last one, but they weren't all caused by dodgy overtakes.

Fireskull · 23 Oct 2018 at 13:45

Ok now I understand....

The_Abyss · 23 Oct 2018 at 14:18

Kreeeee said:
90% of the people there were French

Aha. Grosjeans on two wheels

Yaayuh! · 29 Oct 2018 at 08:35

Helped out a guy on a 125 this morning. Bike wouldn't start, had almost no juice left to turn over. Got him to put it in 2nd and dump the clutch whilst I pushed him running in the Tesco car park

got a few laughs.

I said to him beforehand, we've all been there buddy. I remember my KH125 i used to for travelling to college and my part-time job. Loved it, but it was bloody terrible, especially in the wet and/or cold.

tom_e · 29 Oct 2018 at 10:22

Took the car to work this morning, much nicer deicing the windscreen than deicing my backside when I arrive

MowyTone · 29 Oct 2018 at 10:42

Stopped half way to work and put the winter gloves on today. Might even put the lining in my jacket soon

khemist · 29 Oct 2018 at 10:59

I was out for a four hour lesson yesterday and my hands got really frozen with goretex gloves and liners on, was down to -3 temps last night.

Need to get my heated grips fitted for when i pass my test.

Captain · 29 Oct 2018 at 22:13

khemist said:
I was out for a four hour lesson yesterday and my hands got really frozen with goretex gloves and liners on, was down to -3 temps last night.

Need to get my heated grips fitted for when i pass my test.

Hand guards would be good, grips are good but they only heat your palms.

khemist · 29 Oct 2018 at 22:23

I've got them on my CRF rally, not very solid ones but enough to keep the direct wind off my hands.

unKle · 3 Nov 2018 at 00:32

Aprilia have announced the 2019 RSV4 1100.

http://44teeth.com/2019-aprilia-rsv4-1100-factory/

BUDFORCE · 3 Nov 2018 at 07:31

I prefer the Tuono myself. That being said, it is a nice looking bike. I don't like the exhaust position either, just personal taste, I prefer underseat or low down.

Lakeland · 3 Nov 2018 at 14:41

The guard looks a bit naff but I personally quite like that style of exhaust. I prefer nakeds too but that looks mint.

Kreeeee · 3 Nov 2018 at 18:29

They've gone back to the bland V4 1000 colours