Donington 21st May 2016

[alex]

I've booked this Saturday trackday. 98dB "Drive by"...should be OK for bike which pass the 102static. Fingers crossed. Only managed 96dB static with my Akro system at Snetterton (dB Killer in).

http://www.focusedevents.com/donington-park-21-may-2016-uk-trackday-615

Staying nearby the night before.

 

[alex]

All,

FE have just mailed me to say that Yamaha are turning up with R1's and R6's for test rides around Donington for anyone that registers (First come first served).

I've signed up for both but said my preference is to compare the R1 against my S1000RR Fingers crossed I get a go!

 

[MacRR]

You'll enjoy that, R1 a stonking bike

 

[DNCN]

I saw a few 98db Donington days go up, was curious about the noise limit but see that they have the 2015/16 S1000RR as a hire bike... so all good I hope.

 

[alex]

I saw a few 98db Donington days go up, was curious about the noise limit but see that they have the 2015/16 S1000RR as a hire bike... so all good I hope.

At Donington its a drive by 98db.

My Akro decat is 96static with the baffle. I may chance my arm with the baffle out and see if they pull me.

 

[alex]

Yesterday the weather forecast was for 6mm of rain on Sat, now its 50:50 it raining at all. Have to decide my tyre choice tomorrow lunchtime...

 

[alex]

My boss has just mentioned that I can buy wets at the track...that's that decision done. Still no one else going?

 

[bins]

I'm riding Spa on Monday, hope it's dry!

Then some of us are riding to the Erzburg rodeo, (extreme enduro) somewhere near Linz in Austria, my son is competing along with some of his buddies.

Then the 2 day Motorrad experience at the 'Ring' next Tuesday/Wednesday, must have a lap with Helmut this year, google Helmut Dahne, super guy, still rides his RC 30 he set the lap record on.

I keep on every year inviting him to Cadwell and Snetterton, I'll try again this year, he's about 72 now!!!

He set the first of his record there in August 1988 with a Suzuki GSX-R at 7:55.07. Then, with a 750cc Honda RC30 VFR750R, he subsequently lowered it to 7:53.08 in July 1990, to 7:50.71 in June 1992, and on 23 May 1993, using Metzeler ME Z1[SUP][19][/SUP] tyres, set yet another record, with 7:49.71.[SUP][20][/SUP] After the 1993 event, an onboard-video was produced[SUP][21][/SUP][SUP][22][/SUP] in which D?hne did another lap, about 10 secs slower, carrying camera equipment on his back. On 2 July 1994, D?hne did not take part in the Zuvi (which was won by Herbert Mandelartz with 7:55.78 min) as he instead returned to the Isle of Man TT for his 24th, 25th and 26th TT races. He scored a personal best of 19:45, but then fell and shattered his lower leg, causing a one year break.
In 1994, not only Ayrton Senna was killed, but also riders were fatally wounded on the Nordschleife. No motorcycle contests on the Nordschleife were held after 1994, and with the track homologation for motorcycles not being renewed, no organizer can offer officially sanctioned contests there anymore. Thus, D?hne, holding the track record since 1988, will "forever" be the holder of the official record of 7:49.71 he had set in 1993.[SUP][23][/SUP]
D?hne, while riding for a magazine report, crashed in 1996 at the fast Fuchsr?hre section of the Nordschleife. He continued to be a front runner in circuit racing, but finished only 3rd in the championship standings in 1997 and 1998, dropping further down the order later. While he won two more victories in the 1000 km Hockenheim in 2001 and 2002, another crash in 2004 ended the competitive career of the 60-year-old. Helmut D?hne has appeared in several other videos or magazine articles, comparing bikes to other bikes or cars, and still is active in public relation events.

 

[Dannyta]

I might pop up for a walk round on sat day if it's nice.

 

[alex]

Ahh I see...

We look forward to welcoming you to the Yamaha Pro Tour on Saturday at Donington. Once you have signed on as normal on the track day, please come and see Loren our coordinator to complete the registration for your session. To save time in the morning, I have attached the indemnity to print, complete and bring with you. Loren will give you a wristband with your session number on and explain the process further.

There is a Crash Damage Deposit (CDD) of ?750 that you will be required to guarantee. No money will be taken if the bike is kept upright for the session. If damage is caused then we will charge you for the cost of damage up to a maximum of ?750.

 

[alex]

Report and pics to come, gotta sleep and then fly to America in the meantime.

Forward facing compilation.

 

[alex]

Rear facing compilation.

 

[soofsayer]

Nice front cam position Alex .

 

[alex]

Much better when it doesn't take a rock to the face!

I didn't realise, in my haste that I uploaded 2hrs of footage!!

Couldn't stick a camera on the R1 ;-)

 

[alex]

The day had been forecast to see anything up to 6mm of rain...so I was a little uneasy at the prospect of this day. Turned out I had little to worry about. Despite the dampness there was a fairly good dry line from the get go. It really paid dividends to right the correct line, something bizarrely missed by a few in the Inters with me. The double left before McCleans needed to be taken out wide in a sweeping arc to hold the dry line yet many were coming in far too tight to the second left. But I digress.

This was my second only trip to Donington, the first 2/3rd's of the lap are probably my current favourite places to be on a bike, from the moment you tip in to Redgate to the exit of Coppice (and over the jump), it's fast and flowing, when you have a front end you can lean on you just go around with a grin on your face. The Esses are satisfying when you get them right, the Melbourne Loop and Goddards are just a faff.

I only got in 4 sessions including the R1 but I fitted in everything I wanted to get done before the heavens opened enough to make me knock it on the head. This was my first chrono day - I opted for Inters when I booked and I was not moved at lunch time. However I a

The Ohlins NIX30 and Bitubo XXF041 combo I have are working well but having had an instructor follow me and watch the slight shimmy it was making on the right->left transition down Craner we think I need a click of rear rebound and a click of front compression. The forks are bottoming and the rear was rebounding too quickly which would have added to the compression issue at the front. I didn’t get to test this before the heavens opened.

Today I got the timings from Focused Events. I managed a 1:56.9 at best. And I know where about 3 seconds of time is just by being more aggressive with later harder braking plus some additional carried speed in turn. So 1:54.xx is my next target.

I've done my verdict of the R1 in the other thread, to summarise, it's blindingly quick in the fast stuff, feels very compact and nimble. The low speed throttle and long 1st gear would really put me off having one long term on the road.

Can’t wait to return, I really enjoy the track and knowing I can run on a 98db day is a bonus!