Racing for real

[bananaman]

Well Snett arrived but couldn't make the Friday practise so was going in blind for Sat Qualifying. (did a track day middle of last year) As it happens Fri was shyte weather so prob didn't miss much ! So on to Sat qualifying, why is it that yr memory doesn't ACTUALLY remember what you think you remember ? Anyway,the day was full of showers, wets on wets off etc. Half hr to go and decided to fit wet front and dry rear, then someone came in from a race and said the track was dry although pit lane was definitely wet, now what?!?! So another change and then out. Qualifying was strange, trying to set a good time while trying to remember the track and not knowing grip levels etc lol. Went off at Hamiltons (read run off) twice in a row on the grass, fortunately keeping it upright, think the marshals were betting on a third time haha ! Thought I better just bring it home safely or the weekend would be over..... Finally had a time of 2'24 which put me 10th out of 15 rookies but 30th on the grid as we were racing with the mro powerbikes, jeeze ! Considering they were lapping about 2mins I had to calculate whether I'd be lapped in 5 laps lol. Took a few scalps off the line then promptly lost them in 1st few corners, remember thinking fk man, cmon man up this isn't a track day !. Its really quite daunting being stuffed up the inside/outside by the big boys lol. Anyway manage 8th rookie, 25th overall with a 2'13 so a little better. Our 2nd race was a little late due to some red flags in previous races so was on tender hooks as shut down time was getting closer. Got called to the collection area while waiting for the ambulance to leave the track which was another 15mins tyres cooling off, sun getting lower, track getting colder, then we were turned around, no time left wtf ! Felt better after a couple of beers lol. That meant 3 races to-morrow.

Cut a long story short, warm day sunday so no excuses, 8th in class with a 2'09, 7th with a 2'10 and 6th with a 2'09. Last 2 races were close, 2big-bang r1's and me which went down to the line, by then I was learnin not to take any prisoners ! Back to snett later in season so hopefully will remember the lines better lol. Fantastic weekend apart from the 3 and half hr drive home, oh and some more tyres lol. Silverstone next 10th 11th may.

Good to meet you Hampy !!

 

[phil]

Good report mate, thanks for posting and well done on bringing it home in one piece.

Learning the tracks will probably be the hardest part of your year. Are you going to Race a 2nd year or will that depend on how it goes this year?

 

[bananaman]

Depends on a few things Phil. 1/ I aint getting any younger so fitness 2/ finances its not cheap 3/ if the krout hangs together 4/ as long as my head still tells me I can go quicker and be competitive lol. I have to say it's much more enjoyable to me than road riding and to meet so many like-minded people without the ******** you get in car parks.

If anyone is thinking of doing it then DO IT !! :eagerness:

 

[Hampy]

Hi Keith,
Great to meet you. Very well done, good results for your second meeting.
Sorry I was a bit busy in the garage, but will catch up at Silverstone.

I agree with your comment to those thinking about BEMSEE, DO I T :applouse:
Best regards,
M

 

[007neil]

hey bananaman, what year is your bike> is it a HP4? do you have any problems getting your bike off the line? i have a 2011 s1000rr and the clutch grabs pretty bad if i do a race start over 6,000rpm. have you had any braking problems?

 

[Godzilla]

So does Kiyo's.

 

[bananaman]

So does Kiyo's.

 

[bananaman]

Hi Neil, mines a 2010, hp4 I wish!! I find that trying a 'normal' start the clutch grabs pretty bad. Best way I've found is to give it loadsa beans and feel it on the clutch 'til you can hit 2nd. Had 4 good starts at silverstone like that just need to keep the front down...
No braking probs as yet although lever is not as tight as I would like. Using ebc 604hh

 

[Niven770]

Isn't there a little white light that flashes around 5.5k rpm when you are in 1st gear ? Maybe it does this for a reason ?

Davy

 

[bananaman]

Think u find that's a gauge for 'optimum' take off revs suggested by bmw? It can all be re-set I believe. whenever you do race starts its impossible to watch the revs and grid lights at the same time anyway, its all done by ear lol

 

[phil]

Never blink when your watching the lights.

 

[bananaman]

Next up was Silverstone international, never been raced at club level so was good to be involved.
Got the pass from the misses to travel up on the thurs eve ready for fri practise with forecast looking shyte but it turned out to be the best day weather-wise). Did gp circuit couple of years ago so really had to learn the squiggles where the extra bits were cut off, well, just one really but was not easy to master. For those that hav'nt done international circuit it's cut off at, erm, can't remember the name but, start finish, fast sweeping right hander into a sweeping left hander into a tight over 90 degree right hander then where it should be a tight left hander it goes straight, over a crest with 2 big dips in the track and joins the back straight (hanger straight, I know that!). Fri night pi$$ed down so not much sleep in the van, the time qualifying came around there was a dry line so not too bad. Was put in with the mro boys again for the meeting, Qualified 22nd, 9th in class with a 1'19" (top boys were doing 1'11s) there was about six of us within a second. 1st race was dry, grid position was on the outside so was not easy turning in for the first corner! Had some good tussles, ended up 19th, 7th in class time of 1'19"again so happy with that, knew there were places to improve. That gave me a grid position of 18th for the second/last race of the day. There were a few offs during the day so timetable was getting tight before circuit shut down Grid position put me on the right side where there is a large gap against pit wall if I could get a good start. Great start, made about 6 places up but was on the right for the right hander at the end of the straight. Bearing in mind approaching flat out in 3rd it got a bit hairy ! couldn't get across for the right hander so that made it tighter, someone came across the front of me so had to pull it down even tighter, thought i was going down, comfort zone out of the window and £ signs racking up.....Got through then flicked over into the left hander and there's a bike spinning on the floor in front of me ! Sheeeeet ! lost a few places through that, into the tight right hander, latched onto zx10r which is leading the rookies thinking might learn something here, sat on his rear wheel gong into a second gear left hander cranked over, over a rise then he put his hand up! Another bike on the floor in middle of the track.....Don't think I managed to breathe since the start lol. Race red flagged cos one of the bikes caught alight, day over, race carried forward to the sunday, bollocks !!!
Rained again sat night, sunday 1st race 9.30 (from sat) was with wets on, managed a 17th, 7th in class with a 1'22" (fast boys 1'15"s) had a big big moment coming onto the finish straight, the back let go, opposite lock and out of he seat jobbie lol, that was in sport mode. I backed off after that lol. That put me 18th on grid for next race. Good start again a few tussles, to much to make up in front and big gap behind, billy no mates lol! Finished 18th 8th in class and improved down to 1'16"s so all good. 18th on grid for last race, nothing untoward happened during the race, couple went down and i felt tired towards the end. Finished 18th 7th in class, my ol bones can't take 3 races in a day lol! Missing out Oulton but Donny after that. Bring it on !!!

TSL timing.com do results and also LIVE timing for different events, look it up interesting to see.....
I really don't miss road riding.........

 

[007neil]

i have ordered some EBC 604hh front pads, going to give them a try.. its worse when i change the gearing, i'm currently 1 down on the front and 2 up on the rear from stock.. if i go back to the stock rear its not as bad.. still frustrating though.. :dread:

 

[bananaman]

sprocket wise it shouldn't make any difference whatsoever, speed wise the problem's in the braking zone.

 

[007neil]

i have ordered some EBC 604hh front pads, going to give them a try.. its worse when i change the gearing, i'm currently 1 down on the front and 2 up on the rear from stock.. if i go back to the stock rear its not as bad.. still frustrating though.. :dread:

i didn't write this very well.. i was meaning the clutch grab while doing a race start was worse when i changed the gearing. :distracted:

 

[bananaman]

Ah right, would have thought that would make it better getting off the line cos the clutch would be fully out quicker? I find just running 1 down on the front is lively enough and rely on the torque for the rest lol

 

[cally1066]

Babanaman are you running 16/45 sprockets ? I was going to drop my front one to 16 for the street and occasional trackday, do you think that would be ok or to vicious lol

 

[bananaman]

Mines a '10 so came with 44 rear. Have a 45 spare but not tried it yet. Certainly 1 down on front is cheapest mod you can do for quicker acceleration (just lose some top end), that's why later models increased 1 up at the back from the factory.

 

[007neil]

Ah right, would have thought that would make it better getting off the line cos the clutch would be fully out quicker? I find just running 1 down on the front is lively enough and rely on the torque for the rest lol

i've just been and checked, i'm running 16/47. i find the stock gearing is well tall for the track. last year at Mugello i ran 16/44 and it was perfect, my shift light just came on at the 200 meter board.
i

 

[007neil]

i've just been and checked, i'm running 16/47. i find the stock gearing is well tall for the track. last year at Mugello i ran 16/44 and it was perfect, my shift light just came on at the 200 meter board.
i

it just seems worse with the shorter gearing.