(Long) Our umpteenth trackday...Ezno n Belle do Thunderhill (9/14/03)

[TCK!]

I think I have a spot on the 11th in B+ if you want it.

You aren't going to make it?

How would that work? I've already paid in full but there are others in front of me. Would I cancel my order and buy yours?

I'm sure I'll get in either way, would be nice to have all the old school mobsters there to ride with if you can make it though.

[Spidey]

You aren't going to make it?

How would that work? I've already paid in full but there are others in front of me. Would I cancel my order and buy yours?

I'm sure I'll get in either way, would be nice to have all the old school mobsters there to ride with if you can make it though.

I'm not going to make it.  If you've paid in full, I can just email Keigwins and tell them you're taking my spot.  No money transfer needed as you'd end up paying them--not me--anyway. 

[TCK!]

I'm not going to make it.  If you've paid in full, I can just email Keigwins and tell them you're taking my spot.  No money transfer needed as you'd end up paying them--not me--anyway. 

Okay sounds good just let me know if there is any thing I need to do to make this happen, its much-o appreciated

[Desmostro]

nice! Ahh it's great seeing the G's on you guys in the turns. Too cool.

[mostrobelle]

nice! Ahh it's great seeing the G's on you guys in the turns. Too cool.

Yeah, it was a fun day.  Photos are great for seeing how your body position is.  Mine's improving a tiny bit--I'm not embarrassed by it too much.  I'd love to have someone follow me with a camera because but I'm too cheap.    

[Spidey]

Yeah, it was a fun day.  Photos are great for seeing how your body position is.  Mine's improving a tiny bit--I'm not embarrassed by it too much.  I'd love to have someone follow me with a camera because but I'm too cheap.    

Your body position is pretty damn good.  It's better than Enzo though his is not nearly as bad as he thinks it is.  That 400 looks like it has you pretty stretched out.  I remember climbing onto that bike and thinking that it had a pretty long reach for such a small bike.  I wonder what you'd feel like on a 'modern' bike with different ergos.

I was talking with Enzo last night and looking at pics.  We were trying to work through one of the issues with his body position.  Specifically, we were talking about how he sets up entering turns.  It sounds and looks like he sets up for a turn by trying to hang his butt of the seat as far as possible rather than leading with his head, locking into with his inner thigh/groing and getting his whole body off.  That's an easy correction--it may only take a coupla sessions to work through most of that habit. 

[mostrobelle]

The 400 is sort of weird.  I am stretched out on it and it limits my ability to hang off to the degree that I'd like to.  On the other hand, it keeps me "honest."  I *have* to lead with my head because I can't get my butt off the seat very well.  Enzo noticed that about it too.  I talked to Mike "Slow-meyer" about the 400 and he said that he never knew why they make a little bike so long--he made some sort of joke about the tank being long enough to serve breakfast on it...guess you had to be there.    

Enzo and I traded bikes at the end of the day.  When I rode his R6 the body position felt 10X more natural than on the 400.  It had that "crouchy feeling" that I like.  I wasn't comfortable at all with the power of it, however,  and felt like it was a lot twitchier than my bike.  I actually got the front end to lighten up coming over turn 9 and again when I came onto the front straight and that made me nervous because I was only doing 130 on the front straight and I've heard that those bikes can do a lot more than that.    The sad thing was that I was waaaaaay slower on his bike than on my own--it was only on the straights that I got a tiny bit brave.  That was plenty for me--nearly needed a change of Hanes afterwards.  I pulled in after that deciding that highsiding or doing something equally acrobatic would be a bad idea.    

[xxxduc]

Belle, next time we're at the track together, you should try my bike.  You will get that crouching feeling and the throttle is smooth.  It's also set up for our weight.

[enzo]

The set up technique (butt off the seat before entering the turn) is something I learned either from Keigwins, ZZ or both.  Everyone says get ready early, which is what I'm trying to do.  I think I'm finally getting the whole "lock the outside leg" concept, whcih I hope will keep me from crossing up in turns.  Plus, I put on Stomp Grip last night, which I expect to help a lot.  I bet if I feel like I'm leading with my head, then I'll actually be properly aligned in turns.

Being a bit streched out on the 400 felt great.  I know the Duc SBK's have you stretched out as well. I wonder if the feeling is similar.  I rode Tigre's 749 once, but I was more concerned about not fuggin up than being aggressive in turns.

Approaching 9:



Through 9  crossed up:

[gojira]

Some great writing there 'Belle! 

Ever consider scriptwriting?   

Looked like a good time!   [moto]

[mostrobelle]

Belle, next time we're at the track together, you should try my bike.  You will get that crouching feeling and the throttle is smooth.  It's also set up for our weight.

You betchya!     When are you coming back out btw? 

Some great writing there 'Belle! 

Ever consider scriptwriting?   

Looked like a good time!   [moto]

Thanks, man!  Had a great time.  Can't wait for next month.   

[MendoDave]

Is that an RD 400?

I ran off on Turn 5 last time then later in the day at Turn 3. I just ended up wide, so I stood it up & ran into the infield.

[Gaurawa]

Great report, loved reading it! It was good to see you and enzo at the tracks. I  had trouble with the markers or lack of them, the first day but it got better the next two days. Great help from Steve and Adrian, I did get to learn a lot. I am still trying to figure out all about trail-braking... well I have I would say good experience of trail braking in oh-shit moments, but I need to learn how to do it on purpose

did some dirt riding going into T2, I was trying to shift and it caught a much lower gear, locking the rear tire and I assume a highsider (?)... but managed to stay on the bike and finally ride it out.. the good part ?  i have it on camera

You can hear gear shift at 31s,  tires sliding at 32s and then bike wobbling out of control..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tCafyXxzUwA

[tigre]

That's turn 11.  And yes, you're curling your head back up into the bike.  Not the worst thing I've ever seen...  try looking through the turn a bit more, perhaps?

Through 9  crossed up:

[TCK!]

That's turn 11.

Ahhh so this is turn 11... I kept looking at my own pictures trying to think of what turn is banked with a tree in the distance....

*Side Note*

I'm 100% set up for October 11th and 12th!