Maybe it's just me, a novice old fart, but I found this to be rather amazing and so thought I'd share. Makes me wince when I look at my trackday photos and realize I am no where near even remotely thinking about the merest possibility of perhaps coming close to having the confidence to do anything even remotely close to this... http://video.genfb.com/1436617806364129
I don't think it takes that much skill to do that...what does that help you with on the track? Zippo IMO.. Well wasting a perfect set of pucks in 45 seconds...
I don't know if I agree but, I concede that you're more knowledgeable than I am. What I do know however is that he has the confidence and familiarity with his bike such that he can do this. Do I think that, technically, I could do this? Yes. But, speaking in practical terms, I don't know that I will ever achieve the confidence or bike familiarity he has such that I could realize it. In other words there's nothing preventing me from doing this except the gray matter between my ears... but that's a huge, almost certainly insurmountable, obstacle. My point is that having such confidence and familiarity with your bike would directly translate to the track - but no, not the figure 8's themselves.
Xavier is a talented Mo Fo for sure.... Sure you could achieve that..... 1- If you didn't have to pay for parts, leathers and bikes and 2 If you don't have to go to work the next day... Life as a Pro Racer is good.... And obviously good enough to get bored and do figure 8's behind the house...LOL... I am just jealous....
I learned long ago it's my brain and experience that holds me back. My first race experience way back when, guy on an identically motorcycle and set up bike was 2-3 seconds a lap faster than me(I know they were identical same guy prepped them). He had the same level of experience he just dared to go a little deeper on the brakes maybe a little better line at times. Once I got my courage and skill up a bit I would bet him regularly, he couldn't touch me in the rain. I had an instructor at a race school take a stock rc51(same year as I had), with stock tires out for three laps, dude was crazy fast compared to me (and I had a few upgrades and was on race rubber) like I couldn't ever go that fast. All about knowledge of lines, markers and how much you dare to push it. I would bet my current r6 is at least 15 seconds faster a lap around Barber than I am with a expert level club racer on it. This maybe just BS but I had a couple people tell me they have seen people on a stock r6 turn 1:43's at Barber. I never timed myself but I am guessing I was barley under 2 minutes at my last track day there and my bike is not stock (suspension/ecu flash/full system). Motoamerica 600 pros I think were in high 1:28 KTM 390 kids were 1:44ish. Bike set up, experience and how much you can convince your brain you will live braking that deep... My biggest mental is fear of high siding. I have had one nasty one on the street at a slowish pace and it laid me up for a bit, not an experience I want to repeat at track speeds.
I'm impressed with the kid...but I've also got a wife/child that need me, and a job I need to go to on Monday morning. There is no doubt that keeps me from pushing it.
That is impressive for sure, at those speeds he is doing the 8's at, I am sure many of us can do that without getting into too much trouble. Look at what many of the top level (pro and amateur) guys do to train themselves when not on a road course; they do dirt tracking. Where they can slide, break traction, practice throttle control, picking the bike up etc... That is at speed and on softer dirt (but can still cause hurt). It is not just about physical preparation but also mental - both of which I wish I had more time to do I'm sure a stock bike can go much better than 43's at BMP with the right rider! - My first ever visit there on a well setup bike (which was still new to me) I was slowish and managed 44's. Knowledge of track is a huge factor too (other than guts/mental capacity) and I am very sure that I could do better times there now that I know the track... But now I have another "new to me bike" lol..
Makes me dizzy just watching him. I don't know if it would translate to better laptimes, but pretty friggin cool!