Overall experience at Barber on 10-15-17

Discussion in 'STT Southern' started by RyanG, Oct 16, 2017.

  1. tnskydivr

    tnskydivr Shut up and Jump!
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    P.S. We did have a mandatory meeting (unusual, but sometime necessary) to remind the faster riders who may be frustrated to play by the rules of the group they are signed up in, but mostly because we saw, time and time again, riders put up their hand to exit the track, then ride right down the middle of it in the back section until pit out. We can't allow that to go on unanswered, because sooner or later...that is a BAD habit. Both Trevor and SHAWN (not Shane an inside joke) remained behind to respond to those with individual concerns (which is why I went ahead and taught the abbreviated body position class)...
     
  2. RyanG

    RyanG n00b

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    Great post. I Still had a good weekend I just only had 2 sessions where I could actually work at a decent pace. Maybe I just need to be bumped. Im not the type of person that just wants to be bumped because usually I make my way through traffic easily but this weekend was just hectic. When I caught myself thinking (oh sh!t whats this person in front of me about to do) I knew it was time for me to pack it up and go home. I appreciate all the help you guys offer up. Ill just take a different approach next year.
     
  3. tnskydivr

    tnskydivr Shut up and Jump!
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    Ryan, I hate to see you go home early - as the last session of the day is normally wide open...also, we don't normally bump riders unless they ASK unless it's just abundantly clear...
     
  4. Liquidsilver

    Liquidsilver What's an apex?

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    RyanG - I've been doing trackdays (and racing a little) for over 16 years (with various groups across the country) and I've had a few that were frustrating, as you describe, because of different circumstances. It's a bummer when it happens, but I can certainly say that the incidence is far less likely with STT, especially at Barber (southern division). There just isn't a better run outfit.

    Now, I'm not in the 'N' or 'I' group... but I DID notice two riders coming on and off track that looked like they were on a motorcycle for the first time. If it were my wife or daughter looking as tentative on a motorcycle, I would have prescribed them lots of dirtbiking time to get more confident on a bike before going out on the track or street. No disrespect to the riders or their families, but as I sat in my pit space, my heart went out to the coaches that had to accommodate for them on track.

    The last time I rode in an 'I' group, with an unfamiliar organization, because they wouldn't just put me in their fast group, was the SCARIEST experience I've ever had on track. Without even getting up to a good pace, I was closing on guys in the turns at an insane rate, and then 'hyabusa joe' would just hit the nuke in the straightaways. I HATED that experience... but I probably learned something, and once they bumped me to their 'racer-wannabe' class, all was good again.

    Hopefully you'll get another opportunity to bring the trackday odds in your favor... and go ahead and move up to the right class for your skills.

    Cheers.
     
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  5. RyanG

    RyanG n00b

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    Im not going to let one bad day ruin anything im just going to start fresh next year. You seem like a stand up guy. Ill have to try and come by next year and introduce myself.
     
  6. 021less

    021less Rides with no training wheels

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    I will say my first trackday was with stt 2 years ago at road atlanta. I have been riding the street for many years. Got bumped to intermediate my first day. I have been in intermediate for 2 years, and it is a lot like novice because of the different skill level of the riders in it. You will have some in I that are very fast, then some that are very slow, but from my experience the coaches do a very good job at watching and keeping everyone safe. I rode with another org earlier this year and they started me in I. And like you i was very frustrated with the amount of riders that I believe should not have been in I. the track was congested all the way around. My lap times were 10 to 12 seconds a lap slower. I was so frustrated by the amount of traffic and a hot pit would not have helped because there was no clear track. After lunch I requested a bump eval to A, got bumped, and was much more pleased with the A group and had an excellent rest of the day. And lets just say there was a guy there, cant remember his name but races in motoamerica, not one of the faster guys, lets just say you can get humbled real fast on your riding ability's when they come around you at turn 5 at road atlanta like you are in reverse lol. I would say get bumped to I and you will enjoy your day much better. When you are at the point where you are getting held up by other riders in every turn, that's when you know its time to go to the next level imo.
     
  7. CesarG

    CesarG n00b

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    First time posting on this forum. I want to thank all of you who attended for the sense of comradery and overall good vibe in the paddock. Although I have no complains I did see a large discrepancy in the lap times of the rider in the I group, so my only suggestion would be for STT to formally line up fast and slow riders in different lanes letting fast riders go first and releasing slow riders 45 secs later. I was under the impression that some of the fast people that are used to ride together were having their own "championship race" all around me. No complains, I felt safe at all times, but had to line up last to avoid being passed left and right.
     
  8. tnskydivr

    tnskydivr Shut up and Jump!
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    Sometimes, being "fast" is a state of mind, not based on reality, so asking riders to grade themselves doesn't work well. When I got to being fairly quick in I, I would always come out very early, or late, which normally gives you the best chance at clear track.
     
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  9. sheepofblue

    sheepofblue Rides with no training wheels

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    A suggestion for something to try next year. Line up in the middle of the outgoing groups. If you go out last the fast guys are more likely to catch you than if you go out second. If you go out second even if you are the slowest one there you get passed early with a nice mid session gap. Of course in the end ride your pace and try to be predictable. If you are truly faster passing someone that is predictable is not only easier but it is easier to give that person more space.
     
  10. screws4068

    screws4068 Rides with no training wheels

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  11. Ohio_1199DUC

    Ohio_1199DUC Knows an Apex when he sees one
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    Ryan,

    Sorry to hear of your frustrations but remember any day on a motorcycle is better than a day at work. There were a few things you mentioned so it was tough to quote them. As a coach we see the things that frustrate you and believe me, we do our best to give everyone the attention they deserve. I just want to give you a few tips for what you should be working on in Novice besides the "Pace" you mentioned.

    I loosely reference Ken Hill:

    Eyes... If you are using your eyes and telling yourself to be aware those surprises won't happen as often (one area I find to be my best ally when switching between a Panigale and a R3) Take the time to look for markers, practice drills to "Predict" where upcoming riders may be and what to do if they aren't.

    Motor controls.... Work on being smooth on and off the throttle and brakes (one key point I try to work on is to never give up any throttle once I have started to accelerate... So i need to be mindful of how quickly I get on the gas)

    Bike placement... Practice putting the bike where you want it on track with using your eyes, brakes and throttle.

    Sadly at all levels these things happen and even on a R3 I have these moments that you mention but when I go over the laps in my head it always comes back to.... I was being lazy with my fundamentals and could have avoided it. Another horn toot but our novice group is wonderful and so many people get excited about cutting loose and they immediately stop and/or forget working on the fundamentals. I would really like to get a feedback on your experience when your worrying about fundamentals and not Pace. Pace is always a metric that hurts your progress more than helps.

    But in the end even the best focus can sometimes not be enough for someones abrupt actions and we just have to chalk that up as part of the learning experience.
     
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  12. NH_to_MS

    NH_to_MS Rides with no training wheels

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    I am looking at the next Barber event for the year, thinking I really need to do it. It is an incredible track. I haven't done a STT event this year partly because the last event I went to was Barber last November and it was so crowded in the N group, and as mentioned the skill sets were a very wide gap. I really badly want to do Barber again, but it was frustrating with the N group last year at this time of season. Those of you who were there know what I'm talking about - the Ogre became very Ogre-like at our mandatory lunch break meeting.

    There were a few morning red flags, I think one N group red flag also late in one session.

    Perhaps the colder weather has everyone being more aggressive on the track because everyone wants to get their best lap in before the end of the season.

    I also ended up being on track reprimanded myself at that event because shortly after my point to pass I got stuck on the rear straight attempting to get by a line of about 20 bikes from the fast N group who were in trouble for bad behavior, and by the time I got just up to the coach and maybe 2nd or 3rd bike from the lead I was on the inside as they were tipping into the corner. That's a big NO NO for novice. I was then chased down by a coach and had to do a couple of parade laps behind him myself, and to my thinking that was really just poor luck because there was no space for me to just fall in that line, so I needed to complete that pass! That was a pretty much insane day.

    I'm thinking if I sign up for Monday that maybe it will be a little better and less of a wide range of riders in the N group?
     
  13. tnskydivr

    tnskydivr Shut up and Jump!
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    Truth is, a trackday is like a box of chocolates....

    Yes, November is last weekend of the season at Barber, and YES Monday will be MUCH less crowded. Normally October is before the GNF and you get a lot of people who want to 'race practice'. But, you really never know what kind of day you will have until after about the 2nd or 3rd session in Novice..really depends on who shows up. Having said that, COME ON OUT. You certainly won't get any better sitting a home watching MotoGP on the TV on Sat/Sun. It's not the first time the Ogre has had to have a chat with Novice, and it won't be the last. Just keep your cool, folllow the rules and you will be fine. Lastly, remember a tactical pit in order to get out of traffic is HIGHLY recommended. And for goodness sakes, stay for the last sessions, but the track always seems to miraculously clear at the end of the day....
     
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  14. TLR67

    TLR67 Cheers!
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    This...^ And don't forget to Pin it To WIN It!!!
     
  15. NH_to_MS

    NH_to_MS Rides with no training wheels

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    I pin the XB9R Buell throttle often and still get passed by any respectable 600 on the straights. At NOLA top speed is about at the flag stand halfway on the straight. At Barber I never could quite get the line & speed I should have had coming down the hill out of turn 15 to carry good velocity onto the main straight. I might need a faster bike, however having a slower one may be what has kept in from getting in over my head on the track.
     
  16. NH_to_MS

    NH_to_MS Rides with no training wheels

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    You are right about that, thus far I have always felt more solitude and can get into a good zone of setting my pace in the last couple of sessions of most every track day I have done. I recall the low setting sun was a blinding factor in at least a couple of places.
     

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