I went Friday with the group from Kensington Motorsports. They started me out in Novice cause I had only been there once. That was fine with me I'm thinking as long as the instructors that were there (4 of them) would be like Justin. Well it was appearant after the 1st session this wasn't going to be like STT Novice. 4 of us asked the instructors if we would pick things up the 2nd time out and they said the lead instructor would let us by 1 person each 1/2 lap and follow us for a bit to see how we did if they thought we could handle it, they'd send us 4 out in Intermediate the next session. So I was the 4th guy they let go and I caught the other 3 who went before me. I rode with those 3 guys for another 5 laps or so til we caught the last group of Novice riders and then just putted till the end of the session, there was no one behind me. The instructors told us 4 that we would go to intermediate. Cool, I was excited but a bit nervous. A friend and my wife and daughters came with me and they were timing me after I got let loose and I had run a 1:50 during that last session with Novice. I knew I had more in me but wouldn't find out what till I got to go uninterupped in Intermediate and get some laps in. 1st session out I began picking up the pace pretty well, having some trouble braking way to early for turn 1 and I know that was killing time but I was getting around pretty well. I started out with the 3 other novice riders that got bumped with me and I passed all three of them in the 1st lap, then by the end of the session I had also passed 6 Intermediate fellas. I came in and my buddy told me my best lap was 1:43. Damn I was happy with that. The track was a whole different beast picking up 7 seconds and while I had no instructors to follow or help me, Justin's advice was still running through my head and I was focused not on lap times at all, but on getting my tall ass off the bike like he told me and hitting the right lines. Damn I was having fun now, especially blasting the big 12 down the front stretch. I was pleased that all of the Intermediate fellas I passed on the front stretch didn't pass me back so I knew I getting better in the turns. Next session out my goals remained the same, get off the bike, hit better, later braking marks and be smooth. The Bridgestone 014's that I had on the bike were barking like dogs and got real slippery during the last 3 laps but I felt great. I was having the time of my life and really felt good about my improvement. I was getting braver at the end of the front stretch and going in deeper with no trouble, the big ZX was solid in turn one, I started hitting turn 3 better than I ever had and I finally got myself to not panic so much on the right hand kink heading to the busstop finding myself in almost a full lean around there. I came back in after the session pumped up like never before. I take all my gear off and my buddy says 1:45, 1:42.5, 1.399, 1:391, 1:385. 1:38.5!!!! Damn I almost passed out when I heard that. I didn't figure for a minute I'd get into the 30's but I did. The last session I began where I left off but was in some traffic then one of the organizers of the event attempted a real poor pass in turn 7 and went down almost taking another rider with him and they called the day. I never got back to the 1:38's in that last session but that's OK I was beat. Anyway, I had a blast and did better than I had imagined I would on the big ZX. I want to thank Justin again even though he wasn't there. His advice was still hammering me in my head about how to get off the bike and I was doing my best to apply it. I am going to get a 636 but not til winter, I'm going to put better tires on the ZX-12 and get back to Grattan at least a couple more times this year and just work on things and have fun. I'll get more serious next year with a track bike and then start going to different tracks as well. Hope to see all of you out there again before the end of the year. I'm going to check on dates in August and Sept with STT today.
Oh, there was 4 crashes, one a low side at the busstop, no injuries and minor bike damage, advanced rider. The next was worse, a high side on the right hander before the left onto the front stretch, broken collar bone and concussion, he went to eh hospital in the ambulance, I will call today to see how he is. Then a fella went off into the grass in turn 7 cause he was going in too hot and hit that sand pile and he and his bike did several flips, he was alright, the bike not so alright. Then the organizer guy crashed in the last session, he was OK, I don't know how his bike fared.
It sounds like you had alot of FUN!!! I had trouble braking too early in turn 1 too at first. I kept wondering why everyone kept blowing by me in turn one at the last second. Then it hit me. I found out you can brake ALOT LATER than I thought. (It's fun to do ) I don't know what lap times I was doing because I don't have a lap timer. I know I was kind of slow on Saturday and did alot better on Sunday though.(Relaxing helps)
It was great Rabbit. Much more intense than my 1st time out. I still have a lot to learn and I still need tons of track time to get better, but I at least feel like I am improving. Can't wait to get back on some better tires. I am ordering an Ohlins rear shock for the 12 too. It needs one anyway heck I have 27K miles on my 12 and while I had the rear shock serviced once, it was 12K miles ago. A new Ohlins will do worlds for the handling of that beast over all the years I'm going to keep it, even though I'll buy a new trackbike this winter.
I still have ALOT to learn too and I'm also planning on getting a new suspension this winter. I know the biggest thing that slows me down is still my lack of confidence in my suspension. I know I trust it more, but not as much as I should. I also know that if you look ahead and ignore the bumps it's better, but....hey I'm human. I have to slowly build my confidence. :roll: I'll will get there. Now to the dude who's friend got hurt. I'm sorry to hear about that. I hope that he heals quick and sticks with it. Getting hurt SUCKS!!!!
We'll both get there Rabbit, we just have to get out there and practice. Paul Is it? I spoke to Pat at Kensington yesterday and he said something about air being forced through his throat into soft tissue and the doc's were worried about an embilism??? Is this correct? Please give him my best will ya.
I was right behind him when he crashed. it was prity sick. He was inside the curb on turn 10. There was a dip in the grass and when he hit it his left peg hit the curb. I'm glad to hear he is going to be okay.
Thanks Bill. After continuously talking about what happened he finally remembered what he did. Took a little time to jog his memory, but he remembers now. Chris.....Yeah, it's Paul here. He did have some air in his chest cavity. I believe that the docs thought it safe enough to heal on it's own after keeping him at the hospital for a couple days. He had an appt. w/ an ortho surgeon at UM today for the shoulder. Sore as can be, but he'll be ok, thankfully. 8)
Nice progress Chris! I managed a 1:35.89 just after lunch Saturday with the extra baggage you can see in my avatar on the left. I have a few more than 2 days in at Grattan though. :wink: Keep in mind, the harder you push that 12, the closer you'll get to it possibly doing something unexpected. That's where a 600 would be nice.
Doing that with a passenger is AWESOME!!!! :shock: :shock: Of all the tracks I struggle with that one SO MUCH MORE!! I look forward to EVENTUALLY GETTING THERE at Grattan (I'll be tackling Gingerman on Saturday and Sunday here very shortly for now though.It's a new track, but it should be fun.) It's also good to hear that the guy that got hurt is improving. P.S- Hey Baker I noticed a blue Honda 600 for Sale in South Lyon off of Pontiac trail. I was just curious if it was yours because I don't see too many track bikes for sale in South Lyon. (It had race skins)
Glad to hear he is doing well Paul, please give him my best wishes for a fast, full recovery. 1:35 with a passenger?!?!?!?!! Damn that's something. Talk about work. lol I'm was pushing the 12 pretty hard to get the 1:38's, at least I think I was. I could be much much smoother though. Trying to tackle only one or 2 things at a time. Riding on a track is a whole new ballgame from the street, one I plan on playing a lot so I want to improve by getting things right, not by recklessness. I did get a chance to follow an instructor around in the intermediate class for a few laps. He was on a motard and he was smooth. I know I am jerky getting myself on and off the bike and in the transitions. That is upsetting the bike and most certainly slowing me down. I need to work on that quite a bit. Being 6'4" doesn't help much. Watching the video my wife took of me all day was very very helpful cause I could see what I was and wasn't doing. Ordering a set of Pilot Powers today.
Joe, gave me a little tip(The photographer) the last time that I was at Grattan. I didn't get a chance to try it yet, but I plan on trying it at all the tracks now. He said a good way to get faster quicker is to just focus on improving one turn each session. He said then it's not as overwhelming and you learn it quicker. Then you just connect the dots. I'm going to try that at Gingerman later this month. It sounds like a good plan. Especially since it's a new track to me.
That does sound like a good plan. I was kinda doing that but with turn 1 and 3 all day though. Once I got in the intermediate class and was able to go full bore down the front straight turn one became an issue. I was braking so early at first it was just silly. But by the end of the day the big 12 was hitting 145-150mph at the end then hard braking/downshifting and slam her over. I felt much better about turn one by the end of the day but I know with better tires and a new Ohlin's rear shock it can be done even better. Turn 3, well what can be said about turn 3. I hit it really good only about 1 out of 3 laps. Frustrating for sure but I know I'm leaving a second or two getting into and leaving that turn. Being able to get myself way over to the left after turn 3 allowed me to be able to really power through 4 much more than I did before. Damn I'm hooked.
Ahhh......I as well as many others stuggle with turn 3. I found out that relaxing and using reference points really helped me there. I still tend to be a little bit of a wuss on it though. I know I can go through is faster, but for some reason I don't go much faster.I think the biggest turns I struggle with are 2, 3, and the long swooping righthander before the bus stop. If I fix those three turns I know I can get ALOT of time off. I feel pretty comfortable with the other turns now though. Well, the Rabbit has to go to his hole and sleep now.(Midnights) take it easy. I look forward to seeing you at the track again.
OK Rabbit, chat with you later. I'm pretty sure I'm going to sign up for the LED day on the 25th of August. It's a counterclockwise day too. Should be interesting. Are you up for that???
Actually it crossed my mind, but I get out of work on Friday morning and I just used the rest of my vacation time for the first week of Bowseason.(Deer hunting) I am doing a track day to start off that week though.(Vacation week) I'm planning on doing Gingerman on the last day of September and then bowhunting the rest of the week until Saturday where I want to attend the Learning Curves on the 7th of October at Gingerman. It sounds like a perfect vacation to me though. I am going to try and do Sept 2nd at Autobahn and hit up Mid-Ohio on the monday in September too.(I really want to hit that one dry!!!)I don't work till 11:00 at night. I'm not sure if you plan on attending any of those,but if you do I will definitely look you up. Oh, I also want to try and hit up Autobahn North and South in Mid-October. Take care. Rabbit 8)
Oh and of course Gingerman on the 19th and 20th this month. I mentioned that in another post though. (I truly think I've become a track addict. :shock: :shock: :shock:
The only one I can do in August is the 25th. Haven't signed up for it yet but probably will here in the next day or two. What date in Sept are you going to Mid-Ohio Rabbit?
