Track Day Snetterton Thursday 28th August.

[mikej]

Is anyone planning on doing this trackday? Weather looks good (well dry at least) and can't think of a better excuse for taking a sicky!

The only thing that concerns me might be the 105db noise limit (will take my baffles in case), oh and the fact that it is in conjunction with SuperBike magazine so may be nothing but Blades and R1's whipping by on the straights.

[Mr Cake]

Funny how the Italian sports bikes (9**/74*/MV F1000s...) always get omitted from any straight line performance advantages, track day tosser bike lists, and chavvy bike mag references, because thats all sports bike owners read :rolleyes:

Anyway, sounds like you've talked yourself out of it.

[slob]

I once passed a 900 blade on the start/finish straight at Brands on my 620, it's easy just keep it pinned round Clearways!

...seriously, don't be intimidated by the machinery or paddock talk, just go out there and enjoy yourself Mike. People are fast not their bikes.
It doesn't matter who overtakes you, it's a trackday not a race.
If you find they're holding you up in the corners after overtaking on the straights, don't bust a gut trying to pass them just back off a bit and let them go, then you can find some space to enjoy yourself again.

[Mr Cake]

Well said that man! Your poor 620... :( Is she still poorly sick?

[J.P]

You're S4R will do very well indeed reound the track, I've taken mine loads and never really had problems keeping up with most people, it's only me holding the bike back.
An S4R has plenty.

[slob]

Well said that man! Your poor 620... :( Is she still poorly sick?

'fraid so, going to book some time off work, clear out the garage and strip her, ready for powder coating, going to braze some cable tie tags on the frame too, to hide the buggers while I'm at it. I rode Yan's the other day and it reminded me what a hoot the screaming 620 is compared with the brutishness of the thou.

[mikej]

Does anybody know where you can get track day insurance?

[rollo22]

Try googling track day insurance there must lots of bods selling this type of policy

[mikej]

Didn't find any track day insurance that didn't seem ridiculous (£175 for the day, £500 excess and doesn't cover any damage to the bike...???) but thought sod it, i'll just try not to drop it.

6am start from London, got to Snetterton just in time for the race briefing, signed on and got noise tested which i was a bit concerned about (102db at 5000rpm....phew) then the bad thoughts started to kick in, what if i bin it? what if i kill myself? why does everyone else have tyre warmers and slicks i thought this was a novice day!

1st session was spent following the instructors round at slow pace learning the track, then back in to wait to be let loose. There was a huge selection of bikes there from race spec GSXR1000s, to 2 stroke naked Kawasakis, 1 other monster, a 1098R and a desmosedici so was good just walking around chatting to the other newbies and picking up bits of advice.

Once we got out there and started going for it, the sessions just flew by. 3 were red flagged by guys coming off, one bad looking highside on a Blade, 1 idiot lowsiding his brand new R1 (1st lap of the session, tried to go round the outside of someone in the chicane despite the marshalls telling everyone it was overtaking on the straights only) and someone who managed to take the entire fairing off a new GSXR1000.

The monster held it's own nicely, mainly overtaking people on the exit from corners or on the brakes at the end of the straights.
The weather held out and even felt like summer in the afternoon. There were a couple of classroom sessions on track technique and body position which proved very useful and a photographer who took some really good shots (which i will try to post later).

All in all, a great day out and definitely highly recommended.

[Mand]

Glad you had a good time.

Track days are ace fun aren't they? :)

Note to self, must do another one soon......

[slob]

Completely agree about the insurance being a waste of time,
It only makes sense if you have an expensive, otherwise uninsured track bike that could get stolen from your trailer outside a motel/b&b the night before.
Glad you had fun Mike, who was the organiser? only overtaking on the straights sounds like FE.

[mikej]

It was run by MSV in conjunction with SuperBike magazine but don't think they had much input into it other than handing out free t-shirts.

Have attached a couple of photos of my monnie, the desmo and some nutter on a homemade contraption with no handlebars.

Slob, FE?

[slob]

FE=Focused Events.

That's a Foale Q2 in the last photo isn't it? you don't see (m)any of them around!

[mikej]

Didn't see any FE branding or anything around.

The Foale was getting more attention than anything else (desmosedici included) in the paddock. Mainly, how the f*ck do you ride it?! Must be pretty useful once you get the knack as the guy riding it was holding his own in the fast group.

[Mr Cake]

overtaking on the straights only

Erm, what now?