Ok, so the trackday on Friday was a little interesting....

I got there needing new tires. Usually not a big deal, I had pre-purchased some from the track and got there plenty early. Now all I have to do is get the wheels off and bring them to the trailer. I had a buddy of mine at the track with me who is a part time mechanic so I figured we'd be good (I'm much better with a computer than a torque wrench...). I got the wheels off and took them to the parts counter. The guy said they'd be done in a few. An hour later, the wheels were not done and we had the rider's meeting. After the meeting, the guy at the parts counter said we had a problem, my tire would not hold air. I knew the kid I bought the bike from had dinged the front wheel (pothole or wheelie). There was a flat spot on the front wheel, but I've had the bike 3yrs and never had a problem with the tire loosing air. The surprise was that it was the rear tire that would not hold air. I could see the bubbles coming out but I could not see anything wrong with the wheel.

I figured I'd just add air between sessions, but by the time I got back to my truck and remounted the tire, there was only 10psi in the tire. My plug-in pump could barely keep up with the leak. The first session was done and I was wondering if I was getting any tracktime in today…

I decided to go thru tech, so I put 30psi in the tire and passed tech, but in the 10 min I was gone, I lost 20psi!!! I knew I couldn't go out on the track like this so upon my buddy’s recommendation, we took a rubber mallet to the rim and go the leak to slow down to only loosing 3 psi in 10 min. Short of "fix a flat" we didn't know what else to do. One of the control riders was pitted next to us and suggested getting the tire hot. His thought was that it may seal after being hot. Since the second session was starting, I went out with 35psi in the tire and did 2 laps. I came in and checked the pressure and I was up to 37 as soon as I got to the pit. I let a little air out and did another 3 laps before the end of the session and I was at the same 32 psi as I had set it to during the break.

I checked the tires for the rest of the day and it was the same thing... 32 when I came in (hot) and 30 before I went out (cold). After sitting in the garage for 5 days, the pressure is at 27psi. I figure that I’m good, but wonder if I’m going to have a problem next time???
I got 6 sessions in at 30 min each, so it was a lot of time. I am usually disappointed to see the checkered flag, but with 30 min sessions I was ready to come in. The weather held, it rained before sunrise, during the lunchbreak, and on the way home, but not at all while I was on the track!!!

I liked the lightning track. It was much easier than the thunderbolt track (which will host the AMA race). The banked corner was fun. I could “pin it” in 4th and just ride thru the banking and on to the straight. It was nice only having to shift once per lap (3rd most of the time, only going into 4th for the banking and strainght). I got a lot smoother/faster on the slow corners at the beginning of the course and worked on getting a faster entry speed (I’ve been “chicken” ever since a low side at summit last year….). As one coach pointed out,” if you get on the gas before the apex, you can enter the corner faster”. I got past my fear of riding with the advanced group. I didn’t like being passed as I was turning into a corner. I don’t know if I was breaking later/faster entry speed caused it to happen less or I just ignored the other rider and “rode my ride”, but it didn’t bother me as much as it did last time at the track.

My next trackday is July 6thback at lightning with Absolute cycle. My buddy will be back with a new bike. He rode a RD 350 (almost as old as I am), but plans to have his “almost new” Ninja 250 up and running for next time. Yes, he is a big believer in going fast on a slow bike. We also may have convinced a couple of other instructors to join us (my buddy and I teach the MSF course)

I got a few pics up at http://kraenzlein.shutterfly.com/2392. Unfortunatly I got my new camera on the way home from the track. I should get better pics the next trackday taht I do. The pics at the en d of the day were of Jayson Britton. He was warming up for his stunt shows over the weekend at the track… I also am a BMW fan as was glad to see (and get passed by… )Nate Kerns on the new BMW.

If anyone else is on the east cost and wants to do a trackday, check out absolute cycle. THey have a begninner's special with a $150 trackday on July 6th that includes rental of leathers and begninner school (or intermediate school). Also, if the day fills up (which I'm hoping it does...) everyone gets at $25 refund. I'm already signed up and want to see a couple of other hawks at the track!!!

Glad you had a good time even with a minor tire problem. The group I ride with was down at Thunderbolt on Mon and Tues. I was not able to make it to that one. I don't get a chance to get back on the track again untill the middle of July. But it is a 2 day event which is cool.

2 - day track events are the way to go. I only live an hour away and I still like showing up at the track on the the second day with my bike already unloaded, tent up and everything ready to go.

How much is Tony's for a trackday?

I hear ya on having everything set up. I am about an hour from NHMS. I think you learn a lot more doing days back to back.

Tony's days at NJ are $200.

it is nice been only 10 minutes away from the track ! ... and that includes stopping for coffee & ice.

tim

hey all , has anyone ran at seattle, i am trying to get to a track day up there (as soon as i can skip out of work without being noticed) would appreciate any set up advice

setup... start with having your sag adjusted front & back. rebound / compression is by feel and make adjustments after each session if required. it all changes as you pick up the pace ! look for a local suspension guy - barry at kung foo racing aka GP suspension north is in seattle. i don't know if he does every trackday but he is also the dunlop rep.

tim

I was on the NJ Motorsports park lightning track on Monday. The event was put on by absolute cycle. Both are top notch and I would recommend them to anyone.

After 3 weeks of rain out here on the east coast, we got lucky weather wise - 85 and sunny.

I never got into a rhythm for the morning sessions. I was thinking I was not aggressive enough. When I catch up to a group of 8-10 riders, I just hung back, watched the group and to wait for the faster ones to pass the slower ones. While I was hanging on the back of the group, other riders came around me and joined the pack. The groups kept getting bigger and everyone was going off line to try and pass. The guys on the new “big I4s” could passed 10+ people on the straight, but I was having problems getting the timing down to get past big groups on the straight. I could only get 1-2 at a time, never the whole group. As it turns out, I think not being overly aggressive was the correct call. On the last session before lunch 7 people crashed (mostly seporate incidents, but there was one 3 bike "pile-up"). Another 4-5 displayed their off-roading skills.

After lunch I took the intermediate camp. We worked on lines some more (your head over the cone is not good enough… we want to see your elbow/hip over the apex cone). Then we worked on counter-steering, body position, and entry speed. They told us not to work on overall speed, just trying to get the concepts down.

The last session they told us to put everything together. I got out and felt good. The last lap went something like this….

Ducati Hyper-motard – check
Couple of 600’s - check
Lime green Kawasaki 750 - check
Buell - check
Ducati 1098 tricolor - check (even with crash damage the bike still looks good)
RC 51 – check

I see 2 late model 1000cc I4s at the end of the straight when I exit the last corner with no other bikes, figured it would be good to judge my speed as these were some of the fast guys that had been much more aggressive most of the day. By the next lap they were less than half way down the straight when I got to the end of the corner. I saw them when I entered the banked corner that leads into the straight. I thought I was to far from the I4s, but I caught the liter bikes at the end of the last corner. At the exit I was 15+mph faster than they were. Even with their extra HP, I got past them on the straight and stayed past them. No bikes in front of me, it was like I had the track to myself. Two more laps, no traffic except the hyper-motard (passed him for the second time) I thought I may have missed the checkered flag.

Half way thru the third lap, two of the control riders come past me. The one control rider keeps looking back at me and shaking his head. I’m thinking oh s%*t, I DID miss the checkered flag. The checker is out and as I’m pulling into the pits the control rider waves me over. I’m playing back all the passes I did wondering why I was in trouble. He says “you need a better bike”. He said I was riding on line, in control, good body position. He said he was following me for a few laps and I was "doing better on the 'hawk than anyone should". He told me I “had no right passing those guys like that”

The perfect end to a great trackday!

That’s it for my write-up on my trackday in NJ, where is everyone else riding???

passing mid corner takes faith in the other riders, it's tricky in the beginning / intermidiate groups as lines can be 'erratic'. i also enjoying showing people what
the hawk is capable of !

good report !
tim

yeah, I'd much rather "go fast on a slow bike" than "go slow on a fast bike"

I was in group 3 (advanced intermediate... there were 4 groups) and we could pass anywhere except on the inside from the corner entrance to the apex. Last year (when I was out with another trackday provider) they enfoced the rule on all turns, even the long slow turns (6&8 at lightning). During the school in the afternoon the coaches at absolute cycle said we could pass anywhere on those turns which made it much easier to pass...

I was at thunderbolt a few weeks ago and I was passing everyone on the outside of the long left hand turn until one time I slid BOTH tires. After that I decided the "clean" line was much better then going around on the outside...