Took My Bike On Track! :)

2, 3 or 4 wheeled petrol heads in here.

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Hippy
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Post by Hippy »

Ello, sorry it's been a long time :)


As some of you may, or may not know, i have had a 600 Divvie for a few months now, it's done me proud! taken me all around yorkshire, london and the south west!

Last weekend it was time for it to prove itself on track!
So i booked myself onto the charity track event organised over on Visordown and headed off to mallory park for the weekend, not knowing anyone there, only a few names from a forum (sound familiar?)

After a hefty session on the beer friday night, i was up 6.30am to get on track for 9.20 :) I had prepped my bike a bit last week, new braided brake lines, new pads, adjusted the valve clearances and ballanced the carbs so i was ready to hammer the crap outta my £650 bike :)

I was in the novices.
First session was sighting only, following an instructor, no overtaking.
It felt great, even at those low speeds.

As soon as we went out for our first real session, things changed a little.

Out of the straight and into gerrards for the first corner, the little bike held its own really well! i wasn't the fastest through gerrards, but i certainly wasn't the slowest either overtaking a bunch of bikes half way round including a ZX9, a ducati monster and a hayabusa (the guy couldn't ride it). As soon as we were past the second apex and onto the straight i had the throttle pinned open, the zx9 and a few hondas came flying past me. On to edwinas and nearly every lap i found myself in a traffic jam, i found i was able to get the power down a lot earlier through edwinas, a few accidents there in the morning got everyone scared of their throttle, not my divvie, it was lapping it up

Onto the hairpin where i could make up even more ground, mainly due to traffic jams again.

The bus stop was a good chance to see how nippy the bike was, keeping the revs high, i was always all over the bike in front.

Out of devils elbow and if i got the power down early enough, kept the changes clean and throttle pinned, i wouldn't be overtaken for ooooh, 20 meters onto the straight

This was the story of the day, gradually the faster bikes became quicker at going through gerrards and i got the fear and backed off a bit meaning the fireblades and gixxers were starting to get past me, the main straight was a no hoper, i was A LOT slower than anything else (except a resticted CBR400 babyblade, the dude on the monster and a girl on a GPZ750) even a little kwak 250 had me on the straight!

Had a wicked day but the divvie isn't made for the track really felt like i was pushing the bike way too hard. Had to have a few words with myself on the odd occasion, especially trying to overtake a zx6 into edwinas who didn't see me coming.

Anyway, next time will be on a track bike but the divvie did its job and held it's head up high (and didn't break), it got me there and back fully loaded with luggage, tent, sleeping bag and some tools while STILL returning over 40mpg for the whole weekend! :) What more could you ask? And at the end of the day, i don't care that the bike isn't that fast, for me, it was about learning the limits of my riding in a safe environment and having a good giggle at the same time. . . . Just wanted to go faster!!

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:bk: :bk: :bk: :fish: :2t: Shiny side up brothers!
andrew
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Post by andrew »

Any track experience is good m8, regardless of how / where / what.
Sounds like you had great fun :) roll on the next one ? :D
Hippy
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Post by Hippy »

looking at one at brands on the 30th october but i'm skint :(

Also looking at buying a 1998 GSXR400 :) £300 track bike? yes please!
Clingy
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Post by Clingy »

Sounded like you had some FUN m8 :).
Turts
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Post by Turts »

:) way2go Hipps... almost got your knee down there buddy ;)

Good for you and well done bud... Mallory isn't easy !
andrew
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Post by andrew »

Croft is by far and away the best track in the country. Not that i'm biased or anything :P
Hippy
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Post by Hippy »

Actually i did almost get my knee down, that last pic is taken on the entry to gerrards, the fast guys were knee down there but i was only leaning properly much further round.

Next bike will be a bandit6, hornet6 or Z750. Definitely something ready for the track.
Turts
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Post by Turts »

Hippy wrote: Actually i did almost get my knee down, that last pic is taken on the entry to gerrards, the fast guys were knee down there but i was only leaning properly much further round.

Next bike will be a bandit6, hornet6 or Z750. Definitely something ready for the track.

Hipps, The Hornet is a tad hard bud.. A mate had one when he raced the Nationals a few years back.. and the guy who sponsored him borrowed it out of season when we went away one time.. great fun bike but hard as flippin nails.. OK for females !! (if you know what I mean ! )
Hippy
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Post by Hippy »

Ahhh.
Well, whatever i get will be test ridden anyway.
Turts
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Post by Turts »

Turts wrote: Hipps, The Hornet is a tad hard bud.. A mate had one when he raced the Nationals a few years back.. and the guy who sponsored him borrowed it out of season when we went away one time.. great fun bike but hard as flippin nails.. OK for females !! (if you know what I mean ! )

Just thought...... you'll be oki on it ....^^^^ ;)
Hippy
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Post by Hippy »

Yeah yeah. :P
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