deadsmiley
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Posts posted by deadsmiley
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I have had my Alpinestars GP-Pro gloves for a couple of years now. I use them on the street and track. I did 8 track days with them this year and 4 the previous year.
They are getting a bit worn (white bits aren't really white anymore), but still in good shape.
The thing I like about them the most is how comfortable they were from the very start. Pre-bent fingers and all.
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I found that I had an issue with my Shoei X-11 at Talladega GP this past November.
I ended up putting a shop towel between the liner and the inner shell of the helmet so I could see! The Shoei is a nice helmet, but I have to wonder if it always fit this way and I never noticed it?
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Very nice CBR!
Enjoy the new ride.
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I think you will find that the CBR600 will be very competitive with the older liter bikes on the straights. The reason is improved aerodynamics.
Enjoy the new bike!
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Interesting replies. I find myself liking the 600 idea myself.
My soon-to-be wife likes riding on the back of the CBR954 over the VFR800. I was shocked to find this out!
She told me that the 954 feels more planted. Indeed it does my dear...
Kelly
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I have a 954 as well. I have done CSS levels 1-2 and I can honestly say that I *really* like the 954 on the track. I think the key is to get the suspension set right.
There is a guy at every track day for Sportbike Track Time that charges $80 to set the bike up for your weight. The front springs are really too light from the factory, but with proper throttle control you can really get around the track.
I know that before I went to CSS school I was exiting the sweeper onto the front straight at about 70-75 mph. Now I exit onto the front at about 115 mph and it no longer scares me.
Get whatever bike you want and be happy. I too have considered the CBR600 as a track bike simply because I feel the power of the 954 is a bit much for this budding track dog.
The 954 does head shake a bit and it's easy to get the front wheel up, but learn her and she is quite capable even if she is a bit long in the tooth.
I really don't think the CBR954 is heavier/bigger than a S1000RR!
The 954 weighs about 430 wet. The S1000RR weighs about 455 wet.
The 954 has a wheelbase of 1400mm. The S1000RR has a wheelbase of 1432mm.
The 954 is not a big bike. I am 5' 8" with short arms. It fits me pretty well. Tall people don't usually like it.
All that being said, the S1000RR is a much superior bike to the 954. The BMW is very easy to ride.
Ok, enough ramblings from an old man. =D
Kelly
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Hell, your lines weren't THAT bad!
I took video of my track days this past Fri/Sat and I wish I had taken a laptop so I could see the results right after each session. I didn't get to see them until I got back home and that was too late to do much good.
The way my camera is mounted the tach is visible (along with the speedo) which would tell me what my throttle was doing. I notice I wasn't shifting very well at high speeds either. I will definitely do this next time.
Kelly
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Note #2: I have seriously considered selling the 954 and getting a 2005+ CBR600RR.
Makes a lot of sense. I can recommend the 2008+ YZF-R6 too
Or... <insert any relatively current 600cc sport bike here, as long as I get a red one>
Note #3: My girlfriend rode 2up with me during one session both days. We hit 140 in the straight. She is taking the MSF course at the first weekend in September and we will be looking for a Ninja 500 for her to start out on. She is 5 foot nothing and liked the way the 500 fit her. She wants to do track days with me. w00t!
"How good is that?"
:D Kai
Yes, it is good. When we first started talking she wasn't interested in bikes at all. Then she sat on my '98 VFR and with a tiny nudge she agreed to go for a ride. Since then she goes through withdrawal if she doesn't get to ride for a couple of days. I've created a monster!
Last Thursday before the track days (which started on Friday) she went on her first ride with me on the 954. I didn't think she would like it. I was wrong. Way wrong. She said it felt a lot more stable in the corners (and she's right) and that the wind protection was better for her. The pillion seat didn't bother her either. She loved riding it on the track.
I told her from the very beginning that if I go to fast or do something we need to talk about to punch me in the back of the helmet twice so I know it wasn't an accident. It hasn't happened yet!
Honestly, I started out very easy. Just cruising around the back roads. Each time we went out I upped the pace by a small amount so I didn't scare her. I have heard too many stories of first time passengers that would never get back on the bike again because the rider thought it would be "cool" to scare the stuffing outta them. I didn't want to do that.
</end thread jack>
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This past weekend I took my CBR954RR to Nashville Superspeedway for a couple of track days.
I spoke to a guy and his wife that were riding a pair of CBR600RR's. The man told me that he used to have a GSX-R 1000 for the track a 600cc sport bike for the street. The transition from 600 to 1000 was causing him problems so he decided to get rid of the 1000 and get he and his wife each a pair of CBR600RR's. One for the street and one for the track. (Must be nice, eh?
)This made a lot of sense to me.
Note: I don't have a pair of 954s!
Note #2: I have seriously considered selling the 954 and getting a 2005+ CBR600RR.
Note #3: My girlfriend rode 2up with me during one session both days. We hit 140 in the straight. She is taking the MSF course at the first weekend in September and we will be looking for a Ninja 500 for her to start out on. She is 5 foot nothing and liked the way the 500 fit her. She wants to do track days with me. w00t!
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Great pics! I see guys leaned over like that and it just amazes me.
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I just got a DAINESE Shield Air Back Protector from Cycle Gear. Picked it up on the way to Talladega GP.
I have no point of reference to work from since it is the first one I have ever used.
http://www.cyclegear.com/spgm.cfm?L1=&L2=&L3=&L4=&item=DAI_1875933-SM_G
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More pics of Talladega GP.Mary is taking the MSF course in September. She is chomping at the bit to get her own bike.
All of the images are here:Here are some that I really like:Entering a decreasing radius.
Me on the Viffer chasing a Green Ninja around the track. I don't remember it it was a ZX6 or a ZX10. (someone help me out here...)
Mary (girlfriend) riding 2up with me. Note the front tire. I was still running 30psi on front and rear. Didn't even think about bumping it up for 2up riding. Seemed to work well. I didn't get too crazy with her on the back anyways.
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Funny, I don't actually watch this stuff.
Where is a good place to check it out?
Kelly
Edit: never mind... Google is amazing at googling.
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I actually didn't realize the S1000Rr came with one from the factory until I did a clutchless upshift on that stretch in front of the pits at Willow Springs, Level 1. I did a bit of a wheelie.
I got a blue flag pointed at me for that. oops...
I must say I REALLY liked it on the BMW. It was so smooth...
Kelly
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Still learning how to ride this forum! It's like a new track, gotta find out where are the bumps are and such...
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I had a brain fart. The pic is back.
The size should be somewhat reasonable now too.
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Cobie Fair chasing me around the Streets of Willow Springs in April, 2010.
I am in the blue helmet, Cobie is in the silver helmet. I am riding an S1000RR, and amazing... so is Cobie!
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double postage
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I ride a CBR 954 on the track. It is notorious for tank slappers. Bad ones.
My second time at Nashville Super Speedway I had some head shake transitioning from the sweeper onto the high bank (yep, it's a NASCAR track with an infield circuit). I just relaxed my grip a bit and continued to roll on the throttle and the head shake went away.
This wasn't a slapper, just a little head shake. Still made my eyes bug out though.
Kelly
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I have always had the same idea, that braking cause the front to drop and the steering angle to sharpen, easing the change of direction. However, after being challenged by the instructors here, I have made an effort to actually pay attention to what is happening instead of simply relying upon what I have read. And I can assure you that my Triumph, at least, requires significantly more effort to turn when hard on the brakes than with little or no slowing down. It is also very apparent that it wants to run wide under acceleration.
I'm not really too concerned with how much effort I have to put in to turning the bike. Good body position puts you in position so that you are pushing perpendicular to the bars so all the effort acts to turn the wheel. If you are still on the brakes when you start your turn then absolutely it will require a little more strength which makes perfect sense: At that point in time there is more weight on the front tire than the back. You'll also perceive more weight because you are having to hold yourself up against the forces trying to send you over the handle bars. Good fun.
To address the effort required: I do 100 push ups every morning.
Ha! When I watched Twist of the Wrist II on DVD I laughed out loud at the part where the to new riders were talking about getting to the gym because their arms were all pumped from (incorrectly) riding. I had the same thought after my first track day. This was before I did CSS levels 1-2. I would have to pit early or skip sessions because I was so worn out.
I just did two track days in a row at Talladega GP and didn't have any of these issues. I was fresh and ready to go the second day.
Kelly
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I did levels 1 and 2 that same weekend. Flew from Nashville on Friday and returned on Monday.
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Heh... you can't receive new messages according the PM system. I will send an e-mail request.
Thanks!
Kelly
I better look in to that, what the hell?
CF
Looks like you got it. Full inbox snuck up on you, eh?
Kelly
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Just bringing this topic up to life again. This is primarily directed towards the instructors, but feel free to voice your opinion whoever you are
The most advanced and powerful bike available to the buying public today is the BMW S1000RR. If you consider those who participate on your school days, do you think they on average would be able to go faster around the track on this rocket (set to race mode) than let's say a Suzuki SV650? Or would the massive power overwhelm them?
And to take it a bit further - what about the average rider in the general population, including scooter and cruiser riders, how do you think they would fare? Would the friendliness of the SV outweigh the power of the BMW or not?
I rode the S1000RR at CSS in April of this year. I own a CBR 954 and it's a decent bike for it's age.
The BMW is so easy to ride it's almost boring. Everything works perfectly and by starting out in Rain mode I was actually disappointed in the power delivery until they switched us over to Sport mode.
In comparison the 954 turns quickly (perhaps a bit too quickly) and stop very well with the stock binders. The power is decent and it's fairly light, but is no match for the BMW in any area except of course price. I paid $4000 for my 954 in September of 2008.
After a 12 year hiatus I bought the 954. I should have bought the Ninja 250 or 500 like I had planned. Perhaps an SV650S. The 954 is too much bike really. With a smaller displacement bike you have to carry your speed through the corners. You just don't have the power to recover from a low entry speed.
I feel if a person is bored with a small displacement bike after a couple of months period of time then they either:
1) already know how to ride well
or
2) you are only interested in acceleration in a straight line
I know a lady that rode a Ninja 250 for 2 years before she bought her GSX-R 750. She smokes most riders I know in the corners.
That's just my 2 cents.
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A friend I ride with has an RC51. At a track day last year he was telling me he was riding the front brake through turns to help keep the front end planted. He uses Michelin Power Race tires and rides in the intermediate class. I highly question whether he actually needs to run race tires at a track day at his skill level. I personally think it's a waste of money, but that is a topic for another thread (probably already covered if I did a search).
I now know where he got this idea of braking in the turn.
I do however question some things.
1) Is he really riding to the limit and needs to do this or is he just mimicing the pros because this is what they do?
2) Doesn't this steal some traction from turning? (possibly the point of the the OP)
3) Wouldn't this actually slow you down? I know he is on the throttle while braking in the corner.
4) The point of being on the throttle in the turn is to transfer weight to the bigger rear tire and off the front tire to keep it from sliding out. How could this technique possibly help a non-pro rider? (assuming the pros aren't just blowing smoke)
Michelin power race tyres is a brand, not specifically meaning they're racing tyres. They are a track/road tyre and they're very good for reference.
1) unlikley.
2) No, but he does increase his chances of a lowside by doing so.
3) No, there is race lap time performance to be had by doing this, braking later into the turn and carrying more into the turn, but also see point 2. He wouldn't (well shouldn't), be braking all the way through the turn, that's completely uneccesary, you either brake, or use the throttle, not both to my mind.
4)Yes, that's right, the application of throttle does transfer the weight, though you can (and I don't reccomend it any beginner/moderate level), to brake into the turns (see point 2). What in essence happens, is the rider leverages the exceptional grip levels of the modern tyres and gets away with it. and thus thinks its something you can/should do.#
The reality if using the brakes with the bike leaned over is possible, though if you look at top level riders, as they increase lean angle, the brake lever pressure decreases. So lots of brake straight upright, and release pressure from turn point into the turn. How far you can go into the turn depends on the type of turn, how the bike is setup, the grip you have and so on. Reccomended. Not until it's really becoming your limiting factor to going really fast, No.
Bullet
Ok, I am with you on the tire question. It's a trade name, not a race tire.
And now for some other clarifications. I can be anal at times, don't take it as me being cheeky.
1) Which is unlikely? Riding to the limits or mimicking the pros?
3) I understand braking later will help lap times. He is dong this throughout the turn.
Trackday Season 2011
in School Questions/General Discussion
Posted
I bet it's tougher from White House, TN (USA)