undrlord

I will be at Barber this coming weekend. Looking forward to learning a lot. I have riden Barber twice and looking for some help.

I have let sportbike riding become a passion for me and I really don't see myself stopping any time soon. I joined NESBA and have been to 3 track days so far. Everytime I go out I do feel like I am improving but I looked at it this way.....IF I am going to continue my quest to become a better rider then I need to learn the correct way to do it. At track days you can get some feed back but most of the control riders are helping out other riders and just keeping an overall eye on everyone so your "time alone" with someone giving you tips is limited. I can't wait to attend my level 1 and 2 school this weekend!!! I have been waiting for months and it is finally here. I was really hoping for some cooler weather, not the 100 degree days that will be there, but oh well. I just gotta stay hydrated.

Wow Racer.....that is very interesting for sure. My story is not nearly as long or even as close to as interesting as yours =) Here is all I have. In roughly 1998 or 1999 I got started in local SCCA events racing a Honda CRX. The year I raced I took 1st place in my local class. I attended one regional event in Evansville IN and came in 3rd in my class. The next year I decided to switch up cars and bought a Miata. It was fun to drive but started having a few issues w/ it, mechanically, so I called it quits for the year. As time went on w/ the Miata I slowly started to modify it and ended up w/ a turbo kit on it running 15psi. Getting me close to 250 HP at the wheels. Very quick, very fun car to drive. But as time went on w/ that It started to become to small so I sold it for a BMW. After years of not racing and doing the marriage thing I started to get the itch for something for a hobby again but I knew I didn't have the room for another car.....so.....a friend of mine had just bought an '04 R6 and it just looked like so much fun. I had grown up riding quads and the occational dirt bike but never riden a street bike. After over a year of trying to convince, my now ex-wife, she let me take the motorcycle safty course and picked up my first bike in July of 2005......a 2004 Kawi ZX-6R, Kawi green of course!! I had never really thought about getting on the track w/ one because I always thought that it was unobtainable, to expensive, to do. Until I found NESBA. By June 2006 we had purchased off the gear to get out to the track. All I can say is WOW!!! That was without a doubt the coolest thing that I had ever done in my life....I was totally hooked. Around July I was going through a divorce so what better than retail theropy =) I decided to look for another bike and got hooked on getting a liter bike. So in July of 2006 I bought a 2006 Kawi ZX-10R. Man I love this bike, but respect the power of it big time. In September I had a wreck on it. It was not high speed and no other cars involved. It was contributed to cold tires and slick spot in the pavement. In fact I was only going like 5 mph. I ended up high siding off it and broke my collar bone. Needless to say I was devistated by this and was going to sell both bikes and get out of riding all together. After months of thing about it I decided that it would be totally stupid to do that since I have so much fun riding. So I got rid of the ZX6 and let the mods begin for the ZX10 =) We hit Road Atlanta in May and back to Barber in June. Two very fun tracks and two very different tracks. It was at that time that me and my buddy had decided that there is no way in this world that we are going to stop going to track days ever.....so with that being said we decided to attend the school. We figured that if we are going to continue track days there is no need to be out there practicing the wrong things on track that might get us in trouble. We never plan on racing professionally but use this as more of a wonderful hobby where you can meet other wonderful people and gain those life long friendships w/ others that are willing to give you a helping hand when needed. I know that this school is our next step in becoming better, more knowledgeable riders. There it is. Not nearly as cool as yours but my interest has just begun =)

Well since everyone comes here to talk about bikes....lets talk about them. Racer - what do you ride? How long have you been at it (riding that is)?

So it is considered bashing her whenever I am just saying that she was being a smart a$$ to me? Maybe ya'll know whoever it was that answered the phone and know that she is a nice person, maybe she was having a bad day.....I don't know. All I am saying is that it was not handled very professionally. Kevin - I appreciate your input about the lap timer and I do 100% understand that it is a cornering school NOT a race school. I am going to this to become better and more confident in my riding. I have only been to 3 track days total, all w/ NESBA, and 2 of those 3 events have been at Barber. I am giving this school 110% of my undivided attention and plan on learning alot from the experienced riders out there. I don't break any rules when I ride on track so if they say no passing....then there will be no passing. I am bringing my lap timer for two reasons.....first they are new and I would like to see if they work before I go to another track day and second I don't want to have to pay for my lap times from the school if I have a device that can tell me right then and there for free. Look, I have talked to a lot of people that have said this school is wonderful that is one of the main reasons that we chose to attend it. I am sorry if me posting on here, valid questions and opinions, has ruffled anyones feathers.

Thanks for the info and input guys. Racer...I know what you are saying and believe me I am one of the nicest people in the world and very easy to get along w/. I like to be over prepared for everything and just want some answers to some quick easy questions. All I wanted for this girl to do yesterday was say, "give me a sec and I will find out the answer for you." Thats it! But then she flips the table and becomes rude to me. That is all I am going to say about it. I will be there w/ bells on and looking forward to getting a ton of first hand knowledge that I know I need to make me better. Thanks again!!

I have contacted the Director of Operations at Barber and he told me that it was up to the school whether or not we can pit early. So I call the school and get the same girl that always answers the phone. I asked to speak w/ Trevor, this is who the Barber Director told me to speak w/, and she said that he was not in at the moment and asked if she could take a message. I said yes and began to give her my info and she started being a smart ass on the phone to me. I told her what it was concerning and then she tells me that Trevor will not be back in the office until after the Barber event. She then says that she will get Trevor the message to call me. I asked her if she was going to be able to get him the message before the event and she said that she would try her best. All of this was done w/ a really smart ass tone from her. I am thinking that I really don't appreciate being talked to that way when I am paying $1000 to someone for training. There is never any mention from her about her seeing if she could ask someone right then and there to find out the answers to my questions. That is all I want is to get a straight answer from someone, NOT her. Is there anyone that can do that for me!! Sorry for the rant, but it is getting close to the event and I am just trying to be prepared. I have been to track days before and know how they run.....I am just not sure about this.

Also I understand that the school uses DB Comm system for getting lap times. I have found someone that will let me use a transmitter for our XT timers, are you pretty sure that it would be ok to set this up? Is there someone that I can call, other than the main number, so I can get more precise info as opposed to the ladies in the office?

Hey undrlord, Unpacking is a good question.? I would call the track and specificlly ask if you can unpack on Friday. Some tracks are very accomidating, some only allow entry the day of. I would also ask about the electricity. EZup' should not be a problem. Bob from Etech will be there taking photos of all students. He will post photos thoughout the day. I dont think the XT lap timer will work with the school system, but I'm sure Trevor will allow you to put a transmitter if you have one. If you dont have a transmitter, school transponders are available. Take care Jr I guess I will give them a call about the unpacking. We have always been able to unpack the day before w/ NESBA because we don't like leaving our bikes at the hotel. That stinks about the lap timers. Guess we will need to locate a transmitter.

Me and a buddy of mine are attending the school at Barber on August 25 and 26. We both have been to Barber twice w/ NESBA and kinda know what to expect w/ them. Here are my questions about this day....Can we unpack and pit in of Friday evening or can we only arrive on Saturday? I take it that we can setup EZ up tents in the pit area but will electricity be an option (we can pay for a box when we go with NESBA to power fans and such). Will there be people there taking pics of us while on track? We both have XT lap timers....are these good to use w/ the system that use? Sorry for all of the questions but figured I would ask now and not wait until the last minute. Thanks..... Lance