marc-f Posted May 4, 2011 Report Share Posted May 4, 2011 Hello from Switzerland, The natural step is to join the forum just after last weekend's levels 1 & 2 in Calafat. Excellent learning but a lot more to go so it'll be practice time now ! Cheers Marc Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ollie Posted May 5, 2011 Report Share Posted May 5, 2011 Welcome Marc Plenty of learning to be done on here too. Extremely jealous of your trip to Calafat, what's the track like? Regards Ollie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
warregl Posted May 5, 2011 Report Share Posted May 5, 2011 Welcome Marc! Tell us a bit about you and your riding. Are you new to the motorcycles or a grizzled veteran? In what areas are you hoping to improve you riding, are you looking to be safer on the street or are you trying to shave tenths off of your fastest lap times? And what do you ride? And tell us about your experience with CSS at Calafat. We're a nosy bunch but on the plus side Bullet has a marvelous singing voice and Cobie is grace personified on the dance floor...is that TMI? Ok, so I have a strange sense of humor but don't let that stop you form jumping in on the forum, most of the folks here can actually offer up quality advice and a ton of useful information. Post up and ride safe. Best, Carey Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bullet Posted May 5, 2011 Report Share Posted May 5, 2011 We're a nosy bunch but on the plus side Bullet has a marvelous singing voice and Cobie is grace personified on the dance floor...is that TMI? You have no idea. Marc, welcome to the site sir, good to have you onboard. Glad you enjoyed the Calafat trip, the boys said it was an excellent do. Bullet Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jasonzilla Posted May 5, 2011 Report Share Posted May 5, 2011 Welcome. Always glad to have more riders on board. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marc-f Posted May 5, 2011 Author Report Share Posted May 5, 2011 Welcome Marc Ollie: ... Extremely jealous of your trip to Calafat, what's the track like? IMHO (only went to 4 tracks so far) The track is really nice because : for one it's in Spain which has a culture of "the faster and louder it it the better we like it". Then it has 3 sets of chicanes 2 of which are blind. It also has left and right hand hairpins (the exit to the right one is curved and partly blind - you actually need a ref point between the turn in and the apex) It has kind of fast sweepers (both right but one has a very blind exit - you need a good combination of a high ref point and pick up to get good speed out of that one) It has a tight 100° right hander with a rather mesmerizing sand pit - good place to get the 3 step right ! The first session was a bit scary suddenly discovering chicanes. Not a very stable bike on that one. Welcome Marc! Tell us a bit about you and your riding. Are you new to the motorcycles or a grizzled veteran? In what areas are you hoping to improve you riding, are you looking to be safer on the street or are you trying to shave tenths off of your fastest lap times? And what do you ride? And tell us about your experience with CSS at Calafat. As you may have seen from my profile, I'm based in Geneva / Switzerland so plenty of nice Alpine roads to ride. I got my 125cm3 license in 1986 and rid about 3 times my dad's Suzuki GN124 4 stroke (the wife didn't like it back then - I changed the wife but that took more time than expected ...) I didn't ride for 16 years until my Dad went on retirement and gave me the 125. About 2 weeks later i got a big cube license and have been riding ever since (Bandit 1200 for 4 years, BMW K1200R for 4 more and a K1300R since march 2009. Mid 2009 I got my lovely girlfriend to start riding (by registering her to the beginner's training at the Cornu Master School) she got license in 1 1/2 month and rides a BMW F800R. We did some further advanced courses and eventually decided to go to a course held on rack in August 2010. Needless to say we loved it. With 2 track days I decided to switch my barely used private car (got company car) for a S1000RR in November last year. I prepped the bike over winter (race fairing, rear sets, etc.) and tested it for the first time on track 26/27 March in Bresse. With my "track" buddy Andy we'd already registered to Levels 1 & 2 in Spain (at equal distance to UK, it seemed the meteoro-logical choice). The experience was really really good: I can't think of any area where I've undergone such progress in such limited time thanks to Keith, Spidey and Gromit amongst he team. To make it short I went from physically hauling the bike through corners at a speed limit imposed by my lack of skill to a lot faster and smoother with plenty of time in corners to look out for plenty of RPs :-) I still ride roads with the K13R and the S1KRR will be used on track. We're a nosy bunch but on the plus side Bullet has a marvelous singing voice and Cobie is grace personified on the dance floor...is that TMI? Go on Bullet: I'll back you up with my guitar :-) Ok, so I have a strange sense of humor but don't let that stop you form jumping in on the forum, most of the folks here can actually offer up quality advice and a ton of useful information. Post up and ride safe. Will do! some pics : This is with Gromit trying to get into my wide view: Oh BTW: on my friend Andy 's suggestion I chose "Gustav 6" as it was the call sign of the ex-firemen van I got for hauling bikes around. The choice in leather colors was totally fortuitous as it was the only one in my size. With a white and red van and leathers, the race fairing could only go the same way ! Cheers Marc Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Rutter Posted May 5, 2011 Report Share Posted May 5, 2011 Looking good there Marc. I'm still working on getting my bride-to-be to ride, but I doubt it's ever going to happen. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marc-f Posted May 5, 2011 Author Report Share Posted May 5, 2011 Well, the beginner's course at Cornu Master School really starts at basics e.g. walking round a 50cm3 holding it with 2 fingers to allow people not to get scared of dropping it. Plus the staff is AAA and at the end of the second day, provided the trainee has a provisional license (that you get instantly in Switz. if you already have theory through car license for instance) you can choose to ride up and down a sweeping pass road (that usually does it for the decision to continue riding). Hopefully you can find such a school/training in your area and just book her as a "gift with no obligation to become Rossi" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Rutter Posted May 5, 2011 Report Share Posted May 5, 2011 True enough, not sure what she'd say to that, we have a scheme here at the moment where you can try a bike for an hour free, they introduce the controls and have you riding around a car park within that time. My brother did it last year and is due to do the first part of his training this Saturday. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marc-f Posted May 5, 2011 Author Report Share Posted May 5, 2011 Good luck ! and they make nice women leathers now (can also help)! This is here at the track last year (and she'll be doing Levels 1 & 2 next year) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
warregl Posted May 5, 2011 Report Share Posted May 5, 2011 Great pix Marc! I love the red and white color scheme, it's unique. And it appears we have a bit in common, I road when I was younger and then took about 16 years off as well (life has a habit of happening regardless of your plans). I've been back riding for the last 3 and currently have a K1200R as my street bike and I'm shopping for a track bike (would love to add an S1000RR to the stable but that might have to wait). Have you tracked either of your KRs? And I'm very jealous of those alpine roads you have so feel free to post pictures to rub it in. Best, Carey BTW...that van rocks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marc-f Posted May 6, 2011 Author Report Share Posted May 6, 2011 Have you tracked either of your KRs? And I'm very jealous of those alpine roads you have so feel free to post pictures to rub it in. Best, Carey BTW...that van rocks! Yes I've tracked the K13R twice: Le Castellet HTTT or Paul Ricard as it's called down there (where I could max it out) and Anneau du Rhin, both tracks in France. Some roads : L aTremola (old St.Gothard road) The Furka: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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