klavdy Posted November 21, 2011 Report Share Posted November 21, 2011 What a beaut selection of tracks for next year, too beaut as it makes it hard to choose just one. I'm going to do one as part of my holiday trip to the U.S, but which one? Willow Springs is fun but it's a bit of a dull area afterwards,but it's also the gateway to the fantastic routes to the north. Thunderbolt, I know next to nothing of the area, any insiders care to share a few tips? Barber, wow, that's nice around there and the Museum itself is a destination all on its own. Hmmmm,which one? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hotfoot Posted November 22, 2011 Report Share Posted November 22, 2011 What a beaut selection of tracks for next year, too beaut as it makes it hard to choose just one. I'm going to do one as part of my holiday trip to the U.S, but which one? Willow Springs is fun but it's a bit of a dull area afterwards,but it's also the gateway to the fantastic routes to the north. Thunderbolt, I know next to nothing of the area, any insiders care to share a few tips? Barber, wow, that's nice around there and the Museum itself is a destination all on its own. Hmmmm,which one? Well, weather is pretty reliable at Willow Springs - most days are sunny and rain is rare, there are a lot of school dates to choose from, and it is only an hour's drive or so to Los Angeles, plenty to do in LA... but Barber is really gorgeous, I love the track itself and the grounds are fantastic, beautiful and full of sculptures, really unique. If I could only choose one I think I'd take Barber, if the dates and travel work out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fossilfuel Posted November 22, 2011 Report Share Posted November 22, 2011 Barber! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fossilfuel Posted November 22, 2011 Report Share Posted November 22, 2011 Barber! I am a little prejudice when it comes to Barber. It's my home track even if it is 4 hours away. I have been to Willow Springs and the school was on Streets of Willow not the infamous Willow Springs track, Laguna Seca which would be my hands down choice just because of the history, you are walking on sacred ground,and VIR was ok but doesn't blow up my skirt. Barber is one of the most pristine tracks I have ever visited. The last time I was there they had people walking the paddock sweeping with dust pans around all the pop ups, there are sculptures around the track, a spider in turn five with baby spiders following the black widow. They call the turn Charlotte's Web and it suits it, a down hill off camber turn that will grab you on cold tires or on the brakes a little to long. The faster I go the more I appreciate the track. You need good throttle control to go fast. Turn one is blind, a 100 mile an hour left hand that has to be taken before you see the corner, turn two is leaned over forever going down hill to turn three where you are on the gas before the apex up hill to a blind right hand corner that gets the front lighter than you want, even if you are a foot off the curbing it still puts you out on the edge of the left side when you need to be on the right for turn 5. Turn 5 down hill off camber left hand turn that is super slow that has you on the gas on the edge of turn 6 that gets the front light enough for a tank slapper. The middle straight takes you to turn 7 that you have to trail into and finish the braking before you go over the curbing to fall down into the Alabama Roller Coaster, a left hand on camber turn that squats your bike to the ends of your suspension adjustment. Many people have highsided out of this one. It's tricky getting the speed right for this one. Turns 9 and 10 make a chicane at the entry to the back straight, very very fast left then right leaned over on your knee getting the throttle to send you down to 11 another blind left hander into 12 a right hand up hill they call the tunnel turn down hill on the throttle over the hill. If you are not careful can throw you out to the edge on the left that is hard to recover from....secret...turn up the hill a little late to get up on the tire earlier and straighter. Over the hill down onto a right hander fast as you can up a hill into 14A and 14B decreasing radius to a short shoot for the final turn 15...many have lost it here as well....The grass is like a golf course and flowers are planted in the spring. The museum is in a class by itself. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cobie Fair Posted November 23, 2011 Report Share Posted November 23, 2011 Thunderbolt and VIR are also nice. VIR could be the staff favorite, great fun. Not that much to do in Danville at night. T/bolt is in south Jersey, there is Atlantic City, and in the other direction Philidelphi, not far away if you come friends significant other. CF Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jasonzilla Posted November 23, 2011 Report Share Posted November 23, 2011 I've never been to Barber, but I can tell you that Streets is an OK track in a lame place. Then you're close to Los Angeles. That place sucks on steroids. It's a nasty city without as much to offer as they advertise. The whole city is dirty and smells of ass. BUT, if you're just doing a trackday and want a fantastic track, Auto Club Speedway is probably my favorite out of the ones I've ridden. Again, you're stuck in LA, but it's worth it to ride the track. Expensive, though. $250 a day. I'm with Fossil if I have my choice, am doing the school or not, and have the cash to do it: Laguna. And you're close to San Francisco. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hotfoot Posted November 23, 2011 Report Share Posted November 23, 2011 Thunderbolt and VIR are also nice. VIR could be the staff favorite, great fun. Not that much to do in Danville at night. T/bolt is in south Jersey, there is Atlantic City, and in the other direction Philidelphi, not far away if you come friends significant other. CF Oh, yeah, +1 for VIR, amazing track, beautiful grounds, historic place and has an on-site resort hotel, and it's 1500 acres of gorgeous greenery and gentle hills and the roads around it are lovely to drive, that's a great suggestion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cobie Fair Posted November 28, 2011 Report Share Posted November 28, 2011 Been in LA since 1970, admitedly there are some minuses to it, but there are some nice things about being out here: the ocean, mountains, any sport you are interested in, good food, all the amusement parks, and the weather really is hard to beat, especially if you like riding a motorcycle. All within about 1-2 hours of each other. CF Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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