Streets of Willow Sun Dec 11

[aprilmaybe]

That was freaking awesome!

It was really cool seeing a pack of monsters chasing around the track. You guys were looking really good out there.

I learned that I need to spend some time on more technical roads. I suck at the tight stuff, I never did get a good line through turn 4. I also need to be less concerned about whats going on behind me. I got better and more confident each session which is really cool.

A friend of mine crashed in the second session, very minor. Got her bike through tech again and was back out for the next session---good for her!

The R1 crash in the race was horrifiyng. It happend right in front of me. For those of you that go alot are there usually that many crashes?

[spidey]

[pops head in SoCal thread]

Sounds like you guys had a blast. Nick described it as "crack." [laugh]

It'd be fun to do a NorCal/SoCal/CentralCal day at Buttonwillow. It's as close to half-way as one can find. Course, you'd have to promise not to roll your eyes and point and laugh at our Japanese bikes (yes, we're Ducati-traitors). Something to ponder.

[derby]

ok, somebody tell us what happened to the r1 (in detail)...

Originally Posted by derby

ok, somebody tell us what happened to the r1 (in detail)...

What happened? He highsided coming off the skid pad and fell. Broke his scapula and dislocated his shoulder. My buddy Josh crashed coming out of the chicane and broke both sides of one ankle.

April, this was a bad day for crashing. The only other time I've seen so many crashes in one day was during the Toyota 200 weekend at Willow this year, many of them on account of the low temperatures and the high winds.

Did you notice that a lot of the racers in attendance where riding in the Sport group, and that almost all crashes were from street riders in the Race group? :

Yo Derby, David, Shawn - when are we going to see you maniacs out there? 8)

-R.

[derby]

Originally Posted by RST

Yo Derby, David, Shawn - when are we going to see you maniacs out there? 8)

next year after it warms up a tad... my winter weekends are supposed to be snowboarding, but i haven't made it up to mammoth yet.

..and i'm looking for a trackbike. >

[95Monster]

Glad you guys had a blast. Wish I coulda been there. Next time for sure!

I had a crappy start to my Supermoto career...(hmmm, maybe I shoulda been riding with you guys.) I started on the fourth row in the morning Heat race and when the flag went green a guy on the first row stalled. I had a lot of steam by then and tried to miss him but my left peg caught his rear tire and I went over the bars. Saw stars for a bit and had to sit it out. For the Main I was gridded on the last row due to the earlier DNF and just kinda cruised around riding like a 'girl thingy', a little spooked after the morning get off. Besides, I'd only ridden the bike for the first time in the morning warm up!

George

[darylbowden]

Originally Posted by Spidey

[pops head in SoCal thread]

Sounds like you guys had a blast.* Nick described it as "crack."* *[laugh]*

It'd be fun to do a NorCal/SoCal/CentralCal day at Buttonwillow.* It's as close to half-way as one can find.* Course, you'd have to promise not to roll your eyes and point and laugh at our Japanese bikes (yes, we're Ducati-traitors).* Something to ponder.

I am DEFINITELY in for this. Just getting to ride with Spidey and the high likelyhood that he will entertain us with a crash is good enough for me.

[darylbowden]

About the R1. EVERY time I go to the track for a trackday, some dumbass on a liter bike highsides. Although, suprisingly the last three times, I saw a HUGE number of 999s highside which seems odd considering that they're twins. The problem is, the people who are buying these bikes think they can handle them, and many of them can on the street, but the racetrack is a whole different story. You get som decent times, start pushing a bit and don't have good throttle control and BAM, you're on your ass with a broken collarbone and a concussion. It's even funnier to see the guys who start racing and their first bike is a 1000. Often times, their corner speed is just pitiful and they try to make it up with their hp, which tey can do to an extent, but as you all saw, getting on it, just a little early, can be a very bad thing.

[darylbowden]

Just takes a little patience and caution on the part of the rider. Not everyone who has a 1000 will go down, it's just that they are FAR less forgiving than even a 600, let alone a fizzer or an SV. If you don't ride over your head you'll be fine. And crashing is just part of the track day/racing experience. NO serious rider who's been riding for any decent amount of time on the track doesn't have at least a couple of good crash stories to tell. That's how you learn where the line is. I know Ryan had a pretty big highside in 4 not too long ago, just proves it can happen to anyone on any bike.

Haha - Shawn, if a literbike is all you got, racing it is better than not racing at all, isn't it? ;D And I appreciate your words of wisdom on the subject of butt zits.

Daryl - yeah, eight months later I can still feel that one and am still pvssy-footing my way around 4 as a result of it. Turns out I had a defective clutch seal that was spraying oil over my rear tire and the underside of my swingarm. Took another near-disaster to finally figure that one out. And then there's Clinton Whitehouse, who proved last month that one can highside a Fizzer in 4 with spectacular results on a dry track and clean tires.

Those little bikes can bite you in the @ss quicker than one might think, zits or not.

-R.