Streets of Willow Sun Dec 11

[darylbowden]

Yeah, Clinton's was ugly. Anyone can and will wreck at some point, and it usually seems to happen when you're really going good. You just find that line, cross over it a bit, and then next thing you know you've got a nice little concussion. And, I'm a p*ssy through 3 now cause of a nice wreck that took me into the oh-so-pleasantly rocky dirt. I'm sure I'll be a little cautious through 5 next time out too, since my last big track experience was a nice lowside in 5 last month.

[GregP]

I haven't been to to many track days, maybe 6 or 7 now, but that was by far the worst crash riddled day I've attended. The sport group seemed like we got through without any major drama. Those cats in the race group were dropping like flies. Usually, that group goes pretty well with exception of a lowside or two. I'm wondering if that TrackDaz race crew is just a bit, may I say, "squidly"? The sport group seemed totally safe as everyone, and I mean everyone, who passed me was in control and didn't cause me any concern.

Not that the supemoto guys weren't solid riders but I wonder if they through off the flow of a typical sportbike pace at a track day? It's the first time I've been to a track day with so many supermoto riders. At least 1/3, if not more.

Anyway, I'll stick with the 620 as I can use two gears the whole way around and grab a handfull of throttle with no concern of a highside. Oh, and the tarmac turn before the start/finish straight is way sketchy. Can you say new pavement please? I saw a guy on a 125 disappear for a moment in one of the cracks out there. Geeesh.

[SupaFly_2_EB]

Originally Posted by RST

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

-R.

One of these days. The stars just never seem to line up...

Maybe late spring with my GI-Bill money [laugh]

Daryl,

Sorry to hear about your crash. That part of track riding's never fun.

-R.

[darylbowden]

Yeah, it sucks, but that's part of the game. Whaddya gonna do?

[Speeddog]

Getting in a little late on this one....

Had a fantastic time, it was much warmer than I expected, actually perfect temp IMO.
Bike ran flawlessly.
Track was a bit bumpier than I expected, but in all it's a good reproduction of the kind of stuff you see on the street.

Initially the bike was a little nervous in Turn 1, so I went up a click on all damping and it felt better.
I've thought about it a bit since then, and concluded that it was the only corner I was going into at about 90 (Ooops, forgot to tape over my speedo* : ), and probably wasn't tucked enough to keep the front end weighted. I seemed to be willing to go into 1 harder than a lot of the other folks.* ???

The entry to the chicane section was pretty sketchy, again near 90 and you had to commit to your line before you could see where you had to go...

Turn 5, that had the tent, was kinda nasty.
Last session was a bit perplexing until I realized they had removed the tent, I hadn't conciously been using it for a reference but evidently really was.

The bowl turn ( 8? ) was strange, I never felt I had a good line, I think I did better on a higher line but it's still really an odd corner.

Skidpad corner was tough, no outside edge to the track there, and pretty choppy and slick feeling.
I can see where the R1 guy could have apexed early due to lack of reference frame, and then got pinched on the exit with too much throttle on.

IIRC, the sport group had zero red flags, and the race group only had one session that didn't get red-flagged.
That was odd.

The motard guys were a little perplexing, they certainly were fast in the tight stuff, but really seemed to just give up on the straights, perhaps that speed differential was part of the issue in the race group.

One of the TrakDaz guys on a KTM got past me in the tight stuff, so I caned him with motor on the front straight and into 1, then watched him go way underneath me in 2 and dissapear. [cheeky]

Some sportbike guy had his left lower blow off going into 1 when I was about 80 feet behind him.

All in all, a great time. [thumbsup]

[darylbowden]

Turn 1 is VERy fast, 90 isn't pushing it at, don't worry. As for the bowl, I like to go in high, late apex, then come out railing for the chicane. And yeah, that chicane is hairy the first few times cause you just gotta believe you've got it, and then grab a fistful of brake for the tight left. The skid pad really isn't that difficult of a turn, you just start wide, tighten up for a late apex and you get a good drive for the front striaght. But, it IS slippery and especially for guys with a lot o torque under their right wrist have to be very careful. I'm glad everyone had a good time though, sorry I couldn't make it, but I'll definitely be there next time.

[ericmonstro]

PICS, or better yet...VIDEO!! HURRY! ME NEEDS!!

[Speeddog]

A rather hurried resizing of pics taken by the Palomar pics guy, they're ginormous photos.
A pretty good deal BTW, $30 for 18 pics ( all that he shot in the first half of the day ). Some are quite similar, and not all stellar quality, but a whole lot better than walking away empty handed.


[img width=600 height=400]http://www.ducatimonster.org/ImageFolio3_files/gallery/DML_Titanium_Member_Folders/Speeddogs_Pics/MM3I3447med.JPG[/img]

[img width=600 height=400]http://www.ducatimonster.org/ImageFolio3_files/gallery/DML_Titanium_Member_Folders/Speeddogs_Pics/MM3I3553med.JPG[/img]

[img width=600 height=400]http://www.ducatimonster.org/ImageFolio3_files/gallery/DML_Titanium_Member_Folders/Speeddogs_Pics/MM3I4681med.JPG[/img]

[img width=600 height=400]http://www.ducatimonster.org/ImageFolio3_files/gallery/DML_Titanium_Member_Folders/Speeddogs_Pics/MM3I4684med.JPG[/img]

[ericmonstro]

AWESOME PICS........damn that looks awesome, I bet it sounded even more awesome.

damnit damnit damnit..............NEXT TIMe