Oct 4, 5 - Last NH trackdays

[Femmekat]

Thanks so much Tony for letting Dan and I ride yesterday! One last hurrah at Loudon for me... I had a great time, and it was good to work on a couple of things that I wanted to improve after the weekend. I had to sit out a couple of sessions because I was exhausted but was glad I stayed at the track for a 6th day

[TTD]

Thanks so much Tony for letting Dan and I ride yesterday! One last hurrah at Loudon for me... I had a great time:

You're very welcome. I am surprised at how many cancellations we had.

We're having another perfect day right now. Dry as a bone and everyone is keeping it upright now... after a not so stellar warm up session.

I guess I need to learn another way to say - "the track is cold - warm up your tires carefully"

Oh well, time to put the leathers on and get in a few sessions.

[Garandman]

Another excellent day yesterday. I skipped the last two sessions as I was beat but still had a lot of laps in. Hope the rain cuts you some slack today!

Took some helmet cam video[/url] of one of the yellow sessions. The camera (on the left side of my helmet) is aimed a touch too high and my head movements (like the rest of my movements on the bike, it seems) are a little wobbly so it's not great. The sound track is annoying wind noise.

Bikes pass me at 4:00, 4:40, and two at 5:12 so if you were there you might appear: fairly briefly as all four of you motored away from me quite rapidly. Sure seems faster when you are out there!

YouTube - Track Day NHMS 10/5/10 - SV650

[Fowl998]

Any news on the person that went down in turn 1 yesterday in the blue group? My thoughts are with whoever it was and I hope they are okay.

[Fastsc92]

The weather on Tuesday was great and I think everyone was quite surprised. I was eager to get out there and enjoy my first of two days with Tony's. Unfortunately, I never even got to get on the track in any sessions. Seems like my bike was only running on 3cyls shortly after I unloaded it at 7:00.

I worked on it from 9:00 till 2:00 with no luck getting it fixed. All coils are firing, and all plugs have spark. I'm pretty sure at this point that it's a faulty injector. Not what you'd expect from a brand new bike with less than 2k on it.

Anyhow, it looked like everyone else was having a blast, and I want to extend my thanks to everyone that stopped by in the pits to give me a hand.

Not the way I intended to end my season, but these things happen I guess.

Going to do some more diag before it goes back to the stealership under warranty. Tony, I'll be in touch via email. Good luck to everyone else today, ride safe. WISH I COULD BE THERE!!

[Phalanx]

I want to thank everyone for the incredible experience I had on monday. From Tony, down to his
staff and even the other riders that are willing to help/giver advice, etc. It was unbelievable.

I really wish I could have done more than one day, but Ill just have to save my pennies and
vacation days for next season.

I also wish my bike had a bit more gitty-up for the straights. My only 'complaint' was that i found
myself often wanting to go faster than someone who was in front of me and constantly having to
hit the brakes hard because I was planning on carrying more speed through a corner than them.

I would then try and carry enough speed through the corner leading into one of the passing straights,
but the bike just didnt have enough juice and before I could get into view of the rider in front of me,
they twisted the throttle and took-off on their much more powerful bike... only for me to catch up
again in the corners.

Not a huge deal, it was just a little frustrating.

[clyons]

If you survive the night, drop in garage 10 and say hi. I'm the one with two bikes with a combined displacement of 375cc.

Did you have a son on the 125? I couldn't believe how well those little things hauled around the track, as we were constantly back in forth if pitting out at the same time.

It was great to see everyone up there and I'm just finally putting faces to bikes as I see pictures come out, I'll definitely get to know everyone in the coming year as I get into this more often.

Tony, thanks for another excellent day out there, hopefully today goes well for everyone and the rain isn't too bad.

[Ken C]

Any news on the person that went down in turn 1 yesterday in the blue group? My thoughts are with whoever it was and I hope they are okay.

I accompanied his friend to the Medical Center and he was doing ok. He had a shoulder injury of some sort.

[Fowl998]

Glad to hear he's okay. It's a little scary to see someone down on the track that long. Best wishes to him.

[Rada]

I accompanied his friend to the Medical Center and he was doing ok. He had a shoulder injury of some sort.

Any idea what caused it. He was down pretty early in 1. Did he have a brake issue?

Glad to hear he is OK

Tuesday was a great day on the track.
The 125s do get around there pretty well. I followed one of them for most of a session and picked some nice lines for low powered bikes.

Today was not as nice. The first 2 sessions were dry for blue then it got wet. Fun none the less. And we made it home before dark.

See you next year.

Rada

[Ken C]

Any idea what caused it. He was down pretty early in 1. Did he have a brake issue?

Rada

He said he had brand new brake pads that bit more than he expected... and cold tires.

[clyons]

Rada, what were you riding?

[rolker]

Did you have a son on the 125? I couldn't believe how well those little things hauled around the track, as we were constantly back in forth if pitting out at the same time.

It was great to see everyone up there and I'm just finally putting faces to bikes as I see pictures come out, I'll definitely get to know everyone in the coming year as I get into this more often.

Tony, thanks for another excellent day out there, hopefully today goes well for everyone and the rain isn't too bad.

That was Jake and his dad Jeff you are thinking about, both on 125s. I was the other one on a 125 (until I slightly damaged the piston).

[Rada]

Rada, what were you riding?

Blue 05 SV650S

That makes sense ken. Thanks

[MellowYellow]

That was Jake and his dad Jeff you are thinking about, both on 125s. I was the other one on a 125 (until I slightly damaged the piston).

Hey Roland Jim here, you know the rashed yellow gixxer. LOL!! Post up some pics of that lump of a piston.
It was very nice to meet you!

[rolker]

Did we meet and I didn't realize it was you? We could have chatted quite a bit about the EX250 and small bikes.

I also wish my bike had a bit more gitty-up for the straights. My only 'complaint' was that i found
myself often wanting to go faster than someone who was in front of me and constantly having to
hit the brakes hard because I was planning on carrying more speed through a corner than them.

I would then try and carry enough speed through the corner leading into one of the passing straights,
but the bike just didnt have enough juice and before I could get into view of the rider in front of me,
they twisted the throttle and took-off on their much more powerful bike... only for me to catch up
again in the corners.

Not a huge deal, it was just a little frustrating.

Here are a couple of options for you:

1- Get a more powerful bike. Not necessarily bigger. I opted for a lighter, more powerful bike (but I didn't abandon the EX250!)

and/or

2- Refine your skills so you can better plan and safely execute passes within the rules (if any) of the organization you are riding with. This is something I have been working on for years and will be working on the rest of my riding career. It will not eliminate the problem, but seeing those slow big bikes as challenges rather than obstacles will help make you better appreciate the accomplishment when you cleanly execute a pass on them.

[rolker]

Post up some pics of that lump of a piston.
It was very nice to meet you!

Nice meeting you too. Ask and you shall receive! (Thanks to Jeff for the photos)

[Chippertheripper]

Oh noes! Bing diddling ding ding cough cough!

[clyons]

oh man rolker, thats probably why I didn't see it moving owards the end of the day. That must have made one hell of a sound when it happened...

[rolker]

Oh noes! Bing diddling ding ding cough cough!

Yup, wide open throttle going into the bowl!

[rolker]

oh man rolker, thats probably why I didn't see it moving owards the end of the day. That must have made one hell of a sound when it happened...

Yeah, the RS125 wasn't moving anymore but the EX250 was!

The abrupt change from the happy 12k rpm buzz to metal being ripped apart was dramatic, but not as dramatic as the nose dive the bike took from being under power to suddenly having engine braking for the first time in its life!

[Phalanx]

Did we meet and I didn't realize it was you? We could have chatted quite a bit about the EX250 and small bikes.

Here are a couple of options for you:

1- Get a more powerful bike. Not necessarily bigger. I opted for a lighter, more powerful bike (but I didn't abandon the EX250!)
and/or
2- Refine your skills so you can better plan and safely execute passes within the rules (if any) of the organization you are riding with. This is something I have been working on for years and will be working on the rest of my riding career. It will not eliminate the problem, but seeing those slow big bikes as challenges rather than obstacles will help make you better appreciate the accomplishment when you cleanly execute a pass on them.

I dont think we spoke, unfortunately. We might have, though. Im awful with names... I was only there on Monday. I was in the front garage, right next to MellowYellow (Jim).

I dont want to give up on the 250. I still think that learning to ride that 'flat out', as they say, and really honing my overall riding skill would be the best bet purely from a riding experience/skill standpoint. However, I think for general everyday and/or trackday enjoyment bumping up to a bigger bike is the best bet.

Fortunately, Ive got all winter to think about what Im going to do.

[rolker]

I dont think we spoke, unfortunately. We might have, though. Im awful with names... I was only there on Monday. I was in the front garage, right next to MellowYellow (Jim).

I dont want to give up on the 250. I still think that learning to ride that 'flat out', as they say, and really honing my overall riding skill would be the best bet purely from a riding experience/skill standpoint. However, I think for general everyday and/or trackday enjoyment bumping up to a bigger bike is the best bet.

Fortunately, Ive got all winter to think about what Im going to do.

Too bad you didn't stick around for the 3 days. After blowing the engine on the 125 yesterday, I took the 250 out and went "flat out" with it all afternoon and went "not so flat out" all day today in the rain. I had forgotten how insanely fun that bike can be!

[Phalanx]

Too bad you didn't stick around for the 3 days. After blowing the engine on the 125 yesterday, I took the 250 out and went "flat out" with it all afternoon and went "not so flat out" all day today in the rain. I had forgotten how insanely fun that bike can be!

I wanted to, badly. Unfortunately, I used my last vacation day on monday. Taking unpaid time off isnt exactly an option, lol.

Is your 250 set up for the track or for the street?

[Garandman]

Oh noes! Bing diddling ding ding cough cough!

I was behind little Miller for one warmup. He was doing the bing dadinging and I was doing the coughing....



That'll buff right out....