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I woke up at 5am after a really crappy night's sleep, rubbed my eyes, and saw 34 degrees on the thermometer. F**K! Was I really going to ride my dumb freezing ass to the track? I survived the ride, the upside being 50 degrees later in the day felt like summer. On arrival I got a few pity offers to help prep for tech, but no coffee or blankets. After yanking the luggage, mirrors, fuses and plate, I taped all the lenses and was ready to go.
Eric's attitude in the Basic School rider's meeting set the perfect tone for the day, he acted like a little kid excited to hit the track.
Steve did a thorough and energetic job explaining the material in class, which went long in the morning because of a garage incident. We finally got on track for 2 short follow-the leader sessions before lunch. It was a good warm-up considering the chilly track and tire temps, and essential instruction of the proper line for those who didn't know it*. I would have been really impatient at this point if it had been warmer, but I do know the classroom info is important, even more so because it is prep for actual racing.
* I do think more time in class illustrating the proper racing line would have helped many of the newer riders. My trackday experience (mostly Tony's, a few with Boston Moto) meant most of the morning was an easy review for me, the exception being the additional flags and safety procedures of racing.
[edit:] I almost forgot what a great job Steve did explaining the importance of correct body position/torso support to enable a light, relaxed grip on the bars, which then gives you a much better feel for what the motorcycle and tires are doing. It took me until last year to understand this was the most important riding advice EVER for me (I can be a slow learner/listener). He also stressed the importance of smooth inputs, which also took me years to get. All great points to review, and crucial for newer track riders.
After lunch they combined our group on track with the Novice racers, and that rocked! We finally had a chance to really get on it, and I've always loved traffic and passing opportunities. I felt good, fast enough, and competent, but reminded myself that plenty of riders out there weren't nearly as comfortable on track and not to get cocky.
15 minute track sessions alternated with more class time the rest of the afternoon. I still have to grow a bigger pair and hit the gas harder on corner exits, but my braking felt good and the back end was dancing around a little into T1 and T3 and I decided to back off a bit.
We got an unexpected final session on track before the RR, a good chance to stay loose and keep the heat in the tires (PP2ct's if anyone cares). I had a great final session except for breaking one of my passing rules making an agressive move on the right side of T5 over the hill, where I know many riders drift right to set up for T6. To avoid contact I hopped the rumble strip (never saw it there before) into the dirt, into the grass with the bars wagging, then back on track to complete the pass. I gave a quick "sorry" wave in T6, but the guy behind me now may have been too pissed to notice.
Rookie Race: I felt good, ready, nervous about the start (never practiced one) but excited about the rest of it. Rode an aggressive warm-up lap like I wanted to, gridded up (3rd wave), arms out. Green flag for wave 1 (MM), visor down, and instantly fogged from all my heavy breathing. Visor up, green flag for wave 2 CRAP! visor down, first gear, squinting through the fog, and knew I missed a good start when the guy behind me went screaming by. I pulled a small wheelie to compensate, got it down and passed a few back into T1 and T1a. This was going to be fun!
The rest of the race was pure awesomeness, I had a blast passing, feeling fairly fast but staying in control. I wish it had lasted 8 laps, 20 minutes even. I don't know where I ended up in my wave, but I think there was at least one guy I never caught.
I haven't slept well since. It's going to be a long wait until May.
PS: good meeting a few of you from NESR (Dan, Corey, Brett, Jim on the phone) in the Boston Moto corner, and everyone in class as well.
Last edited by brady; 04-19-11 at 12:01 PM. Reason: added classroom topics
'02 SV650 street|woods|race LRRS #128
glad you had fun. good job on the Rossi dirt pass.
LRRS Am #331
Graphic Tailor / Woodcraft / Armour Bodies / Suomy / Cycle Performance Autobody / Shorai / ChickenHawk Racing
I been on that dirt a lot on my tard. I did hit the dirt coming out of the bowl this weekend. Thanx for the posting.
Nice report! Why did you torture yourself by not racing this weekend after the RR?
Roland Arsenault
LRRS and USCRA #763
2012, 2013 and 2015 Big Fish Small Pond Champion
"The 4 board is an upshift marker, not a brake marker"
Nice report! Why did you torture yourself by not racing this weekend after the RR?
- The SV is not fully prepped yet. Call me crazy, but I have a race tail I'm going to set up with a quick-release light/plate module. Belly pan is in hand, but not mounted. More safety wiring to do. DOT's are not mounted yet.
- Basic School was a late upgrade from the "Track Experience" I won here at auction, so I had:
- other family stuff scheduled for the weekend
- I didn't exactly tell my wife it ended up being more than a track day...yet
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. She's really good about "letting" me do what keeps me happy, but I'll have to ease into this one a bit more than usual. Who knows, she may already have her suspicions, she did ask "honey, was that you?" over my shoulder as I watched the cell phone vid of the RR start.
PS: sorry to hear about your incident, Roland, but glad to hear you got back on track yesterday. Give us the brake system forensics when you have a chance.
Last edited by brady; 04-19-11 at 05:52 AM. Reason: PS
'02 SV650 street|woods|race LRRS #128
I look forward to seeing you out there racing next LRRS weekend. The start of a day was a little crazy - in 20 years I've never had to roll an ambulance before the first practice. That was a freak thing.... but Steve did a good job keeping things flowing and told me that the Basic students were a good crew of guys.
I really like how the new Novice class is making it more comfortable for new guys to get into the sport. With the fastest Novices moved out automatically, newer guys don't ahve to worry about getting their fairings sucked off as someone doing 1:18's goes by. Don't forget that for your first weekend you will get reduced entry fees for your races. $90 for three races and some practice is about as cheap as track time will ever be.
Best of luck - glad you had fun! (tell all your friends to check out the races)
Roland Arsenault
LRRS and USCRA #763
2012, 2013 and 2015 Big Fish Small Pond Champion
"The 4 board is an upshift marker, not a brake marker"
I subscribe to the "It's better to ask forgiveness than permission," theory as well.![]()
LRRS/CCS AM 636
LRRS Am #331
Graphic Tailor / Woodcraft / Armour Bodies / Suomy / Cycle Performance Autobody / Shorai / ChickenHawk Racing
Everyone understood the schedule glitches were out of your control, and safety related.
I think the new Novice class structure is a great idea, hope it gets more people out there, too.
I haven't forgotten the reduced fees, believe me!
thanks again, well done, I will be back in May.
'02 SV650 street|woods|race LRRS #128
addendum:5. After dreaming about this all winter I wanted to be sure I wouldn't turn into a quivering mess of fear and adrenaline on the grid. Adrenaline yes, but turns out it was better than I imagined, and how often does that happen? (secret answer: 3 times so far - sex with another person, skydiving, and [rookie] racing)
6. I'd much rather spend an extra month prepping my bike and being able to focus 100% on riding than have to rush or stress about anything mechanical.
'02 SV650 street|woods|race LRRS #128
hey brady,
if you need some help with parts of #1 as well as #6, don't hesitate to get in touch with your neighbor 2 towns over. I have everything for (race) bike prepping.
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Last edited by brady; 04-19-11 at 08:55 PM.
'02 SV650 street|woods|race LRRS #128
LRRS Am #331
Graphic Tailor / Woodcraft / Armour Bodies / Suomy / Cycle Performance Autobody / Shorai / ChickenHawk Racing
maybe sympathetic wasn't the right word; how about addiction enablers?
'02 SV650 street|woods|race LRRS #128
"You know the dealer, the dealer is a man
With the love grass in his hand
Oh but the butcher is a monster
Good God, he's not a natural man
The dealer for a nickel
Lord, will sell you lots of sweet dreams
Ah, but the butcher'll ruin your body
Lord, he'll leave your, he'll leave your mind to scream
God damn, The Butcher
God damn, God damn the Butcher
I said God damn, God, God damn The Butcher man"
now that's what I'm talkin about
'02 SV650 street|woods|race LRRS #128
God Damn the Butcher!
"I'd rather ride a slow bike fast than a fast bike slow"
Bikes: Ducati: 748 (Track) Honda: RC31 (Race/street)/ CRF 110 Mini Moto/ Hawk Endurance Racer Kawasaki: ZXR1200R
BOMO Instructor
EX# X
Nice report, and glad to see you racing.
Now, do yourself a favor; Practice what you've learned the next couple race weekends, and take Penguin's Advanced course by fall, before you develop too many bad habits.
Learn the right ways from the get-go and you'll be better rider/racer for it.
You owe it to yourself.
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Mike
Am #124