Member Contributer CornerCarver Posted July 23, 2014 Member Contributer Share Posted July 23, 2014 Well, the boys have needed to do a track day for a few months now. As much fun as TexasMac is you should reserve the triple digit knee-dragging kind of shenanigans for the track and not Blood Mountain (even if Randy Dunn has his camera on and is about to pass you on CBR-XX). I'll let Stephen post a link to that video. So, in the interest of advancing science, furthering the species and survival of the fittest while trying to garner the most smiles per gallon of pure petrol and the fewest miles per day from a set of abused sport tires the Carver clan loaded up and headed to South Carolina for a track day weekend July 12-13. So we start by prepping the bikes a few weeks in advance. After the suspension was sussed out...we started to remove some of the parts that might make you reconsider how hard you want to drive out of a corner. Pretty plastic is removed and replaced with something more practical for the track...like track plastic. Something is missing in there..ram air? Safety wiring the oil drain bolt. Important stuff in first... Gotta take Reece, he is always looking for the open door on the truck. Looks like we can finally get on the road. Arriving at Carolina Motorsports Park on Saturday morning was easy as it was only a 45-50 minute drive over from my uncles house. My aunt made us some BLT's for breakfast and the boys were tardy getting up as usual. The CMP paddock was buzzing with people getting their bikes through Tech Inspection and we arrived with enough time to unload two of the three before the riders meeting at 0830. We hustle back to our easy up under a large oak tree and try to get the other bike unloaded and head over for tech as our group is lining up for their first 20 minute session on the track. It is my first time running intermediate and the boys first time on the track. A little subterfuge and indirect answering of questions gets our paperwork sorted and all of us through tech as the first session ends. We line up with our group and get ready for the second session. Early on we are taking it easy and learning the track. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer CornerCarver Posted July 23, 2014 Author Member Contributer Share Posted July 23, 2014 CMP runs 3 sessions before lunch then 4 after. We took the lunch break opportunity for me to inquire about getting out of the sand and into a garage space... So much nicer. I then hit up the lead instructor for the I group (Mark Perrone) and asked him to show the Carvers the correct line around CMP. Mark was as generous with his time as he is quick. Every pixel of video that he appears in with us and every pic on the track has him in excellent form, low and behind the wind screen and then hanging off inside and low. Now we were ready to mix it up a bit. Those track bikes sure look like fun when they would pass us on the straights. Of course having some fun with your son is always a good use of time. He is better in right turns than I but I had this turn dialed in all day. The Dunlop Q3's were perfect. The first Dunlops I have run intentionally...meaning if I buy a bike with Dunlops I generally take them off first chance I get. We couldn't really ask for more grip once we had a lap on them from the pits. While the edges of the rears we worn out after two days and about 240 miles of track duty they can be commuted on here in PTC for another 600 - 800 miles. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer CornerCarver Posted July 23, 2014 Author Member Contributer Share Posted July 23, 2014 The tires were so good that I could feel the rear touching down after hard braking coming into turn 1 and turn 11. And this pic shows me crawling up on the tank to keep the front down when accelerating hard from a turn. I could feel the front tire skimming the track when accelerating hard at gear changes in the first four gears. My nephew flew over at the end of day one and everyone was pretty excited about it. He was texting me for the address from the PIC seat of his Apache. I sent the GPS coordinates and told the camera guy that he should be able to get a pretty good pic of a military chopper in a few minutes...he asked me something about Harley's and then I couldn't hear him anymore... Not only was it much cooler and cleaner in the garage but we just left our bikes and some of our gear there with the 24 hour security and other track day bikers while we went back to my uncles for dinner, showers and sleep. Sunday we did it all again with gusto! For anyone on the fence about track days or Lee Parks Total Control Classes shoot me a pm and I will answer any questions I can. I would say that without Total Control the track day would have been much less fun. The boys (and I) learned so much in April at Total Control level I and II that we knew we wanted to do a track day soon. Now they have the bug and want to build dedicated track bikes. Yikes! So many people came over and told us they could tell when we came down the back straight or they could hear how different our bikes sounded compared to the I4's wailing. Many of the instructors and racers told us how cool it was to see VFR's out on the track holding their own. So we just rode until it was time to put them away on Sunday. And boy were we dog tired when we got home to Atlanta on Monday. Enjoy! We did! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Earthshake Posted July 23, 2014 Share Posted July 23, 2014 Glad you boys enjoyed it, wish I could have joined you! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twitte Posted July 23, 2014 Share Posted July 23, 2014 Looks great! I am about to order myself a set of Q'3 for track day use, glad you liked them. Linked brakes bother you trail braking into turns? That was my only complaint on the 6th gen. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wera803 Posted July 23, 2014 Share Posted July 23, 2014 Looks like you guys had a great time, wish I could have been there too! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer 007 Posted July 23, 2014 Member Contributer Share Posted July 23, 2014 If only I had a VFR track bike... I second the Q3s as an excellent tire. The Keith Code California Superbike school uses them on the S1000RRs, and I might be using them exclusively on the road going forward. Pretty good wear even from sport riding. The front doesn't seem to triangulate like other tires. Ridiculous grip in the dry. No problems in some wet weather duty, either. You can get a set with $40 rebate until the end of July. It takes a lot for me to say this, since my wreck in 2006 was partially due to a Dunlop front that wouldn't stick to wet pavement: I am a Dunlop Q3 fan. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcrwt644 Posted July 23, 2014 Share Posted July 23, 2014 nice, I'll get on a track some day before I die Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer CornerCarver Posted July 23, 2014 Author Member Contributer Share Posted July 23, 2014 Looks great! I am about to order myself a set of Q'3 for track day use, glad you liked them. Linked brakes bother you trail braking into turns? That was my only complaint on the 6th gen. As much as I pissed and moaned about linked brakes when I first joined this board in 06 I really cannot fault them. I can carry the rear wheel at an embarrassing height for emergency stops. I think the real deficit shows on the VFR brakes at the track and that is brake fade from hauling down a 485lb bike from triple digit speeds 3 times a lap at CMP. Towards the end of each 20 minute session I would find myself around lap 6-7 (we were running consistent laps in the 1:55-1:58 range) almost overshooting turn 1 then I would remember to use my rear brake as well. We picked CMP for the first track day for the boys because it is almost a perfect VFR track. Only 14 turns and 2.28 miles in length the short chutes between turn 7 and 8 would allow us to see 110 or so before braking for the fast turn 8. If you nail the exit of turn 8 and use all the VFR torque liter bikes could not get past between 8 and 9. Turn 9 goes is just a slight bend, throttle still pinned clicking off another two upshifts between 8 an 10 finds me at 125-130 mph and having to brake slightly and allow the bike to wander from the right to left edge of the track while setting up for the hairpin turn 11. Down the front straight after turn 14 is where most good riders on track prepped bikes had to get the 3 VFRs after we learned the lines. If you keep the VFR between 8k -12k rpm it takes a decent rider to dispatch you. So only three sections where speeds would be in the 115-130 range and the brakes (front only - linked) were good enough to not use the rear until 6-7 laps in what was usually a 9-10 lap event (depending on how hard you pushed to warm your tires on the out lap). Unlike some of the more well known tracks (Road Atlanta, VIR) the speeds available were not above 160-170 so it's not as bad getting used to seeing the "ground rolling past at 125" as MiniCarver said without being a rolling chicane for the RR bikes with good riders. Top it off and CMP is $310 for both days while some of the nicer, larger tracks can be $250 or more for a single day and we had an great time. Three different pics, each trail braking into a turn with linked brakes. I would opt for 8 pistons up front as opposed to 5 (on 6G linked brakes) for track days but at least I get all 6 when I apply the rear brake as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer OutlawsJustice Posted July 23, 2014 Member Contributer Share Posted July 23, 2014 Wish I had been there with you all! I did use my VFR to coach one day at NYST this spring, and Loved it for that as well. pics look really good! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wera803 Posted July 23, 2014 Share Posted July 23, 2014 we were running consistent laps in the 1:55-1:58 range I just looked at the onboard video from the last time wera910 and I were there and we were running the exact same times, just depending on traffic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer Rush2112 Posted July 23, 2014 Member Contributer Share Posted July 23, 2014 Always nice to see the VFRs on the track... I wish there was audio of the the 3 V4s accelerating down a straight!!! Thanks for sharing! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer CornerCarver Posted July 24, 2014 Author Member Contributer Share Posted July 24, 2014 Wish I had been there with you all! I did use my VFR to coach one day at NYST this spring, and Loved it for that as well. pics look really good! David, We wish you could have joined us as well...so much fun and each of us critiquing the other on their technique, turn in, flop, body position and trail braking. What an amazing weekend. Thanks again for everything you taught us in April! Hope our schedule works out to get together with you in Nashville next time as well. we were running consistent laps in the 1:55-1:58 range I just looked at the onboard video from the last time wera910 and I were there and we were running the exact same times, just depending on traffic. We were just going by wrist watch and video we watched afterwards...in the 1:55's was the best of laps. Most out laps without tire warmers were around 2:05-2:07 and then we started to push it. We are looking for a few more 6G frames with salvage titles or priced cheap to begin 3 VFR track bike builds. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VietHorse Posted July 24, 2014 Share Posted July 24, 2014 Great report you have here. Who was shooting your pix was awesome as well. Hold on, is there any such rule of "no texting while flying"?? My nephew flew over at the end of day one and everyone was pretty excited about it. He was texting me for the address from the PIC seat of his Apache. I sent the GPS coordinates and told the camera guy that he should be able to get a pretty good pic of a military chopper in a few minutes...he asked me something about Harley's and then I couldn't hear him anymore... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TallCarver Posted July 24, 2014 Share Posted July 24, 2014 Looks great! I am about to order myself a set of Q'3 for track day use, glad you liked them. Linked brakes bother you trail braking into turns? That was my only complaint on the 6th gen. If anything, I'd say my ABS linked brakes were stellar. The ABS was just working its butt off after each straight. And I'm used to using them for trail braking. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TallCarver Posted July 24, 2014 Share Posted July 24, 2014 Coming down the front straight and didn't get passed! A shot of myself learning the track Testing the limits of these new tires 100+ MPH leaning into the kink called turn 10 I could close the gap with this guy in the corners and lose it on the pull This is what you look for It's the experience that brings you back As CornerCarver said, we're looking to build track-specific bikes so I can put my pretty plastics back on my '03 and deck it out with comfort items... like a heated seat and grips with a gyroscopic warming cup holder for my morning coffee... all fit for a thirteen-hour day in the saddle... And not have to do a week's worth of work taking it all off for the racetrack! After winning the the track day: "Yes I'd like thank Dunlop with my tyres. And Honda for the building my bike. It eh' ride so smoothe for me and I feel the ABS click to my cornering. Thank to my sponsor CornerCarver and to Total Control and MiniCarver for helping my to be faster. Uhh Thank You" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sweeper Posted July 24, 2014 Share Posted July 24, 2014 Great pics! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer 007 Posted July 25, 2014 Member Contributer Share Posted July 25, 2014 After winning the the track day: "Yes I'd like thank Dunlop with my tyres. And Honda for the building my bike. It eh' ride so smoothe for me and I feel the ABS click to my cornering. Thank to my sponsor CornerCarver and to Total Control and MiniCarver for helping my to be faster. Uhh Thank You" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer CornerCarver Posted July 25, 2014 Author Member Contributer Share Posted July 25, 2014 If I had a 38" inseam and a 20" torso I would look like I won the track day...you goober! Instead I just look like "that poor 5th Gen is sure carrying a lot of extra weight"... As your sponsor I would like to Jamie Daugherty Motorsports for getting the forks and your shock turned around in time for the track day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer whitelightning Posted July 25, 2014 Member Contributer Share Posted July 25, 2014 Looks like too much fun! Next time I'm there! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer Kel Posted July 26, 2014 Member Contributer Share Posted July 26, 2014 Awesome, felt like I was there. Way cool to do it with the family. Great pics as well. Thanks for sharing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer kebrider Posted July 26, 2014 Member Contributer Share Posted July 26, 2014 Great shots and and an equally impressive podium speech. Looks like a fabulous time Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer CornerCarver Posted July 26, 2014 Author Member Contributer Share Posted July 26, 2014 Thanks. For you commenting on the great shots, you should see some of of the full size images. AMAZING. You can see all of the pics on US129Photos.com as they do the track day photos for STT. Some of the not so great shots are from the phone cameras. We are guys and didn't bring a real camera. :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer kebrider Posted July 26, 2014 Member Contributer Share Posted July 26, 2014 Thanks. For you commenting on the great shots, you should see some of of the full size images. AMAZING. You can see all of the pics on US129Photos.com as they do the track day photos for STT. Some of the not so great shots are from the phone cameras. We are guys and didn't bring a real camera. :-) Real cameras are never as good as the real lies so why bother. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer kebrider Posted July 26, 2014 Member Contributer Share Posted July 26, 2014 And there it is, a million dollar idea. The ultimate track day camera, call it the Bench Racer 2000. The digital images it creates will automatically enhance the lean angle of your track day action shots. User adjustable for: Angle enhancement frequency (default = 30 days) Maximum angle achieved Digitally enhanced (uh, created) knee puck sparks with puck material preference setting (aluminum, titanium and actual hockey puck material for certain DC residents) Optional elbow contact feature Or we could just buy beer and stick to the audible versions we all know and love. Seriously great shots of guys already so no lies necessary but in 3 TMACs I'll have Steve with a track record just because I can. KEB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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