Jump to content

I Did My First Trackday


Lint

Recommended Posts

Through my friend and mentor's company, The Total Performance Group that this happened. Aussie Dave Anthony, you know AMA Pro, was able to help me out as he was my track coach, one on one at Chuckwalla Valley Raceway. I never would have gotten to where I'm at without them. I am a completely different rider now, because of them. The difference is night and day! Mentoring and one on one coaching works. Damn does it work!

To put it mildly, any reservations or doubts about the performance capabilities of my 05 VFR have been permanently and absolutely obliterated. Any uncertainties I had about the Michelin Pilot Road 4 tires has been destroyed as well. Those tires work fantastically. I know they aren't track tires, but they don't. Even when I was hard on the gas coming out of turns and I could feel the back tire sliding a little under power, it never gave me any concern at all. The front tire was nothing but absolute communication. I could literally feel everything going on with it, incredibly hard braking, high lean angle braking into the turn, massive G-Forces mid turn and even in The Bowl which is a long sweeping right hand turn banked 10 degrees, I would be in 3rd gear, full throttle, with the G-Forces crushing me into the bike, the tires held.

The bike. Oh man, the bike. Totally stock. Spring at max compression, forks turned in all the way, and I know I weigh too much for the stock setup, even so, it just worked and worked and worked. Excellent acceleration, braking hard enough to stretch my eyeballs, lean angles far enough over to scratch the foot pegs, with the feelers removed, and the toe sliders on my boots, even with me hanging off the bike, almost completely and pushing the bike up, it worked and worked and worked. Braking late enough to pass 5 bikes into the turn, front tire chattering and squealing, it slowed right the hell down and tipped into the turn, it asked for nothing and delivered everything. I could feel the front right to the edge of adhesion, literally knowing that I could hold it right on the razor's edge and it would stay there all day.

I may at one time buy a track only bike, but I am never selling my VFR. Running bone stock and sport touring tires, it left many literally in the dust, as it was windy and blowing a light dust on the track. I wanted to put a sign on my back, saying you just got passed by a street bike. I am gobsmacked and smitten with my VFR!

I would like to do another day on my VFR once I get the suspension sorted out for my weight and have some track tires on it. I know there were many a corner there that I was having to hold back due to how the front felt and the fact that my tire wear is past the very edges of the tires. It's an interesting sensation to feel the tread of the tire when you are leaned over. It felt as if the front tire was literally clawing the track. The really fun part was feeling the rear sliding around a little coming out of turns at full throttle. That's fun!!!

Looking at the pictures I can see now that I have a lot farther that I can get off of the bike and get down around the turns, and this would allow me to push the bike up a little while carrying more speed around the turns.

Yeah, this is like crack. One hit and you're hooked!!!

Links to watermarked images:

http://www.caliphotography.com/photo...#image=5050215
http://www.caliphotography.com/photo...#image=5050164
http://www.caliphotography.com/photo...#image=5050029
http://www.caliphotography.com/photo...#image=5049902
http://www.caliphotography.com/photo...#image=5049901
http://www.caliphotography.com/photo...#image=5048945
http://www.caliphotography.com/photo...#image=5048944
http://www.caliphotography.com/photo...#image=5048695
http://www.caliphotography.com/photo...#image=5048696
http://www.caliphotography.com/photo...#image=5048751
http://www.caliphotography.com/photo...#image=5048752
http://www.caliphotography.com/photo...#image=5048753
http://www.caliphotography.com/photo...#image=5048754
http://www.caliphotography.com/photo...#image=5049052
http://www.caliphotography.com/photo...#image=5049053
http://www.caliphotography.com/photo...#image=5051328
http://www.caliphotography.com/photo...#image=5051329
http://www.caliphotography.com/photo...#image=5051331

post-25798-0-21592700-1426006778.jpg

post-25798-0-52304000-1426006778.jpg

post-25798-0-79113600-1426006778.jpg

post-25798-0-01696700-1426006779.jpg

post-25798-0-28633000-1426006779.jpg

post-25798-0-52755000-1426006779.jpg

post-25798-0-76216900-1426006779.jpg

post-25798-0-04155100-1426006780.jpg

post-25798-0-29533800-1426006780.jpg

post-25798-0-30468000-1426006781.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Great write-up and pics! Good to hear so many positive things about the VFRs handling by someone who is heavier (as I am too) than the engineering teams target rider weight.

- those PR4s look like they were rather warm, right to the edge! Congrats.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Member Contributer

Sounds like a blast... never doubt the VFR performance! They will outperform 90% or more of riders!!!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Member Contributer

Did my first trackday last October at Oulton Park UK.Loved it and gave me a lot more confidence on the bike.Found i was outbraking and passing guys on the corners but on the straights they left me. Had a great tussle with a guy on a Ducati, took me three laps to pass him, but i did. Am doing another in April at Cadwell Park. Fancy having a go at the Cadwell jump.

Will be more than happy if i can get the front wheel of the ground!!!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Member Contributer

Sweet! It's been far too long since I've had my VFR on the track. I've been racing in Chump Car the last couple years with our RX7. We went to Thunderhill a couple weeks ago, and all I could think about was how great it would be to have the VFR on the 5 mile course.

The CBS on the VFR is great for out-braking lighter bikes. Just ask the guy on the ZX6R that passed me at the end of the front straight at Buttonwillow, and proceeded to lowside into Sunrise (turn 1).

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

By using this site, you agree to our Privacy Policy.