GSA on Track

[Ali-bear]

What they said

I did a wet track day at Castle Combe last Friday on my 955i Daytona, there was a chap there on a GSA. I would recommend you take off any accessories such as sat nav units, luggage etc.

Don't worry about anyone else just go at your own pace. Go in the slow group unless you think you should go up and one of the instructors/organisers will put you up a group if needs be.

Don't chuck it up the track like I did with my Dayto

 

[Gonzo]

But anyone can ride fast in a straight line... doesn't really hold any appeal to me.

Totally agree.

It was normally me and 59 rice rocket riders. Who were admiring my blistered Tourances (not difficult) after the second session.

 

[Mav]

Totally agree.

It was normally me and 59 rice rocket riders. Who were admiring my blistered Tourances (not difficult) after the second session.

 

[Bendy toy]

Norman Hossack was beating factory bikes with his special space frame bike back in the 1970's. His front end design separates brake and suspension forces so his riders could brake to the apex and get straight back on the power with bikes with normal forks had to wait for the suspension to settle.

The narrow minded factories ignored his ideas so we are (almost) all stick with a reworked but basically prehistoric design. BMW took his front fork designs after the patents ran out. Telelever is a hybrid that probably gives more wheel travel but is relatively heavy and complex to make. The Duolever is a Hossack.

 

[patzx12]

Norman Hossack was beating factory bikes with his special space frame bike back in the 1970's. His front end design separates brake and suspension forces so his riders could brake to the apex and get straight back on the power with bikes with normal forks had to wait for the suspension to settle.

The narrow minded factories ignored his ideas so we are (almost) all stick with a reworked but basically prehistoric design. BMW took his front fork designs after the patents ran out. Telelever is a hybrid that probably gives more wheel travel but is relatively heavy and complex to make. The Duolever is a Hossack.

The K Duolever is a descendant of the Hossack design and a fine setup it is, the K's are great track bikes.

 

[tanneman]

Speaking of the front end. I had the R1100S out on track yesterday at Snetterton. Now this bike has always amazed me as how damn stable the thing is in corners and the speed it carries in a corner. Braking into the corners and the really hard braking before it remains very stable as if asking: ''Is that all you've got?'' This went up to the point that I had the front hopping before tipping in and another time the tyre squealed a bit (no ABS). I must add that suddenly releasing the brakes halfway to the apex upsets the bike so you have to be smooth letting go of the lever and providing the suspension is in good order. Those complaining about feedback miss the point. As said before is separates the suspension from the steering and under normal road riding might feel dull. But turn the pace up to 8 and above and the feel for the tyre is there.

On a GS or GSA you will always be limited by the ground clearance, You can find a few extra mm by jacking it up to hard off road or 2up with luggage or have good body positioning but you will not find the limit of the tyre unless you are stupid enough to be to hard on the accelerator out of the corner (we are talking about dry tarmac here). DAMHIK

 

[Bendy toy]

BMW built in a little brake dive to suit riders used to the way normal forks behave. Personally, I would now like some adjustment to remove the dive (and the squat under power).

Ive had my GSA front wash-out on a poor surface. It was easy to deal with so there must be good tyre feel. On my ordinary suspended Yamaha I'd have been going a whole lot slower and probably binned it as well.

 

[Silver-Surfer]

Had a great night at Knockhill on the GSA tonight ! Wasn't the fastest (by a long way) but wasn't the slowest ! Those bloody R1000 RR things are soooooooo fast ! But the GSA was sure footed and fun.

 

[Schtum]

Had a great night at Knockhill on the GSA tonight ! Wasn't the fastest (by a long way) but wasn't the slowest ! Those bloody R1000 RR things are soooooooo fast ! But the GSA was sure footed and fun.

So this wasn't you, then.....

*Edit* It would appear that you have to be one of my Faecesboak friends to be able to see this.....

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