Track day

[Deleted account 251212001]

Not sure id bother on a gs, those sticky out bits will cost a fortune to replace unlike jap crap where you replace a crash bung and pop a new fairing on.

should be fun but you will be as quick out of corners for twenty yards and then get wasted everywhere else.

Last time i went to donnington there were a couple of gs'd in the intermediates, god they looked daft and one was rumoured to have binned it later on.

 

[Blackal]

I've slid a 1200Adv up the road at about 50mph.................

Only damage was a badly scraped head guard, and engine bar.

Cost to repair was around £100

Wouldn't want to repair a sports bike faring............


Al

 

[Spike]

Go for it. get yourself booked into the Novice group and build it up slowly once on track.

First time out you will be shitting yourself wondering what its all about and how you going to do etc etc, Take the mirrors OFF or turn them in, concentrate on where you are going NOT where you have been. Bikes WILL be faster than you, bikes WILL pass you but it has to be safe, should be no diving up the inside at the last minute etc etc., they want to be past they should/have to come round the outside of you.

I have done loads of track days on race bikes but never on a GS, BUT I have just done the nurburgh ring with the Mrs on the back and I was well pleased with how it handled even two up.

1. start slowly and build the speed never try to be a Rossi on the first lap it aint gonna happen
2. do 2 maybe 3 laps to get the tyres nice and warm/hot
3. go at your pace and do not get sucked into a race (it will be hard I know)
4. make sure your brakes are fine and good meat on the discs and pads, you will use them alot more in anger than you will on the road.
5. Have fun, thats what a track day is all about.

spike

 

[Deleted account 251212001]

I've slid a 1200Adv up the road at about 50mph.................

Only damage was a badly scraped head guard, and engine bar.

Cost to repair was around £100

Wouldn't want to repair a sports bike faring............


Al

Bully for you do all gs come with engine bars , no

 

[(RIP) Miff]

You can get track day insurance. I think MCE does it.

Enjoy the day.

I did Brands indy circuit on my Bandit 600. An unsuitable bike, but GREAT fun.

I also did Cadwell (in horrendous rain) on a home brewed supermoto Suzuki DR650 with Avon road legal wets on.

Both bikes aren't what you'd call track bikes. I was in the slow group on both occaisions. I also wasn't the slowest (or the fastest). Didn't care how slow I was, I just LOVED IT...

 

[Micky]

Why do people have to tilt the photograph to make them look as if their leaning over more

 

[Blackal]

Bully for you do all gs come with engine bars , no

Ooooh - so sorreeeeeeee............


Al

 

[phillh]

I did a couple of experience days courtesy of Buell before HD decided to close them down. One was at Castle Combe, the other at Mallory Park.

I rode most of their range but the most fun for me was the Ulysses, a tall 1200cc on road/off roader which was their answer to the GS.

It wasnt as quick as the other bikes there and had 'all terrain' type tyres which compromised corner speed and braking but it was brilliant fun and taught me a lot about myself and riding bikes.

Incidently, the whole thing was very professionally run and policed and faster riders gave you space if you were on the Ulysses and overtook when it was safe to do so.

I think you will have a great time on the GS.

 

[tanneman]

Parts you are likely to replace.

Lost the front of the R1100S in the wet at Snetterton before Riches at about 110mph. Repairs cost me just over £300 of which the rocker cover and mirror was the most expensive. The plastics was undamaged.

Low sided the 1200GSA exiting Agostini at Snetterton and the only damage was the rocker cover guard and some scrapes on the crash bars and rear luggage rack. The scrapes on the luggage rack were smoothed out and the relatively light damage on the crash bars can be filled and painted over. Rocker cover guard is about £70. The foot pegs and centre stand touches down so regularly it is not worth worrying about.

All the clichés about a well ridden GS bla, bla, bla. The fact is that the GS gives you so much confidence and the brakes are fantastic and you can only lean it so far before it bottoms out. It is very easy to ride and it is fast enough to run comfortably in the fast group. The power of modern superbikes mean that a proper fit and fast rider may be able to explore the limits of the bike, traction and tyres. There is not many of them around. I run in the intermediate group and took the GSA out for a laugh. What a pisstake that was as I was able to go under riders in Coram or round the outside and outbrake them. Ground clearance is the only limiting factor. These bikes is very good and does a lot of things very well but not a master of anything so do recognise the limits and ride it accordingly on track. In the end of the day you have to enjoy it so no need to push yourself beyond your comfort zone.

I think it is the best to make use of the instructor to show the lines and you can slowly build up to speed even if you have been to the track a dozen times. Concentrating on being precise with corner entry, apex and exit. You can later work on gears, body position and trying different lines into the corner.

 

[Wilsdorf]

No GS should be able to run in the fast group. That said it all depends on who is in the fast group, but there should not be a GS.

 

[tanneman]

Well, I've seen one doing quite well in fast group ridden by a certain Mr David Hallsall. He gets his knee down regularly. In the end it is down to rider and how far he is willing to push it, fitness, concentration and confidence. Just enjoy it

 

[sagalout]

No GS should be able to run in the fast group. That said it all depends on who is in the fast group, but there should not be a GS.

I did a Bike Magazine 'Reclaim our tracks' day last year at Oulton Park (I was on a GSXR1000) and there was an R1200RT in the fast group, complete with radio. He held his own just fine with the sportsbikes

As said above, even on most racetracks very few people can get anywhere near the best out of a litre bike (I certainly couldn't which is why I sold it!)

 

[tanneman]

There is another Bike Magazine reclaim our tracks outing at Snetterton later this year. Details on the ClubMSV website. £89 is not a bad deal. It possibly is the best introduction for novices to track days apart from the BMW club which ran 2 track days this year at the same venue.

I understand that a tosser from this parish lost control of his GS at Rockingham earlier this year. Slippery place that when it gets wet

 

[Roymondo]

Bully for you do all gs come with engine bars , no

By the same token, do Jap sportsbikes come with crash bungs..?

 

[Giles]

There is another Bike Magazine reclaim our tracks outing at Snetterton later this year. Details on the ClubMSV website. £89 is not a bad deal. It possibly is the best introduction for novices to track days apart from the BMW club which ran 2 track days this year at the same venue.

I understand that a tosser from this parish lost control of his GS at Rockingham earlier this year. Slippery place that when it gets wet

Me !!!! Teaching with Rapid.

Folded the front at turn one in the rain. Rockingham is very slippery when it's wet

Minimal damage thanks to the rocker cover guards - ebay £30, job done !

 

[Deleted account 211025001]

Jeeeeez! That is PROPER rain!!

Andres

 

[boo]

Thanks for all the replies I shall heed all advice and take all instruction from the organisers on board and try to enjoy the day just hope it's not pissing down!! Boo

 

[Schtum]

Thanks for all the replies I shall heed all advice and take all instruction from the organisers on board and try to enjoy the day just hope it's not pissing down!! Boo

It may not be as much fun but I'd contend that you learn more in the wet.

Cue pic of my last tracknight, in the pissing rain, at Knockhill, on a mate's Ducati....