Track days on the GS?

[FLASH]

It's the beak.......they don't like it up 'em....

 

[robeekay67]

paul....

theres enuff of you on here....get a team together for th IOM TT.surely that'll get any lingering doubts people may have about the gs and its handling (me included)??????? id defo chuck sponsor money in for that!

 

[Harv]

Dont get too carried away....

... not pi$$ing on anyones fire but dont get too carried away by GS's and the like on track days.
I took a 'big trail bike' on a Donnington track day and like some of you managed to overtake everything in my 'intermediate' group except a solitary Fireblade!
The one Fireblade I couldnt catch then went out with the 'expert' class later in the day and was lapped 5 times by a bloke called Pete Jennings.... Pete was riding an NSR 125 Honda...yes it was an ex GP class 125 and Pete at the time was 3rd in the British Championship but nontheless it was a 125....
Someone earlier hit the nail on the head, the GS delivers just about the best power versus ability of average/good road riders.
If you are 'eating sportsbikes for dinner' on your GS its because your a better rider than them or your bike suits the road better but on a track, two riders of similar ability, one on a sports bike versus one on a GS....only one result Im afraid.
I swapped to a race school 600 and after 20 minutes or so took 4 seconds off of my best lap on a bike I had covered 20,000 miles on and fitted like a glove.... and yes I do ride a GS....and yes on normal roads with lumps, bumps and potholes Im quicker than I am on a sportsbike.
Just my honest opinion/experience.

 

[CoolCarbon]

Re: Dont get too carried away....

... not pi$$ing on anyones fire but dont get too carried away by GS's and the like on track days.
I took a 'big trail bike' on a Donnington track day and like some of you managed to overtake everything in my 'intermediate' group except a solitary Fireblade!
The one Fireblade I couldnt catch then went out with the 'expert' class later in the day and was lapped 5 times by a bloke called Pete Jennings.... Pete was riding an NSR 125 Honda...yes it was an ex GP class 125 and Pete at the time was 3rd in the British Championship but nontheless it was a 125....
Someone earlier hit the nail on the head, the GS delivers just about the best power versus ability of average/good road riders.
If you are 'eating sportsbikes for dinner' on your GS its because your a better rider than them or your bike suits the road better but on a track, two riders of similar ability, one on a sports bike versus one on a GS....only one result Im afraid.
I swapped to a race school 600 and after 20 minutes or so took 4 seconds off of my best lap on a bike I had covered 20,000 miles on and fitted like a glove.... and yes I do ride a GS....and yes on normal roads with lumps, bumps and potholes Im quicker than I am on a sportsbike.
Just my honest opinion/experience.

Nicely balanced view there Harv...........

CC

 

[Shurv]

Pete Jennings, top bloke. He was my instructor on a race school day at Donnington i did a year or 2 back. He had travelled to Donington on a borrowed bike and claimed that anyone who rides on the roads needs their heads testing. He was a really good instructor, I learnt a lot about riding fast and smooth.

Marcus

 

[Mzokk]

I’m with Harv on this one. The Gs is a good road bike for clocking miles in comfort but a sports bike or trackday bike it ain’t . I’ve got a GSXR600 and lap Kirkistown in Northern Ireland in about 1’06/7 on a good day ..the 600 lap record is around 59secs. I took the GS round for a laugh and the best lap was 1’13. I was knackered after 10 laps wrestling it round. Ground clearance is a problem as is wallowing and sliding (tourances are not designed for that kind of thing. the sliding was gentle and predictable though). Also the gsxr would eat it on any decently surfaced road like those found in the North of Scotland!!

 

[Philip]

i agree with Harv, but I think that the GS is probably an "easier" bike to ride than most sports tackle. the power delivery and relative lack of it, lack of dive on the brakes due to telelever, sit up position that aids visibility gives a more relaxed feel to the bike (read smoother and probably therefore faster if your that way inclined).

probably the biggest benefit i find is that due to lack of weight on the bars (and telelever) i dont find myself loading the front when backing off in corners - just when it doesn't need it. Interestingly since getting a GS I dont recall a panic need to back off mid corner (obviously going far too slow now). Put another way, the bike seems to shrug off my hamfisted inputs rather than magnify them into a fully blown brown trouser incident. Knowing I won't get bitten as hard lets you explore the envelope of performance with more confidence.

put two racers or highly skilled riders on sportsbike and gs then it would be a no contest. put two moderately skilled riders on sportsbike and gs then i wouldn't bet against the gs!

 

[Candyman]

I would like to try a track day on a GS but not with the intent of trying to race the sportsbikes but to ride within a 'safer' environment to practice some high speed cornering. At least on a track you don't get mom in the 4 wheel tank and the 17 year old in dad's car or diesel on the road.

 

[ralphy]

I would like to try a track day on a GS but not with the intent of trying to race the sportsbikes but to ride within a 'safer' environment to practice some high speed cornering. At least on a track you don't get mom in the 4 wheel tank and the 17 year old in dad's car or diesel on the road.

My sentiments entirely.

Not long after I passed my test I took my (newly acquired) VFR750 to a track day at Castle Coombe, organised by Fowlers of Bristol. I'd never been on one before & admit I felt intimidated: esp. when I arrived & saw all these fit young guys off loading race bikes from vans, tyre warmers, etc! Everyone else looked the part; full racing leathers & 'talking it up large'. To make matters worse, just before we got started it started to rain heavily - & I had NO confidence on wet roads - and it didn't stop raining (stair rods) all day..................

Amazingly, almost half of the other riders didn't even go out - and those that did slowly died away over the day. By mid -afternoon there was less than 10 of us out on the track - from a start of 70! So, I took the opportunity to practice my riding in the wet, safe from all the stuff that can happen on the public roads. It was superb; my confidence increased dramatically - esp. when I went back to the canteen & saw all these 'super riders' hunched up over their nth coffee.

To be able to safely explore your bikes limitations in a safe, predictable environment does wonders for your capabilities & really shows you just how much more capable the bike is to deal with corners, etc. I ended the day drenched through - but with a huge grin on my face. The ride home was on some absolutely shitty country roads; these would normally have had me tensed up, but I was relaxed & actually enjoying it!

I would LOVE to repeat the experience on the GS.....................

 

[rocks]

Never been on one..

I have never been on a track day.. but would like too.. may not on the GS.. but will see.

However, I previously owned a GSXR600 and a CBR600Fi..

Both were awsomely quick and the CBR handled phenominally.. however when I swapped to a GS I found I was cornering faster on the GS on my old favorite routes.

I put it down to the fact its "confidence".. I never had any confidence in the GSXR and so the CBR was amazing compared to it.. but the GS gives me more confidence on standard roads and I have to say it handles well.

However.. I would never take it up against a 250cc or 125.. in the twisties.. it will never mach them.. simple physics. Weight and size.

On a day out with my work collegues.. all 1000cc Millies and R1's.. and me on my CBR600f.. and our receptionist on her 400cc californian import baby blade..

A51 out of buxton.. the first person at the cat and fiddle was her..
The last person and with the second too biggest grin was me.
The others were... some what embaressed to say the least.

I am not a fast rider.. tried to be once and almost became a stastic. So now i keep to my limits...

So my conclusion is.. the GS is good at giving an average rider more confidence..

 

[Mzokk]

Maybe you just didn't do enough miles on your sports bikes Rocks? I'd a run on my GSXR today over a few of my favorite roads and it Quicker and safer (no center stand grounding every other bend) on roads from tight and bumpy to smooth and fast. Plus you can't do this on a GS on the track!

 

[newman7096]

You were saying!

 

[Mzokk]

Well done that man you must have gonads like melons. How did you stop the centre stand from trying to pitch you off? Or had you already ground most of it away?

 

[rocks]

WOW..

OK.. hats of to that nutter.

 

[HeatedGrips]

I would like to try a track day on a GS but not with the intent of trying to race the sportsbikes but to ride within a 'safer' environment to practice some high speed cornering. At least on a track you don't get mom in the 4 wheel tank and the 17 year old in dad's car or diesel on the road.

I'm taking my GS to Cadwell Park next Tuesday. It's not a full-on track day, but something organised by Martin Hopp described as "better riding day".

Apparently one of the instructors is plod and a GS rider.

I've only done two track days before, and they were years ago on my VFR, but I remember what one of the instructors then told everyone: "There's always someone faster than you, and there's always someone slower, so don't break your neck trying for the impossible."

have a look at www.hoppridertraining.co.uk

 

[BigBadBen]

"There's always someone faster than you, and there's always someone slower, so don't break your neck trying for the impossible."

What a fantastic sentiment, I wish all the Sunday fools would keep that in mind!

BBB

 

[Spangle]

I did a Hopp training day at Cadwell in May and had a great day.

I agree with an earlier post though about some of the sports bikes going past you on the straights and then holding you up through the bends, very frustrating. To be fair, Mr Hopp had a word at lunch time and it ceased to be a problem in the afternoon once the offenders realised the error of their ways.

It was my first track day and I received some one to one tuition from the fore mentioned GS riding dibble, which was invaluable.

No more double decker buses going past me at the Nurburgring in future