What MOTORCYCLE do you ride and why?
- Thread starter ProPheT 216
- Start date
Lucky Luke
Well-Known Member
Yes there's 3 on the island.
DoubleAtotheRON
Well-Known Member
I guess you saw my other post. Do you have an organization you belong to?, or just do the occasional track day?
Lucky Luke
Well-Known Member
I did. I am a member of a club. I Just do the very occasional track day. I used to do more track days when i was younger. I'm spending more time sailing than riding the last couple years.
DoubleAtotheRON
Well-Known Member
You had me curious at "Island"
DoubleAtotheRON
Well-Known Member
You must be up north... we did use tire warmers on early practice runs when the track was cold, but by race time, we didn't really need them.
Lucky Luke
Well-Known Member
I live in Tasmania. Its an island state south of the big island of mainland Australia.
The Official Tourism Tasmania Website
Shred trails. Hike mountains. Sip whisky. Shuck oysters. Raft rivers. Bathe in forests. Or slow down. Breathe in. Dream deep.
www.discovertasmania.com.au
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DoubleAtotheRON
Well-Known Member
You lucky bastard.I live in Tasmania. Its an island state South of the big island of mainland Australia.
The Official Tourism Tasmania Website
Shred trails. Hike mountains. Sip whisky. Shuck oysters. Raft rivers. Bathe in forests. Or slow down. Breathe in. Dream deep.
DoubleAtotheRON
Well-Known Member
The wife has been to the Mainland shortly before we met, and visited NZ as well...... We need to go back there so I can see it. We've been many places all over the World, but AUS is on our (my) bucket list.
Lucky Luke
Well-Known Member
The track i normally ride at. (not me on bike)
DoubleAtotheRON
Well-Known Member
Awesome!… we have 6 tracks in the SW for the CMRA circuit .. I got to meet and race with the likes of the Hayden brothers, (RIP Nicky), Colin Edwards, a.k.a The Texas Tornado, Ben Spies.. all great racers. Had a year end season banquet with Colin, and Kevin Schwantz. It was a fun 10 year run. We never made the big money like those other guys who would come in on an “off” weekend from the Nationals and kick all of our asses and take the money, but if we stayed on the podium, Michelin would pay for our tires for the weekend. And that can be a big part of your expense as you know. We’d race the weekend, and I’d see those other guys on ESPN at Sears Point, Laguna Raceway, or wherever the next weekend. Some went on to World SuperBike, and MotoGP. By the end of Kevin Schantz's career, his fingers had been broken so many times, it didn't even look right.
One of my former team members went on to race for Ducati.... he was a total dick, and ran me off the track once at Oak Hill in turn 7 after we parted ways and he raced for another team. His bike was not performing quite as it should that day, (2 stroke RS 125 class) and I guess he was just fucking with me. I kicked his ass anyways with a 2nd on the podium. He was pissed. We rode together to the track for the weekend.... that was a long ride home.
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Lucky Luke
Well-Known Member
Watching the old 500's late at night on TV. That's what got me into road bikes. I put #34 on my kids JR50's lol. Schnatz, Rainey, Gardener, Dohan, Magee. Such great racing.
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Lucky Luke
Well-Known Member
DoubleAtotheRON
Well-Known Member
About the same as we had.. avg 55 on the starting grid.... that turn one was the most nerve racking... paint swapping, and crashes were pretty common.. In my earlier days at Hallett, I had this one dude in turn 6 (called the Bitch) , I was leaned over hard at the apex, (leaning left) comes in and bumps his shoulder on my right leg..... i was still a novice, and almost stood it up. But I held my line. Calm nerves are crucial to not crashing.
DoubleAtotheRON
Well-Known Member
Here's a handy tip for you if you're trying to get maximum grip in the turn.. slide your ass off the seat as usual and set your leg on the surface, but put pressure on the inside peg with your foot on the the footpeg.. This balances the grip on the tire surface. But no matter what, if you feel the front or rear sliding, stay on the throttle and counter steer. I've slid both, and learned pretty early on that chopping the throttle (you brain wants to do this) will result in a high side. Always stay on the throttle.... unless the rear comes out really far, then maintain... it will correct itself. Once grip is there, get back on it! The gyro affect is always in your favor.... or reciprocating mass of the wheels will keep you up. Chopping that will always end in a near miss, or high side. It's always better to low side than high side......and if you don't have a steering dampener.... get one.
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Lucky Luke
Well-Known Member
I got flung off the seat on a ZXR750R at Eastern creek for chopping the throttle. Luckily i landed back on the seat and stayed on the track but my balls hurt for days.
DoubleAtotheRON
Well-Known Member
Yep... been there too. I just takes practice. Push your limits with the laws of physics in mind. It's kinda like growing weed... you have to be aware of your environment. Temps, RH, track temp, tire softness,...... its an art like anything else. My back is still fucked up on day 5 after moving a heavy desk. I used to run dirt in my back 40 for practice. It was 105 degrees, but my son wanted to ride. I held onto the throttle a little too long on a 60 ft tabletop, the bike kept coming back, I stabbed both brakes, but it wasn't helping. I threw it, and landed on the ramp on my feet. Tore ligaments in my lower back, and blew a knee out. Surgery ... blah bah blah....but its was fun.
Lucky Luke
Well-Known Member
I'm 52. I don't push much anymore. I want to live forever! Still circulate in Advanced though.
Lucky you didn't shatter vertibrae.
DoubleAtotheRON
Well-Known Member
Oh yeah… I just assumed you were younger. Just continue to have those fun old man laps
Not worth the fall at our age. When shit breaks after 50, it just stays broke. I retired out around 40 years old.
PJ Diaz
Well-Known Member
We can tell.