James_
25-08-2014, 03:17 AM
Hay guyz!
So, I moved to London and all I could think about is my next track adventure. I booked a day, and had a blast! I thought I'd share a little bit of a ride report and some footage of the day.
It's a little long winded, so if you have the time have a read. Otherwise link to a lap of the circuit is below and the full sessions are on my youtube channel.
Pretty much as soon as I got to London I was sussing out track day options. I was eager to do Silverstone and the day after I had made my choice the god damn day was booked out. It seems TD's are booked out way in advance over here...for the good tracks anyway. I opted to have a squirt at Brands Hatch on the GP circuit and was lucky enough to get one of the last spots - this also turned out to be lucky as it isn't often the GP circuit is hired out, it is normally the Indy circuit - which is incredibly short (read: pointless. its shorter than the south circuit at EC). I also hired a bike from the third choice of hire bike companies (Patracking), again due to it being a popular date.
I turned up to the track on a balmy summers morning of about 13 degrees. Getting out of the car is when I realised my normal track attire of boardies was a poor choice. I found the bloke (Pat) who I hired the bike off whom had already set up in one of the garages. Not a bad service. Delivers the bikes to the track, sets up, takes care of fuel, tyres and tyre warmers all day long. One thing that Pat offers with his bike hire is two spare bikes, one with road tyres/inters and another with full wets. And he makes tea for you! :tea:
I ended up on an 08 CBR600RR, completely bog-stock ex-road bike with the exception of race glass and (slippery, smooth) rear sets. I kinda expected the bikes to be decked out a bit more considering the price, but beggars, choosers etc etc. One of my first questions was about the suspension to which I was met with a confused look of "I don't know" followed with the comment of "Not really sure, I have never touched it":noidea:. Another thing I noticed was a lack of stomp grips and a very shiny and slippery area where they should be. Even sitting on the bike in the garage was slippery. Great! This will interesting! :eek: I was a bit disappointed with the tyres that were on the bike - well used metzler raceteks... although a good tyre these didn't have much life left in them at all. Especially the LHS of the rear. Being a clockwise circuit I figured she'll be right, and did the typically english thing - kept calm and carried on! After a little chat with Pat, I soon realised most of his customers are white group riders or older dudes wanting to get back into it.
A bit of standing around in the sun and then the familiar lining up to sign on, the briefing was pretty much word for word as it is at a Mega ride day, except for the no monos, no stoppies, no burn outs and no cameras - all of these things are perfectly ok! Plus standing on pit wall is a-o-k. The only thing they don't allow is timing devices, but just like mega there is a lot of "friends timing from pit lane". Was great to see an independent mobile-bikeshop set up under a marquee who was selling everything you could ever need for the track - at reasonable prices. Take note Mega!
My group was first out at 9am. They do 3 sighting laps at the beginning of the day, which was great for me to learn to the circuit but would be a huge waste of time for regulars to the track. Being a little damp in patches the first session was a slow one, trying to find markers and the correct lines. Almost every corner is off camber, so a careful approach is a must. Really nice track to ride, as it cuts through forest and is very hilly. Quite scenic. Footage doesn't really show the hills but there are massive elevation changes.
Second session was where the real fun began as I now knew the track and could go a little harder. The lack of stomp grips did make it tough to hang on. Trying to manage the rear slipping about was challenging also. To make it extra exciting the pegs were really, REALLY slippery making for many mid-corner-adjustments. But I was grinning ear to ear under my helmet.
Third session was a lot quicker as I was getting to know each turn. Man, what a track!! Not a really fast circuit as there isn't anywhere to get past 4th gear, but quite demanding on the right hand side of the tyre as you are lent over to the right for 70% of the lap. Even the pit straight isn't really a straight - as the last corner is so long and fast by the time you hit start/finish line you have only just stood up properly and then its time to get back down on the right and brake for the huge off camber drop off that is T1. Kinda reminds me of T1 at Wakey, but imagine hugely off camber and dropping down blind about 30 metres then bottoming out and being thrown down into the seat once you reach the bottom of the hill. Epic fun once I got it right!:D
Last session before lunch and I was in the groove. Having an immense amount of fun. The group is pretty mixed with a few 1000's being straight line heroes and typically slow and dangerous in the turns and some awfully slow guys busy looking behind them instead of ahead, so I was (probably a bit overly) cautious when approaching other riders - I didn't really want a broken leg for the first day of work the following week. It was about this point when I could feel the tyres struggling with grip. Even though I was being rather gentle with them I could feel the front washing out around the longer right handers, not catastrophic but something to look out for.
But maaaan, I Love this track!
After lunch I took up the offer presented to us at the briefing of having two sessions filmed for 10 quid. Not a bad deal. You go to a man in the last garage before you go out on your sesh, he mounts camera, you go out, come back in and he takes camera off and burns files to dvd ready for collection at the end of the day. I suggested he use USB drive as who the hell wants to carry around a DVD!
Anyway, I was excited to get some footage and the lunch break was just about over when typically the clouds rolled in and it started to spit. Again, typically for the UK, the rain stopped not long after it started and was only a light sprinkle so I went out taking it easy until the tyres warmed up. The next session was pretty much the same with rain coming down in the previous session but good enough to ride, so I did. Was feeling pretty comfortable in these sessions although still playing around a bit with markers and gear selection.
The last session of the day was met with threatening clouds again. Another 5 mins of light rain and it had stopped for the beginning of the session. 2 and half laps in and I was getting a fair few drops on the visor. Knowing my tyres were shot I decided to come in. As I did, the rain appeared to cease.... so out I went again, getting another whole lap in until it came down hard. Just as I was rounding the last turn headed for pit lane someone had come off flipping their bike into the wall and the session was red flagged.
Day over. Had great fun!! Can't wait for my next day, or especially my first Euro TD!!:becky::peace::cheer:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l65ch_zO9A8
I tried posting some photos but it failed so I gave up.:confused:
So, I moved to London and all I could think about is my next track adventure. I booked a day, and had a blast! I thought I'd share a little bit of a ride report and some footage of the day.
It's a little long winded, so if you have the time have a read. Otherwise link to a lap of the circuit is below and the full sessions are on my youtube channel.
Pretty much as soon as I got to London I was sussing out track day options. I was eager to do Silverstone and the day after I had made my choice the god damn day was booked out. It seems TD's are booked out way in advance over here...for the good tracks anyway. I opted to have a squirt at Brands Hatch on the GP circuit and was lucky enough to get one of the last spots - this also turned out to be lucky as it isn't often the GP circuit is hired out, it is normally the Indy circuit - which is incredibly short (read: pointless. its shorter than the south circuit at EC). I also hired a bike from the third choice of hire bike companies (Patracking), again due to it being a popular date.
I turned up to the track on a balmy summers morning of about 13 degrees. Getting out of the car is when I realised my normal track attire of boardies was a poor choice. I found the bloke (Pat) who I hired the bike off whom had already set up in one of the garages. Not a bad service. Delivers the bikes to the track, sets up, takes care of fuel, tyres and tyre warmers all day long. One thing that Pat offers with his bike hire is two spare bikes, one with road tyres/inters and another with full wets. And he makes tea for you! :tea:
I ended up on an 08 CBR600RR, completely bog-stock ex-road bike with the exception of race glass and (slippery, smooth) rear sets. I kinda expected the bikes to be decked out a bit more considering the price, but beggars, choosers etc etc. One of my first questions was about the suspension to which I was met with a confused look of "I don't know" followed with the comment of "Not really sure, I have never touched it":noidea:. Another thing I noticed was a lack of stomp grips and a very shiny and slippery area where they should be. Even sitting on the bike in the garage was slippery. Great! This will interesting! :eek: I was a bit disappointed with the tyres that were on the bike - well used metzler raceteks... although a good tyre these didn't have much life left in them at all. Especially the LHS of the rear. Being a clockwise circuit I figured she'll be right, and did the typically english thing - kept calm and carried on! After a little chat with Pat, I soon realised most of his customers are white group riders or older dudes wanting to get back into it.
A bit of standing around in the sun and then the familiar lining up to sign on, the briefing was pretty much word for word as it is at a Mega ride day, except for the no monos, no stoppies, no burn outs and no cameras - all of these things are perfectly ok! Plus standing on pit wall is a-o-k. The only thing they don't allow is timing devices, but just like mega there is a lot of "friends timing from pit lane". Was great to see an independent mobile-bikeshop set up under a marquee who was selling everything you could ever need for the track - at reasonable prices. Take note Mega!
My group was first out at 9am. They do 3 sighting laps at the beginning of the day, which was great for me to learn to the circuit but would be a huge waste of time for regulars to the track. Being a little damp in patches the first session was a slow one, trying to find markers and the correct lines. Almost every corner is off camber, so a careful approach is a must. Really nice track to ride, as it cuts through forest and is very hilly. Quite scenic. Footage doesn't really show the hills but there are massive elevation changes.
Second session was where the real fun began as I now knew the track and could go a little harder. The lack of stomp grips did make it tough to hang on. Trying to manage the rear slipping about was challenging also. To make it extra exciting the pegs were really, REALLY slippery making for many mid-corner-adjustments. But I was grinning ear to ear under my helmet.
Third session was a lot quicker as I was getting to know each turn. Man, what a track!! Not a really fast circuit as there isn't anywhere to get past 4th gear, but quite demanding on the right hand side of the tyre as you are lent over to the right for 70% of the lap. Even the pit straight isn't really a straight - as the last corner is so long and fast by the time you hit start/finish line you have only just stood up properly and then its time to get back down on the right and brake for the huge off camber drop off that is T1. Kinda reminds me of T1 at Wakey, but imagine hugely off camber and dropping down blind about 30 metres then bottoming out and being thrown down into the seat once you reach the bottom of the hill. Epic fun once I got it right!:D
Last session before lunch and I was in the groove. Having an immense amount of fun. The group is pretty mixed with a few 1000's being straight line heroes and typically slow and dangerous in the turns and some awfully slow guys busy looking behind them instead of ahead, so I was (probably a bit overly) cautious when approaching other riders - I didn't really want a broken leg for the first day of work the following week. It was about this point when I could feel the tyres struggling with grip. Even though I was being rather gentle with them I could feel the front washing out around the longer right handers, not catastrophic but something to look out for.
But maaaan, I Love this track!
After lunch I took up the offer presented to us at the briefing of having two sessions filmed for 10 quid. Not a bad deal. You go to a man in the last garage before you go out on your sesh, he mounts camera, you go out, come back in and he takes camera off and burns files to dvd ready for collection at the end of the day. I suggested he use USB drive as who the hell wants to carry around a DVD!
Anyway, I was excited to get some footage and the lunch break was just about over when typically the clouds rolled in and it started to spit. Again, typically for the UK, the rain stopped not long after it started and was only a light sprinkle so I went out taking it easy until the tyres warmed up. The next session was pretty much the same with rain coming down in the previous session but good enough to ride, so I did. Was feeling pretty comfortable in these sessions although still playing around a bit with markers and gear selection.
The last session of the day was met with threatening clouds again. Another 5 mins of light rain and it had stopped for the beginning of the session. 2 and half laps in and I was getting a fair few drops on the visor. Knowing my tyres were shot I decided to come in. As I did, the rain appeared to cease.... so out I went again, getting another whole lap in until it came down hard. Just as I was rounding the last turn headed for pit lane someone had come off flipping their bike into the wall and the session was red flagged.
Day over. Had great fun!! Can't wait for my next day, or especially my first Euro TD!!:becky::peace::cheer:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l65ch_zO9A8
I tried posting some photos but it failed so I gave up.:confused: