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Thread: Done the Drags, now for the Trackdays

  1. #1
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    Done the Drags, now for the Trackdays



    So I finally got around to doing some trackdays last weekend, after being told constantly how awesome they are by my mates. Did 2 back to back Saturday and Sunday. First was at Broadford which is a small, tight, technical motorbike-only track. And it rained for 3/4s of the day, which is not the greatest way to start your first time on the track.

    Or you'd think.

    First session (about 10min, first 3 or so laps behind a marshall) went past about 6 or 7 other people, then next session hosed basically all the other riders bar 3 (one of whom threw it down the track next session). And since it was the slow/newbie group, there's no passing up the inside, so it was all the long way round. But it's a great circuit, and had some good runs later in the middle group.

    Next day was at Winton, which is a big (3km) circuit, used for all sorts, bikes, cars, V8 Supercars, Aussie Superbike Championship, even the truck racing. It's quite deceptive compared to what you think it'll be seeing it on TV or even just looking at it from the pits. My day didn't start so well, first sighting session out, had to really get into it to get past another rider who was just slow enough to hold me up, but not slow enough to easily pass. Got past, then got on it to get clear. Tipped it in hard around a hairpin, but rolled off the throttle when I should have been starting to get on it. Bike dropped right down, my foot hit the deck and lifted the rear off thr ground and it was all over red rover. Luckily I'd dropped quite a lot of speed so only broke a brake lever and took some paint off the belly pan, crash knob took the brunt of it.

    But despite that it was a great day, and I will definitely be doing it again. Trackdays that is, not crashing. If you've got a car (or bike) up to it, go.
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  2. #2
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    Nice bikes.
    What laptimes where you running at Winton?
    EDIT: This is a nice rescource to compare your laptimes to
    Last edited by f6fhellcat13; 08-19-2008 at 11:00 AM.
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  3. #3
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    Short but enjoyable writeup - I think your bike is the best looking in that picture

    What other tracks do you think you will try to attend?
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  4. #4
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    do motor bikes ever do hillclimbs?
    Andreas Preuninger, Manager of Porsche High Performance Cars: "Grandmas can use paddles. They aren't challenging."

  5. #5
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    Not sure, but I think the crazy Austrian/Germans started this on the ski slopes in summer



    I'm not aware of any regular hillxclimb on tarmac. Not sure why not !!
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  6. #6
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    ^^^^ only hill climbs Ive seen for bikes, Matra that bike needs a longer swingarm. We used to do some years ago with the old bike club, they are good fun but the bike and rider does get trashed when they roll down the hill. OUCH
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  7. #7
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    Quote Originally Posted by whiteballz View Post
    What other tracks do you think you will try to attend?
    Want to do Oran Park before it closes, and Wakefield obviously, since they're both quite small and tight the 600 Fighter will do really good there, especially once I get the front resprung and revalved, and the motor dynoed and jetted.

    Quote Originally Posted by clutch-monkey View Post
    do motor bikes ever do hillclimbs?
    YouTube - Hillclimb Highlights 2
    Faster, faster, faster, until the thrill of speed overcomes the fear of death...
    – Hunter Thompson

  8. #8
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    haha, that's scarier than i thought hillclimbs could be.. but i've never seen them at the tarmac hillclimbs, curious as to why. maybe you could start something
    Andreas Preuninger, Manager of Porsche High Performance Cars: "Grandmas can use paddles. They aren't challenging."

  9. #9
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    Hillclimb tracks just aren't suited to bikes.
    Faster, faster, faster, until the thrill of speed overcomes the fear of death...
    – Hunter Thompson

  10. #10
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    Super Motad bikes woudl be superb on hillclimb tracks.
    Lots of fun too
    I've raced one at three sisters which is a very VERY tight and twisty, undulating track.
    Could see it working out well .... but the dangers probably ar ethe main reasons.
    HILLclimb usually means a drop somewhere and close barriers -- certainly Doune up here is frightening in a CAR !!!
    "A woman without curves is like a road without bends, you might get to your destination quicker but the ride is boring as hell'

  11. #11
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    Quote Originally Posted by Matra et Alpine View Post
    Super Motad bikes woudl be superb on hillclimb tracks.
    Lots of fun too
    Actually, yeah they would. And they do Pike's Peak as well. A sportsbike wouldn't be much fun though. I've seen our local hillclimb track and I couldn't picture it being a good run.
    Faster, faster, faster, until the thrill of speed overcomes the fear of death...
    – Hunter Thompson

  12. #12
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    Faster, faster, faster, until the thrill of speed overcomes the fear of death...
    – Hunter Thompson

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