Yesterday morning saw me up nice and early and on my way out to Eastern Creek Raceway for my first trackday there. Aboard the 175hp, 300km/h Suzuki GSXR1000 that I’ve only had for a month. That I’ve only ridden around town on so far. Eeep. And it’s wet. Marvellous.

Registration and scrutineering are dealt with so I wander over to the pit wall and take a look back up the straight. And then at turn 1. I promptly head to the toilets and have a nervous piss.

The PA announces my group is up in 5 minutes so on with the gear, bike is cranked up and lined up at the pit exit. I take it fairly easily first lap, just trying to remember the corners and get a feel for the track. Some are a bit greasy but they’re slower corners so the sliding front isn’t too pucker-worthy.

But then it’s turn 11 coming up. I hit the apex fairly straight and deliberately run it wide well letting the revs drop for better drive, tip it in for 12 and cut it in sharp to run up the inside of a few slower bikes, and pin it. Revs and speed rise as I crest the hump on to the straight…

…and the damn thing pulls an enormous bloody wheelie. Roll off, wheel slams back down and the bars wobble despite the Ohlins damper. Back on with throttle and rip it down the straight. 240km/h shows at the 300m marker and roll-off, sit up and grab some brake despite me telling myself not too. Which I did the whole damn day. Just couldn’t make myself not do it, especially since I was hitting 270km/h later in the day.

That track is effing awesome. Really smooth, very wide, very fast. I just need some more testicular fortitude before I venture there again.