Track day at Phillip Island

ratter · 03-13-2004, 1:19 AM

Me and my fiancee had a track day down at phillip island yesterday and I gotta say "what a buzz"
Started off in the slow group, cause I'm not that fast, and although you are not supposed to get timed, rumours have it I was getting around 2.05's.
later in the day, I moved up into the fast group and straight away went into 2.03's, after a couple of sessions I actually went down to 2.02's.
It might sound good, but the fast guys are getting around in high 1.49's low 1.50's and that's on street rubber and registered bikes.
After follwing some of the fast guys well trying to follow them) I find I'm too slow into turn one and too slow through the hayshed.
I find after hitting anything over 240 kmh down the straight, I get buffeted by the wind rather badly when I back off for turn 1 and it takes a little bit for everything to become smooth and clear again to get the entry into the corner correct, and then once committed, found I could have been going faster.
My tacho is not working at the momment, so it was a bit hard to get the gear choice correct, I know some of you will say "just go by the feel of the motor or the note of the exhaust", but to be honest since I put the hindle on it pulls hard to the revlimiter as as far as going by the note of the pipe, i'm not used to being that high in the rev range on the street more than first gear, so it's something I need to get used too, although it was getting easier towards the end of the day.

I got my knee down around Southern loop, Siberia and sometimes around Honda, I hit 268 kmh (that I noticed) down the straight, I had the head shakes coming out of siberia on change of direction (even with the damper on) I had the rear wheel spin up on me one time in siberia while I still had my knee on the deck (first time I've spun it up while cornering) and I

what a great day

Sorry for the ramblings' just still on a high from yesterday

Newfie TLR · 03-13-2004, 10:05 AM

Nice write Ratter. You've got me itchin' to ride fast again.

Nowhere in here was a "schwiiiiiiiiinnnnnnngggggggg" though.

Baketech · 03-13-2004, 10:20 AM

Nice...attachment 2279 looks like a Honda ad....

l'timbré · 03-13-2004, 10:41 AM

quit looking at the tako

maxib · 03-13-2004, 11:23 AM

Hey Ratter!

You be lookin good in those pics.

I have to ask you a question about the Island. I've always wondered about the seawinds and how that affects the track and riders. Please tell me what your experience/thoughts are about that.

And the lady looks good too!

slowpoke · 03-13-2004, 4:27 PM

Lucky bastage! I'd love to ride that track.

Extremely nice pics, too, who took them? Just one suggestion--trim that tube sticking out the bottom of your fairing!

Oh yeah, how'd you get away with not taping your lights?

ratter · 03-13-2004, 5:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by maxib

.

I have to ask you a question about the Island. I've always wondered about the seawinds and how that affects the track and riders. Please tell me what your experience/thoughts are about that.

I have only been on the track a handfull of times over 10 years and have never been affected by the winds.
Apparantly they can get a fairly bad cross wind that can hit the rider as he is about to tip into turn one, which can be a really fast corner, so it may be a bit daunting.

But again the wind can cause the weather to come in rather quickly, but again it dries the track rather quickly at the same time.

ratter · 03-13-2004, 5:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by slowpoke

Lucky bastage! I'd love to ride that track.

Extremely nice pics, too, who took them? Just one suggestion--trim that tube sticking out the bottom of your fairing!

Oh yeah, how'd you get away with not taping your lights?

The guy that took them is Steve Duggan he has a website with the photo's that we can purchase on line at SDPICS , theres actually a few more of the missus and myself, but as he was charging $15 a pic we only bought a few.

I'm going to cut that drain tube, never noticed it hanging down so far before

They do not require you to tape up your lights, I don't know why

ratter · 03-13-2004, 5:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Baketech

Nice...attachment 2279 looks like a Honda ad....

Thanks

Zeeman · 03-13-2004, 5:39 PM

Must do advanced riding course and more track days..

Z...

ratter · 03-13-2004, 6:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zeeman

Must do advanced riding course and more track days..

Z...

Do like the NIKE add says "just do it!"

Red Rider · 03-13-2004, 7:23 PM

Nice pics...looookin' good!

ratter · 03-13-2004, 11:08 PM

it's 2 days later and my legs are still sore

The Sook · 03-14-2004, 6:42 PM

If it's windy, you feel like you're never gonna get to the limiter. Plus, as you come out of southern loop, and into the kink, and out from behind the tree's the wind just shunts you through the corner hard. Plus, when you hit the end of the straight, and you slide off the side for turn1 you put the knee out and it nearly dislocates your hip and pulls you off the bike. Haha Fukin awesome track to ride though. Suk **** to all that can't ride it. hahahaha

Zop · 03-14-2004, 7:19 PM

Nice pics Ratter. Was this through Champions?? They are pretty good. Also if you do a track day and Keith (****ing) Muir is there to take photos, he takes forever to post them out to you. Hence the middle name. He is the slackest photographer we have ever encountered.

ratter · 03-15-2004, 2:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zop

Nice pics Ratter. Was this through Champions?? They are pretty good. Also if you do a track day and Keith (****ing) Muir is there to take photos, he takes forever to post them out to you. Hence the middle name. He is the slackest photographer we have ever encountered.

No it was through our club, mornington peninsula motor cycles, they organise about 5track days a year.
The photographer was Steve Duggan fromSDPICS and he had them available at about 2.30 the same day, but you can order them over the net.

Zop · 03-15-2004, 3:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ratter

No it was through our club, mornington peninsula motor cycles, they organise about 5track days a year.
The photographer was Steve Duggan fromSDPICS and he had them available at about 2.30 the same day, but you can order them over the net.

Yeah we have dealt with him before. He is very good. I think he is based at the Island which is why he has them there on the day.

ratter · 03-15-2004, 3:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zop

Yeah we have dealt with him before. He is very good. I think he is based at the Island which is why he has them there on the day.

He is 5 minutes down the road in Cowes. Last year they had a different photographer who stayed out on the track to mid afternoon taking photo's and then displayed them on his laptop or printed thumbnails, and would print them at the track for you.
By him staying out longer, people were getting used to the track and were faster, so it was possible to get better action shots.

ratter · 03-15-2004, 3:16 AM

forgot to add earlier, there was a camera crew from channel 31 filming a segment for "the C word" (tuesday nights 9.00) they were track testing a cbr600 and spoke to a few riders, they also interviewed my fiancee, cause she was the only female rider on the day, not sure if it will make it to air though or not

pdx954 · 03-15-2004, 3:25 AM

Nice work, looks like a ton of fun. Awesome pics!!!

Jungleboy · 03-15-2004, 3:46 AM

Great Pics Ratter!

Athens954 · 03-15-2004, 4:15 AM

Brilliant pics man. I'd be creaming my dacks too

Translation : Ratter you o'l dog you...

ratter · 03-15-2004, 6:45 PM

thanks guys, the photographer did a good job

Turtle · 09-23-2006, 11:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ratter

track day down at phillip island yesterday and I gotta say "what a buzz"

After follwing some of the fast guys well trying to follow them) I find I'm too slow into turn one and too slow through the hayshed.
I hit 268 kmh (that I noticed) down the straight, I had the head shakes coming out of siberia on change of direction (even with the damper on) I had the rear wheel spin up on me one time in siberia while I still had my

Ratter, I did PI last year and agree totally with your buzz. We are heading there again this November.
I had been warned to keep the wheel spin down comming out of Siberia as it is known as High side corner. Unfortunately, last session of the first day I over cooked it and high-sided it. Rather messy, but what a scream.
I didnt notice the wind on the straight, but it was a hot and still day. I reached 280 by the time I went under the bridge, didnt have the balls to go faster. By my calculation, that is probably a real 260-ish as I think the speedos read fairly fast at that speed.

Definately the best days fun I have had on the Blade.
Regards, Turtle