First Timer

fivestar · 06-12-2003, 7:00 PM

I must say that I had more fun than I can remember in a long time! *The day started out pretty crappy with all the rain. *It ended up raining off and on all morning. *It pretty much dried up around 1:00 pm. *After that, the real fun began! *

I definately gotta say thanks to oldgoat and lfg929. *These are 2 of the best guys you'd meet. *Thanks to both for the help and advice. *Larry, maybe you'll be instructing again in July?? * *

Riding in the wet will definately teach ya about throttle control. *And how slippery concrete can be&#33

Just one question: *how in the heck do you guys drag your knees? *I was leaning over farther than ever, and still had a ways to go!! * * * * * Larry, your advice on the tire flexing helped. *That seemed to relieve some of my concerns. *Thanks!!

Also, STT is a great organization. *Despite all the setbacks, it was an awesome day. *And yes, I'm now officially hooked! * *

fivestar · 06-12-2003, 7:04 PM

Here's another

fivestar · 06-12-2003, 7:07 PM

And the last one.

lfg929 · 06-12-2003, 8:28 PM

I was supposed to just be a control rider yesterday but they were short on instructors for the size of the novice group so I was drafted into the role. I have already expressed my interest in being an instructor/control rider for STT in the future and I believe it is going to happen. I will have to talk to Monte a little bit more to get the low down, but regardless I will be at the July dates even if it is just as a participant. If you have any questions then let me know and I will try to answer them.

Hopefully I showed you guys how *not* to ride in the wet though. Seriously though, from what people have said it sounds like I was probably going a little faster than I should have been for the wet conditions, although I was also told there was a puddle and some crud in the turn that I went down in. That was a likely contributor to the crash. I have slipped the tires in the wet before and it wasn't a big deal, but this happened much faster than I could imagine and I believe I was sideways before I even knew what was going on.

If you do go in July then I will see you then. I haven't signed up yet, but I plan on talking to Monte in the next couple of days to see if I can join the staff. If not then I will break out the credit card and sign up next week.

coderedcbr · 06-13-2003, 2:55 AM

Quote:

fivestar929 : Just one question: *how in the heck do you guys drag your knees? *I was leaning over farther than ever, and still had a ways to go!! * * * * *

Nice picks Getting the knee down will come in time don't rush it, but you might want to slide your butt off the seat a little bit more too. Track time, track time, track time, and it will come you don't have to put your knee down to go fast.

Baketech · 06-13-2003, 6:37 AM

Great pics Fivestar!!

Isn't Mid-Ohio a cool place? All the pavement changes and flaws in the surface make it great practice for street riding. The fast guys don't care much for it, but I don't have to worry about that at my touring pace...

Glad to hear you had a fun day!

Red Rider · 06-13-2003, 6:54 AM

Looking good fivestar! *Mid-Ohio is a great track, in spite of some of it's 'quirks'. *Looks like your pics were taken in Turn 7...my avatar was taken in the same turn. *Check out how low Aaron Yates gets in the same turn: *

http://www.fireblades.org/iB_html/up...696-aaron2.jpg

SuperDave · 06-13-2003, 8:12 AM

Nice shots Fivestar, congrats on your track fun. How was the course? Sounds like not all that smooth? How far was MidOhio from Cleveland? After 77South what did you take?

I know what you mean about the knee dragging, but I think my problem was that I wasn't far enough up into the seat/tank. I saw video of myself where I was hanging a cheek off, but not forward enough. Congrats again, glad you had a blast!

HondaGalToo · 06-13-2003, 9:49 AM

Congrats! Great pics! HondaGal and I will be at Mid-Ohio with STT for the July 14 & 15 trackdays. Looking forward to meeting you guys!!

ccwilli3 · 06-13-2003, 10:00 AM

Quote:

fivestar929 : Just one question: *how in the heck do you guys drag your knees? *I was leaning over farther than ever, and still had a ways to go!! * * * * *

its all body position! Looking at your pics, you are already going fast enough, just get both cheeks off the seat (or at least the outside one half way off) and you'll touchdown no problem... And Swing that knee WAY out there... Almost perpendicular to the bike and it'll make contact!

And it just comes with time. Some of the faster guys I know rarely drag a knee...

gautamde · 06-13-2003, 11:02 AM

[quote]ccwilli3 :

Quote:

Originally Posted by fivestar929,June 12 2003, 7:00pm

Just one least the outside one half way off) and you'll touchdown no problem... *And Swing that knee WAY out there... *

And if you hear a tearing sound then you went too far ..

...nice pics. You look fast on that bike.

slowpoke · 06-13-2003, 3:26 PM

Damn, I'm gonna have to get some OT in and sign up for one those July dates!

fivestar · 06-13-2003, 6:19 PM

Quote:

SuperDave : Nice shots Fivestar, congrats on your track fun. *How was the course? *Sounds like not all that smooth? *How far was MidOhio from Cleveland? *After 77South what did you take?

I know what you mean about the knee dragging, but I think my problem was that I wasn't far enough up into the seat/tank. *I saw video of myself where I was hanging a cheek off, but not forward enough. *Congrats again, glad you had a blast!

It's only about 45 min from me. From Cleveland, it should be around 1.5-2 hrs. Take a right off of 77S to ST 97. Follow that into Lexington. From there you can pretty much just follow the signs.

fivestar · 06-13-2003, 6:23 PM

Quote:

Red Rider : Looking good fivestar! *Mid-Ohio is a great track, in spite of some of it's 'quirks'. *Looks like your pics were taken in Turn 7...my avatar was taken in the same turn. *Check out how low Aaron Yates gets in the same turn: *

Holy crap!!

That's a great pic.

fivestar · 06-13-2003, 6:28 PM

Quote:

HondaGalToo : Congrats! *Great pics! *HondaGal and I will be at Mid-Ohio with STT for the July 14 & 15 trackdays. *Looking forward to meeting you guys!!

Yeah, me too. I was already signed up for the 14th, but after Wed., I had way too much fun to pass up another day!

mmeacham · 06-13-2003, 6:30 PM

Welcome to TrackJunkies!
I just started in April and have 5 days in. It's the most fun I have had in years. Challenges you mentally and physically.
Don't worry about the knee, Work on waving in the turn.

Chain · 06-13-2003, 10:33 PM

Fivestar! Congrats! I'm envious.

Great pics, btw.

fivestar · 06-13-2003, 11:28 PM

Quote:

Chain : Fivestar! Congrats! I'm envious.

Great pics, btw.

Thanks. Despite all the setbacks, it was a great time. STT seems to have some good people on their staff. What a huge difference there is between riding on the street and on the track.

bwhip · 06-14-2003, 12:02 AM

Outstanding! I can't wait for my first - I just signed up for a CLASS session in Portland on August 25th. Looking forward to getting some more education and some track time!!

oldgoat · 06-14-2003, 7:35 PM

I told you not to go!!!! Now you have to start working overtime to pay for the track days and endless tire bill. But i sure can't wait till July. See you there.

cbr99xx · 06-14-2003, 8:50 PM

Welcome to the addiction...If your anything like me as soon as you got in front of a monitor again you searched for your next track day.

fivestar · 06-14-2003, 11:00 PM

Quote:

oldgoat : I told you not to go!!!! Now you have to start working overtime to pay for the track days and endless tire bill. But i sure can't wait till July. See you there.

Yeah, I know I shoulda listened. And the OT has already started.

I'm looking forward to seeing everyone again.

fivestar · 06-14-2003, 11:01 PM

Quote:

cbr99xx : Welcome to the addiction...If your anything like me as soon as you got in front of a monitor again you searched for your next track day.

Absolutely!!

HondaGalToo · 06-15-2003, 7:50 AM

Quote:

slowpoke : Damn, I'm gonna have to get some OT in and sign up for one those July dates!

Yes, you are!!!

ND4SPD · 06-15-2003, 5:47 PM

I might end up going to the 14th/15th one. I'm not sure, I gotta see how vacation time/money is. Nice pic's Steve, I'm def. jealous

Oh, and you're not dragging your knee 'cuz you got those big honking turn signals slowing you down

fivestar · 06-15-2003, 9:02 PM

Quote:

ND4SPDSHO : I might end up going to the 14th/15th one. *I'm not sure, I gotta see how vacation time/money is. *Nice pic's Steve, I'm def. jealous

Oh, and you're not dragging your knee 'cuz you got those big honking turn signals slowing you down

Thx Z. You gotta come down next month! And just FYI, those turn sigs are already off!

BTW, how did you get your rear sigs to still operate. I still have brake lights, but no turn sigs. All I did was disconnect the wires at their connectors and pulled em off.

ND4SPD · 06-15-2003, 11:52 PM

I honestly couldn't tell ya. We'll have to get together one day and you can just look at how I have the wires hooked up. The directions sucked a fatty, I basically had to figure it out on my own.