Phillip Island Track Day - Discuss Phillip Island Track Day on CBRXX, the ultimate on-line community for Honda motorcyclists. Read it in Events / Rides / Ride Reports. (Organize and report on events / rides / trips.)

Nutter67 · 03-31-2009, 9:12 PM

Had a great day on Monday 30th March. Weather was absolutely perfect down at the MotoGP track - 25 deg C, not a cloud in the sky and no wind at the start of the day (altho built up to a headwind down the main straight during the afternoon).

My main aim for the day was to increase my corner entry speed and maintain the speed throughout the corner, which I achieved to some degree. Actually, my main aim was to have fun - I succeeded well and truly.

I was hoping to touch a knee down at some stage during the day, but all I succeeded in doing was touching a footpeg down for the very first time - a bit of a sphincter tightening experience when you are not ready for it.

The Roadsmarts handled themselves very well on the track. I dropped the pressures front and rear to 28psi, and once the tyre was warm it was confidence insipiring. Exiting Siberia with the bike in second gear and still leaned over, wound the throttle open to WOT, the tyre held its line as the front wheel left the ground. When I got back into the pits, the tyre surface was very hot (almost too hot to touch for very long) but the rubber didnt ball up at all.

There was an accident in the first session (in my group) which meant a delay of an hour whilst the ambulance attended and took the guy to my hospital where he was checked out and released.

It was a great day, but it will be hard to wait until October/November to go back there for some more fun.

The pic is of me slowly getting lower and lower.

DeathWish01 · 03-31-2009, 9:17 PM

hell ive gone lower then that..... but then again your prolly doing 100+mph... so KUDO'S!!!

lookin good for an old bald guy

isn't it a PITA to remove your mirrors and cover your headlight each time tho?

Uglystick · 03-31-2009, 9:25 PM

Unless i miss my guess thats coming out of Siberia (turn 6).. This particular corner is well known for spitting riders out on the highside. It looks mild but its actually a hairpin and is one of the most dangerous corners on the track. Coming out of turn 3 at over 240 kmh is easier than coming out of this one at 140kmh +.

shewie · 03-31-2009, 9:36 PM

Looking good, Paul.

The tape really sets off the Harley stripes!

jclaude · 03-31-2009, 9:37 PM

How many bikes are in in each group?and why do you remove the mirrors?

Catenaccio · 03-31-2009, 10:00 PM

Awesome! Lookin' good!

heisti · 03-31-2009, 10:51 PM

i love the rat-bike-stile of your bike, paul.

Nutter67 · 03-31-2009, 11:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jclaude

How many bikes are in in each group?and why do you remove the mirrors?

We had about 20 in our group, with a max of 35.

Mirrors are removed (a) to remove any glass in case of a stack - altho you are allowed to just tape them up, (b) they are a distraction. If there are mirors there, you will try to look in them, and (c) they break really, really easy if you come off and cost you too much to get replacement parts - I learned that one the hard way.

Nutter67 · 03-31-2009, 11:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Uglystick

Unless i miss my guess thats coming out of Siberia (turn 6).. This particular corner is well known for spitting riders out on the highside. It looks mild but its actually a hairpin and is one of the most dangerous corners on the track. Coming out of turn 3 at over 240 kmh is easier than coming out of this one at 140kmh +.

Yep, that is Siberia, just after the apex. 2 seconds later and you would be seeing light underneath the front wheel. I'm really glad the Roadsmart was sticking to the track so well - second gear, opening to WOT, still leaned over and didnt feel a squirm.

Nutter67 · 03-31-2009, 11:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by shewie

The tape really sets off the Harley stripes!

And how is it my fault that you own one of the unstylish monotonous colour schemes??

ArmyStrong · 04-01-2009, 12:30 AM

Nice, Paulster!

How many times is this and are you improving?

Nutter67 · 04-01-2009, 12:53 AM

Six times at Phillip Island (and once at Broadford). I'm far more confident in what I can do - which comes nowhere close to what the bike can do. I am smoother on the bike, I'm not as upright in the seat, take more consistent lines (no re-adjusting line mid corner), later on the brakes and earlier on the throttle and a little bit more relaxed through the upper body (not fighting what the bike is trying to do) - although this is still a conscious effort. And each time I go down there I improve on the previous visit.

Whilst I am trying to have fun and stay safe, one of the things I want to do is to push the "oooooooooooooooooooooohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh shit" moments a bit - not to a point of being dangerous, just to take me a bit further out of the comfort zone and to get used to that, and then push it a little bit further.

Whilst by no means can I be considered fast around there, I think I have improved my lap times by about 10-15 seconds a lap.

The previous times I have been there were without having the speedo healer fitted. This time the SH was fitted and calibrated and, with the exception of the main straight, I matched the speedo readings. For example I was cresting Lukey Heights at 130kmh at my previous visit, and this time, with the SH fitted, I was still cresting this corner at 130+kmh. Next visit I will aim for 140kmh.

Compared to others with more experience, I am still very timid in my riding style. The bike is capable of a lot more, but after each trip I am bridging the gap between the bike and me.

Santooch · 04-02-2009, 2:11 AM

Nice one, Nutter67. I haven't been down to Phillip Island, but I'd love to give it go.

CanadianBird · 04-02-2009, 8:33 AM

Why not buy a track bike? Well done!

Nutter67 · 04-02-2009, 8:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CanadianBird

Why not buy a track bike? Well done!

I like putting around the track on the bird, and I would have to save up to get a dedicated track bike (if I can convince S.W.M.B.O.)

03-31-2009, 9:25 PM	#3
Uglystick Administrator Join Date: Oct 08 2007 Location: Lynbrook, Australia Age: 49 Posts: 2,326	Re: Phillip Island Track Day Unless i miss my guess thats coming out of Siberia (turn 6).. This particular corner is well known for spitting riders out on the highside. It looks mild but its actually a hairpin and is one of the most dangerous corners on the track. Coming out of turn 3 at over 240 kmh is easier than coming out of this one at 140kmh +. __________________ Laying in bed and crying "Oh God!" does not Constitute going to church No matter how badly I sabotage my own greatness on this forum.....

03-31-2009, 9:36 PM	#4
shewie Resident Eh?hole. Join Date: Oct 26 2008 Location: Ontario, Canada Age: 43 Posts: 7,455	Re: Phillip Island Track Day Looking good, Paul. The tape really sets off the Harley stripes! __________________ Where are we going and what am I doing in this handbasket?!

03-31-2009, 9:37 PM	#5
jclaude Rules are meant to be broken Join Date: Oct 27 2008 Location: Sydney, The land down under Age: 33 Posts: 2,840	Re: Phillip Island Track Day How many bikes are in in each group?and why do you remove the mirrors? __________________ (\__/) (='.'=) (")_(") It takes more love to share the saddle that it takes to share the bed http://www.sydneyriders.com/forum/index.php

03-31-2009, 10:00 PM	#6
Catenaccio Join Date: Aug 06 2008 Location: Southeast Nevada Posts: 1,116	Re: Phillip Island Track Day Awesome! Lookin' good!

03-31-2009, 10:51 PM	#7
heisti Heistimeister Join Date: Feb 22 2008 Location: Enns, Austria Age: 39 Posts: 6,411	Re: Phillip Island Track Day i love the rat-bike-stile of your bike, paul. __________________ have a nice trip video: youtube \| project: carbon \| chat: here 98225km

04-01-2009, 12:30 AM	#11
ArmyStrong Administrator Join Date: Mar 02 2008 Location: Atlanta, GA via Bronx, NY Age: 41 Posts: 4,837	Re: Phillip Island Track Day Nice, Paulster! How many times is this and are you improving? __________________ Murphys 6th law of combat operations: If it's stupid but it works, it ain't stupid.

04-01-2009, 12:53 AM	#12
Nutter67 Administrator Join Date: Aug 31 2007 Location: Cranbourne, Victoria, Australia Age: 43 Posts: 6,140	Re: Phillip Island Track Day Six times at Phillip Island (and once at Broadford). I'm far more confident in what I can do - which comes nowhere close to what the bike can do. I am smoother on the bike, I'm not as upright in the seat, take more consistent lines (no re-adjusting line mid corner), later on the brakes and earlier on the throttle and a little bit more relaxed through the upper body (not fighting what the bike is trying to do) - although this is still a conscious effort. And each time I go down there I improve on the previous visit. Whilst I am trying to have fun and stay safe, one of the things I want to do is to push the "oooooooooooooooooooooohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh shit" moments a bit - not to a point of being dangerous, just to take me a bit further out of the comfort zone and to get used to that, and then push it a little bit further. Whilst by no means can I be considered fast around there, I think I have improved my lap times by about 10-15 seconds a lap. The previous times I have been there were without having the speedo healer fitted. This time the SH was fitted and calibrated and, with the exception of the main straight, I matched the speedo readings. For example I was cresting Lukey Heights at 130kmh at my previous visit, and this time, with the SH fitted, I was still cresting this corner at 130+kmh. Next visit I will aim for 140kmh. Compared to others with more experience, I am still very timid in my riding style. The bike is capable of a lot more, but after each trip I am bridging the gap between the bike and me. __________________ *Paul* *Never let a motorcycle take you somewhere your brain didn't get to three seconds earlier*

04-02-2009, 2:11 AM	#13
Santooch Join Date: Oct 07 2008 Location: Sydney, Australia Posts: 13	Re: Phillip Island Track Day Nice one, Nutter67. I haven't been down to Phillip Island, but I'd love to give it go.

04-02-2009, 8:33 AM	#14
CanadianBird Join Date: Nov 25 2006 Location: Vancouver BC Canada Posts: 5,073	Re: Phillip Island Track Day Why not buy a track bike? Well done!

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