Track day... crash... ouch!

Bonneville · 07-17-2008, 1:13 AM

Hi all,

so I experienced my first track time with the Blackbird yesterday - the wonderful Sepang circuit near Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Rode up there from Singapore with two friends, 380 km!

Unfortunately it didn't last long - a little over two laps to be exact.

Turn one - a very tight right hander at the end of the start-finish straight- followed by a turn two - a very tight left. You have to take it wide and slow as it slopes downwards steeply from the apex.

Like an idiot I didn't - grounded out the exhaust, lifted off the back wheel and lowsided.

I was fine - thanks to good leathers - except I wore through and cracked the left engine cover - oil leaking out so it was game over.

What an idiot. The worst thing about it was having to go back 380 km on the three inch square pillion of an FZ1 Fazer. Driven by a crazy mate. After two tortuous hours I was really missing the Bird. At least it didn't take too long.

DragonXX · 07-17-2008, 2:20 AM

Sorry to hear about the off !
But if you're out on the town and the chicks asks ? ... you went down chasing Valentino Rossi

You are not the first or the last to find out the envelope of the rider and/or bike ! When I was doing regular track days on my KR-1 in the mid 80's I tossed that thing down the road many times and saw the 'kids' riding pass me giggling !
Glag you are OK but there is no painkiller for the wallet though

If I do another track day I'll probably buy a used litre sports bike as you have found out that the 'Bird doesn't lean that far.
Good luck mate !

Bonneville · 07-17-2008, 2:48 AM

Thanks for your kind words.

Shouldn't really blame the Bird - it was my own silly fault. But you are right - as I told my wife, I would rather have ridden at Sepang and crashed than not have ridden there at all. A snapper was on the corner so will post a picture if he has one.

Hopefully will get her back on the road soon - assuming I can get the new cover quick enough I will attend to the cosmetic stuff later.

And in future use her as intended - as the best all-round ROAD bike ever

Bonneville · 07-17-2008, 4:41 AM

www.buggershots.com

the photographic evidence

jsfrv6 · 07-17-2008, 8:01 AM

Sorry to hear about your misfortune... Glad your OK..I've done a track day on a 1000RR but just can't bring myself to take the bird out.
I would cry if I tore it up....

Nutter67 · 07-17-2008, 9:25 AM

I feel for you mate, I also put my 07 bird down at Phillip Island MotoGP track earlier this year. Continuing to do track days after that happened, and still having a ball doing them.

bullet · 07-17-2008, 4:24 PM

sorry to hear that...bikes like blackbird need a bit of preparation for track use...install a set of protective mushrooms to the sides to protect the expensive stuff...as long as you have good health ,everything else is gonna be ok...in time....

Leftlaner · 07-17-2008, 5:53 PM

Dude, I'm terribly sorry about your off. Please do not take this as an offence, but it looks like you need to work on your body position..

http://www.buggershots.com/trackdays...e/BGR_2219.jpg

With this body position (not hanging OFF, but hanging "on") you would easily have scraped parts on an R1 or a Gixxer as well..! The point of hanging off is not to look good in the pics. Hanging off moves the centre of mass further inwards and downwards which essentially means that you can carry the same amount of corner speed with less lean angle. Or to put it the other way, you can maintain a higher corner speed for the same lean angle. I'm absolutely positive that you could have saved that corner doing the same speed if you were hanging more off. Oh and by the way, it doesn't help a lot moving your butt off the saddle into the corner if your upper body isn't moved inwards to. Your shoulders should be more or less parallell with your hips. Tucking behind the windscreen helps a lot to, as apposed to sitting upright. I'm very very sorry you had to learn this the hard and expensive way! If you're up for more track days, PLEASE consider taking a roadracing or cornering class such as California Superbike School (they do classes worldwide). And I wouldn't recommend ANYONE to do a track day before reading "A Twist of the Wrist" volume 1 and 2, by Keith Code. These two books are the Holy Bible for anyone who wants to improve their cornering technique.

Finally, take a look at the rider behind you. Compare his body position with yours. Do you see the difference?

http://www.buggershots.com/trackdays...e/BGR_2223.jpg

SilverBrd · 07-17-2008, 11:28 PM

Not wise to ride your bike to a track to race. What if your friend wrecked too? Keep your Blackbird home and get you a track bike. It will save you money in the long run.

Nutter67 · 07-17-2008, 11:47 PM

SilverBrd does make a good point - it is better to take your bike to a track on a trailer, or in a van, just in case something happens. I was lucky that I was still able to ride home when I had my off, but I learned my lesson. I always take the bird to the track on a trailer now.

If you want to take the bird to the track and enjoy yourself on it, I say go for it, but if it is your daily commuter, then maybe you might want to look at a dedicated track bike.

ArmyStrong · 07-18-2008, 12:22 AM

Sorry about your spill, glad you're ok. I can't wait to do a track day. Looks like some great advise here. Get her back up in a hurry!

cbrbear · 07-18-2008, 2:05 AM

Cant stress enough engine armour Bike Johnny Kent UK - Motorcycle Racing Accessories, Parts and Body Armour

Bonneville · 07-18-2008, 5:24 PM

Thanks for all the advice. Especially crash bungs! They are next on the list...

Leftlaner - whilst I am a track novice, I would say the pictures don't tell the whole story.

This was not the bend I fell off on. I am sitting upright because I am about to change direction and turn into the next corner just out of the shot- a tight LEFT hander.

That is where I fell off! But yes - body position could be improved a lot.

Good news is I am back on the road, albeit with scratched fairing. Engine timing cover was cheap and easy to source.

I will organise a paint job soon (and crash bungs

)

Bonneville · 07-18-2008, 5:50 PM

On your advice Leftlaner... just looked at the picture of the guy behind me...

I had been holding him up on the bends with my slow wobbly riding.

Now I see he was on a 250!

Goes to show it has nothing to do with horsepower

.

Maybe the racing number boards are a clue that he had done this before...

Leftlaner · 07-18-2008, 6:03 PM

You're absolutely right Bonneville, a couple of still photos don't tell the whole story. Nevertheless, taking a cornering class probably won't hurt (that goes for everyone, not just you!).. I'm attending CSS level 1&2 next spring, I can hardly wait!

Bonneville · 07-18-2008, 7:10 PM

That will be awesome. I agree training is the best thing you can spend money on (even more than crash bungs

).

Not sure if Keith Code operates in this part of the world but heard CSS is brilliant. Will definitely do it one day soon -maybe when back in Europe.

Been riding different bikes for many years on the road... but just a handful of times on the track. It is totally different. Very humbling when people whizz round you on the bends.

Plus in Malaysia there is no concept of novice, intermediate and fast group.

They just let everyone go out together and hope for the best!

Which means when you are among the slowest, you can tend to overstretch your and/or your bike's abilities... with predictable results

Still - I got off lightly for my error. One other guy that day flipped his brand new GSXR - bike poss a write off - he didn't look too good either... at least a broken arm and dislocated shoulder. The only thing I hurt was my pride

PH005 · 07-18-2008, 11:12 PM

Birds were not designed to go onto a track. It is like taking a V8 Land Cruiser onto a race track. Does'nt work. Glad to hear your OK.

rideonXX · 07-18-2008, 11:29 PM

What Leftlaner has told you should be considered gospel. For less than the price of a new rear tire you can have a library of riding material that will help you make quantum leaps in your riding skills and you will find a whole different level of joy and satisfaction in your riding. Titles I would suggest are Twist of the Wrist and Twist of the Wrist II by Keith Code (he also as an audio CD set of Twist II that I have found very helpful), Smooth Riding the Reg Pridmore way by Reg Pridmore (3 time AMA SuperBike champion and Hall of famer and founder/owner Classrides.com), Total Control by Lee Parks, Sport Riding Techniques by Nick Ienatsch. All are easy reading with practical 'how to'. Life is too short to try to learn all the stuff without professional guidance. Best of luck and happy trails kel