Going Racing

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I had identified Coppice as a problem, I have convinced myself I don't need to come back a gear to go in there, just need to put that into practice. also rolling off early into Hall needs to stop. It was only a parade day and when I get to race there at the end of September I should be able to learn a bit from the others. Not too fussed, still my first year.

The only target I have for Gedinne is getting on the ferry home in one piece.

Pau looks good.
 
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You will never gain as much time at Hall Bends as you will at Coppice (I confuse the name with Copse at Donington no idea why).

Coppice and the subsequent Charlies, in and out, set up your speed all the way to Park! You can save the downchange to Charlies in, but I honestly think the bike is more stable if you do kick it down, just don't scrub off much speed there, it will scrub naturally as you go up the hill!

Equally Chris Curve to Mansfield, keep changing up whilst cranked over and run out wide, the bugger is judging when to come in to the first apex and get best drive down the hill!. A lot of people seem to just coast from the Gooseneck to Mansfield?

People tell me Pau Arnos is good. Will need to do some excercise between now and then, like the gardening I have been doing this week.

I have entered the VMA races and the FIME races, so with testing/familiarisation on the Friday a potential 2 hours 40 minutes plus of track time! That is a lot for a pensioner!
 
Oh!, and if you had been through Hall Bends when the iron pedestrian bridge was still there you wouldn't consider not rolling off....and then you would arrive at the hairpin with the stone wall in front of little old lady's cottage on the exit! I got it completely sideways there once in the snow at Easter!

Charlie used to have to pay for the old lady to go visit relatives when they used the full circuit in those days, which is why the full circuit was really only used on Bank Holiday Mondays.
 
Ralph you are going really well.
Steves right circuits change, good riders change with them.
Personally I can't ride Snetterton don't enjoy it anymore. totally ruined. However new circuit to you!
At Cadwell I always went down a gear at Coppice until 3 triples shot past without changing down. Stick it in top & let the hill take it back. It changes everything to Park.
Chris Curve to Gooseneck great. Shite through the Gooseneck, Mansfield & the poxy chicane which buggered the drive to the bottom of the Mountain.
Keep enjoying it you are going great.
Can't wait to finally get out.

All the best Chris
 
"Will have to be quicker in the race in September. ":)

I'm sure you will be Ralph, But dont overthink it, make sure your wearing your BRAVE BOY pants and have some fun!

In the race there's no need to be too courteous when coming up against slower riders! leave them some room , but not too much .

P.S the go pro seems to flatten out the height of the Mountain, I remember it being a big scary wall of tarmac, mind you I was usually sitting on my arse looking up at it, never could get the bottom of the mountain right!
 
SteveA said:
Equally Chris Curve to Mansfield, keep changing up whilst cranked over and run out wide, the bugger is judging when to come in to the first apex and get best drive down the hill!. A lot of people seem to just coast from the Gooseneck to Mansfield?

People tell me Pau Arnos is good. Will need to do some excercise between now and then, like the gardening I have been doing this week.

I have entered the VMA races and the FIME races, so with testing/familiarisation on the Friday a potential 2 hours 40 minutes plus of track time! That is a lot for a pensioner!
Click to expand...

I find there is a dip in the track at the apex of the turn down the hill to Mansfield, upsets the bike so that is why it looks like I miss the apex there.

2 hours 40, and it looks like there are a lot of high speed direction changes, 3 Weetabix for you in the morning.
 
SteveA said:
Oh!, and if you had been through Hall Bends when the iron pedestrian bridge was still there you wouldn't consider not rolling off....and then you would arrive at the hairpin with the stone wall in front of little old lady's cottage on the exit! I got it completely sideways there once in the snow at Easter!

Charlie used to have to pay for the old lady to go visit relatives when they used the full circuit in those days, which is why the full circuit was really only used on Bank Holiday Mondays.
Click to expand...

I remember the full track being a rare treat, I don't remember the cottage or the bridge though, mind as that part of the track didn't get used much we didn't go up there.

I do remember a wood hut and a pie lady though.
 
Chris said:
Ralph you are going really well.
Steves right circuits change, good riders change with them.
Personally I can't ride Snetterton don't enjoy it anymore. totally ruined. However new circuit to you!
At Cadwell I always went down a gear at Coppice until 3 triples shot past without changing down. Stick it in top & let the hill take it back. It changes everything to Park.
Chris Curve to Gooseneck great. Shite through the Gooseneck, Mansfield & the poxy chicane which buggered the drive to the bottom of the Mountain.
Keep enjoying it you are going great.
Can't wait to finally get out.

All the best Chris
Click to expand...

Like you say it is all new to me, I am enjoying it, the good and the bad.

When are you out next Chris ?
 
Moto55UK said:
there's no need to be too courteous when coming up against slower riders! leave them some room , but not too much .

P.S the go pro seems to flatten out the height of the Mountain, I remember it being a big scary wall of tarmac, mind you I was usually sitting on my arse looking up at it, never could get the bottom of the mountain right!
Click to expand...

The courteous riding comes from learning the tracks at parade events I guess, I will learn.

That hill is steep but I still cannot get my head round how far Josh Brookes fly's when he goes up there, they must get massive grip from their tires to accelerate that much.

Are you going to the Three Sisters?
 
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Josh brookes is a god! mere mortals cant do that ,can they.
sorry not going to Three sisters i Have work commitments . I am at Donnington this weekend parading a 500 manx Norton, there's lovely!
 
Moto55UK said:
"Will have to be quicker in the race in September. ":)

I'm sure you will be Ralph, But dont overthink it, make sure your wearing your BRAVE BOY pants and have some fun!
In the race there's no need to be too courteous when coming up against slower riders! leave them some room , but not too much .
P.S the go pro seems to flatten out the height of the Mountain, I remember it being a big scary wall of tarmac, mind you I was usually sitting on my arse looking up at it, never could get the bottom of the mountain right!
Click to expand...

The trick is to keep to the left on the left hander at the bottom of the mountain, then as you flick the bike right at the apex you are turning the throttle on for the climb up the mountain, everybody thinks if they drift out wide at the left hander it is quicker, it is not.
 
Gosh, I wish I could join this conversation. I love talking through turns and bumps and apexes and such with guys who also know the course. And then comparing who and what bike and figuring out why! And then when anew guy shows up with fresh ideas and shows us all a new trick, just in one spot, that’s worth a bike length!
 
When I start racing on an unfamiliar circuit, I work at braking up into the corners and getting onto the gas earlier coming out, as smoothly as possible. I let the race line take care of itself - the shortest distance between the corners. I don't like blind corners, because my bike self-steers when gassed if cranked over and I always have to have my head where the bike is going to end up as it leaves the corners. It is like going shooting with a shot gun.
 
Bernhard said:
The trick is to keep to the left on the left hander at the bottom of the mountain, then as you flick the bike right at the apex you are turning the throttle on for the climb up the mountain, everybody thinks if they drift out wide at the left hander it is quicker, it is not.
Click to expand...

That is how I try to do it, it is a bit like the chicanes at Chimay but for some reason it is easier at the bottom of the mountain, more intuitive.
 
xbacksideslider said:
Gosh, I wish I could join this conversation. I love talking through turns and bumps and apexes and such with guys who also know the course. And then comparing who and what bike and figuring out why! And then when anew guy shows up with fresh ideas and shows us all a new trick, just in one spot, that’s worth a bike length!
Click to expand...

What I like is how the guys that can, are willing to tell those of us that cannot, where we can improve. It helps a lot.
 
acotrel said:
When I start racing on an unfamiliar circuit, I work at braking up into the corners and getting onto the gas earlier coming out, as smoothly as possible. I let the race line take care of itself - the shortest distance between the corners. I don't like blind corners, because my bike self-steers when gassed if cranked over and I always have to have my head where the bike is going to end up as it leaves the corners. It is like going shooting with a shot gun.
Click to expand...

That is a slight problem here. Because the race weekends are so well supported, there isn't a lot of non race time, with the BHR I think we get a 10 minute practice before the racing starts so it is more a case of finding out which way the track goes rather than learning the intricacies. It was the same at Chimay for the road race, one practice session and one qualifying and then into the race, which for me was the next day.

It makes being competitive at new tracks for me like Darley Moor, Lydden and Chimay unrealistic. The fact I got a win at Darley and a 6th at Chimay tell you more about the track and my bike than it does about my riding ability. The bike is good and fast, and those tracks have long straights.

Cannot explain the 2nd at Lydden though. :D
 
Was sorting the bike for the up coming race at The Three Sisters this weekend and amongst the jobs on the list was new tires. I am changing from the Continentals I have used all season to Avons. When I picked up the Avon front with the Continental, I thought it was a lot lighter, out came the scales and the Avon is 1080gm lighter, that is the best part of 2.4 lbs in real money. This has got to help my change of direction issues.
 
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