Daimo B
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Registered: 20th Mar 00
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All important, but fuzzy..
Hey stuuuuuud
Highlights. Deffo coming round paddock for the first time. As a wippet, I practically lived at Brands due to my old mans racing, so I've been taken out in pace cars, walked, cycled, ran, skateboarded, even been round in a proper racing truck. Never gone round by myself though, and its been a good 15+ years, so coming down Paddock with a wall of tarmac as you hit the bottom and come up towards Druids was immense.
I felt really comfy on the bike. First we had 3 paced laps behind an instructor , then pulled in, and let out for another 5-10 minutes. Came back in thinking I needed more pressure in the front, but decided to leave it. 20 minutes later, its my turn again. Im passing people left right and centre. It is a novice group, but some of these guys were at walking pace. Fair enough, we all got to start somewhere  Loved the first 20 minutes, needed more. 20 minutes later, time for another go. No issues or mistakes, round 1 over.
This was my "mad" session. I just nailed it within my control, gently leaving the braking later into Paddock and Druids. I had a race prepped R6 I had a good play with, and also a GSXR600. Best play though was with a little RVF400 Honda, it bloody flew down the straights, and due to being so light, flew round the bends. But I got him and didn¡'t see him again  Blowing my own trumpet (me, never?? ) but I was flying  Im certain in a higher class I'd have looked a lot slower and lamer, but today, I felt like Rossi Round 2 over, again, no mistakes, happy bunny.
Now I hadn't planned at all to get my knee down on my first track day, but after some advice on my positioning (had my butt too far forwards, needed to slide back a little), we headed out for the 3rd session. I thought I'd ride a little slower this time, and hang off more, get the bike over more. 3-4 laps into it, tap tap, oooooo, was that a touchdown??? Can't look, carry on. My brakings getting later, and mid corner speed vastly improving. Again, touchdown, although one lap as im coming out of clearways onto the start finish straight, im at full chat in 3rd, learnt right over, and the bike had a major slide underneath me. Brown pants for a second, but I stayed on throttle rode through it and into 4th onto the finish straight. It's the only slight mistake I made. I found new levels of grip, and loved how much more confidence you get on track.
I've said it before about car tracks days, and will say the same about bike track days. They ARE the way forwards!!
Do you come round a bend, to find gravel, a tractor, anything, miss that, and go through a bush, into a tree. Then have to wait half hour for medics etc, Or is it better to go on a 1 way street, with gravel should you come off, with full professional medical teams, marshalls, not encounter horse turd, gravel oil etc¡K Sure it costs, but for ease of mind and confidence, you've got to do it. From a 1.2 Corsa, to a 2.0 turbo.
So in other words, I didn¡¦t have a good time, it was a bit pants  Im just awaiting the pro shots, see if there are any worth getting. I've got a little video to make up, but mother wasn't the best on the camera, most of the time missing me, or catching me as I caught traffic into bends (no overtaking round bends due to novice evening), but I'll make one anyway. Next time, tank mounted camera for sure. I don't think I'd embarrass myself with one now
When can I book my next one.
Oh, a few more, i'll post the vids and other shots when they are done.
http://public.fotki.com/DaimoB/general_me_-_pastti/my_bike/page3.html
[Edited on 26-08-2009 by VXR]
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C2RL R
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Registered: 28th Mar 02
Location: Redcliffe, QLD
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had you just spotted the camera on you there or were you grinning like that all the way round?
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Simon
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Registered: 24th Apr 03
Location: Oxfordshire
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Sorry I know nothing about bikes, what are the two yellow fans under the seat that don't seem to be turning?
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sc0ott
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Registered: 16th Feb 09
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a white version of daman wayan right there.
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Daimo B
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Registered: 20th Mar 00
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C2RL - Cool down lap after the first session, first chance i'd got to think about what i'd just done and was super happy and excited. Theres another shot where i've seen my dad and are punching the air as I come past, with similar grin
Simon - Radiator fans. Radiator is under the seat unit and not in front of the engine as per normal bikes...
See...
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Gareth F
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Registered: 16th Jan 08
Location: Location Location
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quote:
Originally posted by Simon
Sorry I know nothing about bikes, what are the two yellow fans under the seat that don't seem to be turning?
They is his jet engines 
Such a nice bike though, i think theres one like that near me. Id love to get a bike but i think id just go and kill myself 
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Simon
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Registered: 24th Apr 03
Location: Oxfordshire
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Oh right, whats the reasoning behind that? Looks quite cool from from the back
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Gareth F
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Registered: 16th Jan 08
Location: Location Location
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Helps draw the hot air out, mainly when sat still in traffic. Basically like a normal car radiator fan but further away from the radiator. Im clueless at bikes but thats what it looks like.
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Daimo B
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Registered: 20th Mar 00
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Nearly....
having the rad in front of the engine increases frontal load weight mass around the front of the bike, meaning you need more weight at the back to make 50/50 weight balance.
Moving the rad to the back automatically pushes weight backwards, balancing the weight distribution. It also means the front section of the bike can be much thinner and more areodynamic as theres not a huge radiator sitting behind the front wheel.
Very very clever design (British design I may add, just an italian bike). It means its a very front focussed bike. It'll tip into corners far easier than say an IL4 would.
It actually goes through front tyres quicker than it does the rear. A bike will say thats simply mad and does not happen
Sitting in traffic it gets very hot as it needs the airflow forcing the air down the pipework into the back into the rad, so traffic is horrible, you get a warm ass (not that bad really), but when moving the temp very quickly drops back to normal levels.
Plus the fans suck air through the pipework and force the hot air out the back. I call them my mini after burners
Garath, throttle works both ways, and it'll only go as fast as you make it. You need self control, especially on bikes that break all the speed limits in 1st gear alone
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Gareth F
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Registered: 16th Jan 08
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I know but theres a side of me that just likes to go fast
Also id imagine youve come across a few near misses due to the lack of vigilance of other drivers.....
I always move slighty over to the left when i have a bike behind me just to give them room to over take 
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radicalry00
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Registered: 16th Mar 07
Location: West Yorks Rides: Suzuki SV650
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Great pictures Daimo. Sounds like you had a brilliant day out. I wouldn't mind booking a track day but I'm not sure of my nearest track!
And; Italian knee sliders... nice touch!
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Ben-B
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Registered: 28th Jul 08
Location: the lovely Nottingham
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quote:
Originally posted by radicalry00
And; Italian knee sliders... nice touch!
i noticed that too
great pics, and a great bike mate, always loved nelli's
how much was the track day? am still waiting for my first nee down slidey brown pants moment dont wanna try that sorto thing on road.
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Daimo B
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Registered: 20th Mar 00
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Oh plenty of near missis, just got to take them how they come. Could get runover just by crossing the road, so whilst im carefull, I tend not to let it ruin my fun
Radi, where abouts are you fella, theres plenty of circuit oooop north, some really good ones too!!
Italian sliders, just being more of a whoare ha ha ha.
It was £79 as it was just a novice evening session, got about 1hr 20min on track in total which was a nice amount of time to work out if your going to enjoy it or not.
tbh, i was leaning with my crutch at the tank, which mean (leaning right) that my left leg would catch the tank and stop you from really getting off the bike. Once i'd moved my arse back a bit, the freedom of your left leg is much more, meaning you can get off the bike more. Then its just a confidence thing of how fast your going. tbhI was seeing people doing silly low speeds, but hanging so far off the bikes it was a little funny. Unless your a really quick rider, its not always fastest to plan to get your knee down. I wasn't planning to for my 1st day, but im pretty confident with chucking a bike into a bend quickly, so natural progression from each session meant I touched down in the last Its only a small scrape, but its a scrape, and happened a few times.
Now for the other side Currently looks like im a roundabout boy
Hopefully during the winter i've got a special edition Agostini Italian flag replica helmet coming, so will be a proper little whoare then 
[Edited on 26-08-2009 by VXR]
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DizzyRebel
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Registered: 2nd Jan 09
Location: Lincoln
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Your brave tracking it on those old tires! Ps you need to lean it over more, your leg is stuck out like a sail lol, hang off and lean more with less emphasis on sticking your leg out!
[Edited on 26-08-2009 by DizzyRebel]
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Daimo B
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Registered: 20th Mar 00
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Dizzy you do talk some sh1t Those tyres are fine, there is nothing wrong with them at all.
I said what you said previous to my old man, he laugh and said he obviously hasn't got a clue what he's on about. Stick to the most expensive fancy designer badges fella
They are good enough for a £25,000k LE, but not good enough for some bloke on the internet who pumps ze steriods
the bike doesn't need to go over more, i need to get off it more.
[Edited on 26-08-2009 by VXR]
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Nick-S
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Registered: 3rd Mar 04
Location: Leigh. Drives: RS Megane 230 F1 Team R26
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Such a gorgeous bike
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radicalry00
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Registered: 16th Mar 07
Location: West Yorks Rides: Suzuki SV650
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Dizzy, he doesn't need to lean the bike more at all, he just needs to hang off the bike a abit more. (Although I'm probably not the best person to give advice; I have no racing experience, just like watching Moto GP and still yet to get my knee down )
Daimo, I live in Wakefield, West Yorkshire but I'm not sure where the nearest track is. I know there's Elvington but that's still a fair bit away and only seems to do track days for cars.
[Edited on 26-08-2009 by radicalry00]
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Graham88
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Registered: 16th Apr 07
Location: South East Kent Drives: E46 M3
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Nice mate, didn't know you'd bought that?
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DizzyRebel
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Registered: 2nd Jan 09
Location: Lincoln
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Note how stalker has the bike on its side and doesnt have his leg stuck out like a sail. But hes obviously riding it wrong
And those tires are dogshit. 10 year old D207's are bollocks compared to new diablos or equivalent. Try a good tire and you will notice the difference and wonder how you managed with those old things.
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Daimo B
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Registered: 20th Mar 00
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Radi - Oulton Park?
http://www.motorsportvision.co.uk/oulton-park/circuits/oulton-park.asp
Anglesea is in North Wales, bit of a treck, but you could get a cheap BnB nearby. Thats what I did with the car trackday.
http://www.motorsportcircuits.co.uk/html/anglesey_track_guide.html
Croft is a bit north of you.
http://www.motorsportcircuits.co.uk/html/croft_track_guide.html
And then Donnington is south of you. Getting a track day there though now may be hard as its under massive re-construction for the F1 next year.
Also, in Leicester, theres Mallory Park.
Graham, yeah about a month ago. Done nearly double the mileage in a month, than the bloke did last year since he bought it off my dad in 2008!!!
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Graham88
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Registered: 16th Apr 07
Location: South East Kent Drives: E46 M3
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^^^ I think he gives less of a shit about binning it though
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Daimo B
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Registered: 20th Mar 00
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quote:
Originally posted by DizzyRebel
Note how stalker has the bike on its side and doesnt have his leg stuck out like a sail. But hes obviously riding it wrong
And those tires are dogshit. 10 year old D207's are bollocks compared to new diablos or equivalent. Try a good tire and you will notice the difference and wonder how you managed with those old things.
Durrrr
SLICKS vs ROAD TYRES.
FLOWING CORNER Vs TIGHT HAIRPIN WITH WALL ON THE INSIDE (which is Mallory hairpin btw Radi).
10 year old D207's, wow they might not be so good as a super road practically slick, but for the ROAD where a bike gets used most of the time, if I were to be caught in a rainstorm, i'd rather have some tread, instead of shaving .0010 off a lap time.
Same old thing, again, you do talk some crap Its a NOVICE trackday, or did you miss that part where im claiming to be Rossi????
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fir3vip3r
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Registered: 14th Jun 06
Location: Stevenage, Hertfordshire
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quote:
Originally posted by VXR
quote:
Originally posted by DizzyRebel
Note how stalker has the bike on its side and doesnt have his leg stuck out like a sail. But hes obviously riding it wrong
And those tires are dogshit. 10 year old D207's are bollocks compared to new diablos or equivalent. Try a good tire and you will notice the difference and wonder how you managed with those old things.
Durrrr
SLICKS vs ROAD TYRES.
FLOWING CORNER Vs TIGHT HAIRPIN WITH WALL ON THE INSIDE (which is Mallory hairpin btw Radi).
10 year old D207's, wow they might not be so good as a super road practically slick, but for the ROAD where a bike gets used most of the time, if I were to be caught in a rainstorm, i'd rather have some tread, instead of shaving .0010 off a lap time.
Same old thing, again, you do talk some crap Its a NOVICE trackday, or did you miss that part where im claiming to be Rossi????
woah there, are you suggesting people take there bikes on track for FUN, not just to be the fastest rider in the world...
madness 
great photos btw, glad you had a good time... still love the benelli
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Daimo B
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Registered: 20th Mar 00
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quote:
Originally posted by Graham88
^^^ I think he gives less of a shit about binning it though
Yeah, i'd cry. I don't think a fully paid professional racer is really that bothered.
Dizzy winds me up becuase he always bangs on like he were a top racer, but only goes on about track stuff, and fails to recognise that some of us ride on the road and need some tread and grip sometimes.
Yes I know there are better tyres out there, there are also better leathers, better bikes, better brakes, better engines, better suspensions........ We choose our own tyres, and no-one is going to pay any attention random negative comments about a happy event.
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Daimo B
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Registered: 20th Mar 00
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quote:
Originally posted by fir3vip3r
woah there, are you suggesting people take there bikes on track for FUN, not just to be the fastest rider in the world...
madness
great photos btw, glad you had a good time... still love the benelli
Cheers dude.
If i wanted the fastest bestest bike in the world, i'd go racing, and not take my ROAD bike on the track. I will upgrade the tyres when they are needed (and probably go back to Dunlops as im really happy with the way they performed and the grip they gave me, but that probably doesn't count really does it for confidence ).
Got a holiday, and winters coming so they probably won't be used all that much from now on.
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