Silverstone GP circuit. Long.

Great circuit ruined by the chicane from hell coming onto the
start-finish straight.

We had a top day out on Monday with a nice dry track to play on all
day. The only problem was caused by low sun in the afternoon making it
a bit tricky trying to give it hell through the complex.

Most of the corners on the main part of the circuit are big wide
bastards begging to be taken at speed. No nasty overbanding or cracks
on the race line such as you find on some circuits in this country.
The section referred to as the complex is much tighter but still well
surfaced with good run offs everywhere.

The only real comparism in this country is Donington and I think I
marginally prefer Donington but only because of the changes in
elevation and the high speed wheelies going under the Dunlop bridge.

The 10R behaved impeccably apart from a bit of brake fade towards the
end of the day but when you consider that Silverstone has two big
straights needing a heavy dose of brakes when you're approaching them
flat out it's only a minor complaint. I found myself laughing (1) at
the front end shaking from the chicane all the way to the braking
point for Copse corner and the same effect but to a lesser degree down
the Hanger straight. It's a bike made for race tracks but I'm not
convinced it would be as much fun (2) at a bumpier track with a
varying surface.

I've moaned in the past about Dunlop D218 tyres but they performed
really well on the track. I had the back sliding about going into a
few corners but that was probably a combination of the back end being
light due to heavy braking at the front, stamping down through gears
relying on the slipper clutch working and me just being a ham fisted
bastard. They twitched a bit under full acceleration exiting corners
but nothing major. I tended to be a bit cautious until the bike was
nearly vertical exiting the chicane because I had this nasty little
idea that flat out acceleration from such a low speed corner with the
bike still banked hard over might result in a high side and they have
a tendency to both be expensive and painful.

(1) Champ would understand this. I suspect it's one of the main
reasons he had a sudden urge to own a 10R

(2) Not as much fun but more than capable. Occasional poster to this
group Keith McKay got a first in class on one at Jurby a few weeks ago
so in the right hands they're a top bike.

 

On Thu, 03 Nov 2005 13:17:50 +0000, Andy Bonwick

<snip>

Nice one. I was tempted to do this one when you posted about it but
decided the chances of decent weather were *very* slim. I was
therefore thinking about you on Monday and the fact you're a jammy
bastard getting the weather you did )

Can we expect a similar post from the gaffer?

 

I don't think so, she didn't do a session on the 10R.

 

She was compaining about all the quick people in the novices group
when I saw her...

--
_______
..'_/_|_\_'. Ace (brucedotrogers a.t rochedotcom)
\`\ | /`/ GSX-R1000K3
`\\ | //' BOTAFOT#3, SbS#2, UKRMMA#13, DFV#8, SKA#2
`\|/`
`

 

There weren't any. Apart from some **** on a motard who created havoc
in the complex when he sent up showers of sparks on every corner.

 

Heh. Well she said loads of people were overtaking her under
braking...
--
_______
..'_/_|_\_'. Ace (brucedotrogers a.t rochedotcom)
\`\ | /`/ GSX-R1000K3
`\\ | //' BOTAFOT#3, SbS#2, UKRMMA#13, DFV#8, SKA#2
`\|/`
`

 

I don't know about that. She pointed at me and did shouty things into
her crash helmet after I overtook her at high speed and she thought I
might have been a bit closer than I actually was. She didn't do the
last session because her back tyre was looking rather minced as is
normal with a BT010 so she obviously wasn't going that slowly. Chris
didn't have any complaints and seemed to really enjoy himself on his
first trackday so it can't have been nasty from his pov.


The groups were a farce. I signed on for the novice group by mistake
but Adie phoned and had that changed. When we signed on at the circuit
they said don't worry about changing, it's a big circuit with plenty
of room to overtake without causing any concern.

I'd say the only difference between the fastest riders in the novice
and inter groups compared to mid place in the fast group was
overtaking opportunities. I was catching up with the slowest riders
after two laps and it fucked things up a bit because I didn't want to
be black flagged for brutal overtakes. The inter group had the most
fallers but fewer really slow riders so what you gained in having a
clear track longer you lost because of red flag incidents.

 

I've always thought that the only scary group is the inters because
there seem to be too many riders who think they're better than they
really are. The novice group is a bit congested because of dodgy
overtakes (or fear of them) but you do get a nice clear track for a
while if you get away at the front. The fast group usually has riders
who actually have a clue when it comes to overtakes on a trackday so
you can concentrate on what you're doing rather than worrying about
some other ****.

I don't think so. Others may agree with you.

 

I was very tempted too.

On my must do list for next year.

--
Dan L (Oldbloke)

My bike 1996 Kawasaki ZR1100 Zephyr
M'boy's bike 2003 Honda NSR125R (Going)
Spare Bike 1990 Suzuki TS50X (Patio Ornament)
BOTAFOT #140 (KotL 2005), X-FOT#000, DIAABTCOD #26, BOMB#18 (slow)

 

I really enjoyed letting all the members of Team UKRM use my bike at
the last meeting. I was thinking on the day it'd be worth organising
a UKRM trackday in 2006 for anyone interested. If I've still got the
bike I'll take it along as a "pool" bike for anyone to use, obviously
NCA.

 

Will there be a prize for gayest leathers?

I'll certainly be interested in the track day and I'll be in the running
for a prize if I borrow Gyp's leathers again.

I'd take the Guzzi so it'll have to be a 'full fat' noise day as I'm not
sure what dB levels it puts out. "A lot" probably.

That and I've yet to sort the oil misting problem.

Although I have a bloody good idea what it is as the compression should
be at least 150psi but is actually 95psi (left) and 110psi (right). Oil
down the bore lifts the readings so points to rings.

Probably explains why its become so slow recently.

 

Just pick a day and tell everyone to book it for themselves and you
might get 6 people do it. Do it through email and those invited would
think they were members of a clique and you'd probably double the
number turning up.

If my memory serves me right there was a near riot in my early days on
ukrm when someone tried to organise a trackday. Ixion manage to do it
every year and it's always a sell out within a couple of days of being
announced but I don't think it'd succeed on here.

 

On Thu, 03 Nov 2005 20:27:42 +0000, Andy Bonwick

Certainly the first option. I'll be fucked if I'm putting any effort
in for a DFV#.

 

You ****. I've just checked my inbox and it's empty.

 

On Thu, 03 Nov 2005 20:36:48 +0000, Andy Bonwick

Must be a technical fault somewhere, everyone else got their invite
and there's no more room at the inn.

 

Maybe if you stand your bike upright there'll be room for another?

 

It's no wonder people hate you. I suppose you've got an invite as well
haven't you?

 

Three. One for each mystery person who apparently wants to kill me.

 

possibly though there were several that would give Gyps a run for
their money on Monday.

--
Adie
(replace spam with nickname to reply)

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=4583091887

UKRM FAQ: http://www.ukrm.net/faq/

Triumph 955iSS / ZX9R / GSF1200 bandit (for sale) / CG125
MRO#11 BOTAFOF#7 BOTAFOT#130 DIAABTCOD#17 MIB#24 YTC#16 BOB#15 ex-UKRMMA#22 BOMB#11

 

Surely not!
http://www.sweller.co.uk/krc-don1005/photos/photo3.html