dolau
Junior Member
Got new tyres fitted on Friday and used the baby Jessops video camera from Newtown back to Crossgates on the A483 (lovely road)and was pleased with the video results... and the new Michelin Pilot Road tyres.
Left home at 8am Saturday morning in bright sunshine and with a good forecast and rode 120 miles to the Castle Combe race track.
Got there in plenty of time filled up with fuel and found something like 50 Police bikes- nearly all BMW K1200's from all over the country and hundreds of 'civillian' bikes ready to do their bikesafe course.
Checked in and got my slot and went out with a Police rider from Thames Valley and a guy on a Ninja 10R.
Rode about 30 miles or so all told over bumpy roads (I am spoilt in Powys) half me leading and half with the Ninja rider leading with de-briefs every swap over. No problem with my riding style and observation but its nice to know you are doing it right and safe on the road. No time to look at the displays and exhibitions.
Back to the race track got a safety briefing and got my bike scrutineered- well they checked my noise level at 10500 revs against a red line of 14000- seemed high to me and difficult to get it steady at that rev. Parked up as I had a wait before my turn and found my brother in law who had come to watch - for some lunch and then sat up on the banking in the sunshine watching the others go around track. I saw that the bikes strung out so far behind the instructor on the warm up laps the back ones were half a lap behind and had no idea of the lines to take so I determined to get at the front to get the best start.
Some bikers were really slow and some were really fast. We had been told to stay behind the instructor for two laps while he showed us the lines and warmed our tyres up. I was lucky- I ride at home with the son of one of the instructors and he knew I was a bit nervous. He took up tail end charlie on the pack and told me to tuck in behind for my 15 minutes of fame for some 'one to one'
Warming up the tyres meant running at 80+ around the track they expected us to go faster?
Castle Combe Circuit - Circuit - Circuit Map
Every lap I couldn't get quarry corner right- it was so scary after the 100mph or so straight and over a blind hump. The bobbies chicane came up so fast after the fast right hand tower corner bend that a couple of times I was late on the braking and thought I was going though the hay bales The esses caught me out every time with late hard braking to get around. Camp corner was fast and then a long straight to folly... first couple of laps I came out of Camp and rolled on the throttle- my mind set was still on road riding and not track riding but I did get the hang of it by the end and my speed increased dramatically but it was too late to get in the swing as I was being lapped by a big lumbering BMW GS 1100's and practically everybody else as well.
My baby video recorder especially set up to show speed and revs and the view recorded nothing. My brother in laws movie camera battery was flat and I am hoping nothing came out on his digital camera to hide my embarrassment of being the slowest bike on the track in our group.
Well I did it! I had a 15 minute track session in perfect conditions dry track and no overtaking on the corners and one to one instruction. I think I have ridden faster on the road (Scotland) than I did on the track but basically it scared me and I have no career in bike racing pending.
Will I do it again- probably not- I don't think my mind set is competitive enough to go faster and as always my lack of cornering speed or confidence let me down. I love watching bike racing on the TV and now understand a little more of what they are risking
120 miles home in the rain and a soak in the bath and a stiff Scotch or three.
A long day but I did enjoy the thrill of the track even though it scared me but I was happy to be back on the A483 over the top from Crickhowell to Talgarth- home turf, knew where the bends were going and the road surface- even in the wet a great road to run!
An experience- I don't think I will do Ron Haslams at Silverstone - even using Rons' bike and kit I will still have my lack of corner speed and confidence to deal with
The Castle Combe Bikesafe day was really well organised and I couldn't thank the instructor enough for the personal help he gave me.
Oh well back to work tomorrow!
Anybody else there or had track experience- this was my first time on track.... and probably my last
Left home at 8am Saturday morning in bright sunshine and with a good forecast and rode 120 miles to the Castle Combe race track.
Got there in plenty of time filled up with fuel and found something like 50 Police bikes- nearly all BMW K1200's from all over the country and hundreds of 'civillian' bikes ready to do their bikesafe course.
Checked in and got my slot and went out with a Police rider from Thames Valley and a guy on a Ninja 10R.
Rode about 30 miles or so all told over bumpy roads (I am spoilt in Powys) half me leading and half with the Ninja rider leading with de-briefs every swap over. No problem with my riding style and observation but its nice to know you are doing it right and safe on the road. No time to look at the displays and exhibitions.
Back to the race track got a safety briefing and got my bike scrutineered- well they checked my noise level at 10500 revs against a red line of 14000- seemed high to me and difficult to get it steady at that rev. Parked up as I had a wait before my turn and found my brother in law who had come to watch - for some lunch and then sat up on the banking in the sunshine watching the others go around track. I saw that the bikes strung out so far behind the instructor on the warm up laps the back ones were half a lap behind and had no idea of the lines to take so I determined to get at the front to get the best start.
Some bikers were really slow and some were really fast. We had been told to stay behind the instructor for two laps while he showed us the lines and warmed our tyres up. I was lucky- I ride at home with the son of one of the instructors and he knew I was a bit nervous. He took up tail end charlie on the pack and told me to tuck in behind for my 15 minutes of fame for some 'one to one'
Warming up the tyres meant running at 80+ around the track they expected us to go faster?
Castle Combe Circuit - Circuit - Circuit Map
Every lap I couldn't get quarry corner right- it was so scary after the 100mph or so straight and over a blind hump. The bobbies chicane came up so fast after the fast right hand tower corner bend that a couple of times I was late on the braking and thought I was going though the hay bales The esses caught me out every time with late hard braking to get around. Camp corner was fast and then a long straight to folly... first couple of laps I came out of Camp and rolled on the throttle- my mind set was still on road riding and not track riding but I did get the hang of it by the end and my speed increased dramatically but it was too late to get in the swing as I was being lapped by a big lumbering BMW GS 1100's and practically everybody else as well.
My baby video recorder especially set up to show speed and revs and the view recorded nothing. My brother in laws movie camera battery was flat and I am hoping nothing came out on his digital camera to hide my embarrassment of being the slowest bike on the track in our group.
Well I did it! I had a 15 minute track session in perfect conditions dry track and no overtaking on the corners and one to one instruction. I think I have ridden faster on the road (Scotland) than I did on the track but basically it scared me and I have no career in bike racing pending.
Will I do it again- probably not- I don't think my mind set is competitive enough to go faster and as always my lack of cornering speed or confidence let me down. I love watching bike racing on the TV and now understand a little more of what they are risking
120 miles home in the rain and a soak in the bath and a stiff Scotch or three.
A long day but I did enjoy the thrill of the track even though it scared me but I was happy to be back on the A483 over the top from Crickhowell to Talgarth- home turf, knew where the bends were going and the road surface- even in the wet a great road to run!
An experience- I don't think I will do Ron Haslams at Silverstone - even using Rons' bike and kit I will still have my lack of corner speed and confidence to deal with
The Castle Combe Bikesafe day was really well organised and I couldn't thank the instructor enough for the personal help he gave me.
Oh well back to work tomorrow!
Anybody else there or had track experience- this was my first time on track.... and probably my last
