;D Ok im gonna throw myself out here... This november 1-2 @ button willow will be my first competition race ever :) Im pretty jazed and at the same time real nevous.. Ive been riding track for the last year with Fast Track Riders and feel that ive learned as much as i could and am ready to compete. Ill be riding my 2002 Cbr 954 and ironically will be racing the #954.. trust me it wasnt one of my choices. :P
Do any of you seasoned racers have any advice for the new kid on the block? things you wished someone had told you the first time? Any advice would be greatly apreciated. and if you see me at the first of the month come and say hello. ;D
go and have fun!!!
go FAST but be CAREFUL...
pay attention to your break and shift points...
if the bike feels funny turning in or exiting the turns, tell someone who can help w/suspension...
AND HAVE FUN!!! LIFE IS SHORT!!
40
Take pictures. It will be the best day of your life, and you'll want photographic evedince for the future...
Lots of pictures...and video too if you can. My advice is to have fun...you'll probably be faster than you expect to be. Good luck and let us all know how you do! :D
At the end of the day you will be wishing you had a bike with less power. :o Good luck, be extra careful its way too easy to ride over your head on that 954 and bust yourself up. I wouldnt want that to happen on your first race day. :D
I was there with ya not to long ago.
Have fun and hold your line.
Dude, just remember to have fun, thats what its all about. My first race was at Road America this year, never did a track day, my licesencing(sp?) class was in the rain and cold in April. I really didn't know what to expect at all. Then I was like, screw it, I'm here to have fun, the main reason. Just relax, take it fast and easy. ;D
I would agree.. just go and have fun. It wouldnt hurt to work out some during the winter either. Upper body and legs.
;D Awsome you guys thanks for all the advice... and yeah im deffinitly gonna take it easy being as ive never been to button willow before. But i plan on going up friday to get some practice in and learn my lines. whats a good decent time for that track? My first time at Willow Springs I ran a 130.36. and hed never even seen a track before that day... At fontana ama coarse i did a 140.56..
But deffinitly i want to have fun and get lots of pictures.. will they let me use my camera mount on my gas tank during a race? Sorry for all the questions im just stoked and november cant come fast enough ::)
Tech will have to OK the camera, but if it's sturdy you should be all right.
When I watch new guys on their first weekend, I get a bit wistful and jealous. It will never be my first time again...
ohhhhhhhhhhhh
K3 wants is cherry back ( LOL) J/K, U got wood this year right? Thats what I want now ( WOOD)
A little tip from a 954 rider: Go to a parking lot, put earplugs in your ears so you can't hear anything, and have someone throw a flag for you so you can practice your starts. You just can't imagine how high up in the air that 954 will get if you dump the clutch at about 6K. The sound on the start will be deafening and you won't be able to hear your own engine so you have to practice and watch your tach to see what is the best launch. Be smooth on the throttle at the corner exit even when the adrenaline is flowing. It costs about $3,500 to fix a 954 highside ;D
crazy,
first off, relax.... being nervous is good, but don't
tighten-up. a race is much differen't than track-days
or practice. Having fun is important, but it is hard to have fun when the motorcycle doesn't do what you want it to. so listen to the motorcycle. Bikes are much
more sensitive to driver input than cars...at least in my experience. learn how to "dial-it-in" by asking
the fast guys. don't be shy.
next, never try running hard on cold tires. period.
if you have tire warmers, use them. they are the best
aid to running fast quickly.
work on being smooth... throttle...braking...turning-in
etc, etc. (hardest part for me)
last, relax and breathe some more.
stay hydrated and remember to smile when you are going down the straightaway.
other than that, you'll figure it out.
welcome aboard,
Benji. # 30 Midwest.
Quoteohhhhhhhhhhhh
K3 wants is cherry back ( LOL) J/K, U got wood this year right? Thats what I want now ( WOOD)
Yes, wood is good. Took me two years to get the first one, but after that they came somewhat regularly. Yeah, I'd be cherry again. My rider school / first race weekend was total overload! Talk about experiencing everything you ever wanted or feared all at once! Racing is still good, but that first time I didn't know what to expect. It was all new to me, and more exciting than anything I've ever done. There have been a lot of weekends since that I barely remember now, but that first one will be in my head forever.
Buttonwillow times:
Last race one of the USGPRU guys set the 125 track record at 1:54.54! Talk about embarassing a lot of big bikes.
If I remember correctly the fast am's in middleweight were running 2:08-2:12 or so. I'd have to look at my notes, but I think I got down to 2:14.
It's an awesome track with good facilities. A couple of wicked wheelie bumps and a couple crested turns, both slow and fast sections, it's my favorite track in the SW region
-z.
hrm. you've never raced before and you are going to buttonwillow on a CBR954.
ok- you will be on the track with some scary fast guys on really fast bikes. DO NOT, repeat DO NOT be sucked in to following them. sure, learn their lines, but you likely will not be able to match their braking points, and unless you have set up your bike perfectly, you will not match them in corner speed either.
be careful on turn 1, watch other guys lines, and try not to get sawn off by someone taking the outside line. turn 2 was really bumpy and nasty, be careful getting on the gas coming out of it. the first hill is the slower one. there is a right at the bottom. the second hill is the fast one, although it takes some courage to keep the throttle pinned as you lean into the turn, you can't see the track ahead, and the bike leaves the ground.... the final turn coming on to the short front straight is also bumpy - hiside city. be careful getting on the gas there.
you will probably get passed all over the track. hold your line, don't turn around to look who's behind you. if you feel someone come up behind you, leave them a little room.
remember, there is no harm in being passed and/or lapped on your first race weekend. better to be dead last than crash up your bike and hurt yourself or someone else. have fun. I would enter only two or three races, tops.
you may wish you were racing an SV!
Fast times: i remember brian long turning 2:00s on his SV. No idea what the big bikes were doing.
Cough Cough SV good for him????? SV for sale right here, if interested call 262-629-1522
What lightweightgp said. Here's the results of over-exuberance on the first lap!
(https://www.ccsforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.layke.com%2Ffiles%2Fcrashe.jpg&hash=52941c7ecf7ca80ae72882fdd66662937bad4de4)
Quotehrm. you've never raced before and you are going to buttonwillow on a CBR954.
ok- you will be on the track with some scary fast guys on really fast bikes. DO NOT, repeat DO NOT be sucked in to following them. sure, learn their lines, but you likely will not be able to match their braking points, and unless you have set up your bike perfectly, you will not match them in corner speed either.
be careful on turn 1, watch other guys lines, and try not to get sawn off by someone taking the outside line. turn 2 was really bumpy and nasty, be careful getting on the gas coming out of it. the first hill is the slower one. there is a right at the bottom. the second hill is the fast one, although it takes some courage to keep the throttle pinned as you lean into the turn, you can't see the track ahead, and the bike leaves the ground.... the final turn coming on to the short front straight is also bumpy - hiside city. be careful getting on the gas there.
you will probably get passed all over the track. hold your line, don't turn around to look who's behind you. if you feel someone come up behind you, leave them a little room.
remember, there is no harm in being passed and/or lapped on your first race weekend. better to be dead last than crash up your bike and hurt yourself or someone else. have fun. I would enter only two or three races, tops.
you may wish you were racing an SV!
Fast times: i remember brian long turning 2:00s on his SV. No idea what the big bikes were doing.
GP thanks for the info on the track, If there is one thing i have learned on track days is not to get sucked in by the faster guys. I know my limits and always ride to my limits but never over until i feel im ready too. And yes the last thing i ever want to do is cause another racer to crash and get injured. You guys are awsome and i cant wait to meet some of you. Thanks for all the feedback... ;D Sorry J i just couldnt handle owning a suzuki. im a loyal honda fan ::)(https://www.ccsforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.powersportsphotography.com%2FBrowseEvents%2F062803FRAFontanaEd%2F700d3942_std.jpg&hash=fba8fa61cfede6ce8d007efc94c6d3b6cd29f163)
Well CC, you LOOK fast. Nice #. Miguel fan? Christo Doug! Is that the aftermath of Blackhawk? Ouch!
QuoteWell CC, you LOOK fast. Nice #. Miguel fan? Christo Doug! Is that the aftermath of Blackhawk? Ouch!
Thanks. In fact im a huge Duhamel fan!! the number is actually 171 (just covered by the trackday sticker)in honer of my late Friend Al who was a CCS and WSMC racer who was killed in a Motor Cycle Crash Earlier this year... He was the one who got me into racing in the first place. Im actually a crazy street stunter on my 954 and im trying to get away from it by racing were i dont have to worry about "The Man" just the The Man with the Black Flag ::)
2 weekends ago I did my first race weekend and it was a blast! Like everyone said, take it easy and relax. I am riding an SV and have always been happy with my choice not to have a bike with more power for the track. I got a bad start (made even more obvious then necessary by the video my friend took), but I managed to finish 7th in Lightweight Supersport. I was very happy with that since my only objective was to finish and try not to be last.
ok ive also noticed not only in this topic but in others alot of talk about racing and selling SV's. is this a pretty popular bike to race on the track? ::)
I noticed the 171 on the rear plate. I'm a big Miguel fan too. I started this at 35, so of course I root for the old man!
The SV is "THE BIKE" in club racing today.
Yay! Another loyal Honda Fan!!!! Don't worry, they'll never understand...Don't let them turn you!!! ;) Trust me, "But I don't want an R6" isn't an acceptable answer.
Heather
(Stumpy has a RR, F4i and a 929--the 929 doesn't go on the track, though.)
I'm trying to be a loyal Honda man. If only they'd come out with a bike to compete with the SV (updated Hawk?)!
QuoteI'm trying to be a loyal Honda man. If only they'd come out with a bike to compete with the SV (updated Hawk?)!
how about a Honda RS250R :)
Quotehow about a Honda RS250R :)
Not sure I'm enough of an elitist for that. :P ;)
loyalty, schmoyalty. if i needed a pogo stick to win, that's what i'd race.
you can barely tell what kind of bike it is with race bodywork and a rattlecan paintjob anyway.... posing is for the street! :P
oh, an I have an SV for sale too! ::)
I don't think anyone who has seen my racebike paint job would ever accuse me of posing. Right Dawn? ;D
Quoteloyalty, schmoyalty. if i needed a pogo stick to win, that's what i'd race.
NEWS FLASH CCS announces new class for 2004!
http://www.bpmlegal.com/wpogo.html
QuoteNEWS FLASH CCS announces new class for 2004!
http://www.bpmlegal.com/wpogo.html
LOLOLOLOL!!!!
Where do you find this stuff?
Too funny,
Dawn :D
most important thing i learned is "run your own race" until you are comfortable with race speed. Do not try and do what the next guy is doing, you'll only loose focus on what you know how to do.
have fun,
brent
ccs #565
QuoteNEWS FLASH CCS announces new class for 2004!
http://www.bpmlegal.com/wpogo.html
Now that was FUNNY :D
Does button willow have a place to plug in tire warmers or will have to break out the trustie Generator? I guess im just spoiled by the garages of Fontana.