I've been too long waiting for this...

[hotcam]

After owning my FZR for 4 years, having chosen it as a bike
suitable for serious sports, I've just commuted on it. Doh!
Only done a half dozen serious countryside rides in all that time,
and nothing last summer because of rebuilding the motor.

Trying to organise enough tyres/brakes/motor/time/money
all at the same time is diffcult, and the only day I have
off from work is Sundays, makes it even more difficult, but now
it's time to ride the FZR the way it was built for...

> Thank you for your purchase!
> Congratulations on choosing Champion's Ride Days for your
> track experience on Sunday the 9th of August, 2009 at
> BROADFORD RACEWAY.

:cool :cool

Yes I will post pics here when done...

(OK it's only a track day but it's a big thing for me, I've
been waiting too long)

[FZRDude]

Congrats Cam!!!!

Oh and if pics don't show up, someone will be by to beat you about the neck and head.....

[stan]

ahh, Broadford, it may look like a large Go-Kart track, but it has some hidden treasures.

Turn 1 is good for some serious knee scraping, the hump down the back straight will get your attention, stop go corner at the end of the back straight has an up hill entry, so you can go a little deeper that you think,

don't be fooled, this is a place that can catch you out VERY quickly, comitte to your entry, and hold a steady line, you wil love it

pitty i'm now living in Qld, otherwise i would have come up for the day

good luck

stan

[hotcam]

Thanks for the tips!

[ozzyfzr]

Enjoy!
Regards
Ozzyfzr

[sbutler]

Good on ya Cam, you go boy! have a great time. You will now find out how much hard work the big 1000 is when you start pushing it at the track!

PS::I thought there was more to your thread about changing the fork angle & settings?? Its all clear now.

Get the pics up!!!! Team EXUP + 1 more

[stan]

well Cam, how did you go

waiting for a full report

stan

[hotcam]

The wheels are still on... :cool am downloading pix and vid.

Meantime, here's a bit of a blurb.

Saturday night I packed the car with a million things I wouldn't need,
just in case. Of course one of the things I really did need a lot, the
digital tyre pressure gauge, I packed also (bet you thought I was
going to say I forgot it).

Sunday morning dawned bright and early... well... no it didn't.
Me and my GF were up at 5.30am (!) and it was dark and bitterly cold.
It was an effort getting going and putting on
heaps of bike gear, Vicky driving the support car and me on the bike
(I have a trailer, but lent it to someone who is now about
1500miles away in Queensland). So I rode the bike to the track,
and on the way the sun came up, sort of, to reveal a dim grey day
but no rain (thank goodness). It also revealed a billboard with a
temperature gauge in it saying -2deg C (about 28F). I'm glad I had the
warm bike gear on, it was a good decision to put the leathers
in the boot of the car.

Upon arrival at the track, I parked in a pit close to the briefing area
and fetched a couple of hot drinks. Then a couple more. Eventually
I started the last little bit of track prep for the bike, such as removing
mirrors, taping headlight, and draining out the coolant that I topped
up the night before (apparently mine likes to drip a little coolant if the
bottle is more full than the "LOW" mark).

I decided to reduce tyre
pressures from my usual road 38F/42R to 30F/32R, as low pressures
were the local advice from the track day company. I grabbed my gauge,
and tested the pressure. "L". What the hell does "L" mean? Oh,
Low Battery. The one tool I REALLY needed had a flat battery.


There were a lot of cool bikes turning up, I was surprised by the amount
of dedicated track-only machinery. Some racebikes for sure, a lot of
track day fun bikes, not many road bikes come for a blast. Somehow I
expected more road-legal sportbikes. The pit next to me was filled by
a familiar face - Paul used to work for the same company and delivered
to my building, he had brought his van and friend with two bikes.
He lent me a tyre gauge. :cool

First session I was pretty lost, I spent most of the time trying to remember
whether each corner went right or left or what, and wondering if my
tyres were going to kill me. I was on the tyres I rode to work with all
year, a sport-touring set of Pilot Roads, all worn in the middle almost
to the bars, and nearly brand new on the edge. Still, it was heaps of
fun giving the rebuilt motor a proper thrashing down the straight, and
I didn't expect to be Mick Doohan on my first time on this track. Maybe
by lunchtime

As I came back into the pits, I thought "gee I've got a convenient pit
location"

"Damn, some b***er has pinched my spot - I'll just squeeze in next
to him"

"Hmm, that bike looks kind of like Spook's CBR, only more orange
and his is more red I think - I'll have to tell him I saw one like his"

"Did that bloke just call my name, nah, must have misheard with the
engine and the helmet and the earplugs and all"

As you may have guessed, it was our Spook from EXUP forum!

So we made friends and I pinched all his good ideas about tyre pressures
(even lower, ended up at 27F/29R cold at the end of the day).
When we went out for track session, he showed me a few of his
good lines, and took a lot of time to help me learn the track and be
smoother. In the end, I got to be a little faster and a LOT more in control.

I started out in the morning with two guided laps then did
a 1:32 and a 1:29, at the end of the day I was on the occasional
1:16 and consistent 1:17s, and feeling much more at
home on the bike. Without his expert guidance I think I'd be
still scaring myself at 1:20 or thereabouts, or I'd be in bits on the
side of the track. There were two guys who came off, I saw one.
I'm glad I didn't, although I had the odd "moment of interest".

Spook also seemed pleased with the CBR and his pace on it after
a long time off. I can't wait to see how his FZ goes.
He also gave me some petrol (Thanks!) to save going into town
to get some. I need a bigger fuel can.

Eventually it was time to stop going round and round in circles, and
we headed home. Spook was nice enough to share a spot on his
trailer so I didn't have to bolt on all the road parts, and that was good
because we were both very tired from the day.
Time for a cold can (or three)!


Pics very soon!

[hotcam]

My GF Vicky was a big help driving the support car with all the gear and
taking all these cool photos

[sbutler]

yee haa!!! you did it Cam!! Now will you do it again? I bet my house you will, & you'll get faster & smoother & then be looking for more handling mod, shall I go on??

Good on ya mate, I told ya its great fun didnt I??

[hotcam]

Your house is safe my friend :cool

There are spare track + roadsport tyres in my garage waiting to go on,
my friend in the spare parts department already has an order
to search out some fork springs...

there is another track day a month away...

I have a voucher for Superbike school here too...


Oh btw I just found out that wet4uracing.com.au do fibreglass for
FZR1000 IN AUSTRALIA - it might be for a Genny though, not an exup?

[spook]

I had read that Cam had booked his first ride day, how surprised do you think I was to find out we were going to the same event! I figured I would catch up with him at some time during the day, and say hello… All good.

I arrived and found a space (you don’t get double garages Cam!) and set up. Next thing I know a very stickered FZR rolls into the empty slot. The only prior evidence that anyone had inhabited the space was a small pile of clothes featuring a pair of crusty looking underpants on top. I had thought about moving them outside with a stick… But thought I better say hello instead…lol.

Turned out a good day with not too many people circulating. Cam settled in, and towards the end of the day was showing some impressive form on the old under sprung porker (FZR) with a crap rear tyre. His smile just kept getting bigger.

Towards the end of the day I switched groups and cut my best lap in a long time (1.05), so you can imagine the three can trip home we shared was a pleasant one. (thanks for the beers Cam)

It was great to meet another forum member and his lovely GF Viki… All good in the hood! Reckon once you get it sprung and shod Cam I’ll have trouble keeping up! Cheers, and enjoyed your enjoyment. Keep at it!

PS: Paul from wet4U has just bought my AX9 kart. Do you want me to ask what he does for the FZR? PM if that's the case... He also reckons Steve needs to pull his finger out...lol.

It's a small world... but a good one.

[Mike_SS]

Good report and it sounds like you enjoyed yourself. Another track day junkie in the making

[hotcam]

Thoughts:

The FZR engine is a powerhouse and easy to use. It
(and spook's tuition) were responsible for my lap
times being any good at all.

-

It's good to have goals. My main goal was "not running
off or falling off". That's a hard goal to stick to
and to rein in my enthusiasm for. Mainly
because it's not very specific, and relies on NOT
doing something else.

Perhaps next time I'll try to "go slow enough and
smooth enough that I don't instinctively tighten up on
the bars, nor ease off the throttle in the middle of
any corners", and
"go slow enough that I have time to remember exactly
what gear to be in and where to hit the brakes/throttle".

Sounds kind of silly to go to a track day so as I can
"go slow" but that's how I'll learn to not fall off.
Mike_SS: I think both our plans match in the "going slow
and not falling off" but I'm not so sure our definitions of
"slow" will match

-

The "slow" group is quite fast for streetbikers, and this
comes from a bloke who learned fast streetbiking from
the most notorious canyon carving club in the state who
are universally described as "looney".

The "medium-slow" group is blindingly quick especially
on a streetbike , or if you don't know your bike so good,
or don't know the track really well.

The "medium-fast" group is a fast and tiring effort
for an experienced club racer on a race-prepped
superbike on pre-heated slicks.

God only knows who is in the "FAST" group, I'm sure they see
Him at each corner to say "hi God, betchya can't catch me!"

-

Roadsport handling and track handling are so different as
to be completely opposite. For quick roadsport riding
I set the steering more nervous, so as to tip into
and out of corners more rapidly. For track work, to get
faster I'll need to steady the steering, to stop the
bike from wanting to fall in to the turn at extreme
lean angle.

If I do steady this by reducing the rear ride height it
will also lower the centre of gravity of the bike which
will help. I think the pointier shape
of new tyres will help too - I have some Power2 waiting
to go onto the bike. Also learning to be smooth and steady
on the cornering lines and the throttle will help.
The standard fork springs on the FZR are OK for street,
but slushy and almost nonexistent for the stresses placed
on them at the track. New fork springs will improve
braking feel, hopefully also cornering feel.

-

I want to thank Spook and Stan and Sbutler and everyone
on the FZ/R/YZF forum for their advice, moral support,
fellowship and enthusiasm. And for reading this far through
all my drivel. It's been a lot of fun (except for my writings) and
it's going to be a lot more. I'd also like to dedicate
my fastest lap of the day (1:16) to the memory of Silver.

-

Oh, BTW Spook ... Sunday 6 September is available...

[RocknFZR1000]

you set your goal and achieved it most of all you had fun and it all came out right and safe... you enjoy that machine...! FZR1000's RULE...! Great Job on all the hard work you put into it...!

[sbutler]

Wetty wouldnt have FZR 1000 fairings Cam. I tried him ages ago. The only guy inside Australia with moulds for us is Mick Jones. I know because he made the moulds from my race kit I had to get from the USA.
You can get him here> motumbi@hotkey.net.au


Right lets get the handling out of the way.
You had to slow the steering because they want to fall into the corners, mine did the same. Remember?? There is only one way to stop it.
The fix is, the springs. That takes all the nasty stuff away. The bike will point were ever you want & not want to run wide, then fall in at its own will..
We'll have you pushing spook in no time!!

[spook]

We'll have you pushing spook in no time!!

Lol... Steve, yeah I better pull my finger out. I'll check the weather closer to the time (Sept 6) Cam... If I decide on going, I'll pick you up on the way through.

Lets get the bike sprung and shod before the next outing? What oil W are you using Steve? We will have you down to 1.10's in no time. But, like I said, and I've spent many $ fixing bikes and waiting for bones to heal to be able to pass on this advice... LET THE SPEED COME TO YOU!!! There is no need to chase it.

You know Cam, Another option is reg with a club and purchase a rec license. You then open up a large number of weekend possibilities. Phone broadford on 0357844163 and listen to Patrick's recorded up and coming events message pick a date and go! $110... Cheaper! This is race practice, so you don't get the wobbly, scared, dangerous people attending... Well there is perhaps me... lol.

The fastest guys at Broadford on our era of machinery are doing 1,00's and even slightly lower... Pretty impressive!

More impressive was the straight line speed of the Cam's Fizzer, and it certainly sounded the business as it powered down the straight. I think it was a Repsol CBR1000 that cam dusted up on his final couple of laps... Got past him in the bends as well... lol. Motivation to get my old fz750 finished. Proof of the engine work you have done as well.

Congratulations on a well deserved first day out

[sbutler]

We'll have you pushing spook in no time!!

Lol... Steve, yeah I better pull my finger out.
Lets get the bike sprung and shod before the next outing? What oil W are you using Steve?

Spook Ive got a feeling my front springs are CBR 600 Racetech 9.5 with spacers. Perfect too! The later model FZR has a different fork, but really I'd still go 15w with those springs. That will pretty much stop the falling into corners when you let go of the brakes. Mine did the same thing, & funny enough the YZF did too. On the brakes they want to understeer, off the brakes they want to fall over..

As soon as we got the front end sitting up propely that understeer was gone..Do those couple of things before you do the triple clamp mod. That way your not making to many changes all at once.
When Cam gets in tune with those couple, you can to the other, he'll be getting fast enough to use the later changes.

I feel Cams FZR will be comming a race bike real soon.. he he he

[spook]

Spook Ive got a feeling my front springs are CBR 600 Racetech 9.5 with spacers. Perfect too!

I reckon Cam may need 1.1's

[hotcam]

I feel Cams FZR will be coming a race bike real soon.. he he he

or at least the fastest commuter in the east side... LOL

Yes fair enough, springs are the first priority for spending on this bike.
Oil to match,
The standard fork oil for Stan's bike according to the manual is 5W,
Stan is racing with 15W so that's two to three stages increase in thickness.
I'll probably go up 2 viscosity levels at first - one to
convert from slushy road damping to firm sporty damping, and
one extra to cope with the stronger springs.
The standard for my bike is 3w because of the different valving
in the later model forks, I'll probably try 7.5W to start, because
I've had what I think was 10W and it locks the forks almost solid to
the point where it's unrideable on the road.

Tyres I have all ready to go on, once I wear out the current
ones commuting.

front springs are CBR 600 Racetech 9.5 with spacers.

Sounds correct, Racetech calculate 10.5 for me but they only make
10.0 so that's the one they recommend.

You had to slow the steering because they want to fall into the corners, mine did the same. Remember?? There is only one way to stop it.
The fix is, the springs. That takes all the nasty stuff away. The bike will point were ever you want & not want to run wide, then fall in at its own will..

I think I remember, it must have been a while ago because I seem to
remember your bike handling like a weapon! :cool So I'll go back
and re-read it to refresh my memory. I know I need springs because
I've got no feel under brakes or cornering, and bucketloads of dive,
from what you say I guess it'll help my confidence and feel mid-corner too.
I'm looking forward to trying some out.

reg with a club and purchase a rec license.

Will keep it in mind, depending on how often I'm able to get out there.
Remember this is the first time I've managed to organise track time in
years, and I haven't even been on a sporty road ride for almost a year.
I gotta get out of the house more