Track Day at Road America - Wisconsin - Final Report (includes pics)

[pmeysemb]

UPDATE: One of the photographers at this event finally got around to posting his pictures so I incorporated them into a short (5min) video clip along with some of the video I took that day - hopefully, these give a feel for a track day! IMO, the videos are the coolest part.

You can find them here on my personal page:

https://gisdata.nrri.umn.edu/pers/pm/FJR/trackday_pics.htm

By the way, my first time playing around with the video editing software so go easy on the skillz Also, the two different sized versions are in windows media format; hope that works for most.

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Got back from my first track day last night at Road America (near Sheboygan, WI) and thought I'd do a report: (kind of long but worth every byte )

Off the top:

*about 100 to 120 riders I figure - I think about 55-60 in the beginner group

some "only's" to start out:

the only sport tourer there that I saw

the only shaft drive bike on the track

the only textile suit (Aerostich) on the track (never before have I seen so many leathers)

the only rider (as far as I could tell) to actually ride to and away from the track - "ride what ya brung"

NESBA, I think, may run there track days a bit differently than others I have heard about in that these are mostly set up to get experienced riders out on the track, with the thought that they can still let new and potential track riders see what it is like. I felt a bit out of place on the FJR and would really like to try a real sport bike for one of these days.

My biggest concern, throughout the day, was how hard I was thrashing my ride home! We were doing approximately 3 and 1/2 minute laps on this 4.1 mile track and I was wringing every thing I could out of every turn. Turn 14 launches you up the hill to the finish line straight and for the last couple sessions at least we were hitting about 140 before shutting down into turn one (the liter class bikes were hitting 160 at this point). Likewisel turn 3 gets you into another long straightaway maybe up to 120-130 before shutting down hard again for the downhill sharp left hander. I locked up a couple of times into this one and had to use the run off bumps once or twice. The trickiest part for the FJR is turn 11 chicane which is 2nd gear hard left then immediate hard right.

I only scraped a peg once the whole day, although I really upped the susp preload both front and rear. The Dunlop 208's (32psi front and 35 rear) I was using were perfect for the day on the FJR. I would definitely use them again. Oil was 20-50 with a can of STP added. Slip-ons may have added to track presence and they really snarl at redline!

I also put new sintered pads on last weekend and they worked great, especially with how slowly some riders were setting up for the tight turns. Getting the beast from 5th to 2nd, it is amazing how well the FJR brakes are!

By the last few sessions, I figured out that I didn't always have to start near the rear and as the rider congestion eased, I really started to get a feel for the correct apex line and was hanging off like crazy. That number 9 "carousel" turn is the perfect 3rd gear sweeper for the FJR because it gives you enough time to balance that fine line of traction and lean - my favorite turn on the track.

I figure we got about 30 to 35 complete laps in with one session shortened to just one lap because of a crash. I think there were 4 crashes, with the most serious occurring in the advanced group (his bike looked like it was crunched pretty bad).

I got a few comments from other riders about their surprise how hard the FJR pulls in the straights. The 600 track bikes would fly through the turns but I could reel them in the long straights. Also, one of control riders mentioned that my lines were getting better with each session considering the weight I had to push around. I did notice that none of the other riders wanted to trade bikes for a session though

I have another level of respect for the FJR after yesterday and the abuse I gave it: ride about 400 miles to the track, ride about 35 full on laps, most at wide open trottle and hitting redline quite often, and then packing up and riding another 400 miles home fully loaded. Sounds pretty tough to me. I would surely do this again some day, but only if I can be sure at least one more FJR (or two?) is there with me. There's gotta be one or two FJR's around here somewhere that need a good thrashing!

All in all, I felt that I was not too bad an ambassador for the FJR's track abilities at the end of the day as I headed home all loaded up for touring...

I put a few pics on my personal site here: https://gisdata.nrri.umn.edu/pers/pm/FJR/trackday_pics.htm .

Paul

Duluth

('05 FJR, 27k, "now with track time!" :yahoo: )

 

[E1Allen]

Nice little write up, I would love to get the bike out on the track. Get some rubber off the sides instead of the centers.

 

[stryg8r]

Nice writeup Paul! I felt like I was there on a couple turns. Now I really wish I could have made it with you.

Count me in next time!

 

[jeremybhm]

Looks fun. I gotta figure out how to get to a track day somewhere...

 

[snap1945]

Congrats. I too, rode my Feejer to the track for two novice days. I did Grattan Mich. and from your report It (Grattan) is a much tighter course, although I am sure I was well past the ton on the straight. I enjoyed the heck out of my track time and am excited about going back and doing it again even thought I had the only shaftie and definitely the heaviest bike there. Drop the bags, tape it up and go like hell..... we are versatile.....

 

[pmeysemb]

Congrats. I too, rode my Feejer to the track for two novice days. I did Grattan Mich. and from your report It (Grattan) is a much tighter course, although I am sure I was well past the ton on the straight. I enjoyed the heck out of my track time and am excited about going back and doing it again even thought I had the only shaftie and definitely the heaviest bike there. Drop the bags, tape it up and go like hell..... we are versatile.....

Hey Snap,

You will have to make a trip over to this course sometime! Take the ferry from Ludington to Manitowoc and you are about 20 miles away! A few riders told me (in their opinion) this is the fastest and smoothest bike course in the country - they were pretty sure the big guys were hitting 160 to 170 before shutting down for turn one. Check the map I posted on my site. This course has 3 good straights to get you over 100! Also, there is a closer course over this way that is much more technical with tighter turns - Blackhawk Hills or something. I think I may have to go with a real track bike for that one, though.

One last thing, was your Grattan trip a NESBA event or some other and did youi feel like you were "schooled" enough by the control riders at the time? I just tried to stay out of trouble and the way of others. Except for one final talk with one of the control riders at the end, they didn't really have a lot to say to me.

 

[snap1945]

pmey, I went to Grattan with Sportsbiketracktime.com

The novice groups were again subdivided by rider ability. Most of the time we were single file behind an instructor and he set the pace to familiarize us with the track and apexes. Soon afterward it was oftentimes a lot more than just a little exciting just to keep up. There was no passing, unless signaled for, and lead, by an instructor an event that did occur. Passing therefore being coordinated by both the passing and being passed instructor. The controll factors were excellent and safe. Recall I had previously mentioned some novice groups had more skillfull riders. You could be moved up or down levels as the day progressed and the challanges wore on. Each hour was divided in thirds on the track with intermediate starting the hour, then they clear the track for the advanced group, and the last third of every hour for the novices like myself. There was another 10 to 30 minute 'classroom session' after every track session. I will be 62yo come September and at present have no desire to take up hard core motorcyle racing at this time in my life, but, I have been riding for 50 of those years and will ever remember my time on the track as some of the most fun I have ever had on two wheels. AND a for big plus I can now handle my Feejer with much more confidence although I also hope to take a lesson in low speed handling in the near convenient future.

If you ever attend bring you own lunch cause I dont think that even a 7/11 store could come up with more unsatisfying fare.

Riding to and at Road America and riding with and meeting you sounds super to me and I would love to make future plans this instant however: one week ago I had my second cateract and glaucoma surgery (plastic lens implants) and Herr Doktor says give my eyes thirty to ninety days to settle down. I can now just barely see my speedometer but anything past eight feet in distance and its like I have Bosch and Lomb 10x 50's built in but have to carry a magnifying glass to read and even then it is dificult to find focus. yours truley snap

 

[pmeysemb]

UPDATE: One of the photographers at this event finally got around to posting his pictures so I incorporated them into a short (5min) video clip along with some of the video I took that day - hopefully, these give a feel for a track day! IMO, the videos are the coolest part.

You can find them here on my personal page:

https://gisdata.nrri.umn.edu/pers/pm/FJR/trackday_pics.htm

By the way, my first time playing around with the video editing software so go easy on the skillz unsure.gif Also, the two different sized versions are in windows media format; hope that works for most.

 

[rocknfjr]

Nice report! the FJR shows it has a lot of SPORT in the sport touring class

 

[OrangevaleFJR]

very cool! Thanks for sharing. I would love to get into a track day with a bunch of similar type bikes whether it's a sport touring class, or sport bike class. Just looks fun as as all get out.

Do you feel like you learned a lot?

 

[pmeysemb]

Do you feel like you learned a lot?

Oh boy....

[can of worms]

I would say yes and no.

Yes: I have never actually ridden a true "sport bike" so I learned some cool things about the Feejer like tire adhesion limits, abuse it can take, max lean angles, high speed is fun!, and picking a line for a heavyweight bike. Also, picked up a small bit of that racer's mentality and bike handling confidence. "Hey, I didn't crash all day!" (4 others did though)

No: because I think NESBA's mission is different from some of the other "track time" organizations. Now that I am a NESBA "member" I have been perusing their forums and know that they are geared more towards grooming racers and the "serious hobby" boys and girls. Honestly, I felt out of place that day but I decided to make the best of it since I had such a big financial commitment already. Although extremely friendly and personable, I got this feeling from some of the control riders "okay, here's a big boy out here with his "sport-tourer" for the day - lets let him play for the day and focus our teaching on the regular members". Don't get me wrong, they were very approachable, but I almost felt like I was wasting their time, also, in asking questions since, at the time, you don't know if you would ever come back to something like this.

In the later sessions when the groups thins out, you can pretty much open it up and hammer as hard as you want as long as you don't break rules. I have heard that other organizations don't give you this freedom, even towards the end of the day.

After thinking about this for a few weeks now and the experience finally sinking in, I have decided I will definitely do another one. Some thoughts I have now, though:

1. I may consider trailering the FJR next time if I can borrow a trailer (sacreligious, I know) - here's why:

a. In that 2 day trip, I put a total of 1060 miles on my "track tires" (Dunlop 208's) - they may have enough for another track day but I can see the super-slab is starting to take it's toll on em already.

b. Also, getting the bike ready in a garage would be much nicer and I could remove some extra weight (tupperware, centerstand, driving lights, etc).

c. I wouldn't have to worry about breaking something (me or the bike) the whole day and not having a way home (about 400 miles)

2. Make sure I choose a number that hasn't been taken by a regular member yet - was kind of embarrassing at the tech check-in when the intermediate rider that saw me with same number on bike.

3. Bring another person along for support - someone like my son or wife who could get water, take pictures or videos, etc. Most other riders I met had other folks with them.

4. Maybe just say "screw it" and pick up a well worn, used 600cc track bike for 3k and not have to worry about trashing my FJR. Hmmm, I wonder if I could pull a trailer with a track bike on it WITH the FJR? That would be the ticket. Now the scheming begins....

[/can of worms]

[/off ramble]

ride safe,

 

[rogdeb]

Great inital write-up, and .....

Do you feel like you learned a lot?

1. I may consider trailering the FJR next time if I can borrow a trailer (sacreligious, I know) - here's why:

a. In that 2 day trip, I put a total of 1060 miles on my "track tires" (Dunlop 208's) - they may have enough for another track day but I can see the super-slab is starting to take it's toll on em already.

b. Also, getting the bike ready in a garage would be much nicer and I could remove some extra weight (tupperware, centerstand, driving lights, etc).

c. I wouldn't have to worry about breaking something (me or the bike) the whole day and not having a way home (about 400 miles)

2. Make sure I choose a number that hasn't been taken by a regular member yet - was kind of embarrassing at the tech check-in when the intermediate rider that saw me with same number on bike.

3. Bring another person along for support - someone like my son or wife who could get water, take pictures or videos, etc. Most other riders I met had other folks with them.

4. Maybe just say "screw it" and pick up a well worn, used 600cc track bike for 3k and not have to worry about trashing my FJR. Hmmm, I wonder if I could pull a trailer with a track bike on it WITH the FJR? That would be the ticket. Now the scheming begins....

[/can of worms]

[/off ramble]

ride safe,

All good points made above.