Why my daughter roadraces

[oldryder]

The reason why motorcycle racing is so appealing, aside from the adrenaline rush, camaraderie, and glorious feeling of moving 140 miles per hour inches from the ground, is that fast and skillful racing is free of gender disparities and political correctness.

Going fast, regardless of gender, race, muscle composition, height, or weight, is still fast.

Objective, totally equal, devoid of excuses- fast is fast.

 

[fjrchooser]

She's nailed it pretty good for a young'un. You've raised a good one !

 

[vabrzn]

zoooomm!

 

[Auburn]

cool, what does she race?

 

[oldryder]

SV650. (yea, I know the "140 mph" is a bit of exaggeration. call it poetic license) you can definitely get an SV topped out (around 135) at Brainerd even on the shorter 2.5 mile competition course.

will only get 2 weekends this year and then she leaves for marine boot camp.

 

[Silver Penguin]

Yes. She definitely 'gets' it.

 

[not2shabby]

Yep, glancing quickly at the speedo and seeing it north of 150 before grabbing the brake lever on the back straight at Mid Ohio is definately a lot of fun. I do miss my old FZ1 occassionally. Anybody take their FJR's to track days? I've never seen one at a track day...hmmm, maybe novice class for the hellofit.

 

[MotorToad]

Well, it could be 140 mph "indicated!" Speedos are pretty optimistic in that range.

Yep, glancing quickly at the speedo and seeing it north of 150 before grabbing the brake lever on the back straight at Mid Ohio is definately a lot of fun. I do miss my old FZ1 occassionally. Anybody take their FJR's to track days? I've never seen one at a track day...hmmm, maybe novice class for the hellofit.

I've done a track day with a guy on an FJR in my class (I was on my ancient and battered FZR-600). Suffice to say I was 2-4 seconds a lap faster than him, but not his bike's fault. I couldn't get past him short of stuffing him in a corner, which I won't do. The acceleration difference between the two bikes on corner exit was almost as much as my first trackday when I got stuck behind a Bandit 1200 on my GS-500E!
My advice on picking the right bike to do a trackday on is that it be a motorcycle. I've seen cruisers, Oldwings, FJs, all sorts of stuff. Track riding isn't racing (though racers use it for practice, but you won't be in their group). It's a chance to ride like you want to ride with an incredibly elevated margin of safety. Safe surface, no cross- or oncoming traffic, flashy bus at a moment's notice, run-off room; you're a lot better off crashing at a trackday than, say, Blue Ridge Parkway 30 miles from a flashy bus and 15 miles from cell coverage.

The main thing is to choose the right sanctioning group. The big names with the big internet presence tend to have the biggest following of squirrelly kids that don't take well to safe riding, if you know what I mean. It's not a fault of the people running the show, it's just a matter of popularity. More bikes == more idiots, so if you run with a less-known track club, odds are it'll be less idiots.

 

[oldryder]

"ditto's" to Motortoad. also kudo's; "I couldn't get past him short of stuffing him in a corner, which I won't do" is the right attitude for school or track day. stuffing someone in a corner should be restricted to racing and maybe the advanced group on a track day.

ME:

I've been riding for 34 years. did my 1st track days in 2008, was REAL slow. main thing I learned was that I had a lot to learn.

in 2009 took several "advanced rider instruction" classes with my daughter at a local school that uses a 0.8 mile track at a tech college. learned a lot and had a ball. knowing how to radically turn and stop a bike (and being confident you can do it) may make the difference someday between a crash and a near miss on the street. was in the "beginner' class all year but ready for "intermediate" by years end. (racers are typically in the "advanced" group)

also did 2 track days at Brainerd Raceway on the 2.5 mile track configuration and had great fun at much higher speeds.

also learned the value of gear; we both crashed twice with no harm except some scuffed leather, busted rearsets, and cracked bodywork.

re: sanctioning group; we have a couple good organizations plus the local roadracing club and we only have about a 6 month riding season up here. some Google time should unearth several possibilities for most any locale.

I STRONGLY recommend anyone that rides to take advanced rider instruction or beginner track day if they can. any bike in good mechanical condition with good tires will suffice. One of the things most people find out is that they're not riding their bike anywhere near the limits of the bikes capability. In beginner groups, if the event is well run, there won't be ANY pressure to go "fast"; the day is all about learning.

For example, one exercise everyone seems to enjoy is "3rd gear"; you ride several laps and never shift or brake. sounds boring and it's not; it's all about turn in points and throttle management.

 

[not2shabby]

I've done probably a dozen or so track days and Code's school at Mid Ohio, so it wouldn't be anything new. Just the FJR weighing about 150 lbs more than what I last rode there...not sure if I'd want to sign up for intermediate as I usually do, but it would be fun to get her out there. Mid Ohio runs their own show now with STT control riders. I didn't go to any last year, but in 08 they ran a good show. I'd really like to get a beater 600 for the track...hate the thought of wadding the FJR. Too much $$$!

 

[MotorToad]

Oh, run the piss out of the FJR, then! It'll be fine in intermediate. Even the guy that was holding me up was far from the slowest in intermediate at that event.

When I do get completely clogged by someone like that, I'll make a pass through pit road and give him 30-40 seconds. Luckily at Barber I know everyone there and I can have a nice shoot-the-**** with the pit out worker.

 

[not2shabby]

Oooooooh, I'd love to do Barber some time...but it's just a bit out of the way. Only takes me an hour to get to MO.