Rain at the track

Discussion in 'Racing & Track Days' started by RVFR, May 1, 2017.

  1. RVFR

    RVFR Member

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    Surprise!! it rained, imagine that being in the PNW. Had it today to lend a helping hand with my son at the Ridge motorsports park. It's the first track day of the season here and so it happened. RAIN! not that riding in the rain ain't doable, just makes one be really smooth on all accounts, some weren't so lucky, or good enough to heed the warning. at least 4 went down in the first outing. one was a new Duc panni, SHM, wish I had that kind of money to throw around. Any who, pretty much a damp day, with not a lot of action.

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    Even a 6th gen tried his luck......Nope.

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    For Gator ; This guy rocked it, funny enough he wasn't having much issues other than a rear stepping out so he said. Crazy sound too with for the most part having a straight part.

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    Last edited: May 1, 2017
  2. Gator

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    Nice Ape! I use to do track days in th rain. It was good to find traction limits and be extra smooth on inputs. But the wet everythng! I have fozen my ass off up at Jennings in th rain. That track is excellent to learn on in thee rain, you will be dragging knee in water before you know it. Really good grip.Last track rain day I did was Barber and on slicks. Started to rain lightly and I was fowwowing an instructor on her 1k. I like riding with her as we are very similar in tmes and lines. She stayed out for 2 more gentle laps and I was reeally happy when I followed her back into pin lane. It was gett ing squirley out there. I bet the electronics on th Ape made the pilot feel a little more confident.
     
  3. OOTV

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    It's funny, when I did the track day at Fontana, they pulled everyone in when it started to drizzle a little bit! What tires do you normally run at the track, particularly when the track is wet?
     
  4. OOTV

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    Did you ride today or were you just there to observe?
     
  5. Hingley

    Hingley New Member

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    Very nice looking curves at the track. Reminds me of my local track, it was built by the bike club in the early 1970's and is still run by the club today. It is only 6000 feet long but has 11 corners and 100' of elevation change.
    All the guys on the national circuit commented that it is not very fast but very technical
     
  6. RVFR

    RVFR Member

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    No riding, just a helping hand. Besides knew all to well it was going to be raining ... No time for that sorta thing. LOL Besides the Viffer wasn't legal.........yet. This was more about seeing my son riding today, he's a track control rider at these events. Since there wasn't anything on the books keeping me from the place. Decided why not see the chaos.
     
  7. Gator

    Gator Insider

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    I have run intermediates with Dunlop, Michelin and Perrelli in the wet but have only run slicks for the past 5 years or so, mostly Dunlop GPA's. Warmers and slicks give my old ass a bit more confidence and I can just go have fun wthout drama. Except when "rossi" stuffs me in a corner. lol
     
  8. fink

    fink Member

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  9. GatorGreg

    GatorGreg Honda Fanboy/LitiGator

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    That didn't sound like a VFR! :beguiled:
     
  10. Badbilly

    Badbilly Official VFRWorld Troll Of The Year!

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    Fast guys in fast cars in the rain

    Both drivers are no longer with us.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DGeoIRWTx7U

    This version was taken directly from the vinyl disc. Note the pop from a scratch on the record. C. 1958

    Pix and films of these same cars running and racing at AVUS, The Nurburg Ring ect.
     
  11. Gator

    Gator Insider

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    It is amazing how fast you can go in the rain with decent road tires. Rain will teach you to be smooth on all inputs and look a bit further down range. Slicks in the wet..... Terrifying.
     
  12. Badbilly

    Badbilly Official VFRWorld Troll Of The Year!

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    Please clear all statements concerning riding with minigator in future. He is an expert on being slick.
     
  13. Gator

    Gator Insider

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    lol, well, he is a lawyer......
     
  14. fink

    fink Member

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    Well spotted it was a 95 cbr600 f3 Californian spec with uk cams and cdi. :congratulatory:
     
  15. Gator

    Gator Insider

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    Fink where did you find the "Tights, tight, too tights fucked"? Makes me laugh, we have all probably have been there.
     
  16. Badbilly

    Badbilly Official VFRWorld Troll Of The Year!

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    I was trying to be polite..

    Minigator is also ubiquitous. I found him on Facebook.



    http://www.msn.com/en-us/lifestyle/...le-on-facebook/ss-BBqafyg?li=BBnb7Kz#image=26

    Never rode with slicks. Rain, a bunch. Smooth input both in steering and gearchanges and throttle control will get ya there in one piece. Concrete or asphalt in the first few minutes of rain after a dry spell can toss ya down real quick even with the best tires ect. Hydrocarbons, tire dust and natural minerals mixed and stirred tend to emulsify and get slimy until washed away. Not only slick but slimy ..;)

    I think if I were on a track with slicks on the bike and it started spitting, I'd park the bike and walk or just push it..
     
  17. Gator

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    Yeah the 2 laps at Barber on slicks in the rain were very slow. But there was still traction.
     
  18. Badbilly

    Badbilly Official VFRWorld Troll Of The Year!

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    My lap time would have been a lot slower than yours. Used to race on a bed of decomposed granite and clay, Too much water and the clay gets real slick. Practice on pro flat track is maybe a couple of hour before qualifying. The word back in the day when described by the fast guys was it was like riding on owlshit.
     
  19. Gator

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    I'm not sure whats slicker, clay or the black muck of the Everglades. I have buried 4X4's in both and it was a royal pain in the ass. But I think the muck is worse, its harder to clean and the suction with the water content is worse than clay. The time I got stuck in clay was on a friends farm down in his clay pit where we shoot. We got his huge tractor stuck trying to get me out.
     
  20. Badbilly

    Badbilly Official VFRWorld Troll Of The Year!

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    Not a clue about that muck. Clay of all kinds has an affinity with water on the molecular level. The water molecules attach themselves to the clay platelets, which brings us to yet another meaningful musical interlude..

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jGq5hquIgp4
     
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