Brands Indy Practice 7th Feburary 2004  

Click here for Brands track layout

Well although I commute all year round, it had been about 3.5 months since I had last ridden the race bike.  From previous experience I know that although riding the road bike reminds me how to change gear that is about as far as the comparison between road riding and racing goes ... and even then it isn't really the same as I don't use the clutch on the upshift on the racebike!!! (generally use clutch on the road). 

Andrew and I decided to have a tackday to blow the cobwebs away before the 2004 season starts.  Brands hatch is the easiest track to get to for us and coincidentally the first round of the 2004 season is set to be there.  So we scanned the trackdays available and there was one by 'Focused Events' being held there on Saturday the 7th Feb.  Not only was it a reasonable price for normal punters (£99) but they were giving ACU holders a discount so it was £89 for them.  Sweet! 

Over the winter I have had the rear shock professionally serviced and replaced the standard and faulty compression adjuster/s with some 'trick' K-Tech ones and changed the fork oil for a lighter (the proper grade …its a long story but I was sold the wrong grade by Harris when I overhauled them last season!!).  I have also got my spare engine 'refreshed' and tuned ready for the race season.  As the tune means that that engine will have to have a top end 'refresh' every 10hrs of running now, I decided to leave the old engine in until I have got back into the swing of things (thus saving hours on the new motor when I would not get the best benefit from it as I was still 'learning' to ride the bike/race again).  

Again where this was a de-cobweb session, it wasn't worth buying/wasting a new set of tyres on it, so I ran the old knackerd ones I used in the last round in 2003.  I also had a second rear which was a little better, but still pretty shot and had been 'turned' too, but between the two, there should be enough rubber to get me through this day. 

My best (recorded) time is a 52s, so that was my goal, to get as near that as possible (if dry), bearing in mind I was out of practice and on shot tyres, realistically 54s would do for now, any less and I'd be disappointed/worried (not that I put much pressure on myself :oD ). 

Session 1

Although looking to be a promising day, It had evidently rained the night before as the track was still damp-very wet in places.  It was particularly wet  at bottom of paddock hill all the way round druids and Graham hill and clearways.  However where the sun had got to it, the Start finish was pretty clear.  After starting off in the 1:10s ish, I think I had a best lap of about 1:01s by the end of the session.  Didn't really pay much attention as there was plenty more to come and we were largely pootling apart from on the start finish (Bradam) straight, when we could get the bikes on full chat.  That said, we were not able to get full drive out of Clark/clearways as it was still damp where you would usually start hooking up.  

The bike although felling ‘different’ didn't fell as alien as it might.  Found it hard to get the gear leaver as my race boots (Alpinestar Supertechs) are built solid, which is good for protection, but they do restrict ankle movement.  My road boots are not as good but have a lot more 'feel'.  Although a new pair  for this season (old ones worn out) they are the same make/model boots as I used last season, so will just take a little getting used to again. 

Session 2 

It was predominately dry, just a few damp patches round clearways/Clark that were dodgy as hell! I had a few unexpected slides there when simply leaning over where I was trying to pick the pace up where it was generally dryer.  It wasn't that grippy full-stop there and I took heed of the warnings. So just took it a bit easy round there as although I was keen to get some good laps in, there was no point throwing it down the track, especially as at this rate it was set to dry out completely for later on.   Got down to 56s with the odd 55 if I got a clear run. I was now 'working' the bike considerably more, but I was comfortable and there was plenty more to come.

Session 3

Just before our group was due to go on, it chucked it down, a 5 min torrent.  Doh!  As it was just a shower, there was no point (or time) to change to wets.  Andrew and I were in half a mind to stay in for this session. But we then tough, what the hell!?! … lets just do it and take it easy <coughs>.  So we went out on our dry tyres (supercorsas). We started off tiptoeing round in the 1:15s, but as the session continued, we got used to the grip available and track drying everso slightly managed to get down to 1:01s really enjoyed it, it ‘cleaned’ the chewed tyres up too!  I was amazed how much power I could get down in the damp, even getting the front loft out of druids and graham hill at times!! Still slippy as hell round clearways though … 

Session 4

The track had predominately dried again by now and Andrew and I decided to swap bikes.  Andrew races an SP1, which he had had tuned up again over the winter, with some HRC high compression pistons in it.  It was now good for ~125 rear wheel neds (but lets face it, it is the torque that is the more impressive/important figure on a twin). 

Obviously being a big twin it has a totally different power delivery to my R6.  It has awesome midrange, lovely solid drive. Andrew had also had a quick action throttle fitted as the stock one meant you had to have a wrist like Mr Tiggle!! ... Although I think the mapping needed a little sorting as when you pick the throttle up (was a little jerky down below at times) the engine was lovely, smooth predictable and an abundance of useable power from about 5krpm all the way to the redline, just building and building.  The front suspension was a bit stiff for me perhaps oversprung, but probably just over damped ... but that is personal preference stuff. 

At first I was riding really gingerly on it, but within 3 laps I was felling more and more comfortable and started to 'work' it more. Riding round I thought 'I could get used to this' was really enjoying myself and settling in then the session was red flagged, two had gone down at paddock hill. 

Session 5 

Back on my bike now, and although the temperature and the sun had dropped, the track was the driest yet.  One of the contracted services available on this trackday was an onboard video thing.  I had seen this offered before at trackdays where a bloke follows you on a camera bike.  I asked Andrew if he was gonna get one done (although it would be kool, I couldn't justify the expense myself).  When we spoke to the bloke he said that they actually fitted the camera to your bike ...  Long story short we got the kit fitted to my bike with the intention of videoing Andrew.  Andrew went for the 2 camera option, so I’d have a mini camera/lens strapped to the front and rear of my bike.  

Took my bike to there truck and the got fitting underway.  As it wasn't long before our session commenced, it was a bit of a rush job to get it fitted, they did it, but we did miss the first few minuets of our session.  Where I had been sat around for a bit getting this stuff fitted, my tyres would have been cold (as had been out of warmers) So had to do a few warm up laps ... started to wind it up a bit now and got 56s on the timer. 

Then got amongst a group of about 4-5 other riders, the pace was pretty frantic here, bikes all over, the whole pack lapping approximately the same … I switched into race mode and got stuck in ... this was now kool ... took a few of them then realised I was supposed to be filming Andrew (who was in follow mode at this time), so slowed for him to pass (not sure if or by how far I had dropped him), he soon passed and I was now at the back of a group of bikes again ... Andrew was in the thick of it!!!  This was awesome fun!!!  I was having so much fun I forgot all about my thumb operated laptimer, so have no idea what times I was putting in, but the pace felt good!  I should imagine in reality they were only 54s, possibly 53s (lets face it may have only been 55s as I didn't have clear track!) but I didn't care, it was a hoot!!  Then the session was over all far too soon.  On debrief Andrew loved it too!!!  We both had big smiles and both of us were riding the most confidently we had all day. 

Unbeknown to us that was the end of the day :'o( just as we were having fun!! ... I was expecting one more as trackdays usually have 6 session, but hey, we were leaving on a high!!   VIEW THE VIDEO!  you will need the DivX codec.

Thoroughly impressed with how Focused events ran the day, loads of facilities, digital photos that you could view there and then, onboard videos, tyre man, excellent, would have no qualms going with them again. 

Summery 

Great day all round, with a variety of weather conditions, but overall pretty lucky considering time of year.  Most importantly we both stayed on and the cobwebs are well and truly blown, well blasted! away ... unfortunately we have another month before the first race!!