Mallala trackdays

[Davidr]

Originally Posted by old blue

David... saw you going at it against what I think was a black Speed Triple...that was fun to watch!

O.B

Had fun going around the Speed Triple a few times.
Once was around the outside on turn 2, but he ran on/ran wide and I ended up having to virtually go off the outside of the track in order to avoid a clash (and still get around). In hindsight probably wasn't a good idea, but was fun at the time.

(PS: If was someone from the forum I hope I didn't inconvenience you too much)

[Rorz]

Originally Posted by Crouchy

Well, after a wet drive to the track, and a damp first session, the day turned out to be damn-near perfect.

I had an absolute blast, and can't wait for the next one!

My best time was a 1.23.36, but was averaging in the mid 1.24's. I had a good 'battle' with a GSX-R 750 in one of the arvo sessions, and saw Anon out on track too.

What times were you posting out of interest, do you know?

The day went pretty well overall, with a couple of downed riders in my group (yellow), but no serious injuries, and only short stoppages. My only damage for the day is a buggered knee puck and an out of shape body that is hurting all over!!

1:23.36 for your first time at Mallala? That's a stout time mate, you should be quite proud of yourself! Go to the lap time leaderboard thread (sticky at top of Australia and Asia Pacific section) and tell us some details about your bike, tyres etc and I'll put it on the leaderboard for you.

Originally Posted by Anon

You! haha you were quick! Crouchy, with the amount you were sliding that knee I'm surprised you still have a kneecap, it was almost a third wheel! I think I got my closest to getting a knee down in turn 2 following you trying to keep up..more throttle...more lean :) The only time I managed to successfully log data was a session where I had constant traffic and showed 1'33-38s. I'd be disappointed if I didn't manage low 1'30s or high 1'20s in my quicker sessions.

For the obligatory write up....
Gotta say I did think about parking it this morning, the drive in was wet, but heading out of Two Wells, a halo of blue sky was to the north. I was thinking in my head 'it never rains at Mallala', so the halo had to mark the location of circuit.

Davidr found me and we shared a garage which gave some good company for the day

O.B did his best to find fault with my bike in scroots. Though heading back to the garage engine light came on :( Luckily this was the first day I brought my OBDII bluetooth dongle and an old phone I'd prepped with OBDII software. The code was for an exup fault and after a bash with a hammer and a few key turns, I cleared the code and all seemed to be ok. I missed the first session because of it :( Second session was a feeler to check the biek given the fault. The third session had to be one of the best I've done. I checked into the slow group incase the circuit was a bit damp. Time wise I should have moved up to the next group, but there was so much free track I didn't want to move so I could concentrate on riding without constantly being passed or being baulked.

From what promised to be a damp cold affair turned out to be a cracker of a day. And being my first Cafe Racers day, it shits all over Champions in terms of the way it is organised and the club feel.

Bring on the next one...even if it means eating baked beans for the next month to save the funds.

Another good write up Anon, glad you got your bike sorted. Put that time up in the leaderboard thread, we need more times for Mallalalala.

Originally Posted by Davidr

Yep, what a hoot.
As each session finished I was hanging for the next, till after the last when for the first time that day I felt I had had enough - so just about perfect.
Was in green group all day, but no matter where I started in the pack I was doing a lot more passing than being passed. Didnt time myself this time but must be knocking on the door of Blue group. (which felt about right when I was bumped up last Champions day).
Guy in the bay next to us had an RSV4 Factory with CF (or CF look) race fairing - nice to see another Ape, with the CF something to aspire to.
Was good to meet Anon & Roulette, & catch up with OB & Smiley again (both doing Scroots, though I think Smiley had a run as well).
Lots of good laps and good battles, caught up with a heap of people I know from the track and this forum, great weather, new back protector worked well (in that I forgot it was on - crash behaviour not tested), mostly got used to and felt the benefits of my new reverse shifter, and stayed upright and in 1 piece.
All round a great day.

That's always the sign of a good back protector. If you don't think about it from the time you put it on, to the time you're taking it back off in the pits then it's a good 'un.

How did you find GP shift? It's really grown on me to the point I find it quite annoying when I'm riding the Daytona- the only one of my bikes which still has std shift.

You need to get a lap time for the leaderboard Davidr,

Originally Posted by old blue

You can go nuts with the engine in Limited. You can take it out to 800cc if you want. Chances are it'd be a weapon out there.

Good to see lots of you guys out there yesterday. I won't bore you with the looong story as to why I wasn't riding on the day, but I had a good time helping out the club and watching you guys go around. It's surprising what you can learn just watching people go around all day, but I have to admit I wished on many occasions that I could have been out there mixing it up with the Hyo guy and the race prepped Ducati Monster!

David... saw you going at it against what I think was a black Speed Triple...that was fun to watch!

Great day. Looking forward to the next one.



O.B

OB's in scruits these days eh? Excellent, you can overlook all the dodgy things I've done to my bikes... "Uhh yeah, that's held on with duct tape from the factory... surprising eh..?"

That tard would actually be a bit of a weapon in Limited. I've heard of well ridden tards getting down into the 1:16's at Mallala which is certainly enough to be on the podium. Wouldn't have to do much to it either, remove lights, lockwiring and maybe case savers and lower chain guard.

I'm not sure xrilek can afford not to race it really...

[Davidr]

Originally Posted by Rorz

How did you find GP shift? It's really grown on me to the point I find it quite annoying when I'm riding the Daytona- the only one of my bikes which still has std shift.

You need to get a lap time for the leaderboard Davidr,

Its perfect for turn 6 coming out of the hairpin, and upshifting is all round better everywhere. Found myself in 5th/6th a few times after downshifting going into a corner (read upshifting - doh) and had to rapidly downshift once in the corner nearly overshooting a couple of times, however it's only been on for a short while and I am sure it wont take long to get in the habit of lifting it to downshift.
One minor negative is it makes an already difficult to access kick stand even more difficult to get at.

Re. lap times, I rely on my bike's chrono for that, and although I set it up yesterday I was too busy concentrating on riding better and having fun to remember to press the split button as I crossed the start finish.
(Pretty sure it makes me slower when using it due to delaying my gear change, so will have to find a better way at some point anyway).

There seems to be a number of different views as to turn numbers at Mallala so for reference I have uploaded something I found on the Mallala web site (I think). If there is a more official or more useful reference we can replace it with that:

[Crouchy]

Originally Posted by Rorz

1:23.36 for your first time at Mallala? That's a stout time mate, you should be quite proud of yourself! Go to the lap time leaderboard thread (sticky at top of Australia and Asia Pacific section) and tell us some details about your bike, tyres etc and I'll put it on the leaderboard for you.

Thanks Rorz, I received a couple of compliments on the day, especially after my 'duel' with the GSXR 750.
Being a 'Clem Day' I was "unofficially" timing myself using the on-board lap timer, so my times will be +/- 1/10th of a sec depending on how accurate I was with the button. But, I will be sure to throw up some details for your spreadsheet.

Going off of my times, I could have gone up a group, but I was happy to stay in yellow as the numbers on track were always pretty low, so I was able to have a lot of track room for the majority of the time.

[Rorz]

Originally Posted by Davidr

Its perfect for turn 6 coming out of the hairpin, and upshifting is all round better everywhere. Found myself in 5th/6th a few times after downshifting going into a corner (read upshifting - doh) and had to rapidly downshift once in the corner nearly overshooting a couple of times, however it's only been on for a short while and I am sure it wont take long to get in the habit of lifting it to downshift.
One minor negative is it makes an already difficult to access kick stand even more difficult to get at.

Re. lap times, I rely on my bike's chrono for that, and although I set it up yesterday I was too busy concentrating on riding better and having fun to remember to press the split button as I crossed the start finish.
(Pretty sure it makes me slower when using it due to delaying my gear change, so will have to find a better way at some point anyway).

There seems to be a number of different views as to turn numbers at Mallala so for reference I have uploaded something I found on the Mallala web site (I think). If there is a more official or more useful reference we can replace it with that:

Attachment 29225

Yeah, some maps seem to count the kink in the back straight as a turn, others don't. I just get around it by calling the turns after the kink by their names-

Northern Hairpin
Pacific
Esses


If you buy one of these receivers:

http://stores.sportbiketrackgear.com/Detail.bok?no=9876

http://stores.sportbiketrackgear.com/Detail.bok?no=28

I normally find someone else already has a transponder out at Mallala so you probably wouldn't need to buy one. They're only another $55 anyway.


Be warned though.... timing laps leads to an obsession with lap times. Smiley tells me it's about the times you're having, not the times you're doing... but I find the times I'm having are directly proportional to the lap times??

Originally Posted by Crouchy

Thanks Rorz, I received a couple of compliments on the day, especially after my 'duel' with the GSXR 750.
Being a 'Clem Day' I was "unofficially" timing myself using the on-board lap timer, so my times will be +/- 1/10th of a sec depending on how accurate I was with the button. But, I will be sure to throw up some details for your spreadsheet.

Going off of my times, I could have gone up a group, but I was happy to stay in yellow as the numbers on track were always pretty low, so I was able to have a lot of track room for the majority of the time.

You'd be surprised how accurate hand timed laps can be. I've recorded several back to back lap times for a mate on my iphone within a couple tenths.

From memory the lap time guide for grouping at Mallala is something like:

Fast: < 1:17
Med-Fast: 1:18-1:23
Med-Slow: 1:24-1:30
Slow: > 1:30

So yeah, if you're running 1:23's it's probably just about time to move on up.

[Anon]

Pics...

Crouchy:







Davidr:









Daylight.....


Yours truly:

[xrilek]

Originally Posted by Anon

Pics...

THE BEST SHOT!!

[sitstill]

Originally Posted by Anon

Pics...

Crouchy:

WTF I could not get my knee down for the life of me. No matter how much I leaned how quick I was going, arse hanging off the seat nope it wouldnt happen. I can even remember searching for a kerb at one point. might have to play with the set up a little lift the bike so i can get more tip in and see how I go with my pirelli's

out of interest what was your top speed for the day crouchy?

[old blue]

Originally Posted by sitstill

WTF I could not get my knee down for the life of me.

Why stress about that?

There are plenty of people who can get around Mallala proper fast without ever touching their knee down. It's no big deal.



O.B

[sitstill]

Originally Posted by old blue

Why stress about that?

There are plenty of people who can get around Mallala proper fast without ever touching their knee down. It's no big deal.



O.B

It's a psychological thing. Like a little accomplishment that everyone tries to do at a track. It probably doesn't make a difference time wise but psychologically it gives you a boost.


Maybe petty but it's probably true