OK, so club day has been and gone and we all got to shake down ourselves and our bikes ahead of this year’s state rounds! Now before I go any further, I would just like to take this opportunity to thank Hogs Breath Joondalup and Kelmscott, 2fiftycc.com.au and Lauren (who is the other half of Plodge racing and my partner) for their support! I would not be able to give this season a go if it was not for their support! So having not been back on my bike since the front end was rebuilt and a few other issues sorted Q1 was more of a practise “tweaking” the set up on the bike…..not that there is much to “tweak” haha. Needless to say times did not matter. I felt somewhat comfortable on the bike but I had issues with turn in and what felt like drag on the front wheel. So Q2 and again I chose to ignore going for a good grid position but more on getting the bike set up right, figured out the that front end was all wayyyyy too tight. Loosened off the front axle (it was a little on the tight side)….that got rid of the “drag” feeling but still had issues with the feel of the bars on turn in. so Q2 ended and I managed with my faffing about with the bike a 12th on the grid or 15….not bad for not trying haha. So between Q2 and Race 1 we figured out the issue…..the headset was over tight, couldn’t figure it out when it was on the head lift stand (as that adds stiffness to the steering from where its mounted) but realised that the bars would turn but not fall under their own weight. So loosened it up and hoped for the best… Race 1, 5 lap race, had a great start from 13th happy with my race start, stayed on the outside to turn one to try take a spot or two but had the door closed on me, so I stayed in 13th for the next lap and coming out of turn 6 on the second lap I pulled for 12th. I had some ground to make up on 10th and 11th so I started pushing and pushing hard, the front end was heaps better, turn in and transition between corners was so much better, started to become very comfortable and happy, but still knowing I have a lot of work to on to get me close to the front of the grid….the work that need to be done is on my body position and breaking points, too early for some corners and too late for others which results in not carrying enough corner speed. Any as the laps wore on I came closer to the two running in 11th and 10th and decided that I was going to make a go for the two of them on Turn 7….up the inside. As I did so the guy running in 11th changed line but I decided to go a little deeper in a “win it or bin it” manoeuvre………and well the pictures explain what happened from there…. So back to the pits and check the damage, minimal….have all the bits I need to repair…so we all get stuck in, next race is in about 40 min so away we go. Big cheers for all the guys and girls in the 250 class that pitched in to help get me back out for race two! So a few min before the pit open siren went off, I wheel the bike into scrutineering and it passes! So back to the pit to suit up, no time to clean my helmet (big mistake) or put on the warmers. Cold tyres and out I went. Race 2 We didn’t do a progressive grid, just start from where you first qualified…..(should have made more of an effort at the start lol) any way I started and took it very careful, all the crap that was in my helmet kept spraying into my eyes and didn’t help me with been able to see haha, took it easy throughout the whole race and thought I had finished where I started but due to two DNF’s I jumped up to 11th. So on return to the pits before race 3 I was able to sort myself out and try get back in a good head space. Clean out my helmet sort out the bent bar I still had on the right and sort my tyre pressures out. Race 3 and I lined up on the grid a little bit more comfortable but still not as comfortable as race one, plan for this race was to get my bearing back and finish the race. I started well and took a place in turn one only to lose it again by turn 4 but regained it coming out of turn 6. After that I kept a steady pace, started to get my head back in it and started feeling comfortable. With 3 DNF’s by the flag I had jumped up to 9th. All in all the meeting was average for me, I think had I not of come off I may have finished on a higher note but what will be will be, but in saying that I still learnt a lot I got to work out a few things on the bike that I’m glad I did prior to round 1. I got myself back into the 77’s on this bike, it’s a far cry from the high 72’s I was lapping on the FZR but I know where my issues I just need to work on them to get quicker…..more track time is key I think J I'll get some more pictures up in a while....but hopefully this will tide you over for a bit…..enjoy and thank to you all for the support! I look forward in filling you all in on round one! J Plodge Racing!
few more pictures from the weekend! Credits to Innesphotografix, Henry Buttsworth Photography and the Lady Photographer for their great pictures!
Great write up there Moo. On a different note, and I mean this in a helpful way, in one of the photos above of you and number 81 I can see how much further the other rider has his body moved off the balance centre line compared to you. Your arse may be off the seat but your upper body is still central to the bike and it looks as though your have slightly more lean on your bike (and therefore less rubber on the road) looking at the shadows. I try and have my head over the handgrip when cornering hard to make sure that my upper body weight is off the centreline. Hope this helps.
all comments welcome mate, but your dead right, i am struggling getting myself off the bike and my upper body is remaining rigid in place. the one i call the coach made mention to me that and i'm self sitting upright and i need to drop my shoulder, she's said she's notice my riding style revert since i changed from the fzr to the ninja and its something i need to work on. so I've been studying the pictures of others from the weekend and spending a bit of time in the garage the last two nights moving across the bike and making myself and my body get used to it, but ultimately i need to making sure i'm aware of it when riding and to try and drop the shoulder to get the movement of the body going. the left hand is not all that bad, still needs improvement but jezzzz the right is bad and whats worse the track is all right handers bar one..
Great write up Moo Some excellent photo's..............even the ones on the deck Watching MOTO GP you kinda scratch your head and wonder how they stay on the bike......amazing !! Having never raced myself I don't profess to know much about it but our friend Murdo does make a valid point.........something to work on Here's my take........manufactures put a seat central on the bike, that's where I like to plant my tooch but hey, I'm not racing.
Nice write up mate!!! I also sit on bike and practice my body position missus laughs at me sometimes but she soon realised after last round that it does help Also I found the stock seats are slippery with leathers I have foam instead and find it way more grippy might be just in my head but food for thought
