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eric2
02-01-2006, 10:29 AM
or 3. My friends told me " Only an idiot would take a new bike to the track"
so naturally, I had to go :D I noticed the sanctioning body (http://www.lstd.com) now includes fine print to
the effect of "don't do this without a backup plan" in case of a :doh moment.
I eschewed these pearls of wisdom and rode the k1200s to track day
all three times. My preparations were extensive, tape for the lights, new back
tire (they seem to wear fast) and a full tank of gas. I left
my backup plan at home.
http://eric2.smugmug.com/photos/22897274-M.jpg

If you want to watch the imbedded video below, now would be a good time
to start it, then pause it to allow the download to begin if b/w is an issue.
This one is about 10mb and getting a head start on the d/l will help
keep things running smoothly.

Tx world speedway is as pure an hp track as there is, a true super
speedway that for some reason was built in BFE, AKA College Station,
about 100 miles from any metro area. It hosted Nascar
and indy car races in the seventies when I first went there.
I always wanted to get out on the high banking, and when
i got the k1200s I knew we had to go there to see how it stacks up.
Trust me here, you'll never never see the new k bikes potential
unless you go to the track (or risk earning a substantial performance award)
Since it was 95 in the shade all 3 times I had a chance to see
how i fared as well because full leathers are a good idea. I rented mine.

Spell checking wasn't their strong point, and turns 13-15
is a chicane, not really accurately portrayed. This is from
the back of the n00b class guide which first timers should do
to get aquainted. They do a round robin format first time
out to get aquainted with the track that I missed out on. From
the horror stories of folks wiping out/riding the wrong way
during this low speed extravaganza it may have been a blessing

http://eric2.smugmug.com/photos/33343544-M.jpg

Got the same tunnel setup as daytona

http://eric2.smugmug.com/photos/34253701-M.jpg

My riding and camera work sucked the first time i went,
so this is from the 2nd time on July 29th. BTW these are
all hosted free by youtube.com which thanks to its 100 mb
limit allowed me to put the entire (15 minute) sessions up

There are the standard 3 classes of riders. Beginner (C),
Intermedate - B or advanced (A)sshole class with more
aggression allowed accordingly. This would be
my last time in the C class.


<object width="425" height="350"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/VddrCe2Q3U4"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/VddrCe2Q3U4" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="425" height="350"></embed></object>


Eric
Austin
http://www.putfile.com/eric2
http://www.youtube.com/videos/better4it

Kev95GS
02-01-2006, 10:58 AM
Way cool. :thumb

I could see why you moved up from C class.

What speeds were you hitting on the front straight?

:clap

Kevin

username
02-01-2006, 12:20 PM
oh my goodness. embedded video on the forum - way cool. racing in college station, even cooler.

eric - can you post a link to the track and the info?

PUDGYPAINTGUY
02-01-2006, 03:19 PM
Eric that was outstanding, I kept askin myself what the speeds were too, so I'll wait for your response to the post above.

Amazing cahoneys sir taking it to the track! Awesome ride thanks for sharing!

eric2
02-01-2006, 04:28 PM
All these years i've been riding and never a track day. I guess i expected
some young squids and old posers but I was suprised by the family like
atmosphere. Not a lot of beemers though 'cept this guy obviously capable of
leaning more than i was. There were a few k bikes in may
but not one beemer in July. Well there was an X5 in the parking lot. this is from
August. He was in the A class too. An r1100s was in the C class ( i had
been booted up to the b class.

http://eric2.smugmug.com/photos/34253725-M.jpg

He was running in the same class this was:

http://eric2.smugmug.com/photos/34253763-M.jpg

A couple other things i learned from the first track day:

- bring dry socks and underwear. wearing sweat soaked clothes
all day can be irritating

- bring extra camcorder batteries

- Low gas light came on at 80 miles


Here's a shot of a dad and his kid. Sure wish I coulda done
this with my dad when I was young. There were several
families there.


http://eric2.smugmug.com/photos/30239791-M.jpg


Chicks that race are cool

http://eric2.smugmug.com/photos/30239739-M.jpg


Didn't drag any pegs, but didn't leave any chicken strips either

http://eric2.smugmug.com/photos/22897524-M.jpg



Eric
Austin

eric2
02-01-2006, 04:42 PM
Thanks guys;

The folks putting this on are at http://www.lstd.com
and they seem like a good outfit to me. Someone
always crashes so there are 2 ambulances (except
May) because there always needs to be one there.


Speeds on the front straight were an indicated 160;
right at redline in 5th. I could pretty much out drag
and definitely out brake anybody out there; so i took it easy
in the corners.
Thats my story and i'm sticking to it :D

The funniest remark was one guy who liked the bike
but never could tell when it was coming down the front
straight so he asked me to honk the horn because
he couldn't hear it.

Some folks just could not believe they got passed by a beemer

http://eric2.smugmug.com/photos/30239812-M.jpg

Eric
Austin

Cliffy777
02-02-2006, 04:20 PM
My helmet if off to you Eric. Thank you for representing the quiet bikes on the track! 160 in the straight. Whooooo-weeeeeee.

Kev95GS
02-02-2006, 04:28 PM
The funniest remark was one guy who liked the bike
but never could tell when it was coming down the front
straight so he asked me to honk the horn because
he couldn't hear it.

Some folks just could not believe they got passed by a beemer

Eric
Austin

:rofl :rofl
:burnout

Maybe I'll do one on the GS at the next Nashville Superspeedway track day!

:brad
Kevin

eric2
02-03-2006, 10:43 AM
:rofl :rofl
:burnout

Maybe I'll do one on the GS at the next Nashville Superspeedway track day!

:brad
Kevin

Kevin, next time you pass up austin on one on them messican rides
I 'm gonna take offense :wave That was an excellent ride report :thumb
I wanna take my GS to track day but not TWS, need a smaller tighter
track. The GS will slay them there. Some more random photos

Passing a Busa on the front straight

http://eric2.smugmug.com/photos/30468415-M.jpg


Top speed - 3 oclock = 155

http://eric2.smugmug.com/photos/30468226-M.jpg


Now some of the guys that passed me

I could have took this guy after he passed me but i hit the
revlimiter twice

http://eric2.smugmug.com/photos/30468680-M.jpg



There was no catching this guy. I think his name is Ronnie
and he won the ama novice race here over some wonder
boy who had been unbeaten

http://eric2.smugmug.com/photos/30468888-M.jpg


Tryin to square meself up for the run on the back straight. The back
straight was good for about 130

http://eric2.smugmug.com/photos/30468951-M.jpg



usually just after i pulled off a cool pass i would screw up the next corner.
I almost ran out of track here by apexing waaaaay to early and had
to let off the throttle allowing this fz1 by. He stopped by later
checking on me (or gloating). He was one of the ones that sadi he could not believe i out dragged him on a beemer
http://eric2.smugmug.com/photos/34405598-M.jpg


Eric
Austin

Kev95GS
02-04-2006, 09:12 AM
Kevin, next time you pass up austin on one on them messican rides
I 'm gonna take offense :wave That was an excellent ride report :thumb
Eric
Austin

Thanks Eric. We stopped in Austin and stayed with Sonny. We ate at Rudy's :eat

How are you snappin those photos?

Kevin

ian408
02-05-2006, 03:01 AM
Thanks Eric. We stopped in Austin and stayed with Sonny. We ate at Rudy's :eat

How are you snappin those photos?

Kevin

Next time, swing by the Iron Cactus and get a table over-looking 6th street...
The views are spectacular and the food's not bad either :thumb

Rudy's is pretty good too.

riderR1150GSAdv
02-05-2006, 07:00 AM
Wicked ride report!! :evil :thumb :thumb :dance
Funny how people react to BMW's, anywhere from "I didn't know they made bikes" :rolleyes to "please use to horn to pass me, because it's so quiet" :rofl :rofl :rofl

eric2
02-06-2006, 01:40 PM
Thanks Eric. We stopped in Austin and stayed with Sonny. We ate at Rudy's :eat

How are you snappin those photos?

Kevin

Rudy's, good choice. A lot of them don't have the primo
stuff like prime rib, turkey or the st louis ribs.
I like the places west of town that serve
off the pit, plus it makes no sense to ride somewhere in-town

I'm captured those to a memory stick pro my sony camcorder
holds but could've gotten them from the video..

Gotta a question, aren't you supposed to let some air out of the tires?
First time i was there one guy told me to add 10 psi which i thought was bogus. Seemed like everyone had tire warmers except me. Didn't
think i needed them, as hot as it was. Apparently the slicks need
to be kept toasty, they aren't made for cooling down like street
tires. After talking to some folks at the pits if you can run
a lap under 2 minutes it was pretty good. I only checked
one lap and i think i ran a 2:20 or something. Not too shabby
for a bone-stock bike piloted by a n00b.

This video is a whole session, last one from the july
29th, about 17 minutes or 50 mb.
I've made it larger too so larger, longer and uncut.

<object width="475" height="400"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/FBt7qQrf4dA"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/FBt7qQrf4dA" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="475" height="400"></embed></object>

kbasa
02-06-2006, 02:14 PM
:ha

I took CLASS a couple years ago on my R11S. Favorite moments of the day were blowing by CBRs, R1s and R6s on braking and then just disappearing around the corner.

I'm due for a track day again. It might be fun to take the RT. :evil

Awesome videos, man. I'm absolutely loving the way it embeds in the forum. Keep 'em coming. :thumb