Hi all, Got my first trackday in about 6 years coming up on the 17th, first time i've done one on a thou too. Firstly anybody else doing this or fancy it? Got 3 going so far, me on the 09 HRC Blade, my girlfreind on her NC30 and our freind Nat on her R1, Its with Bike Magazine, and is only open to road bikes, details are on the MSV website. Secondly, anybody got any tips, suggested tyre pressures for the Blade etc... im running Dunlop Sportsmarts. Cheers, B
Not sure on pressures for the sportsmarts, Remal will know as he has done a track day with his but I ran the metzler interacts at 30/30 hot, they do have tyre guys there at the track who will give you good advice on the day Only other advice have fun, I loved cadwell, keep it pinned over the mountain and you will be smiling all day long, would love to join you but its just so far for me Me last year coming out of barn and over the mountain sorry couldn't resist a pic
Have lots of fun! I did a road bike only day at Oulton last year & loved every second of it. In fact, I liked the format so much that I sold my track bike & all my track spares, warmers, everything. It was like the old days when we used to always ride to the track, have a ball, & then ride home with a grin that lasted a week. Modern track days have got a bit to serious & stressfull for me; its all about times, tyre choice & rushing about imo. I'm not a fan od Cadwell (had an off & hurt my pelvis), but most people I speak with like the place. Its a track of two halfs; part open & fast, & part narrow & twisty. Treat it with respect & build up slowly. For road tyres, I would lower the pressures, but not too much; probably 33F & 33R & see how you go. The tyre man will advise you better on the day but road tyres don't work like a race/track tyre. A couple of steady laps should get them working nicely. Get lots of pics
as with any track day, learn the track before you try to be rossi , i go to cadwell quite a lot , but still never go flat out until i have got used to the track again. you will get people who obviously know the track that go tearing past you, but be aware that they may be on track tyres that give tons more grip than road tyres. best thing to remember is if you feel like you are not going to make a corner , dont look at the grass.. look around the corner and chances are you will make it. try it on the road , if you look at a pothole when riding ,you will hit it.look past it and you should miss it.
Cheers all!!, Great pics Jamie, will be putting some up, and hopefully a video or two if i can get the mount sorted in time. Whats the deal with petrol at a trackday normally? last time i done one i took my own fuel with me in the back of a van with the bike, do they have a petrol station there? or is it a case of popping to the local garage?
They do have a fuel point at cadwell, its open at certain times through out the day, I would go with a full tank and fill up half way through the day, but I would hope as its a road bike trackday they will know your not going to turn up with the usual Jerry can, generator and tire warmers so will need to have a supply there
there is a fule station about a mile up the road. Turn left out the main exit and it on the left. It dose look a bit run down, almost as if it should be closed. But it is open. They only accept cash though, no card payments.
enjoy it mate i love the place, i did say i would never do cadwell on a thou cause i no so many people who have highsided there BUT my 2011 hrc is so smooth i think i might be tempted. Look for the camera man on the mountain and then pose and get good air makes a lovely picture framed hanging in the office lol lol http://i119.photobucket.com/albums/o143/flatout1966/l105.jpg[/IMG [IMG]http://i119.photobucket.com/albums/o143/flatout1966/sonny070-2.jpg
Great track IMO! As the others have said take it easy, the mountains mint but be careful if you take it on the left and pin the throttle And I remember hall bends being a bit leafy too. Just enjoy it and stay shiny side up!!
Here's what little bits I keep in mind when riding caddy, mind I am not a racer, just an average trackdayer. Also, I was on a Daytona 675...so take my advise with that in mind. 1st corner - coppice - you can carry decent speed here since it is up hill, more than you think. I tend to just dab the brake and go down a gear keep it leant over on exit to pull it over to the left ready for charlies. 2nd corner - charlies - I try to be two thirds over to the left/ middle of track when entering charlies, its a bit of a double apex corner and down hill...so not to much gass, run out to the edge of the track when exiting steadily getting on the gas and getting upright and giving it the beans down the back straight. 3rd corner - Park - You can break later than you think...but work towards that...lol. just a bog standard flat corner really with not to much about it. Just make sure you have slowed down enough after that mad blast down the straight. 4th corner - chris curve - another double apexer, hard to get right...I try to apex the first then run out on the gas and come back in to the second..running out again ready for goose kneck...but its easy said....more often than not I find my self drifting around lol. 5th corner - gooseneck - I try to take a wide entry to make sure i'm over to the right ready for the 2nd apex...otherwise you can find your self running wide onto the grass on the right....it's hard work, build ur speed up through the day....easy to get wrong. 6th corner - mansfield - stay of the rear brake if you tend to use it. it's dead easy to get the rear backing in. Loveley corner for knee down..piss easy. I tend to try to never be upright between mansfield and chicane...run out on the gas from mansfield and drift over to the left ready for chicane in a nice smooth 's' 7th corner - chicane - awkward, I go slow in and faster out...sacrfice in for drive out. Other do different things. 8th cornder - mountain, a left right flick, get your speed down after that short blast and go in a little wide to help set up for bottom of mountain, keep left, theres less of a hump....get your weight over the front hold your gear until hall bends 9th hall bends - I go in early to the first bend get right over on the rumble strips so your ready for the second...then get over left as you crest the slight hill and on the brakes...hair pin is the slowest part of the track, I go in late...but people might cut under you doing this. To be honest...I've never felt comfortable in the airpin. 10th barn - lovely corner, but as others say..can be slippy eaither with leaves or with moisture as it is sheltered. Make sure you get your speed down after the short blast...I've been on the grass here lol keep it held over and run it out on the gas...it's down hill be carefull. Heres a vid of one of my better laps...as I said, not a racer just an average trackdayer..my riding will no doubht be riddled with mistakes and I will be doing all sorts wrong...but maybe it will help. Cadwell 03.10.11 - YouTube Cheers, Col.
