First Track Day Thoughts, Impressions, and Pics

Oh, and also I would like to add that on my SV, I used to do 18 shifts per lap.
On the R6 I did 10 to 12. Much less tiring in terms of riding.
 
SweetOnion said:
Also, I have heard rumors that fast people are actually able to make turn 2 in 3rd gear... but my buddy on the gixxer hasn't got the balls to do it on slicks so there is no way I am going to. :D
Click to expand...
turn 6 is probably my worse turn, but you should try and taking it in 3rd, it will be a much more smooth entry , mid corner throttle and exit and it will reduce the need to shift once more than needed before the kink. Lots of time is lost with choppy throttle due to high RPM

Jut my opinion, I haven't done a track day there in a 600 since last year.
 
SweetOnion said:
Oh, and also I would like to add that on my SV, I used to do 18 shifts per lap.
Click to expand...

That's interesting. I ride a twin and I am into 6th for the straight, down to 4th (!) for T1, third for T3 - T5, second for T6, then third all the way back to the straight. That's 4 downshifts per lap (and of course 4 upshifts).

[video=youtube;fk9_Gd2_Lfo]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fk9_Gd2_Lfo[/video]
 
YellowDuck said:
That's interesting. I ride a twin and I am into 6th for the straight, down to 4th (!) for T1, third for T3 - T5, second for T6, then third all the way back to the straight. That's 4 downshifts per lap (and of course 4 upshifts).

[video=youtube;fk9_Gd2_Lfo]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fk9_Gd2_Lfo[/video]
Click to expand...

True true... I do believe I have video of you from a few years back when we were both very green.. in beginner at TMP. My SV was +3 on the rear sprocket however, so that definitely made a difference. I was hitting 6th but taking T1 in 3rd, and also 2nd gear for T3.... well, I never could really decide which was better... after I got faster I think I kept it in 3rd.
 
I was doing a total of 8 shifts per lap, from 2nd to 4th on the straight, back down to 2nd for turn 1, up to 3rd on the small straight, down to 2nd for turn 2, back to 3rd out of turn 5, back to 2nd for turn 6, then 2nd all the way back to the straight. I couldn't imagine shifting 10 more times on that track!
 
Xuryfluous said:
I was doing a total of 8 shifts per lap, from 2nd to 4th on the straight, back down to 2nd for turn 1, up to 3rd on the small straight, down to 2nd for turn 2, back to 3rd out of turn 5, back to 2nd for turn 6, then 2nd all the way back to the straight. I couldn't imagine shifting 10 more times on that track!
Click to expand...

Oh well that is pretty close to what I am doing only I am hitting 5th on the straight and real hard on the binders, trail braking into 1
 
Xuryfluous said:
I was doing a total of 8 shifts per lap, from 2nd to 4th on the straight, back down to 2nd for turn 1, up to 3rd on the small straight, down to 2nd for turn 2, back to 3rd out of turn 5, back to 2nd for turn 6, then 2nd all the way back to the straight. I couldn't imagine shifting 10 more times on that track!
Click to expand...

When you get your gearing changed it's a bit different. Straight is 2nd-5th down to 3rd for turn 1, up to 4th down the small straight, down to 2nd for turn 2, then up to 3rd before turn 6, down to second for 6, up to 3rd before the chicane, back down to 2nd for the next two corners and then up to 3rd after the tight right around the marshal station, back down to second for the last two corners.
 
dricked said:
When you get your gearing changed it's a bit different. Straight is 2nd-5th down to 3rd for turn 1, up to 4th down the small straight, down to 2nd for turn 2, then up to 3rd before turn 6, down to second for 6, up to 3rd before the chicane, back down to 2nd for the next two corners and then up to 3rd after the tight right around the marshal station, back down to second for the last two corners.
Click to expand...
Same here. But I use 3rd through t1, 5th on the back straight between turns1 and 2. Can back very late for t2 and trail brake all the way to t3. That's with -1 stock rear.
 
gsxr guy said:
Same here. But I use 3rd through t1, 5th on the back straight between turns1 and 2. Can back very late for t2 and trail brake all the way to t3. That's with -1 stock rear.
Click to expand...

Yep 3rd for turn 1. My gearing was too tall last time I was there so 5th could be a possibility before turn 2.

I hate that place and avoid it like the plague so I may never know lol.
 
You should try riding a superbike at those Rpms in a corner haha now that's ****ed. As for hitting turn two in third gear, second gear on my gixxer brings me to almost 200 kph, so anyone running in third gear on a superbike in there is carrying a lot of speed. I can see a 600 or 750 doing it in third gear though.
 
I feel sad cause I don't get to smash through many gears at TMP :( 2nd gear into turn 2 until all the way around to the front straight, up to 4th, down to third for the side straight. I've put on very slightly taller gearing so I don't hit the rev limiter on the side straight (was running -2/+2 now -2/+0). I also now have a +4 rear sprocket I can try out, but at -2/+4 I doubt it'll get me shifting much more except maybe from 2nd to 3rd on the way from turn 6 left sharp to the chicane/kink :(
 
400cc TMP shifting: From 6th on front straight, T1 3rd, up to 5th on second straight, T2 and the next section of bends 3rd, T6 2nd, to 3rd next straight, 2nd through hard left and the 180 right, 3rd through left sweeper and onto the front straight. 14 shifts per lap. Stock final drive ratio 2.895, TMP 3.286 (chain pitch is different so the -1/+2 type notation doesn't work)
 
uchi said:
You should try riding a superbike at those Rpms in a corner haha now that's ****ed. As for hitting turn two in third gear, second gear on my gixxer brings me to almost 200 kph, so anyone running in third gear on a superbike in there is carrying a lot of speed. I can see a 600 or 750 doing it in third gear though.
Click to expand...

There are times when you can intentionally choose to be a gear high to manage the traction and throttle response, and to avoid doing an upshift while leaned over. A liter bike will also pull from 4000 rpm if needed ...
 
Brian P said:
There are times when you can intentionally choose to be a gear high to manage the traction and throttle response, and to avoid doing an upshift while leaned over. A liter bike will also pull from 4000 rpm if needed ...
Click to expand...

Even on a 600 this is useful
 
this is also where a quick shifter comes in handy. you can enter a corner like turn one for example, in second gear and before coming into the meat of the power you can take third and not upset the bike mid corner and roll in to the power then. i found i leave turn 1 around 9-10000 rpm and the bike from that point on is making gobs of power so if you arent careful you end up floating the front tire while still leaned over, done that many times out of that corner. ive taken that corner in third gear as well and its more manageable but slower. i think a track that tight and technical youneed to have your gearing spot on. i can hang the top of 4th down the main straight and drop to second for turn one, the back straight i run through third gear and if i carry enough speed out of one ill even use 4th gear, then its secondgear through the entire infield section, turn 6 to 7 i should be taking 3rd gear but being lazy i just run to the top of second and then brake a little early, ill start trying third gear and then adding a down shift but it would be a second worth of third gear so im not sure its worth the added down shift, then second for the rest of the track and through turn 12. im thinking of gearing the bike up another tooth in the rear just to have a little more out of corner power, i know right now the bike bogs a tiny bit coming out of turn 6 and id like to fix that with a little more gear. but then ill be guaranteed a 4th gear shift down the back straight, now i can kind of hold off on 4th gear but as i get faster i find im hitting it and id have to do a gear change out of turn 6 before turn 8.
 
If you're only getting to 4th gear on the main straight, think about making a BIG gearing change (shorter) so that you are roughly a gear higher everywhere. The higher gears are closer together so you have a better shot at having the right gear for each corner and not having any of those pesky situations where one gear is too short and the next gear is too tall. In the situation you just described, I'd be trying to get the gearing such that you don't have that shift through corner 1 while still leaned over. I take corner 1 at TMP in third, no shifting until accelerating out of the corner - but on a much smaller bike.
 
Ya proper gearing key, I dropped another tooth on the front and it netted me 2 seconds from my previous best time. Best $35 I ever spent!
 
im down 1 in the front and up 2 in the rear already, thats why i was thinking of going up three. the way the bikes been setup it doesnt start making power till a little higher in the rpms unlike a standard liter bike. the third gear shift is generally optional for me coming out of turn one, im fairly smooth on the throttle leaving it so i can control the front end dance. i doubt id be able to drop 2 seconds off the 1:18.5 ive already run there with a gearing change. like i said, right now i think if i go up one more tooth in the rear itll force me to use third gear through the turn 7 kink. i may grab a sprocket for next year thats +3 and try it out just to come out of turn 6 at a higher rpm.

brian, i am hitting the top of 4th gear on the big straight, ive used 5th a couple times when ive come out of turn 12 with enough speed. top of 4th on a liter bike is a smidge quicker than top of 4th on a smaller displacement bike :)
 
Brian P said:
If you're only getting to 4th gear on the main straight, think about making a BIG gearing change (shorter) so that you are roughly a gear higher everywhere.
Click to expand...
Ok, for me to make it to 6th on the front straight at TMP I'll have to run -2/+15 (15/60). That'll put me in 3rd and 4th on the infield. I'll hit up some stunters and see if any of them have a used +15 for sale for a good price, don't really want to go smaller than -2/15 on the front. Wonder if I could wheelie in 5th with that setup?? Sweeeet.

And with a -3 front I'd still need +11 on the rear! lol :(
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom