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Disrepectful Trackday Riders- Don't Bother Coming Anymore!
- Thread starter omnivore
- Start date
I have to totally agree with Tim. I don't race but I use a lap timer to measure my improvement. One day at Shannonville I was working with Sharrard to solve some tire damage and steering issues. All of a sudden in the afternoon we hit a setting that made the bike easier to handle through 6 and 7 and I was shocked that I went 2 seconds faster (on long track)! So really the bike was way better everywhere.
N3WMAN
Well-known member
Never said they weren't a good tool to have. Just glad I don't use one so I don't have to enter into the annual TMP laptime dick waving contest.
To be fair I have an IR one, but no beacon. It is incredibly low on the priority list since I can barely afford to buy tires and gas as it is.
To be fair I have an IR one, but no beacon. It is incredibly low on the priority list since I can barely afford to buy tires and gas as it is.
suzuki2000
Well-known member
Quality thread. Kudos to all participants 
There's almost always someone, at any track day, who puts a beacon up. Since having more than one just confuses the issue, that's all you need. Mount it up and go. If nothing else, it provides you with a point of comparison about your own riding.
Infrared beacons are getting more rare though, since GPS timers are getting more popular and phones are "good enough" for a lot of people.
Exactly. I bring my beacon to the SOAR weekends and almost always this year I have been the only person trying to set one up.
RACE and CSBK both use the AMB transponder and you usually get your laptimes within 10min of finishing your session from mylaps. No laptimer required.
N3WMAN
Well-known member
Yes. There is Harry's Lap Timer and another one I forgot.
I was looking at picking up a cheap phone a while ago to use harry's lap timer on but other things were more important.
I'm selling my phone + gps combo for 70 bucks if anyone is interested, as some know--I don't do trackdays anymore these days (hopefully a temporary arrangement).
It's an old Android phone I bought from ebay for this purpose only (Droid Incredible I think), Trackmaster app, and this: http://www.canadagps.com/Qstarz818XT.html.
Works like a charm! When I first started using it, the app didn't have TMP, but it's so easy to create a new track or pretty much any circle or route or whatever---I turned it on, did a lap, which plotted the gps coordinates for the whole lap. Then I picked corners, start/finish, etc., all of this trackside on the phone, then saved it and never touched it the whole summer. Here are some old screenshots/photos I took of phone and also plotted data in Google Earth at home after the day is over (very easy). You can even see the different lines
It's an old Android phone I bought from ebay for this purpose only (Droid Incredible I think), Trackmaster app, and this: http://www.canadagps.com/Qstarz818XT.html.
Works like a charm! When I first started using it, the app didn't have TMP, but it's so easy to create a new track or pretty much any circle or route or whatever---I turned it on, did a lap, which plotted the gps coordinates for the whole lap. Then I picked corners, start/finish, etc., all of this trackside on the phone, then saved it and never touched it the whole summer. Here are some old screenshots/photos I took of phone and also plotted data in Google Earth at home after the day is over (very easy). You can even see the different lines
Shaman
Well-known member
That doesn't help me at track day / practice, though. Although.... Shannonville runs the transponder at its own track days.
I will do this when I get a new phone (currently had a Samsung Rugby so it's waterproof and strong). I love the lines and speed through corners. That seems very useful to identify spots for improvement. Plus it's just awesome geekiness.
Yeah, you'll like it. Obviously, make sure you use a phone you don't care about (in the even of the you know what). I used to keep the phone in the pocket of the jacket (connects to the GPS via bluetooth), and even after couple of crashes there isn't even a scratch on it. But you never know. Btw, there is also the famous from the iOS Harry's Lap Timer now on Android, I just never had the chance to try it.
Friday practice they have the times posted. Trying to get decent clear laps in at a trackday is almost impossible.
Shaman
Well-known member
Not if you queue up at the front and stay on the gas. But, point taken.
I've lapped people in the advanced group many times and not everyone goes out as soon as their session starts. Start from wherever you want, you'll always hit traffic if your fast enough.
There were times when I was put in the advanced group, on my FZR400, because despite being slow I was at least predictable. I guess I provided good passing practice. This usually happened when the intermediate group was full of weapons, who couldn't choose a line at a coke party.
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