Kitchener/Waterloo area, c u next trackday riders thread! | Page 155 | GTAMotorcycle.com

Kitchener/Waterloo area, c u next trackday riders thread!

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Not me. I understand that it's a VIP day and Fawaz's days are always great, but it's just too much money for that track. Reviews of that track from several old time track riders that I know put it near the bottom of my list, above TMP of course. FYI, CTMP Big Track days are only $11 more.

I'm thinking about July 14th at SMP. I know BigEvilDoer and smergy will be slaying a seemingly unslayable dragon at that time but is anyone else thinking of that day?
 
No worries.. to each their own on track preferences.
Sure, Mosport Long is only a couple bucks more, but the VIP day also offers track coaches, mechanics to help fix minor problems and help set up suspension, catered lunch and air conditioned lounge all day. That's gotta be worth something.

If you absolutely need a super high speed blast down a straight, then the DDT isn't for you at all. It's tight and technical, but I find it a lot of fun.. much more so than a few of the layouts at GB, and the facilities are amazing. Much much much nicer (can I add another MUCH in there?) than GB, TMP or SMP. Haven't been to the Mosport Long facility or to Calabogie, so I can't comment on those.

But overall, my preference of tracks that I have been to are: SMP Long, GB Long, DDT, most other GB Layouts, TMP, GB Modified.
 
I couldn't care less about high speed straights. I much prefer technical tracks but it's the tight part that's not so attractive. For sure it's a complete contrast to the big track. My favourite is a variety of corner speeds, like SMP and Calabogie (and GB to some extent). TMP's infield being pretty much one gear from turn 2 to turn 10 isn't a whole lot of fun for me. From what I've heard the DDT is the same sort of deal. I'd try it for $120.
 
yeah, agreed, its (dare I say) extremely expensive for what it looks like. I'll try it once, but can see that the few bucks more for the GP tracking being a better value. Can't say it until you try it I guess. SOAR practice day today was good. Nice weather all day, bit of a north wind, so gotta watch the tires a little at the end of the sessions, but nothing significant.

They did a slow, even, odd and after lunch added a pro group. Wasn't big on 4 groups, but there were a lot of bikes out. 15 minute sessions instead of 20 with 4 groups, you don't notice as much since your mostly done after 15 anyways. Still not a fan of 4 groups, but it is what it is. Would have preferred if they did slow, medium, fast, pro. The majority of the "even" group should have been in the slow group. Lap traffic was a bit of an issue at times, some riders weren't as predictable as they should have been. Other than that the day was good, until a parachuter decided to take a detour into the power lines, so we lost power/PA for a while. Don't know if they were ok or not. 2 crashes in the slow group, but that was about it I think.
 
back on, but tomorrow is going to be a mess in pits, drags on, I have no idea how they are going to cram all of SOAR in that tight space, they'll have to push into the gravel of the oval track.
 
I'm going to do the smp with gp bikes

First time there

I think the day is July 16
 
SMP is great, its probably the best layout of all the tracks. A lot of fun, but difficult to master with the variety of turns. If you have someone who know the track well, they can help you on picking the right lines to save some learning time.
 
Nick, sure you can't change to the Tuesday? As if you finally got a weekday off and you chose 2 days after the day I've planned. haha... Tuesday is hosted by SMP themselves, $145 (a week ahead, $160 after that), lunch included, and their rain policy is fantastic. You can drive there, see how the weather is, and make your call at that point. Then your credit can be used towards another day.
 
I'm on holidays that week so I sure can.

Hell I can do both days :p

You going Dave ?
 
We're also on vacation that week. Right now Tuesday is the plan if the weather is good. I guess if the weather sucks Tuesday then Thursday is an option. Also, there is some talk about a possible Grand Bend day on the Monday that week, so if that happens we would do that instead of SMP.
 
DDT track day was good for the most part. Got 2/3 of a day in before the rain came. Didn't start till 3pm (of course as I'm taking the bike off the stands..), but 5 solid sessions. First time there, so it took a bit of time to learn the track. Had one minor off road adventure. The second left on the track is a very late apex, with a small hill, you can't see the outside curbing till you crest it. Thought the curbing started eariler, guess not. No harm, but lots of crashes that day. Don't think there were any red crashes(?), mostly green and yellow. Yellow had 3 the first session out I believe.

Tim was up in red group and held onto his own, there's a good shot of him coming by an S1000RR cresting a hill. He even suggested a better line through the chicane at the back straight. I didn't think so, but gave it a try, sure enough it was a better line. The blind crests and linking of turns makes for a fun layout, but passing was difficult. The track is tight. The elevation changes also make for some pretty hard braking zones. Never bottomed the forks, but was pretty close. Got in a little hot a couple times, but it held together. SC1, you sir, are awesome. The KR451 on the back got a bit slippery at times once the temperature dropped off. Only issue I had is they put some of the cones too close to the track. Knocked a bunch over and got all of one with the knee for an in-the-park home run.

The temperature was the big thing, it was very hard to keep the tires warm enough to really press. With the smooth track surface and some deceivingly tight corners, there were a few back end slide moments. Someone even had a KTM RC390 which would have been sweet on that track.

First lap out there was a solid line of sand across the track. Everyone thought it was quick-dry dust, it most definately was and unfortunately claimed one bike. They cleaned it up, but the marshals should have seen that. Everyone in the K/W group stayed upright, and the tower is really nice for watching. The girls stayed warm and drank coffee while we were out on track. Lunch was great, but the rain put an early end to the day. Was it $258 all in good? I'd probably stick with the GP track for that money, but it was fun to try a new track.

Credit for all photos goes to Marcel Kutschenreuter

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KTM390

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BigEvil ripping it up

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Some crazy person

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Great shot of a turn they reused from the old oval track, very fun turn, a hill crest, then immediately a hard downhill braking zone




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Looking like an axe murderer

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Dan, with his new held suit, who's top marketing slogan is "Fasion Wear" according to the bag it came in.

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Down the front straight

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A gaggle of reds pretending to be a train.



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Wonderful facilities

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Rico636... not on a 636, but looking lorenzoesque in the corners


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On the gas against Big Evil Doer



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nice pit area
 
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smergy said:
Don't think there were any red crashes(?)....

He even suggested a better line through the chicane at the back straight. I didn't think so, but gave it a try, sure enough it was a better line.
Click to expand...

There was a red crash in session one on the last lap IIRC - both were behind you. Mild crash from what I understand.

And glad to have been some use to you yesterday. ;-)
The line I suggested seems very rarely used by most people. To be honest, I found it completely by accident last year - I thought I completely messed up the corner 'cause I tipped it in too late. Squared it off a bit and got on the gas. I gained about 3 bike lengths on the bike in front of me by doing that. So I tried it again consistently, and it seems to work.
 
All in all it was a decent weekend. A lot of practice trying to be smooth in the rain. Like Smergy said, 2/3 of Saturday were dry sessions. Went out for 2 sessions in the rain after all of Red and most of Yellow packed it up. Sunday started off miserable right from the start. Everyone had wet gear on, soaked track with puddles everywhere. No red group at all on Sunday. A few in Yellow. An SV with rain tires had some decent pace all day even when it started coming down hard. Had 4 sessions in the morning. Had a lowside last session just before lunch coming out of Turn 2. Slid for about 50 feet on my ***. Thank you Dainese for making good s*** lol. Totally realized what I did wrong. I had all of my gear off and missed the horn for our session to go out. By the time I got downstairs and suited up my session was starting their second lap out. I went on track about half a lap behind a group. Started pushing pretty good in the rain. Within a few laps caught up to the group and passed. There was a guy on a 250 and I was on keeping pace for the next lap and then that's when it happened. Just got to focused on trying to keep up with him and followed him through a different line then I had been using because of a massive puddle right at the apex, by the time I realized it, it was too late and lost the rear and down I went. Got up right away, didn't hurt a bit which was nice. Wallet took a bit of a ding. Breaked for lunch and then had 2 sessions in aft before deciding to pack it in. A few wrecks on Sun as well. That girl on the RC390 binned it. She was alright and bike didn't look too rough either.
 
Hello from Copenhagen!

Going to register for shannonville on the Tuesday.

You still going Dave?
 
I'm not preregistering, but if the weather looks good we'll be going.
 
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