TMP vs. SMP | Page 2 | GTAMotorcycle.com

TMP vs. SMP

Cur
Wingboy said:
I wouldn't go to tmp if someone paid me.
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Curiously I used to think like that.But I then had a couple of great days at TMP after riding Calabogie almost solid for a few years. It is tight, technical, bumpy, crappy surface but can be a real test and brings you back down to earth. I would go again (given time) albeit on weekdays when it is quieter. I wouldn't touch it on a weekend.
 
Fiery254 said:
Cur
Curiously I used to think like that.But I then had a couple of great days at TMP after riding Calabogie almost solid for a few years. It is tight, technical, bumpy, crappy surface but can be a real test and brings you back down to earth. I would go again (given time) albeit on weekdays when it is quieter. I wouldn't touch it on a weekend.
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My decision is mostly based on how tmp (Uli) has treated customers, neighbors and the environment over the years. When he takes the big dirt nap, the property will prolly be sold to developers. It will take a looong time and millions of dollars to clean up the mess.
 
Wingboy said:
My decision is mostly based on how tmp (Uli) has treated customers, neighbors and the environment over the years. When he takes the big dirt nap, the property will prolly be sold to developers. It will take a looong time and millions of dollars to clean up the mess.
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It has been a ****show at times I know.
 
Wingboy said:
My decision is mostly based on how tmp (Uli) has treated customers, neighbors and the environment over the years. When he takes the big dirt nap, the property will prolly be sold to developers. It will take a looong time and millions of dollars to clean up the mess.
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To develop what?
 
There's no shortage of open land in that area. No developer would take on the costs of clean-up on that site in place of simply buying another unaffected open plot practically next door.
 
Alright TMP naysayers I see where you are coming from. Went to the trackday today and wow some bad event organizing at this one. That said the "Guys with bikes" event two weeks ago was the complete opposite and I would still recommend them specifically. The issue is that it is nearly impossible to figure out who is actually organizing the day as TMP makes it look its them running things. To be honest I still don't know what company/org. Was actually in charge of this.

Some highlights:

I saw zero blackflags or really any flagging at all besides the checkered flag which seemed to translate to "make your diciest moves now to show that person in front of you up." had two guys racing each other dive bomb me and another guy in turn 6 (in beginner) and nearly hit me. Had to completely stand the bike up and just barely caught the curb while narrowly missing the guy who was riding properly directly in front of me. Both guys dive bombing nearly went off the track. This turn is directly in front of the Marshall who seemed to be looking at his phone most of the day.

A session later another guy tries to pass me on the inside on some complete wtf line choice. Basically went straight across my line and then tried to make a 90 degree turn at the last second to avoid running off the track. I caught him in my peripheral vision in time to get myself out of the way but there is no way anyone in beginner can expect to make that sort of emergency dodge. This happened in front of the first stand / turn 3. He could have easily out horsepowered me on the straight about to come up - no real reason other than he felt the need to pass, of course I then was half throttling behind the rest of the lap while he made similarly stupid choices. I Think this fella ended up lowsiding before lunch and couldn't keep going.

After lunch you could definitely tell people were wayyy out of their ability and ego riding. One guy ran off the track turn 1, 2, 3, and 5 in a single lap without getting any flagging.

Guy in turn 5 lowsided and ended up sitting dazed basically in the middle of the track with his bike in the grass. Me and 3 other riders all were signalling to the Marshall to throw a flag (which they ignored).

Guys doing wheelies in the pit lane all day. Another rider complained and nothing was done. Then they decide its a great idea to do a massive burnout at the end of the pit (along the main straight) while the expert group is running 250km/h into the turn 1 braking point. No issue with that either.

Gate guy was just letting hoards of people onto the track instead of staggering them. Of course at the end of the straight you now have a pile of people at completely different speeds all trying to pass each other - at one point I hung back to watch a synchronized 5 wide into turn 1. & That's if someone was even watching who was entering the track as half the time I went to the entrance buddy was off chatting someone up.

Someone got way to heavy handed on the gas out of the hairpin and spun the bike off leaving a nice scrape along the track and a mysterious liquid trail. Marshall's never bothered to mention there was oil/ coolant/ who the hell knows on the racing line.

Tech inspection was a joke. Guy basically poked around and made sure your fairing was attached and your bike had a motor. No brake checks, etc. There was a dude riding all day with his tracksuit pants rolled up and untucked from his boots. Another guy in a 2pc had his jacket unzipped and his back was completely exposed going down the straights. At the gwb trackday two weeks ago the gateman wouldn't let you on if your velcro zipper stay was open.

Moral of the story - the organizer makes the event. Do your research. Still had a blast and found some other likeminded people to stick with but I can't imagine what it must have been like if you weren't already comfortable on a track and with your skillset. Ended up getting both my knees down for the first time and getting a sub 1:30 lap.

Off the shanny next...
 
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Grrr. Sounds like they haven't learned. Or maybe they're just catering to a certain clientele who don't want to follow rules; you've now seen the result of that.

I still firmly believe that everyone should go through a proper training course before doing a track day - be it FAST or Racer5 or something similar.

With the change in ownership, I don't know how the Shannonville track days are being run. Historically they haven't had huge attendance - which is better from your perspective.

I've heard good things about KSR's track days at Grand Bend.
 
Wingboy said:
If you think that was a blast,please let us know what you think would make a bad day at the track.
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death, permanent injury, complete loss of my bike? despite the obvious issues mentioned its hard not to have a smile on your face while ripping a sportbike around a track on a perfect summer day. I'm not defending anyone but its what you make of it - I met some great people, sharpened my own skills, and learned to deal with a few idiots out there by myself. By 1PM the riff raff had completed their natural selection and it was a dozen responsible people enjoying the day. Have fun, its what its all about. Sure i could have had a hissy fit and left at 9:30AM but I would have missed out on the good side of it.
 
boyoboy said:
Buy a used lwt race bike - 250, 300, 320 whatever...take a race school and make it to friday practices along with the sat/sun races.

you won't regret it
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That looks like the plan for 2021. Looking at getting a new street bike over the winter and converting the R3 to a full track bike.
 
I was there as well and it was an absolute shitshow as r3r3r3 mentioned. People going way too fast in the pits, wheelies, ignoring passing rules, etc. I think I saw you r3, I was on the Tuono with the green screen. I probably could have got away with not tying my side stand the tech inspection took like 5 seconds. No yellow flags when people came off track, no black flags at all. I will probably not be returning.
 
I was there on Sunday running in the red group. I had no issues with anyone and lots of riders passed me everywhere which is allowed in the group. Yellow and green group can always be sketchy at times. I'm not crazy about TMP for a lot of the reasons listed in this thread. For me it's a test and tune track and its only an hour away. I think if they had an organizer like Pro 6 there would be less problems as they are usually very strict about their group rules. I had 2 friends with me Sunday, one in green and one in yellow. Neither expressed any major problems in their group other than in yellow there was passing in corners that should not have happened and there were some riders in the group that should have been in red. I know my bike was constantly wheelieing up the front straight as it is a 1000 and acceleration wheelies are common. I didn't see anyone doing stunt wheelies on track. If acceleration wheelies bother you I'm sorry. Unfortunately some poor organizers, bad owner and not the greatest track surface have given this place a bad name. For what it is it could be a great little track.
So next monday I'll go check out Grand bend and the KSR group. I've heard good things about it. Not crazy about the almost 3 hour drive. Can't wait for Bogie and Mosport this summer.
 
RobVN said:
I know my bike was constantly wheelieing up the front straight as it is a 1000 and acceleration wheelies are common. I didn't see anyone doing stunt wheelies on track. If acceleration wheelies bother you I'm sorry.
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Power wheelies down the straight are normal and I don't think anyone cares unless its just blatant showboating. I think mine / others complaints were the people doing it in the pit lanes. There was a group towards the end of the pit lane doing highspeed wheelies and ripping down the actual pit on dirt bikes. Lots of young families / dogs / etc. in that area. I don't even think the guys doing it were registered for the track day and were technically observers.

I know at least 2 people complained to the organizers about this group and nothing was done. I think the only person who told them to knock it off from the track was the maintenance dude.
 
Doing a green group track day on a R3 at Cayuga you have the perfect ingredients for a gong show.

You have now learned a valuable lesson. If the goal is to go racing next year in 2021, stop wasting your money doing trackdays.
 
Jayv said:
Doing a green group track day on a R3 at Cayuga you have the perfect ingredients for a gong show.

You have now learned a valuable lesson. If the goal is to go racing next year in 2021, stop wasting your money doing trackdays.
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its not how big it is, its how you use it. Should I have been one of the people constantly losing it and making zero progress on a 600/1000 because they were in over their head?

A gong show would be showing up to a race with zero track experience. The issue is the organizer not managing their trackday not my riding ability - there was none of these problems at the other TMP trackday run by GWB.

Or were you just one of the guys on a 600/1000's I was out cornering and braking all day?
 
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