Pembrey August 22nd / 23rd with Phil Bevan Trackdays,, forum EXTRAVAGANZA !!!!

[Yorick]

Gutted I can't come. Even just to watch. I know /i've said it before, but - next year!!!

I'll be sitting in rehab just outside Grenoble

Drinking got bad again eh?

[Noggin]

Gutted I can't come. Even just to watch. I know /i've said it before, but - next year!!!

I'll be sitting in rehab just outside Grenoble

Drinking got bad again eh?

Best thing here so far (apart from the arm moving) was the Amy Winehouse rehab song playing in the physio/occ therapy area one afternoon!!

TBF - I'm not in rehab, I'm in re-education - not sure that sounds any better!!!

[Bigyin]

Windy as feck here and already showers so comfort wins.......leathers in the roll bag and textiles for the trip avoiding motorways and open bridges

See you knobheads in the beer garden later

You spent many years dragging racers out of the kitty litter, so here's an ex racer repaying all your efforts..

First of all, relax. Always keep arms loose so that you can steer. It's very easy to tense up when approaching a corner at speed, but make sure you wiggle your arms as often as possible.
It's important to learn the track as quickly as possible so you aren’t just bimbling along like a Sunday ride.
Look for the rumble strips. That’s where you should be. They will show you the entry point, apex and exit points.
Exit speed is far more important than entry speed, so when you turn in, concentrate on getting the exit right. You should know where the next corner is, so exit each turn thinking about where to be on track to be set up right for the next bend. Or if next corner is a while away, concentrate on getting the bike upright as soon as possible to get the power down.
Basically, think one corner ahead.

Don’t start mega braking straight away. Find a nice place for each corner, then when you’re happy, brake 10-15m later each lap. You’ll be amazed how late you can actually brake

I was gonna do a corner by corner analysis, but I found this one by another Sweaty, who was quite good. It’s all good advice, apart from Brooklands Hairpin. His advice there is too advanced for novices. Take a wide sweep into it and a very late apex so you hit the straight with your bike as upright as possible to get good drive. His line on the diagram shows this, but can be exaggerated a little more.

Look at the diagrams for each corner and follow the dotted line. I had those for every circuit in the UK. Look at them to see how the corner works and also see how one corner flows into another.

https://www.visordown.com/features/moto ... de-pembrey

And you’ll know by watching me, that you can take Woodlands flat stick

There’s lots more obviously, but don’t want to overload you.

Have fun . Don’t be scared to ask for advice. Don’t fall off.

Always look good for the camera

Cheers Yoz, saw that when I got back to the room so having a cuppa to read it over before bed but will take tablet along tomorrow to read it again. Thanks fr taking the time to put it together

[Potter]

I had a romantic notion of a surprise visit, but ended up busy at work until it was too late to book a last minute flight - and I'd be breaking quarantine anyway so unless you all wanted a dose of biblical pox you probably wouldn't thank me for turning up anyway.

Have fun

[Yorick]

Having fun ?

[weeksy]

Having fun ?

Good day was had by all. Bit wet, then dry, then wet, then dry. But all stayed upright

[Bigyin]

Having fun ?

Brilliant day on track and really enjoyed it even when it started raining in the early session ... learned a lot about the bike and my riding

Will post a bit more tomorrow evening when I finally get home as knackered now after a superb Indian meal and a few beers on top of the days riding

[weeksy]

Report time then i guess.

Mostly it was brilliant. Just brilliant. Friday i went down early and did some MTB riding which was a bit wet, VERY windy and a bit exposed... but i had a blast.

I was first to the hotel as usual and the beers, bullshit and banter flowed brilliantly throughout the evening.

Sat morning brought wet/damp. I was massively impressed with Bigyin and Dodgy Knees for heading out in the wet, Myself and Mrs Weeksy didn't.... we waited for dry bits. GP, Tricky and IanB also braved the damp, Tomcat was a bit more cautious. Jazzy went out, but i think he wishes he hadn't.

We suffered with on/off showers until a dry session 3, I had some fun out there but was struggling in the RST suit which was too small for me and a proper struggle to get any body position on. But i was doing OK and the XSR900 behaving itself, apart from activating the ABS a few times into the hairpin. Which i never managed on the 690 or other bikes, so was quite surprised it did it... I wasn't braking particularly late either.

Lunch came early after someone spat a load of oil over the circuit. Mrs Weeksy was sulking as she couldn't find her mojo at all. Sadly that affects my mood too as i feel responsible with the bike being looked after. I added a couple of PSI to the rear and sent Tricky out on her bike... He came back and reported no issues at all... So out we/she went again.

That session was by far the most fun session of my day, i went out in front of Jazzy, GP, Tomcat and Tricky... Of course Tricky took care of the lot of us, but i had a full session battle with GP overtaking me and gapping me, then me coming back and catching and passing him, but then he did me again 1 lap from the end of the session and i stayed on his wheel but couldn't pass again before the flag. But when he was behind i could hear his Monster 1200 burbling away behind me, so was trying He also pushed me on in certain section as i was following his lines and braking, which gave me a bit more than i usually have. The big Monster pulls like a train that's for sure !!!! Impressed with it.

Mrs Weeksy still wasn't feeling the love so much, Grrrrr. The rain came again, the Gazebo sides were on, off, on and off... But for the last session of the day we had a completely dry line... Mrs Weeksys bike got a tyre pressure change in the front this time and she came in absolutely LOVING the bike... Phew and thank Fook for that !!! I had a good session, but after i passed GP on IanBs 1000SS it was a bit of a lonely one, so i came in a few laps before the end, sadly i didn't know Mrs Weeksy wasn't that far behind otherwise i'd have slowed a bit and had a play.. But she came in smiling so i was smiling too. It seems to new Supercorsas are quite sensitive to pressures for her, so something to keep an eye on for sure, but we'll be swapping them this week as they've done 4.5 days now on the rear and 7 on the front. I'll check with tyre guy what pressure for the ones he's fitting, Silverstone next Monday, so need them replacing for that one.

The rest of the evening involved, beers, curry and lots and lots of laughs....Some properly amusing times were had with a great bunch of friends.

Finest parts for me, seeing Bigyin loving it and coming in beaming with smiles, along with seeing Dodgy Knees transformed as a rider from the guy we first saw on track on his 1290GT, he was right on the pace... awesome.

We'll be back next year that's for sure...

[Dodgy69]

Home safely.... Brilliant weekend. Well done Weeksy for organising everything. Track fun followed by food and beers followed by nice warm bed. It don't get much better.

Great to meet some new faces, aswel as the old ones. Gonna sort the vids out and hopefully get them on soon. Crackin weekend.

[Bigyin]

Bigyins first trackday aged 50 something

Friday rode from home over the country from Norfolk to Wales in gale force winds avoiding flying foliage and a glancing blow from a roof box lid that blew off a car in front ........... Multistrada was lovely and comfortable coped with the gales and torrential rain that hit 10 minutes after taking this photo near Oxford. As the forecast was shit i wore my Goretex textiles and packed the leathers into the roll bag ..... It was a wise choice



Met up with everyone at the hotel and a good laugh was had and a fairly calm evening ready for the early start

Saturday morning was wet and windy again and arrived to find a wet track. Did as i was told prior to going and dropped the tyre pressures, stripped off the big screen, top box and mirrors and hey presto, tourer to track bike



Fast group went out and then Inters where most of our crowd were and it shedded down. Add to that an oil spill and then it was the turn of us Novice lot. I was going to sit out the first one but thought "fuck it, i'll go steady and learn which way the track goes". Track was wet, no sign of oil so well done to the marshals for sorting it so quickly. After a couple of laps i decided to go a bit quicker and no dramas from the tyres so kept building speed even when it started raining again and was passing a few people but also being passed by a couple of lads in the group who were proper quick. Back in, huge smile and looking forward to dry tarmac. IanB did comment i was tucked in well when i passed him on the straight as he had never seen someone on a Multistrada with their chin on the tank and elbows in

Second session was dry so again pushed a bit more and started applying what others had said and tried the lines suggested by Yorick in his earlier post and found the late apex at the old hairpin worked well as well as getting more confident (cheers mate, i did read it a few times )......End of session the tyres were to the edge and started to look like they were being used properly and not bad for sport touring rubber.



As the day went on i started trying to use the bike more, the slipper clutch is superb for hairpin approach and heavy braking ....the traction control flashed a couple of times coming onto the start finish straight when i tried the throttle harder and trusted it for the first time ever. By the second last session i was touching down the edge of my boots and had pretty much sorted out all the lines properly (or as well as i thought i could and pushing on as much as i dared)

Last session i went out and 5 laps in realised i was getting tired , making little mistakes and struggling to find a pass on guys i had been getting by all day so pulled off the track into the paddock before i fucked up and did something stupid. I had listened to those who said eat chocolate and energy stuff but was still knackered.

Big thanks to all the group who were there for advice, help (special thanks to Tricky for getting me some oil as the Multi was low and none at the track and Weeksy for the fuel that let me do the last session as did a full tank in under 100 miles as opposed to the usual 175 miles ) Cheers to Dodgy Knees who followed me for a session with his camera to show the missus what i got up to as this was my birthday present from her

Cracking Indian meal last night but another poor nights sleep before an early depart this morning for home. 350 miles back but the weather was better and popped in to see Spitfire, Eccles and the kids for a cuppa in the Cotswolds as i was passing near their place.

Home safe and well and fell asleep for an hour once i had unloaded and put the bike away. I should have followed Tomcats plan and grabbed a rest at the track



Fantastic weekend , loved it all and just wish i had more confidence to push more, but it was a start so pleased how it went all round.

Well done Weeksy, you have converted another one

[weeksy]

The pushing thing comes with time, practice and experience.

Next time on track you start a few steps ahead of where you started yesterday, not quite at your fastest, but you push a bit more, it then progresses in the same way the time after, and after.

It sneaks up on you and next thing you know you step into inters and it goes ok.

[Le_Fromage_Grande]

I'm booked for Snetterton in early October, Bigyin if you can get a place you're welcome to socialise with me and keep any gear in our Mondeo

[Yorick]

I'm booked for Snetterton in early October, Bigyin if you can get a place you're welcome to socialise with me and keep any gear in our Mondeo

He'll be heading for the fast group

[Le_Fromage_Grande]

I'm booked for Snetterton in early October, Bigyin if you can get a place you're welcome to socialise with me and keep any gear in our Mondeo

He'll be heading for the fast group

He could follow me, I could show him how to miss every apex

[Yorick]

I'm booked for Snetterton in early October, Bigyin if you can get a place you're welcome to socialise with me and keep any gear in our Mondeo

He'll be heading for the fast group

He could follow me, I could show him how to miss every apex

Just don't go near any stairs

[G.P]

I'm really disappointed that no-one has made any comment about my Kath Kitson chair, this place is already going to the dogs!




Great weekend again, and nice to catch up with old faces and friends again. Although the weather wasn't the best, we got plenty of fun track time and for the first time ever I actually enjoyed a session that had some wet track. Had great fun chasing Jazzy round who was very cautious in the wet sections and then unleashing the GSXR1000 on the dry parts . Now I've taken the monster on track I love it even more Thanks to IanB for giving me a session on his Ducati 1000DS (the one with the red wheels below) - lovely bike but with such a stretched out riding position, completely different to my mandlebar equipped Monster and much more physically demanding,



A big up to Yin who rode 350 miles on the Multistrada, removed the luggage and did REALLY well on track with it, then rode 350 miles home again.

Lastly, was mega impressed with Dodgy knees on Yamaha Tracer - loads of pace compared to last year, top man!

And Thanks as always to weeksy for instigating the whole thing

[Tricky]

Another couple of days of top fun.
it’s a bit of a trek down there – especially this time- there was a big accident on the M4 that turned what is normally a 3hr journey into 4.5 but I TBH it didn't really matter this time and I still enjoyed the journey , and was nice to make it to the Hotel just in time for last food orders and spend some quality time with some old friends.
I must admit I had my doubts as to the weather when I awoke and looked out of the window Saturday morning, but it dried out really quickly and rain largely stayed away throughout the day so it didn’t affect my enjoyment on track,
And I got to get drunk with, and so properly meet IanB, his mate Doug and Dodgy Knees too, and have loads of fun with all the rest of the regular gang too, all in all a great week-end

Highlights for me were:

• Not getting covered in oil like I did last week at Brands , albeit the standard of bike maintenance of a few was still concerning here too- A Gixxerboy dropping oil all around the circuit from a pinched cambox gasket almost before we’d got going, someone else dropping oil a few sessions later and someone’s brake calliper actually falling off! Hmmm… Having said that, standard of riding seemed decent and well marshalled and there were very few offs ( I only saw one damaged bike- a completely mullered Panigale, ) and the only red flags were caused by the oil- All in all, a well run day, as per usual for Alan’s days IME.

• Saturday night:- One of the best curry houses I have been to for a very long time , which I have to admit was a big surprise considering where we were - delicious food , a nice ambiance ( we had the “VIP Area” )and loads of laughs in there , top and tailed with really entertaining taxi rides to and from the pub to the restaurant ( you had to be there I think... )- All of it organised by a Llanelli’s own and very Welsh Mr-Fixer bloke called Anthony, a barman in the pub next to the Premier Inn- he talked at 200 mph so it was almost impossible to understand more than 10% of what he said but he did the bizzo for us, a top man

• BigYin- The (old) boy done good , despite some dodgy advice from some has-been Yorkshireman (only joking Yoz, I thought it was cock-on and know it was definitely of value to him ) and he obviously enjoyed himself- it's always interesting to me to see people after their first proper trackday, it goes one way or the other and Yin’s was the way most go- big respect to him for the ride there and back

• G.P’s 1200 Monster-He let me take it out for a session and I loved it- the 1198 Testastretta is such a strong engine, and I have experience of it from the MultiStrada, but had never ridden this capacity Monster, and it’s a cracker – turns so quickly, and just flies out of corners, whatever the revs. I struggled getting my feet in the position I needed due to the rear hangers, and would have to change that if it were mine, but it was only really that and to a lesser extent tyres that held me back on it- admittedly it’s been a while since I’ve ridden a 1290 SDR but I reckon the Monster is probably a better bike, for me, anyway, despite giving away perhaps 30 or so HP- more is not always “more”…
  
  
  • The 765RS- have to admit I’ve been having my doubts lately and pining for the (comparatively speaking) rawness and low down silliness of an 890 or 790 Duke, but the Speedy really was excellent all considered- I know I’ve said it before but is just such a well sorted package , performed faultlessly, and I do actually like looking at it, something I still can’t say about the 790 or 890 Dukes, so it’s staying. For the time being, anyway.
  I have the grand total of one pic from the week-end, so here it is- some of the RTTL gang trying to hold our guts in AND look butch and menacing, waiting for the off
  
  
  
  So thanks everyone for making it such fun - hopefully Isabella didn’t manage to offend or insult too many of you , but if she did, well, tough as there's fuck all I can do about that ( and I wouldn't want to anyway ), but hopefully she also made you laugh , or at least grimace by offending someone else too

[Dodgy69]

Having trouble uploading vids. I'll try this first. Hopefully Bigyin playing the lead role..

https://photos.app.goo.gl/ReSJDnwzsaggCKMUA

[Dodgy69]

Think the damp didn't help Bigyin footage...never saw any fog.

Doug...

https://photos.app.goo.gl/4MZ5q4BpySHQHmU29

[weeksy]

Oh deary me...

You know i checked EVERY bike for tyre pressures...

I've just gone to put the XSR900 back to road pressures....

Mine was the only bike i never did !!