First Trackday - Cadwell Park Done!

[coxylaad]

Well I couldn't got a better day for my first trackday, it was red hot!


Have to say it was a little daunting when I first rolled up, dunno whether it was the fact it was a weekend and the weather was so good, but it was like a BSB paddock. all tyre warmers gazebos and trucks. My mate has been to a few track days there now and said hes never seen it like this before. 


we were setup next to Jenny Tinmouth, Peter Hickman was just in the next row, it was an eye opener for me.


anyways I took it very steady the very session, getting a quicker as the session went on. It was amazing how quickly the pace started to come, and I was dragging me boots in all the tight corners, especially the second corner in the woodland section and mansfield. Looking at the photos though there is loads of clearance left on the bike, its my duck feet that are getting in the way.


The bike performed absolutely faultless, including the 3 hour ride home after the day had finished. Handling was predictable and superb - way better than I am capable of, and the power was quite awesome, down the home straight it held its own against seemingly absolutely everything, and pulled canny big gaps on a lot of bikes, so says me rear mounted gopro. shame I was such a soft get braking mega early for coppice. Loved every minute of it though, its taken me the best part of 9 years to do one but will most certainly be doing another! You definitely dont need a out and out sportsbike, there was a guy on a ducati sport classic 1000, and he was rockin! I actually picked him out at the start and said to myself I will see if I can hang onto him - he was one of the fastest guys on the track!


some pics:

[AyJay]

Good on you for getting out on track on a Fazer. Glad you enjoyed it so much. They're surprisingly good on track I think, bit of an effort and understeery in slow corners but a hoot nonetheless. And isn't Cadwell a cracking circuit?

[ghostbiker]

Did brands and loved it, plan to go again in September I hope.
Have a chance of doing the gp circuit this time rather than the Indy.

Bike works well for the ride there and a day of fun then a ride home. We had everything on track from 125 bikes and a 250 trial bike up to out and out r1s etc but no one really got in each other's way.

Highly recomend it.

[bladeade]

Really good fun aren't they ! TRY Oulton park next would suit the fazer better I think.

[pitternator]

 
 
coxxy
This was me last september at Cadwell..at Mansfield. The fazer is still a great fun bike on track.

[pitternator]

http://i82.photobucket.com/albums/j273/pitternator/8K9U0188.jpg
 
aint posted piccies for a while...does it show ! lol
 

 

[coxylaad]

haha awesome - I see you have the 'Donnie Darko' swept back mirror look too eh 


What group were you riding in?  I was in the Novice group being my first track day, not that that meant anything as it was used as an overspill group for guys trying to get into the fast group which was full.


We should have a fazer meet at Cadwell sometime in the future if anyone is interested?

[harry69koi]

  Count me in for a cadwell park meet m8 

[markbubble]

im deffo in for a trackday on fazer but will prob have to be next year after iv spent my cash on my hols! a fazer day would be great but id want be in novice group as not done a track day yet!

[pitternator]

Coxy
I do usually opt for the novice group, mostly cos most " normal" trackdays R full of racers practicing, so even the novice is fast. I had blades, duke 1098 etc in with me, all very fast riders. Inters and fast group  were racers mostly.I just dont feel comfortable sharing track with the nutters...I did have fun though , and tbh had  a lot of respect back from the sportsbike riders , cos the fazer is still competitive, with its full monty engine and full K tech set up. I was pretty much only passed by 180 bhp sportsbikes....which IMO is fair enuff. I was grounding out me crash bungs, was absolutely thrashing it ...dont think the fazer could realistically go much faster ( I have ridden cadwell 7 times now, so do know it reasonably well).Its never going to be the fastest , but still fast enuff to get me heart racing ! lol

[b1k3rdude]

Cool pics, I keep thinking about doing a track day one of theses days...

[harry69koi]

I too would need to be in a novice group as ive never set foot (or wheel lol) on a track 

[coxylaad]

as Pit says, the novice group is not full of newbies wobbling round the track, there are some seriously quick people out there.


All seems safe enough though, and huge fun!

[pitternator]

harry
we all started somewhere. My first track foray was a rapid training rider skills day at cadwell back in around  sept 2002.I enjoyed being on track so much  it took hold of me .Then I went to castle combe in 03, and rapidly followed with about 12 more across many tracks up to 2005 when I went into touring mode, and spent next 6 yrs touring europe instead! Last years cadwell day was my first since 2005, ...but  I got back into the swing quite quickly.
My advice would be to try a Bike mag road bike  only  trackday ( " reclaim our tracks")...a bit gimmicky but it excludes the racers.Back in 04 trackdays were actually mostly filled by pure roadbikes.And novice group  had a broader mix of skills.Its not without risk though, as sometimes inexperience can lead to doing daft things...like at Castle coombe we were all briefed to ride behins the instructor for 2 laps before overtaking. A ducati rider promptly forgot / ignored this and overtook the whole group at the first bend, and promptly binned it on cold tyres !   
I also have many memories of  riding tracks with bikes like ST1100s and XJRs  who were scraping pegs/ panniers etc...so much pure fun back then..everyone had such a grin on their faces. Contrast it now , its more like a race paddock...I also met jane omerague( I think thats her name) wobbling round donnington before she went on to present some bike shows, and craig jones on his triumph supersport race bike entertained us with how it should be done ! .