neonpollen
14-10-2006, 18:02
Well I finally got around to doing a track day on the bike, went to our local circuit Cadwell Park. The bike seemed an bit soft and wallowy (if that's a word) at the back end but I pressed on and was enjoying myself until I went into Manfield corner a bit too fast :)
I missed a gear and knew I wasn't going to get around the corner so I headed for the grass with the idea of re-joining the course a few yards further on, but like an idiot on wet grass I grabbed a hand full of front brake. Down I went :( I had managed to scrub most of the speed off so I was only doing 5mph-ish when I hit the deck and the grass was very soft and wet so I suffered no injuries nor did it damage the bike, I did have to pry out about a kilo of wet grass and mud from the fairing.
On my last lap the instructor had been following me looking carefully at my bike, when I got back to the paddock he came over and told me the back end to my bike was skipping and sliding all over the place. Like I said I thought it a bit soft and when we tested the damping we found I had none at all, looking in the bellypan of the bike we found all the oil out of my rear shock absorber, effing thing has gone pop !
I had to miss the last three session of the day, I stayed behind to watch one session but then rode home very slowly in a big sulk, need to buy a new shocker now, oh yes and take all the fairings off to dig out the last of the grass and mud.
I missed a gear and knew I wasn't going to get around the corner so I headed for the grass with the idea of re-joining the course a few yards further on, but like an idiot on wet grass I grabbed a hand full of front brake. Down I went :( I had managed to scrub most of the speed off so I was only doing 5mph-ish when I hit the deck and the grass was very soft and wet so I suffered no injuries nor did it damage the bike, I did have to pry out about a kilo of wet grass and mud from the fairing.
On my last lap the instructor had been following me looking carefully at my bike, when I got back to the paddock he came over and told me the back end to my bike was skipping and sliding all over the place. Like I said I thought it a bit soft and when we tested the damping we found I had none at all, looking in the bellypan of the bike we found all the oil out of my rear shock absorber, effing thing has gone pop !
I had to miss the last three session of the day, I stayed behind to watch one session but then rode home very slowly in a big sulk, need to buy a new shocker now, oh yes and take all the fairings off to dig out the last of the grass and mud.