The first scheduled set of events for the SMRI season kicked off on April 13-14 with a Track day on Saturday and racing on Sunday.
It’s safe to say that Saturday was a huge success, there were more riders at this event then we have seen in a couple of years. All the riders were treated to large amounts of track time, as there were no incidents that would have resulted in stopping sessions.
I was finally able to get on the new 250 ninja that I had picked up from another one of the club racers. To say that the 250 is a blast to ride doesn’t quite do the it justice. I don’t remember the last time that giggled in every corner around a race track.
It took some adjustments to how I usually ride to be able to pick up some speed with the 250. The first big one being that I had to stop using the brakes, like I would with my 675. I did that the first few laps and it became obvious that it really was a bad idea. The next thing to changes were my other markers for the 675. This lil’ bike allows me to tip in from any point and I still have to get back on the throttle before the apex of the track. Once it is remotely aimed in the right direction it’s time to go back to the gas. There were times with I wished it was more like a horse and a riding crop would have made it actually respond…
I believe that this bike is going help me fix a few of my lingering issues…. I like to over kill my entry speed with the brakes on the bigger bikes. This bike isn’t going to let me do that, if I do it take FOREVER to get it back up to speed. It also doesn’t allow me to over thing my passes. Too many times with the Daytona I’ll go more to the brakes, instead of just making the pass, so I have more think about the pass. Of course, by then it’s just too late to get it done. The brakes on this bike not being super and it’s need for higher corner speed means, I just have to get it done.
After a few session on the 250, I was flying by the larger bikes on the corner entry, going for the inside lines and passes and just loving that I was passing up the 1K and 600 out in the Intermediate sessions. Is it wrong, that I got soooo much enjoyment out of passing those bikes??? Nah. It can’t be wrong.
After spending time on the 250 I knew I needed to spend some time on the 675. This is another bike that I just love to ride. It has torque at every point in the power curve and at a small track like Napa. It has more then enough top end.
Now when I’m cleaning and getting bikes ready, I leave sticky notes on the bikes to let me know if there are things I need to be aware of right before I ride the bike. Like, new brake pads, or tire swaps or tire pressures are different. I didn’t make any changes to the 675 over the winter with the exception of the Motion-Pro quick turn throttle. Now, that is probably something that would have been worth noting so I was a little more conscious of it as I headed out on to the track for the first time. But, no, I didn’t and I wasn’t. It had to be one of the most natural changes I’ve made to a bike. I just have to say that I’m in love with it. It was the first time I’ve gotten to the stop coming out of every turn. Now if I had remembered to turn on the lap timer, I’m sure I would have set some new personal best lap times.
Now, since it’s April and since Saturday was so awesome. You just know what we woke up do on Sunday, right? It was WINDY! There was a sand dune on the front straight, and it was really cold. I believe calling the day before anyone turned a tire in anger was the best decision the club could have made.
I just don’t know how I’m going to wait til May 18th to get back on the bikes.