Track Day

We all know the 13 wasn't designed for the track, it was aimed at long haul riding and straight line shoot out's. But I just had to take it on the track again, last time in 2001 I binned it and have spent a lot of time putting it right so this time around I was nervous.

We went to the office to sign in and they put me in the "fast" group? Bewildered by this I just thought they must know what they are doing, after all it'll pull 150 on a good straight.

The next thing that struck me was just how different the 13 was to EVERY other bike in the pit's. Just check the picture above, but hey don't she just look fine at the side of the little rockets.

Those off you who have ever trailered a 13 anywhere will know just how long one is, but the photo above really shows it.

It was funny when I started the 13 in the pit's, all these rev'y little rockets where screaming at about 13000 rev's and my 13 drowned them all out. Everyone stopped and looked at where the real bike noise came from. Some even covered their ears coz the noise hurt them. Last time on a track day I was told it was the loudest bike ever to go around the track. Luckily for me this wasn't a quiet day.

These pictures above are the motley crew who I abused my 13 against. I think all but two had been on many track days and a couple where former racers. One of which "Jonny Towers"  was a former South African champion. By the way he was on a Black R1 which is not on any of these pictures as it was in the pits with the tyre warmers on it. Yes he did blow everyone away with ease.

The briefing we where given said go easy for a couple of laps, let your tyres warm up then speed up as you feel more confident. Out of the pits we go...bang like a sonic boom the rockets had gone. I wasn't about to bin the 13 again so I took it at my pace. Which got me pulled into the pits and dropped a group into the intermediates. I guessed this would suit me better as I could not live with the Likes of Jonny and the boys when it came to...well most anything on the track. You know what I mean, cornering, braking, acceleration and most of all guts. (Hey these guy's where real good and there weren't many big straights) I did manage to pull 110 down the pit straight. Strange that the picture above with me against the fast group shows me in front yet I wasn't quick enough?

Not fazed by it all I blasted out with the intermediates only to find still I couldn't corner with them but I kept almost running into the back of them down the straights. But still the marshalls hauled me of saying I wasn't quick enough. I think this was bollox but they run the show. He said you'll have to go out with the slow group, I spat my dummy out and said like "F" I would and pitted the bike and just watched my pal's on the rockets have a thrash. Strange still that the photo above of me with the intermediates shows the 13 at the front again?

Remember if you can't replace it don't race it. Should you bin your 13 on the track it's not insured and you'll struggle to find parts.

If you have track day or drag racing pictures send them in and I'll start a race day page.