redkow97

This is just a badass documentary regardless, but taking a look at the bikes being raced (and the gear the riders are wearing) gives you an idea of how much technology has sprinted forward since the track was built. http://www.theriderfiles.com/?p=10210 Everyone who has any intention of ever riding at Nelson should watch this regardless.

i posted briefly on mine in the other thread, but the full story is: Took the WERA race school at Nelson on 4/30/11 and Steve and Nathan(?) came up to me on the grid and firmly reminded me "dude. just don't crash." ha. I was all nervous before the start, adjusting my helmet, messing w/ my lever adjustments, etc. Afterward, Steve told me "we were really surprised when you launched so well." I am also told that there was some minor drama behind me, as a couple of guys wheelied pretty big, and definitely not on purpose. The 4-lap mock race was over as quickly as it started, and even with adrenaline pumping, I restrained myself to turning a "best" lap at least 2-4 seconds off my regular pace. Technically I "won," but I know two other guys behind me probably could have passed me at will. One was on an SV, so that tells you how un-fast I was lapping. My first REAL race was 6/18/11 at BeaveRun, and I had pretty good grid position (4), because I'd registered for the solo 20 fairly early. The start was intense, and in retrospect, I should have been more aggressive into turn 1. I turned two personal best laps in a row (chasing the leaders), then lost touch with them, and gutted out the next 18 laps making a couple of passes of guys who should never have gotten by me off the start. I ended up 5th, on a grid of 13. I didn't get lapped, and I managed to lap at least a couple riders. All in all, it's probably my most impressive race performance to date. Not my best finish, but my 4th place was with a grid of only 6 riders or something, so this is the one I'm most proud of. With some work this season, I'm hoping to be on the box at some point.

Read closer. I promote the hell out of taking it to the track. Last year I brought Imprez55 and his bike his first track day. A Moto series event. As I've said several times, I understand the gate fee, I just don't like it.

This. Recovery at 29 is at least a day longer than it was at 24

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I don't like paying a gate fee for WERA either. What other amateur sporting event do you pay to attend? AMA pro racing barely draws a paying crowd. The notion that you can build a fan base with $10 gate fees is silly and bad for the sport. If AMA pro were as popular as the NFL, then you could get away with charging High school football prices for amateur events. But this isn't high school football where all the parents, students, and the townies show up each week. I will pay the gate fees because I have to, but whether it is the track's fault or not, fewer people are being exposed to road racing because the fees. If you get everyone's kid out racing, then yeah, you'll get their parents to pay. Until then, I think it does more harm than good.

If you were in 5th going 10mph, you could have stalled the engine, which would lock the rear wheel. In a turn, that's almost a guaranteed crash.

Why would you know or care that there are people behind you? You ride your ride. Your mirrors should be taped or removed anyway, and you definitely don't need to be turning around. If they are faster, they will get by. on a 250, there is no reason they shouldn't be waiting until the straights to pass you. Unless i'm mistaken, passing in turns (definitely on the inside) isn't even allowed. If someone else is that much faster than you, they won't be in novice group. And if they're "taking your line" or t-boning you in a turn, they weren't going to make the turn whether you were there or not. Yes, people do sometimes ride over their heads, but the instructors are good about nipping that in the bud right away. At least at a trackday, another rider can be told "slow down, or you're out of here." Who is telling that to all the cars or other riders around you on the street?

What Craig said. No, there aren't bike rentals (at most trackdays) or crash cages, because there is no reason to crash. There is no need to ride any faster than you are comfortable with. Just because there isn't a speed limit sign telling you how fast you're supposed to go doesn't mean that you are required to go as fast or faster than you're able. Yes, many people come to the track to go fast, but that's their choice, not a requirement.

going to the track doesn't have to be about speed, and nothing prevents you from doing one trackday, and then never doing one again. I had about 3 years of riding under my belt before i ever did a track day, and I learned more in that 1 day than the three years prior. It's something i think literally every rider should do. The MSF course is great; but they don't have the facility to get you up to highway speeds. Track days take the drama out of situations you encounter on the road. I've likened it to swinging two bats before going up to the plate with one. If you can negotiate turns at 50 mph at the track, doing so at 30 on the street is that much easier.

it just messes with my budgeting, and my inability to carry cash. Plus I don't understand what 'service' is being provided for the spectators. What is that $10 paying for? the privilege to use shitty bathrooms (pun intended) and buy food from their concession stand? I honestly think they'd do better to have a $0 gate fee, and a more extensive food and beverage array. ...but mostly I'm just complaining about getting nickel-and-dime'd when I'm already paying a healthy sum of money to be there. it's psychologically different, even if it's functionally the same.

I know a lot of us pimp trackdays pretty hard around here, but they really are a VERY useful teaching tool for virtually any rider who is comfortable shifting through the gears, and obtaining highway speeds. The advantages of a trackday are multiple: - controlled environment - immediate feedback from instructor(s) - the ability to practice the same corner a hundred times, so you can actually work on getting it right, rather than simply surviving it once. (i.e. YOU are the variable, rather than the turn you're trying to negotiate) There is no requirement to go obscenely fast. If your goal is just to become a safer street rider, then let that be known to the coaches, and I am certain they will be happy to talk with you after the classroom sessions and give you any additional "street notes" that are relevant. hell, if you ask Todd, he'd probably have an instructor write up a loose street curriculum. lines, braking, and body position are pretty universal, but I'm sure there are some "street considerations" that could easily be addressed. The most important thing is that you're not okay, and that whether you know exactly what happened or not, you gain the knowledge to avoid repeating it. (edit - i realize I quoted Craig, but I'm not speaking directly to him, but rather expounding upon the point he made)

so it's a cash-flow problem, or investment risk for Todd. Gotcha. That actually makes sense, and I understand, even if I don't like it...

For spectators, I get the gate fee, but for those of us already paying $150 to ride, I don't like it. Just charge me $160 for the track day.

Even better. Is this also true on race day? I have people from work who want to come out and see me race, but I wouldn't ask them to drive 45 minutes and then pay $20 a head to hang out with me (not to mention be subjected to all the degenerates from this forum who might also be there ) I understand that there are a lot of expenses involved in running a race track, but for $10 a head, I'd expect nicer bathrooms at least... I will say that the observation 'tower' and the food truck are both top-notch at Nelson, and the fact that anyone can grab shade in the tech shed is nice. So i'm not trying to completely shit on the facility. I just wish we could see more of what that $10 does.

I agree, but I'm really surprised that any state would revoke a helmet law. It seems like the type of legislation that would be unpopular, even if the principle behind it is sound.

I might be interested in the fish tank, but you're kind of far away.

Shaun, bad324's suit would probably fit you. $550 ain't chump change, but it's not a bad price for what he's selling.

please swap your coolant whether it's required or not. Glycol based coolant is a bitch to clean up and could shut down the track for an hour. The same goes for wiring your oil filler cap. It takes 30 seconds to drill plastic. I will donate water wetter and distilled water to anyone who wants help. I can wire a full cap in under 5 minutes. A guy on an R1 sprayed me and my bike with oil after his filler cap came off. I was not pleased.

For anyone who wants to do a trackday but never has, just show up to Nelson for an event and observe. The $20(?) gate fee is WELL worth it to see how everything works. I will have an "ohioriders" sticker on my bike, and a lot of is have our race numbers in our signature line. Unless we have a helmet on and are throwing a leg over the bike, we are all happy to answer questions.

what did I miss?

he's hanging onto this one for a while, but typically there's a 100-200% profit margin. This one should be more like 300% if he holds out for the right offer. It's a nicer tank than the others he's sold, and he got it for a hell of a deal. I'll get some cash out of it when/if he sells it. until then, he owes me labor. I have to go grab some fill dirt from my parents' house and do a lot of leveling and landscaping in my back yard. He'll pay me back.

We left my house at 10:30 this morning. I got home at 5. I expect Brian is still setting up the tank.

Pump water into tubs, move rock into tubs, pump more water into buckets, move fish, pump more water, move tank, move tubs, refill tank part way, drive carefully.

"I'm gonna pistol-whip the next person who says 'shenanigans'!" welcome. I hope you at least find us amusing, and not purely annoying.