Did a motorcycle trackday at Firebird Raceway's East Track, in Phoenix:

http://www.aztrackday.com/images/easttrack.gif

In the groove and lapping hard, I turned it up. I came upon traffic into the fast, sweeping Turn 5, a GSX-R1000 behind another CBR600. Rolling off the throttle and breathing on the front brake, I gently slowed so as not to unsettle the bike while leant over. I settled in behind for Turn 6, sizing up their next move.

The Gixxer initiated a pass exiting Seven, but an even slower rider held up the other CBR. The CBR went left, the Gixxer balked right, but neither got around the slower bike before the 8-9-10 complex. Seeing them almost three abreast I backed off, blipped the throttle for a 3-2 downshift, and set up the exit of Ten for a pass on the next straight.

Having backed off with plenty of room to accelerate, right knee slider riding asphalt to the apex, rear shock working over the bumps, left knee hooked into the top side of the fuel tank, head tilted up and left for the horizon. I wound out the throttle, the M4 exhaust growing from a mid-RPM snarl to a vicious top-end howl as I accelerated hard out of Ten.

Turn 10

The CBR eased around the slower bike exiting Ten onto the straight, then the Gixxer took an inside line to set up for Turn 1. Hanging off the right side for an extra moment I took an even tighter line into One, momentarily three-abreast-- CBR-Gixxer-Me -- for the braking zone.

Squeeze the brake lever with right index and middle finger - steady brake pressure - blip the throttle with heel of right hand as two left fingers squeeze the clutch. Higher revs matched to lower gear, clutch out, sweeeet 2-1 downshift complete.

Continue late-braking into One.


This time I got it right. I felt the front tire scrubbing slightly under deceleration, even as I tipped in to the right-hander. The brake lever went vague as the front contact patch squirmed forward and left along the untraveled deep inside line. Having gained nose-tail clearance up the inside of the Gixxer through late braking, I relaxed the brake pressure and continued steering into the apex, inside of the rough patch.

Turn 1, post-apex

I had sacrificed line, entry speed, and exit speed for track position, double-diving inside the Gixxer who, up until that point, probably felt like a hero for diving inside the CBR. Exiting One I heard his exhaust note voice his anger, as he unleashed upwards of 160bhp down the main straight, blowing by my right side. No contest.

I caught what I could of his draft, my 102.73 RWHP pushing forward, but inevitably falling through the back of his draft bubble.

Shift light blinks - Redline -- shut the throttle, hook the gear lever with my left foot for a clutchless 1-2 upshift. 90 mph. Shut throttle, hook 3rd to 112 mph. 13,000RPM - grab 4th gear to 125 mph. Braking Zone.



Main Straight, between One and Two

He pulled six bike-lengths on me down the straight, probably thinking he had put my upstart-600cc-ass in my place. I thought to myself, "Time to outbrake him again."

The 1000cc Gixxer easily overtook a second bike just before the braking zone into Two. I had to come double-inside again. Double downshifting thru 3rd to 2nd gear, this time I just barely made up the six bike-lengths on the brakes and pulled alongside, haunting him. But I wasn't forward, only even, and we were at the turn-in for Two. Judgement got the better of me and I parked it into Two, slowing more to allow the Gixxer to cross in front, left-to-right, on his way to the apex.

Flick right, then left, wind the throttle, bike upright while I'm hanging off left, accelerating in chase. Grab 3rd gear. The next straight offered too little length for his horsepower advantage, and that's where I got him.

A quick downshift to 2nd, I passed him carrying more entry speed on an inside line into Four, then carried higher corner speed through 180 degrees of Turn 4. Apex. Exit. And I was gooooooooooooone.

Wow, what a great story, nice touch on the pics. Some slick riding there, keep it up.

Oh, and nice kill! :buttrock

-Scott

sweet stuff phantom, not the norm for this forum, but very cool, i will let it stay!

Nice, gotta love the CBR's! BTW, have you ridden a 954? I hear those are supposed to be SICK! 0-60 in 1.9 secs!

Damn that is sweet :buttrock

Very nice write-up ;)

Cool. Anyone got videos of Supra killing motorcycle?:D

You are my hero and a dare devil :buttrock

Awesome write-up, the pics were a great touch :D

Nice Kill! :buttrock

Originally posted by shmoo
Cool. Anyone got videos of Supra killing motorcycle?:D

That video is ghey... I have it... stock Hayabusa vs. highly modded Supra that cost 10 times more than the bike I am sure... I think Ghost Rider and the 499bhp turbo 'busa would hand him his 4ss any day of the week and twice on Sundays. :alright

plus the race says it is a "roll-on" from 70mph... what gear was the 'busa in? He should have been in 2nd at that speed to be in the powerband... lame... lame... lame... :rolleyes:

Awesome write-up
-Steve

I'm glad folks enjoy the writeup. It's the first kill story I've posted! I was kinda wondering if bike kill stories would go over well in here.

Tracking the M3 this weekend at Firebird West. Maybe I'll have something more to write about . . .

This story deserves to be left here. N00bs - read and learn.

you forgot to mention the suit change after turn 10. :D

it looks like you need to get off the bike more. :dunno

Great write up man nice bike, I have toyed around on a highly race modded rc51. As I'm way to big for the 600 I looke like a gorilla on it.
Matt:)

This has got to be the best write-up anywhere.

Originally posted by ken_vs_ryu
you forgot to mention the suit change after turn 10. :D
Yeah, the first pic was taken back in June, the rest were taken in November. I wore the red/black suit while the blue/black leathers were being repaired. Other differences:

Fiberglass race bodywork
Carbon Fiber M4 Exhaust Can instead of Titanium

Hey, Ken, remember that "Are You Interested in Motorcycles?" thread? (http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum//showthread.php?threadid=127879&highlight=interested) Well, I'm smack dab in the middle of Year Three:
Year three -At this time a few track classes from the pros are in store. You have been warned more then once for being on the Internet at work and for looking at models on Sportbikes. You have more Sportbike videos than porn in your video collection. You sold the car and bought a truck. Your wrecked your beautiful daily ride late-braking in turn 2 at the track, trying to get around that damn squid on the YZF Ninja GSXR-1. You own more then one bike -- one for the track and one for the street. After all, those rolling burnouts are getting expensive on race-rubber. You enjoy the Canyon rides more for the experience of hanging out with your friends and sharing stories over breakfast. Track days are now an addiction. You are hooked on track riding like a rock star on groupies and heroin. You decide to get your racing license because you hear about the $65 track day practices. Your track day bike has slowly evolved into a full out race-only bike.

I picked up a second '01 CBR600, cheap, at auction back in October (salvage title) and that's now my street bike.

Since then the track bike has gotten Race Tech fork springs and revalving, Scotts steering damper, and 2 more teeth on the rear sprocket. Next step is full safety-wiring before I try for my racing license this spring.


it looks like you need to get off the bike more. :dunno You really think so?

NICE pictures man!
If there was more of a street bike following here in Yakima, I'd almost think about buying an R6 or something.

wow, great write up, you really bring the action home with that!

also, those pics you posted are beautiful, you have a pro doing your work?

how do you like the CBR600? What did you move into it from?

-Ron

Often, there are pros at the track events shooting pics for purchase by the riders. That's how I got most of the pics.

I started three years ago (Jan, 2001) with a '93 Kawasaki ZX-6 and the Motorcycle Safety Foundation rider training.

I bought the first CBR600 in October, 2001 and did my first motorcycle trackday in April, 2002.