Chennai xBhp Track Day - 22 Feb '09 - The Discussion and Pics thread

[Killer]

For reference sake, heres something i had put together for someone who wanted to know the gears and speeds on a fast lap at chennai aboard the R15. Use it as a guide to help you know where you're moving in the right direction and where you need work.



Below is the correct gear pattern used by myself and other experts, also the speeds that I touch at respective points on a 2min 15sec lap aboard a stock R15. All of this based on the track diagram above:

C1 – 6TH gear under the MRF arch, around 127kph before tipping it in under the arch and full throttle all the way through

C2 – 4th gear, around 92kph at the exit of the turn

C3 – 4th gear, around 88kph at the exit of the turn

C4 – 4th gear from 6th

C5 - 4th gear, exit speed around 97kph

C6 – 5th gear

C7 – 5th gear, exit speed around 111kph and 126kph at end of the straight before braking

C8 – 4th gear from 6th

C9 – 4th gear, around 109kph at the exit and shift to 5th shortly after exit

C10 – 4th gear

C11 – 4th gear, around 89kph at the exit (half way up the bridge), shift to 5th just after top of the bridge

C12 – 4th gear or sometimes 5th depending on how fast I want to enter the turn, exit speed around 107kph. (If taken in 4th I shift to 5th while exiting the turn)

and that’s a FAST lap around the Chennai circuit aboard the R15

[narenr_nair]

This thread is fantastic and those pics give us less privileged people a much better idea of what we are missing...

[wonderboy_tm]

I'll be down soon for practice and you're welcome to tail me, the only problem is i'll be on a R6 and the lines are slightly different, i'm not riding the small bikes anymore. We can definetely do a couple of slow laps together nevertheless

I would be privileged....

At c8, even i had a tricky moment... thankfully i was on an r15.... i was able to brake mid corner..... would it be appropriate to enter the corner in 4th or 3rd......

and on the R15.... the chicane before the bridge..... which gear are you supposed to take it in.... i guess there is a lot of shifting required on an R15 when compared to the RTR ???
I am DEAD slow at that chicane.....

[Killer]

when are you coming down next time???
i want to follow your tail around the track. Initially slowly and faster after a while.

I'll be down soon for practice and you're welcome to tail me, the only problem is i'll be on a R6 and the lines are slightly different, i'm not riding the small bikes anymore. We can definetely do a couple of slow laps together nevertheless

[Killer]

@ killer, I never felt that C8 was a tricky corner. But after the incident, I am feeling so....How do you approach this corner? you brake or downshift ?

Its tricky because it gives the appearance theres more room on the exit and you dont realize until too late. It also has a slight negative camber on the exit.

You're coming off a long straight in a high gear to a very tight right hander so you brake and then you downshift. On a fast lap i trail the brake till the apex but then thats not something you should be doing right now, so dont worry about it.

[wonderboy_tm]

Yes i think it will help but more than that you have to get over the fear of what happened and regain confidence in yourself.

when are you coming down next time???
i want to follow your tail around the track. Initially slowly and faster after a while.

[karthik_R]

@ killer, I never felt that C8 was a tricky corner. But after the incident, I am feeling so....How do you approach this corner? you brake or downshift ?

[Killer]

My question here,
If i force myself to look at the exit of that particular corner do you think i will be able to remove that mental block.

Yes i think it will help but more than that you have to get over the fear of what happened and regain confidence in yourself.

[wonderboy_tm]

This was the second session of my riding. After that moment, i decided not have my knee down. Riding comparatively sedate. Excellent pics dude.

@MG :Damn those car races that happen at the track dude. Those guys colide and the whole track is full of oil. And the car racing scene here lacks big time in sportiveness. SO no use talking to them. Although there will be saw dust spread over it, it will still be slippery.

I crashed when the oil leak was fresh, so when ever i get into C3, i close the throttle, dunno why

and those guys are not xbhpians.

[MG]

@xinfii-Superb pictures.Who is the guy on the blue 220 with a KA number plate and are people on the FZ xBhpians(The one which had both rider & pillion).

[xinfii]

Track day pictures

I ended up at the track quite late. Riders were storming the tracks and my job was simple. Loaf around looking through the lens and press the right buttons at the right time. I spent about an hour and a half at various corners, and look what I've got!

Photo source: www.xinfiistudio.com

[MG]

This happened because if the oil leak at the Apex of C3.

Oil leak?

@MG :Would like more participation from Bikers from north next time....

Forget about north even the participation from west is poor.The distance from the track makes all the difference.

But yes I will definitely land there sometime in future.

[wonderboy_tm]

A little too aggressive there with the riding posture. Try to relax a bit, you dont have to have your chin stuck to the speedometer all the time, especially on corner entry, i cant imagine thats very comfortable either.

Killer....
C3.... dunno why, i've crashed 4 times at the same place....
Now whenever i enter C3, i look at the apex of the corner from the entry and i close the throttle automatically. I enter the corner, then i realize i have more room to push. And end up pinning the throttle for more power.

My question here,
If i force myself to look at the exit of that particular corner do you think i will be able to remove that mental block.
This happened because if the oil leak at the Apex of C3. I feel i am going to loose the front end. I need some help to get over this mental block.

@MG :Would like more participation from Bikers from north next time....

@karthick : Did you ride that bike to Bangalore mate???
HOLY COW
THREE CHEERS TO THAT DUDE.... next time over though, it would be better to have a mechanic with us. If everyone shells out 50rs, we have a mechanic and a helper as pit crew.
and i promise to stick with anyone who crashes. I am really sorry i had to leave in a hurry. I left only because i could not even move a finger.

@all : Do you guys have any idea how the bikes came from Mumbai ???
The 5 biker souls rode down from Mumbhai the day before.
Hats off to those who had the heart huge enough to ride the bike down from Bombay. I was overwhelmed when i heard these guys rode down to chennai. THAT TOO ON SBKS'.

[MG]

Making of a very good thread.Keep the first hand experience of track riding flowing.

[Killer]

me taking c3...

A little too aggressive there with the riding posture. Try to relax a bit, you dont have to have your chin stuck to the speedometer all the time, especially on corner entry, i cant imagine thats very comfortable either.