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The R15 MMSC Race Day 1 - Log from a Bangalore Xbhpian

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  • The R15 MMSC Race Day 1 - Log from a Bangalore Xbhpian

    On September 7th of 2008 Yamaha organized a race day for all the R15 owners from Bangalore and Chennai. This is a crude log of events of the night before and the race day.

    Date : 6th of September
    Place : Bangalore Wheels, Rajaji Nagar

    It was Friday evening. At last. Was waiting for this day ever since I registered myself and 3 others for the race day a week earlier. We had dropped off our bikes to be transported to Chennai earlier in the morning. I was at home till 7:15pm as I couldn't leave without breaking my fast. I got a call from Bangalore Wheels asking me to be there by 8:00pm as the bus which would take us to Chennai would leave by then. I live in Kammanahalli and to reach Rajaji Nagar in 45 mins on a Friday evening was near impossible. But then I had the services of 'The Transporter'. All I had to do was close my eyes and sit as pillion to him. On a Unicorn with unaligned wheels, we reached BW in less than 30 minutes. How he made it is beyond me. But then he is called The Transporter for a reason.
    I thought I was late. How wrong I could be. I was the first person from the Xbhp gang to reach BW. After all arriving on time somehow seems to indignify indian tradition. People started pouring in later. Santa, Deepak, Pramod, Amrut, Mithun and finally Devvrat. All of us except Devvrat owns an R15. Dev was so desperate to see the Chennai track that he payed the registration fee (Rs. 500 by the way) just to be part of the group.
    After waiting for others, we finally boarded the bus (a KSRTC volvo) at around 9pm... The bus then headed to Perfect Riders on Lalbagh Road to pick up the other riders. There were probably around 30 people in our bus. (There was another bus with other riders from the three other Yamaha Showrooms.) And then we were off to Chennai. It was a slightly cold night and it was drizzling a bit. All of us were very hungry as none of us had dinner. But we were sure that the bus wouldn't stop for a while so we started discussions about one of the few things we have in common. Bikes. The discussions continued for a while until we stopped at a signal and a white Maserati passed by. That was the first time any of us saw a Maserati in Bangalore and we were speechless for a while. Then we discussed the Maserati for a while and then it was back to bikes. At around 11 pm (or was it 12am? I don't remember exactly), we stopped for dinner at Kamat Restaurant on the highway. For the first time in my life we were served Pista milkshake white in colour. God alone knows how they pulled that one off. After having a smoke in the drizzling rain we made our way back to the bus and back on the road to Chennai. After few mindless discussions we dozed off.

    Next : Race day and pics...

    P.S. This is my first log and I'm not sure if its supposed to be long with minor details or short with only important points. So please excuse me if you find it boring.
    @Santa, Mithun, Pramod, Deepak, Dev – Feel free to add details if I have missed out anything in particular.
    Forza Juve!

  • #2
    Topic Approved

    @realredice-Pretty neat log.I know the results and all but won't break the suspense.Keep the good work going .

    In orkut it was posted that the event was badly managed.Is that true?
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    • #3
      Originally posted by MG_Biker1806 View Post
      Topic Approved

      @realredice-Pretty neat log.I know the results and all but won't break the suspense.Keep the good work going .

      In orkut it was posted that the event was badly managed.Is that true?
      there were hiccups. i wouldn't say it was badly managed, especially because it was the first time that such an event was conducted by yamaha... hopefully they'll learn from their mistakes and make it better next time...
      Forza Juve!

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      • #4
        Cool log. Wating for the next edition & pics.
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        • #5
          Hope to see the logs of the Race Day soon coupled with some nice pics...!!

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          • #6
            I have lot of things to say, but too busy now with work, will upload pics and update the log later


            Teaser

            Last edited by mithun.08; 09-23-2008, 05:20 PM.
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            • #7
              Thanks Asif !! Waiting for the pics & log


              @MG Yes, it was badly managed & poor event management. Since it was the first time Yam people said that they have learned their mistakes & are trying their best for the next race which is on Oct 19th

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              • #8
                Originally posted by Velocity View Post
                Thanks Asif !! Waiting for the pics & log


                @MG Yes, it was badly managed & poor event management. Since it was the first time Yam people said that they have learned their mistakes & are trying their best for the next race which is on Oct 19th
                i was just hoping it won't be on October 12th as i've to go to Kerala that weekend... lucky me
                Forza Juve!

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                • #9
                  Originally posted by realredice View Post
                  i was just hoping it won't be on October 12th as i've to go to Kerala that weekend... lucky me
                  I wanted it to be on 12th ..

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                  • #10
                    Nice log, but where are the pics ?

                    CHEERS,
                    G D
                    PEACE

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                    • #11
                      Date : 7th of September
                      Place : MMSC Track, Chennai

                      We reached the track in the early morning hours and headed to where our bikes where parked. The sun hadn't risen yet so we couldn't carefully look at the bikes. Nevertheless each one of us set about looking at possible damage to our bikes. There were quite a few bikes parked there. At least around 50. All but one of them was either black or blue. One bike stood out because of its colour. It was white. No decals. Just plain white except for the grab rails. It looked different and it looked really good. Later on we got to know who the bike belonged to.
                      Once we looked at the track and walked about, we decided to freshen up. We had to make use of the minimal facilities at the track. Some of us had to brush our teeth in the ladies toilet as the men's was full to the brim. What we didn't expect was a lady to show up and throw us out.
                      Slowly people started to trickle in, Yamaha officials and riders from Chennai. We were told that the event would start at 9 am. We got our riding gears ready and took our bikes out to be registered and be given an ID.
                      The race was planned in the following way (some of these details were given later in the day):
                      1.Four heats of 3 laps each – 25 riders each.
                      2.6 riders qualify from each heat for the semifinal.
                      3.2 Semifinals of 12 riders each. 6 riders each would qualify for the final.

                      All five of us were pooled in the second heat (Numbers 26-50). We were just praying that one particular person shouldn't be part of our heat. Our prayers unluckily were not answered. The silent person on the white beast made his way slowly into the pit lane. Killer. Anyone who has spent a little time on xbhp would recognize that name in an instant. He could beat us on R15s riding a cycle on the tracks.

                      Fast forward to our practise run. Before the heats started we were given two practise laps. On the first lap at corner 1 Santa took the wrong line and went out of track. On the second lap in the same corner I went out of track. It was the first time I was riding on the track and I was really excited and I've to say it was a great feeling. There's nothing like taking speed into a corner and coming all guns blazing out of it.

                      We waited for the heats to start. There were people popping wheelies and stoppies all over the pits. One guy in particular with hardly any gear on (was wearing slippers) tried a stoppie which ended with his bike being over him. Another was riding on the track with an open shirt, shorts and a bag on his back. That was really amusing.

                      Fast forward to heat one.(This one is completely from my eyes, as I was riding and didn't have a clue about the others.)
                      Santa was on row 1 on the grid and I was on row 2, followed by Mithun, Pramod and Deepak. Killer was on the third last grid. Positions were allocated using the Serial no. I waited for the flag to be waved. And it was time to go. Full throttle and I was off. But what happened in the first corner will be etched in my mind for ever. All of us were struggling for the initial lead and was ripping going into the corner. I was just about to lean when I saw the white machine zoom past me through the inside. It was such a neat move that I wanted to stop my bike and watch Killer in action. By turn 2 Killer was in the lead. By lap 2 I was in a respectable position somewhere below 10. It was during this lap that I took the wrong line going into a corner, i tried to adjust but I screwed up and went out of track and crashed. I got up tried to start the bike but it wouldn't start. I tried for about a minute before it finally gave in and started. I rejoined the race and managed to overtake a couple of guys before the end of the race and thereby avoiding the embarrassing last position.

                      The winner of the heat was obviously Killer. Santa came in second. Pramod was in the fourth place and hence managed to qualify for the semifinals. Mithun finished one place below me.

                      There was controversy during the first semifinal as the stewards wrongly ended the race after the second lap. They had to restart the race. Santa and Pramod were knocked out in this race. Both tried really hard and were unlucky not to qualify. In the second semifinal all of us witnessed Killers riding prowess. The way he maneuvered the bike around the track, he made it look so easy. He completed the race at first place and looked like walking away with the Rs. 10,000 prize money.

                      The finals was a treat to watch. Starting from the middle of the grid Killer went on a mesmerizing run coming in first at the end of first lap. Each lap there after was faster than the earlier one. He finished the last lap a little under 2:16 which I think is the fastest run by an R15 on the MMSC Track. The second place winner came in a long time later. Then there was the prize distribution ceremony. The top three riders where from Bangalore.

                      In between all the races and commotion we had a chance to speak to Sanjay Tripathi, department head, product planning and strategy, Yamaha. He informed us that they were planning to have this race every month. I asked him if Yamaha was planning to make bigger bikes and he said that they were looking into it. Hopefully they will.

                      Despite a few problems here and there my first day on the track was a great one. Can't wait to be there for Race Day 2.

                      Next : Pics
                      Forza Juve!

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                      • #12
                        Nice!!

                        @RealRedice: that was an awesome summary of the events...please add the pics soon..
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                        • #13
                          pics pics still waiting
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                          • #14
                            i saw the vidoe's in orkut!

                            Killer was amazing!
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                            • #15
                              Nice log! Please post the pics soon... and the youtube links as satish has mentioned.
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