South West Bikers | Motorcycle Forum

Give it time not easy to crack and the more you push it the more unstable you feel. Will come over time and practice. Just recognise what you need to work on and make small steps.

Thought I would resurrect this thread and update, so... I sold both my fireblades over covid. I decided I wanted to drop back to a 600 and get a little more serious into the track bike riding.

Wanted to buy the newest/best spec bike I could afford within reason, ended up with a cat 'N' 2014 Daytona 675 that had been converted into a "Streetona", basically it had fairing damage in the past and previous owner fitted a street triple front end, at this time it was still fully road legal, I rode this for a short period on the road, probably best road bike I've ever had, essentially a poor mans 765! Super comfortable with the upright bars and still went like Fu**.





A friend of mine had started club racing last year so I decided to do my ACU quite soon after purchasing. Jumping the gun a bit with racing I know as was still super slow.. Just wanted to get it out the way if I ever decided to go for it in the future. That was my first time on track with this bike, a couple of wet laps at Mallory late last year!

Anyways, absolutely loved it, immediately gelled with the bike better than my blade, after that I booked on a test day with NG road racing at Castlecombe, basically a track day but with people who are in the race club so you are on track with lots of crazy fast people, all went fine though, first time using my own warmers and my own generator set up etc, also first time running proper "track tyres", had sold the michelin's that were on the bike and bought a brand new rear and decent scrub front, both Metzeler racetec's, I like these tyres! Video link here:

https://youtu.be/I-ki8YsLdxY

Feeling a bit more confident now booked on Donington GP with a group of peeps from here, also first time I had fitted and rode with a front wet, was a bit overkill as it was only slightly damp in the morning but after my previous record I wasn't taking any risks. Ran 2 sessions in the morning with the wet front, bike came with spare wets on wheels so quick and easy to swap. Back on the dry racetec's by sessions 3 and my confidence was gaining as each session past, really good day overall, video from that day here:

https://youtu.be/pAXS9y6fulU

That takes me up to a couple weeks ago, just finishing up a video from a Jamie Whitham 2 dayer at Anglesey but before I went I decided to go back to clip ons and a fairing so that has also changed the bike a bit. Will update with pics and video soon but that's enough for now I think.

Cheers

Some really great videos there Dan and you know my thoughts about your improvements..... but whilst i am here lets put them in writing.

You are bloody flying.

Going back and watching your vids above at Castle Coombe and then watching you at Donington then moving that on again to what I know that you did at Anglesey is just amazing. Your learning curve has been massive and the results are speaking for themselves. Was not long ago that I was offering you novice hits and tips and in just a few short track days you are up there.

What i saw at Anglesey was amazing body position, a really great understanding on lines, good visibility, confidence on the brakes, progressive role on the throttle and you were cracking on. I am normally comfortable at the top end of inters or the bottom end of advanced depending on the track and have to say with you only being a few seconds behind me I think your going to skip Inters altogether and go straight to advanced.

Completely expecting that within your next few track days I will not be able to stay with you based on how quickly your improving really is super impressive well done Dan

For anybody reading this and wanting to see how fantastic Dan did my video is already up where Dan appears quite a bit. check this out.
https://youtu.be/YjeDuER_lJk

Looking forward to watching yours Dan

Here's the link for Anglesey:

https://youtu.be/ZJLeMZUkcSA

and how the bike looks now:



Honestly Rob you are too kind, but without blowing my own trumpet, I've definitely improved 10 fold over the past 4 days on track on the 675 compared to the first 4 days on track with the blade. I've learnt a fair bit now and tried to take in as much information as I could, especially about my body position! Either online, watching, talking to other people etc etc. Just getting the experience I guess, also trying something for yourself and deciding if its good or bad and not just heresay etc.

Look forward to getting out with you again soon I hope, I definitely still have a little way to go before I'm over taking you, I can at least hold you up for a few laps though eh