Mudpuppy
04-01-2008, 01:36 AM
By the way this is a SBG exclusive - kind of (bits and pieces are on the WOS board and some additional shit talking but this is the full story in detail in one post instead of across 8 pages of babble):
Stardate March 28, 2008: Got off work late. Got packed up late. Got out the door late. Bank didn't have any cash. Had some strap issues from trailering in the snow the night before and them loosening due to being wet. Met the crew at Outback (Twisty Approved Food Supplier) around 7:30pm. Had a decent dinner. One of the people I had never met before informed me that he rode from the East Side and was riding all the way to the track. Last I checked the temperature in the truck it was 22 degrees and I am sure it wasn't getting warmer. I asked 10 times are you kidding me? Nope he was riding. Hey more power to him. Guess he rides year round. He does the chilly burger runs up to the U.P. across the Mackinac Bridge, etc. He was pschyed because it was his first track day. He was on a Suzuki V-Storm. Also attending this trip was Pickle - riding the CBR 600, Dyno - riding the Triumph 675 and Super - riding the SV 650. So we left the restaurant and headed out. We chose the Winter Inn because the Candlestone was closed due to new owners, etc. So we get to the Winter Inn to find out that back in like 1902 it was a brothel. It also is a very happening bar in that little town of Greenville. The parking lot for the hotel is also the bar parking lot - I was not real fond of that due to drunk people do stupid shit - case in point "I never puke". But I tucked the trailer back behind Dyno's ambulance and no one messed with our bikes that night.
Stardate March 29, 2008: Woke up at 6:15am after going to bed at 2:00am. Not a real good plan as I was tired as hell. Got in the truck at 6:30am and headed to the track. Temperature was a balmy 18 degrees - but dry. Went through all the classrooms during the morning and by 11am we had our first session. By that time it was probably 27 degrees. Took it real easy the first session as during the track walk we spotted ice in turn 1. They chipped it up but there was still water running across the track and it was damn cold. The first session was pretty uneventful just trying to pay attention to what I should be doing and practice. Session 2 it got a little bit warmer - probably 33 degrees. Got into it a little bit and tested the new chain and sprockets. Every time I got into some kind of rhythm though I had to check up because there were slower riders ahead of our group holding us up. Bike was very unsettled at low speeds. I found myself turning in too early straightening up turning in again just due to not really having a good consistent pace. The new surface at Grattan though is awesome - I can tell it will be come 70 degree and warmer weather - I look forward to going back. They repaved from the hump through just before the front straight - long overdue.. Really the sections they didn't repave didn't need it anyways except maybe turn 2 especially where they have the nasty sealer patch. They ran the groups kind of messed up this year - group 2 was more like 3 or 4 and they didn't allow passing except in the straight? Originally Dyno and Pickle chose Group 3 for whatever reason - amnesia or something - they decided to go Group 2 with Super and I - I am sure that we will have the same argument next year. So session 2 was a little better. Although I figured out turn 2 i was fixating on the sealer patch and that turn was giving me fits - I couldn't find the right line around it. Actually before it was one of the better turns for me I thought. It became a mental thing though - the harder I tried the worse I blew the turn until finally I just said the hell with it. Before session 3 I dropped the tire pressure 3psi to see if that would give me some grip. Now it was 37 degrees out. Every time I tried to get a little speed in a corner the back tire would kick out on me. The 3psi drop didn't help either. Session 3 I led our group on the second lap which I thought was one of my better laps of the day other than butchering turn 2 again although I didn't even pay the sealer any mind. After that I kind of hung back and just played around myself with different areas of the track. I couldn't get any real speed so I just worked on lines and just kind of enjoying riding out on the track again. I was also not feeling 100%. Every extremity was aching due to lack of sleep. I must have really dropped back by the last few laps as a group behind us blew by me. I kept seeing them on the front straight out of turn 2 and then all of a sudden 5 or 6 bikes passed me. But it was good to get out, scrub the tires in and test the new chain and sprockets. I can definitely say that there is a way better power on demand feel to the bike now. It spools up almost instantly where before it would take a few seconds. I would definitely recommend the 520 chain conversion to anyone who is considering it - cheap mod that is a decent performance upgrade. I bought AFAM sprockets and DID Gold-Black Premium X-Ring chain.
Saturday night I went to the Grand Rapids Brewing Company and stayed in a more respectable hotel. Very good food there and all the brews they brew there were really good - tried like 8 varieties including River Red, Silver Foam, Cask IPA, Lumberman Dark, Lights out in London ESB. If you are going to Grattan or Grand Rapids definitely give it a try. The corned beef dinner was great - very tender melts in your mouth. Lots of history too - here is their website: http://www.michiganmenu.com/grbrewing.html
Sunday the wankers wanted $75 for the Test / Tune day and with the limited traction and threat of rain we decided it wasn't worth it. No need to wad up the bike or get hurt this early in the year - yes I know we didn't follow WWTD - What Would Twisty Do - but we all managed to keep ourselves and our bike in 1 piece on Saturday so we counted our blessings and headed home. We are saving it for a 70 degree + day where we can pick the pace up alot. But Saturday was $30 so it was cheap and it was awesome to get out this early. I think it was great practice for the rest of the year and will help me with my track and street riding. I have a couple of pics but it is late and I don't feel like pulling them off the camera right this second. I will post them later. Nothing spectacular but a couple anyways.
Stardate March 28, 2008: Got off work late. Got packed up late. Got out the door late. Bank didn't have any cash. Had some strap issues from trailering in the snow the night before and them loosening due to being wet. Met the crew at Outback (Twisty Approved Food Supplier) around 7:30pm. Had a decent dinner. One of the people I had never met before informed me that he rode from the East Side and was riding all the way to the track. Last I checked the temperature in the truck it was 22 degrees and I am sure it wasn't getting warmer. I asked 10 times are you kidding me? Nope he was riding. Hey more power to him. Guess he rides year round. He does the chilly burger runs up to the U.P. across the Mackinac Bridge, etc. He was pschyed because it was his first track day. He was on a Suzuki V-Storm. Also attending this trip was Pickle - riding the CBR 600, Dyno - riding the Triumph 675 and Super - riding the SV 650. So we left the restaurant and headed out. We chose the Winter Inn because the Candlestone was closed due to new owners, etc. So we get to the Winter Inn to find out that back in like 1902 it was a brothel. It also is a very happening bar in that little town of Greenville. The parking lot for the hotel is also the bar parking lot - I was not real fond of that due to drunk people do stupid shit - case in point "I never puke". But I tucked the trailer back behind Dyno's ambulance and no one messed with our bikes that night.
Stardate March 29, 2008: Woke up at 6:15am after going to bed at 2:00am. Not a real good plan as I was tired as hell. Got in the truck at 6:30am and headed to the track. Temperature was a balmy 18 degrees - but dry. Went through all the classrooms during the morning and by 11am we had our first session. By that time it was probably 27 degrees. Took it real easy the first session as during the track walk we spotted ice in turn 1. They chipped it up but there was still water running across the track and it was damn cold. The first session was pretty uneventful just trying to pay attention to what I should be doing and practice. Session 2 it got a little bit warmer - probably 33 degrees. Got into it a little bit and tested the new chain and sprockets. Every time I got into some kind of rhythm though I had to check up because there were slower riders ahead of our group holding us up. Bike was very unsettled at low speeds. I found myself turning in too early straightening up turning in again just due to not really having a good consistent pace. The new surface at Grattan though is awesome - I can tell it will be come 70 degree and warmer weather - I look forward to going back. They repaved from the hump through just before the front straight - long overdue.. Really the sections they didn't repave didn't need it anyways except maybe turn 2 especially where they have the nasty sealer patch. They ran the groups kind of messed up this year - group 2 was more like 3 or 4 and they didn't allow passing except in the straight? Originally Dyno and Pickle chose Group 3 for whatever reason - amnesia or something - they decided to go Group 2 with Super and I - I am sure that we will have the same argument next year. So session 2 was a little better. Although I figured out turn 2 i was fixating on the sealer patch and that turn was giving me fits - I couldn't find the right line around it. Actually before it was one of the better turns for me I thought. It became a mental thing though - the harder I tried the worse I blew the turn until finally I just said the hell with it. Before session 3 I dropped the tire pressure 3psi to see if that would give me some grip. Now it was 37 degrees out. Every time I tried to get a little speed in a corner the back tire would kick out on me. The 3psi drop didn't help either. Session 3 I led our group on the second lap which I thought was one of my better laps of the day other than butchering turn 2 again although I didn't even pay the sealer any mind. After that I kind of hung back and just played around myself with different areas of the track. I couldn't get any real speed so I just worked on lines and just kind of enjoying riding out on the track again. I was also not feeling 100%. Every extremity was aching due to lack of sleep. I must have really dropped back by the last few laps as a group behind us blew by me. I kept seeing them on the front straight out of turn 2 and then all of a sudden 5 or 6 bikes passed me. But it was good to get out, scrub the tires in and test the new chain and sprockets. I can definitely say that there is a way better power on demand feel to the bike now. It spools up almost instantly where before it would take a few seconds. I would definitely recommend the 520 chain conversion to anyone who is considering it - cheap mod that is a decent performance upgrade. I bought AFAM sprockets and DID Gold-Black Premium X-Ring chain.
Saturday night I went to the Grand Rapids Brewing Company and stayed in a more respectable hotel. Very good food there and all the brews they brew there were really good - tried like 8 varieties including River Red, Silver Foam, Cask IPA, Lumberman Dark, Lights out in London ESB. If you are going to Grattan or Grand Rapids definitely give it a try. The corned beef dinner was great - very tender melts in your mouth. Lots of history too - here is their website: http://www.michiganmenu.com/grbrewing.html
Sunday the wankers wanted $75 for the Test / Tune day and with the limited traction and threat of rain we decided it wasn't worth it. No need to wad up the bike or get hurt this early in the year - yes I know we didn't follow WWTD - What Would Twisty Do - but we all managed to keep ourselves and our bike in 1 piece on Saturday so we counted our blessings and headed home. We are saving it for a 70 degree + day where we can pick the pace up alot. But Saturday was $30 so it was cheap and it was awesome to get out this early. I think it was great practice for the rest of the year and will help me with my track and street riding. I have a couple of pics but it is late and I don't feel like pulling them off the camera right this second. I will post them later. Nothing spectacular but a couple anyways.