OSC Trackday - Calabogie - May 30th

[GlennCauley]

I had my first ride of the year... and first ride since my crash... at Calabogie Motorsports Park in Ontario.

We have put a LOT of work into my TLR since last fall: new wheels, new brakes, new CF tail section, new bodywork, etc. etc etc. AND I was running for the first time on slicks!

GDRacing Canada TL1000RR

The weather forecast seemed to change every few hours for the days leading up to Saturday. At 11PM Friday when I turned in, the sky was clear and the ground was dry. But the rain came down heavy at around 2AM. When I got to the track around 6AM the rain was just letting up, and the ground was thoroughly soaked. Talk about depressing!

I ran my bike through tech and sound testing. Passed both, though my bike seemed louder than last year. Last year it blew 96dB at constant throttle (7000RPM). This year is blew 96dB at 6500 constant, but 98.3 blipped up to 7000RPM. But it still passed! Whew

Since I was running slicks, I wouldn't run until it was completely dry. Having a newly-repaired collarbone (surgery in early April) I could not afford to go down. That and I didn't want to "blood" my bike.

It started clearing up around lunchtime, and just kept getting better. I think the temp went up to around 20°C maybe.

I figured it was time to head out during the (slow) parade laps just to see if I would be in pain.

[GlennCauley]

My first time out was an eye opener! With the 16.5" wheels the bike turned in so much quicker than I was used to. And luckily my shoulder did not pain me at all.

The first lap was spent weaving to scrub the slicks in a bit, and a lot of drag breaking. My second task (aside from getting reacquainted to riding again) was to break in my BrakeTech ductile iron disks. I had to sacrifice a set of pads to get rid of the gunmetal coating on the swept area of the rotors.

My speeds were slow that session (I was trail rider), but it was all good.

[GlennCauley]

Next session out I concentrated on getting more familiar with my new bike.

My slicks seemsed remarkably, well, slick! I wasn't getting the traction I thought I would, and every time I hit a new patch of rubber it would squirm a bit. For the brakes, they started off well and started getting a bit worse; with the gunmetal coating rubbing off and contaminating the pads, braking was degrading exactly as predicted.

Pulling off the track at the end of the session, I checked my hot tire pressures before putting on the tire warmers. WHOA!!! Waaaaayyy too high pressure! 32F, 34R No wonder I wasn't getting grip! I dropped them down to 28psi hot both ends, put on the tire warmers, and put them up to 90°C until the next session.

Next session out, I pulled off the warmers and headed to the grid. Unfortunately, we had to wait a few minutes until we were let out so my tires cooled down.

After a warm-up lap, I suddenly had traction! What a difference the pressure change made. That session I pushed to about 2/3. I had a friend following me for 2 laps to learn my lines, then after that I followed him to watch him for a debrief later. It went fairly well.

The brakes had about 2/3 of the coating off them, and I figured 1 more session would do it.

[GlennCauley]

For the next (final) session I would go out with a faster group, and my friend would follow me again. The weather by that time was sunny, dry, and warm.

During the break I started playing with suspension adjustments. I recalled that I had to soften my suspension for the last race I had in September, at a rough track. So I dialed up front & rear rebound/compression as Calabogie is a much smoother track. I left rear sag and front preload the same.

I waited until the bikes were already on the track before removing my tire warmers, so I could go out immediately without waiting on the grid. My friend followed me.

Again, an eye opener! With hot tires and stiffer suspension, the bike seemed completely different again... and a GREAT different!!! I had MUCH better traction and chassis response, and could lean it over much more it seemed. Power all around seems better, probably due to the straight-shot ram airtubes.

I pushed to about 3/4 that session.

When I came onto the straight after the 2nd lap to let my friend pass me, I looked behind and he was nowhere to be seen. The next lap around I found out why. He had gone down in a corner.

I stayed out for the rest of the session working on braking, different lines, different throttle-on points. It all turned out very well.

After returning, my friend showed up a while later since he decided to walk back. They would get his bike at the end of the day. He said he was pushing really hard to keep up with me, and went down in our notorious "Temptation" corner. Unfortunately he lowsided and went backwards/sideways into the haybales.

That was my last run of the day. The brakes had the coating removed, my tires were still in great shape, and I was unscathed.

I think I could have used a softer rear tire (I was using SC1 front, SC2 rear)... possibly an SC0 rear. Oh well... there were no tire-changing facilities that day.

All-in-all a very good day!

[GlennCauley]

[J-Bone]

[dmilty]

I love riding Calabogie. Glad the bike is running great.

[gixxstar]

Fun fun. It depends on the brand but with the Pirelli's, you'll find those 16.5's will make the bike literally flop side to side. They take getting used to as they feel a bit strange and vague on initial tip-in but really seem to help the bike change directions and hold a line. I pretty much always run SC0's on the front and usually SC0 or SC1 on the back and pretty low cold pressures in the 24-28 range depending on the day and tire condition.

[GlennCauley]

Originally Posted by gixxstar

Fun fun. It depends on the brand but with the Pirelli's, you'll find those 16.5's will make the bike literally flop side to side. They take getting used to as they feel a bit strange and vague on initial tip-in but really seem to help the bike change directions and hold a line. I pretty much always run SC0's on the front and usually SC0 or SC1 on the back and pretty low cold pressures in the 24-28 range depending on the day and tire condition.

For my first foray on slicks, having SC1 and SC2 was a bit silly (in retrospect). I have an SC0 rear, and will most likely get an SC0 front for my next competition in a few weeks. Thanks for the tip on the pressures... I'm in new territory here!

Oooooohhhhh... I can just imagine what some CF wheels would do for the handling. bwaaa haaa haaaaaaa

[rufer]

Nice pictures!

Stay away from those SC0 and SC1 when the temps are cool, they will tear off in no time. Also keep in mind that there is more than compound differences between SC1 and SC2 (SC2 front has a stiffer carcass). Pirelli updates their rubber without name change from time to time, so don't buy old ones.
Pirellis are good tyres... but don't trust them too long, in special the front.

Greetings
Rufer