| #1  13-Jun-2005, 22:23 | ||||
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| Track day virgin Looking to do a track day on my ST2, but where do I start, who do I call and what would be a good track for a first timer. Can i take a ST2 on the track with all those nutters. Would I need to change the suspention ? Would the old ST hold up after a good thrashing.   |
| #2 13-Jun-2005, 22:27 | |||
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| #4 13-Jun-2005, 22:51 | |||
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| #8 14-Jun-2005, 10:05 | ||||
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| Quote:
And here I am now...right on cue  The ST2 will be fine on the track, and as long as you're confident that it's in good nick to start with in the engine, suspension, brakes department it won't mind a good thrashing. Of course if you start the day knowing that it's been 3 years and 20,000 miles since you changed the oil and cam belts, that your fork seals are leaking and that your brakes need bleeding then a good thrashing might not be such a good idea. I'm not talking about "race preparation" here, as long as I know that I'm on top of routine maintenance that would apply to any bike I don't do any special preparation for a track day except to take my mirrors off and tape over indicators, lights and number plate. I even run the same suspension settings, road or track, We are about the same weight so the following might work for you although I can't guarantee it, look in the owners manual for how to twiddle with these settings (the owners manuals are also on-line HERE. A couple of caveats to fiddling with your suspension, I've just realised that shortly after my 2001 bike was produced the forks were changed and you will only have preload adjustable on later bikes, the other caveat is that if you're in any doubt about suspenion settings, leave them as standard. Anyway, here's what works for me... Front: Preload 6 1/2 turns back from fully hard. Compression damping 10 clicks back (anti-clockwise) from fully hard (clockwise), Rebound damping 11 clicks back from fully hard Rear: Preload 6 clicks from fully soft, compression (remote adjuster under the seat) about half way, rebound about 3/4 from fully soft The main thing to do with your suspension to make the bike turn quicker is to increase the rear ride height. You'll see the ride height adjuster next to the shock. It has a couple of rose joints at either end. If the ride height is set as it comes out of the factory you will see virtually no thread on between the rose joints and the locknut. It will help the bikes 'turn in' if you slacken the locknuts (the bottom one is a left hand thread) then rotate the ride height adjuster two full turns clockwise. This will add about 10 mm to the length of the rod and because of the cantilever type arrangement, will raise your ride height by about 20 mm...This simple mod will make the bike much more willing to turn but don't go beyond an overall 20mm ride height, it doesn't make much ntoiceable difference to the speed the bike will turn and makes it twitchy...I know, I've been there. I run my tyre pressures at 30 psi front and 34 rear on the track, just a couple of pounds less than the road, to account for the fact that your tyres will run hotter and the air inside them will expand. As for the track, any track will do but you will have more fun if you choose a circuit that's more about handling than out and out power. Rockingham is good (except in the wet when it becomes like an ice rink), Mallory is a nice little circuit, both for the ST and for track day virgins because it's short, relatively easy to learn, doesn't have any huge long straights but is still more than enough to test yourself on. Cadwell is wonderful but could be quite tricky to learn first time out. Never been to Brands Indy but that looks like a nice ST circuit. Basically, I just avoid going to places like Snetterton and Silverstone where there are long straights and the more powerful bikes are just going to leave you standing, but don't let my preferences stop you. In terms of suitability for track days, a well set up ST2 is just about on par with a standard 748 (it won't stay with a 748R though). The 748 has about 10-12 more bhp and will start to outdrag the ST about 100-150 yards into a straight, the ST has more low down grunt and will punch out of corners quicker (and therefore hold it's own for the first 100-150 yards). On tighter sections the grunt of the ST and the wide bars (that make the steering easier) will be a good match for the tighter handling of the 748. As for nutters, as Lizzie says, getting in on a DSC day is THE BEST introduction to track days that anyone could have. Everyone is respectful and there is no 'Nutter' behaviour (don't read that as being slow) [Edited on 14-6-2005 by Jools] |
| #9 14-Jun-2005, 10:13 | ||||
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Failing that ANY of the days organised by No Limits (http://www.nolimitstrackdays.com/index.html) would be an ideal introduction. Mark and the lads at NL run a very tight ship, and will bump anyone they think is either too fast fot the group, or showing a lack of respect to other riders PARTICULARLY in the novice group. Before I got the 996, I regularly tracked my ST2 and the bike is far more capable than you would ever believe.  |
Jools
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