| Old Yellas 748 - bought on Friday, binned on Saturday.
I thought I'd share what happpened to Old Yella's old trackbike and where it ended up. It's a slightly old report but thought I'd share anyway.
After agreeing to buy Geoff's (Old Yella) 748 trackbike a while back weeks, I left everything to the last minute (as per usual). 4am Friday morning and I'm still trying to work out how to put the trailer together so that I'm able to pick up the Geoff later on at Donnington. Fortunately, none of the bits were missing so all was well for the bike collection.
Arrived at Donnington and found Geoff no problemo - looking over a freshly binned R6. the 748 was unloaded along with the rest of the Ducati spares catalogue and all looked good. As I had left everything to last minute (as usual) and I had a trackday planned for the following day, Geoff did a few adjustments on the suspension to take into account our different bodyweights - what I know about suspension, could be written on the back of a postage stamp. After that, a quick ride around the car park showed that all was well and apart from a little clutch slip, everything was pukka (apologies for the Jamie Oliverism).
I managed the trip back home down the M1 although it took a few roundabouts to trust that the bike wasn't going to topple off the trailer. Seeing it bouncing around in the rear view mirror doesn't do the ticker any good - I'll have to compress the suspension more next time, it still looked a bit wobbly to me.
After managing a 42-point turn on my drive with the trailer attached, everything was ready for an early start at Lydden the next day.
The day started out damp and overcast but hopeful for Mr. Sunshine to pay us a visit later on. The first sessions were pretty nervous affairs - damp patches, small slides and early morning cobwebs hindering the progress. By mid-morning though, everyone was having a good time and the inters group saw some nice little battles. Myself and Terry (Fatbloke from UKMOC) played a bit of cat and mouse for most sessions - me taking him on the left hander and him retaking me up the hill because I was in the wrong gear - all good clean fun. Nattyboy and his mate Iain were pretty quick from the off as were a few KTM supermotos.
Initially, I tried to ride the 748 like the 996 - just stick it in gear (any gear usually) and use the torque to pull you round the track everywhere. I soon found out that this approach doesn't work on the 748 especially after being overtaken for the umpteenth time trying to go uphill in too high a gear! I was also a bit wary about the gear down changes as I had the reassurance of a slipper clutch on my other bike. At the end of the first session, I was beginning to get a feel for the power delivery on the bike. Geoff had told me that the bike only really took off from 7000 rpm so I had to keep the bike spinning to get the power on but when it kicked in, woah, it was a bit like a two stroke - very little until 7000 and then it's off like a rabid dog. Not wheelying out of corners yet as Geoff had warned me so note to myself - must try harder.
Riding the 748 was very different to the 996 but in a way, more addictive as you have to work harder at it. I was told that the 748 would probably make me a better rider but after only a couple of sessions, I could see what he was getting at. More gear changes, more forward planning and a real buzz of satisfaction when it all comes together - a feel of you riding the bike rather than the bike taking you along for the ride.
After the first session, I was called over by Wee Johnny B and told that I should move up to the fast group. Surely some mistake I thought as a few people were overtaking me so I didn't feel I was ready for the fast group. I was sure he had mistaken me for someone else as there were 2 other yellow Ducatis out there with two of us in near identical yellow/black leathers. As it was, there was no pressure on me to move but was told to have a think about it.
A couple of sessions later and I had really begun to get a feel for the bike. Just make sure you are in the right gear as you exit the corner, hit the magical 7000 mark with the head down and off she goes again. I even managed to down shift quite aggressively going into the corners without locking the rear wheels which gave me more confidence as the day went on - i think a slipper clutch will still be on the shopping list though - just for peace of mind.
After a couple more sessions, Lawsey (sorry, can't remember your first name) came over and suggested that we (Nattyboy, Iain (998) and myself) move up into the fast group. Myself and Iain were pretty happy where we were but decided to give the fast group a try after lunch. So after a large sausage/bacon/egg roll (big mistake) we went out with the fast boys (and girls). As this was our first real experience of the fast group, I was pretty blown away with the difference in speed between the inters and the fast groups - I expected it to be faster but it was a larger jump than I would have imagined. I wasn't getting in anybodys way (I hope) and I tried to follow anyone who came by me to pick up a few pointers and to learn their lines. By the end of the session, I was feeling pretty tired (after the fry-up lunch) and was going to come off but then thought I'll just do one more lap (big mistake number 2). I was coming into the 2nd to last corner - a 90 degree uphill left hander and braking hard on my usual line, about to tip it in and then another bike undertook me at quite a pace and totally breaks my concentration. Instead of trying to make the corner, I then try to stop the bike in a straight line which is working quite well until I hit the grass and then it's game over. The front end tucks and I'm sliding along on my left side with my bike following me in a similarly elegant fashion. Fortunately it was low speed and the bike and myself escaped with very little damage.
Of course, I felt more embarrassed rather than anything else and took a trip back to the pits in the Muppet-mobile. The final damage on the bike was a slightly worse for wear faring panel, a seat bracket, left clip on and left rearset peg and gear lever. The bike started up fine and due to all the extras that Geoff had thrown in with the bike, I (well, everyone but me but I did watch) managed to get the bike 90% ready for the next outing.
So, what did I learn? 748's are every different from 996/998's which makes for a different Ducati experience. That the fast group is a lot faster than the inters. Don't have a fry-up at lunchtime. Don't let anything upset your concentration or line - especially in corners. Crashing is not a bad thing if you learn from the experience so as it's my first crash, I guess I got off lucky. The 748 will be a keeper and I already have plans to bling it up for the next trackday. Oh lastly, Ducatis rock and Geoff is a very nice man.
See you all soon
simon
PS. I'll post some pics later.  | 
12-Sep-2005, 11:34 
Hybrid Mode
