Folembray 11-06-2007

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wreckah
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Folembray 11-06-2007

Post by wreckah »

yee-haw,

next monday is my first trackday on the V-rap! I have done quite a few before on my TL1000S, but none yet on the rap. 8)

It's a tight little technical track, so i think i'm gonna be a little faster on the rap than on my TL...very anxious to go at it! my buddy will be there again with his 15.000 EUR duc 998S. Last time he couldn't run away from me on my 1.500 EUR 100hp restricted TLS, so i'm kinda curious how far i'm gonna leave him behind on the beast :wink: :lol:

i fitted bridgestone BT002 medium race tyres, with a 190/55 in the back (forget the hugger :lol: ), and i have done a few laps around town to get the feel for these tires: whow! what a difference: gearing feels two teeth longer, but corner stability is much improved. Can't tell you much gripwise, because it's kinda hard to warm the tires up in an urban area ;)

expect some piccies mid next week

cheers,
jan
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shebee
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Post by shebee »

Have fun!
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wreckah
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Post by wreckah »

yesterday, i did a trackday at Folembray (France), together with my buddies Jan and Jochen. I rode the V-rap, Jan rode his kwak ZX6R 636, and Jochen (who is an ex-club MET racer) testdrove both our bikes on separate sessions, just for fun. :) Here's the story!

We left sunday afternoon, and set up camp just outside the private track, and had a feast of a barbeque, and loads of red wine. We went to bed at 1 a.m., totally wasted. We woke up around 6.30 a.m., still groggy, and with a major headache...the perfect start for some close racing! :D

Needless to say that the first session was a complete nightmare: both Jan and myself were struggling to concentrate, trying to find the right gears on this very tight little technical track. It's been 1.5 years since i was on a track, and that was very noticeable: i looked the wrong way, misshifted a couple of times, hit no apex at all, steered in way too slow everywhere, and to top it off, i cramped up after about 6 minutes or so...I coasted into the pitlane, and waited out the session. What a way to wake up with a bad hangover!

The coffee (and painkillers) kicked in then, and for the 2nd session, Jan and myself felt a little bit better. I managed to get the gears right (not easy with a 16/40), and actually started remembering how to ride a bike properly. My lines were getting better, and a hit a few apexes just right, and managed to get the speed up. After about 13 minutes or so, i cramped up the fore-arms again though, and sat out the rest of the session. I need to get in shape badly i thought then!

I spoke with Jochen about the cramping up, and he told me to relax on the acceleration bits, just let the bike move under you, no need to stress and hold a deathgrip! He was so right. I managed to complete the next session without any problems: i was working hard on the heavy braking and the fast corners (hard work on the rap), but i could ease up just enough on the short straights to loose the cramps. I was getting faster too: it felt as fast as two years ago, when i was there with the race-TLS. I managed to follow a friend of mine on a aprilia Mille, and he's usually way faster than me. It's getting better!

The raptor feels awesome by the way: the front is really fantastic, and i have never felt something odd in the rear, so that's a sign that it works correctly ;) Braking goes very very good on the rap: the brembos need a firm hand to get the stopping power (need new fluid), but the feel is super. The engine braking in the rear helps keeping the bike in a straight line. You can dig the BT002 mediums in the ground so hard...great tires!

We had a load of spaghetti for lunch. We were all feeling better now ;)

I let Jochen ride my raptor in the next session, to let him experience the V-twin thing (he's never riden anything else than 4-banger racebikes) and to try to get an opinion on my bike versus a racebike. 20 minutes later, He came back with the biggest grin on his face ever. He couldn't stop talking about it for half an hour! :D He says the bike does verything you tell it to do, and never surprises you, and begs to be thrown from corner to corner, braking later than all the other guys and stuffing them on the inside or outside while drinking a cup of coffee from the cupholder :D It's that easy! He rode Jan's kwak too for one session, and never got to grips with it. He never cared about gears too, any gear is good, it always pulls! :D You can feel the bike wobble a bit in the fast stuff (that's just you forcing the bars), but that's the whole fun of it...the bike lives. ;) One problem: ground clearance: he modified my brake lever at the end of the session.

5th session for me was similar to the 3rd, but i was able to become a little bit better in the two chicanes. I was starting to feel the flow of the track.

With the knowledge in mind that the last session is the most dangerous one, i started out a bit less extreme, but after a couple of laps i really got in the zone and felt great. I went for it, and rode some 10 very good laps in a row, touching knee in just about every corner, without really wanting it. I felt the tires too: i was pushing just a little coming out of the corners, and felt the front skid a few times, but no real drama, pick it up and continue as you were...I saw the chequered flag appear, and still had some laps in me without any strain. Woo-hoow! What a way to end a fantastic day. :)

here's the pics, click for big!
cheers, Jan


setting up camp
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our setup
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getting ready for the 4th session! (jan on the left, jochen on the right)
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wreckah
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Post by wreckah »

getting ready for the second session
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tunring in turn one (rev-limiter in 4th, about 200kph, great camera i must say...)
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jan in same turn
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jan on the last turn before start-finish
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Jochen
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Jochen on Jan's bike, getting to know the bike
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I am getting stuffed on the inside, or i am stuffing somebody on the outside :devious :laugh
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last turn on the rap
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wreckah
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Post by wreckah »

last turn on the rap again
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the straight
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Jochen on the straight, posing for the crowds :laugh
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gratuitious kneedown shot. I am sore from all the spreading :laugh
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action shot
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coming out of the last turn, full throttle flicking it past the little curb
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action shot
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on the brakes!
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Post by shebee »

Looks like you had a load of fun :)
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Cavia
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Post by Cavia »

Looking great jan ! :D
You sobered up nicely looking at the pics :)
Nice to see it was dry too!!
Going to zandvoort tomorrow to do some laps on the track as well
Fingers crossed for dry weather coz I'm a chicken in the wet :oops: :cry:
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snapdragon
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Post by snapdragon »

sounds like you all had a brilliant day :lol: 8)

and good that the Raptor's appreciated by someone who isn't an owner , nice to have confirmed by a multi-pot rider all the things that we already know about them :D
SnappY
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wreckah
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Post by wreckah »

i hope it stays dry for you, cavia :)

here's some more ;)

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Amanda M
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Post by Amanda M »

Ooooo, nice shots! What was the camera?

Looks like a fun day. If he wants to buy a raptor after riding yours, he can buy mine!

Amanda
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Cavia
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Post by Cavia »

Very nice pics 8)

all I got from wednesday was this (coz i'm cheap ,you know who invented copper wire :lol: :lol: )

http://www.adkievit.nl/?pagina=fotoalbu ... paginanr=1

and some my girlfriend took:

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the weather: Tuesday RAIN (some)
Wednesday DRY :P :P :P
Thursday RAIN (a lot)

lucky me !
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wreckah
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Post by wreckah »

hey amanda, the camera was a canon digital reflex thingie, don't know the actual number though...it had a gigantic lens on it too!

cavia: nice shots too mate! 8) i wanna have a go at zandvoort too one day...is it doable with the high speeds on a naked rap?
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Post by Cavia »

yes no problems with the rap on zandvoort
It's nice and twisty with a lot of tight curves with camber so you stand a fair chance against those japanese powerhouses :)
only one straight where the rap just touches 220/225 before having to brake



when you go let me know maybe I'd like to go too!

cheers
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wreckah
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Post by wreckah »

aah, yes ofcourse, i was confusing zandvoort with assen....zandvoort is indeed much more twisty. (and from what i hear it sports a bit of sand on the tarmac in the last righthander to the straight ;) )

that first hairpin (tarzan?) after start/finish has indeed all the camber you need ;)

PS ren and stimpy: HAPPY HAPPY JOY JOY :lol: :lol:
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Cavia
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Post by Cavia »

Assen mhhh..
wanted to go there this year but could't find the time , funds , trailer, time etc
But will go for sure next summer :twisted:
The guys I spoke that were on zandvoort as well as assen say assen is a lot faster and a bit more intimidating than zandvoort but ít's a LOT safer than zandvoort.
(the last turn to the straight that you mention having some sand in it also has a nice concrete wall running next to it :P )
and assen now has a lot of run off space (ask biaggi).

What tracks have you been on? any good ones for the rap and not too strict on the noise limits?

cheers and remember:

"What rolls down stairs alone or in pairs
Rolls over your neighbor's dog?
What's great for a snack and fits on your back?
It's Log, Log, Log!

It's Log, Log, it's big, it's heavy, it's wood.
It's Log, Log, it's better than bad, it's good!
Everyone wants a log! You're gonna love it, Log!
Come on and get your log! Everyone needs a Log!"

Its just the best cartoon ever! :D
No bike is ever finished!
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