Back in the shop

Ducati Forum

Help Support Ducati Forum:

On follow up to my brake setup, I ran the Sicom rotors and pads for about a year, then switched to T-drive rotors and Z04 pads for several track days…I liked the power of the setup a lot, but found myself trail braking less. Switched back to the Sicom rotors and pads fir this last track day because there was a short enough gap between track days that I could get a good comparison feel.

No question I’m staying with the Sicom rotors and pads verses the Tdrives and Zo4’s fir the foreseeable future…the stopping power is still massive if less than the Z04’s and TDrives, but it’s sooo much more manageable and smooth with the Sicom setup, the bike is more stable under braking with the Sicoms, way less grabby, and much easier to finesse.

And then there’s the weight savings and increase flick-ability of the bike
 
IMG_1951.jpeg
IMG_1952.jpeg


Got here late, am at Big Willow today, just did my 1st session, but I did it on the K5 Gixxer track bike, I gotta say, I f***king LOVE this track already.

We’ll see how it feels with the stiffer suspension of the Ducati next session, but so far my god this track is cool.

There’s only about 20% of the track that’s slightly technical, the other 80% is just….GOOOO FAAASSST
 
Steven31371 said:
View attachment 50231View attachment 50232

Got here late, am at Big Willow today, just did my 1st session, but I did it on the K5 Gixxer track bike, I gotta say, I f***king LOVE this track already.

We’ll see how it feels with the stiffer suspension of the Ducati next session, but so far my god this track is cool.

There’s only about 20% of the track that’s slightly technical, the other 80% is just….GOOOO FAAASSST
Click to expand...

Remember, it's only cool and fun, if the throttle us pinned wide open 👌🤩
 
RickD996 said:
Remember, it's only cool and fun, if the throttle us pinned wide open 👌🤩
Click to expand...

Haha, the front straight at this track is like doing roll racing but with a starting speed of 80 to 90 mph instead of 60 mph….so far there’s no one here faster on that straight.

I’m pushing out and taking the 130 mph turn at about 105 mph though, but in my defense I had dot approved SC3’s on the Ducati the 1st two sessions, just put the slicks on for the last 3 sessions
 
That was absolutely the funnest track day I’ve ever had, like in my entire life with any type of vehicle lol

Interestingly, it was also one of the most productive in terms of my rider development, usually the days where you’re making improvement tend to be boring days because you’re just repetitively doing the same things over and over at 90% or less.

But today I spent the entire day working on corner entry speed and corner roll speed because it’s the perfect track to calibrate your brain to higher speeds at.

I started the first session taking turn eight at 85 or 90 miles an hour but then I just kept methodically adding two or 3 mph more every lap till I peaked at somewhere between 110 and 115 miles an hour for that corner, that’s still pretty slow for that track, the faster guys take that turn at 135 and the really fast guys can do it at 150 so I’m not setting any records but it was a big improvement in one day.

Turns one and two were a bit of a different story. I definitely got legitimately quick, if not fast on both of those turns, by the last session of the day, taking turn to add 75 or 80 miles an hour and turn to in the 90s mph. Turn one I feel like I actually got sorted pretty well. Some of the faster guys who are passing me on turning pretty easily while I’m doing 110 miles an hour I was closing the gap on the straight and then taking turn one with enough more roll speed that I was already passing them back as we came off of turn one onto the short street before turn two so I felt pretty good about that.
I really wasn’t very fast on the straights most of the time unless somebody tried to pass me on a straight lol, I wasn’t having that today…. I doubt I got past 160 mph but that’s OK I wasn’t there to improve my straight line speed. I was there to improve my corner, entry and corner roll speeds, and to calibrate my brain to tipping into a corner at much higher speeds than I’ve been used to. Turn one gives some people some trouble at the track because you’re potentially reaching speeds of 180 miles an hour which makes that turn look a lot sharper than it actually is, the key seems to be to get your body and the bike settled early and then turn in a bit earlier than what you would think, because it’s not actually that tight of a radius and the track is really wide coming off the Apex

PS: tires take it in the chin at big willow lol

IMG_1954.jpeg
IMG_1955.jpeg


Those were fresh tires about 3.5 twenty minutes sessions ago 😂😂😂
 
Steven31371 said:
That was absolutely the funnest track day I’ve ever had, like in my entire life with any type of vehicle lol

Interestingly, it was also one of the most productive in terms of my rider development, usually the days where you’re making improvement tend to be boring days because you’re just repetitively doing the same things over and over at 90% or less.

But today I spent the entire day working on corner entry speed and corner roll speed because it’s the perfect track to calibrate your brain to higher speeds at.

I started the first session taking turn eight at 85 or 90 miles an hour but then I just kept methodically adding two or 3 mph more every lap till I peaked at somewhere between 110 and 115 miles an hour for that corner, that’s still pretty slow for that track, the faster guys take that turn at 135 and the really fast guys can do it at 150 so I’m not setting any records but it was a big improvement in one day.

Turns one and two were a bit of a different story. I definitely got legitimately quick, if not fast on both of those turns, by the last session of the day, taking turn to add 75 or 80 miles an hour and turn to in the 90s mph. Turn one I feel like I actually got sorted pretty well. Some of the faster guys who are passing me on turning pretty easily while I’m doing 110 miles an hour I was closing the gap on the straight and then taking turn one with enough more roll speed that I was already passing them back as we came off of turn one onto the short street before turn two so I felt pretty good about that.
I really wasn’t very fast on the straights most of the time unless somebody tried to pass me on a straight lol, I wasn’t having that today…. I doubt I got past 160 mph but that’s OK I wasn’t there to improve my straight line speed. I was there to improve my corner, entry and corner roll speeds, and to calibrate my brain to tipping into a corner at much higher speeds than I’ve been used to. Turn one gives some people some trouble at the track because you’re potentially reaching speeds of 180 miles an hour which makes that turn look a lot sharper than it actually is, the key seems to be to get your body and the bike settled early and then turn in a bit earlier than what you would think, because it’s not actually that tight of a radius and the track is really wide coming off the Apex

PS: tires take it in the chin at big willow lol

View attachment 50233View attachment 50234

Those were fresh tires about 3.5 twenty minutes sessions ago 😂😂😂
Click to expand...
You have nailed track day riding, i have raced bikes since 1980 and every time I'm on track I'm pushing the limits, crashing, getting frustrated with setup issues it is a job and at one stage it actually was, that is when I walked away in 1995 i had a ride with pay but that pressure was something i didn't want, i gave up a really good deal and i don't regret it. I came back riding in 2013 with the aim of just doing track days and trying to enjoy riding ( something i never did while racing) but i ended up racing again pushing limits and crashing, i had my last race in 2015 placed 3rd in national championship race and was pissed off i didn't win, i had a heart attack 3 days later and racing days were over. Last year i got back out on track and I can't push like i used to but for the first time ever I'm actually having fun!!!!! People i used to lap are going past and i don't care, the point I'm getting at is if you leave the track with a smile on your face rhen you have nailed it. Took me 45 years to work it out
 

Attachments

  • TBG38376-(ZF-9896-85482-1-001).jpg
    TBG38376-(ZF-9896-85482-1-001).jpg
    2 MB
Bruce Wayne said:
You have nailed track day riding, i have raced bikes since 1980 and every time I'm on track I'm pushing the limits, crashing, getting frustrated with setup issues it is a job and at one stage it actually was, that is when I walked away in 1995 i had a ride with pay but that pressure was something i didn't want, i gave up a really good deal and i don't regret it. I came back riding in 2013 with the aim of just doing track days and trying to enjoy riding ( something i never did while racing) but i ended up racing again pushing limits and crashing, i had my last race in 2015 placed 3rd in national championship race and was pissed off i didn't win, i had a heart attack 3 days later and racing days were over. Last year i got back out on track and I can't push like i used to but for the first time ever I'm actually having fun!!!!! People i used to lap are going past and i don't care, the point I'm getting at is if you leave the track with a smile on your face rhen you have nailed it. Took me 45 years to work it out
Click to expand...

Much appreciated and sage words of advice, I’m never gunna get paid for this so it needs to be fun…I’m a bit of a perfectionist, and overly self critical of myself until I feel like I get it right…so for sure I’ve been guilty of trying too hard at this and not having enough FUN on some days. Part of that is also not wanting to screw up in a way that this beast of a bike maims or kills me, but mostly it was just that I was trying too hard.

The track I was on today has very little in the way of technical riding demands, so there wasn’t much to beat myself up over…you just gotta go or not go for it, and that made it fun…I can’t think of another day I ever had in my life that was funner than today lol

Certainly days with more joy, or poignancy, but it terms of just sheer fun, todays was pretty f***king awesome.
 
Last edited:
bp_SFV4 said:
@Steven31371 How do you get your bikes in and out of the truck bed?
Click to expand...

I have a set of extra long ramps that aren’t too steep, that’s key, comes in a set of three, a wider middle one and two less wide side ramps.

When I’m loading two bikes I put the front wheel chucks up against the back of the bed, I don’t use all three ramps, just the wider one to run the bike up, and the thinner one to walk up beside the bike…put the bike in 1st gear and walk it up into the wheel Chuck, move the wider ramp to the other side and do the same thing, the wheel chucks hold the bikes up while I strap them down. If I take one bike it’s easier.
 
bp_SFV4 said:
@Steven31371 How do you get your bikes in and out of the truck bed?
Click to expand...

Titan Ramps 9 FT Single Arch Ramps Loading, Black Aluminum Folding, Rated 600 LB, All Terrain Portable, Safety Straps Included Amazon.com

Titan Ramps 9 FT HD 4 Beam Arched Motorcycle Loading Ramp, Single Black Aluminum Folding, Rated 1500 LB, All Terrain Portable, Safety Strap Included Amazon.com

Get one of each of those, one wide one, one narrow one, you walk up the narrow and run your bike up the wide one, makes it pretty easy.

Those are the exact ones I have, they are made well, very sturdy but not heavy to move around.

And this wheel chuck, a bit pricey fir a wheel Chuck but worth it because it will last for years, and unlike every other wheel Chuck I’ve owned it’s easy to get the bike out of it wheel holding the bike really well because the lower part has a pinching mechanism that holds the tire after you roll up into it. Get the textured black version and your hot tire rubber won’t stick to it making it a bear to get the bike out.

IMG_1956.jpeg


https://store.schnitzracing.com/bax...M9mBgWBXqBKaTYKcE-ZV95PuRtoTeFmAaAsioEALw_wcB
 
Last edited:
As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.
Steven31371 said:
Man I have a tech air 5 that I never took out of the box if you want it, I think we are about the same size if I remember right, cover shipping and I’ll gift it to you if you want it.
Click to expand...

If he’s not interested I am. PM me how much you want for it, should it be available. I wouldn’t presume that I’ll get the same deal as BP :)
 

Similar threads

J
2024 Ducati V2 Bayliss Edition
Replies
1
Views
295
AlanM
A
M
Panigale V4 RG
Replies
7
Views
650
SirJAG
S
M
For Sale Leftover V4S Part Out Items- locks Kit/ecu/cluster, Ohlins Suspension, Swingarm, radiators, other bits
Replies
0
Views
241
MdDuc
M
Vicati
For Sale Panigale 1299s and Panigale 959 Full bolt ons
Replies
11
Views
1K
Vicati
Vicati
Steven31371
  • Locked
SOLD! Sold and/or removed from sale
Replies
18
Views
1K
Steven31371
Steven31371

Register CTA

Register on Ducati Forum! This sidebar will go away, and you will see fewer ads.

Recent Discussions

Back
Top