First Time at Phillip Island

Very cool.

The way you describe the track it sounds like you could be describing Big Willow at Willow Springs International Raceway here in SoCal.

Very fast track, big sweepers, couple of hinky places but overall just very fast.

No seaside cliffs though haha.

@Steven31371 I was thinking the same thing. I think the character and average speeds are similar between Big Willow and Phillip Island, though run-offs, safety, and track surface/maintenance are not even comparable. Turn 8 at Big Willow is widely acknowledged to be scary as hell: Think 5th gear, 11,000 RPMs, dragging a knee or nearly so, and skipping the front tire over endless bumps. The flow and speed is awesome, and if they ever resurface it, I will be there every single track day. It doesn't look like it in the picture, but the main straight is 1/2 a mile.

Fry said:

@Steven31371 I was thinking the same thing. I think the character and average speeds are similar between Big Willow and Phillip Island, though run-offs, safety, and track surface/maintenance are not even comparable. Turn 8 at Big Willow is widely acknowledged to be scary as hell: Think 5th gear, 11,000 RPMs, dragging a knee or nearly so, and skipping the front tire over endless bumps. The flow and speed is awesome, and if they ever resurface it, I will be there every single track day. It doesn't look like it in the picture, but the main straight is 1/2 a mile.

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Yep, the faster guys are 130 mph through turn 8 with a decreasing radius as you flow into turn 9 and onto a 1/2 mile straight. Turn two 100+ mph long sweeper.

Similar in that you gotta calibrate your brain to high roll speed turn entry, and not a braking a acceleration track, high roll speed track.

I’ve done it at least 30 times in cars over the years but have avoided it intentionally this last year, my 1st year tracking on the bike, but this season I’m going to get as many track days there as I can as the next phase of my training, calibrating my brain to be comfortable at those speeds on a bike.


As an aside, I see these vids of these perfectly quaffed euro tracks, (jealous) but then the ‘Murica’ attitude comes out and I’m like ‘well we live in the wild Wild West’, gotta be tough and brave to ride these tracks lol

If your not scared on Turn 8 at Big Willow you’re not going fast enough lol

Thanks for sharing, what a great xmas gift to yourself!



.

I found this recently.

After my experiences i thought i'd read it and i'm thinking who is this lunatic? no mortal rides like that!

And of course, it's Andrew Pitt, ex WSS champion.......

Handy tips if you're either A. talented enough to not really need them or
B. a ....... Psycho!

That’s fantastic man! Thats on my list for sure!!! Congratulations

Somefun said:

That’s fantastic man! Thats on my list for sure!!! Congratulations

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+1 on all that - what an awesome Christmas! Sounds like a pretty great day &, without wallabies and seagulls in your windscreen! A MotoGP favorite.
Phili Island has been on my bucket list as well maybe too long. I hear Portamão is similarly with super fast sweepers. That may be my next best thing next year. But I will get my arse down-under soon than later. This is very inspiring.
More photos!