Track Day and some questions

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That particular turn is a very fast left right chicane that you have to use the bars more to steer with rather than body position.

Been talking to the shop about getting a custom rear subframe built that’s a couple inches longer though, the one on there isn’t long enough for me to get back in a good tucked position
 
Nice work. I'll share you a tip I've been working on too, just going by your photos. I hope you don't mind my unsolicited advice. Just rooting for your progress.
You won't believe how much getting your body positioning right helps everything. One thing that will knock you up a few notches on the confidence chart is getting your head more forward, and your chest down lower. When you're able to curl up in that cockpit a little more with your forearms horizontal, you'll notice, all of the sudden you're riding it like it was designed to be ridden and it's all easier. Up right is brutal on your neck and core. The wind is insanity, the stopping and hard acceleration is going to force your to rely on muscle strength. Get down out of the wind, stick you face out in front and look where you want to go, and bam, you do laps that aren't so exhausting.
Good trick: get on your bike on its track stands in your garage and try it. Your riding gear plays a huge roll in allowing ideal riding positions or not. Try it with shorts and a Tshirt, then try it in full gear, helmet too, so you know what's limiting your movements if anything. Make a list, what's working and what's not? What's conflicting, what's too tight, what's not allowing you to see well in that position?
If your helmet has a smaller field of view, or it's field of view is more upright, it'll be really hard to see with your head down in a tuck. See example image.
The AGV Pista GP RR, for example, has a huge field of view and is made to have your nose pointed at the ground and still be able see horizontally. My previous helmet I could never see in a good riding position. Dumb stuff like that can keep you stuck for no reason.
Another thing that no one talks about much are gloves. Can you move your hands everywhere they need to go or are your suit and your gloves conflicting? To be able to lean off to the side, you have to move your hands and grip the bars at a different angle so you can stick your elbow out. If your gloves are too tight on your sleeves you can't, so you can't lean off your bike much.
These are stupid little things that make a huge difference in riding ability.




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I have the GP RR and like it but the Suomy is actually better, it’s a hair lighter, more comfortable, and just as good if not better field of view.

For a 3rd of the the price the Suomy 10% better in every category than the GP RR
 
DEFINITELY need to work on body position…last track day before this one I was much better on that by the end of the day, but with 6 weeks between I regressed a bit
 
That particular turn is a very fast left right chicane that you have to use the bars more to steer with rather than body position.

Been talking to the shop about getting a custom rear subframe built that’s a couple inches longer though, the one on there isn’t long enough for me to get back in a good tucked position

Even without the tank extender?
 
DEFINITELY need to work on body position…last track day before this one I was much better on that by the end of the day, but with 6 weeks between I regressed a bit

Two pieces of advice I found helpful:

1. Put your pec on the opposite side of the tank (ie. R pec to L side of tank)

2. Mid-corner your head should be inside your inside hand
 
What offset do your clipons have? Spider do 25mm and 45mm (I believe), and the 45mm will give you more room.
 
What offset do your clipons have? Spider do 25mm and 45mm (I believe), and the 45mm will give you more room.

We took the IMA clippons off in favor of the Woodcraft that we have on there now. I believe they are a 25 mm offset, we couldn’t do a higher offset because of clearance issues, even with the 25 mm offset we are touching fairings at full lock with reduced lock to lock distance.
 
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I’m not just tall and big, I’m sorta barrel chested, so even when I’m in full tuck riding up on the tail fairing to get back far enough and my chest on the tank I’m still to high and caught in the wind.

That English rider that does the Isle of Man TT that weighs 300 pounds and is 6’4” had to have some trick stuff done to his bike to make it work….specifically he had larger front fairings made, and a slightly longer rear subframe,

Oddly it turns out that size and weigh are an advantage on curves, we get more grip at maximum lean and acceleration off an apex, all with built in wheelie resistance from our weight….where size kills us is on high speed straights where we act like a sail on the bike because we simply cannot get tucked properly without some mods.
 
Hey, Steven. Good to hear about your progress. How many miles do you have on your clutch now that you are starting to feel some degradation? Would you happen to also know approximately how many of those miles were from track riding?
 
What offset do your clipons have? Spider do 25mm and 45mm (I believe), and the 45mm will give you more room.

Would offset clipons put the bars more forward of the forks? I notice in a stuck my elbows are on the side of my knees instead of in front of them like I see shorter guys doing.

I have the R&G lock stop savers, so my lock to lock is reduced.
 
Would offset clipons put the bars more forward of the forks? I notice in a stuck my elbows are on the side of my knees instead of in front of them like I see shorter guys doing.

I have the R&G lock stop savers, so my lock to lock is reduced.

Yep, more forwards from the forks.
 
How much further forward can they move with the stock brake and clutch lines?
 
Something that might help I think is to ride at a natural road course. Fontana is the worst track to learn IMO. I bet if you went to Chuckwalla it would benefit you in riding
position. Couple good dates in October. Moto Forza Monday and a few others
 
Hey, Steven. Good to hear about your progress. How many miles do you have on your clutch now that you are starting to feel some degradation? Would you happen to also know approximately how many of those miles were from track riding?

The bike has about 2000 miles on it now, and 5 or 6 track days, I’ve also changed the final drive to have lower top speed but higher torque which I think would be harder on the clutch.

I don’t think it’s going bad yet, but the release put is changing slightly so time to start thinking about it.
 
Something that might help I think is to ride at a natural road course. Fontana is the worst track to learn IMO. I bet if you went to Chuckwalla it would benefit you in riding
position. Couple good dates in October. Moto Forza Monday and a few others

Yeah I need to get up there, and some more streets of willow days.
 
One thing that will knock you up a few notches on the confidence chart is getting your head more forward, and your chest down lower.
Agreed, its what im working on. I look very similar to his pics, and all that weight on arms and bars is no good.
Just working on it, and I made huge leap forward in my times.

I think another beginner mistake is being in to low of a gear going around corners. Keeping it in higher gears lets you increase cornering speed, then you will see those tires being used to the edge.
 
higher torque which I think would be harder on the clutch.
At your level it should not be an issue. That clutch should be in great shape. Stay on top of your oil changes, shifting issues are a sure sign you need some fresh stuff.
Tracking I do about 1000 miles instead of canyon carving every tire change at 2000.
 
The clutch wear comes predominantly from the slipper clutch, on downshifts and lifting off the throttle.

Oil changes, Ducati recommended race intervals on the V4R - 1,500 miles. Modern oils work better after 'running in'. Changing too often is suboptimal.
 
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