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Post by Bize on Oct 13, 2008 14:02:21 GMT -5
 [red] Morning setup. Eager to get out there[/red] Well I haven't posted in a little while, but I thought I might tell you all of my latest misadventure ;D Saturday I went out to Nepean Raceway and had a go at flat track for the first time. I was riding a beautiful 76 (if I remember correctly) Yamaha TT500. For those who don't know; flat track is similar to speedway in the sense that you drift around the corners, but it is a proper track, rather than an oval. Firstly; I can't beleive how much fun/addictive this was. Also, as a road rider, I was really surprised just how quickly you get used to the bike sliding. The 800m track consists of the main straight with turn 1 being a sharp left, which leads straight into a right and then a left hairpin onto the back straight and finally a big open sweeper back to the main straight again. I'm not at a level were I can back it in to corners, but it didn't take long to get a feel for the bike and the track and as I got faster I got more and more comfortable with spinning up the rear to turn the bike in the tight corners. The sweeper was the most fun though, entering it in 2nd, trying to maintain a steady drift, until midway through the corner where you give it the berries. You just keep feeding on the power, shift through to 3rd then 4th, with the rear spinning, drifting towards the outside of the straight where the bike starts to straighten up again and you're breaking for turn 1. (I might have to practice a bit more before I'm really hanging it out, like Kenny Roberts though)  Now ironically: I thought that if I crashed, it would be from me losing control of a slide. Alas it was down to good old fashioned entering a corner too hot. . . Yes; my day did end with a crash. I was steadily getting faster through the day a was having to learn a new braking point for turn one every session. That mixed with me getting excited that I was catching up to this other guy is what lead to my error. We're approaching turn 1 and before I know I'm out of brakes with nowhere to go. He was just turning into the corner as I ran into the rear of his bike. I went over the bars and then I felt a massive impact that made no sense. I later found out that I had been run over by a third bike. Anyway, an ambulance ride to Nepean Hospital and a few hours later I check out with my arm in a sling. Dislocated shoulder. The top bone is about 1cm out of place, so I have torn or stretched ligaments, Also have a big graze up my forarm and bruising and a rash on my neck caused by my goggle's strap. So it'll be a little while until I can ride again, but I can't wait to get back out there and have another go. I thought this was such a fantasic form of racing. Obviously, as a novice, I wasn't pulling blisteringly fast laps, but nor was I feeling out of my depth. With road racing, I find that you're either fast or you're frustrated. Oh yeah. I have to thank my friend Warren. It's because of him I had this opportunity and that I got to do it on such a lovely little bike... but also for sorting everything out for me while I was at the hospital and keeping me laughing. |
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Post by solo2racr on Oct 13, 2008 14:22:02 GMT -5
Here in the U.S., flat track is on ovals normally 1 mile, 1/2 mile, or short track. There is also TT tracks that are similar to what your describing with the addition of a jump on the back side. Here in N.C. flattrack is almost unheard of. To bad to as I would really like to give it a go. I remember when I was up north in Wisconsin that it was very popular up there.
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Post by Bize on Oct 13, 2008 14:53:27 GMT -5
Yeah well actually that's what I assumed flat track was before the other day. Over here we also have short track, long track and speedway, but I don't know all of the specifics of them. When I knew absolutely nothing about these sports I actually percieved it as being the Speedway was the European style with purpose built bikes and that Flat Track was the US style with "normal" bikes. Obviously there are many different classes and track specifications in existence as well as our countries calling them different things |
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Post by solo2racr on Oct 13, 2008 15:50:44 GMT -5
Obviously there are many different classes and track specifications in existence as well as our countries calling them different things Absolutely. I know from a British point of view that "a pint of piss" loses something in translation here in the U.S. ;D ;D |
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Post by marlon on Oct 13, 2008 17:34:24 GMT -5
And to smoke a f*g means something else altogether...
Great writeup Bize!
Got any after shots? And most importantly, how'd the bike shape up/
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Post by curly001 on Oct 13, 2008 17:55:59 GMT -5
I'm with Marlon, how's the bike?  Yeah not worried about you. Your obviously okay as you wrote the report. BUT HOW'S THE BIKE ? |
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Post by frankyb on Oct 13, 2008 18:20:49 GMT -5
What you were doing was dirt track. It used to be called short circuit in the good old days, but now it's just dirt track, and it must have at least one right hander in the layout. Speedway and longtrack are all left hand ovals on purpose built sliders. Flat track is an American devised way of doing the same thing on an all left hand oval. I mentioned once before in a post that if you tried dirt track you would crash, it seems to be inevitable. Also, the majority of Aussie road racers who have been successful on the world stage started in junior dirt track, so it's also our major two wheel nursery. Cheers Franky b.
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Post by Bize on Oct 13, 2008 20:23:17 GMT -5
Apparently the bike is fine. Suffered nothing more than a bent bar and lever or two. (I've not seen it myself).
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Post by curly001 on Oct 13, 2008 21:49:06 GMT -5
That's good to hear. Hope your feeling better too! Really I do mean it, Really! Oh and how's the 400 going since Carl tuned it???
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Post by Bize on Oct 14, 2008 3:32:57 GMT -5
I should heal up pretty good I reckon. The main annoyance of all of this for me is that I was in the process of getting myself a dirtbike... Now I don't really know how long it'll be before I can go trail riding, (although on the upside, I guess it gives me more time to complete my riding gear collection).
The 400 has been great since Carl sorted out the carb on it. I had made a couple of diagnostic errors when I was trying to sort it out myself. But Carl has the equipment and experience and made it look it easy.
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Post by colinjay on Oct 14, 2008 6:39:00 GMT -5
Welcome to life in the slow lane Bize, its good to see someone else campaining an old 500 Yammie in the dirt. Glad both you and the bike arn't to badly damaged and that you enjoyed the event enough to want to have another go when you are fit to ride again.
From my fading memory, what is now called dirt track, used to be called "short circuit" racing back in the old days (70's and 80's, I mechaniced for a few speedway riders and later became an official). As to the other types of racing, speedway is always run on an oval track between 380 and 440 metres long. Long track was always run on an oval track between 1/2 and 1 mile long, two of the better tracks were the Morgan and Pirie miles here in SA. Bike wise, speedway bikes have always been single speed (i.e. no gearbox) with no brakes that can only turn left and longtrack bikes were basically a speedway bike fitted with a 2 speed gearbox to get more speed out of them on the straights.
Don't be ashamed if you arn't to good at sliding the bike through the turns, I had a few goes on the old JAWA 2 valve speedway bikes in "mechanics races" back in the old days and was never brave enough to thow the thing into the corners like to real speedway riders, it can be quite frightening barrelling into a corner with a couple of other guys close to you on a bike with no brakes.
CJ
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Post by StewRoss on Oct 18, 2008 21:26:40 GMT -5
Hi Bize, Well done! Carefull it can be addictive...I raced short circuit and long track quite a number of times in SA. I loved it each time I did it...especially the mile at Morgan! It's like road racing on the dirt! All you need is more power! Once you come to terms with no brakes...like I did the first time going back into the pits after practice...ahem...it's fantastic. You can do it on bikes other than sliders as well, such as the TT and MX bikes. So long as you remove the brake cables (hoses)etc. Out of all the racing I did, that was the best fun! Only thing that might be more fun (...although I have never ridden it) is US style TT racing...pretty well like short circuit but with a nice smooth, high speed jump on the course! ;D Motard would be fun as well. SR  |
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THUMPS
Junior Member
THUMPS, ridden by Dave
Posts: 92
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Post by THUMPS on Oct 18, 2008 21:39:18 GMT -5
Stew in the US you can run a rear brake but no front. Kinda wierd huh. I raced my RD 350 road racer one night at our local track. I think I passed one other rider. didn't crash. The same course is now a TT type of track with at least one right hand turn. I was the referee back then but havent been involved in past 15 years.
Reading this article I am wanting to go at it again. I am 57 years and feel like 35. I dont have a steel skid on my shoe but still have my off road boots. No bills and no medical insurance but still like to hear what my wife has to say.
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Post by StewRoss on Oct 18, 2008 21:56:53 GMT -5
Yes different rules for different countries...I remember that three US guys on XR750s came to race at Morgan one meeting...they were fast bikes but they had to remove their rear discs as no brakes allowed...that made it hard for them to set up for the turns...they had to back off as the turn came up to get the back out, then hold it there with the throttle. The UK style sliders that the Aus guys used (Hagons, Goddens etc.) beat them fairly easily with less power as they just kept their throttles nailed for the whole track, no slowing down for the turns. Yeah, I keep thinking about it and how much fun it was, but like you I'm not sure if I could afford another high speed crash at my (ahem) longevity...heh, heh... SR  |
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Post by wotavidone on Oct 18, 2008 23:59:45 GMT -5
Regret to advise the Pirie long track is now a "supercross" venue, full of crusty demon type jumps, with lots of crazy young bucks periodically turning up and waving to the crowd with both hands whilst soaring ten feet off the ground. And surviving.
Fond memories of some outstanding races here, although I also have a sad memory of watching a rider get killed. My uncle raced Vincent outfits on the mile track before I was born.
Was recently talking to the club prez. No immediate plans to revive speedway here, tho there is a local guy who is a certfied course inspector who is eyeing off a certain disused football oval for a short track meeting...........So ya never know.
A few years ago they had a once off meeting on the local trotting track. I think it was New Years eve, maybe, or then again maybe not. Geez its a mongrel when you get old and your memories start to fade.
Worst bit is, even if they held a meet, and let me strip the road gear off my xt and join in, where would I practice leading up to it?
Can but dream.
Mick
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Yeah not worried about you. Your obviously okay as you wrote the report. BUT HOW'S THE BIKE?
