Originally Posted by
maddog34
quote: "For example, my Ninja 250 is often considered "low-end slow beginner's bike" by elitists. Here I am at Laguna Seca (on Shinko tyres), going up against litrebikes and Ducatis. The R1 took me couple laps, but I got around him too."
are they handing out trophies for "winning" Open-to-the-General-Public track days now?
work on your braking distances, downshift timing, and apex use... once you've blown the corner entrance point, don't struggle to regain the correct apex.
and the only winner in practice is the one that doesn't brag about outrunning unskilled squids on street bikes, and actually learns things during practice.
Very 1st time at Laguna Seca. Too gung-ho on 1st lap out and ran wide in T5 due to cold tyres. Also needed to hug left side to avoid sound booth. You may notice after that I outbraked everyone on every corner afterwards. One mistake doesn't define entire session. That's what practice is for.
Besides, point was that top-end equipment doesn't equal performance. That Kent Nazz with good prep and rider will out-perform 80% of other bikes & weekend-warriors on top-end bikes out there.
I ended getting 2nd in 250 class at end of AFM Racing season that year. Not bad for my very 1st year racing and missing 1st-half of season.
