First trackday, first lowside

[Sl!pstream]

I did trackday about 3 weeks ago at a local kart track that hosts events for small displacement bikes (supermotos, 250's). The FZ6 was barely eligible for open practice at 599cc. I will say it was the wrong bike for a tight a technical course, too heavy, too upright, too much power. I was in 2nd gear the whole way around. I was getting lapped by my buddy on his gs500 and the other supermotos and prepped 250s out there. We ran clockwise using the configuration with the darker sections of asphalt.

I felt like I was leaning off the bike pretty well for my first time, but I surely have a lot to improve on before I consistently drag knee with confidence. Unfortunately I lowsided coming out of the turn onto the back straight, the bike coming to rest about a foot into the grass just a few feet past the runo-off area. Oddly, it was while maintaining very gently increasing (almost neutral it felt like) throttle input. Felt like the bike just fell out from under me like the front tire washed out all of a sudden or something. I was completely stumped. Only thing I could think of aside from being on the factory tires (from 2009, had only 2,800 miles on them), was that maybe the peg on my DanMoto rearset hit the asphalt and upset the bike since they do not fold up. The right side rearset is toast unfortunately as the plate that mounts to the frame and adjustment plate that mounts to that are bent and not available separately (the peg did not break and transmitted force to the other components). Luckily my Rizoma frame slider saved the fairings, just a bit of scrapes on the mirror and bar end and bruised ego!

I took a session off and then my buddy insisted that I take his stock CBR250 around the course, and that was way more fun. I borrowed his knee sliders for that since I didnt have any for my suit before, and I guess I got a knee down at some point since they had a scuff on them when I came in but were perfect when I put them on! That bike was the village whore that day, we sent it out one rider after another. I was the second in the rotation and the third one came back in with the rear tire split straight down the middle about 8 inches long, right down to the cord! Guess that stock tire got a little too hot!

That's also when I learned that you are supposed to reduce your tire pressures when you get to the track, which I did not do! >_>

Here's an album of pics from that day: trackday - Album on Imgur

 

[erburtt]

Wooo that tire is 6 years old... assuming it was made the year the bike was sold, which it probably wasn't. That's way too old for the street, and especially too old for doing a track day. The rubber will harden with age like that and really limit the amount of grip available.

Did they not have anyone inspecting bikes before setting them loose on the track? or maybe the inspector was only looking at tread depth. Glad you're alright though, and your bikes fine for the most part. Its good you jumped on your buddies bike and kept riding after instead of letting the fear get to you.