Panigale Dilemma

Who is the track day with ? Andy

 

Okay, No limits pallet the bikes before loading onto the transport and your gear sits around the bike in the pallet. I have seen guys wrap their bikes in cling film, old blankets and bubble wrap to protect them. We went to Jerez a month ago using the same system and the bikes were fine. Cartagena is a great track, fast, flowing and technical with 1 silly little chicane. 4 consecutive days is a long time to spend on track and there is no doubt you will get very tired if you try and do evey session so pace yourself. Take the bike you are most comfortable with and enjoy riding. If you buy a track hack you'll end up spending more time learning to ride it than enjoying the track. Watch out for the track day warriors whose ability doesn't match their skill and if you are there over a weekend you may be joined by a load of Spaniards and they are just mad. My girlfriend gave me the same present for my 60th and we had a blast. Andy

 

You'll love Cartagena mate, I might even see you there in Spain as we have an apartment 40 minutes away and I keep my track bike out there. I try to get to Cartagena as much as I can.

I've done a few Euros with NL and Focused Events and never had any issues with my bike getting damaged. I will say though, make sure all your gear's well secured as I had the hooks taken out my paddock stand and my ratchet straps taken from my kit bag on one trip.

As for the bike, I'd take whatever bike I was most comfortable on as well. I'm at Cartagena in 2 weeks time and I've just bought a 1299S. I'll be taking it along for a wee shot, but I'll mostly be using my track R1

 

Whichever you're more comfortable with as above

Zx10 probably cheaper to repair if you throw it in to the scenery ..

 

Take whichever bike you prefer riding. If you normally track the ZX10, IMHO I'd use that.

And you can just ride the whole thing in 3rd (second for two hairpins) on that too !

 

I'm obviously biased but I'd definitely take the Panigale. You have the ZX10 for an everyday bike so use the Panigale for what it is best at. If anything it's going to cause you more trouble if you bin the ZX10 as it's your everyday bike. You could argue the Panigale will be a bit more work over four days on track if you are not used to it but I'm assuming you have already used it? I find my Panigale a lot easier on track than the BMW because it is so much lighter it is easier to chuck around.

 

Funnily enough there has been a similar question posted recently on the US 1299 forum. General consensus from those guys was to use the Pantigirdle for what is was designed for which I would have to agree with. That said, I have signed up for a Euro day at Parc Motor in late April with NL and am way more concerned with the safe transportation than I am at the prospect of chucking the bike at the scenery. Surely it's a case of head says Kwacka and heart says Duke! Go on....you know you want to

 

Noise test, what would that be ? You are in Spain and in the middle of nowhere. We were there in 2014 when Josh Brooks was testing the then new M1R for the BSB and mate, that was noisy. You are fine, no noise testing. Andy

 

Chinese fairings? In which case the Pani

 

Just thought, Spanish track managements seem to be insistent that (UK) riders have health insurance that includes repatriation costs. I use BenGo from choice although there are others available and expect to pay about £50 for a single trip.
Nearly had to claim once when a bout of gout flaired up in my right hand index finger such that I couldn't get my finger in the glove or bend it but the track side Spanish doctor took great delight in giving me an injection in the cheek of my arse and 1000mg Ibruprofin. Swelling went down in a couple of hours whilst I checked my eyelids for pin holes. Andy

 

Holiday Safe.