Has the extra power compromised your corner speed? In the sense that your concentration is taken managing the extra brutality of the power/braking zones/time compression and everything gets more ragged? Which V4 have you got by the way?
I have a base 2023 V4 with Ohlins FGRT forks, Ohlins TTX shock with remote adjuster and lengthened lower eye, Brembo T drive discs, Brembo Z04 pads, Storm performance titanium exhaust, Ducati Performance Rizoma folding rearsets, HEL thumb brake, Extreme components clip ons, engine sliders, lever guard and hard dash cover, Braided race legal hoses and CJS custom map 222bhp @ R/w. In spite of the extra 50 horses, this bike is easy to ride compared to the 999. The electronics are simply epic. Basically, whatever ham-fisted inputs I provide, the electronics step in and save the day. The dramatic lap time gains come from my greater confidence and willingness to add power, hit the brakes late and hard and tip into corners at higher speeds. Take Aragon, turn 11, the long left after the cork screw. I now do 150 mph over the brow of the hill, +20mph, because I am adding power and two gears whilst on my left knee. Consequently the braking for 12 needs to be far harder, but here the electronics let me keep brake pressure right to the apex. Then straight on the gas whilst still leant over, grab a gear as she goes upright, flip right for 13 and pour on the gas, right knee dragging.
Had three days at Andalucia last week, first Euro trip and I'm now dangerously looking at more. The bike was faultless the entire time, with various comments about the ridiculous level of grunt the thing has. I managed a 2:18 on the final day, not that the GoPro recorded that session (anyone else have constant issues with them overheating and turning off?), but here's a lap from the final session of the final day: There was also a young guy flying drones around for the three days, he was offering custom videos and I honestly think it's the best £60 I've ever spent:
I'm going back there next month.. hope it ends better than when I went in February. Had a silly little crash that ended with bust collar bone, 7 broken ribs and just over a week In hospital
I was there Feb 14-17th. Effing freezing and windy. Ended up in the gravel, but recovered to finally learn the track.
I work in film production so have some thoughts on this: 1) that’s a seriously quick drone 2) that’s a seriously good pilot 3) how on earth does track health & safety allow flying like that?! He gets it a mite wrong and it’s carnage.
Sounds like the bike is absolutely fab. Smart move to not go for the active suspension on a bike primarily for the track. Possible that the bigger euro tracks are more tolerant of rabidly quick bikes like this. Personally I’ve found Donny / Oulton Park and even Snetterton hard work on my old (2020) S1000RR. Yes I was faster around them but felt like 210bhp was just too much and it made me feel like I was riding ‘worse’ and mostly just hanging on and trying not to crash.
Yes, indeed. I made copious use of the abundant run off areas and four “exit lanes” at turns 1, 12, 14 and 16 at Aragon. It means you can really hold that throttle wide open, grab gears, add speed then see how big your nuts are when the you arrive at the turn. The significantly reduced sense of impending carnage can ultimately make you look quite talented I am learning how suspension, tyre wear and stability work through suspension adjustments. Early days, but it does help riding performance and understanding of grip. Oh, and those sticky SCX tyres are very sensitive to temperature and pressure. They also lose performance quickly in return for lap time gain.
State the reason for your motorcycle crash: I was hit by a drone Best TD pics I have ever seen though.
That doesn't sound ideal! There were a few incidents over the three days but most seemed to walk away from their offs. Yeah it was windy for us as well on the first day, was so bad on the fourth day (that I wasn't riding) that they red flagged it for quite a few hours. I don't think Almeria gets the wind quite as bad as it's a bit more protected. Was a fairly tough track to learn, the organisers made a big deal out of that point in the briefing. Yeah crazy right. He was flying pro race drones, 90mph or something I think he said. I was surprised to see they were offering it, and it was a bit distracting in the odd moment across the three days when you suddenly saw a black shadow go flying over you. But the footage from it is insane
We have a very talented video producer in our TD gang….. Here’s his end of year “special”. That’s me getting airborne at Jerez.
The highside near the start was you Paul? Watching stuff like this doesn’t make me keen to book the next track day
Yeah it was me Unfortunate and preventable so fear not, track days are fun. On the conversion from road to track we just failed to lockwire the oil filler plug and it came undone emough to spray oil all over the exhaust followed by the rear tyre. Luckily it was turn 6, the slowest and not turn 5, probably the fastest. I got a bit battered, but I was on a PB two minute lap
MV Agusta F3 RC. Broken front sub-frame, tank scratched, seat damaged, bungs sacrificed, bar end mashed and lost a foot-peg, so relatively little.
