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06-08-2025 ThunderHill West (CW) Carters @the Track
Sunday same course but run Clockwise. I've only ran it this way a few times so the first few sessions were re-learning the Track as you want to just run it backwards in your brain but that doesn't work. By the third session I was more than comfortable with my brake markers and really stated getting quick. After a pow wow with Dave we worked on tire pressures and found the slide problem of Saturday to be to low of pressure in the rear. Didn't slide tell the very last session, rear tire was worn pretty good by then.
I have to say it's taken almost three years but I think I finally have the SS with all the changes to it performing as well as it can. Good I was faster than ever on the 950S although the bad thing is they asked me to start riding in A group in the future.
Sundays Pic's, 58 degrees lean now no problems dragging the cat with the Termi.

 

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Got the tires I'll be using for the year.

 

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02-23-2025 Sunday, ThunderHill East W/ Carters @ the Track:
Rode the Ducati 950S and worked with Dave Moss all day on the suspension setup. Started out pretty soft and chased it the first 5 sessions tightening everything up, preload as well as Damping N Rebound. Finally after lunch break it was spot on and I was able to hold the Supersport with the AMF guys on their 400 practicing for MotoAmerica, about eight in the pack drafting each other. Ran laps in the 2.11's which is the quicks I've done on the Ducati.
I did ride the S1000RR on Saturday and worked with Dave on it also but we never got things ironed out with the suspension. Hope to work with him again next week at Sonoma.
Tyler Ohara was there Saturday with the Indian Bagger practicing for MotoAmerica. He ran it out of gas and Had to park it on the side of the track, so he missed the last three sessions. Pretty amazing watching him in person.
Dave telling me I'm really working the front looking at the tire.

Here are the 400, I stayed with them but at a distance not to screw them up drafting each other.

 

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06-23-2025, Laguna Seca, Carters @ the Track
Been a few months since our last time at Laguna Seca. Weather turned out to be very nice this time with temp of 65-67, the day was mostly sunny after morning low clouds burned off. Took a couple morning session to get use to the Track and the speed and power of the BMW which I rode all day, didn't take the Supersport as it wouldn't be able to pass the sound requirement, 92db's. After dialing in the tire pressures we put down some of our best laps, by the end of the day I was consistently running in the 1:46's and 140mph down the front straight. My son was about 10 seconds quick than me in the 1:36's.

 

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04-28-2025 Sonoma, Carters @the Track
It's been over a year since we'd been on this Track. Took a couple sessions to figure out brake markers and sight objects to aim at. We took both BMW S1000RR, left the Ducati at home. Just before lunch I got fairly comfortable on the bike and it's speed around the course. After lunch break I rode with a couple of Carters staff instructors and we did some very fast laps. I'd never been under 2 minute here. The last session I did 10 laps consistently in the low 1:59's. I think I'll be a few seconds quicker when I get my rear sets figured out so the pegs don't drag/touch down, it's been an ongoing problem on the BMW this year. My son was in the 1:52's most of the afternoon.
I've made all my personal weight loss goals reaching 165Lbs. so I've rewarded myself by ordering the Termignoni exhaust and servo eliminator for my SuperSport. I'll hope to be riding it with the changes by next track day May 19-20 @ Thunderhill East. I'm estimating the bike will weigh in between 420to424lbs with fuel. I'll post a thread about the bikes weight and what I've done to get it there.
Passing on the outside, get's your adrenaline flowing.

Grip was good accelerating out of the turns on the repaved surface.

 

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09-20/21-2025 Thunderhill West, Carters @the Track
Probably the last time this year I'll be on the Ducati. Bike was really hooked up all weekend and I felt really comfortable riding it, especially on Sunday riding in the A group with staff/instructors. There was another SS their but I never got the opportunity to talk with them as they were in the C group.
Saturday was CCW and Sunday CW, so it's almost like riding 2 tracks.
I was the quickest on Saturday in my group and Sunday in A group middle pack.
Will be heading to Laguna Seca in Oct. and plan to ride the BMW.
Instructor Patrick:

Instructor Sam:

Sunday CW, passing on the outside.

 

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09-08-2025 Sonoma, Carters @the Track:
Back at Sonoma for the last time this year. Rode the BMW again all 7 sessions. Really had a good day and felt very comfortable in all the turns. Worked on my braking zones trying to go deeper and brake harder. It paid off with some very quick lap times which where improving throughout the day. I was the quickest in my group every session.

 

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08-30/31-2025 ThunderHill West W/Carters @ the Track
Rode the 950S both days every session. Bike set up is finally at it's best. I was very quick all weekend, Saturday was CCW and Sunday was CW. It's like two different tracks when going the opposite direction, CCW is the normal direction. There was another SS there in B- group, so I didn't ride with him. Talking with him in the paddock he had never seen a SS with all the modifications done to it for the track. His was completely stock and he wanted to know what comes first.
Saturday CCW:

Sunday CW:

 

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07-19/20-2025, ThunderHill east, Carters @the Track:
Saturday rode the BMW, Sunday rode the SS 950S. Track conditions were very good both days although a lot of yellow and red flags cutting down the sessions. The last couple sessions late in the day were much less attended so got in some pretty nice lap times, quickest I've ever been on the Ducati, in the 2:11's. The Termignoni muffler scraped a few times at lean, not much else I can do about it. Came close to getting the BMW under the 2:00 lap, think in two weeks when we return I'll be able to do it, I also got around turn eight a little over 100mph, big achievement for me as I've been stuck at 99 for over a year. Working on my body position is starting to payoff. Dito took some pictures from new places on the track.

Muffler dragging:

 

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05-19&20 ThunderHill East, Carters @the Track
Signed up for open Track time both Monday and Tuesday. Worked with Dave Moss on Monday getting the S1000RR dialed in better. He did a great job early in the day getting everything set to my liking, felt really comfortable finally. Tuesday rode the Ducati for a couple sessions and really like the 14T change however on the longer straights it's hitting the rev limiter in sixth. Might just use the SS on the shorter West Track. In two weeks will be on the West Track so I'll be using the SS. Hopefully I'll get the exhaust changed over by then. The Termi showed up yesterday from Italy, so I think I'm going to work on the change Memorial Day.

BMW @54 degree

 

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04-19&20-2025 Thunderhill East, Carters @ the Track
Finally some great weather, temp around 75 both days. Saturday rode the BMW and finally felt really comfortable for the first time on it, did some 2:10 lap times but it was really crowded with 55 guys on the track in my class. I had changed the foot-peg location which made a big difference in the feel of the bike.
Sunday I rode the SS. First time with the new Chain and the 14T on the 3 mile track. Took some time to figure out which gears to be in, much different than with the 15T. I found myself keeping it in 3rd more often than before when I shifting down to 2nd. After a few sessions I got the feel and I have to say the 14T seemed to be much better for accelerating out of the turns. I also found your in the gear selected a much shorter time and I was using 6th down the main straight. New chain made for smoother quick-shifting too.

Karl was extremely quick.

 

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03-31-2025 Laguna Seca, Carters @ the Track
Rain was in the forcast so we took our S1000XR's with appropriate tires for the wet surface. First time I've ridden my XR on the Track. Rained most of the morning before sunrise but ended around sunrise. A lot of no-shows so the schedule was changed to two groups half hour sessions. Track dried out after the first session and the rain held off until 4:00. We both rode our XR's most all day with the exception of I took out my RR one session around lunch to check out the new foot pegs I had installed. Didn't have the Ducati as I'm waiting for the new Chain. The XR turned out to be a very fun bike to ride on the Track, however a lot of the guys didn't like being passed by an Adventure bike by Karl with his Lunch box on the rear.

 

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08-27-2025 Sonoma, W/Z2-Yamaha Race Day
Forgot to post this earlier but I got a free day from a member on the S1000RR site. Condition was he couldn't attend and didn't want the ticket to go to waste. Rode the BMW all sessions in B+ group, was asked twice to move to A group but I declined. I wasn't feeling the speed on the BMW needed for A group. I was one of the quicker bikes in the B+ group however.
I didn't like there format with 4 groups as it gives you a hour between sessions and the tire cool off to much. So the first few laps every session I needed to warm the tires again. Sonoma is a fun track, took about two sessions to get reacquainted with brake markers and turn-in points.

 

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08-2/3-2025 ThunderHill East, Caters @ the Track:
Rode the BMW mostly but did get the SS out for a few sessions. I'm finding on the longer track (3Mile) the 14T tops out down the straights. Set a couple new quicker lap times however with the 14t as it sure gets out of the corners better. It maybe my riding improvement as I set better lap times on the BMW too, quickest at the 2:07 lap time. End of the month will be on the West Track so will be using the Ducati both days, working on body positioning with a couple of coaches, I hope to get better weight distribution and less lean angle.
With one of the Coaches, Robson on his new S1000RR Turn 2

Fast laps on the BMW:

 

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Yes, I have the Sato rear sets and have done a ton of mods to get the hard parts not to drag.

We use Metzeler TD slicks on all our track bikes including the SS.

 

[Swamper]

It's the same compound as the slicks on the edge. You don't have to rough them up, that's just in your mind and you'll need to get over it. I've used them on the Supersport a year or so ago, you'll need to get them to at least 54 degree lean and beyond to be on their edge. I've always worn out the edge before anywhere else.
Q3's are NLA and their new Q5's are junk.
Metzler you listed would be best on the bigger bikes in my experience.
I'm running Metzler slicks on the Supersport and have finally gotten so I can keep up with the 400 in the corners and ride it like a small bike. I'm about 2 seconds quicker lap time than the really good guys on 400's.

 

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Pirelli's are the best on your list, stick with them.

 

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06-07-2025 ThunderHill West (CCW) Carters @ the Track
Saturday was Counter Clockwise on the 2 mile West side. I worked with Dave Moss all day on the suspension to dial it into the new lighter weight of the SuperSport and me weighing now at 165Lbs. Dave checked the pre-load first, took a little out. Then he adjusted both dampening settings. First few sessions I had the rear sliding out of the turns so Dave adjusted things to try to solve that. I kept sliding all day and Dave kept adjusting every session. End of the day we concluded I was riding it harder than I ever had and leaning 4-5 degrees further than before causing more sliding than I'm use to. Could also be the 14t change as this was the first time on the short track with it.
All in all I was the fastest I've ever been and out paced the fast 400 guys and kept up with all the fast 600 and V2's that were there. The V2's were just a little quicker down the straight but if I got the run out of the turn I'd kept even, I think this is were the 14T payed off having. Also the bike/rider being lighter helped.

 

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Sunday 03-23-2025 ThunderHill West (clockwise)
Rode the 950S all 7 sessions. Started out fast and got quicker all day. The 14T sprocket change let me put down some of the best laps I've ever had on the SS. The power out of the turns is vastly improved with the sprocket change. It took very little time to get use to it, rear tires are probably not going to last as long as they did with the 15T. I rode with Dave Moss the last couple of sessions pushing the SS hard as I could. The suspension will need to be set up a bit better as I was bottoming out the front under Braking. We did set things up a little softer due to my weight change but we missed, I think will need to take out a little rear pre-load, tires worked well all day. The last session the traction control was kicking in ever corner exit and the abs light was showing with the rear tire off the track surface.
Our next outing will be at Laguna Seca for one day and I'm not sure which bike all be using, The Ducati was a lot more fun this weekend than the BMW.

Ridding with Jesse Carter: