[Swamper]

We are also planning a trip North around Moto America at the Ridge. Will most likely do Oregon Raceway out by Grass Valley Oregon on the way back home. Like to ride with 2Fast and Aprilia Race Day, always fun to try out the Aprilia's.

 

[Swamper]

I agree, the Oregon Raceway is in shall we say challenging condition but still a fun Camp-out. The guy that owns it certainly doesn't put much into it anymore.
The Ridge is fun and if I had a favorite it would be one of the top choices.
Now that Laguna Seca and Sanoma have been repaved they are very good to go to, we had taken a year or two off from Sanoma it had gotten so bad.
We have a group of buddies (mostly small Girls) riding 400 and they are pretty quick on the Thunderhill tracks. I can almost keep up with them on the Supersport making up down the straights, but it's a lot of work trying.

 

[Swamper]

To me the Kramer thing just doesn't make any sense.
They have pretty good if not excellent small bike racing now. I like watching the small bikes better than anything else. In a class were they are already cost efficient somewhat.
There are so many guys going to Ninja 400 at the track it's becoming the trend. They are about 1/4 the cost of the big bikes taking them to the track.

 

[Swamper]

KTM I think sells one and now the Yamaha R6 and R1 are being sold as race bikes only, if I recall right.

 

[Swamper]

I think after the initial sales they will only be in the sanctioned race groups. That in my opinion will make for a small market. I know a lot of the 400 crowd that has zero interest in them.

 

[Swamper]

Yeah it sure does, however I expected something so all the Manufactures could compete/represented.

 

[Swamper]

I'm actually pretty happy with setting up the Supersport for Track Days. While it will never be a race bike it has turned out to be a very good Track Day bike, probably why I haven't sold it since I bought the S1000RR.
I haven't had to do a lot to the Supersport to get it where it performs to my liking. Working with Dave Moss has helped tremendously. Rear sets, Front fork springs N set-up and rear tire size change is about it. The only thing I'd like now to do is the exhaust but that's a warranty issue with Ducati. Since I have already had an engine replacement I don't want to void my warranty but saving 9 LBs sure is enticing. I'll be paying close attention to what Teabowman thinks with his changes on his bike with Termi exhaust installed.

 

[Swamper]

I'm now using Metzeler RaceTec TD Slicks and the rear is 180 60 17. I went to that size to raise the bike to solve hard parts draging. Dave had me drop the forks 4mm in the triple trees. It has raised the bike about 4-5mm where the hard parts were dragging.

 

[Swamper]

We use them without warmers/blankets. We take the first session laps warming them up and the rest of that session fairly easy. The second session normal speeds and they are great, much better than any other tires we have used for Track Days. Turn in and traction are excellent, I've set my quickest lap times with them. My lean angle registered on the dash has been over 50 and haven't felt any sliding. With the exits towards the end of the day we are both getting towards the end of the rears life and see the Traction control kicking in. The good thing is the rear is reversible. Tracks we run at are very hard on the left side, so we get a couple days out of them at best. Front goes about four days and starts sliding towards the end of it's life, if you don't push it you'll be ok, if sliding isn't your thing you better get of track and change it.
Were using these tires on all our Track Bikes. Pressures very with the Ambient temperature but we usually start out at 29 front, 26 rear on the 1000's and 28 rear on the SS and 600's

 

[Swamper]

Metzeler TD Slicks don't require tire warmers, we used them all of last year.

Metzeler RaceTec TD Slick

RACETEC™ TD Slick joins the range of METZELER™ racing slick tires, dedicated to riders and club racers with a focus on competition and training use. RACETEC™ TD Slick is a slick tire for the track that is quick and easy to use. It can also be used without tire warmers and does not require any...

moto-garage.com

 

[Swamper]

Just got an Email from Carters, they have added another day to my season pass schedule, March 3rd @ Sonoma. Only 4 weeks from now. I hope to get the bikes tuned with Dave Moss before at ThunderHill the week before this Sonoma Track Day.
I've order a couple new set of the Metzeler TD slicks for the Supersport and the BMW's.
My son is coming over this weekend to work on all our Track Bikes. Both BMW's will be getting new Track Plastics. All other required maintenance will be looked into. We keep log books for each bike so not to get mixed up on things. Dave Moss has given us starting Suspension settings so will be double checking all of those too.

Last Track day of 2024.

 

[Swamper]

Not really, just prevents the OEM plastic from getting destroyed in a crash. The OEM BMW stuff to replace is over $5,000.

I should have said, Not the ones we're getting.
They have Carbon Fiber ones available which are very light and expensive.

 

[Swamper]

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.

 

[Swamper]

Budget for the Track Days is unbelievable these days. I'm getting together my tire order for 3/4 of the year to qualify it for free freight. Have to order 20 tires at a time, my order is $3,800, the freight would have been $720, so it does save by buying them this way.

 

[Swamper]

02-22-2025 Saturday ThunderHill East 3mile, W/ Carters @the Track
Morning started out visiting with Dave Moss and base setting the suspension on both BMW S1000RR's. Completely different setup on the two bikes due to riders weight. I've lost weight so Dave turned everything to lite settings even the preload. Ended up every session coming in for adjustment with Dave, never got to where I could push the corners and traction was an issue coming out of the turns on acceleration. Dave told me I was really working the front end hard, harder than he expected so needed higher setting than what he set things at, maybe next Track Day he'll be closer. My sons S1000RR got as good as it was going to get but he needs heavier fork spring for his weight. He did do a few very quick laps however.
I know these aren't Ducati's but thought you guys might want to see what I'm up to when not on the Supersport.

 

[Swamper]

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

 

[Swamper]

Saturday 03-22-2025
Spent all day on the S1000RR. We were trying to get the suspension and tire pressures to match up to the track. Chased them all day, never got comfortable on the bike. First time I've ridden the RR at ThunderHill West, it's a technical type track. Started getting the hang of it towards the end of the day riding with a buddy with a new M1000RR. Spent a lot of time getting around other ridders in the turns way off line.

 

[Swamper]

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:

 

[Swamper]

Haven't had any problem with the camera mounting out here.