| Author | Message | ||
     Nattyx1 |
Sometimes the boss would let us "demonstrate the capabilities of the motorcycle," as opposed to being "responsible instructors." :-) *they didn't like this much because they had only budgeted x amount for tire replacment. Notice the lovely arcs painted in Pirelli Black from acceleration. Whee... Who was at this particular school? Barber is a most amazing place.  Good times!  | ||
| Ratbuell |
Hm. 08 product release was when I chased you around Pocono, same season as this pic. Skidmarks there too from what I recall...but more from the CRAP surface, and chatter, as opposed to actual SPEED through the turns LOL Nice picture, though. Reminds me of a *lot* of the time at Vegas in '06. I still recall Tripp getting in front of me on Dyna day, tapping his rear fender, and *leaving*. I had to keep up, through the showers of sparks off his mufflers and my forward controls. I think we only went one lap past the checkered flag, that time...we were both having fun, and hey...he's the instructor. He TOLD me to keep going LOL. Then, we had VRSC day....and Buell day. Thing about Vegas, though...I was on the outfield track (the more technical one), which I loved...but coming around whatwasit...turn 12 I think? You're facing that damned fence between the track and the municipal training track...and they were running pursuit drills in cop cars. Now, I don't care if you KNOW you're on a racetrack, and you KNOW they're only training...you come around a turn, banked within an inch of being knee-down on a freakin' Street Bob, and see strobes? You STILL pucker, just for a split second. DEFINITELY good times  | ||
| Nattyx1 |
Hilarious Rat. I puckered for WAY longer than a second on that outside section at LVMS (I rode it on a CBR600f4). We did the event at Barber for southeastern area dealers after the Pocono event. Can't remember the exact order though. | ||
| Jdugger |
I'm headed to Barber myself Aug 13-14 this year. It's a wonderful track and incredible facility by any measure. | ||
| No_rice |
08 product release was when I chased you around Pocono, same season as this pic. i chased you and tripp around road america that year. spent 3 days at road america flogging buells! it was great! 2 on the 1125's and one on my 9r and 12r. talked to you awhile about our buells, your red stripe(if i remember correctly) and my olive green 9 beater, lol it was actually the start of my track addiction(as you said it would be). first time on a track was with the 1125's. i got a first hand test of just how good the ztl2 worked when i hoisted the ass end in the air with 2 fingers on the brake at the 150+ mark after one of the "never been on a sportbike" guys cut over in front of me coming into turn one and parked it. picked up the rear, it stepped out just a tad, had to set it back down coming into the turn and slid it through the turn on the gas. what a rush that was. then i got hooked up behind tripp. after every session he kept coming up with that silly grin going "that was alot of fun wasnt it?! get back behind me again next time so we can make another run!!" it didnt take long to figure out he wanted to play more then lead everyone else lol, so we'd just light them up and take off. probably the moment i remember most was the very last session of the final day with the 1125's. the clouds were rolling in fast and we all knew odds were we were going to get cut short. before we went out tripp comes up to me and tells me to stay on his tail no matter what.. um ok with me. he said the guys in charge of the deal were really skitish of the rain and would shut things down as soon as it sprinkled. he said we were going to wait as long as we could before starting our group out on the track so we had more run time before we caught the lead group(which we'd been doing all day) so we waited idling down pit road... then away we go. got in maybe one or 2 good laps... and then a sprinkle hit my shield... then another... and tripp lets up, comes back beside me and holds his hand out looking at the sky, looks at me and does a thumbs up, i give one back... and then he points ahead and gives the go for broke signal. so... we lit them up again even harder. and the clouds let loose. it was basically pouring and im thinking to myself guess we are going to have to let up soon... i should have known better... we go into the carousel at full tilt and all i keep thinking to myself is the same thing ive been doing all day. being rational you know... i kept saying if steve and tripps bikes can do it so can this one... carry the same speed and follow the same line... and pray... you should come out on the other side in one piece... it worked all day! we went into the carousel in the pouring rain and leaned them over, water spraying all over and my knee on the ground shooting up a spray. it was one of those things i will NEVER forget. the world was at peace for what seemed like minutes but was only seconds. there was the rain, the bike, and me. nothing else mattered ive dragged a knee before a few times on the street(yes i know) but nothing like i had been on the track, and i surely had never been leaned way over in the rain muchless so far that im touching down. it was amazing! i did learn the following day that i can not use the same brake markers on my ztl 1 equiped 9 as i could on the 1125's... damn near launched off of turn one when i couldnt get it hauled down. it became one of those "its better to tip in and try then chicken out" corners. made it through, half sideways, but in one piece! lol. ah what good memories!!! | ||
| Nattyx1 |
You follow Tripp around long enough, you either end up in the weeds... or a bar.  | ||
| Ratbuell |
....or both....  But damn, he's fun to ride with! You too, Steve I need to get my s#!t together so I can afford a trackday or six this season..... |
