| Author | Message | ||
     Vonsliek |
+40 in shade .. 6 hrs on track .. ack! never realized 1 piece leathers, inner poly suit, boots, helmet & gloves cld become SO damn uncomfortable!!  most rad time tho .. i was paired w/ another newbie, but we lost him after a couple of hrs .. he crashed once (gsxr1k) .. after i left him & instructor far behind, instructor caught me a few laps later & took me off track & told me that "when u lead, u aren't supposed to leave the instructor & other student behind!" (that felt good, but i played it down. we got rid of other guy - too bad nice guy) then i got one-on-one .. & to ride a hotted up R1 .. i had no idea u REALLY have to rev liter bikes .. my xb12r is WAY scarier than thar quasi-racebike. no offence, but as instructor noted when he rode it - that thing has a lot of poke! it just runs out of revs as u get going, but thats the design. well, i had the R1 at what i thought was good .. heard quiet scream & looked at tach (6000 rpm) .. HOLY CRAP!!! it was SLOWWWW. so i cranked it to 10,000 & only then cld it try to keep w/ my buell .. but after 3 laps i had it starting to make sense & i got to LIKE the screamy revs! another year. for now it was nice to learn to be smooth & consequently .. sslloooooowwwwwww!;P my pulse was around 200 when i got home from the rush hour .. & i was thinking i wat to live in ARIZONA??!!! have i got rocks in my head? (yes, but thats anoter matter) ... am i smoking crack? (i am certain a few of u here may wonder that) .. i guess 3 yrs in canada got me all forgetten up abt the dang REAL heat??!! peace, paul. | ||
| Don668 |
So Paul, you live in Calgary too huh? What track school did you go to? Don | ||
| Vonsliek |
bgpr .. brad gavey .. i here all sorts of slagging but the people slagging are AT the events (so, if u don't like something, why u go?!) & brad is cold at forst bu if u show good, solid intent & progress, i am seeing he warms up! its calgary anyway .. where else u gonna go?! decent people all .. so i repeat & support! where u at .. bio me! pauly. | ||
| Diablobrian |
Glad you had such a good time! Track days will make you a better and faster rider, but remember there are no corner workers on the street, no one keeps the apexes clean, and the cars are still out to get you! Good gear is never a waste of money. Unless you ride without it. $600 gear is cheaper than a c-t scan at the emergency room. (and there's less paperwork) A 2 piece suit will be more practical for the street, and perfectly sufficient, if it zips all the way around, for at least your first couple of years of racing. | ||
| Vonsliek |
i agree brian .. unfortunately, i already have the cumbersome & somwhat impractical 1pc suit. so i will go hard or go home! paul. | ||
| Buellgirlie |
CT scans are about $1500-1800. don't ask me how i know  D | ||
| Ulywife |
CT scans are about $1500-1800. don't ask me how i know I love your humor! Hope you're feeling better. | ||
| Vonsliek |
oh .. canaduh ... my 4 hrs in emergency w/ numerous xrays & opiates were all free .. i guess there ARE some good things abt canaduh! | ||
| Buellgirlie |
thanks ulywife! i try to be upbeat about it all, the other option is to run off and bawl about it... and that doesnt sound fun either!  plus, mental state is important for good healing!! von - 5 hours, 2 sets of xrays, 2 CT scans, IV drugs, IV fluids, IV dye for CT scan, and tylenol to take and vicodin to take home = $7000 in the USA. i an VERY VERY thankful to have wonderful insurance. D | ||
| Vonsliek |
holy cow .. u guys DO get BILLED! & there i was extolling virtual virtues of USA 'v' canada to my ex*wife* today .. btw .. u can call me paul ok .. sad, sad, sad .. i know .. throwing on the *charm* this early in the day! vonpaul. | ||
| Diablobrian |
I'm very fortunate to have made good decisions early on. I'd hate to think what kind of shape I'd be in financially if I hadn't served in the military. The VA has been a very very good thing. Ounce for ounce I think meds are up there with gold but they cover all mine for free with the "non-service connected disability pension" Because I went to a civilian hospital after my crash I saw the bills for my 6 week stay. I forget the total, but the emergency team during the first 6 hours was something like $28,000 IIRC VA and SSDI (social security disability) paid every penny of every bill! (Message edited by diablobrian on June 30, 2006) | ||
| Angelwild327 |
you can haggle a CT scan...I know...I do it for a living...you find out what medicare pays...ask me if you need to know, and you offer them something reasonable and BELIEVE me...they will take it.. How many miles should you have under your belt, as a newbie, to do a track day?? | ||
| Buellgirlie |
angel - if you are very comfortable on the street, shifting, turning, stopping...then you're ready for a trackday. most track school/race schools say the same thing - we're here to teach you how to ride better, not how to ride. i originally took race school as a way to learn to be better on the street. i had ~5000 miles of experience in the year before i took it. (i didnt quite plan on racing, though i knew it was a possibility given my risk-seeking, competitive nature ) D | ||
| Diablobrian |
It can actually be a good thing to be a newer rider at a track school. You won't have had time to pick up as many bad habits. | ||
| Angelwild327 |
Thanks Buellgirlie and Diablo...I'm a decent rider, although I'm more critical of myself as most people are. I ride somewhat conservatively because of my lack of experience. It stuck when someone said, don't ride beyond your skill level. I would like to enhance that level and get ultra comfortable with the things that I'm a little "Scared" doing..if that makes sense..I want to lean more, make sharper narrower turns and u-turns, and just be more in control of everything I do. I am super short and have overcome a lot of challenges because of it...but if I had more mental confidence, I'd feel a million times better. |
