9/2015 track weekend at NYST report and video

So I did two trackdays in a row last weekend at New York Safety Track and had a GREAT time.

This is the first time I've ridden two days in a row and it had been a year since I was on a track. My wife and I made the 6hr drive on Friday and camped until Sunday.

I took my KTM 450 supermoto which is all stock except for the 17" wheels and tires and had a blast with it.

Last year we ran "Uptown" (ccw) and though I had fun, there were a couple corners that just baffled me.

I had been thinking lately that I seem to have no problem riding a really fast pace on the street and I thought I would do what I could to replicate that when on the track. This time I wore my earbuds and listened to music while I was out there. I really liked it and will continue that.

This time was "Downtown" (CW) on Saturday and Uptown on Sunday. Downtown is basically a whole separate track with an entirely different set of nuances.

I was at A game level after the first session and it was awesome! I had some trouble in two corners where my rear tire was threatening to let go. I think it was just at the limit of traction and found that either more throttle or more lean would really aggravate the situation. After coming off track I found my tire pressures were way up (35psi) I dropped them down to 29R 31/F and that was the ticket. The bike stuck like glue anywhere on the track no matter what I did to it.

Im actually running Shinko Stealth tires in the Soft compound. Super Soft was the other option and I really just wanted some cheap tires to get me rolling on the street. They worked *ok* as a track tire. After a whole day of riding in the low 70's I was just barely starting to see some rubber ball up and move around on the surface of the rear tire.

As things were I was using the entire surface of the front and almost all of the rear. One other thing I'll note is that the left side of the rear is chewed up from the chain flapping around and hitting it. The times I was having it slide around where in left hand turns (on day one, I had it doing it in RH turns day two and tire pressure seemed to be the source)

I do like this bike for technical tracks like NYST. I was able to hit just over/under 100mph depending on direction and found that in most, if not all, corners I was basically running over guys on sport bikes. One moment in particular I had to not only brake a lot to give the guy some buffer but I had to drop down a gear to keep from lugging.

Also, I was able to get a knee down in the turn heading onto the straight when running Downtown. It's been years since I put a knee down so that was cool. I ride with a mix of knee down / foot out. Really it just depends on what's more comfortable for a given corner.

They'd all waste me on the straights but the corners were a different story. This weekend was really the first time I'd had to pass another rider (outside passing only) and with a little planning ahead it was pretty easy to just walk around people.

Fun!

Thinking ahead to next year I want to run a better tire so I'll have to find something sticky in a 150 rear. I think with that I would be able to carry more speed into corners confidently. I was close to needing to be up a gear in a few turns and maybe a more grippy tire would help that happen.

I think traction would help more than more hp would (I think the bike makes about 35whp)

Lastly, on day two running Uptown, I wasn't really feeling it. I was riding ok, and having fun, but there were a few spots that really made me question if I should be in the Intermediate group. I got pulled over for a talk with a control rider after one session and he told me he thought I was riding exceptionally well, better than half the guys out there (his words) That put a smile on my face and I just kept on having fun.

After that weekend I really feel I've stepped up a level as a rider. I won't say I'm fast, just that it's starting to make more sense as far as how it all works and understanding feedback from the bike.