I lost the front at the end of the pit straight - a tight left hander. I was most likely just another dumbass pushing the limit, but I’m just the type that can’t really enjoy myself unless I’m doing just that. So I’m not complaining.
This Advanced Riding school was also on a Sunday, but this time it was in the afternoon so it started at 1 o’clock. We opted for the intermediate group as the Slow group were a bit slow to our liking last time. Present were me and Axel on his trusted FZR. I was riding my GSX-R750 - I keep on wanting to call it little or cute or something similar!!! Maybe the bike decided to teach me a lesson.
Anyway, I arrived at the circuit around 12 o’clock, having ridden all the way from Strand and topped up the tank at the garage just outside the track. There were almost no bikes when I got there but even more alarming was the absence of the boerewors stand because I was starving. As it were, I was slightly early and everybody arrived in good time for the fun and games. Axel came in at around 12H30 and we hung around and talked nonsense. Then went to sign up and got our numbers. I was no 22 and he 23.
Taping the bikes up took little time. I don’t like the duct tape because it always leaves little pieces of adhesive on the bike and it’s a pain to get it off. I used masking tape first and then the duct tape over that. Gave myself full marks for cleverness. Then our bikes were scrutinized and both got a clean bill of health although Axel had to convince the guys the brake pads they were looking at were in fact recently installed.
Then the class session started. We were out buying boerewors rolls (again) and when we got there there were no chairs left. We hung around at the back munching. Then the fast boys went out and we listened to Roland’s lecture about how to ride etc. Soon we were dismissed and told to behave and have fun. We hung over the pit wall watching the fast group, smoking and chatting. Bobby showed up and made up his mind as to whether he wanted to ride. Then went to sign up. He opted for the Slow group again and Axel were very pleased because it meant he could ask Bobby to time our laps.
After their 20 minute session the fast group came in and it was our turn. Axel and me were somewhere in the bundle because we took a while to put jackets and things on as it was very hot. When we left the pit lane I was behind Axel, who immediately set a cracking pace. We knew Bobby were taking some lap times with his cell phone so we tried as best we could. Almost every lap there were people to overtake. The intermediate group was a lot bigger this time and the track was packed with bikes. There were even a guy an a BMW GS1200. It took me 2 laps riding behind Axel to see that the bigger bikes pulls a couple of bike lengths on me coming out of corners if I’m lazy with the gearbox. Then, having picked the last corner before the back straight to attack, I noticed that if I can get out of that corner at around 150 I can take him and some of the guys holding him up. So I decided to do that.
The corner came, everything went well, but there were more people with similar ideas (passing others down the back straight). I got past a number of bikes (including a startled Axel) and buggered off down the back straight. The brake marker for the last hairpin at the end of the straight is the painted lines in the middle off the track, but few people, including me off course, has the stomach for that, so I braked well in advance and then a guy on another GSXR-750 out braked me. I made it my goal to catch him and rode behind him for a couple of laps. I finally got him in the fast double apex corner just before the back straight and he didn’t come back. Next session he was riding in the Fast Group - don’t ask me how he managed that.
Then the session was over and we pulled into the pits. Axels FZR was doing it’s party trick by pissing brown water all over the pits and everyone that walked past commented on it. It pleased Axel no end. Bobby reported that we were running 1 minute 34’s and that wasn’t even good enough to get us into group D should we (heaven forbid) decide to go racing! Off course our excuse was that he timed us early in the session and off course we got better as the session progressed! We also timed some of the fast group and were somewhat depressed when we saw their times. But then again this was a riding school and you’re not suppose to race other people or time them.
During this time, Sandra and Gavin showed up lo lend moral support. Gavin wasn’t riding, even though he was impressed to see an old GS1100 doing it’s thing in the slow group. They brought a camera and promised to take some pics for the website. Also present were some friends from Strand that had a run that morning and decided to swing by Killarney to check out the fun and games. They came to greet and then went to sit on the pavilion near turn 3 and 4.
The last session came and cigarettes were put out and helmets put on. Seeing as my new best friend on the other 750 gave himself a promotion to the fast group we were left to battle it out with each other and whomever we could catch up with. The session were a lot of fun but I realised I’m pushing the limits once or twice around turn 5 when my bike started sliding. I realised that by the slight lightheaded feeling I got around that corner because it’s banked and you can go around there quite fast. My bike also threatened tankslappers that were barely contained by the steering damper entering the main straight. I ignored all these signs.
A guy with a yellow GSXR then went down in turn one. I saw the bike parked next to the track but he seemed OK. I felt sorry for him…
Then, near the end of the session I found myself coming down the pit straight. I saw the checkered flag, signaling the last lap and decided OK, last lap, take it easy. I started braking early but there were two guys on Aprillia Milles - they were going so slow I thought they must have just pulled out of the pits. Both were wearing “Instructor” T-shirts. I passed the one of them as the flag came out. Not wanting to cut in front of the guy I just passed, I kept an inside line into corner one and lent the bike over for the corner. I got that lightheaded feeling again but knew it from previously (turn 5) and then the front started sliding and I went down. At this stage there were no drama, it was a simple low side and I was just sliding together with my bike towards the sand trap. Then all hell broke loose as something gave me a mighty smack on the head. As I was trying to figure out what happened, something ended up on top of me. In a desperate effort to get whatever off me, thinking it might be a bike, I pushed up and away with my elbow and as I continued tumbling I saw a human being thrown into the air. Oops. Then I also started tumbling head over arse. It was like surfing and being mauled by a wave, nothing you can do about it just relax and hope for the best.
I ended up sitting between the mole hills in the sand trap, spitting sand. I could see my bike laying on it’s side about 10 m away from me. There was another guy getting up and he asked me if I’m OK. I thought I was and said yes. I asked him what happened to him as I was certain I didn’t touch him and he said he rode into my bike as it was sliding off the track. I still can’t figure out how that happened. The photographer took some pics of the crash and someone who saw the pics said my bike wasn’t near his. Anyway, then he stepped in a mole hole and fell over. He got on his bike and fall over again, trapping his leg under it. Me, the photographer and another rider that’s stopped helped him up and pushed his bike onto the side of the track. He went down again clutching his shoulder. I went over to my bike and could see a lot of damage to the plastics. I had crash bobbins on the front and paddock stand bobbins on the swing arm and those took most of the damage. My engine casing was ground but not all the way through, mirrors broken off and the front fairing and headlight assembly were broken. As far as I could tell the bike was straight and no damage to the important bits. Those crash bobbins did their job great.
To make a long story short. My gear lever had broken off. I had to ride the bike back to the pits in 1st as the backup bakkie never came to fetch us. Then I had to go and report to the officials, arrange a ride for my bike and a ride home for me. Fortunately Boland Bikes were there with a bakkie and could take the bike. Some of the Strand guys were their with a car so I bummed a lift with them.
My best guess would be that there were something on the track, maybe from the previous crash, and that would hold water because it would also explain why the other character followed my lead, so to speak. But more likely is that my (Dunlop 207 front) just couldn’t handle the situation, it was a bit overinflated because I’m a lazy bastard and couldn’t be bothered to drop the pressure for the track. And off-course turn one is the only left hander on the track - a lot of people go down there.
Whatever - my bike is stuffed and will be written off.
Tags: Trip reports
Leave a Reply