I got in my very first track day on Friday and my first chance to ride with the infamous "GrebBob" this year. He has traveled to the sunny state of California for a number of track days this spring already so he got the jump on me (Dammit).
Now that he has that new GSXR1000 he seems to have let his busa take a back burner but still brings her to the track just in case she is needed for a backup.
So the day was sunny but a bit cool in the morning but by noon it was in the low sixties and life began to look up. I was late arriving so I didn't get out until late morning for a couple of warm up sessions. Had to put fresh rubber on and installed a set of EBC Extreme Pro brake pads. Was my first experience with these pads but found them to be S-W-E-E-T. Not a lot more braking power but the feel was incredible. They work wonderfully well for stoppies just in case there are any curious minds out there?
After lunch the GregBob and I made a plan to play. I had warmers, Greg did not so I let him go out first to get a warmup lap in and I'd catch him on the second lap. I only had to wait about 15 seconds at the entry and here comes Greg all laid over through turn 9 like he is pissedoff. So I slip out behind him and let him gain about half the length of the front straight by the time he hit turn one. I'll be damned if it didn't take me two laps to catch the bastid! I'm thinking to myself "Shiitz" who lit a fire under his arse. This guy is cooking. And when I did eventually catch up to him, I found he was going through turn one with the throttle pinned. Now let me tell you from experience, it takes balls to keep a big bike pinned through turn one. You are fookin flying and you can put you knee on the ground at a buck seventy. I'm thinking to myself, GregBob has lost his marbles, lunny toons, goofy, maybe just fell off a bar stool and cracked his head but something is wrong with this guy? I don't think I have ever seen a guy without a race number hit turn one on a liter bike with the throttle pinned? I think GregBob has found his nitch!
I followed behind him for the rest of the session and learned if I was going to pass him I'd have to muster up some evil intent! All of a sudden the GregBob has become "Quick"! When I arrived back at the pits, I found myself wiping the sweat from my face and neck with a clean towel. As I wiped the sweat from my brow, I'm thinking "Man, I'm way to old for this sh*tz".
The thought that crossed my mind was "I think those days of toying with GregBob are gone forever and now it has become serious work". I am extemely proud of Greg for what he has accomplished in such a short time. It took me a hellofa lot longer to advance that far and I had much better instruction.
Hat's off to you dude!
Also, Greg took a fancy to the Bridgestone BT002RS tires. Although I have not been on them even though I have a set in the garage awaiting their chance for a spankin, I was EXTREMELY impressed with their performance on Greg's Gixxer1K. He was romping those things pretty hard and acquiring some serious lean and not even so much as a twitch from the 002's. I have long been a fan of the Dunlop Qualifier and until yesterday I was convinced this was the best street/track tire available. However, the Q may have to move over to make room for this homogenized race tire from Bridgestone called the BT002 Race/Street? For you track junkies, I think it may be worth your time to try a set of these very capable tires. You canyon carvers can't go wrong with them either. I give them a big
Now that he has that new GSXR1000 he seems to have let his busa take a back burner but still brings her to the track just in case she is needed for a backup.
So the day was sunny but a bit cool in the morning but by noon it was in the low sixties and life began to look up. I was late arriving so I didn't get out until late morning for a couple of warm up sessions. Had to put fresh rubber on and installed a set of EBC Extreme Pro brake pads. Was my first experience with these pads but found them to be S-W-E-E-T. Not a lot more braking power but the feel was incredible. They work wonderfully well for stoppies just in case there are any curious minds out there?
After lunch the GregBob and I made a plan to play. I had warmers, Greg did not so I let him go out first to get a warmup lap in and I'd catch him on the second lap. I only had to wait about 15 seconds at the entry and here comes Greg all laid over through turn 9 like he is pissedoff. So I slip out behind him and let him gain about half the length of the front straight by the time he hit turn one. I'll be damned if it didn't take me two laps to catch the bastid! I'm thinking to myself "Shiitz" who lit a fire under his arse. This guy is cooking. And when I did eventually catch up to him, I found he was going through turn one with the throttle pinned. Now let me tell you from experience, it takes balls to keep a big bike pinned through turn one. You are fookin flying and you can put you knee on the ground at a buck seventy. I'm thinking to myself, GregBob has lost his marbles, lunny toons, goofy, maybe just fell off a bar stool and cracked his head but something is wrong with this guy? I don't think I have ever seen a guy without a race number hit turn one on a liter bike with the throttle pinned? I think GregBob has found his nitch!
I followed behind him for the rest of the session and learned if I was going to pass him I'd have to muster up some evil intent! All of a sudden the GregBob has become "Quick"! When I arrived back at the pits, I found myself wiping the sweat from my face and neck with a clean towel. As I wiped the sweat from my brow, I'm thinking "Man, I'm way to old for this sh*tz".
The thought that crossed my mind was "I think those days of toying with GregBob are gone forever and now it has become serious work". I am extemely proud of Greg for what he has accomplished in such a short time. It took me a hellofa lot longer to advance that far and I had much better instruction.
Hat's off to you dude!
Also, Greg took a fancy to the Bridgestone BT002RS tires. Although I have not been on them even though I have a set in the garage awaiting their chance for a spankin, I was EXTREMELY impressed with their performance on Greg's Gixxer1K. He was romping those things pretty hard and acquiring some serious lean and not even so much as a twitch from the 002's. I have long been a fan of the Dunlop Qualifier and until yesterday I was convinced this was the best street/track tire available. However, the Q may have to move over to make room for this homogenized race tire from Bridgestone called the BT002 Race/Street? For you track junkies, I think it may be worth your time to try a set of these very capable tires. You canyon carvers can't go wrong with them either. I give them a big
I too like the feel of the HH Extreme.. (not for newbs for sure) 
now, were are the track pics? 
