My first time at Miller Motorsports park

[Rocketman]

I'm not sure what to say... I went out to an open track day at Miller Motorsports Park here in Utah to run the twisties. I was a bit nervous but just really didn't know what to expect with the busa.

I've been a Mladin / Spies fan for so long I really expected to be able to just whoop arse out on the real thing.

1st Run) Having never been on the track, I didn't know how the turns ran, how fast I could go, if my Battleaxe 021's would hold me down, how my brakes would respond, nuttin. So I follow our TORDE guy around for the grace lap. Then they were gone! I mean - gone. Here I am like a friggin granny doin' 55 in 90 mph traffic. ... ope there's another turn, look, roll, lean, ... yup... everything's workin.

So I get done with the first 8 laps or so and time's up for that 20 mins.
I roll back to the pits, eyes as big as apples, my wife and kid (no one's out there - 9 bikes total - it's like being between Mars and Saturn it's so big and empty,) and I'm friggin tired!! Like I just finished a downhill ski run! Arms and shoulders are tired, my legs and hips - tired - like - what the?!

So I go through every single turn every snag, every line, in my mind for the next hour. I can see every bit of the track and know exactly where the problem spots are. (everywhere!!) I figure out how to go through them in my head.

Run 2) Oh yeah - now I'm feeling it. I'm still slower than everyone else, but now I'm learning the track... feeling it. I trail a couple of guys that know what their doing to see how they're running. That helps me gauge my speed and lines.

Next thing ya know, I'm leaned over scraping my pegs, seeing and planning and really feeling out the track. Ya! Woo Hoo! What a ride!

So I didn't crash or cause a crash. I was slow and everything on my bike works wonderfully. The KTM factory team was on the track just amazingly fast. Boy - I wanted to hang with them. (Like that would happen.)

I just can't believe how rockin' cool it is on the track. How your senses come alive and how incredible the busa responds. (even if it's the size of an oil tanker out there.) Knee down, on the balls of my feet, OMG.... but, you guys have been there.

Now - I'm hooked. But I think maybe I'll take the ZX6RR on the track and the busa for the drags. WOW!! Thanks for listenin'.

 

[heavybusa]

Kick arse!!!! any pics?

 

[Rocketman]

No - sorry. We went off and left the camera.

 

[BA BUSA]

Another Track addict in the making

 

[Charlesbusa]

Awesome!! Can't wait to ride with you on Labor Day weekend!!

You definately should do some training of some sort for your muscles prior to a trackday so you don't run out of steam.

I normally hit my favorite canyons often before a trackday to get my legs in shape.

Have you adjusted your suspension? If you are going fast enough to drag your pegs you should definately have the bike set-up for your weight.

 

[BA BUSA]

(Charlesbusa @ Aug. 12 2007,11:16)

 

Awesome!!  Can't wait to ride with you on Labor Day weekend!!  

You definately should do some training of some sort for your muscles prior to a trackday so you don't run out of steam.  

 I normally hit my favorite canyons often before a trackday to get my legs in shape.

Have you adjusted your suspension?  If you are going fast enough to drag your pegs you should definately have the bike set-up for your weight.

It's a Busa...aren't they built to DRAG

 

[Charlesbusa]

(BA BUSA @ Aug. 12 2007,11:23)

(Charlesbusa @ Aug. 12 2007,11:16)

 

Awesome!!  Can't wait to ride with you on Labor Day weekend!!  

You definately should do some training of some sort for your muscles prior to a trackday so you don't run out of steam.  

 I normally hit my favorite canyons often before a trackday to get my legs in shape.

Have you adjusted your suspension?  If you are going fast enough to drag your pegs you should definately have the bike set-up for your weight.

It's a Busa...aren't they built to DRAG  

 

Drag elbow

 

[BA BUSA]

(Charlesbusa @ Aug. 12 2007,13)

(BA BUSA @ Aug. 12 2007,11:23)

(Charlesbusa @ Aug. 12 2007,11:16)

 

Awesome!!  Can't wait to ride with you on Labor Day weekend!!  

You definately should do some training of some sort for your muscles prior to a trackday so you don't run out of steam.  

 I normally hit my favorite canyons often before a trackday to get my legs in shape.

Have you adjusted your suspension?  If you are going fast enough to drag your pegs you should definately have the bike set-up for your weight.

It's a Busa...aren't they built to DRAG  

 

Drag elbow  

I'll bring a broom and a scoop shovel so we can clean up the debris after you drag elbow

 

[Charlesbusa]

(BA BUSA @ Aug. 12 2007,14:53)

(Charlesbusa @ Aug. 12 2007,13

)

(BA BUSA @ Aug. 12 2007,11:23)

(Charlesbusa @ Aug. 12 2007,11:16)

 

Awesome!!  Can't wait to ride with you on Labor Day weekend!!  

You definately should do some training of some sort for your muscles prior to a trackday so you don't run out of steam.  

 I normally hit my favorite canyons often before a trackday to get my legs in shape.

Have you adjusted your suspension?  If you are going fast enough to drag your pegs you should definately have the bike set-up for your weight.

It's a Busa...aren't they built to DRAG  

 

Drag elbow  

I'll bring a broom and a scoop shovel so we can clean up the debris after you drag elbow  

Wachatalkinaboutwillis??

 

[BA BUSA]

If your going to drag "elbow" on a Busa...let me call the paramedics first

 

[Lamb busa]

Can't wait! See you there!

 

[Rocketman]

I'm going to be at the track again on the 24th. I am really debating on whether or not to take a smaller bike out or not. Do you guys all run the Busa on the track or do you ride something lighter?

Get this - I was pulling my knee in - I didn't want to upset my ride by touching the pavement. It is the wildest thing ever on the track because of the extreme proximity to the pavement. (much closer than any canyon ride i've been on.) I have to admit - that I barely shifted - just used the torque of the bike to pull me on to the straights.


What are the numbered signs for going into the curves? I suspect they're break markers - but how do you use them? Just as a gauge or something?

Just when I think I'm an experienced rider - I go and do something like this and am a friggin' beginner all over again. Street riding doesn't even compare... holy cow!

 

[BA BUSA]

The numbered signs going into the turns are the braking markers...they are reference points for you to brake or down shift for the up coming turn.

We have 7 Busa's coming for the track days @ MMP including your's

 

[Lamb busa]

Bring both bikes! double your pleasure double your fun!

 

[BA BUSA]

(Lamb busa @ Aug. 12 2007,22:08) Bring both bikes!  double your pleasure double your fun!

I will

 

[dadofthree]

sounds like fun, you guys have a blast.

 

[BA BUSA]

We will

 

[Rocketman]

Well then I was using them right. I just am not sure how fast to come into those corners. It seems like it takes a lot to get the busa slowed down. so I'm braking way before the numbers. (But I'm a beginner so that's probably the reason.)

Surprisingly, the short track was a lot of work. Man! I'm going to need need tires by then. This last visit - really thrashed my rear tire. I didn't expect to see that at the speeds I was going. But then again - Mooo.... this tub o'lard was really hefty out there. Wifey kept saying, man - that thing's so big and slow. Well it's definitely big, but the slow is the rider baby... sadly.

Can't wait to see you guys!

 

[Charlesbusa]

(BA BUSA @ Aug. 12 2007,22:11)

(Lamb busa @ Aug. 12 2007,22:08) Bring both bikes!  double your pleasure double your fun!

I will  

I'm seconding that

 

[Charlesbusa]

(Rocketman @ Aug. 13 2007,05:44) Well then I was using them right.  I just am not sure how fast to come into those corners.  It seems like it takes a lot to get the busa slowed down.  so I'm braking way before the numbers.  (But I'm a beginner so that's probably the reason.)

Remember where you brake. Then the next time you get to the same corner, brake just a little bit later. Just do a little at a time. You just keep braking later and later until you chicken out or you run a wide into the corner. Then you know exactly where you can brake for the fastest lap time.

The braking markers are probably worth tons for turn1. Approaching the corner at 180mph

you definately need some sort of marker to know when to hit the brakes