Tracking Towards The Track

W.T.F. am I babbling about now I hear you ask?

 Well, as regular readers would know, both of my kids have been riding motorcycles for the last year or two. I can’t understand why because I certainly didn’t encourage it while they were young…… mountainbiking, yes but not motorcycles. I’d  like to think they are keen on the challenge of using a mode of transport that requires the use and the co-ordinated use of both feet and both hands - both of them seem to be interested in how to do it better, not just how to be “proficient” - and I think they have seen the fun and satisfaction that Steve and I have derived from riding over the years.

Will especially seems to like going fast (as any young bloke does) so I have encouraged him to take that pursuit away from our crowded and run down roads to the track where at least everyone is going the same way. We did another track day about a month ago and Will had a ball. In fact, so did I. 

Adding to the fun factor is the fact that everyone we have come into contact with in the pit area has been super friendly and helpful. Not something that we have encountered in all of our hobbies/pursuits unfortunately.

So, Will has been on the lookout for a dedicated track bike for the last few months. We have looked at a couple but thought they were a bit suspect, having been crashed and to our eyes, bodgily patched up. So when he initially showed me a Triumph Daytona 675R that was advertised with some crash damage, I dismissed it. Not to be deterred, Will phoned the seller and found it was an older gent who was getting out of track riding and so selling all of his track gear with the bike. Even better, he sounded genuine and honest about the bike.

We went to have a look, with a strategy to maybe talk him down on price. Once we looked at the bike, spoke to Ian, the owner, and saw all of the gear he was throwing in, all thought of trying to squeeze him on price evaporated. It was a steal as it was!

So, “we”* are now the owners of a 2014 Daytona 675R with a mere 29 000km on the clock!

It has had a low side but the damage is limited to a scuff of the right fairing panel and the tip of the exhaust pipe. 

The “R” version of the 675 comes standard with Ohlins suspension front and rear plus Brembo brakes. The 2013-onward model 675 is the 3rd generation Daytona and has fixes for earlier model issues like overheating and oil cooler failure, so we are hoping for a trouble free run.

As I said earlier, the previous owner threw in all of his track gear which included tyre warmers, a generator to power said tyre warmers, various extension cords and power boards, GB Racing engine covers, front and rear race stands, a front wheel chock for the trailer, two GoPros with tethered mounts and all of the road gear just in case “we” want to put it back on the road. All up, at least $3000 worth of extras.

We have ordered a set of race bodywork through  Ian Moore Track Toys and will get it decalled up by Hawtt Decals (his wife) who does some amazing work. I have it booked in for a suspension refresh at Ride Dynamics (who did my Tuono suspension refresh) next week. We will need to sort some tyres too as I don’t think either of us are up to doing justice to the Pirelli Corsa SC1 slicks that it is currently fitted with.🤨

It is a sexy looking bike that has the bark to match and Will can’t wait to ride it. In the mean time he can’t wipe the grin off of his face. 

This should be fun……

Cheers.

*Will really - but I’m hoping he will let me ride it.

**Newsflash**- Motorcycle Gets Ridden!!

Yep, you heard it here first folks. After the deluge that was yesterday, today dawned crisp and clear. It was time to get the bike out of the shed and go for a ride. Even if the ride was only about 4 kilometres(2.5mi)!

The reason to gear up for such a short ride was because local bike shop "Team Moto" were putting on a test ride day at the Mt Cotton Driver Training Centre. Being literally a stones throw from my house I couldn't not go. I had no intention of buying a new bike and I had missed out on booking a test ride as well but a work colleague was test riding some of the bikes so I thought it a great chance to nose around the training centre.

Walking in I immediately had a delicious steak sandwich thrust into my hand, with a cursory "would you like that?" thrown in afterward. "Would I??!!" "Heck yeah". I wasn't there to test ride but I could sure help them out by eating their steak sandwiches!

After finishing the food I went in search of Matt, a current Sprint owner. Not seeing him, a quick text informed me that he had been at work until the wee hours and decided to give it a miss today. Well, his loss....and all that!

I swanned over to the rego desk and was informed that "yes, we do have plenty of openings". I saw my chance to test ride a Tiger Explorer 1200. Pity it wasn't the 800 as thats the one I am really interested in, but steak sandwich thieves can't be choosers.

Feeling a bit nervous about it, with my sum total of 4km motorcycle riding for the year, I though I might be a little ..um...rusty.

Sitting astride the beast I felt like I had been plonked on the back of an elephant. It was huuuuge and in a nice shade of blue. I played with the controls etc while some bloke faffed on with some rules for the ride. Something like no overtaking, no speeding!? and blah blah. Luckily I had thought to put my ear plugs in before he began so I wasn't too distracted while playing with their bike. I just nodded vigorously whenever they looked at me....

The second thing I noticed was how light the throttle was. It was too light! I am no arm wrestling, cow puncher but even with my strength I found it very hard to be gentle with the throttle....No,no, I mean it! It was sooo sensitive.

The little road course that is the driver training centre has corners that go on forever. Some are off camber, some tighten up and some open out. All designed to challenge the student. But, it was race track smooth and I was having FUN. 

The Tiger Explorer was just so smooth. And powerful. And easy to tip in. And, would you believe it, awesome to ride! I have always known that a good rider on a dual sport bike can clean up a sports bike rider in the really twisty stuff, but a very small part of me still didn't want to believe it. Today, I knew I was easily faster on this Tiger than I would ever be on my R1 and it seemed effortless. Maybe that is the difference in 10 years development. Maybe it is just a new bike versus one with 29 000km on the clock. The only thing that unsettled me a bit was that I felt no feedback from the bike. It was too smooth! I couldn't feel the tyres working or the suspension suspending or the brakes braking or the engine er..reving. I am sure I could get used to it but the ride was very homogenised. Nothing a pipe and some more riding time to explore limits couldn't fix though.

Your next question is likely to be the one I ask everyone else when they ride a new bike. Especially one that they have an interest in. Do I have "newbike-itis?" Hmmmmm. Tricky question especially as my wife reads my blog and I need to be very careful here. I think I will answer that I need to try the Tiger 800XC (the one with the 21" front wheel) to confirm my medical condition.

Many thanks to Team Moto for putting the day on. There were plenty of smiles in evidence as guys jumped on the fleet of test bikes that were on offer.

Cheers and thanks for checkin' in.