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Having raced for 7 years I went to the track this morning not expecting much from the GS. I've read and heard the hype about GS's keeping up with sportsbikes on a race track, but I figured yeah right, you musta been comparing the GS with woosie sportsbike riders. There's no way the GS can out-handle a well setup track bike, but I decided to keep an open mind and see how it goes...
There were 4 groups. Group 1 being novice and group 4 the "fast guys". I entered the GS in group 3, the "almost fast" guys so to speak. First session in the morning I went out trying to find myself on the GS. Lotsa traffic in the way and I was overtaking like 5-6 bikes around the outside in some turns. Thought they were gonna blackflag me cause overtaking in corners is not allowed on trackdays. No black flag so i kept going. Towards the end of the session I had a clear track and managed to get my head down for a few laps.
To be honest, compared to well setup race bike the GS handles like shit, but the HUGE diffirence is that the GS is so confidence inspiring. Really. You hurtle into a corner too hot and you think - shit that was easy, next time round I'll try it a bit faster. When i pulled into the pits after heat 1 (sorry session 1), I was thinking Man this thing is a hoot on the track.
2nd session I lined up early in pitlane so I can get a clear track when they let us go. Turns out a few other guys had the same brainwave but I still managed to get out with the 2nd batch. Fuck warming up tires. I just upped and left. After about 3 laps a came up behind 2 guys from the first batch. A '03 R1 and '03 Gixxer 1K. Man were they having fun. Swapping places in every corner. They were so busy with each other they didn't even see me comming. Took them both round the outside in turn 1 - long fast sweeper at the end of the pit straight. That was the highlight of the day for me. I raced cars & bikes on this track plenty - I "own" that corner. Turn 1. Sweet corner. ( www.zwartkops.co.za )
Anyways, I was laughing so loud when I took them around the outside. I checked my mirrors half a lap later and they dropped off so I spent the rest of the session working on my riding and learning the GS. I thought I'd be scraping heads by now but I wasn't. Scraping toes yes, in every fucking corner. But not the heads. I found it difficult to judge my lean angle. I kept thinking of the heads though. Like wings on a plane and I remembered that movie I saw once where the wing clipped the ground and it all went up in smoke.
I was riding on the edge of the tires (front & rear) the whole day, even induced some wheelspin a few times - hee-Haa !! and sliding the front once or twice, but I could not get the heads to deck out. Maybe I'm just a pussy. Anyways, I thoroughly enjoyed myself.
Kinda diffirent ride report from what you guys are used to eh? next track day I'll take my TL, but I'll definately take the GS along also. This thing's been putting smiles on my face ever since I bought it.
Ride safe,
Pierre.
ps - No pics, sorry. They usually have photographers at these trackdays, but for some reason they were not there today. Would've loved some pics of me overtaking that R1 & Gixxer
There were 4 groups. Group 1 being novice and group 4 the "fast guys". I entered the GS in group 3, the "almost fast" guys so to speak. First session in the morning I went out trying to find myself on the GS. Lotsa traffic in the way and I was overtaking like 5-6 bikes around the outside in some turns. Thought they were gonna blackflag me cause overtaking in corners is not allowed on trackdays. No black flag so i kept going. Towards the end of the session I had a clear track and managed to get my head down for a few laps.
To be honest, compared to well setup race bike the GS handles like shit, but the HUGE diffirence is that the GS is so confidence inspiring. Really. You hurtle into a corner too hot and you think - shit that was easy, next time round I'll try it a bit faster. When i pulled into the pits after heat 1 (sorry session 1), I was thinking Man this thing is a hoot on the track.
2nd session I lined up early in pitlane so I can get a clear track when they let us go. Turns out a few other guys had the same brainwave but I still managed to get out with the 2nd batch. Fuck warming up tires. I just upped and left. After about 3 laps a came up behind 2 guys from the first batch. A '03 R1 and '03 Gixxer 1K. Man were they having fun. Swapping places in every corner. They were so busy with each other they didn't even see me comming. Took them both round the outside in turn 1 - long fast sweeper at the end of the pit straight. That was the highlight of the day for me. I raced cars & bikes on this track plenty - I "own" that corner. Turn 1. Sweet corner. ( www.zwartkops.co.za )
Anyways, I was laughing so loud when I took them around the outside. I checked my mirrors half a lap later and they dropped off so I spent the rest of the session working on my riding and learning the GS. I thought I'd be scraping heads by now but I wasn't. Scraping toes yes, in every fucking corner. But not the heads. I found it difficult to judge my lean angle. I kept thinking of the heads though. Like wings on a plane and I remembered that movie I saw once where the wing clipped the ground and it all went up in smoke.
I was riding on the edge of the tires (front & rear) the whole day, even induced some wheelspin a few times - hee-Haa !! and sliding the front once or twice, but I could not get the heads to deck out. Maybe I'm just a pussy. Anyways, I thoroughly enjoyed myself.
Kinda diffirent ride report from what you guys are used to eh? next track day I'll take my TL, but I'll definately take the GS along also. This thing's been putting smiles on my face ever since I bought it.
Ride safe,
Pierre.
ps - No pics, sorry. They usually have photographers at these trackdays, but for some reason they were not there today. Would've loved some pics of me overtaking that R1 & Gixxer
thanks for letting us know.
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