Anyone been to a Phillip Island ride day? I am going there Monday week to see what the top speed is (since I missed out on the salt)
They have the following rule:
"Lap timing and recording devices are strictly prohibited. In accordance with our track hire agreement, any riders found utilising such devices may be removed from the event and possibly banned from future events."
How anal are they about the above rule:
Would they make me take my bicycle speedo off? It keeps a track of max and average speed.
Would they allow me to use a cheap GPS for speed readings? (My speedo only goes to 120 and I am expecting to do a lot more)
I gather "recording devices" means no GoPro filming? Or is it any data logging?
I am not going to call them as I am going to assume that lap timing and video recording are what they mean, which I won't be doing Any unofficial advice would be welcome though!
Paul
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DLRA #647
89.664 mph (aiming for 100mph+)
www.vespalabs.org
Phillip Island will be a great place for you to test. It's a looonnng front straight. The no lap timing rule is a Motorcycling Australia requirement for ride days. MA race-practice days have no such requirements, and you can have on-board lap timers, cameras etc.
A speedo fitted to your bike is not a lap timing device, so you shouldn't have any problems with that, it's more cameras fitted to bikes that the don't like. Just make sure that anything fitted to the bike looks like it is meant to be there, they get a bit funny about purpose built race bikes (I believe they won't let you run GP bikes TZ's and the like) Everything needs to be good with your bike, nothing hanging off it tidy! A GPS unit (like the ones the club uses on the GPS track) would be better hidden away somewhere, as the organizers will just assume it's a lap timer.
I have a GPS speedo you can borrow if you like. I reads accurately to 999 mph! It has hook velcro on the back. I'm in Melbourne.
Don't forget to enjoy going around the corners, it would be great to see some sparks coming off the side of the scoot as you wind it on to the front straight. There are two other long sections of the track that you should be able to get your bike wound out on... Have fun.
Yes planning on that - my bike computer is hooked up to the rear wheel - 'tis why I need the GPS to compare wheel spin with actual speed
rgn - thanks for the info, that helps a lot. I just did a test and my GPS can fit in my leg pocket. All I need to know is my speed accurately later, the bike computer will be good enough while riding. The bike computer is hardwired into the scoot so they should not complain about it. It passed inspection at Braodford and until I took the indicators off it was "road legal" and registered
So I have all bases covered
Paul
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DLRA #647
89.664 mph (aiming for 100mph+)
www.vespalabs.org
David Leikvold wrote:You could always emulate Marco Melandri at the 2006 Moto GP!
Wasn't that a magic moment!
I don't know how much circuit racing you have done, but one bit of advice I will offer is not to be worried about what is going on behind you. Anyone who wants to get past you is responsible for doing it in a safe manner. I think that the group you will find yourself in only allows overtaking around the outside. Never change your line or worry about what is going on behind. Cheers,
Ralph
I have done a Broadford track day when I was first testing the engine and the only unique issue was that the big bikes had to break a lot harder and earlier into the corners, so I had to make sure I paced my braking early too if a bunch of bikes passed me so I wasn't running up the back of them. I was in the slowest group and on the corners I was as quick (and probably quicker if I actually tried). Even without trying I passed someone - they got very pissed off
Paul
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DLRA #647
89.664 mph (aiming for 100mph+)
www.vespalabs.org
rgn wrote:I'm now officially Australia's most unpopular poster... Sensational!
The reason the other bikes go past you in braking into those corners is that they leave it later (braking) it's about 10ths.
As i said earlier, stick to your own game... it will serve you well.
You're giving me good advice. The bike I over took got pissed off - I could see he was struggling with corners and already annoyed with himself... then got overtaken by a Vespa
The problem corner was down the straight after they passed me - there is no way I can beat a bike in a straight line! They had to actually brake a lot earlier than me (I'm about 200kg less, short wheel base, etc...). This was the slow group though, in higher level groups it would have been a different story.
I believe Phillip Island has more sweeping corners so I probably won't have the same thing to worry about as much.
Here's the video of Broadford - I'd putt around the corners and then carefully gun it down the straight - this is the first time the engine had been seriously tested.
RGV wrote:Nice video Paul. Those lil wheels must be spinning flat out.
Dave
Actually I think that (guessed 90mph) was flat out at the time - we had bodged a pipe just to get it going and it had a weird power band that dipped at 82.201 mph in 4th but came back a bit after. So it went faster in 3rd! - hmmm - I should have thought about trying 3rd when I was actually doing my timed run on the salt
Powerband is now sorted, gearing should be perfect and Phillip Island will allow me to get out of 3rd
BTW - 100mph+ ~= 2,000 RPM on the wheels - they have done that quite a few times on a dyno already with no sign of issue.
Paul
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DLRA #647
89.664 mph (aiming for 100mph+)
www.vespalabs.org
Just to close off this thread to avoid anyone else making the same mistake...
If you are thinking of going with anything other than a sports bike, ring beforehand. Phillip Island ride days have insurance that defines classes of vehicle outside of Australian legal definition and they don't state this on their website (only ADR approved). I was turned away for being on a "scooter", even though it is an ADR motorcycle (scooter shaped).
Going to Consumer Affairs was useless - they acknowledge that Phillip Island Ride Days are doing false advertising but aren't even going to send them a sternly worded letter to get them to update their website
If anyone else gets stung (i.e. turn up for a ride day on an ADR approved bike, meeting all their stated requirements, and get turned away) give Consumer Affairs a call and quote case number C2013/04/000362 (you might have more luck as a second complaint).
I will have to give Heathcote Park Raceway a go before I start the new engine mods and see how she goes. I don't think I'll get out of 3rd though
Paul
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DLRA #647
89.664 mph (aiming for 100mph+)
www.vespalabs.org
Any unofficial advice would be welcome though!
You're giving me good advice. The bike I over took got pissed off - I could see he was struggling with corners and already annoyed with himself... then got overtaken by a Vespa 
I feel fot ya