Took a bit of time to reflect on some things and have comeback to earth. I am in this for the long haul and I have had a string of frowns lately, but knowing that there are always PP members and other BMW motorcycle owners out there to help when they can keeps the reality of a BMW up front alive. I know there are alot of other BMW motorcycle owners here that geographically cant make it, but again your PM's and emails are very confidence inspiring. I want to give it my all before its all over and knowing that we are all a part of this before we are all done is a great feeling. So on to the weekend.
I will say that this was gut check time. No need to get into why I was on my own... I rolled inot the hotel in Winchester, VA about 3 am. Up at 6 and at the track by 6:30am. Unloaded and first bike in tech inspection by 7:30. No tire warmers for practice and I was not able to set pressures hot, so that compormises safety and tire life. Cold tearing a new tire is no fun. $$ down the drain when that happens. i hate wasting any time of valuable practice. I know for a fact that I need to go hard into T1 right away to set the tone for the weekend, to myself and the competition. I will stuff the next fastest rider in practice (not ever out to hurt anyone), on the first lap, to let them know Im there all weekend and to reassure them they should be keeping me in the back of their minds. Worth a few tenths per lap, but it adds up! lol
SO I jumped into the Middleweight (600cc) Grand Prix first. From there We had a great launch and ran 3rd for a few laps then a great 4 way battle for 4th till the finish. I would get pulled by at least 10 bikelengths on the front straight, then by T3 back in 6th, T5 outbraking 5th, and T8 to T9 underneath into 4th. It was the most fun i have had in awhile, even though I could not keep my eyes open afterwards. That race ended up in 7th or 8th at the finish and let the 600 guys know Im coming... just need better spring rates from Ohlins.GTLights, hole shot and led by almost 10 bikelengths out of T1. Stand still opening lap was a 1'22.404! Settled into a groove and clicked off 1'19.8's at will. With one lap to go, I ran out of gas. All my fault, I thought I had seen enough fuel in the tank and stopped filling.
Thats where my head was for awhile. I could not think straight after driving almost 6000 miles in 4 back to back weekends. Not having the usual set of hands to help was challenging. Naturally, there were very eager BMW motorcycle owners there and BigScience (Carlos of PP board) anb newbie BMW motorcycle owner of and R11S PeterRR (Pelican Parts board) were just great! I could not have pulled of the wins I had coming that weekend without them.I was not focused at all and just felt heavy and sluggish. I could not complete even half a lap in my head... I then had the Unlimited Supersport race come up. The bike really let me know I was in for something on the 3rd lap. Lost a bit of power and vibration was unreal. Coming onto the front straight out of the fast T10 I could see the white flag waving and I was running 5th in the Unlimited class! The K12R rather nasty noise at 11K rpm and litteraly the connecting rod went striaght through the case (6 to 7 inch hole), and from there peices of motor somehow made it up the triple trees and bouced off my chest a bit, weird. I looked back after pulling my clutch in cause it was the fastest part of the straight, I could see nothing but smoke. I got it off line ASAP and coasted to a stop in the grass and lofted it up along the tire wall. Never seen more smoke other than a forest fire in CA. I just walked over to the corner workers and they gave me a ride back to the pits ASAP. I had a back to back race with the R12S right away. I jumped on the R12S and made a mental note, "nowhere near the throttle control and just get on the GAS!" I went a second and a half faster than the other bike. I won the LW Supersport race, Big Science was "Jonny on the spot" with the post race tech tools necessaary to get the bodywork off and show the airfilter was stock on the R12S.
Sunday was a better day, good sleep and more help. Very ecstatic linig up on the gris in Unlimited SUperbike with the R12S. Priceless the look on their faces, all the litre bike riders. I got a great launch and finished 3rd, yes 3rd on the R12S. LW Superbike, checked out by 15 secondsLw Grand Prix. anotehr win by 15 or so.Then came SuperTwins, Mille's and all kinds of Big Twins. YEs also was Bemisderfer! He is now leading the Tunderbike National class. Was there like me for seat time, we had a rgeat 2 laps then I really made him push and I took the win over a factrory backed Buell. The R12S a good bike and I love the design and power. There are just to many seconds missing wit the the stock spring rates and just needs more track development.
To the Conquest of changing stigmas that have been given by other riders, judging our bikes by their covers! I look very forward to OUR championship, which ever it may be. Barber (outside of Birmingham, AL) is the 6th round of National Thunderbike and I found out it is a Regional Pro weekend also. August 11th/12th as I recall. If youse can make it, I will do my best to make it worth while. Sorry for sounding lame here, still very whooped. I think I will be at Pocono Raceway for a practice July 31st. It is a free Gate fee to get in. Tell them your with TPM (Team Pro Motion) they are renting the track.
Take care,N8! Kern
I will say that this was gut check time. No need to get into why I was on my own... I rolled inot the hotel in Winchester, VA about 3 am. Up at 6 and at the track by 6:30am. Unloaded and first bike in tech inspection by 7:30. No tire warmers for practice and I was not able to set pressures hot, so that compormises safety and tire life. Cold tearing a new tire is no fun. $$ down the drain when that happens. i hate wasting any time of valuable practice. I know for a fact that I need to go hard into T1 right away to set the tone for the weekend, to myself and the competition. I will stuff the next fastest rider in practice (not ever out to hurt anyone), on the first lap, to let them know Im there all weekend and to reassure them they should be keeping me in the back of their minds. Worth a few tenths per lap, but it adds up! lol
SO I jumped into the Middleweight (600cc) Grand Prix first. From there We had a great launch and ran 3rd for a few laps then a great 4 way battle for 4th till the finish. I would get pulled by at least 10 bikelengths on the front straight, then by T3 back in 6th, T5 outbraking 5th, and T8 to T9 underneath into 4th. It was the most fun i have had in awhile, even though I could not keep my eyes open afterwards. That race ended up in 7th or 8th at the finish and let the 600 guys know Im coming... just need better spring rates from Ohlins.GTLights, hole shot and led by almost 10 bikelengths out of T1. Stand still opening lap was a 1'22.404! Settled into a groove and clicked off 1'19.8's at will. With one lap to go, I ran out of gas. All my fault, I thought I had seen enough fuel in the tank and stopped filling.
Thats where my head was for awhile. I could not think straight after driving almost 6000 miles in 4 back to back weekends. Not having the usual set of hands to help was challenging. Naturally, there were very eager BMW motorcycle owners there and BigScience (Carlos of PP board) anb newbie BMW motorcycle owner of and R11S PeterRR (Pelican Parts board) were just great! I could not have pulled of the wins I had coming that weekend without them.I was not focused at all and just felt heavy and sluggish. I could not complete even half a lap in my head... I then had the Unlimited Supersport race come up. The bike really let me know I was in for something on the 3rd lap. Lost a bit of power and vibration was unreal. Coming onto the front straight out of the fast T10 I could see the white flag waving and I was running 5th in the Unlimited class! The K12R rather nasty noise at 11K rpm and litteraly the connecting rod went striaght through the case (6 to 7 inch hole), and from there peices of motor somehow made it up the triple trees and bouced off my chest a bit, weird. I looked back after pulling my clutch in cause it was the fastest part of the straight, I could see nothing but smoke. I got it off line ASAP and coasted to a stop in the grass and lofted it up along the tire wall. Never seen more smoke other than a forest fire in CA. I just walked over to the corner workers and they gave me a ride back to the pits ASAP. I had a back to back race with the R12S right away. I jumped on the R12S and made a mental note, "nowhere near the throttle control and just get on the GAS!" I went a second and a half faster than the other bike. I won the LW Supersport race, Big Science was "Jonny on the spot" with the post race tech tools necessaary to get the bodywork off and show the airfilter was stock on the R12S.
Sunday was a better day, good sleep and more help. Very ecstatic linig up on the gris in Unlimited SUperbike with the R12S. Priceless the look on their faces, all the litre bike riders. I got a great launch and finished 3rd, yes 3rd on the R12S. LW Superbike, checked out by 15 secondsLw Grand Prix. anotehr win by 15 or so.Then came SuperTwins, Mille's and all kinds of Big Twins. YEs also was Bemisderfer! He is now leading the Tunderbike National class. Was there like me for seat time, we had a rgeat 2 laps then I really made him push and I took the win over a factrory backed Buell. The R12S a good bike and I love the design and power. There are just to many seconds missing wit the the stock spring rates and just needs more track development.
To the Conquest of changing stigmas that have been given by other riders, judging our bikes by their covers! I look very forward to OUR championship, which ever it may be. Barber (outside of Birmingham, AL) is the 6th round of National Thunderbike and I found out it is a Regional Pro weekend also. August 11th/12th as I recall. If youse can make it, I will do my best to make it worth while. Sorry for sounding lame here, still very whooped. I think I will be at Pocono Raceway for a practice July 31st. It is a free Gate fee to get in. Tell them your with TPM (Team Pro Motion) they are renting the track.
Take care,N8! Kern
posted by nate_kern at 7:48 AM
2 Comments:
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
hey Kevin good to hear from you buddy! I cant make it, but I hoep to next season! I ahve to race and try and salvage a championship for all of us!
Ride smart!
N8!
Post a Comment
<< Home