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adouglas · July 25th, 2017, 05:45 AM

NYST uptown track notes

Updated after the August 5/6 trip...

Several forum members are regulars here, so please feel free to correct anything you see. ( @DEFY @nickjpass )

Posting for @Ducati999 and @Bigballsofpaint, in hopes that it will facilitate learning the track.

This video shows the markers, cones etc. the way they were when I was there several weeks ago. The guy's lines in places are not those that we were told to use. You'll note some passing that might be a bit sketchy for an intermediate track day... standing other riders up, etc. The angle from the tank cam is the guy in white leathers. The nose cam is footage his buddy shot.

Link to original page on YouTube.

Track map for reference. You'll see in the video that all the corners are clearly marked.

Front straight and turns 1 - 2
You're going uphill, so you can and should carry speed because gravity is helping you. Look for the hangar on the right... I had been rolling off here, and it wound up being way too early. Now I roll off somewhere between the 300 and 400 board. Note: A lot of people go off at turn 1. Don't early apex!!

Look for the brake markers on the right, and the meatball (square sign, red dot) on the left opposite the 200 board. Your last downshift should be about at the meatball, or soon after. Second gear on a literbike, as shown in the video. IIRC I was taking this in third on a 600. Whatever keeps the bike stable. Lots of hero passing goes on here. It can be really chaotic so keep your head screwed on right and hold your line.

There's a cone on the right with a white flag. That's your turn marker.

You're cresting a hill so it's blind. Look for the Turn 1 curbing and apex. Get in fairly tight there.

The next cone and curb you see is turn 2. The guy in the video oversteers here, keeping it in tight. No need to do that. Instead, ignore that apex and look for the exit cone way down on the right (easy to miss, but it's in the video). That's your target. Let the bike run out a bit and head down the short chute to turn 3.

Turn 3 - 4
Turn 3 is a very long double-apex. The TTD coaches told of two ways to go through here... either hit the first apex and let it orbit out so that you wind up near the second (video rider does this), or do a second steering input in the middle. You should try to hit both apexes close. Use an assertive steering input to turn the bike quickly. Enter from about the middle of the track, or maybe a bit left.

The second apex (double cone, and there's a flag stand there too) is one you have to wait to see. The second apex is really Turn 4. 4 as marked on the map is in the middle of the next chute and isn't really a turn.

There's a significant double bump just off that second apex, right where the cone is. Some say you can go inside it, but having seen it at the track walk, you've got less than a foot of pavement to do so.

Exiting this turn feels like you're getting sucked to the outside. Have faith... there's more road there than you think. There's an exit cone on the left for visual reference.

Turns 5 - 6
Set up center-right for this. 5 is really just the crest of the hill. 6 is the real turn, and is another double-apex where the second one doesn't really matter (though you'll probably be tight there anyway). Stay on the gas until the tip-in cone/flag appears over the rise Tip in from just right of the center seam and hit that first apex tight, then let the bike run out just a bit (never past center) and hit the second apex tight also. Note: A lot of people go off here, tipping in at 6.

Turn 7 - WHEELIE HILL.
Look for the meatball sign on the right, at the crest. You should hit the crest near the right curb, as close to straight up as possible. At crest you're heading across the track, but you have plenty of room so no need to steer as you hit the crest. The fastest guys get full air here. Chris probably will. The rest of us just get light. Don't brake or make any inputs while the bike is light.

Turns 8 - 9 - 10 - 11
Opportunity to pass. If you're going to pass someone, do it immediately because it can be tricky through the next few corners. Get it done well before 8.

This is one of those rhythm sections where if you blow the first one, you've blown all of them. The mindset is point-to-point. Aim for those apexes and strafe every one except the last. Don't use big swoopy lines (looking at you, @Ducati999). All they do is make the trip longer and slow you down; you're never really accelerating hard through here.

Let it run out at 11 (another opportunity to pass, going into 12). You'll be curving right, coming over the crest into 12. Look for the flag station at 11; there's a small tree just after it, which is a good marker for roll-off. Pass the tree, wait a second or two and roll off. Brake firmly going into 12 then give it some gas as you go down the hill.

Turn 12
Tip-in cone/white flag is on your left. It's a downhill sweeper. Ignore the curbing/12 sign/apex at the top of the hill. It matters going the other way, but not uptown. Set up center-left and look down and around for the double cone at the end of the turn, which is very late. Prepare for a quick transition to the left. As the bike stands up, it's a perfect opportunity to grab a downshift to 2nd. (On the 600 I've been in third all the way from Turn 1 to here.)

Turns 13 - 14 - 15
Again, the corner marks on the map are misleading. The part of 13 that matters is really the sharp left at the end, setting up for the wiggle. Entry is tricky. It's tight, downhill and blind too. Look through the corner for the double cone and try to get there so you don't go too wide. You'll see the cones across the grass before you can see the curbing itself.

The object is to straighten the funky little 13-14-15 wiggle as much as you can. Again, point-to-point.

15 is the low point on the track. Look for the dark patch to guide you, and the exit cone up the track on the right. I went off track here my first time a couple of years ago because I early-apexed. The exit cone is a great reference to keep you from doing that. Lift your vision.

Turns 16 - 17 - 18
Same deal... point-to-point, straighten it out as much as you can. You're going uphill so stay on the gas hard. 18 is a tight left... hit the apex and have faith. There's a lot of track to run out, BUT it's also the crest of a hill and you can lose it if you're greedy. I've seen people do this. Pick the bike up before you hammer it.

Hope this helps!!

PS: Here's a novice group video of the first follow-the-leader session. This is a better reference for the preferred line according to the instructors. Start watching at 2:47 and stick with it for a lap. The rest is a waste of time. Note: This is from when the track was new... it does not show the cones and curbs the way they are now.

Link to original page on YouTube.

July 25th, 2017, 05:45 AM	#127
adouglas Cat herder Name: Gort Location: A secret lair which, being secret, has an undisclosed location Join Date: May 2009 Motorcycle(s): Aprilia RS660 Posts: A lot. Blog Entries: 6 MOTM - Jul '18, Nov '16, Aug '14, May '13	NYST uptown track notes Updated after the August 5/6 trip... Several forum members are regulars here, so please feel free to correct anything you see. ( @DEFY @nickjpass ) Posting for @Ducati999 and @Bigballsofpaint, in hopes that it will facilitate learning the track. This video shows the markers, cones etc. the way they were when I was there several weeks ago. The guy's lines in places are not those that we were told to use. You'll note some passing that might be a bit sketchy for an intermediate track day... standing other riders up, etc. The angle from the tank cam is the guy in white leathers. The nose cam is footage his buddy shot. Link to original page on YouTube. Track map for reference. You'll see in the video that all the corners are clearly marked. Front straight and turns 1 - 2 You're going uphill, so you can and should carry speed because gravity is helping you. Look for the hangar on the right... I had been rolling off here, and it wound up being way too early. Now I roll off somewhere between the 300 and 400 board. Note: A lot of people go off at turn 1. Don't early apex!! Look for the brake markers on the right, and the meatball (square sign, red dot) on the left opposite the 200 board. Your last downshift should be about at the meatball, or soon after. Second gear on a literbike, as shown in the video. IIRC I was taking this in third on a 600. Whatever keeps the bike stable. Lots of hero passing goes on here. It can be really chaotic so keep your head screwed on right and hold your line. There's a cone on the right with a white flag. That's your turn marker. You're cresting a hill so it's blind. Look for the Turn 1 curbing and apex. Get in fairly tight there. The next cone and curb you see is turn 2. The guy in the video oversteers here, keeping it in tight. No need to do that. Instead, ignore that apex and look for the exit cone way down on the right (easy to miss, but it's in the video). That's your target. Let the bike run out a bit and head down the short chute to turn 3. Turn 3 - 4 Turn 3 is a very long double-apex. The TTD coaches told of two ways to go through here... either hit the first apex and let it orbit out so that you wind up near the second (video rider does this), or do a second steering input in the middle. You should try to hit both apexes close. Use an assertive steering input to turn the bike quickly. Enter from about the middle of the track, or maybe a bit left. The second apex (double cone, and there's a flag stand there too) is one you have to wait to see. The second apex is really Turn 4. 4 as marked on the map is in the middle of the next chute and isn't really a turn. There's a significant double bump just off that second apex, right where the cone is. Some say you can go inside it, but having seen it at the track walk, you've got less than a foot of pavement to do so. Exiting this turn feels like you're getting sucked to the outside. Have faith... there's more road there than you think. There's an exit cone on the left for visual reference. Turns 5 - 6 Set up center-right for this. 5 is really just the crest of the hill. 6 is the real turn, and is another double-apex where the second one doesn't really matter (though you'll probably be tight there anyway). Stay on the gas until the tip-in cone/flag appears over the rise Tip in from just right of the center seam and hit that first apex tight, then let the bike run out just a bit (never past center) and hit the second apex tight also. Note: A lot of people go off here, tipping in at 6. Turn 7 - WHEELIE HILL. Look for the meatball sign on the right, at the crest. You should hit the crest near the right curb, as close to straight up as possible. At crest you're heading across the track, but you have plenty of room so no need to steer as you hit the crest. The fastest guys get full air here. Chris probably will. The rest of us just get light. Don't brake or make any inputs while the bike is light. Turns 8 - 9 - 10 - 11 Opportunity to pass. If you're going to pass someone, do it immediately because it can be tricky through the next few corners. Get it done well before 8. This is one of those rhythm sections where if you blow the first one, you've blown all of them. The mindset is point-to-point. Aim for those apexes and strafe every one except the last. Don't use big swoopy lines (looking at you, @Ducati999). All they do is make the trip longer and slow you down; you're never really accelerating hard through here. Let it run out at 11 (another opportunity to pass, going into 12). You'll be curving right, coming over the crest into 12. Look for the flag station at 11; there's a small tree just after it, which is a good marker for roll-off. Pass the tree, wait a second or two and roll off. Brake firmly going into 12 then give it some gas as you go down the hill. Turn 12 Tip-in cone/white flag is on your left. It's a downhill sweeper. Ignore the curbing/12 sign/apex at the top of the hill. It matters going the other way, but not uptown. Set up center-left and look down and around for the double cone at the end of the turn, which is very late. Prepare for a quick transition to the left. As the bike stands up, it's a perfect opportunity to grab a downshift to 2nd. (On the 600 I've been in third all the way from Turn 1 to here.) Turns 13 - 14 - 15 Again, the corner marks on the map are misleading. The part of 13 that matters is really the sharp left at the end, setting up for the wiggle. Entry is tricky. It's tight, downhill and blind too. Look through the corner for the double cone and try to get there so you don't go too wide. You'll see the cones across the grass before you can see the curbing itself. The object is to straighten the funky little 13-14-15 wiggle as much as you can. Again, point-to-point. 15 is the low point on the track. Look for the dark patch to guide you, and the exit cone up the track on the right. I went off track here my first time a couple of years ago because I early-apexed. The exit cone is a great reference to keep you from doing that. Lift your vision. Turns 16 - 17 - 18 Same deal... point-to-point, straighten it out as much as you can. You're going uphill so stay on the gas hard. 18 is a tight left... hit the apex and have faith. There's a lot of track to run out, BUT it's also the crest of a hill and you can lose it if you're greedy. I've seen people do this. Pick the bike up before you hammer it. Hope this helps!! PS: Here's a novice group video of the first follow-the-leader session. This is a better reference for the preferred line according to the instructors. Start watching at 2:47 and stick with it for a lap. The rest is a waste of time. Note: This is from when the track was new... it does not show the cones and curbs the way they are now. Link to original page on YouTube. __________________________________________________ I am NOT an adrenaline junkie, I'm a skill junkie. - csmith12 Nam et ipsa scientia potestas est. Heri historia. Cras mysterium. Hodie donum est. Carpe diem. Last futzed with by adouglas; August 7th, 2017 at 05:34 AM.