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Old June 1st, 2018, 09:07 AM   #61
adouglas
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Name: Gort
Location: A secret lair which, being secret, has an undisclosed location
Join Date: May 2009

Motorcycle(s): Aprilia RS660

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MOTM - Jul '18, Nov '16, Aug '14, May '13
REMLAP impressions - Palmer clockwise

Great weekend at Palmer, running it backwards for the first time. I had my frustrations due to uncooperative weather, but that's another story.

Consensus is to use the same turn numbers going backwards.



Overall: This direction has more of the lap climbing, which breeds confidence. I prefer NYST downtown too, for the same reason.

I like the flow this way. Fewer places where you have to make blind-faith commitments.

Straight: Just as with the normal direction the straight has a steep climb at the end of it, only this way it's more pronounced and noticeable. Very little if any braking needed; depends on your speed. On my 600 I bang two quick downshifts at the end of pit out where the track starts to climb, then a third before tipping in for the chicane. Tip-in is from the centerline or a bit to the right of it, and you're looking to straight-line the chicane as much as possible.

Chicane, Turns 13 and 12: This direction the chicane is easier to get right because you can see the second half. The other way it's blind. Clip the apex at the end of the curbing on the right and drive straight to the cone on the left at Turn 12. Placement makes a big difference here... the tighter your line is, the better. Turn 12 is where the track stops climbing.

Turn 11: The regular direction this is a super-late-apex decreasing radius carousel. A real neck-stretcher looking for the cone. This way it's the reverse... long, long increasing radius. Come in close as you flop over after Turn 12 and get on the gas not too hard, letting the bike orbit out to the center line as you look for the late apex cone. There's a bump in this turn about halfway around that you might find. Lots of lean angle here... look for your knee to touch. When you see the apex cone, go for it. Start standing the bike up and roll on the gas harder.

Turn 10: There's new curbing here. Great sight picture... as you spot the cone for 11 you can also see the cone for 10. Straight-line this as much as possible, hard on the gas. Let the bike come out to the right edge of the track for the blast down to 9, but leave room for people to pass. There's another bump right about at the apex of 10.

Turn 9: A lot of people over-slow coming into this turn. Coming off the straight from 10 brakes are in order, but not that hard because the turn climbs and will scrub speed. Enter right of center and bring it in ever-tighter as you go around to skim the apex cone. As with a number of turns on this track, you can't see the apex until you're already in the turn. This corner is very steeply cambered and climbing, and you can really feel it. Very confidence-inspiring and you can drive hard through it. Once you see the apex, look for the exit cone on the right, up the hill. Don't over-turn... a lot of people do so.

Turn 8: Very high speed right-hand kink. Coming out of 9 let the the bike go to the right, then come back to or just over the centerline to set up for 8. When you see the cone, go for it. Stay on the gas.

Turn 7: A number of lines through here. Consensus by the end of the weekend was that it's good as a double-apex, like the bridge turn at Thompson. The other place where you're highly likely to drag knee.

Enter left of center. You don't need to strafe the first apex that tight, but you are apexing there. Let the bike move out to the centerline partway through as you look for the second apex cone and strafe that one so you're over on the right for 6.

Avoid over-slowing for 7... people crashed here because they went in too slow and the super-steep hill killed their speed. With gravity favoring the rear, they tried to make up for it with aggressive throttle and lost the front. This is a place where you should carry speed even though it's scary. The hill WILL slow you down. Light braking before tip-in is all you need. Be careful with the throttle but definitely roll it on to drive up the hill.

Turn 6: There's new curbing here. You're cresting the hill and the corner is slightly blind. You should be over on the right coming out of 7. The picture you're looking for is the curbing and flag stand lining up. A second later you'll see the cone... go for it. Be aware that the right edge of the track is going to come up fast, but let your bike go wide to avoid losing momentum; a lot of people over-turn to get on the comfortable left side of the track. Stay on the gas up to the crest of the hill.

Turns 5 and 4 (esses): TTD puts cones out to funnel you to the left prior to 5. These corners are single-file, so don't get heroic. You're diving steeply here and looking directly at a rock wall on the way in so there's a real tendency to over-slow. A lot of riders just plain park it here. Yes you do brake but not that hard.

For Turn 5 keep it in tight to the curbing. A lot of people go too wide through 5, which means they make 4 a longer turn than it needs to be. You want to keep it over to the right so you can set Turn 4 up for quicker turn and a late apex. Maintenance throttle, with maybe a goose between the turns to help the bike transition.

Turn 4 looks super-narrow (it isn't) and it's a very steep downhill. The later you can apex this, the better, so you can stand the bike up and get on the power. The right edge of the track comes up very fast on the way out.

Turn 3: Fast right kink. Get on the power hard coming down the hill and clip the apex. You'll be on the right coming out of 4 and there's no need to sweep left.

Turn 2: Low point on the track. TTD puts cones up the left side starting from just before 2 up past pit-in. Coming out of 3, drift out all the way to the left edge (leave room for passers) and tip in just before the cones start. This is another spot where bike placement matters. If you're even a couple of feet too far to the right, you can't see the Turn 2 apex. If you get it right, you'll see the cone at the same moment you tip in. Get in tight there and drive up the hill hard.

Turn 1: Coming out of 2 you'll have a lot of cones to look at. There's a line going up on the left and as you go up the hill you'll see the cones marking pit-in on the right. There's also an single marker cone on the left at the crest of the hill. The visual impression is that the track is super-narrow. Have faith... drive for that exit cone, staying close to the pit-in cones.

This is the ultimate exit corner... quick turn and drive hard. Going up the hill as you pass the marker cone on the left, you'll see some extra pavement all the way over on the left edge of the track. Go there... it's where your tip-in point is. A lot of people are too far to the right here, and turn in too early. Tip in AT the X on the pavement or even a bit after. Find a reference point in the woods ahead to cue you. You're looking to get as close to the wall on the right as you dare.

Immediately after tipping in you'll see the apex cone, which is sitting on top of the wall on your right. The front straight will also open up before you. On the left are the braking markers for the normal direction... aim for the second-to-last one, which is where the "straight" has a bit of an apex. You've got a hill to help you here, so take advantage of it. Grab an short-shift up as you drive down and accelerate hard. Stay in the middle of the straight to allow for people to pass as you head back up to the chicane.
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Last futzed with by adouglas; June 2nd, 2018 at 05:42 AM.
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