Quote:
Originally Posted by Ducati999
Ben,
Great ride! You really looked smooth. Wish I could be out there racing with you. Next season I will do everything I can to make it down to NJMP to ride with you.
Couple of questions about running fast in the rain on rain tires.
1: Looks like you use pretty much the same line as in the dry just with earlier slowing and less corner speed. Did you have to alter your lines from the dry other than just slower = less run out?
2: Do you have to alter your riding style much with rain tires in the wet. Do you hang off more to keep the bike more upright or just slow more before turn in? I know you can either lean or brake or turn but not much combinations of them. Can you brake nearly as hard on rains(with really smooth application) or do you have to slow earlier and brake softer over all?
3: How much more mental effort is each lap vs the dry? I know you are feeling the feed back from the tires but are you an higher alert in the rain or about the same?
Last: How wet did you get inside your leathers? I have done a few wet track days but that is not the same as you don't often follow another bike closely getting sprayed from the tires.
Keep posting your videos and don't be ashamed of showing what those little Kawasaki's are capable of doing!
Ant
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Thank you! I definitely want to ride with you again too, it's always a good time
1. I altered my lines slightly to keep myself straight up and down as much as possible, this meant slower apex speed with a later apex but only by a few feet. I aimed for consistency with this every lap so I could build trust in the tires and conditions. Note in the battle with Quentin (naked bike) he found himself running wide a lot because he was trying to hold speed on entrances rather than exits. My allocation of risk by focusing on hitting my marks every lap was lower with the same pace. Slow in fast out definitely holds true in the rain.
2. I could actually brake really hard (about 80%) and get on the throttle pretty good in the rain, note: 300 = automatic rain mode power delivery. I practiced braking in the rain yesterday and got within 40ft of my normal braking point before the front started slipping under brakes. I still trailed in on the brakes, just way less. The technique is the same just riding with a different degree of application to the controls. Body positioning I actually brought back in a little to stay connected with the bike so i could control rear tire spin and slip which I got a lot of entering the straightaway. To summarize I basically ride my 300 in the rain the same way I ride a superbike in the dry, very slow and gentle with the throttle and brakes while listening to what the bike is telling me and giving it what it wants to maintain grip.
3. Mental effort is on edge while racing to begin with, if anything rain is actually far more relaxed due to the lower pace. Tire slip happens at the limit regardless of grip level, there's more comfort in the dry purely because I have a ton more dry laps than wet laps under my belt. Without rain tires in a downpour I would be in a full on state of panic every corner until I inevitably crashed (rain tires cost less than repairs and are more fun)
Funny story about being wet in leathers, I thought I was dry when I was racing. The moment I pulled off the track my focus left me and I felt the chill through my whole body, every fiber of my being was soaked