Video of yesterday's Twins GTU battle at Miller (ending in tears)

[bwhip]

Finally got the chance to roadrace the new and improved SXV550 at Miller Motorsports Park in Utah yesterday. As you'll see in the video, it was one of my most fun, competitive races ever (except for the ending ).

We got the SXV working (just a fuse, apparently - but not one in the fuse box where we'd checked last round). It ran great in practice. Still, I really didn't think I had any chance of being competitive on the fast, flowing West track compared to the tighter, more technical East. My advantage on that bike is under braking, and corner speed. But, it's so much darn fun to ride that I figured I'd have fun trying either way.

I was in the second row of the Twins GTU grid (we were in a double grid behind the Amateur GTU class). Both classes started at once, as you'll see in the video, and it didn't take us long to get up into that group.

Ultimately, it became a pretty epic battle of me on the "dirt bike," my pal Todd Seaver on his SV650, another friend Scott Ferguson on his Buell, and there was a very fast kid chasing us on a 125 two-stroke. The kid was accepted last year into the Red Bull Rookies Cup before they canceled it. We were all battling for second place (winner Shane Turpin is WAY faster than us on his cool Bimota).

It's a pretty big video, just a little bit over the 10 min limit for YouTube. You'll need to right-click and "save as" before watching, otherwise you won't see what happens to me in the white flag lap, with just four turns to go...

http://www.latebraker.com/vids/TwinsGTU.wmv

[dessy]

Nice vid, thanks for sharing.

Did you lose the front briefly at 10.34? Peg digging in? Also sounds like you might have been running one gear higher in that corner when you crashed? I could well be wrong though.

[darkside]

That was a great vid. you were dicing it up pretty good.
How did you have the camera mounted. It was a pretty good angle.

[bwhip]

Originally Posted by dessy

Nice vid, thanks for sharing.

Did you lose the front briefly at 10.34? Peg digging in? Also sounds like you might have been running one gear higher in that corner when you crashed? I could well be wrong though.

Thanks. I was sliding here and there a good bit, but definitely consciously pushing it to the limit. Very easy to do on these bikes, and generally very easy to save - but that last one just went too far, too fast.

I took a little tighter line into the last corner, trying to block a potential pass (turns out I'd gapped them a little, so didn't need to), so that just put more pressure on the front tire than it could deal with.

Originally Posted by darkside

That was a great vid. you were dicing it up pretty good.
How did you have the camera mounted. It was a pretty good angle.

Thanks. The camera was mounted to the handguard just below the front brake lever.

[cyborg]

That camera gave pretty good video. What kind is it? Seems like the SM Ape would be at a disadvantage on such a big open track and would not have the top end the tucked-in bikes do, but sure looked like fun!

[Kuneff]

I can't get the video to play... any chance of hosting it on photobucket or youtube and posting the link??? for some reason its not agreeing with my mac

[kimzx1000r]

it was going so good! Nice vid. Get'em next time!

[HKB3]

nice work....what are you using for tires?

So I guess I should be ok riding the track with SV650s ect on a tighter(then miller) track with my 550
here is a map of the track I plan on running


I have done this track a few times on my R1 & you never get out of 3rd gear, most of the time in 2nd gear

[bwhip]

Originally Posted by cyborg

That camera gave pretty good video. What kind is it? Seems like the SM Ape would be at a disadvantage on such a big open track and would not have the top end the tucked-in bikes do, but sure looked like fun!

Thanks very much. The video is actually DVD quality, but was reduced in this case for internet downloads. The camera is a Viosport POV.1. I did a review here:
http://www.motorcycleaddicts.org/tec...am-system.html

[bwhip]

Originally Posted by HKB3

nice work....what are you using for tires?

So I guess I should be ok riding the track with SV650s ect on a tighter(then miller) track with my 550...

I was on the new Michelin Power One tires, in the "B" compound. They're incredibly good, I just asked a little too much in that last turn.

That track looks like fun! On a properly set up SXV, you should do VERY well.

[bwhip]

Originally Posted by Kuneff

I can't get the video to play... any chance of hosting it on photobucket or youtube and posting the link??? for some reason its not agreeing with my mac

It's a little too long for YouTube's 10 minute limit, but here's a QuickTime version for you to download:
http://www.latebraker.com/vids/TwinsGTU.mov

[Kuneff]

^Thanks man. Great Video. It looked like you ran a little wide in some of the turns. Was the bike sliding wide? I am kinda wondering why your bike was sliding out on you in the turns? Were track temps too hot for your tire compound? To hard of a compound for such a light bike? I am wondering because I am taking my SXV 5.5 to a track day June 21st. I am planning to put my Bridgestone BT002's on it. soft front, medium rear.

[bwhip]

Originally Posted by Kuneff

^Thanks man. Great Video. It looked like you ran a little wide in some of the turns. Was the bike sliding wide? I am kinda wondering why your bike was sliding out on you in the turns? Were track temps too hot for your tire compound? To hard of a compound for such a light bike? I am wondering because I am taking my SXV 5.5 to a track day June 21st. I am planning to put my Bridgestone BT002's on it. soft front, medium rear.

Most of the reason I ran wide in a few was because of really needing to be so late on the brakes to block pass my way in front of those guys on the faster bikes. I wasn't really sliding that much. The camera being on the handlebars (as opposed to the bodywork) also probably makes it appear that way more than it really was).

[dexta]

Originally Posted by Kuneff

I can't get the video to play... any chance of hosting it on photobucket or youtube and posting the link??? for some reason its not agreeing with my mac

The video uses the Windows Media Video/Audio 9 Standard and can be played on a Mac if you install these 2 different and FREE component packages for you browser and QuickTime Player.

Flip4Mac + Perian

http://dynamic.telestream.net/downlo...lip4macwmv.htm
http://perian.org/

You can also download the movie file and use the brilliant VLC player.

http://www.videolan.org

...

[bwhip]

YouTube version:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DyTqmjUU738