dandywarhol wrote:I re-read your post again Ian re. closed throttle cornering - I misunderstood what you were saying, I thought you were running past the apex on closed throttle
No, just carrying enough speed to the apex from releasing the brakes without having to get back on the throttle before I have reached the apex.
My technique (albeit on less powerfull bikes) is to slightly trail brake into the corner (unless it's an adverse camber corner, like on some road circuits) letting the camber help the tyre dig in then as the brake is released,
Bill does that on his R1, and thats what crafar says to do also, not right into the apex but initiate the turn whilst the brakes are on to 'steal some yards' his whole concept is making the straights longer.
I apply pretty much full throttle immediately just before the apex. Having said that, no corner is the same so the technique varies slightly.
Jesus I wouldn't dare go straight to full throttle! even on the trx I try to feed it in progressively. On the blade I think I would be put in a low earth orbit. I do have the traction control helping me out but I still like to have some manual control of the throttle. do you not push the nose of the bike wide on a full throttle?
One crafars big points on a litre bike is not to get on the throttle too early, apparently its quicker to have the bike on enough throttle to maintain the speed through the apex, turn it as tight as possible, as quick as possible, sit it up and get on the gas. it seemed to work.
This is Sunny out:
If you note the track position, bill has applied the throttle earlier and is carrying more lean angle than me, and I am already picking the bike up and will get on full throttle earlier. thats the theory anyway!
The last two sessions on that last track day were on an Aprilia Tuono Gen2 on Michelin Pilot4s.
Road pilot 4s?
Within a couple of laps I had developed a different style - the braking power of the radial Brembos on wavy discs was phenomenal and although the 'bars waggled a bit, I could trail brake much harder before gently feeding in the power, again just before the apex. One advantage of trail braking is that the steering geometry steepens under braking and turn in is quicker. Next time try cornering with the clutch disengaged and no front brake - weird feeling!
I got a false neutral on the mille at island bend oulton park, same next effect - brown undercrackers and some grass tracking
After around 12 laps the rear tyre was sliding out of the turns and I wasn't happy with that - nor would the bike owner if he was watching so I pulled in!! The front felt completely planted though. Looking at the tyres when I came in showed a different story - the front was in a bit of a mess while the rear seemed fine. The Michelin techniciams found the pressure to be at 42psi hot, so they lowered it to 30 (hot) and asked for some feedback. By lap 12 the rear was starting to slide a little but less than the previous session. The chart Michelin supplied on the day gave pressures of 18 psi cold for their track tyres!
The 4 year old Pilots on the wee SZR worked perfectly all day
42psi is huge! I run 27psi hot at the rear and 30psi hot in the front with the supercorsas.
PS That Fireplace is going some at the fast bits - hadn't realised Croft was so fast. I was there helping a friend with his Bultaco 200 at a CRMC meeting earlier in the year and had a walk round - nice track
the bike is geared down a little so you can knock 10mph off the top of those times, but its still shifting.
Looks like you were having a lot of fun at knock hill! Awesome stuff - you looked very consistent lap on lap. I am reasonably consistent compared to the people I ride with, but theres generally a variate of up to 2.5 to 3 seconds lap on lap!
Daren't have done it with the Tuono 
Just wished I'd put the camera on the T's handlebars - it was certainly the fastest I'd ever got round Knockhill!
Then Ol' Stavros Parrish caught glimpse of him in the Yam Tracer mirrors and they cleared off for a bit!