So then Castle Combe report time!

So I managed to get the bike its First annual service yesterday, superb service as always from Sideways motorcycles in Dorset. They fitted Shades old DNA air filter for me and changed all my fluids, tightened up my loose exhaust and arranged to change a few rusty bolts etc under warranty.

Got the bike loaded in the van last night ready with my mates 10 plate repsol blade and 05 cbr600rr, getting good at loading now. ie no bikes were damaged.

Arrived at Castle Combe this morning weather looking ok, bit cloudy but otherwise dry and mild ish. Got signed on and then off to the dreaded noise test. I mnaged to convince them that 3/4 revs on a SD isn't 8000rpm and got through it on my standard pipes at 103db, happy days i thought.........

Or that was until my mates blade failed the noise test at 111db with his baffle IN! other mates bike went through with some cobbled together baffle but my poor mate on his blade had to go home, poor bastard

Anyway down to 2 of us, off to the most boring repetitive briefing ever and then finally on the track at 9.45am

At Castle Combe you're lucky if you get 12-13 minutes per session but the upside is there's only 12 bikes on track at the same time so theres bloody loads of room. Groups are mixed ability but I can hold my own, except with the R1's etc.

So sessions were great, weather warmed up to about 18C and felt really warm. Track was dry, bike was faultless. I ride all year so don't always have full on track rubber but I managed to get a set of the new Metzeler Sportec M5's for this one. These tyres are AWESOME! Not a slide or lack of grip anywhere, super stable in the high speed corners at Combe. All I can say is if you ride road and track buy them. I'm also told they're great in the wet.

Anyway 3rd session of the day and I had an epiphany, came too hot into quarry corner dumped it in and for the first time ever I got my knee down! I have never been so happy! Just to prove it wasn't a fluke I kept on doing it session after session on the same corner.

So all in all had a great day, managed a 1.34 lap using racechrono software on my mobile ( get it, its great ) not bad for only my 8th trackday.

Got home washed about 1000 bugs off the bike. Best of all off to Pembrey on Friday to continue the good work and then the ultimate track Cadwell at the end of the month.

As you can tell I fooking loved today.

If anyones going to Pembrey this Friday the 7th May let me know.

Nice one BLB, once you pop you just can't stop, your knee down cherry that is.

By the time you get to Cadwell you'll probably be a veritable knee down whore.