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Trackdays...woohoo!
I started doing a few trackdays with the XR during May/June. I'd done quite
a few trackdays before on the VTR but the XR is a completely different kettle
of fish, so going to my first trackday with it at Oulton Park I was nervous
since most other people had at least double the XR's 50bhp. A glance round
all the bikes waiting in the slow group showed that a good portion of them
were either dedicated track bikes or racebikes. However it quickly turned
out that there was no need to worry. Within a few laps I was making overtakes,
either round the outside of people mid-bend or coming out of turns. The XR
changes line mid-corner so easily, like any supermoto, that it was almost
too easy. We had to calm things down a bit later in the morning for fear of
getting too cocky. I did go grasstracking at one point coming out of Cascades,
but unlike with a sportsbike it wasn't a big problem. The XR is a dirt bike
after all so all it took was just to keep the throttle open and point it back
on the tarmac. The highlights of the day for me were grinding the pegs repeatedly
through Old Hall 
and
passing a 996 Ducati round the outside through the new chicane, while he was
knee-down.
There was one guy on a 600 Fazer, who I continually managed to pull alongside
coming out of turns. Just when I thought I'd got him he would wind it on and
bugger off again down the next straight. So hat's off to ya mate! A damn fine
rider if ever I saw one.
The first session of the day and I'm bricking it.
Passing a ZX9R with 50bhp....it shouldn't be possible.
Taken at Lodge, my least favourite part of the circuit. Many crashes there that day.
