Taupo track day April 09

Taupo track day was another stunning clear blue sky day. This was our first participation with kiwitrackdays www.kiwitrackdays.co.nz . The day was divided into only 3 classes slow, medium and fast as opposed to 4 classes with MotoTT. Compared to MotoTT the calibre of riders seem a notch more aggressive and skilled compared to MotoTT, even the fast class were 10 secs faster than the MotoTT group with several posting 1.39 and below on the taupo track, the record for Taupo is 1.32 - so fast fast. Our slow group was not exactly slow and several big and experienced super bikes were churning it up in our mix, apart from the lines marker, I have no idea what they were doing there - compared to MotoTT which did have true novice slow riders, this time most of our scoots really did look quite slow, actually felt slow too (my 120/90 tyre did not help, felt like it would take forever to wind up and never ever had any "go" or enough power to pull a tyre of that size - wont make that mistake again, better suited for the salt flats I think). Kevin Golding still maintained respect amongst the big bikes carving it up, Paul Jones from what I am aware nearly completed a full day, a near achievement until his exhaust let him down, he was certainly second quickest on the day and was happy with his GPS reading of 144kph. Damien's PX was in excellent form and it is quite an achievement when a PX rider can shake off some of those modern autos in the tight stuff on the track. A testimony to Damiens riding skills. In hindsight I miss the small displacement bikes that mixed up with us at MotoTT, the learner riders, the odd GN250 etc.. or Kawasaki 250 which made us look more respectable. Somehow, Saturdays event dominated with very powerful bikes, even in our slow class, just denied us the opportunity for most of us to mix it up. But a very exciting day regardless.