Any pointers regarding Barber from a methodical rider on the best way to attack this track?? What kind of lap times might I be looking for as a beginner there?? What kind of lap times do you turn at Barber?? Already watched some video, looks like a lot of blind turns that require you to hit your mark to be set up for the next approaching turn. Especially those blind ones coming up out of an elevation change
By the way I will be riding in Intermediate and this will be my first weekend at this track. Would really like it better if an Intermediate coach took me under his watchful eye and helped me to Advanced but we will see if I have what it takes to even survive intermediate :thumb:
DEFINITELY get a coach for the 1st session. most important: how to safely get off the track (pit in) and get on the track (respecting the blend line). brother, it's HIGHLY unlikely you'll be bumped to A on your first day at barber. there's simply too much to learn. I must say, if the bosses let you, I'd bump down to N for the am sessions. the I group can be intimidating and downright chaotic. good luck.
LOL not looking to get the bump the first day sorry if it sounded that way:amen: that being said I do feel I am a not a slow Intermediate rider that I know of. I understand there is a lot to learn. I Dont usually get to intimidated on the track and not afraid of traffic and ALWAYS respect the blend lines. I will definitely get a coach though for sure. I like to start at the back in the morning and let all the craziness go in front of me. Gives me a chance to get some heat in the tires and scope out a new track. Just thought there would be something to watch for before I hit the event
Forget about getting the bump to A until you have shed some rubber on the track... I would look up youtube video's and study lines; however, it's totally different once you are on track. Be sure you stay smooth and get with an instructor to show you the appropriate lines. Don't worry about lap times either. If you are fast enough, they will bump you, but there are going to be some FAAAASSSTTT riders in A and they like to pass CLOSE... That is not a good combination for a rider in A doing his first weekend at Barber when one may or may not be appropriately ready for that speed.. If you are a fast I rider, then after lunch or when you have a few sessions under you, you should try to go out FIRST in I, that way you are able to concentrate more on the track than the Craziness around you.... You're going to love it!
I will be coaching in Int on Saturday and have a metric asston of laps around Barber. I can help you out.
From an old post of mine that should all still be correct: A quick off the top of my head summary (mid "I" on RC51): Come on track, don't be an idiot, so you stay above the blend line and if the session is running stay in strip two or three (there is three bands of pavement) rolling on after checking for traffic and you naturally push out as the race line comes to you in #3 at the curbing. Look up the hill and aim at the tower and pin it. While some let off at the top you really shouldn't need to. By aiming at the tower you should crest the hill at the curbing (further left you go the transistion gets steeper) in #4. You can almost see #5 when you should be setting up and then on the brakes and down 2 gears. There is a few lines through #5 but the common one is to come to the curbing and carry corner speed around then get on the gas (this also carries you through #6) and down the straight. Despite not seeming like it this next straight is one of the faster places on the track. Catch a down shift and late apex 7 which puts you straight through 7a/b cross the curbing in 7a or next to it depending on suspension setup. Drop into 8 and accelerate out, you can pick it up earlier than you originally think, and drive toward the curb. Catch a shift and drift back right to setup up for the 9/10 chicane. As a new rider you might want to swoop this as two turns, don't. You enter 9 and right at the curb pick it up to go back right for 10 and get on the gas at the curb of 10 and push towards the outside toward that curbing. Catch another shift. Drift right to set up for #11 another blind entry. Catch a downshift and be sure to hit 11 late so you can get into 12 late which drives you up the hill better. As you come out of 12 you will push to the outside of the hill where there is more curbing. As you come down the hill hit the apex in 13 and let your speed push you out to the third strip. Now in 13 you urge will be to push out then dive into 14, don't. Instead drive out earlier and barely angle back in at the end, this sets up a lower angle change into 14a (notice that what I suggest actually is to do a 14 as shown on the track map). Come into 14a late which puts you wide into 15 so you can hit the apex and get better drive onto the front straight. Catch 2 shifts up and then two down into turn #1. After hitting the curbing you can head right to turn two, no need to j-hook it as you cannot carry more into #2 either way. Then in #2 drift slightly out and carry that speed through three eventually rolling on the gas which pushes you to the curb like at the start of this. Two critical tips: 1) there is run off and the traps will stop you so no need to crash 2) the track is that wide so often if you blow a turn you can just run wide and get back in it (check you don't take someone out on the way back in) never even leaving the pavement. So rather that lock it up and skid off just brake then drastically widen the turn. Between those two you can avoid most crashes. Hope that is of some help.
As far as the bump to Adv, like they said, concentrate on learning the track and we will take it from there. Barber is a hard track to learn because almost every corner is blind at some point. Either you are initiating turn-in before you can even see the entrance, or you are accelerating and driving to a spot you cant see yet. if you try to go fast too early, you will find yourself aggravated and really frustrated. I learned that lesson the hard way my first time at Barber.
Great write-up, but especially This ^^^.... The left into turn 11 gets me almost EVERY time... You can't even see the apex curbing until you are already turning in so you will have to adjust slightly MANY times before you nail that turn...
Ill post more when I get to a computer, but you definitely should roll off at the crest at T4. Actually, you should roll off before the crest to check your speed a lil bit, then get back on the gas to take some of the load off the front to smooth out the bumpy crest. JD and I just talked in depth about that section yesterday. You should drive out of T3 and up the hill hard enough that you have to roll off to avoid running wide and off the track after the crest. If you are able to stay on the gas, then you should back up and retrace your approach/lines around T3 and up the hill. You shouldn't be able to keep it pinned, so if you can, it is possible you arent drifting out and squaring up your line in T3 so you can drive hard enough up the hill. That approach to 11/12 isnt ideal. The common mistake is to enter 11 late, then enter 12 late to try to square it up and drive up the hill. But that corner shouldnt be squared off and you shouldnt be driving up the hill. Once you clip the curbing on the left side at T11, don't "hold" the corner and continue to turn so you can square up T12. Instead, straighten up and drive straight down into T12, then your roll speed/momentum will carry you up the hill. Then you focus on driving down the hill into T13. Basically, you dont want to "swoop" so you can square off T12. Just clip the curbing at T11 then stand the bike up (in a race lap, I have to go to the brakes between 11 and 12) and straight-line it into T12. It is easier to explain in person. Or even better, I can show you on the track.
Thanks, and that was VERY light on detail on 11. I typically turn it in before I even see 11 but then I have gotten a bit faster since then. The big thing is to hit it late and then you can get into 12 and up the hill better. Come into eleven low and fast and you are headed to grass... or so another sheep told me I generally turn at the start of the curbing on the outside at which time you are just starting to see the turn. Oh and 11 is a lot faster than most think it is one of my favorite turns after 5 as there is a lot of passing opportunities through there limited only by manners :sorry:
I let off now vs then in 4 but I thought I was getting old and wimpy not faster. I might have to follow you through 11 one day to watch. On the GSXR I have slightly different lines as I can transistion faster than on the RC, still getting used to it. Now if I could also trim some size off of me
Yeah everybody rolls off at/before the crest. It isnt a full let-off, more like just "breathing" the throttle. Maybe letting off 10-20% or so. If you dont have to roll off and can still make the turn after the crest, then something wasnt right through/out of T3.
The line for 11/12 is kinda hard to explain online. But the entrance to T12 is sorta like the entrance to the right hander in the high speed chicane after the Museum in that dont be surprised if you find yourself having to go to the brakes to make T12. In that high speed chicane after the museum, I pass the curbing on the left still on the gas, then go to brakes hard in that little space in the middle of the chicane, then trail off the brakes as I tip in for the right hander.