View from the pit lane:
Out on track it was little better with sudden rain showers popping up now and then. The track felt pretty green to be honest and corners felt ok on some laps but 'orrible on others.
Trying not to look like a total gopper (and mostly failing):
Not much standing water which is a good indication that the new track was built with good attention to levels and runoff etc. Although for much of the morning there was no real dry-line. Small sections of the lap would dry off and then just wet-down again in the next shower. Not the worst conditions I've ever ridden in but frustrating none the less.
The track here was just a thin sheet of water all the way from one side to the other. Not splashy exactly but wet enough to need a little extra patience in the turns:
Whilst hiding from the rain and letting my boots empty out some, I spotted an R12S in BCR colours leaving the pitlane. It looks great to my eye!
Just before lunch, it stopped raining long enough for the track to dry in time for my run on an S1000RR. the power of that bike is nothing short of intoxicating. It took a minute for me to realise that it was in 'Race' and that this was the reason that I could'nt keep the front end on the floor. One small recalibration of the wrist later (and a bit more climbing on the tank) I was galloping around like I did when I got my first Gixxer. Those were the (dangerous) days.
With the S1000 out of my system, I could get down to the business of running the BCR and finding out if I've been making it better or worse. I came to the conclusion that its improving all the time - as is my ability to get the best out of it:
So far, the bike is moving in the right direction. It really needs the crankcase breather mod (the oil filler cap is lifting with the pressure) and the brakes need sharpening up - not sure how just yet but it'll be sorted before the next one.
Great day from my point of view, even with the rain.
May be an optical illusion I guess?
