Took the Kat out to Grattan Raceway in Belding, MI yesterday for my first track day. I was very surprised in both myself and the Kat. It handled very well and kept it's composure even when I was flogging it mercilessly. It would lose out on the 3200' front straight (film @ 11) but I could hold my own or reel guys in through the tighter sections. All in all she did very well, took all the abuse I could throw at her and kept coming back for more
Gettin ready for 1st session
A couple pics of me railing a left hander
Getting passed on the HUGE straight I'd enter the straight with the throttle wide open and right at the redline in 3rd (well @ the 10k where I shifted). By the end I was @ 9500-10000 in 6th!!
If you're plannign on tracking your Kat make sure to do two things in prepping the bike. 1) REMOVE THE CENTERSTAND and 2) CLICK THE REAR RIDE HEIGHT TO 7!!! The biggest hindrence to the Kat on the track is it's lack of ground clearance and that will do as much as you can to increase it. I ground about 1/3 of the right peg feeler off and drug the midpipe multiple times. The guys putting on the event (Apex2Apex.net, GREAT people) came over after the 2nd session and helped me adjust the suspension after the control rider behind me saw the sparks flying
Scratches on midpipe
And as for tires, I'm riding Pirellis from now on! The Diablo Stradas stuck like glue and never felt greasy. Sure I got it to slide a time or two but they were very predictable and they gave real good feedback. The Pirelli tire guy at the track and one of the racer/owner/control riders recommended that I run them at 30psi cold and shoot for 32-33 hot. I set them at 30 before the 1st session and after lunch and they were between 32 and 33.5 after each one. They seemed to hold up well too, but you can tell they were excercised a bit I HIGHLY recommend the Diablo Strada's front and rear in the STOCK sizes.
... there will be a few more pics later when the ones from the professional photographer show up. Allegedly he got one with me throwing sparks from the midpipe!!
Gettin ready for 1st session
A couple pics of me railing a left hander
Getting passed on the HUGE straight I'd enter the straight with the throttle wide open and right at the redline in 3rd (well @ the 10k where I shifted). By the end I was @ 9500-10000 in 6th!!
If you're plannign on tracking your Kat make sure to do two things in prepping the bike. 1) REMOVE THE CENTERSTAND and 2) CLICK THE REAR RIDE HEIGHT TO 7!!! The biggest hindrence to the Kat on the track is it's lack of ground clearance and that will do as much as you can to increase it. I ground about 1/3 of the right peg feeler off and drug the midpipe multiple times. The guys putting on the event (Apex2Apex.net, GREAT people) came over after the 2nd session and helped me adjust the suspension after the control rider behind me saw the sparks flying
Scratches on midpipe
And as for tires, I'm riding Pirellis from now on! The Diablo Stradas stuck like glue and never felt greasy. Sure I got it to slide a time or two but they were very predictable and they gave real good feedback. The Pirelli tire guy at the track and one of the racer/owner/control riders recommended that I run them at 30psi cold and shoot for 32-33 hot. I set them at 30 before the 1st session and after lunch and they were between 32 and 33.5 after each one. They seemed to hold up well too, but you can tell they were excercised a bit I HIGHLY recommend the Diablo Strada's front and rear in the STOCK sizes.
... there will be a few more pics later when the ones from the professional photographer show up. Allegedly he got one with me throwing sparks from the midpipe!!
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