Track Day Damus MC22 First track day #crashed in 3 laps. +Video

Okay I am kind of heart broken at the moment so I am just going to state the facts.
No I am no injured, I am at 100% health. Actually as I was crashing I did not accept my fate and was still trying to recover the bike up while sliding on my ass, then I bounced away on my head and such spinning off into the distance at probably some absurd speed. Instantly get up run to my bike still not accepting my fate trying to continue my lap like a mad man...

Time line
6am -arrive at eastern creek
9am -get on track for first session

lap 1 -forced slow lap no over takes allowed with instructor waving us past to do as we please after that lap
lap 2 -battle my way to the front of the pack
**foot note** (there where about 15 bikes mostly 1000's)
lap 3 -get a lap time of 2:17, get my knee down for the first time ever, foot pegs scraping against ground often
**foot note** (the foot pegs constantly scraping creating fire works show behind me did concern me, however being that it was never explain I was unsure if this was normal or not)
lap 4 -foot peg was a modified raised footpeg, as it grinded on the ground during turn 2, the rear set failed and the raised foot peg rotated 180deg and lifted the rear wheel off the ground which resulted in my instant low side.

Honestly I cried, I cried because I had failed, I was alone, I couldnt get my bike home, no one cared.
Except 1 old man who said he lived 5mins away and watching on the roof regularly (he didn't speak good English).
He said to me "Ahh I found you, when I saw you ride I was like "this guy is going to crash" it was not your fault I was sparks and rear wheel lift, but for a first timer your a maniac. Sell this bike, get a 600, much better suit for you. I see a number plate so you road here im guessing, if you want to leave the bike at mine if you cant get it home your welcome to"
I was too crushed, I didn't want to speak with anyone, but I thanked him and said I can't talk about this right now. 1 year of mechanics to crash in 2 laps without a chance to learn the lines was just too heartbreaking.



The end.

 

Honestly to all of you, from the bottom of my heart thank you.

As you can imagine the last few days were hard for me, but today I finally had the courage to go down and get the bike running again and check out the damage.

The damage isn't really that bad at all, the bike will be fixed and it will see another track day! And I will continue to fight for my 1:46 lap time even though 2:17 seems so far off!!!

Looking back I have no regrets, it was good for me and a step in the right direction that the accident had happened. I can say whole heartedly that I lack the practical skills to get the bike around the track fast and trying to over compensate those lack of skills by riding at ten tenths was no substitute for practise.

To walk away from a crash like that where I probably entered the corner at 150+ and walk away with such minimal damage and no injury was a god send and I am grateful my only losses where a few hundred $.
Again @kiffsta and @maelstrom have looked after me like family and I have been humbled by this experience.

I have had to ask my self over and over if I actually want to continue to do this.
The truth is that it is expensive, there is no rewards and no one is really going to care or pat me on the back and say well done at the end of the day. But I thought about life if I threw in the towel and I worked out that my passion for this comes from the fact that it is challenging, I like testing if I am capable of doing things that are hard and that is enough of a reason for me.

Now that I realise I am not Rossi and that this isn't a fairy tale staring me, my attitude has changed and perhaps I might actually start listening to people a bit better instead of thinking that I am god on 2 wheels.
Next time I go I will focus much more on line and trying to get the bike around the track safely and try to have a bit more fun instead of aggressively trying to prove that I am something I am not.

The oem pegs will be going back on and I will try seek advice on cornering more safely.
However I will say that I am not at all scared to keep trying to find my limits and the limits of the bike and I am sure I will crash again eventually, I can say I will be much better prepared next time and that it wont be such a big deal.
In short I have squared my shoulders for the task ahead and will try to help others in anyway I can who shares the same love for riding because at the end of the day friendship, safety and fun is more important than ego's and being the best. The adventure continues.