Mille R - Track Day
Cut consistent 1:53's at Eastern Creek yesterday. Best time of 1:52.8. Bettered my buddy on his SPS by average 4 seconds a lap!!! Admittedly his rear tyre was going off, and his rear spring was the weaker Ohlins 6 pound unit. Even so - I was limited to 7,500rpm (still running in) - so was severely disadvantaged in the power stakes. Once I can access higher revs -
I expect to cut 1:48 lap times. Anything under 2 minutes is considered fast for a road/race bike with street tyres at this track.
The Pirellis were magic - almost no slides, no front end push, just the occasional squirm when the slipper clutch re-engaged on the frantic down changes for the 2 hairpins. They do take a while to warm up though - and will feel very odd before reaching optimal temperature. Once hot - they're awesomely sticky and don't seem to ever overheat. Wear is not too savage. Using the 180 rear all the way to the edges, and then some.
The Mille RSV R asked to be hurled into turns very agressively. There was a slight step in the neutrality of the lean - whereby when you thought you were cranked, knee slider grinding into oblivion, throttle nailed, Ti can bellowing, and you needed to tighten your line to avoid going too wide on exit - you could actually dig it a few degrees deeper again. Amazed the hell out of me how happy it was to get such a big angle of lean, without any sign of traction loss at either end.
Turn 1 - 190 km/h sweeper - suits the R beautifully. In fact I suspect I could do 210km/h through there if I just had the balls for it. Fully cranked at close to 200 - knee on the deck (and almost your elbow!) laying flat on the tank - nailing it in 6th - is one of life's sweeter rushes.
I noticed that my mate Dave on the SPS had much tighter corner exits - the Mille R running wider than I expected. I suspect that as I dial in the power - the rear is squatting - the forks extending - and thus the bike runs wide. The solution is simply to increase preload at the rear (or use a heavier spring), and dial in some more compression damping in the rear. Turns out the tool kit doesn't have a C spanner for the Ohlins rear unit! So couldn't bump up the preload! Didn't matter too much though - still had a blast all day long >;-))
A downhill right hander showed that the forks compress a little too quickly too for track use - although it had a side benefit of quickening the steering and making a tighter line, early and mid-corner.
Toward the end of the day I really wanted to start fiddling with the suspension - as I was using close to most of the bike's performance potential at that set-up. But that fiddling can wait till next track day.
In summation - the RSV Mille R is a great track tool - very very confidence inspiring, and above all - the most fun you can have with your pants on. Ducatis were a dime a dozen out at the track - and the RSV R ate all the 996 stradas for breakfast, and was only bettered by one SPS, ridden by an ex-racer.
So be inspired. Be very inspired. The RSV R shines like a diamond on the track - and it looks and sounds dead sexy too! Wailing down the straight is a nice symphony change from the droan of the usual Termignonis.
Now where can I buy knee sliders in bulk?
- Finners
March 2000
(Reproduced with permission of the author)