I like it too, but it will be well in future before I can consider one 🙂

Why don't you want to post the pictures Des?Just highlight and copy the web address from the image you like, hit the photo button above (second from left, bottom row) and past the link in!  Sweet, another string to your bow!You know, teach a man to fish and all that...Dave

Excellent, how exciting!Yep. My best tip is to take your mirrors off.  At the track I used to go to in Brisbane, it was a requirement, but they don't make you do it here for some reason. (Have a look at my avatar.  No mirrors on my bike or the Monster)  If you leave them on, it's a distraction you don't need.  The rule at the racetrack is "He who has the lead, has the line". So if you are about to be passed by another rider, he must let you stay on your line and pass only when it's' safe.  Typically, that means you can't undercut someone (pass on the inside of their corner).New riders to the track worry that they will slow the others down, and will often move aside if someone is coming up on them.  This is unsafe because it means that they aren't holding their line, doing something unpredictable which could cause a collision.  You should actually be wary of the guys you pass who leave their mirrors ON.  They may see your approach and move unexpectedly.Yes, it's scary when someone passes you and you didn't know they were there.  You get used to it.  Hell, you should be used to it from the club rides!!Have fun!Dave

I hope your bike doesn't hit 246 down the back straight at Puke, I'd be really pissed.  I can't believe the F800 will go that fast.  I paid a lot of money to make sure my bike is way faster!!  Seriously though, even though it's 900m long, it's pretty short at those speeds.  I do my lap timing with my little handheld GPS.  I put it under the seat and save the recorded track for each session.  When I get back, I download the data to the computer and use mapping software (Memory-Map or OziExplorer) to generate different graphs of speed, time, elevation or position.  I get the lap times by picking the elapsed time off the same point on the track at each lap.The picture below is of a session at the new Taupo track.  Note the map underlay is out of date, it has the old track.  I have have picked a point at the hairpin at the end of the pit striaght (see the corresponding dot on the track).If you use Firefox, right-click and select "view image" for full resolution.  Internet Explorer users will have to squintThe above image is a better graphical representation of position on the track, but the image below is the same GPS track with more information presented.  You get pretty much every bit of info about every point it picks up.Fun stuff.  (If you're a geek!)Dave

Wow Des, you won't have any questions left for your instructors!I would go with the stiffer wall for any performance-oriented applications.  You can control the stiffness to a little degree by varying the air pressures.  For instance, stock pressure on my front tyre is 38psi, but at the track I run 32-33.  And before you ask me what you should run, I would just say start stock and reduce it a little if it's too twitchy.  Experimenting is what it's all about.  You won't be running at 10/10ths on the first day, so take it easy, develop your confidence, and observe the bike's behaviour at 8/10ths.And I'm sorry man, but a quick Google of F800's yields a top speed of around 215-220.  You might have different information though from the Albanian F800 forum.  Just make sure they're using the same metric system!