Autopolis

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Autopolis is a permanent racing circuit at Kamitsue near Hita in Oita Prefecture, about 30 kilometres north-east of Kumamoto. Wikipedia lists Kawasaki Motors as the owner since 2005 and Autopolis Co., Ltd. as the operating company; the circuit opened in November 1990 to a design by Yoshitoshi Sakurai, at a stated construction cost of 47 billion yen. The full lap measures 4.673 kilometres with 19 turns, and a shorter Main Circuit of 3.022 kilometres with 12 turns exists alongside it. Start and finish sit at 820 metres above sea level and the lap covers over 50 metres of elevation change. Super GT has raced here since 2003, Super Formula since 2006, Super Taikyu since 2012 and the MFJ Superbike series since 2002. For sports riding the operator's member pages require an Autopolis course licence: a session runs 30 minutes with 23 minutes of actual track time and costs 3,200 yen on weekdays and 4,200 yen at weekends and on holidays for two wheels. No advance booking is needed, you sign up at reception on the day, and a GPS transponder is now mandatory. Our own record holds asphalt plus the traits fast and technical. The documented topography backs that up: the lap drops away at the start and climbs again towards the end, and at 820 metres the air is thin enough to cost power. More than 50 metres of elevation per lap means wheel load keeps moving at speed, and that shows up in fast sweepers as a vague, restless feel. Top of our cause list is this: ride-height and sag balance is off, so the bike feels vague at speed - set sag first.