Beginner Track Day

Hi All

Can anyone recommend the best way to learn the basics of racing, or maybe more accurately, proper cornering etc that allows me to be a quicker and safer rider?

You seem to be asking several different things. Are you specifically shopping how to go quicker on a track? As these skills are quite different to going quickly on a road.

On track you can do coaching with people like California Superbike school. Not done it myself but others here have and recommend it.

On the road something like IAM will make you faster and safer

Hi Boris,

I guess what I mean is that I have no real desire to go ā€œfasterā€ on the road, but I want to actually learn besides doing it myself, on how to ride a motorcycle better not in terms of reading traffic etc etc but pure control, which even if I dont want to race or ride fast on roads, is very good for safety and all round satisfaction. Like all round understanding on physics and counter steering etc etc. I once browsed the book ā€œtwist of the wristā€ and thats the sort of thing I want.

Track days are good for concentrating on pure bike control but I can remember being a newbie on my first one and being so petrified that I hardly learned anything. I donā€™t know if this is everyoneā€™s experience but I only started to relax and enjoy them after doing several over a number of years. In fact the one I enjoyed most was the one I took the bike to in the back of my van - knowing I had a van to cart the bits home in allowed me to relax and enjoy it more (no, I didnā€™t bin it).

It was only after doing several that I understood different track days have different dynamics. Some will be full of speed heroes and they are very intimidating, others will have a more broad section of abilities. Iā€™ve never signed up for one-to-one coaching because Iā€™ve never had the funds but Iā€™d imagine you would get a good result from being honest with a coach about what you want to achieve.

A lot of the California Superbike coaching is based on Keith Codeā€™s book Twist of a Wrist. It must be written over twenty years ago but the fundamentals are the same and worth reading https://www.amazon.co.uk/Twist-Wrist-Motorcycle-Racers-Handbook/dp/0965045013/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1FS01UY342KME&keywords=twist+of+the+wrist&qid=1565687150&s=gateway&sprefix=twist+of+the+%2Caps%2C153&sr=8-1

Road craft is another - although related - thing. The two work hand in hand. If you are uncomfortable tilting your bike into a curve you wonā€™t be able to concentrate on taking the right line for safety. Conversely, if you are putting all of concentration into bike control you will end up stuffing it into something you should have seen and avoided. So I would recommend a BikeSafe day, or similar, as well.

if you can get to one, look at doing a Kent Fire and Rescue day. Covers alot of areas, including road craft, positioning etc etc. You get 2 goes out on the track with many other who have never been on track or looking to gain experience on their bikes.

I did one a couple of months again and I cannot recommend it enough and I think will cover exactly what you want and a whole lot more.

you even get an IAM taster session as well

linky https://www.kent.fire-uk.org/your-safety/road-safety/road-safety-for-bikers/ride-skills/

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You should also consider doing a ā€˜Bike Safeā€™ course.

link https://bikesafe.co.uk/metropolitan/

There is actually a cut down version of bikesafe in there as well.

IAM skills day and no you donā€™t have to be a IAM member.
these are on track sessions