Do three laps to warm your tyres before pushing it - wear a yellow first timers bib, it’ll allow more experienced riders to give you a bit of space - don’t get competative - look at the ‘TRACKDAY’ area here, theres a good rundown.
yep, check out the FAQ and posts in the trackday section
here’s some other stuff (some of which i forgot the first time in my excitement…)
check out your bike/get it checked out. NOT the night before - find anything wrong then and its too blummin late.
basic tool kit - you’ll want to remove things like mirrors/remove number plate/check nuts are tight (ahem)
insulating type or similar to cover up lights and indicators. cable ties are handy (e.g. on my bike when the mirrors are off you need to fix down the fairing to the frame)
proper leathers (one or zipping two piece)/gear. approved helmet. licence!
fill up - if you start the day on a fullish tank you’ll prob only need one more refill during the day so give yourself a bit extra time in the morning and fill up just before you go in. there’s a petrol station a few hundred yards down the road if you turn left out of the track entrance. remember to stick your plate back on!
spare clothing (esp if you’re riding there) - did my first trackday at brands and was unlucky with the weather (still awesome tho). spare t-shirts, waterproof top to go over the leather, spare socks and other stuff that seems fluffin obvious now
ignore what other riders are doing/how fast they are going in the novice group and build your own confidence/pace. just because they are going quickly doesn’t mean they are necessarily doing it right! work on being smooth, getting nice lines with late apexes (particularly the drop into paddock after the mainstraight). the first few sighting laps are just that ‘sighting’. at jonesy’s trackday at silverstone recently 14 of the plumbs went down in the warm-up laps (across the groups). that’s just plain flippin stupid. they are purely to get heat into the tires, get you used to the track and get you nice and relaxed.
they’ll keep saying its not a race and its true, it doesn’t matter who is fastest round, just that you enjoy yourself. basically think of it as tonking your bike on great tarmac, no cars/traffic lights/police (apart from ones that might be off duty razzing their bikes). there will be a range of people and abilities there and everyone is blummin friendly. if you need a hand dont be afraid to ask around
