Ive been reading, and hearing about the good times everyone has when they go to Brands etc etc for a trackday…and im always being told/advised/asked to go along?..and so far have declined, one of the reasons that ive always held off of doing this, is…it seems to me that once you go on one, you HAVE to go on another and another? And the cost must mount up and up and before you know it, you are foresaking everything else to save the money to afford to go yet again…and knowing obsessive me? i will do just that…
Also, and i guess this is the MAIN reason? im **** scared !! Scared of making a right ass of myself, scared of crashing out, scared of doing a lap in about 20 mins (god!!)…
SO, i would LOVE to know…how many of you can remember the FIRST lap time, and then the most RECENT, how much have you learnt that you can apply to road riding, and how did you get over the scaryiness of it all??? I feel a right pratt in admitting it, me of ALL people !! But tis true…
What sort of time is the best to aim for when FIRST time out ? Now, im NOT a slow rider…as some of you may or may not know, or even CARE…ha ha…so dont be too diplomatic with the answer here, im not scared of the speed…just scared of the WHOLE thing?..does that make sense to you guys…or is this a blonde moment im having with myself ???
Afro/Sherrie? what was the time it took you guys first time out? What have you learned from trackdays? Whats the thing that keeps making you fork out for more?..what do you aim to achieve from all these trackdays? Do you think it makes you a better rider? (i dont personally think that it does, cos i know many bikers who have never been on the track that are ace riders?) So come on…name and first time lap time compared to current day lap time, and any info on if its made you better on your bike and most of all…when or how did you get over the initial scaredness??? or am i being a woose (how do you spell woose?..oh just say “muppet” then !!) :w00t:
I have done a few track days, and have absolutely no idea what sort of times I was doing around the track, I also don’t really want to know. For me it has nothing to do with the time it takes you to go around the track, it’s all to do with how fast. Now that might not make sense to you but it does to me. If I feel I am going faster then that is all I need I don’t need the pressure of a stop watch, and to be fair, I don’t really give a monkeys what my lap times were on Saturday I just know I was a lot faster in the final session than I was in the first.
If you are not scared/nervous on a trackday I would be worried, it is being scared that has stopped me from crashing (so far) I always ride within my limits not pushing too hard, perhaps this is wrong and I should push myself more, but I am enjoying myself anyway so who cares and at the end of the day it is all about the grin factor.
As for not making you a better rider, personally I think you learn more about yourself as a rider and more about the bike, in one trackday than you will EVER learn on the road. You don’t get the freedom on the road to just focus on what is in front of you, you don’t have to worry about what is behind you, what is around the next corner, where the diesel spill is, where the man hole covers are etc . . . . it is just you and the track.
The most I ever learnt on a bike in one day was my first wet trackday, what an eye opener that was!
You should try it, but yes you will get hooked and it will be a drain on resources but it will be a sacrifice you are willing to make.
Right, hold on a sec…so your saying that being on the track makes you more understanding of yourself on your bike than on our normal roads and streets with all the pitfalls that brings? i think i will beg to differ there a bit?..i would rather be MORE aware of a possible slide on a diesel spill or manhole cover, who was coming up behind me, who pulling out in front of me etc, and think that THAT would make me a better and more alert rider…? dont you think? Being on the track would make ME a bit complacent…or have i got that wrong?..err, i didnt say that it doesnt make you a better rider? i asked IF you thought doing a trackday can make you a better rider?..did i put that wrong, cos wasnt what i meant?
you have, he’s talking about machine control and actual riding, not roadcraft. the skills you’re talking about are making you a better motorist/road user, not a better rider
if you train yourself to ‘ride’ better, can can put more of your concentration on reading the road
I think what he saying jules is on the track your focusing on your riding style and your bikes perfomances as opposed to on the road you have all the variables you mentioned, Ive not done a trackday either hopefully one day I will get to do one and give all a giggle at me teapot wobbling round.
See, why i asked those questions is cos time and again, those that have done a trackday, say they think its helped them on their bike on the road?..and yet others who have not been on the track state it makes no difference…i havent done a trackday…so was asking …i notice you said you did a lap in under a minute?..now thats damn fast !! i wondered what your first time on track was? and has all the times youve done a track day, made you more confident enough to push yourself and your bike?..
Me too mate !! im not aiming at any arguement here, just some good debate and different views on it …theres a trackie coming up and im tempted…but again…a bit of a scared puss!!
When we go on rideouts, for some reason or other, we tend to take off like the wind…dont ask me why but it always happens when we all get together? i was wondering if that same “theme” applies on the track…you know…all that adrenalin etc…need to sit and chat to those that know me thinks !!! before making up my mind once and for all…i dont want nursemaiding round the track but my minds not made up …yet
Saturday was my first trackday, so it’s still very fresh in the memory!!
I never felt unsafe out there - there’s loads of lovely smooth grippy tarmac, and if you do come off it’s so much safer than the road in the same circumstances. As has been said here many times, the majority of accidents happen when the tyres are still cold, once those suckers are warm the difference is really noticeable.
Did it make me a better rider? Well, it hugely increased my own confidence in the bike’s abilities, you can really push it in a way that you never will on the road. I do ride the bike differently now, knowing it can handle way more than I’d previously thought!
There are definitely people who have never done a trackday that are great riders. Case in point - a fella on a yellow VTR (mike?) in the novices group. It was his first ever trackday and he went round like his arse was on fire, and got moved up into the inters!
As for lap times - I’ve no idea My goal for the day was to finish off doing a full session of consistent laps with good lines and being as smooth as possible. I think I did that, so next time just gotta start notching up the speed
First things first probably - they dont allow or encourage timing on a trackday. If you want to time your laps then you need to be on an ACU day or an actual race test day. The times were just helpful people with their phones giving some approximate times (thanks guys!).
While I was happy to know what sort of times I was getting, it was definitely not the focus of the day for me, and it should not be for you either.
To deal with your main worries - Falling off. Ride at 70/80% and this will not happen, dont look at the other riders and ride your own track.
looking like a wuss (correct spelling ;)) - nothing to worry about there, in the novice group people go very slowly, everyone is in the same boat and noone goes around the pits pointing and laughing - total and utter myth. People will pass you, there are a lot of bikes on track, but its their responsibility to do it and let them…par for the course.
what did I learn? loads about bike control and feel, nothing about roadcraft, JB makes the important distinction. the racing line is not the one to take on the road, you will end up on the wrong side of the road. BUT it is useful in an emergency situation knowing how much more the bike can give.
First trackday was years ago on a hired R6, first few laps was wobbling around like a bloke on a CBT, by the end of the morning the guy said I was at least 20 secs faster (silverstone national). trackdays are not about competition, its about putting a fecking massive grin on yer face. Works for me
From my limited experience of track days I’ve found the following.
Firstly it’s given me a much greater appreciation of the limits of my bike (especially in the wet) and believe me, I can’t ride anywhere near the limit of it yet. I was just surprised how much further I was able to push it than I believed possible.
That being said of course, as has already said, on the track road craft is totally different because you don’t have to look for diesel spills, manhole covers etc.
I haven’t recorded my times around the track and some organisers (Focused Events) take a dim view of doing so. “It’s all about having fun”. Personally I would like to know because like going to the gym I can see how well I’m progressing in my own ability. I’m not so bothered about beating anyone else, although I have to say when I’m on the track I do try to get past the person in front just as a little challenge to myself (especially if they’ve just come past me). I do try to do it without riding like an arse though.
Everytime I go out on the track, or even when I’m on the grid waiting for my session to start, I get major butterflies. Once I’m out and riding they subside quickly. I don’t begrudge it though because it does help me to keep calm and not try and push it straight off. I would be devestated if I binned it so. unforunately it does make me slower than other people who are not afraid to push it to the edge. Damn them.
I have heard though that in some cases, no fear equals no brains. Sometimes the fear can be good to keep your feet on the ground (metaphorically). I suspect you’re a good enough rider not to let your fears make you do anything dangerous on track. Personally I think it’s a good thing. With all the wipe outs that I heard about last Saturday, it’s given me a clearer head for pushing myself into intermediates at Snetterton on the 13th.
I think the rush I get from it is the freedom to push my bike to my own limits. Hearing the engine scream as you’re pushing it as hard as you’re capable of, only having to worry about what’s in front of you, good visibility and totally legal (which is a constant battle I have) is fantastic. It also feels like a safer environment to do all these things.
It is so much fun, it’s almost indescribable and you won’t regret going. It’s very addictive, it’s pretty expensive but still I highly recommend it
Timing on a trackday is always against the rules, and definitely not what you should be thinking about on your first few trackdays.
You probably want to learn the track one corner at a time, so you focus all your energy on one corner, then just get round the track until you do the same corner again giving it 100%. Trying to give 100% for the whole of the track to get a lap time is something much further down the road.
You say you get the red mist coming down on rideouts and have to go faster than anyone else (OK you didn’t exactly say that :P) If you do that on a trackday as a novice you will definitely be buying new plastics for you bike at the least! Your first trackdays should all be about yourself, bringing yourself on & not comparing to anyone else out on track.
A trackday does let you focus on your riding to the exclusion (to a greater degree) of what’s going on around you, and it does let you find the capabilities of your bike (in a safer environment) as long as you realise that those capabilities won’t be the same once you are back on the road (colder tyres & poorer surfaces)
Road riding will teach you roadcraft and awareness, track riding will teach you how far you can push your bike in a controlled environment. No one can use a litre bike on British roads to anywhere like its ability but can get much closer on track and this breeds confidence in it’s on road performance. It teaches you cornering, throttle control, body position…all transferable to the road and when coupled with existing roadcraft skills makes a rounded rider.
Timing as has been said is frowned upon. You ride for yourself and pick up pace as your confidence grows. If you can avoid over confidence and peer pressure and warm your tyres up (three laps min…remember folks ) then you will lean farther and farther as speed increases and get more from the experience. Riding well on track has nothing to do with what is percieved as fast road riding as on track it is all about you and the bike, whereas on the road most of what I see is who has the biggest bllcks or lack of sense of personal safety. How many riders do you see at the weekends weaving through motorway traffic or cutting in on country lanes from 6 car overtakes just to get ahead of their mates and push the pace. This is not performance riding in my book.
My advice - get on track and get addicted. You have a nice bike (Blade), it is your duty to let it run free range and organic in its natural environment… :D:D
Don’t worry about what people think - we bike as individuals, it is not a team sport after all.
Blade, there are some novice track days organised by MSV who own Brands hatch, Snetterton etc, they are a great way to try a track day without any pressure or hassle but even on a normal track day there’s no hassle in the novice group and I bet you’d be surprised as how swift you are compared to others. It’s not always easy to compare on the road because some people can turn off their common sense but on track there’s nothing stopping you, no junctions, diesel, cars etc and as said above the tarmac is perfect, not even a little pot hole
The last track day I went to I shared a garage with an ex racer (at least 55 years old ?) who had done more time on track than I’ve done on the M25, a chap who got his track day for his birthday and had never been on track before and another chap who was a solicitor and just fancied trying it for the first time, plus Roadkill. The other half of the garage was a bit more serious but they were in the fast group.
It’s a laugh, great fun, novice group seems on the whole to be very sensible, just give yourself time to get used to the track and not go hell for leather in the first session, you’ll love it
Yeh, it IS so tempting to try now…ive been fighting it for about 3 yrs now…should i shouldnt i…last year i didnt want to go in case i crashed out and it was so near me going on holiday!! so i bottled it…was going to go and watch the guys last Sat but went somewhere else instead, wish id gone now…BUT i am going to Brands this Sat to watch Powerpuffgirl !! so im hoping to get some pointers there as well…not that i havent listented to you guys here…you are all saying the same thing…which is good and ive heard it before from others, so must be true !!
Whats the usual “routine” for the day then? You all turn up, go to a garage, if you can find one with space? (is that right)?..then what? you go and get put into groups? then that group goes on track while the others wait?..what about your bike, who checks it over whatever? whats all this about checking noise level of exhaust? …i know you have to have all in one leathers or two piece zipped together…i wanna know !! what happens! :w00t:
Arrive at 7.30ish, noise testing at 8am, briefing at 8.30am and first group out by 9am or thereabouts. Your group is assigned when you book with MSV or HotTrax. Groups go out for 20 min sessions, first session has sighting lasp behind an instructor who keeps the pace down so you can see where the track goes . . . subsequent sessions and straight into tyre warming laps then fun.Three groups rotate having 20 min sessions each until unch, stop for an hour. Nobody checks your bikes other than noise test, you have to have zip together leathers and modern helmet (ECE or ACU ???), they do recommend you lower your tyre pressures but there’s usually a company there who will advise.Garages are first come first served but as you can see from the piuctures they are big and there’s usually plenty of room, you can park a car or van very near the garage.Petrol is availablen down the road or take a can with you in the car.
The bottom line Jules, is that the track is another place to increase your riding skills. Those skills are transferable to the road as has been said here because you will learn to handle your bike better, with less concentration, leaving more concentration for the important things on the road like conditions, vehicles, etc.
People who haven’t been on a trackday and talk negatively about them are just voices in the wind that should be ignored. How can anyone who hasn’t tried something like this possibly be a voice of authority?
By going on a trackday, you’re not commiting yourself to anything, it’s entirely up to you when you ride, how much you ride, how fast you ride and everything else. You call the shots, you’re the benefactor from the experience. Just come along and see how it goes. Improving ones riding skills is an opportunity no biker should pass up, unless they’re Valentino Rossi!
saturday is not anything to do with a track day. its the complete polar opposite of a track day. the bikes are riding round the same track and all but you will not gain ANY sense of what a trackday is like from it other than being around loud bikes.
Saturday is racing and race we shall. Its about pushing the limits and far beyond putting everything on the line. A trackday is simply an opportunity to hone you skills and learn about your bike and ability in a safe and predictable environment. (although some evidently needed this explaining last saturday…again)
Saturday is not this!
(i’m number 43 on white/black r6 so feel free to pop in for a cuppa if you see us)
) then you will lean farther and farther as speed increases and get more from the experience. Riding well on track has nothing to do with what is percieved as fast road riding as on track it is all about you and the bike, whereas on the road most of what I see is who has the biggest bllcks or lack of sense of personal safety. How many riders do you see at the weekends weaving through motorway traffic or cutting in on country lanes from 6 car overtakes just to get ahead of their mates and push the pace. This is not performance riding in my book.