I had my first trackday on April 24th! I had been wanting to do it for a long time now and was always kind of a chicken. I had a lot of doubts about doing it or going alone but after realizing you can't rely on others to go with you, I just said eff it and went! So here are things I'd like to share from my experience.. it's a long post, but I'll try to be as helpful as possible!
Prep... wear a race suit, 1 or 2 piece leathers. Wear race boots, race gloves, and have a back protector. For my organization (Absolute Cycle Experience), 80% tire tread and 80% brake pad life. The rest, just make sure things were tight on the bike. I myself swapped all pads, got Pirelli Rosso Corsa's, and I'm glad I did because you want STICKY TIRES! Tech inspection was straightforward, they eyeballed tires and brakes and then hand checked pegs and such to make sure they were secure. Cake.
At the track itself, I dropped tire pressure...front from 36 to 31 and rear from 42 to 32. Street tire pressures do NOT belong on the track, you need GRIP. Next time I'll do 30/30. This was reiterated at the riding school, as one of the first things mentioned. I'll get to the school in a bit.
So let's get to the important part, my experience! I rode to the track (was the minority). If you are worried about crashing on a trackday, then don't crash! Ride at a comfortable pace and take it slow. I rode at a pace a bit faster than on the street, but it was within my comfort zone and I took my time getting there. Everyone I talked to said the same thing... take it easy and let your tires warm up as well as the track surface itself. Gradually increase your pace, don't go guns blazing. Unlike cars, as you know, motorcycle riding is way more in-depth and traction is EVERYTHING. There were numerous crashes from people going too hard too soon as well as riding beyond their skill level. Several people got taken away in ambulances. Just don't...and you will be fine!!
I was nervous upon arrival. I felt like people were looking at me and judging me...but they weren't. They are there to have fun and improve themselves too. Once I started talking to people, everyone seemed way cool and very helpful. I met a really nice family and they offered me food, drinks, and let me use some of their equipment. I also made a good friend and we are arranging for another track weekend together! Really, as the org said, just check your ego at the door. Go in with a clear mind and you'll have a blast.
I asked where the tech location was and some guy guided me over there. I started chatting with some people and they put me at ease, quickly. The staff was very helpful and pointed me in the right direction. I sailed through tech and attended the riders meeting. Then I was guided over to the intro school where some control riders were teaching newbies like me.
The program was really great. They take you immediately into the class where they teach you about racing lines and what to do/not to do. They give you a bit of information, and then they take you out in a group in a follow the leader format. Really easy and as long as you follow them, you learn and have a great time. Then you go back into the class and learn some more info and talk about things you can improve on. Rinse and repeat. Each time out, they increase the speeds. Biggest thing there is that they set you up for the corner speeds from the beginning. After that, it's simply increasing speeds on the straights and introducing some braking before the turns. Also, they tell you to NEVER look behind you, no matter what. Your line is everything and looking behind is a quick way to crash or cause a crash. Focus on what you are doing and don't try to compete, it's not a race.
I spent the day trying to be smooth on the brakes and throttle and managed to keep a nice pace. The first couple sessions I was with the class. The last two sessions, we were set off on our own, and I stepped up my pace to what I was comfortably having fun with. On a few turns, I started feeling uncomfortable and knew I was off the throttle coasting, going too fast for my skill, and beginning to overload the front (recipe for a low side crash) so I slowed my pace. While it's fun having your face about a foot above the pavement, I knew I was getting tired and so I kept myself in check. Knowing your limits will keep you off the pavement.
So all in all, I had an absolute blast. All my prior fears are gone and now I am hooked on the track. I've got two more days booked before I have to head to grad school, and I'm stoked!! After riding on the street a few times afterwards, it's just not as enjoyable due to cars, speed limits, debris, and the constant peril of significant injury/death from hitting things like guard rails, trees, rocks, etc. I'm so glad I took the plunge and went to the track, and I hope this helps you make up your mind to go as well. As a first timer I can easily say, it's not as scary as it seems to get there, and there are tons of people ready to help you if you reach out to them and ask. So stop making excuses and pull the trigger, I can guarantee you, you won't regret it!!!
All the best,
- Pandabear
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