It's official....I am scheduled for my first Track Day.

[vpr80]

After a long time wanting to get to the track I am finally scheduled for Sept 11th. I've been putting this off for a long time, but I'm pretty tired of riding on the street and having to deal with asshole drivers and dickead cops.

I read all I can about bike prep and me prep, but just wanted to see if you guys had any other suggestions from experience.

[r100gs]

Have fun!:) Make sure not to toss her away.:peace:

[vpr80]

Yeah seriously....that's goal number 1....I gave some thought to selling the Mille and buying a prepped SV650 or something, but realized that by the time all was said and done and I had the bike set-up just like I wanted it would cost me the same as my bike costs right now so there is no point. Right now my bike is all set-up and really to go, but anything else would need work to get it track worthy. The only thing I might get is a set of bodywork if I can find one maybe a used one that won't cost me a fortune.

[paulphin2002]

One spill could mean a thousand tears. Oh yeah, you might get hurt too. But really, when you've spent so much time on your bike, I'd cry harder from the bike damage.:p:

Also, I've a spare fairing I'm gonna sell. It's a stock 02 fairing that was repaired by filling the headlight hole. The job is top notch. If you want a pic, let me know.

Paul

[montereyrsvr]

Take some time prior to your track day and break down the riding fundamentals practicing them as much as possible. Such as;

Head up looking all the way through each turn
Relax your grip on the bars and keep your elbows 'soft'
Weight on the pegs not the seat
Two laps minimum to warm up your tires
Drink lots of water (and pee before your session)


:cool:

[Exdukenut]

Go at the pace you feel comfortable with, learn the track at your own pace, and don't worry about what someone else is doing, even if they are going faster. Concentrate on yourself, first and foremost. Relax, and enjoy the day.

If you worry too much about binning it, you inevatibly will!

I have almost $US22K invested approx in my Falco, and that doesn't stop me from going out on the track, and enjoying what the bike was built for, and the way it handles it, and doing it as comfortably as possible. MotoGP rider I'm not, but quick enough none the less!

Ride/track days are a wonderful thing!!! :D :D :D You get to see what your "baby" can do in a safer environment compared to a road!

:cool:

[paulphin2002]

Who's sponsoring the day? I can't say enough about NESBA when it comes to good instruction that's level appropriate. The top priority has to be safety first. If you get tossed into a less well organized group, like some CCS racers warming up, pick a line and don't waver. Don't stop on the track, for any reason, even to pick up your MOM who just low sided before the chicane.
Don't look behind you. It's the faster riders responsibility to avoid you, unless you're on the track with Yates, that is. You won't be ashamed for riding at your own pace. You should be ashamed if, out of pride, you ride over your head and cause someone else to crash. I'd rate a recent track day as one of the top ten things I've ever done in my entire life.

Have fun. Let us know.

[SirMille]

Relax and don't try to race the faster guys, learn the track on the first couple of sessions, nothing worse than going off the track on the first lap. I was at a track day 2 weeks ago and a whole shit load of people were crashing and/or going off the track because they were just being stupid. Keep your head up and stay smart, you wont impress anyone out there and you wont win any medals. :peace:

[BigTuna]

like everyone keeps saying...ride at your own pace and have fun.

[GMille R]

Always, always, always hold your line. Look well to the inside of the corner and if you think you're running wide, look further to the inside.



G

[vpr80]

The track day is being held by Team Pro-Motion and since its my first day I have to do their school where we are in classs in between out own sessions.

Thanks for all the tips quys.....just gotta keep reminding myself to relax and not race anyone and I will be fine :)

[Smoke Eater]

BEWARE OF THE RED MIST!

....and turn your idle up to 2k. It really smooths things out in the corners. Don't forget to bring a chair and cooler for the paddock.
Have fun.

[vpr80]

Red Mist???

I normally ride with my idle at 2K. A little while back I was riding through some twisties and I did a couple of runs back and forth and decided that keeping the idle at 2K really helped smooth out my on-off-on throttle transitions so I left it.

[Jet City Racer]

1st trackday? Say goodbye to life as you know it.

It's more addictive than crack. Not much cheaper either. :rolleyes:

Ride safe Vpr!

:banana:

PS- Take what Sirmille/Monterey said and repeat 100 times.

Especially the pee befoe going out part. :D

[FalcoLion]

Yeap. I agree on it being addictive and expensive, sort of. I did my first track day on Jul 16 and then two more in August. The only things that holds me up is that I would like to get dedicated track bike with a trailer so I can cut down my expenses. I was renting Team Promotion bikes but at $250 each time plus the track day it adds up. I still think its cheaper than crashing my beloved Falco and then waiting forever to get parts.

vpr80 make sure that you take a cooler, some water and some food since they might not have any at the track and its pretty far to the nearest food place.

Just listen to the instructors they are great bunch of guys and keep your line. Do only what you can do and you will have a ball.

:peace:

[vpr80]

Stop renting their bikes and use yours.....that's what you got it for :) Plus if you don't wipe out there is nothing to fix. Then its only $150 per day.

[Smoke Eater]

The infamous red mist. You'll feel it when someone passes you. It happens to everyone. The trick is to control it and just keep riding the way you were. Its like a women the way it only leads to trouble.

The last time I was at Loudon, this guy passed me in Turn 2. The mist decended and I started to give chase then I saw the word "Pridmore" on the back of his leathers and gave up.

[vpr80]

LOL that's pretty funny....First day is going to be easy....I will be will all beginners so not much chasing going to happen.

One thing that kinda worries me is someone else crashing into me....but that's just luck I guess...Nothing I can do.

Random though....I remember seeing some sort of cover that goes on gas tanks to prevent damage during a crash....what's that all about?

[stoneflylama]

You will have a blast. When I totalled my Falco (on the street) I bought an older/cheaper Mille than I could have bought with insurance money. Used the left over money for extra set of bodywork, sliders all over the bike, spare levers, clipons, one piece leathers, track time, and tires. Best advice I have gotten so far is just relax and look farther ahead through the turns than normal. Riding on the track has been the funnest thing I have ever done.

[thunderex]

got frame sliders on? i'm knocking wood for you, but it might be a good idea.

[vpr80]

Originally posted by thunderex
got frame sliders on? i'm knocking wood for you, but it might be a good idea.

4 Sets to be exact....forks....front...rear...and swingarm :D

[Smoke Eater]

You won't need them.

[vpr80]

Yep that's the idea :)

[cuda]

I race a Mille and an SV. It is a lot of fun when you finally go racing but you really should get the SV first. Don't buy it and fix it though. Buy it all done for around 4K. Then leave the Mille until you get fast and race both. It's not just about money though. The SV is easier to learn on and you have more classes to run competitively. As just a track day bike though, the Mille is better because there is no lighweight class and all the 750's and 600's run you down on the SV. A trackday isn't racing, but it is, if you know what I mean.

Team promotion is a good group too. You will like it.

[vpr80]

Thanks but I am not racing just yet :) Right now I just want to have some fun track time....later if I decide to race then I would definately get a 600cc bike.

[Dug206]

Are you doing the ART Basic course or have you already attened a school? I've done quite a few laps at Pocono. If there's one thing I can say about it is it's tight. Real tight. You'll most likely be in 3rd gear most of the time. Don't try to pass anyone in the kink at pit-out. One, it's not allow with TPM. Two, unless the guy is going incredibly slow, it's a crap shoot because one or both of you will be off line for corner 1. Another trouble spot is going off of the back straight into the infield. People overshoot it and go into the run off area, the real trouble is don't get sucked into following him. There's also a dip in the corner where the transition is. Alot of crashes from that dip, I've never had a problem with it though. You can really carry alot speed through that corner, alot more then what you think at first. When you go through Tech, ask what tire pressures are good for your tires/weather conditions for that day. The guy usually working is named Dave Gallo(long black hair tied in a pony tail, rides number 420) tell him Navy Doug said hi.

For the White group, most times are 1:40's-1:25's. Red :25s-:17s Blue/Black :17s-:10s. A few guys dip down below that. Mike H'bach, Glen Goldman and a few others get down to the :04's. Stick around till later in the day, people start to leave around 4pm and the track thins out. And bring food/alot of water/canopy if you have one. No shade at all there.

I'm trying to get another track day in before the end of the season, however, with the time I'm having to travel for work and the wife out of work right now money is really tight. I've been avoiding Pocono to concentrate on tracks like Beaver, Summit, and VIR. That plan's been shot to hell though and now I'm just dying to ride. Maybe I'll see you there. Regardless, have fun and just focus on riding

[vpr80]

Yeah I am doing ART Basic....thanks a lot for the info....I will definately keep all that in mind.

[cuda]

Originally posted by vpr80
Thanks but I am not racing just yet :) Right now I just want to have some fun track time....later if I decide to race then I would definately get a 600cc bike.

Good luck and have fun. If you do decide to race, do a lot of research before you do. It will most likely make the 600 your last choice. :eek:

See you at the track.

[duganc]

VPR, TPM is a top-notch operation. I can't speak for other clubs, but I have been very happy with TPM. I've been with them 4 years now. In fact I'm going to Pocono tomorrow for a TPM day. Then in Sept I'm going to Summit Point for 2 days.

You will LOVE your bike on the track. Take it easy, listen to the coaches, and you'll have a blast.

[vpr80]

Yeah I can't wait....I'm really excited.

[vpr80]

Well I did it and what can I say....it was AWESOME....I had a great time and learned more about me and the bike in one day than I had in the last two years of street riding. It is sooooo different from street riding, it's kinda hard to describe. I thought I was a decent rider, but I learned that I suck. Being on the track with instructors and pushing yourself you begin to learn that you are not nearly as good as you think you are and the bike do a lot more than you think it will.

Since this was my first track day, I was required to take the ART Basic school. We began the day by doing a basic review of how to ride, what to focus on, and learning the race line. The first two sessions we followed the instructors slowly riding the race line. The third session they began to let us go ahead one by one and watch us ride to see how we are doing more upto speed. Now it began to get interested. By the fourth session they let us go out right from the start and just rode between the group watching people. At this point my ego kicked in a little bit and I began to go a little faster than I should and started to miss my marks for corner enter, apex, and exit. The instructor passed me, pointed out the marks, and let me go ahead again. I began to focus on hitting the marks and immediately began to go much faster than before when I was staying right on the race line. This was a good reality check for me because I realized that staying on the line was going to make me much faster around the track than trying to go faster. The rest of the day I basically focused on staying smooth and on line. My major problem of the day was my body position, I just couldn't get myself off the bike for a good cornering position. So my nice knee pucks are still clean, but I'm working on it :-)

I had two interesting mishaps. Later in the day, I had a lap I rather forget. I was following a group of about 4-5 guys that were pretty quick and keeping a good pace. On one lap I guess I had a brain freeze where I totally lost my concentration. Coming out onto the back straight I focused so much on the apex come I actually went off track, into a small ditch and hit the cone straight on. That was pretty scary. Then later in the track I was following another rider as we both were passing a slow rider and an instructor right behind him. The guy in front of me passed the slow rider and I accelerated to do the same then the slow rider suddenly went off the race line and went way wide. At that point I pretty much had no choice but to run off track into the grass. Needless to say hitting the grass at like 80 mph and having the front end twitch like crazy scared the shit out of me. I then got back on the track right next to the instructor and we just looked at each other and he shook his head like sorry dude shit happens but good recovery. The second incident happened at the end of the back straight. At the very end just before breaking an instructor buzzed by me on the inside and kinda thew me off. We both began to break for the left hander, but he was much better at that then me so he broke hard and made the left. I, on the other hand, could not break that fast and ended up locking up my rear break and just kepty going straight because I couldn't make that turn.

The most humbling moment of the day occured when the club president riding an old 500cc bike and carrying a passenger just blew by me in one of the turns. I was like WTF was that!!! I was doing my best and he just smoked me....I was like yeah I need more practice.

Ok enough talking....basically my suggestion for everyone is to take their bikes to the track to really learn about the bike, and more importantly about yourself.

PS - A big thanks to rzemyk for the ride and all the help. So Beaverun is next? :D