Wet Track Days

Author
Discussion

roboxm3

Original Poster:

2,414 posts

194 months

Thursday 24th July 2014
quotequote all
Mornin' all...

The weather forecast for Monday is currently sh*te and I've got my first track day at Snetterton.

What are your tips for enjoying a wet track day as much as possible?

I'm getting to the point where I'm not really looking forward to it now, just thinking of it as a formality - turn up, ride around apprehensively , go home grumpy

moanthebairns

17,918 posts

197 months

Thursday 24th July 2014
quotequote all
smooth and steady throttle

toxgobbler

2,903 posts

190 months

Thursday 24th July 2014
quotequote all
Waterproofs, no one corners well with a wet crotch.

George29

14,706 posts

163 months

Thursday 24th July 2014
quotequote all
Buy wet tyres. Couple of turns off pre load and compression. Then aim to do 110% of your dry times. Just be smooth with the throttle and stay off any painted lines or kerbs.

jackh707

2,126 posts

155 months

Thursday 24th July 2014
quotequote all
I like riding in the wet.

It depends what bike and tyres you are on, but as above... Super smooth with everything, you can get big lean angles open the throttle fully, brake hard up the inside, as long as you do it all progressively, the sudden changes in brake/throttle/lean angle are what will have you off.


Smooth lines, stay well away from anything painted.

What tyres you on?

Freakuk

3,105 posts

150 months

Thursday 24th July 2014
quotequote all
Book a Euro trip instead :-)

roboxm3

Original Poster:

2,414 posts

194 months

Thursday 24th July 2014
quotequote all
Michelin Pilot Power paperbag

DMN

2,983 posts

138 months

Thursday 24th July 2014
quotequote all
I've seen cars go off on the sighting lap before, so just take it easy untill you know where the limit is.

grahamr88

421 posts

172 months

Thursday 24th July 2014
quotequote all
I run Pilot Powers 3s, and they were great at my last trackday, which was dry, then damp, then wet. The back end went a bit slidey in a couple of places in the wet, but it was easy enough to control. Damp sessions are the best, because half the people there will only have slicks and wets, and they won't want to run either in the damp, so you get the track mostly to yourself.

Renn Sport

2,761 posts

208 months

Thursday 24th July 2014
quotequote all
Its a bit crap to be honest.

I had a couple of wet track days and it wasn't very much fun at all. However I did have the wrong tyres.

Still... get out there, take it easy, and practice your throttle control.

RemaL

24,967 posts

233 months

Thursday 24th July 2014
quotequote all
I did my first very wet track day At Silverstone in May and it was on eof the best track days I've done. But wets are worth having 100% as they are bloody good and I felt I could push the bike without the rear letting go, unlike my mates on road tyres.

100% get wets.

btdk5

1,850 posts

189 months

Thursday 24th July 2014
quotequote all
George29 said:
Buy wet tyres. Couple of turns off pre load and compression. Then aim to do 110% of your dry times. Just be smooth with the throttle and stay off any painted lines or kerbs.
Its his first track day.

Wet track days can still be enjoyable and the forecast is never that accurate meaning over the track you may only get a little rain.

That being said if the forecast is grim i really dont see the point unless you're training for a race or have a full set up.

roboxm3

Original Poster:

2,414 posts

194 months

Thursday 24th July 2014
quotequote all
It's not forecast to be horrendous, 40% chance of showers throughout the day, so we might get away with it, you never know...

It's been booked and paid for now as a birthday present, so I'm going regardless and if it looks like being a really bad one, I'll just hope there's a tyre man there to sort me out with some wets.


y2blade

56,029 posts

214 months

Thursday 24th July 2014
quotequote all
As said before, some of my most enjoyable track days have been wet ones.

Relax and be smooth with all inputs, same as road riding in the wet.
You will be amazed at how much extra grip there is on a wet track over a wet road.

Also many of the "herobillybigballsallthegearnoideamytyresarenthotyet" will stay in the garage so double win.


Relax and enjoy the day
smile

daimatt

799 posts

234 months

Thursday 24th July 2014
quotequote all
My first track day was at a wet Donington, had a great time. I was running Pilot Power 2CT's and they were fine in the wet. I was slow and scared to begin with but once I relaxed and let the bike wiggle a bit it was great to have the track almost all to myself. I think there were only 5 bikes out on the track most of the time.

Do it, relax and you will learn loads from it smile

roboxm3

Original Poster:

2,414 posts

194 months

Thursday 24th July 2014
quotequote all
So, just try and ride like this...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H93kPnDQEqA

hehe

y2blade

56,029 posts

214 months

Thursday 24th July 2014
quotequote all
roboxm3 said:
So, just try and ride like this...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H93kPnDQEqA

hehe
On his day he's a fking genius one a motorbike isn't he cool

Hooli

32,278 posts

199 months

Thursday 24th July 2014
quotequote all
y2blade said:
roboxm3 said:
So, just try and ride like this...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H93kPnDQEqA

hehe
On his day he's a fking genius one a motorbike isn't he cool
He's fooking nuts he is!

PurpleTurtle

6,940 posts

143 months

Friday 25th July 2014
quotequote all
OP is it "first track day ever" or "first track day at Snetterton?"

If it's first ever I guess you'll be in the beginner group - a good thing as you can take your time to learn your lines.

I've done a couple of wet days in intermediate group, I must say I was bricking it before I went out but soon settled in to a nice steady rhythm. It's a good lesson in exploring the limits of you and your bike.

MrKipling43

5,788 posts

215 months

Friday 25th July 2014
quotequote all
If you're lucky it will start wet and dry off, then you'll feel like a total hero with infinite grip when the track dries.

Also, be really careful on downshifts - I locked the back wheel with a slightly careless downshift in the wet at Snett and very nearly pooed.