First track day booked, what bike?

[DuncsGTi]

I've finally pulled my finger out and booked a trackday, Castle Combe next month. I've been riding for about 3 1/2 years now averaging about 10k a year between a 50 mile A/B road commute and fun blasts.

Sitting in the garage I have
2017 Yamaha MT-10 on Bridgestone S21
2012 Ducati 848 Evo on Supercorsas.

Both bikes will be noise tested tomorrow to check they both meet Combe's strict 105Db limit
I'll be starting in the novice group with no illusions of grandeur and just want to enjoy the day, improve my riding, etc. I am also fully aware that both bike/tyre combinations are hugely more capable than I am.

The Ducati is clearly the track orientated choice and the tyres on it are too however the (more powerful) Yamaha has the safety net of ABS and TC.

The other factor I need to consider is the Ducati is paid for, whereas I'm still paying for the MT so if the worst happened then it could be an issue for me financially.

What is BB's take and advice on this? As a beginner on track what would you do?

(also, I know Combe is not the perfect venue with very little run off etc however I absolutely love the circuit having marshalled there for years)

Cheers

[moanthebairns]

Whatever you can afford to bin.

[dibblecorse]

Take the 848, you'll remember the day for a long time, if you really want to minimise risk theres loads of 2nd hand trackday panels on ebay for the bike .... just my take on things .... also you're less likely to charge bends and be ham fisted with the throttle if you know you don't have the TC and ABS and unless your surname is Marquez you won't be troubling the grip levels for either acceleration or braking on your first day .......

Or is that you Marc trying to get some cheeky track time in in Novices to practice your bump and go techniques in secret ???

[obscene]

Yamaha would be the best suited to that track if you ask me but you'd be fine on either.

[tight5]

DuncsGTi said:

The Ducati is clearly the track orientated choice and the tyres on it are too

You already know the answer.
Enjoy it.

[DuncsGTi]

moanthebairns said:

Whatever you can afford to bin.

Short and to the point but probably great advice. Id rather not bin either but the value as a percentage of a binned 848 wouldn't be as painful as that of the Yamaha. Cheers

dibblecorse said:

Take the 848, you'll remember the day for a long time, if you really want to minimise risk theres loads of 2nd hand trackday panels on ebay for the bike .... just my take on things .... also you're less likely to charge bends and be ham fisted with the throttle if you know you don't have the TC and ABS and unless your surname is Marquez you won't be troubling the grip levels for either acceleration or braking on your first day .......

Or is that you Marc trying to get some cheeky track time in in Novices to practice your bump and go techniques in secret ???

I'm certainly no Marquez!!

Again, seems like good advice, my heart is tellingly me to take the Ducati.

obscene said:

Yamaha would be the best suited to that track if you ask me but you'd be fine on either.

Why do you say that out of interest?


I've not done much mileage on the Ducati over the winter, took it out for a run over the weekend and seemed to struggle with it a bit more than I remembered. Little bumps in the road seem to unsettle it (Combe has recently been resurfaced so no issue there)

It might be that I just need to gel with the bike again.

In contrast, the MT10 is beautifully smooth on less than perfect surfaces and I feel comfortable throwing it around.

[DuncsGTi]

tight5 said:

You already know the answer.
Enjoy it.

PH BB is like the little devil on my shoulder saying "do it, do it, do it"

[STe_rsv4]

moanthebairns said:

Whatever you can afford to bin.

Yep. I purposely went out and bought a £500 snotter to fling around the track after almost binning my road bike after getting "the bug".
Just as well as I lowsided it not long after

[scorcher]

My mate was way over the noise limit on std pipes on his 848 at Combe, but there was something like a 1098 on Termis out on the track that had passed.

[SAS Tom]

Definitely what you can afford to bin. I wrecked my bike on track and could afford it but what a pain in the arse. Even just getting it home was a nightmare as it was a bank holiday Monday.

Now I just hire a bike. £240 for the day and a maximum of £500 if I bin it. I don’t do enough days to justify my own bike.

[DuncsGTi]

scorcher said:

My mate was way over the noise limit on std pipes on his 848 at Combe, but there was something like a 1098 on Termis out on the track that had passed.

That's good to know, do you know if it was the static test he failed or a fly by?

I'm going to pop along to their trackday tomorrow and have both bikes tested.
This is what they sent me about noise testing.

[Birky_41]

I'd run either of them. If it's your first one it'll be a case of just feeling comfy

For me I'd run the 848 all day long. MT would have ground clearance issues and be quite soft. Depends on your pace though

[Mr OCD]

I'd go with the one you feel most comfortable and confident on in all honesty. With it being your first track day you'll be nervous and excited and thinking about all the other things...

Enjoy!

[trickywoo]

I thought the main attraction of a track outing was that it was safer than the road and everyone comes on and says you'll crash or has crashed themselves.

I'm planning a first track outing on Monday and wondering if it'd just be more convenient to chuck it down the road on the first roundabout on the way there.

[DuncsGTi]

Birky_41 said:

I'd run either of them. If it's your first one it'll be a case of just feeling comfy

For me I'd run the 848 all day long. MT would have ground clearance issues and be quite soft. Depends on your pace though

Pace wise I'll be in the novices group with being my first trackday but I do like to press on a bit.

Whichever bike I chose to take, it will be much more capable than I am anyway

Mr OCD said:

I'd go with the one you feel most comfortable and confident on in all honesty. With it being your first track day you'll be nervous and excited and thinking about all the other things...

Enjoy!

At the moment I'm more comfortable and confident on the Yamaha but this is probably just because I've not used the Ducati much recently. I've got a good few weeks to play on the 848 before the day anyway.

[Mr OCD]

DuncsGTi said:

At the moment I'm more comfortable and confident on the Yamaha but this is probably just because I've not used the Ducati much recently. I've got a good few weeks to play on the 848 before the day anyway.

I plan to get out on the R1 for a few good rides for similar reasons. It's my first track day of the season, and the first on this bike.

[DuncsGTi]

trickywoo said:

I thought the main attraction of a track outing was that it was safer than the road and everyone comes on and says you'll crash or has crashed themselves.

I'm planning a first track outing on Monday and wondering if it'd just be more convenient to chuck it down the road on the first roundabout on the way there.

That is one of the attractions for me but I'd be naive to think there's no possibility of binning it, just the same as I could bin it on the road tomorrow

[trickywoo]

DuncsGTi said:

That is one of the attractions for me but I'd be naive to think there's no possibility of binning it, just the same as I could bin it on the road tomorrow

I'm of the same view but I've had the same proportion of bikers mention crashing on a trackday as non bikers say generally 'you'll kill yourself on that'.

On the other hand you have journos reviewing the latest tyres saying once warm they grip like a python.

Very confusing and kind of makes me not want to bother with a trackday but at the same time I know I need to try it.

[upsidedownmark]

I kinda think you're more likely to bin it on track, the main difference is that usually (but not always) doing that on track is less injurous to your health.. but no, you don't have to jump off..

For me it'd have to be the ducati. Do yourself a favour and take it to a track with a nice long straight so you can really pin it.
I loved mine, epic motor and fantastic to extend it, but I never could get the hang of making it turn.

[SAS Tom]

Riding on track is safer as you don’t have other cars, street furniture etc to hit when you crash. You’re still likely to crash, you’ll be out there riding as fast as you can so you’re likely to make mistakes. Safer isn’t the same as less likely to crash.

Before you say you’re taking it steady, no one gets on a track and takes it steady.