Silverstone as first trackday?
Discussion
Mad Dave said:
Hey all,
Tempted to do a trackday at Silverstone at the start of Feb, but i've not been on track before - is it a good track to learn on? Just thinking that it's cheap and hopefully won't be too busy, so might be good?
Dave
Which circuit? Stowe is small enough to be good fun, but the main circuit has some very long fast straights and fast sweeping corners with relatively few visual cues, not the easiest or most rewarding environment to learn in.
Or to put it another way ...
You will be in the middle of nowhere, probably close to terminal velocity for your bike in many places, with precious little to tell you which way the track goes or how fast you can take the next corner, which means you will probably spend most of the time pussy-footing around well below the capabilities of the bike to make sure you don't misjudge any of the corners. Smaller circuits (fewer corners to remember, shorter more frequent laps) with more visual cues and lower corner speeds are far more suitable for a novice. IMO.
You will be in the middle of nowhere, probably close to terminal velocity for your bike in many places, with precious little to tell you which way the track goes or how fast you can take the next corner, which means you will probably spend most of the time pussy-footing around well below the capabilities of the bike to make sure you don't misjudge any of the corners. Smaller circuits (fewer corners to remember, shorter more frequent laps) with more visual cues and lower corner speeds are far more suitable for a novice. IMO.
I did Donington as my first - but to be honest Dave, you've got more to worry about the time of year than the track you choose. Very cold tarmac/tyres/ maybe very sh*te weather (snow?)?? add this to it being your first time out?? at the end of the day it's your choice.... you could end up with a lot of things to be thinking about as well as getting a feel for it - on the plus side you may end up with virtually empty sessions - something the off peak trackayers find a major bonus!
Silverstone is an awesome circuit - love it, love it...
Silverstone is an awesome circuit - love it, love it...
greenv8s said:
Or to put it another way ...
with more visual cues and lower corner speeds are far more suitable for a novice. IMO.
Have to take issue with that point I'm afraid, there are absolutely no more or less visual clues on smaller tracks.... you just need to know how to read them (again we return to Keith Code).
As for lower corner speeds, they are entirely are circuit specific..... the chicane before the start finish at Silverstone is slow...
>> Edited by s2rr kitty on Saturday 28th January 09:32
s2rr kitty said:
Or to put it another way ...
with more visual cues and lower corner speeds are far more suitable for a novice. IMO.
Have to take issue with that point I'm afraid, there are absolutely no more or less visual clues on smaller tracks.... you just need to know how to read them (again we return to Keith Code).
As for lower corner speeds, they are entirely are circuit specific..... the chicane before the start finish at Silverstone is slow...
Yes, but no, but ...
This track has a combination of very high speeds and very few visual cues. The faster you go (and the less experienced you are) the more you rely on visual cues. On a slower circuit you don't need to look so far ahead to gauge your braking and turning points so you can get far more information just from the shape of the tarmac. The ideal for a beginner is a circuit that is relatively slow with plenty of visual reference points and also a surface that is contoured not dead flat so it is easier to see the shape of the track from further away. Silverstone is similar to Goodwood in many ways, and I wouldn't recommend either of them for a novice. A novice on a bike in winter just doesn't bear thinking about.
Thanks for your concern mate. I'm a track novice, for sure, but I wouldn't say I was a road novice. I can get my knee down on the road and generally hold a pretty high average speed and im not afraid to lean the bike. I'd be out on the track with lots of other lunatics so I should be able to follow their lead with regard to turning points? I'll be going at my own speed regardless - if that means i'm a mobile chicane then so be it
Mad Dave said:
. I'd be out on the track with lots of other lunatics so I should be able to follow their lead with regard to turning points? I'll be going at my own speed regardless
Dave, just be wary that there are no right or wrong lines and different people make different turn in points, what one person does to get round a corner is often different to the next - with that in mind 'following' is not a great idea - how do you know they are not going to get it massively wrong? & if you are following rather than 'reading' for yourself - you may find yourself halfway into a turn when your brain suddenly does not feel comfortable with the space/speed & you panic - I've seen this many many times with mates following thinking "if he can do it so can I" - really - I suggest you pace yourself well & try & read it yourself... again I will recommend you read Keith Code before you go.... at least to give you some sort of method to follow.
Hope you have fun - you'll be fine at Silverstone if you take it easy
>> Edited by s2rr kitty on Sunday 29th January 17:31
Not done Silverstone but hoping to this Summer. Did my first track day at Donington a few years ago as a newbie on a fazer 600, had a total hoot. Usually manage a couple a year.
I'd be mindful of the weather at that time of year but it does seem to be priced accordingly. A few points you may like to consider:
1. Take it easy, give your tyres and brain time to warm up at the start of each session. It's not a race so don't get dragged along with any nutters, which shouldn't happen if the oragnizer has sorted the groups properly.
2. If there's instructors, use them. They can show you the lines and should be happy to help.
3. Ride your own ride, forget the mirrors which should be removed/taped up anyhow. If properly organized you shouldn't have people diving under you in the corners. Those with more abilty will get by.
4. Make sure the bike's prepped ie chain brakes and tyres in good nick.
5. Relax as much as you can enjoy, you'll be grinning like a loon at the end of it. As a mate of mine said after I went with him on his his first track day "that's the second best thing I've done in leather!"
I'd be mindful of the weather at that time of year but it does seem to be priced accordingly. A few points you may like to consider:
1. Take it easy, give your tyres and brain time to warm up at the start of each session. It's not a race so don't get dragged along with any nutters, which shouldn't happen if the oragnizer has sorted the groups properly.
2. If there's instructors, use them. They can show you the lines and should be happy to help.
3. Ride your own ride, forget the mirrors which should be removed/taped up anyhow. If properly organized you shouldn't have people diving under you in the corners. Those with more abilty will get by.
4. Make sure the bike's prepped ie chain brakes and tyres in good nick.
5. Relax as much as you can enjoy, you'll be grinning like a loon at the end of it. As a mate of mine said after I went with him on his his first track day "that's the second best thing I've done in leather!"
Silverstone GP does not have very much grip in some corners. If you combine this with likely very cold track temp, I would be very careful trying to play knee down unless you are on soft track based tyres, as you may well not have enough grip. As for reference points, you will spot these for yourself as you gain familiarity with the track, braking markers, turn in points, etc. You will pick them up over the course of the day.
As has already been said, make use of the instructors - they're normally free and can really help out a novice. Try and be smooth rather than trying to go all out. A good tip for Silverstone (with some very fast bends) is to look really well round the bend as soon as you've turned in - as they say, you go where you look! Too many riders just focus on the patch of tarmac in front of them, which when push comes to shove, means they think they've outbraked themselves, then get taget fixation with the kitty litter and end up in it!
One of the key corners not to screw up at silverstone is Stowe (1st right after start/finish st). Ok for a car to run off as there's loads of tarmac, but for a bike, you will have to go over some astro turf first, prob with a bit of front brake on if you've panicked - see you later front wheel!
Even if it's raining, go out, but stay steady and use the time to practice being smooth and using all of the track.
As has already been said, make use of the instructors - they're normally free and can really help out a novice. Try and be smooth rather than trying to go all out. A good tip for Silverstone (with some very fast bends) is to look really well round the bend as soon as you've turned in - as they say, you go where you look! Too many riders just focus on the patch of tarmac in front of them, which when push comes to shove, means they think they've outbraked themselves, then get taget fixation with the kitty litter and end up in it!
One of the key corners not to screw up at silverstone is Stowe (1st right after start/finish st). Ok for a car to run off as there's loads of tarmac, but for a bike, you will have to go over some astro turf first, prob with a bit of front brake on if you've panicked - see you later front wheel!
Even if it's raining, go out, but stay steady and use the time to practice being smooth and using all of the track.
Silverstone GP is an awesome track and you'll love it. I did it last February and we had to wait until 11am for the ice to melt 
But even in that extreme cold, it was awesome.
One thing that stands out in my mind are the ripples on the apex of turn 1. If you apex about a foot from the white line you find yourself on ripples that feel horrid, however they don't affect the speed much that you can go in at, so feel free to go for it.
Overall, it's a fast, wide and open feeling circuit that's very satisfying to get right. Enjoy it.
But even in that extreme cold, it was awesome. One thing that stands out in my mind are the ripples on the apex of turn 1. If you apex about a foot from the white line you find yourself on ripples that feel horrid, however they don't affect the speed much that you can go in at, so feel free to go for it.
Overall, it's a fast, wide and open feeling circuit that's very satisfying to get right. Enjoy it.
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