Bike track days

[sparkey]

I'm becoming tempted to try a bike track day, but am also a bit worried.

I've done lots of car track days (and races) but never been on a track with my bike. I've been riding for about a year, and I've not come off, but I also realise that I'm not a brilliant rider yet. Can anyone recommend a good bike track day company for virgins ? Or will I just forget it until I've another years road riding experience ? Do you need one piece leathers or will zip together 2 piece be OK ?
How many bikes crash on an average track day ?

(looking for encouragement !)

[s2ooz]

my last was at mallory park, you use there bikes and there leathers. (GSXR600's)

you must have a min of two piece zipped together if you want to use your own.

a great way to try it out.

you can have beginner to max levels, where your taught all theway, or go off on your own. try one, then build up to the next levels yourself.

[niggle]

Like s200z, I used someone elses bike.

I did the race school course that they run at Knockhill last year; being near the end of the season it wasn't fully booked so I got a 1:1 with the instructor charging around Knockhill on an Aprilia RSV Mille.

Oh, most of these things have a simple rule, you drop the bike and you're on your way home.

[mel]

I'd say use 100% bikes and book at one of the more "obscure" circuits, the reason being if you do a "popular" circuit like brands, snetterton etc for some bizarre reason you get a disproportionate number of head bangers and knobbers at the more "obscure" (I'd suggest Pembray in south wales for a first trackday) you tend to get a more mature crowd for some reason. Paul Wilson who owns and runs 100% bikes is one of the nicest blokes you could imagine, he's got very good teaching and support and he tends to be at and riding at most of his days. Good safety standards and a keen eye for arse holes, as for how many crash last september I did a sat and sun at Pembray with 100% and there wasn't a single incident all weekend.

The three groups tend to be clearly defined as "slow" beginers and track day virgins, these get one to one tutition and orange bibs this group is normally smaller than the rest and well respected, "intermediate" these tend to have track dat experience and be amongst what people would class as fast road riders, "fast" almost exclusively racers, ex racers, and track day addicts all most all running slicks and race plastic with a pace that comes close to nationals.

Do it book up and you'll never look back ,it'll be the best weekend you could imagine. If you do a Pembray weekend also stand by some serious drinking on the saturday night

www.100pc.co.uk

[mel]

Oh yes one other thing never ever do a track "evening" they are too short, too hectic, and always always end in tears.

[sparkey]

Thanks for the advice guys, Think I'll try the Mallory day on the GSXR's first and if I stay upright I'll have a go on my own bike.

S.