the bb trackday thread.

[Ilikemotorbikes]

Nick928 said:

I think there may be a few in the same position on this forum.
Did Castle Combe on my road bike (KTM duke) and a Ron Haslam day on their CBR.
The KTM went for a Tiger Rally Pro so I’m thinking dedicated track bike (ZX6r or similar) and book a few track days.
Might need a trailer for getting the bikes to the track just in case the worst should happen. Only thing worse than crashing is crashing and having to walk home!
I don’t know anyone else into these daft hobbies.

Can't help for the others Nick, but if you're on facebook there's a recent group I've joined that was set up for similar folks. It's called "Somerset track addicts" - hopefully if you're heading off somewhere you can find someone else relatively local doing the same day

[dibblecorse]

graeme4130 said:

Cartagena 3day open pit lane booked with Race Shift Jan 13-15th
Hopefully the Brexit scaremongering won't happen and Spain won't be banning the British from the country after Jan 1st

Who are race shift ?

Surely by now with just 40 slots that should be sold out?

Also the comments section and their responses don't fill me with confidence.

Good luck if you have booked.

[graeme4130]

dibblecorse said:

graeme4130 said:

Cartagena 3day open pit lane booked with Race Shift Jan 13-15th
Hopefully the Brexit scaremongering won't happen and Spain won't be banning the British from the country after Jan 1st

Who are race shift ?

Surely by now with just 40 slots that should be sold out?

Also the comments section and their responses don't fill me with confidence.

Good luck if you have booked.

They're a fairly small company based on the South Coast
Unfortunately, due to low numbers, it's been cancelled
Looks like we're booking to go back to Almeria on Jan 16th instead. Hopefully, it won't be quite as windy this time

[HughiusMaximus]

Ilikemotorbikes said:

"Somerset track addicts" - hopefully if you're heading off somewhere you can find someone else relatively local doing the same day

Just signed up myself.

I'm further North in Gloucestershire but thought there was no harm in joining!

[Tribal Chestnut]

ferret99 said:

I'm in the same(ish) boat as Kieran and Chips. I've done a few TDs over the years, more recently from hiring bikes from Smallboy trackbikes. Any advice for wanting to do more TDs on your own? I don't really have any TD mates!

Done a few on my own. Used to be easier when you could have loads to a garage, always found somewhere to squeeze in. Bit different now, which is especially crap if it’s wet, though you can often find a space once the day settles down.

Tend to just be on a road bike so just ride there though.

[CaptainSlow]

TC...I think we met at Bedford?

Anyhow, after a pretty depressing 2020 I quite fancy treating myself to a new bike. I've sold my tourer/commuter bike and am unlikely to need another in the near future so am looking at Italian twins.

I'm pretty much at the bottom of the novice group on my Daytona 600 and get frustrated with getting held up by people on bigger bikes in the bends and then being unable to get past them on the straights as they just nail it. I know one answer will be to practice more on the 600 but I just want more lower down grunt.

I quite like spinning the spanners so something a little older is preferable. I like the RSV1000R from 2008-10, there is a nice gold frame Factory on autotrader for £6k but it may be too nice to track...so a normal R for £5k. Alternatively an 848 Evo/1098/1098s for a little more £ maybe?

[jock mcsporran]

Tribal Chestnut said:

ferret99 said:

I'm in the same(ish) boat as Kieran and Chips. I've done a few TDs over the years, more recently from hiring bikes from Smallboy trackbikes. Any advice for wanting to do more TDs on your own? I don't really have any TD mates!

Done a few on my own. Used to be easier when you could have loads to a garage, always found somewhere to squeeze in. Bit different now, which is especially crap if it’s wet, though you can often find a space once the day settles down.

Tend to just be on a road bike so just ride there though.

I tend to do trackdays on my own too as my biking mates are mostly up north. Booked Spa for June but they took too long to decide so I’ll just head over on my own. Normally do Croft or Cadwell as it’s a day out but fancy going a bit further this year once restrictions ease.

[Biker's Nemesis]

jock mcsporran said:

I tend to do trackdays on my own too as my biking mates are mostly up north. Booked Spa for June but they took too long to decide so I’ll just head over on my own. Normally do Croft or Cadwell as it’s a day out but fancy going a bit further this year once restrictions ease.

Croft! You'll have to say next time you're there.

[airsafari87]

Id be up for a day at Croft too.

Rode it last year for the 1st time on one of Whithams track days and struggled to learn it in the early soaking wet sessions but started to get to grips with it towards the end of the day.

[jock mcsporran]

Biker's Nemesis said:

jock mcsporran said:

I tend to do trackdays on my own too as my biking mates are mostly up north. Booked Spa for June but they took too long to decide so I’ll just head over on my own. Normally do Croft or Cadwell as it’s a day out but fancy going a bit further this year once restrictions ease.

Croft! You'll have to say next time you're there.

Will do. Probably looking at April or June once they release some dates beyond March. I’m pretty slow though, probably low Inters pace.

[Biker's Nemesis]

jock mcsporran said:

Will do. Probably looking at April or June once they release some dates beyond March. I’m pretty slow though, probably low Inters pace.

I'll be there in April, bikes will be sway to Portugal for a TD late May so doubt I'll be at Croft in may

[Tribal Chestnut]

CaptainSlow said:

TC...I think we met at Bedford?

Anyhow, after a pretty depressing 2020 I quite fancy treating myself to a new bike. I've sold my tourer/commuter bike and am unlikely to need another in the near future so am looking at Italian twins.

I'm pretty much at the bottom of the novice group on my Daytona 600 and get frustrated with getting held up by people on bigger bikes in the bends and then being unable to get past them on the straights as they just nail it. I know one answer will be to practice more on the 600 but I just want more lower down grunt.

I quite like spinning the spanners so something a little older is preferable. I like the RSV1000R from 2008-10, there is a nice gold frame Factory on autotrader for £6k but it may be too nice to track...so a normal R for £5k. Alternatively an 848 Evo/1098/1098s for a little more £ maybe?

Yep, back in 2016.

[MrChips]

After having a proper look, I’ve decided this year to just rent a bike for the 2 or 3 days I’ll do before making any decision on buying.
Looking at smallboy track bikes, plus a couple of others. I’m based in Reading so may do silverstone but it looks quite pricey when you factor in the rental but hey it’s my 40th in May so manmaths will win!

[Craig3942]

ferret99 said:

I'm in the same(ish) boat as Kieran and Chips. I've done a few TDs over the years, more recently from hiring bikes from Smallboy trackbikes. Any advice for wanting to do more TDs on your own? I don't really have any TD mates!

I’ve done 4 now and looking to book a Euro TD this year. I found that hiring a van is the cheapest alternative to buying your own van. Enterprise are quite at about £30 a day for a Transit high top or similar which provides more than enough room. Sometimes I share sometimes I go on my own. Places like Cadwell you need a generator as well which is another expense to hire but still cheap at £25 for 2/3 days hire.

I found that if you’re a fast road rider then you’d be into inters within 2/3 days. Tire warmers are a godsend with a good set of supercorsas and a proper suspension setup makes a world of difference.

On hiring bikes; it’s one of those where you’re paying someone else to own a bike. Kind of like renting a home; you’re paying their mortgage/loan. While you do have the peace of mind that if you send it up the road it’s not yours to fix but I’m sure you’ll feel the sting if you have to pay the security deposit for wrecking it. Plus you get more satisfaction when you look at pictures and it’s you on your own bike making progress getting more confident learning different bits & pieces.

[cerberaperv]

Craig3942 said:

ferret99 said:

I'm in the same(ish) boat as Kieran and Chips. I've done a few TDs over the years, more recently from hiring bikes from Smallboy trackbikes. Any advice for wanting to do more TDs on your own? I don't really have any TD mates!

I’ve done 4 now and looking to book a Euro TD this year. I found that hiring a van is the cheapest alternative to buying your own van. Enterprise are quite at about £30 a day for a Transit high top or similar which provides more than enough room. Sometimes I share sometimes I go on my own. Places like Cadwell you need a generator as well which is another expense to hire but still cheap at £25 for 2/3 days hire.

I found that if you’re a fast road rider then you’d be into inters within 2/3 days. Tire warmers are a godsend with a good set of supercorsas and a proper suspension setup makes a world of difference.

On hiring bikes; it’s one of those where you’re paying someone else to own a bike. Kind of like renting a home; you’re paying their mortgage/loan. While you do have the peace of mind that if you send it up the road it’s not yours to fix but I’m sure you’ll feel the sting if you have to pay the security deposit for wrecking it. Plus you get more satisfaction when you look at pictures and it’s you on your own bike making progress getting more confident learning different bits & pieces.

I do a lot of trackdays by myself. I have mates that go, but not as often as I do. It’s always better when you are in a group to help each other but I found there’s always someone there who’ll give you a hand if you ask.
I used to just hire the £30 vans too but always found it a rush getting it back the same day. I ended up buying a Sprinter and converting it so I could stay overnight in it when going to Cadwell. It’s easier keeping most of your gear in the van and just unloading bike and tools.
You start with a bike then see bits that other guys are using such as warmers, generators, toolboxes and just build up from there. I seem to have everything I need now, until I spot the next shiney thing. I’m like a magpie!

I’m based in the NW and frequently go to Oulton, Anglesey and Cadwell. Let me know if you are ever going.

[Craig3942]

cerberaperv said:

I do a lot of trackdays by myself. I have mates that go, but not as often as I do. It’s always better when you are in a group to help each other but I found there’s always someone there who’ll give you a hand if you ask.
I used to just hire the £30 vans too but always found it a rush getting it back the same day. I ended up buying a Sprinter and converting it so I could stay overnight in it when going to Cadwell. It’s easier keeping most of your gear in the van and just unloading bike and tools.
You start with a bike then see bits that other guys are using such as warmers, generators, toolboxes and just build up from there. I seem to have everything I need now, until I spot the next shiney thing. I’m like a magpie!

I’m based in the NW and frequently go to Oulton, Anglesey and Cadwell. Let me know if you are ever going.

100%! Toyed with the racevan idea for a while now but COVID has better plans allegedly. Hate to say but I’m a dry weather rider these days so won’t be starting my own track season until March/April but will be hitting them at every opportunity that works.

[dibblecorse]

So cancellations in Feb have started at both NL & FE for Spanish trips, proper rubbish news for both orgs and all concerned ....

[Craig3942]

dibblecorse said:

So cancellations in Feb have started at both NL & FE for Spanish trips, proper rubbish news for both orgs and all concerned ....

No days locked in until mid summer I reckon and even then, those who’ve had cancellations will be priority meaning another year with sparse availability.

[HughiusMaximus]

dibblecorse said:

So cancellations in Feb have started at both NL & FE for Spanish trips, proper rubbish news for both orgs and all concerned ....

Aww man.

Not unexpected I guess.

I haven't had any comms from FE updating yet

[MrGman]

HughiusMaximus said:

Aww man.

Not unexpected I guess.

I haven't had any comms from FE updating yet

When was you booked? I was with FE Almeria 11-15th feb and heard a couple of days ago that it’s been cancelled.