Good foreign track day for a beginner?

[Rob_F]

Hi all,

Got my first bike (SV650S) in 2018 and did 3 track days in Castle Combe in 2019. Loved it, but didn't progress out of the slowest group, within which i was about the quickest.

I'm tempted to do a foreign track day this year for the chance to focus on training and the chance of better weather.

I've looked at NoLimits days, many of which are already sold out, and am interested in thoughts on:
- Any TD providers to go with or avoid?
- Is bike hire a good idea, if so anything to think about?
- What track for a newbie?

Thanks,
Rob

[Birky_41]

I don't know about what's good or bad but my first ever euro track day was 2016 my first year getting into track days

I did 4 days in Spain. 2 at Andalusia and 2 at Almeria. Found it great tbh

It's on my trusty old stead K1 750 that just about held together

https://youtu.be/2nl0QXakfw8

Tbh unless you're very cautious I'd just go out there and do one that is available and book the the right group for you

[Ho Lee Kau]

Ducati Riding Experience in Mugello, then a holiday in the nearby Florence

[Stuart Fordyce]

I did my first foreign track day last year. Val De Vienne with No Limits. A very technical but high quality track, and particularly given you are on an SV you might get more out of it. The surrounding area is lovely and it's not too far from the ferry ports.

Edited to add that I'm rather slow and went on a Fazer...

[ssray]

Castle combe scared the crap out of me on my first trackday, Have you looked at mallory Park? Short lap and quite simple to learn?

[moto_traxport]

ssray said:

Castle combe scared the crap out of me on my first trackday, Have you looked at mallory Park? Short lap and quite simple to learn?

Was he not after a foreign one?

Cartagena is fairly tight track so quite suitable for an SV650. It's a cheaper one too as your first taster.

You'll then buy a £16k track R1 and book up Mugello or something, onward and upward etc

[Walter Sobchak]

Has anyone ever done Valencia?, don’t know if they offer track days there but it looks like a great track on tv.

[jason61c]

ssray said:

Castle combe scared the crap out of me on my first trackday, Have you looked at mallory Park? Short lap and quite simple to learn?

mallory is ste (IMO).

I'm going to do my first euro at Portimão, once the wife gives me a leave pass.

Its oct so at the end of getting a few UK trackdays sorted over this year.

[Rob_F]

moto_traxport said:

Was he not after a foreign one?

Cartagena is fairly tight track so quite suitable for an SV650. It's a cheaper one too as your first taster.

You'll then buy a £16k track R1 and book up Mugello or something, onward and upward etc

That sounds good - i've seen some lower/mid sessions available at Cartegena.

The Ducati Mugello thing sounds good too, so about to go and research now. I've upgraded the SV650 to a Ducati Supersport, and am a bit of a sucker for the brand.

I didn't find Combe too 'scary' really, in fact I have to say I really enjoyed the track. I'm pretty steady but here's my effort from the last of the 3 days i did last year: https://youtu.be/j08KnWSh-xE The idea of doing a foreign one is more the time to concentrate and the weather, once i started thining about the costs of doing tracks further away, where I might want to stay over, or rent a van, etc etc, i started thinking the idea of getting a couple of full days in with less likelihood of getting washed out seems like a good idea.

Cheers,
Rob

I

[Eatpies99]

Sorry to butt in

Do they run novice group still on these European track days? Or are they just for fast lads??

[lukeyman]

Rob_F said:

....I've upgraded the SV650 to a Ducati Supersport...

You've had a constructive Sunday.

[moto_traxport]

Eatpies99 said:

Sorry to butt in

Do they run novice group still on these European track days? Or are they just for fast lads??

You still get novice, inters and advanced groups.

As people tend to do it later on in their trackday lives there’s a bit more experience (not necessarily speed) in each group and together with all the time available I’d suggest a Euro is a bit safer place to be as a newbie.

[pitlane]

Walter Sobchak said:

Has anyone ever done Valencia?, don’t know if they offer track days there but it looks like a great track on tv.

Yes they do occasionally run track days at Valencia, we use them for track time occasionally.

Valencia is oft maligned as a 'go kart' track due to the stadium lay out. It's actually nothing of the sort, one of the most technical circuits on the calendar, and a massive challenge to the riders.

The riders who can master its technical challenge love the place. It's probably just not fashionable for them to say so as all the TV folks bang on about it being a go kart track.

Probably not the best place to start doing euro track days on though

[George29]

I would say spend the extra money and go with one of the more premium track day organisers like Pacedayz. They don’t do as many days as NoLimits etc but they also run much smaller groups so you get much better quality of track time.

For a budget one I’d recommend focused events almeria. They’re tts to deal with in the uk but the actual track days are really good and great value.

[dibblecorse]

In your shoes my list would be in this order:

Portimao
Jerez
Aragon
Estoril

I'd go with No Limits, they are massively novice friendly and there are always people to meet etc, they offer great instruction at your level and will look after you.

Valencia is pants, but thats just a personal opinion, but having done most of Europes circuits I'm allowed an opinion , I took a group of 22 out there and the trip was great fun but not one of my lot has expressed an interest in returning, maybe we are all just crap riders !!!! We are back to `Portimao in April for the 5th time and have done both Aragon and Brno on multiple occasions.

Brno is awesome Fly in and out fo Prague and have a weekend of it.

If No Limits pop a Parcmotor up for this years thats a cracking circuit too

Best advice I can give, is don't over think it, just get yourself booked onto one and go have fun.

Dibs

[ar-em-en]

In terms of providers to go with pacedayz are excellent for accommodation novices, they do a free novice school on the first morning, have small numbers and are very friendly. Sadly they only do a few events a year but are well worth a look.

I cant fault NL at all they're well organised trips but larger numbers and abit less personal, certainly not a complaint though.

[graeme4130]

George29 said:

I would say spend the extra money and go with one of the more premium track day organisers like Pacedayz. They don’t do as many days as NoLimits etc but they also run much smaller groups so you get much better quality of track time.

For a budget one I’d recommend focused events almeria. They’re tts to deal with in the uk but the actual track days are really good and great value.

I'd agree with George, go with a TDO that has smaller groups
No limits are a great bunch, but they're always full and the groups are big, so you don't get a whole load of clear track.
We went to Jerez last week with Tracksense, and there was less than 20 per group.
If you want instruction, you get what you pay for and the best guys are not cheap.
At Jerez, there was Simon Crafar, Scott Redding and Jeremy McWilliams coaching.
Those guys range in price from £600-1000 per day for 1:1, but there's others that are just as good, if not better, for less (It depends if you want a superstar name or not)

For your first time, a circuit like Cartagena is perfect. It's not mega fast, so suits all bikes, and it's cheap and good fun. I'm back there in 4 weeks with my 13yr old son for his first time on a big track, and it'll suit his little Ninja400 just as well as my R1.
Some of the big GP tracks can be a little daunting, and it's all too easy to get lost in the width of the lines and the sheer speed you can take some of the corners, that you spend less time learning, and more time just hanging on. In saying that, the GP tracks have loads of run off, so a lot safer if you make a mistake

If you fancied hiring a bike and having a school type specific experience at a Euro Track, Troy Corser runs a company called Racing School Europe, and they travel around a lot of the Euro tracks with a fleet of new BMW S1000RR's and host proper classroom style instruction as well as loads of track time with low numbers
https://racing-school-europe.com

[Rob_F]

Some absolutely great advice above, thank you to everyone with suggestions. I'll check all of them out, then, as per the comments - just go and get one booked and dive on in.

I like the idea of more empty tracks and good instruction - the whole trip really is about learning for me so that's vital.

Will let you know what I go for

[Eatpies99]

moto_traxport said:

Eatpies99 said:

Sorry to butt in

Do they run novice group still on these European track days? Or are they just for fast lads??

You still get novice, inters and advanced groups.

As people tend to do it later on in their trackday lives there’s a bit more experience (not necessarily speed) in each group and together with all the time available I’d suggest a Euro is a bit safer place to be as a newbie.

Thank you sir