track days - own bike?

[muffles]

i've been told track days are the best place to learn how your/a bike handles (i've only managed to commute on it so far tbh)...but have conflicting view from 2 people on whether to use my own bike or not...the balance is obviously cost vs potential damage (leading to cost!) and possibly the fact i wouldn't be learning on my own bike which i'm (more) used to...

From what i gather, i'd be looking at £100 for a track day plus £200+ if i hired a bike...

this would be my first track day, and i'm a new rider if those affect anything, so...what do people normally do?

[Mad Dave]

I did my first trackday back in mid-February, when it was very cold and, at times, very foggy. I absolutely loved it. I used my own bike (ZX7R) but I'd had it a year and could already get my knee down. That said, I was a total trackday novice, so I went in the Novice group, left my sliders in the van for the first session and took advantage of the free tuition that was on hand. I picked it up really quickly and loved every minute - the key is to ride within your own limits and not try and prove anything to anyone - IME the tts (mostly on R1s IME) who aggressively overtake you at any cost (e.g the ones with tiny penis syndrome, not the ones who are genuinely just quicker) either end up in the kitty litter or you end up annihilating them in the later sessions. Just get out there and enjoy yourself.

Oh and if you're worried about your bike, either do what I did and fit scrappy fairings, or take out track insurance for the day.



>> Edited by Mad Dave on Wednesday 24th May 23:45

[muffles]

track insurance sounds useful - how does it work though? i'd like to keep it completely separate from my road insurance, i don't want to have to say i amde a claim/had an accident when it comes to renewal...

how much would i be looking at for track insurance?

[philelmer]

You know, you don't have to crash just because you're on a track - I've got a brand spanking K6 GSXR1000 and i'm looking to do a track day or two this year (never done one before) to learn more about the way my own bike handles. If you've been burning round country roads on your bike already, you're only going to go as fast as you comfortably can anyway....

[supersingle]

I've done a few trackdays on an NC30 I used to have. It was great fun but I didn't really feel like I could push it that hard because I had to ride it home. You could get a cheap track bike for a lot less than a grand, sell the fairing and lights for a profit and use a cheap fibreglass fairing instead. nc30, zxr400, tzr250 and kr1s all spring to mind.

It's worth going to a race school like Ron Haslams to get a bit of experience. It's brilliant fun and you really learn a lot plus if you crash it's not your bike that gets wrecked.

Edited to add: How about this fzr400 on ebay...


>> Edited by supersingle on Thursday 25th May 01:01

[muffles]

you're right about not *having* to crash of course, but i'm just worried about finding the limit of the bike round a corner

actually the idea of a track bike kinda makes sense, doesn't it - no insurance, tax, or mot needed, just the bike and a way of getting it to the track (i suppose even my 1.0L polo can pull a trailer + bike!)...hmmmm

would that be of use in teaching me how my own bike would handle, seeing as i'd be unlikely to be using a similar bike to my current one (K3 SV650S)?

[hobo]

Got the first bike on 1st March 2006 (06 R6) & have subsequently done 2 trackdays on it, with the next one booked for 2nd June.

I'd definately recommend using you're own bike as at least your used to it a bit, whereas the other, well you ain't.

Don't worry about binning it. Ride sensibly & you'll be fine. You going to get things wrong, as I do, but there's normally enough room to sort it out, without having to worry about the arctic coming the other way like on the road.

One word of warning though. Do one & you'll be addicted

Cadwell 2nd June anyone ? Weather forecast is SUNSHINE !!!

[mtbr]

Muffles,
Most hire bikes carry a 400 to 500 quid deposit, which you need to factor into your costing.
I doubt you will be anymore likely to crash your bike on the track than on the road.
I also think the risk of getting "Nurfed off" by another rider is probably lower than the risk from other road users.
Set against the above, is the fact that you will be going a bit faster.

I do track days on my own bikes and I've used hire bikes. I found that whatever my intentions before the first session, once I got out on track, I rode them all the same.
The desire not to crash has little to do with the cost of repairing the bike!

If you have any doubts, perhaps you should consider a track day aimed specifically at novices?



>> Edited by mtbr on Thursday 25th May 08:56

[shot2bits]

I'm booked in at Snetterton on the 14th June...

Going to use my own bike because using another bike would mean I would still be unsure of my own bike out on the public roads.... I want to learn about my bike first and foremost...

[Mad Dave]

I reckon i'm far more likely to come off on the road than track - when you factor in diesel, car drivers, animals, dodgy road surface etc - on the track the corners are the same every lap..... The biggest thing to remember is, dont panic - if you go into a corner too hot just lean the bugger, DO NOT GET ON THE BRAKES! I went into a 90degree left hander at Silverstone far too fast, my knee was getting ever closer to the frame and then scraaaaape, the end of the footpeg went down - and i'd removed the hero blob before I went! LOL. There's loads of grip on track so don't brake mid bend, just keep leaning.

[muffles]

thanks for the advice, i think i might be still a little wary of a bike leaning over - does a bike give much feedback (generally, i assume it's bike-specific somewhat) before letting go? i have this fear it'll just all of a sudden slide out from under me!

funnily enough, i am quite happy to lean the bike over when i'm going round a tight/small roundabout slowy, rather than a fast roundabout that is less tight. i suppose speed would do that, though

[hobo]

I find it quite the opposite.

The faster I am going the further I seem to dare lean.

[Mad Dave]

Unless you hit a patch of diesel or something then the bike should never just slide out from under you. You should be able to feel for grip through your butt cheeks Just go along and enjoy yourself, build up your confidence gradually.

[bennyboysvuk]

muffles said:

thanks for the advice, i think i might be still a little wary of a bike leaning over - does a bike give much feedback (generally, i assume it's bike-specific somewhat) before letting go? i have this fear it'll just all of a sudden slide out from under me! funnily enough, i am quite happy to lean the bike over when i'm going round a tight/small roundabout slowy, rather than a fast roundabout that is less tight. i suppose speed would do that, though

Sportsbikes give tremendous feedback, but it's how you interpret that feedback and what you do next that makes a difference. If you ask a front tyre to do something that it's not supposed to e.g. brake hard and turn at the same time, then it can go very quickly without much warning. However, if you're lapping towards the bike's limits you can get it to a point where it's sliding gently on the power exiting most corners. What tyres do you have on the SV currently as this makes a BIG difference?

[muffles]

i think the faster i'm going the more i become aware of how far i'll go if i come off!

i'm going to the nurburgring at the end of june (baptism of fire ), i'm not sure if i'm going on track or not though (depends on how busy it is).

i'll probably wait until after then due to time & money, but i think i may go on one before summer is out - with my own bike probably...

[crankedup]

Mad Dave speaks as it is, and it makes good sense too.

Fit crash bobbins to your bike, its worth the dosh if you have'nt already got'em on.

Get on track in novice group and ride at your own pace. You know that as the tyres warm up your tyres grip will increase.

Your in charge of your bike, get out there and enjoy.

My Son booked me in for a track day on his race bike at Snetterton last year (as a treat!!) it was pi55ing it with rain and I was in first group out (novice)best fun I have had in years :

Lesson from old fart over.

[muffles]

cheers, yeah i've already got crash bobbins, i'm probably going to go on a track day later this year, own bike, with a couple of guys from work - one of them my boss, who broke his collarbone last time he went on track! that was almost 2 years ago...