Track day question

[jeostang]

What kind of rider experience so you need to do a track day? Does your bike need to be setup any special way? I live in the DC metro area and I don't thing there are any tracks around here but drag strips.

[NoChickenStrips]

most require full leathers & for you to tape up the brake & headlights. some require a belly pan & lockwiring.

[OreoGaborio]

well... let me share my experiences w/ ya....

i just got my first sportbike this year... i've already put 6000 miles on it and have a track day under my belt. the track day i went to was VERY well organized and had a huge array of experienced riders, from the 20 year race vet to the spankin new kid on his 500cc standard bike. as long as the track day is organized well it will cover all the bases as far as rider experience goes and will be safe to boot.

bike set-up varries by organization/track regulations. the one i attended only required glass taping (headlights, directionals, tail lights & mirrors if u can't simply remove em) no brake lights (just pull the bulbs or the fuse) and that's it. as long as it's got good tread, chain is in good shape & the bike won't fall apart you're golden. SOME tracks require you to drain the coolant & top it off w/ distilled water, but that's about as extreme as it gets for your typical instructional track day

my suggestion - find a good local forum & get into the local scene... and i don't mean poser scene where they just do wheelies around the city for 10 mintues then park next to a club & sit on their bikes waiting for girls to walk by week after week... find some guys who have been in the sport for decades & have some racing experience under their belt and don't be timid about introducing yourself... these are the kinds of guys that sweep newbies under their wings so they get experience the right way.

bottom line - track days are a great idea if you have 10 years or 10 weeks of experience. as long as your comfortable in normal riding conditions and are willing to work on your consistancy & smoothness you'll be fine.

[NoChickenStrips]

go to a local race & befriend the racers. i learned a lot that way.

[Tarheelguy3]

check out www.nesba.com

they offer a FREE introductory track day, minimal bike prep, and full leathers aren't required.

[SVbadguy]

Originally Posted by jeostang

I live in the DC metro area and I don't thing there are any tracks around here but drag strips.

Say what? You must live on the moon, not in DC, you're that far out of touch. Don't take offense at that, I'm joking

But really, Summit Point Raceway has 2 and almost a third circuits. There are trackdays and racing there all the time. Check out their schedule and hook up with one of organizations (NESBA and Team Pro-Motion) or shops running the trackdays.

http://www.summitpoint-raceway.com/

[linuxbikr]

Originally Posted by jeostang

What kind of rider experience so you need to do a track day? Does your bike need to be setup any special way? I live in the DC metro area and I don't thing there are any tracks around here but drag strips.

Summit Point. It is an hour away. You generally need to be able to ride your bike smoothly. Beyond that, it depends on the org running it. NESBA is a good place to start and others do run track days out at Summit. Two circuits are active (Main and Jefferson) and a third on the way (Shenandoah).

NESBA is the easiest to run and you can do it in jeans (I do not recommend this). They swap between Jefferson and Main. A lot of track days tend to be run on Jefferson. Shorter circuit, fewer turns. The Main circuit is awesome but challenging.

Bike prep is pretty easy. Most groups require the following:

• Mirrors removed
• Lights taped over (preferably with turn signals removed)
• Oil drain bolt safety wired (not all groups require this, good idea though)
• Coolant replaced with water or a legal coolant (check the org, some allow Engine Ice or equivalent, others allow water only)
• Centerstand removed or tied up
• Sidestand removed or tied up

You can go further. As you move up into the more advanced track days, you are required to bring a bike more and more prepped towards racing. Many advanced groups in a track day require a race-prepped bike that would pass race tech. For new track riders, the list above is usually sufficient.

Check with the local shops and groups in the area. Track days run into the Fall. I highly recommend you check out the circuit beforehand just to get a feel for it. Fun way to spend a day. Cornerworking is another way to ease into track riding as it gives you an inside view of how racing is run (plus cornerworkers get some nice perks and discounts on schools).

One piece of advice: Don't bring a bike to the track you aren't ready to repair or lose. It is not uncommon for new riders pushing themselves on the track to dump their bikes. I know someone who did it recently. It happens. Just be prepared for the possibility. It's why I haven't ridden the track yet.

[jeostang]

I'm going to check out summit point. Go and watch for a while then give it a try.