Cavi said:
There is a trackday riding school comming up in September, and I am considering doing it, but I am concerned as I have very little experience riding fast. I do most of my riding at most at 75 to 80 on the freeway going to and from work. Rarely have I gone much over this. I have a bit over 1000 miles on this bike and still do not feel that it is like a second skin to me. I am confident in it but still am worried about the speeds that might be required at a track day.
Anyone who has gone, can you keep your own pace? Everything I have seen suggests that it would be a great learning experience.
Help!!!
Here is a classic and very common misconception, trackdays by their very nature, are some of the safest places to ride a motorcycle at ANY speed.
I have done several, Barber Motorsports in Birmingham Alabama, Talledega GP track in Anniston AL and Jennings GP in Jennings Northwest Florida, and I can tell you, without equivocation, they were the most fun I have ever had on a road bike, and this is coming from an ardent dirtbiker.
The most important thing to remember is this "Ride At Your Own Pace" don't get caught up in the moment and stick to your lines through the corners.
For a first timer, pick the slowest group they have and concentrate on smoothness, it is much better to be slower in and faster out of a corner.
If the track day comes with instructors, latch on to one of them and listen to what they say, they will show you the smoothest and fastest lines through the corners and how to set yourself up for the next one.
By the way, I have gone much much faster on the road then I ever have on a track, as the majority of tracks are not designed for high speeds, rather high corner speeds, that way it comes down to rider skill and not outright bike performance come raceday.
Tell yourself that people are going to come by you (on the straights) and not to panic. Every trackday I have been on has had rules about no overtaking in the corners in the slow group, in the middle group they could only pass on the outside line of a a corner, and the race group had carte blanche to do as they pleased.
An excellent place tp play with your bike and get to learn how it handles when leaned over and how the brakes can be applied going into a corner.
Go for it and enjoy it, however, be careful, as they can become addictive (Skippy is now looking for a trackday bike)
Skippy