Signed up for my first track day Sept 6th TWS

Mavic · 08-10-2004, 4:18 PM

Well I finally did it....I am doing my first track day on Monday the 6th of September with a coworker who races. He kept prodding me and prodding me until I finally gave in.... Anyone know what time the track opens? He usually does Lone Star Track Days and isn't too familiar with the Ride Smart setup. Any advice is welcome to ease my transistion from the street to the track.

I think I have the basics.
Pull the light and brake fuses.
Tape off the glass/plastics that you are not going to remove.
Do I need to tape off the speedo?
Pull the rear views.
Pull the plates and inspection.

Will my Avon Azaro SP45/46 tires do ok for this environment?

Thanks for any support, heck why don't you guys sign up as well.

Tornado bait · 08-10-2004, 4:27 PM

You shouldn't need to tape off your speedo. But to be sure check out the "requirements" on their web site. lonestar
You'll love the big bank.

NinerPilot · 08-10-2004, 4:29 PM

You'll have a blast!
As long as your tires still have plenty of tread available and are in good shape and still somewhat soft they should be fine. For a plain trackday as an educational experience, it is good to use whatever tires you ride on the street to learn what they can and cant do.

You will probably have to drain the coolant out of the Radiator. Ask the sponsor if that is a requirement. Tape headlight, tail light, blinkers, remove the mirrors (remove the stalks from the bases so you have something holding the plastic on). Unplug the headlights and tail lights. If you pull the tail light fuse you will lose your speedo and tach too. Pull off the plate, and ask if your sidestand is an issue. If you have a rearstand, I would advise zip-tying the sidestand up for added safety.

Most of all, stay cool, hydrated and open minded. Ask your racer friend or an instructor to follow you and watch your riding, then after he does that critique your riding then get them to set a good pace for you to follow and watch them.
Chris

CBRVFR · 08-10-2004, 4:38 PM

I'm with Ninerpilot, but I'll suggest you might not want to find out what the tires "cant" do...

Get pressure recommendations from the people running the show, it's important. ( Right, Depo?)

Other than that, have a great time !

NinerPilot · 08-10-2004, 4:41 PM

I meant that in the respect of if he is leaned over on the gas hard and gts a squiggle... It "cant" do that...

Chris

DEPO · 08-10-2004, 4:44 PM

Yes VFR.... I knew this would rear its ugly head

46lbs in the rear warm is BAD!!!!!

Do not trust your "digital" pressure gauge.........

Mavic · 08-10-2004, 5:16 PM

Very good info:
I will unplug rather and pull fuses. Thanks Niner.
Well I guess I had be wary of Depo's advice....

j/k but thanks for the great advice CBRVFR
Air pressures are a must as well as sag setup if possible due to my 200lb frame and all stock suspension. I took all of the current settings from a Motorcyclist setup chart for the 929. They are probably close but the front still feels a little soft at times even full in on the preload but what do I know about road setup....Nothing!

It should be a lot of fun. My racing friend told me to sign up for intermediate but I chickened out and stuck with beginner. He said that if it is too slow I can request or the instructor will notice and move me up to the next class up on the same day so we will see what happens. I am looking forward to a lot of fun and a whole lot of learning!!! September can't get here fast enough!!!

Thanks again guys, I have my checklist started in Word for the day prior to the event.

Hamburgler · 08-10-2004, 8:10 PM

Is it full? I was thinking of doing LSTD on the 18th and 19th of September.

Mojave954 · 08-10-2004, 8:13 PM

Have fun. Ride your own ride. Don't get caught up in another person's race... Enjoy.

maxib · 08-10-2004, 8:52 PM

Mavic,

Way to go! As this is your first time, I applaud your decision to start in Novice rather than Intermediate, regardless of what your friend recommends. Get the feel of the track first. Settle in and get comfortable. You can always ask to be moved up if you desire.

Re: taping the speedo. Although the desire to sneak a peak at how fast you are going may be tempting, it might be safer to not be tempted to look down at the speedo when your braking marker shows up at the end of the (fastest part) of the straight. I recommend you just remember the tach and gear, and you can figure out how fast it was later. So tape it, and have fun!

Wish I could be there too!

Mavic · 08-10-2004, 11:23 PM

Thanks again for all the morale support guys.

Hamburgler I don't think that it is full yet but I could be wrong. Check the www.ridesmart.info site and see if the link to the 6th is still open. If you can make it let me know and you can drop by or vice versa and chat a bit.

I'll be the slow guy on the 01 Red and Black with the hindle and JR high side suit. I should stick out like a sore thumb being 6-4 and stuffed onto the 929. I think I will make a sign to put in the pits that reads....all show and very little go

It should be fun if we can keep the weather dry. We are entering into the hurricane season ya know. Damn hope I didn't just jinx the whole thing.

victoRR · 08-11-2004, 1:44 AM

I've been wanting for quite sometime to head out to a track day/weekend. Let me know what your first impression is like.

Hamburgler · 08-11-2004, 12:35 PM

Ok, so my finances aren't as padded as I would like right now so I am only doing TWS on Sep 18th as I will have to rent a suit also (damn my lack of pants!).

coderedcbr · 08-11-2004, 1:30 PM

I know everyone said drink water, but to help with cramps eat a few bananas the night before. Stretch in the morning and between sessions. Take you time and enjoy

Curiosity · 08-11-2004, 2:47 PM

You are about to have a blast. I just came back from a ridesmart trackday at TMS. Unfortunately I lowsided at the end of the day.

I started in the novice group. I definitely recommend that. Not just because you want to get the feel of that specific track first but also to just get used to a track in general. And trust me it is a great feeling. Not worrying about whats on the road but just enjoying the ride and concentrating on the ride. My speed definitely increased throughout the day, but more importantly, my skill improved throughout the day (thanks to the instructors).

Some words of advice - get a good nights sleep. Bring extra gas. Bring shorts in case you want to get out of your suit between runs. Make sure your suit/pant fits good (i.e. you can stretch your leg out comfortably for being able to get your knee down). Take your feelers off your pegs.

Have fun!!! Let us know how it was.

BTW - as a side note. I'm not a big fan of the new BT tires.

Mavic · 08-11-2004, 8:32 PM

Seemed to be some bad juju during that trackday. Pete was hurt pretty bad...cartwheeling through the runoff in turn one after hitting some puddle while trying to slow it down after some kind of incident while in the turn. Now your low side and I have heard of a few other incidents on cycle forums.

Curiosity · 08-12-2004, 3:45 PM

Yeah, it was some bad juju. Someone went down it seemed like every time we were out there.

Northy · 08-29-2004, 3:58 PM

I might see you out there Mavic. I haven't done a track day in over a year and got the itch to get back out there.

Mavic · 08-30-2004, 12:16 PM

Keep an eye out for a Red and Black 929, carbon Hindle, Honda Racing on the Rear Cowl. Plus I have fireblades.org stickers on the windscreen and rear cowls sides so that should be a dead give away. Hope to see you out there.

CyBeR929 · 08-30-2004, 1:10 PM

Just for the record, I think Curiosity's trackday was at TMS (NASCAR track north of Ft.Worth) and Pete's was a TWS (former NASCAR track outside Bryan/College Station).

Turn 1 at TWS (where Pete had his mishap) has always kept me from doing any trackday's at TWS....that turn is freakish just to watch, much less attempt at speed.

I'll give you the same advice I give everyone....have a goal of not crashing. Sounds stupid, but every session before you go out, tell yourself (out loud) "I will not crash" and keep that in the back of your mind. Let that dictate every move you make on the track. If you ride by that mantra, you will recognize when you are starting to get too deep over your head. At that time, back off a touch. It's a trackday, you won't win anything. The best you can do is bring yourself and your bike home in one piece...with a little more knowledge about what each is capable of. Crashing proves nothing.

SuperDave · 08-30-2004, 1:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CyBeR929

Just for the record, I think Curiosity's trackday was at TMS (NASCAR track north of Ft.Worth) and Pete's was a TWS (former NASCAR track outside Bryan/College Station).

Turn 1 at TWS (where Pete had his mishap) has always kept me from doing any trackday's at TWS....that turn is freakish just to watch, much less attempt at speed.

I'll give you the same advice I give everyone....have a goal of not crashing. Sounds stupid, but every session before you go out, tell yourself (out loud) "I will not crash" and keep that in the back of your mind. Let that dictate every move you make on the track. If you ride by that mantra, you will recognize when you are starting to get too deep over your head. At that time, back off a touch. It's a trackday, you won't win anything. The best you can do is bring yourself and your bike home in one piece...with a little more knowledge about what each is capable of. Crashing proves nothing.

Great advice!

On my very first track event I was having a ball (not all that fast or anything) and kept practicing smoothness through this 'S' turn. I raised the speed up to what I thought was too much entering this turn. I panicked for a split second thinking "this is it, I'm headed straight for the grass and tires". Then I remembered the instructors saying "even if you think you can't possibly make a turn, trust your bike, in most cases you'll not be using it's full potential". Well I made that turn and spooked myself, but also chalked it up as experience. I wasn't near the bike's capability but this was my first time and it was exhilarating and a little scary. Have fun dude and take your time learning!

Zippy · 08-30-2004, 2:59 PM

I think the Beginner group will be just fine. Tape over the speedo. On the track, you don't care about mph numbers. Looking at the numbers is time and attention consuming. You can begin to learn to judge the speed by feel.

I wouldn't count gears or look much at the tach. Just go by feel. Save your attention for setting your speed going into turns, and initiating turns. Don't try to brake super hard. Slow down for the turns a bit early so you don't scare yourself. Set a speed that you are comfortable with, then focus on smoothly initiating each turn and on the drive out. Stay gently on the throttle during each turn, rolling on more as you begin to straighten up. Point your inside elbow downward going into each turn. Let the bike do what it wants, don't try to over power it. Look only at the place on the track you are aiming for. Your bike will take you there.

You will probably be faster and safer overall by doing it that way. Try to relax and smile as much as you can.

Mavic · 08-30-2004, 3:03 PM

Thanks for the GREAT advice. It is well taken and believe me, the last thing I want to do is crash my baby. It is all about the learning and safe environment to ride the bike more towards its intended purposes and not have to worry about receiving a ticket.

Thanks Again for the advice!!

Northy · 09-05-2004, 1:11 AM

Have a good time Monday Mavic. I was hoping to make it; but it didn't work out.

Maybe next time.

Mavic · 09-07-2004, 11:42 AM

Had a great time. Scared myself a couple of times since I wasn't used to going that cornering that hard but the Avons held on just fine (more on that story in the full report). My friend that went with me didn't have that good of luck as he wrecked in the first session in level 4 (race group)and was left to watch the rest of the day since we traveled together. I will put together a full report with photos and such when I get some time.

Hamburgler · 09-07-2004, 9:32 PM

How were the lovebugs? I hope they die down before I go in a couple weeks.

Mavic · 09-07-2004, 9:49 PM

Let's say that they SUCKED!!! Had to clean my visor between each session or I would not be able to see. During the first session, my view had decreased to at least 40%. I was wishing for tear offs so I could see the "X's" they had on the track to mark the turn in point.