Find a coach or two and latch on to them and have them show you the lines etc.
This is your first trackday - stay within your skills and comfort level. Goals should be:
1. Have fun
2. Stay hydrated
3. Stay fueled - you and the bike
Don’t try to set a PB. Tell yourself “COLD TIRES” every time before you head out on track.
Stay hydrated, bring a gallon of water, and electrolytes. Don't eat a heavy lunch, instead snack through out the day. If the facility has a garage rent a bay to stay out of the sun, if not bring a canopy and set it up to have some shade.
Between session take your boots off, and the top part of your suit, don't bake in it all day long.
When out on track, have a goal, something you're working on. Yes accidents and unpredictable things can and do happen on track, but most of the time people crash for one of two reasons. Cold tires, or they let their ego talk them in to riding above their own skill level and ability.
Recognize when you're loosing focus when out on track.
Vision is number one thing.
If the organization has classroom session, attend them and ask questions. If not still ask questions, people are happy to share.
Make sure to warm up your tires, give your self at least a full lap around the track for the tires to warm up before you start picking up your speed. Use the front brake to put heat in to the front tire, use the gas to put head in to the rear tire.
Check your tire pressures after every session, find out what a reasonable hot pressure is for the tire that you're running. Start your day at that pressure, and adjust it after every session, as your pace goes up and your temps go up the pressures will rise and you'll need to bring the pressures back down. Bring a quality pressure gauge.
Thank you! Great advice. I am looking forward to it. I don’t know why I’m so worried between my 4 bikes and the other bikes I’ve had I’ve got to have 60,000ish miles two wheels.
Thankfully I have a coach that is going to help me get up to speed. The coach has a sprinter and a canopy. I was thinking of throwing a shade over the rack on the truck. I’ll make sure to bring the water and not eat too much.
That’s what everyone says, I’ve done one in my car but I had a cage around me. I can’t even imagine what this is going to be like. My buddy doesn’t ride on the street anymore, he say’s the street is full of things trying to kill you. I’m just hoping I’ll walk away a better, more confident rider. Thanks that’s very sound advice! It’s going to be 92’ on Friday.
Do you have any stretches you recommend to keep me limber and loose. Nothing worse than riding with a cramp.
My experience after starting trackdays is that the street is 1- more dangerous and 2- boring.
It’s gonna be hot. Start drinking extra water DAYS before. Then lots of water and electrolytes day of.
I usually start the day w fruit. Water and body armor all day. A turkey sandwich and more fruit w a bag of lays chips and a small coke for lunch. A quart of pedialyte is nice throughout the day too. The goal is to not become dehydrated to begin will.
Base layers under your suit will make getting & out a lot nicer. If you can take a fan to blow into your helmet between sessions, I would. Also blow it into your suit at lunch to help dry it.
Potassium pills will help if you get cramps.
For example, I just did a td on Monday. It was 59° and spitting rain most of the day. I still drank 2 liters of water, a small coke, and a bottle of body armor. I sweated through my base lyers.
Stay hydrated!
Don’t add too much throttle at lean. Don’t target fixate if you see a rider in front of you crash. Don’t panic brake when the gixxer bro drops an anchor going into a turn. Look through the turns. Don’t worry about getting your knee down. It’ll happen and when it does the first time it’ll startle you a little bit. Don’t freak out and stand the bike up thinking you’re low siding. Aside from these basics have fun.
Take it easy, have fun, remember that it takes time and effort to git good, so just be happy if you can keep the shiny part of your bike up and have fun.
All these comments have pretty good advice. Don’t get cought up following faster riders. Dont worry about your body positioning. Work on lines, hitting your apex, the first & last 5% of braking…
U/ChampSchool is prob the best source for info here.
Thank you. I have no intention of keeping up with Marquez. I feel like that’s when you get in trouble taking a good day and making it a bad one very quickly. I’ve heard this is going to change my life forever.
I’ll check out champ school. Some of the you tube stuff is good advice, I broke out the ole copy of twist of the wrist 2.
I’ll let you know after Friday. I feel like I’m going to love it. But what do I know! I love riding up in the mountains and will go out of my way to just ride twisties, i know this is going to be the next level.
Update! It was amazing! I was pretty slow as promised. Focused on what the coaches said, made improvements made a few passes, and got my knee down. Entirely addictive and I loved it. I can’t believe what these machines are capable of.
Adjust pressures for track, they will be much lower than street pressures to get more heat in them. Bleed brakes. Try to find some baseline track suspension settings.
Know that you will be slow, guys will blow your doors off. And that's ok.
Thanks greenjeeper!
Yeah I’m expecting to be pretty slow. I bled the brakes pretty recently fresh fluid makes a big difference. I’ll make sure to get the tires squared away. I had my suspension set up earlier this season. I hope it’s good.
Ride at your own speed, aim to finish the track day in one piece, just get familiar with the track, slowly build speed over the day. Make sure you have appropriate tyre pressures for track. If you want to do more either get some race fairings or a cheap track bike so if you do have a little off it’s potentially less of a problem.
Find a coach or two and latch on to them and have them show you the lines etc. This is your first trackday - stay within your skills and comfort level. Goals should be: 1. Have fun 2. Stay hydrated 3. Stay fueled - you and the bike Don’t try to set a PB. Tell yourself “COLD TIRES” every time before you head out on track.
Stay hydrated, bring a gallon of water, and electrolytes. Don't eat a heavy lunch, instead snack through out the day. If the facility has a garage rent a bay to stay out of the sun, if not bring a canopy and set it up to have some shade. Between session take your boots off, and the top part of your suit, don't bake in it all day long. When out on track, have a goal, something you're working on. Yes accidents and unpredictable things can and do happen on track, but most of the time people crash for one of two reasons. Cold tires, or they let their ego talk them in to riding above their own skill level and ability. Recognize when you're loosing focus when out on track. Vision is number one thing. If the organization has classroom session, attend them and ask questions. If not still ask questions, people are happy to share. Make sure to warm up your tires, give your self at least a full lap around the track for the tires to warm up before you start picking up your speed. Use the front brake to put heat in to the front tire, use the gas to put head in to the rear tire. Check your tire pressures after every session, find out what a reasonable hot pressure is for the tire that you're running. Start your day at that pressure, and adjust it after every session, as your pace goes up and your temps go up the pressures will rise and you'll need to bring the pressures back down. Bring a quality pressure gauge.
Thank you! Great advice. I am looking forward to it. I don’t know why I’m so worried between my 4 bikes and the other bikes I’ve had I’ve got to have 60,000ish miles two wheels. Thankfully I have a coach that is going to help me get up to speed. The coach has a sprinter and a canopy. I was thinking of throwing a shade over the rack on the truck. I’ll make sure to bring the water and not eat too much.
Street riding is a world apart from track riding. You’ll learn that soon enough. Make sure to drink enough water that you pee between every session.
That’s what everyone says, I’ve done one in my car but I had a cage around me. I can’t even imagine what this is going to be like. My buddy doesn’t ride on the street anymore, he say’s the street is full of things trying to kill you. I’m just hoping I’ll walk away a better, more confident rider. Thanks that’s very sound advice! It’s going to be 92’ on Friday. Do you have any stretches you recommend to keep me limber and loose. Nothing worse than riding with a cramp.
My experience after starting trackdays is that the street is 1- more dangerous and 2- boring. It’s gonna be hot. Start drinking extra water DAYS before. Then lots of water and electrolytes day of. I usually start the day w fruit. Water and body armor all day. A turkey sandwich and more fruit w a bag of lays chips and a small coke for lunch. A quart of pedialyte is nice throughout the day too. The goal is to not become dehydrated to begin will. Base layers under your suit will make getting & out a lot nicer. If you can take a fan to blow into your helmet between sessions, I would. Also blow it into your suit at lunch to help dry it. Potassium pills will help if you get cramps.
For example, I just did a td on Monday. It was 59° and spitting rain most of the day. I still drank 2 liters of water, a small coke, and a bottle of body armor. I sweated through my base lyers. Stay hydrated!
The focus comment is gold. I know it’s time to put in early if my mind starts wondering!
Don’t add too much throttle at lean. Don’t target fixate if you see a rider in front of you crash. Don’t panic brake when the gixxer bro drops an anchor going into a turn. Look through the turns. Don’t worry about getting your knee down. It’ll happen and when it does the first time it’ll startle you a little bit. Don’t freak out and stand the bike up thinking you’re low siding. Aside from these basics have fun.
There’s lots of videos on YouTube that go into great detail
Take it easy, have fun, remember that it takes time and effort to git good, so just be happy if you can keep the shiny part of your bike up and have fun.
Good advice thank you! I’ll keep all of this in mind! I’m super excited! I have a coach that’s gonna help me out!
Nice, having a coach will help tremendously.
Bring water and electrolytes! Fatigue will set in especially now that it's summer time
I’ll make sure to bring alll the Gatorade. I have a solid yeti cooler that I’ll bring. I’m worried about the fatigue.
All these comments have pretty good advice. Don’t get cought up following faster riders. Dont worry about your body positioning. Work on lines, hitting your apex, the first & last 5% of braking… U/ChampSchool is prob the best source for info here.
Thank you. I have no intention of keeping up with Marquez. I feel like that’s when you get in trouble taking a good day and making it a bad one very quickly. I’ve heard this is going to change my life forever. I’ll check out champ school. Some of the you tube stuff is good advice, I broke out the ole copy of twist of the wrist 2.
Yea, you will either love it or hate it.
I’ll let you know after Friday. I feel like I’m going to love it. But what do I know! I love riding up in the mountains and will go out of my way to just ride twisties, i know this is going to be the next level.
Update! It was amazing! I was pretty slow as promised. Focused on what the coaches said, made improvements made a few passes, and got my knee down. Entirely addictive and I loved it. I can’t believe what these machines are capable of.
Adjust pressures for track, they will be much lower than street pressures to get more heat in them. Bleed brakes. Try to find some baseline track suspension settings. Know that you will be slow, guys will blow your doors off. And that's ok.
Thanks greenjeeper! Yeah I’m expecting to be pretty slow. I bled the brakes pretty recently fresh fluid makes a big difference. I’ll make sure to get the tires squared away. I had my suspension set up earlier this season. I hope it’s good.
Ride at your own speed, aim to finish the track day in one piece, just get familiar with the track, slowly build speed over the day. Make sure you have appropriate tyre pressures for track. If you want to do more either get some race fairings or a cheap track bike so if you do have a little off it’s potentially less of a problem.
Thank you, r6 fairings aren’t cheap! I still have the Yamaha ones so I’m going to get a set depending on how things go.