1st Track Day Advice

[slimsailor00]

Hey guys,

I just signed up for my first ever track day in April. I will be riding my FJR and using this as a test to see if regular track days are for me (and if they are I will be buying a literbike for the track). I would like to solicit some advice from people who know.

Question 1: I will have to replace my radiator fluid with water for the event. Is this something that can be done in the pit paddock or do I need to do this in advance?

Question 2: I currently have PR4s front and back. Are these suitable for this event or should I buy and swap tires out (I have a tire changing machine at home, so I could get some Pilot Powers for this event), or perhaps should i leave the front Pr$ and swap out the rear?

Question 3: What tools should I bring for the event?

Question 4: Were there any revalations you had after going to track day? Anything that you figured out to make your experience easier and more pleasurable (or anything that you learned NOT to do)?

Thanks for helping steer me in the right direction,

Chris

 

[yamafitter]

Q1: Flush the cooling system at home. You will have to remove some plastic to drain the overflow tank. Also you may have to flush the cooling system a few times to get all the antifreeze out.

Q2: For your first time the PR4's are fine.

Q3: A good tire pressure gauge and a pump. Other than that just some basic tools. The people running the track day may require you to tape over the lights so bring some duct tape for that.

Q4: work on being smooth and picking good lines. During my first track days they had some riding marshals and I would follow one that I knew to learn the lines.

Remember that you there to improve technique and not race.

 

[idoc62]

Check with your track day provider, you may not need to change your coolant. Of the two providers I use, one doesn't require a change and the other requires Water Wetter or Engine Ice.

Your PR4s will be fine. You may be required to tape up your headlight, brake light, and mirrors. I like to use that blue painters tape for this. Much easier to remove than duct tape. A tire guage and your toolkit are all you need. Remove bags before hitting the track.

Read Keith Code's Twist of the Wrist - you'll be so much better prepared. Also, snag an instructor early and have them follow you around and give you tips.

Have fun!

CJ

 

[Twigg]

Take it easy for the first few laps. Remembering how you went round a corner last time holds the key to gradually building up speed.

Some tracks have rules about this, but even if they don't, try NOT to pass other riders on the inside of a corner. Chances are they the other guy is not experienced, not aware you are there and will turn in on you. That could end a happy day, painfully. So go around the outside unless you are confident of the abilities of others. If you want to practise you ability to hit the apex, give yourself room.

Oh yeah .... enjoy it. Track days are awesome

 

[Bugnatr]

Congrats for signing up, your riding abilities are about to improve more than you can imagine.

Agree to check with the track folks, many don't require radiator flush. Your tires should be close to new or 90% tread life. You show up with half used up tires and you may not pass pre track inspection and will not be able to ride plus you will lose your payment. Same with your riding gear. Every track day I have been to the track provider has a list of what they expect from you and your machine.

You will drop your tire pressure to close to 30 psi and be careful with cold tires every time you get on the track, give them a lap or two to warm up. Listen to all track instruction at the beginning of the day and try to stay away from groups of riders. I like to hang back a half a lap or so to let the squids out first and then I have a clean track for a while.

Bring fuel as you mileage will be much lower than you are used too and track gas is usually quite higher than stations prices-although it may not be a big deal with the cheap gas these days

Bring a camera as it's fun to grab pictures of all the cool bikes there. It's hard not to be nervous before your first track day but you will find that after the first few laps it goes away and now you are having a blast!

Here's my 04 at my first track day at Sears Point close to ten years ago, that was a great day but the peg feelers took a beating by the end of the day.

 

[radiummadman]

DON'T DO IT

 

[Warpdrv]

Don't listen to this guy ^^^^

It will be a memory that will last you a life time and be careful \ Leary... It will lead you to starting the hunt for a track bike..

Don't under estimate your first time out Potential body exhaustion... Be in shape... Start working out \ stretching now if you don't already... Very important to be limber and stretch... Healthy breakfast and then Lots of water... Most of all take your time and learn... Enjoy your self !

 

[900gc]

Don't listen to this guy ^^^^
It will be a memory that will last you a life time and be careful \ Leary... It will lead you to starting the hunt for a track bike..

Don't under estimate your first time out Potential body exhaustion... Be in shape... Start working out \ stretching now if you don't already... Very important to be limber and stretch... Healthy breakfast and then Lots of water... Most of all take your time and learn... Enjoy your self !

To be absolutely sure about this hosts bike prep requirements (they can and do vary), just give them a call.

Glad you mentioned that. They can be physically demanding and you need to know when/if to skip a session or come in before a session is over, etc. I've logged thousands of miles on the track between racing and track days and have done some mentoring/instructing as well, and many of the mishaps happen from exhaustion and/or dehydration. Another main cause of mishaps is riding 'over your head' either from being too enthused or competitive with some other rider. Take it easy, ride within yourself, pick up the pace gradually and since it is your first one, assuming it is a good host group, take advantage of the instructors. Ask questions and ask for some one on one time during some sessions (you follow them, they follow you) and follow up with them after the session. You can learn a lot. Stay hydrated (coconut water is great too), eat energy dense foods (trail mix, fruit, etc.) throughout the day, stay cool and ENJOY!

I've been riding for 45 years and hundreds of thousands of miles and racing and track days have made it that much more FUN!! Heck, half the fun I have is chatting with the other attendees and walking around checking out all the other bikes!

 

[SwollenRaccoon]

What everyone else said. I've been to three of Reg Pridmore's CLASS track days, and the instructors were fabulous. Many of the riders were almost beginners, so it was wise to keep your distance and pick your passing points wisely. One of Reg's rules is that there is NO passing on the inside. It makes a lot of sense. If a guy comes in too hot into a corner to pass somebody, if he's on the outside, no big deal. He runs wide, or into a gravel trap, or crashes by himself. But if he tries to stuff it inside somebody, he will take out one or more other riders. Also, everybody is right on about conditioning, especially if it's a busy track, like Mid-America outside Council Bluffs, Iowa. I did a track day there a few years ago, and it was a real workout. Not much time to rest per lap. At RoadAmerica, where I've done three track days, the straights are long, and you have time to catch your breath.

You will learn SO much, you won't believe how much safer and better of a street rider it will make you. You will learn to trust your tires. You will learn what your bike is capable of, and what YOU are capable of. You will be nervous and a little scared at first. By the end of the day, you will wonder how soon you can do it again. Hey, I guess it's a little like your first hammock ride with a member of the opposite gender..........

And at the end of the day, your tires will probably look like this.......(Honda VTR1000F tire after a RoadAmerica track day)

 

[Goodman4]

Where are you going to ride and who is the provider? I did Barber in Birmingham with Sportbike Track Time last April and had a blast on my 07 FJR for my first ever track day. I didn't have to change fluid or tie anything down in the novice group. You'll want decent tread on the tire, but if it's in good shape the PR4's should be fine as previously answered.

There were some really good riders (along with a lot of bad ones) in the novice group just because they were on a new track or a new bike and wanted to get comfortable. I was nervous as heck but the STT coaches did a lot to get you comfortable first. By the third sessions I almost got a little bored wanting to hit it harder than just following the coach. But once they turned us loose I had some of the most exciting times I've had on a bike. I was really glad they had drilled those lines into us.

The only negative I've heard is that some of the track days that don't have as tight of rules start getting a little tight on the passes at the end of the day which can be hard for an inexperienced track rider on a heavy bike like the FJR. I didn't experience anything like that, though. They were pushing safety really hard in the novice group. I was able to ride just above the middle of the pack in my group most of the time. I could hang very well with the faster bikes on the straights but I didn't have the skill of some of the others in the corners.

I hope you have a blast.