First track day

Posted: Tue Jul 28, 2020 2:15 pm

Some advice required for a relative noob.
Got bought a track day for my birthday and thinking about using my cafed '81 cb900f.
Ive not ridden it a lot and my other bike ('81 bmw r100) is a very different beast and certainly not optimum for the track.
So, I guess my question is, should I just rock up and suss it out, or are there some necessary / advisable mods to consider before venturing onto the track?
Thanks in advance
Hank

Posted: Thu Aug 06, 2020 2:38 am

1. Bike:
a. Tighten all the hardware.
b. Lube the chain days before you go out so it sets up.
c. Tape the glass h/l, plastic winkers and t/l.

2. Ride:
a. Workout a little. It helps.
b. Drink a lot all day or you'll fatigue. Even force yourself for more fluids to take down.

3. Track:
a. They'll probably place you in the C group or the slower riders. Not that you're slow, it might be the bike being in the way of some faster and smaller cc bikes in the intermediate group or the expert group.
b. You more want to preserve the bike and not push it so much as to learn the track more. You have to gauge your braking markers, that are usually off to the side of the track before the turn comes up. You'll have to figure out entry speed and that's more or less your line around the turn.
c. Strive to be smooth. That will take a farther look down the road so you have your 'setup' to figure out, along with being smooth on the bike and more stay upright on the bike. If you lean over and scrape the pegs, you can sit the bike up some or remain there so as not to be spooked by it.
d. You'll for sure need new tires. Way too dangerous to run with used. Run a sport compound. Some might share tire pressures, but if not, you'll have to warm up the tires some before you push it just a little, so say 3 laps and then you can pin it. Say the air rises up 3 pounds, so say the rear might be 28 hot, 25 cold. Front would start out with 31 cold. That's just a guess on those pressures.

Head Game:
a. Once you go out, it's 100% concentration without thinking. You are going to gauge your speed on entry and that's heavy braking. It will come naturally are those movements, so try not to find yourself drifting off thinking about something else. Catch yourself doing it and return back to the concentration at hand.
b. You can be dead last, who cares, it's not an ego thing, but learning how to take a line and be smooth doing it. Smooth comes first, then speed seems less strenuous.

I'm forgetting a lot so if you have something not addressed? So some of the basics are; a well prepped bike under you so you don't think about the bike, and a problem you didn't address? Where; looking way out ahead gives you that smooth ability to execute. And full attention when on the track. HBD you lucky... she/he's a keeper with that kind of present.

Posted: Thu Aug 06, 2020 3:35 am

That’s super cool. I had no clue people were able to go out and race these bikes still. That’s really awesome to hear and although I don’t have any advice, you have my support and me saying that’s bada$$ of you!

Posted: Fri Aug 07, 2020 2:32 pm

Have fun, ride your own ride, it's not a race, beware the red mist, and don't do the last session of the day.

Posted: Fri Aug 07, 2020 3:14 pm

Walter wrote:

Have fun, ride your own ride, it's not a race, beware the red mist, and don't do the last session of the day.

I've heard of and seen the "don't do the last session of the day" thing. What is the reasoning behind it?

Posted: Fri Aug 07, 2020 3:37 pm

Some folks feel they need to go as fast as they can because it is the last run of the day and they have a whole day's experience- so take everything they learned and put it together & cut fast laps.

If they've had no issues all day, a false sense of confidence may exist.

And there will be a number of people feeling that way- each of them feeling they "should be" faster than the other guy.

But, folks are tired, reflexes are somewhat dulled, tires.brakes are more worn, available light is lower, even compared to the previous hour (if there were 3 groups).

There are just a lot of factors that make it the potentially dagerous session the day.

YMMV- just my observation of doing track days for 30 years.

Posted: Fri Aug 07, 2020 3:47 pm

Walter wrote:

Some folks feel they need to go as fast as they can because it is the last run of the day and they have a whole day's experience- so take everything they learned and put it together & cut fast laps.

If they've had no issues all day, a false sense of confidence may exist.

And there will be a number of people feeling that way- each of them feeling they "should be" faster than the other guy.

But, folks are tired, reflexes are somewhat dulled, tires.brakes are more worn, available light is lower, even compared to the previous hour (if there were 3 groups).

There are just a lot of factors that make it the potentially dagerous session the day.

YMMV- just my observation of doing track days for 30 years.

I can dig that. I will sometimes skip a session, especially on the 2nd day (if I'm doing a 2 day event) because of fatigue. It's hell getting old.......

Posted: Sat Aug 08, 2020 1:45 am

1100russ wrote:

Walter wrote:

Some folks feel they need to go as fast as they can because it is the last run of the day and they have a whole day's experience- so take everything they learned and put it together & cut fast laps.

If they've had no issues all day, a false sense of confidence may exist.

And there will be a number of people feeling that way- each of them feeling they "should be" faster than the other guy.

But, folks are tired, reflexes are somewhat dulled, tires.brakes are more worn, available light is lower, even compared to the previous hour (if there were 3 groups).

There are just a lot of factors that make it the potentially dagerous session the day.

YMMV- just my observation of doing track days for 30 years.

I can dig that. I will sometimes skip a session, especially on the 2nd day (if I'm doing a 2 day event) because of fatigue. It's hell getting old.......

But considering the alternative, I will take it!!

Steve