BMW Club Ride-Friendly TrackDays

[DPG]

Hello Everyone,
I hope its not breaking any rules to post this as a first-post but I hope it may be of some interest to at least some of the folk here.


The BMW Club are holding their usual Ride-Friendly road-bike-only track day series again this year. There are three days in total, two at Snetterton (9th May and 8th August) and one at Cadwell Park (20th June).

Whilst track riders with lots of experience are welcome, the main aim of these days is a more relaxed event built around first timers and intermediate-skilled riders who would like to increase their riding confidence. We have many instructors available for free on each day (15 or so most days) including some that specialize in novice tuition. Novice riders can ride with and instructor all day or free lap at will after the first session. Less emphasis is given to aggressive track skills and more focus on line accuracy and track courtesy.

Any Make-Model of bike is welcome too - You don't have to be a BMW Club member and we don't canvass for membership on the day either.

To promote the more social side of things, at the Snetterton dates, there is normally a BBQ during the night before (Sunday night) and local overnight camping is available too. If camping is not your thing, there is a very reasonable hotel, very close to the track, good food and bar.

If you are interested in coming along or would like more information, please PM or mail me. There is a FaceBook group set up too, https://www.facebook.com/groups/RideFriendlyTrackdays/. I'll do my best to answer any questions you may have.

Some extra info from our organizer Robert Bensley:

"The BMW Club is holding three of our highly successful track days in 2016. We will be at our usual venue, the Snetterton 300 Circuit in Norfolk, on Monday 9 May and Monday 8 August and then on Monday 20 June we will be at Cadwell Park in Lincolnshire on the full circuit, subject only to our receiving enough early bookings.
All three days are open to all riders on any make of bike provided that the rider has a full motorcycle driving licence, wears full leathers while on track (securely zipped together if two piece) and the bike is road legal in every respect. It should be noted that a full size number plate is required, in addition, tyre warmers are not permitted.

Why choose the BMW Club for your track days?
If your motorcycling is primarily on the public roads and riding on a track is either an occasional pleasure or a first time experience, there are a number of reasons why you should ride with us:
• We are enthusiasts running a not-for-profit day with a “club” feel
• We restrict entries to significantly less than the number of bikes allowed on the track at one time so you get more track space than on a full commercial track day
• We have instructors who consider it a pleasure to ride with track novices and for first timers we have a maximum of 4 riders per instructor in the first session
• We restrict entries to road bikes only which we have found means fewer stoppages on these days so our participants get the full use of the available track time
• Instruction, help and assessment available to all participants at no extra cost
• Comprehensive safety briefing, with emphasis given to faster riders to look after the less experienced on track
• A full programme and timetable for the day, including guidance and advice for newcomers, issued in advance to all participants.
Snetterton, Monday 9th May & Monday 8th August
Both these days will run in our traditional format with 3 groups for Cautious, Intermediate and Experienced riders respectively. The emphasis in all three groups is to develop smooth and accurate lines.
The groups take it in turns to ride 20 minute sessions on track and each group is allocated 7 sessions in the course of the day.
For those not familiar with the way we run our track days, less experienced riders (especially those who have no previous track experience) start the day riding in instructor-led squads of 2, 3 or 4 riders depending on the information they have given us on their entry forms. They then receive individual debriefings and, if appropriate, are encouraged to ride the next session in the same manner, progressing to riding in front of the instructor as their confidence builds. The importance of following the “ideal line” is stressed over the need for speed. Beginners are welcome to ride with one of our experienced instructors for as much of the day as they want to.
We have several instructors and coaches with race experience who will be delighted to ride a session (or two) one on one with any participant who would like to develop their technique. You will be amazed at how much you can learn by asking an expert who knows the circuit to follow you for a few laps and then give you a personal debriefing.

Cadwell Park, Monday 20th June
For the last 2 years we have held a track day at Cadwell Park. It is a circuit that our instructors know well and at which we all love to ride. The Snetterton 300 circuit is probably the best “airfield circuit” in the country, and rides like the race circuit that it undoubtedly is.
Riding round Cadwell Park, on the other hand, is more like riding on a fast country lane which some kindly administrator has turned into a one-way road; this makes Cadwell an ideal place to develop your “real world” riding skills.
Our day at Cadwell Park will follow a similar format to our Snetterton days. Our commitment to full sessions of led laps for less experienced riders will still be very much in force.
You are invited
You don’t have to join our club to take part though you are most welcome to do so before, at, or after your event. We hope you will come and enjoy riding with us in 2016, in a relaxed “club” atmosphere, giving you the opportunity to develop your skills in a safe environment at two of the UK’s iconic motorsport venues.
A word of warning, track days are addictive! As one of our regular participants puts it, they are probably not as safe as sitting at your work desk, but safer than your journey to and from!
How much does it cost?
For Snetterton we have been able to hold the 2015 price of £130.
The price for Cadwell Park is £120.
Bookings can only be made by sending the organiser a completed booking form and we require payment in full at the time of booking. Booking forms can be downloaded from the Sporting Register page at The BMW Club web site www.thebmwclub.org.uk and are also available by email from the organiser, Robert Bensley, who acts for and on behalf of The BMW Club.

Robert Bensley
Sporting Secretary, The BMW Club
robertbensley@btinternet.com"

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A better start might be "I've read the rules and I don't think this a problem."

An even better start might be "I've read the rules and asked a moderator/admin who said it's ok."

What do you find 'unrelaxed' about normal trackdays?

I find riding in the fast group with other track bikes tends to be more relaxed than an eclectic mixture of bikes and riders in novice/inters.

I have never seen instruction giving any suggestion of 'aggressive track skills' - sure, maybe if you're racing at a very good pace already, some tactics for block passes and the like might come into it. But until then, typically it's just how to ride fast generally, which tends to be about lines, smoothness and the like.

[DPG]