Track day virgin

[nomoregt4]

Well good evening to you all out there.

As the title suggests, I'm wanting to take part in my first track day. I've never been on the track, but have 4-5 years riding & 15 years driving experience behind me.

I personally think it would be a huge advantage if I were to hire out an instructor for the day so they can advise me as much as possible as I'd want to get as much out of my first track experience as possible so I can then take my newly learnt skills to the next track day.

Now I'm not wanting to take my road bike onto the track, just in case I have the miss fortune of coming off. So I think I'll be looking on Ebay etc to find myself a mechanically sound bike.

I was thinking something like a 400cc would suit me fine. I'm not wanting to spend thousands on a track bike, far from it actually. I would be looking at a bike that's mechanically solid, but I don't mind it being cosmetically challenged

Can anyone suggest any bikes in the 400cc category?

The only bikes I can think of are Honda CBR & VFR. Any other suggestions for me so I'm not trawling through Ebay at the cruisers & supermotos

Cheers,

Rich

[Wabby]

ZXR400 mate for sure.
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What restriction?

[MarJay]

Don't buy a trackbike yet. Its a ridiculous investment to make when you've got no idea if you even LIKE trackdays.

You can't 'hire out an instructor' for an entire day, unless you do the california superbike school or similar.

Now, having some experience of trackdays I think that I am in a good position to advise you on this. I would reccomend that you find a trackday company that will hire out a 600cc bike to you (or allow you to hire someone elses). When I say trackday, I mean trackday and not race school though because you need to try it out on your own before you get instruction. I know that sounds crazy but it makes loads of sense. You've no idea if you'll be fast or slow on your first outing, and you'll have no idea what your weaknesses are or what your strengths might be. The experience of riding on track for the first time can be overwhelming and so trying to combine that with following instruction might be a bit too much.

Every trackday I've been on (15+) have had free instruction available for one or two sessions at a time. Make use of this, but only after you've had a few sessions out on track first. Once you've done one or two trackdays you can decide if you want to buy your own trackday and if you need to do some more specialised instruction like the California Superbike School.

Make sure you start off in the novice group, and it doesn't matter if you're fast or slow on your first time out... the important thing is you get comfortable riding on track and you enjoy yourself.

Don't buy a trackbike yet, and don't do a race school until you've done a few trackdays.
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British beauty: Triumph Street Triple R; Loony stroker: KR1S; Track fun: GSXR750 L1; Commuter Missile: GSX-S1000F; Cheap project: CBR900RR FireBlade
Remember kids, bikes aren't like lego. You can't easily take a part from one bike and then fit it to another.

[Pete247]

My first track day I hired an R6 for it, as said most TDOs offer free instruction for a session if you want it, MSV however charge £25 (or at least did on the day I did at Cadwell last year)

Much better to hire a bike and see if you like it rather than buy a bike just for it, the TDO will be able to get you in touch with someone who will hire you a bike, it will come fully sorted for the track and will prob even have tyre warmers.

You will love it, just don't feel pressured to ride faster than you are comfortable with

[MarkJ]

What these two said.

If your bike is fairly cheap I'd say do it on that. You'd have to cause more than £300 worth of damage before hiring a track bike is worth it anyway.

[Bendy]

[nomoregt4]

[MarJay]

[nomoregt4]

Depends on how bad the damage was I guess?

More importantly, I'd be fuming if someone went into me on the track & didn't want to cough up

[Bendy]

[Ben.]

[nomoregt4]

[Shmindy]

I did my first Track day on my road bike at cadwell, novice only day, but you can do taster sesions for around £25 its aimed at first timers so I would prob say try that first see how you feel You can have full day instruction but its costly and if track isnt for you then it money wasted !! I would opt for the free instruction available.

[Damon]

I would book yourself into the novice group at a local track and just have some fun on your own bike. Like others have said, beg/borrow/steal a set of race fairings or second hand scratched set. I bought a whole fairing set for mine for £50. Bolt it on and you're good to go.

Take it easy and if you relax and look where you are going you shouldn't crash. Just slowly build up speed as and when you start to feel confident. If you find that you really enjoy track days THEN think about investing in a track bike. Don't go for a 400, you will be better off with a 600. At least then you have something to grow into and the spares are more readily available and newer...

All too many people like the idea of going fast on track and splash out serious amounts of cash on a track bike for them to then finally get on track, shit themselves and never go back on again. I does happen. Not saying you will but you never know until you get on.

One thing though... Whatever you end up doing, make sure you have a decent set of tyres. Tyres make a HUGE difference to how the bike will feel on track

Good luck and have fun!

[Ben.]

[D O G]

Ignore Ben, he's an angry little boy.

Just another vote for taking your own roadbike (what is it btw?). I've not yet done a trackday I haven't ridden to and from. If anything, the fact that you know you have to ride home makes you take it more safely than you might on a disposible track toy.

From my experience, the vast majority of the crashes happen in the fast group, stick to novices and you'll be fine - everyone takes it really easy.

[Damon]

[MarkJ]

+1 for most crashes in inters

[Pete247]

aye, inters is where its at if you wanna bin it, you get idiots that should be in the fast group intimidating the folk too proud to admit they should be in the novice group and its normally the true inters paced rider that bins it avoiding the other 2.

I guess per mile then tracks have a far higher risk of a spill but I feel so much safer coming off on track than I do binning on the road.

And you wont bin it unless you ride like a dick or are in the wrong group for your experience/ability!

[nomoregt4]

Thanks for all the advice guys. I wouldn't dream of entering any class but the novice group. I know my limitations & know I'm totally inexperienced at track days. I'm wanting to start at the bottom, build my confidence up gradually & most importantly, I want to enjoy myself

D O G: I have a cbr 600RR.

Rich

[Pete247]

I never thought I'd be promoting a chrono trackday until I did one the other month but if you did one of them then it stops other riders potentially spoiling your day as it splits the riders by their actual lap times into the correct grouping.

If I were you I'd use my own road bike on my first trackday with new tyres that were suitable for all weather conditions like 2CT's etc, take it steady and build your confidence.

[D O G]

CBR 600 RR is made for the track - just use it. You'll be much more familiar with it too which is a bonus.

I've not done loads of days - only four, 1st one in novice, rest in inters. Never saw a crash in either group I was in. Only came near to crashing once myself, and on reflection I was pretty far away from actually binning it.

Book a day, go, treat it as a learning experience. You will be absolutely fine. Hopefully.