My first track day

[Sentox]

Manfield, obviously. Thanks to a the organisers, it was a fantastic day.

And I have the biggest, stupidest grin imagineable on my face. What a buzz. For anyone considering it, just go. It's a fantastic way of working on your riding skills, and it's just plain fun besides.

The "slow" group had some supermotards, 650s, even a Ducati 848, so I got left behind in the straights a lot, but corners were plenty fun. Scraped a peg twice and my boot about four times, so memo to self to tuck my foot in better (I ride with the balls of my foot on the peg, but apparently my foot is simply too far out). The chicken strips on my amazing (:p) Shinkos have shrunk to around 3mm on the back, so I was getting it over a little more.

A guy there ran lines for me in the fourth session, which was really enlightening: showed me that what I thought was a late apex wasn't really, and I needed to travel a lot deeper into the corner before tipping in.

Definitely addictive though. Won't be my last track day :laugh:

[zealchick]

Manfield, obviously. Thanks to a the organisers, it was a fantastic day.

And I have the biggest, stupidest grin imagineable on my face. What a buzz. For anyone considering it, just go. It's a fantastic way of working on your riding skills, and it's just plain fun besides.

The "slow" group had some supermotards, 650s, even a Ducati 848, so I got left behind in the straights a lot, but corners were plenty fun. Scraped a peg twice and my boot about four times, so memo to self to tuck my foot in better (I ride with the balls of my foot on the peg, but apparently my foot is simply too far out). The chicken strips on my amazing (:p) Shinkos have shrunk to around 3mm on the back, so I was getting it over a little more.

A guy there ran lines for me in the fourth session, which was really enlightening: showed me that what I thought was a late apex wasn't really, and I needed to travel a lot deeper into the corner before tipping in.

Definitely addictive though. Won't be my last track day :laugh:

Ditto!! I did the HMCC rider training day at Hampton On Saturday that was my first taste on a track i will definately be going back for a proper track day soon :-)

[R-Soul]

Manfield, obviously. Thanks to a the organisers, it was a fantastic day.

And I have the biggest, stupidest grin imagineable on my face. What a buzz. For anyone considering it, just go. It's a fantastic way of working on your riding skills, and it's just plain fun besides.

The "slow" group had some supermotards, 650s, even a Ducati 848, so I got left behind in the straights a lot, but corners were plenty fun. Scraped a peg twice and my boot about four times, so memo to self to tuck my foot in better (I ride with the balls of my foot on the peg, but apparently my foot is simply too far out). The chicken strips on my amazing (:p) Shinkos have shrunk to around 3mm on the back, so I was getting it over a little more.

A guy there ran lines for me in the fourth session, which was really enlightening: showed me that what I thought was a late apex wasn't really, and I needed to travel a lot deeper into the corner before tipping in.

Definitely addictive though. Won't be my last track day :laugh:

awesome man! Yeah its a buzz alright. I am completely addicted. Just wish that I had a track bike (so that I dont have to put my daily commuter at risk). I guess I will just have to save...

[Sentox]

awesome man! Yeah its a buzz alright. I am completely addicted. Just wish that I had a track bike (so that I dont have to put my daily commuter at risk). I guess I will just have to save...

Hey, your username has changed :laugh:

Yeah, my plan now is to eventually get a track bike and keep the 250 for commuting and such. It's perfectly capable around town and even travelling long distances. Mileage is fantastic, and the lack of power stops me from doing anything too stupid (most of the time). Replacing it with a 600/1000 when I get my full will just give me way too much bike for the policed public road (imho; doubtless plenty of people will disagree with me there) while forcing me to keep all that annoying stuff like mirrors and lights :p I guess I've just realised I don't care about going fast on the road anymore.

[R-Soul]

Hey, your username has changed :laugh:

Yeah, my plan now is to eventually get a track bike and keep the 250 for commuting and such. It's perfectly capable around town and even travelling long distances. Mileage is fantastic, and the lack of power stops me from doing anything too stupid (most of the time). Replacing it with a 600/1000 when I get my full will just give me way too much bike for the policed public road (imho; doubtless plenty of people will disagree with me there) while forcing me to keep all that annoying stuff like mirrors and lights :p I guess I've just realised I don't care about going fast on the road anymore.


hehe Yeah - special request - after the last ART track day, I felt the name needed tweaking....

After the last ART day, I now realise that riding anywhere close to the way that I can on a track will get me killed almost instantly. So road riding is almost ruined for me as a speed buzz. I will still go for rides, but not about speed or anything like that - more about getting technique and muscle memory right (for the next track day!!)

[rachprice]

hey good to see you out there and enjoying yourself so much :)

[Jacko2]

hehe Yeah - special request - after the last ART track day, I felt the name needed tweaking....

After the last ART day, I now realise that riding anywhere close to the way that I can on a track will get me killed almost instantly. So road riding is almost ruined for me as a speed buzz. I will still go for rides, but not about speed or anything like that - more about getting technique and muscle memory right (for the next track day!!)

Know what you mean, after trackdays, certainly slowed me down on the road. The NEED is not there anymore. Actually enjoying cruising again.
Plenty of cheapish ex-racebikes around. Most already set-up and come with spares.
See Ya out there.
Come say hello.
JACKO

[DidJit]

Well done! :niceone: Track days are mucho fun. :yes:

[sinfull]

Couldn't have picked a better day to do yr first trackday aye ? Nice and warm out there monday it was, wish tomorrow looked like it'd be as good !

[HenryDorsetCase]

Manfield, obviously. Thanks to a the organisers, it was a fantastic day.

And I have the biggest, stupidest grin imagineable on my face. What a buzz. For anyone considering it, just go. It's a fantastic way of working on your riding skills, and it's just plain fun besides.

The "slow" group had some supermotards, 650s, even a Ducati 848, so I got left behind in the straights a lot, but corners were plenty fun. Scraped a peg twice and my boot about four times, so memo to self to tuck my foot in better (I ride with the balls of my foot on the peg, but apparently my foot is simply too far out). The chicken strips on my amazing (:p) Shinkos have shrunk to around 3mm on the back, so I was getting it over a little more.

A guy there ran lines for me in the fourth session, which was really enlightening: showed me that what I thought was a late apex wasn't really, and I needed to travel a lot deeper into the corner before tipping in.

Definitely addictive though. Won't be my last track day :laugh:

Good stuff: wait till you get your knee down! (as long as it isnt followed by the rest of your body and your bike...)

[R-Soul]

The NEED is not there anymore. Actually enjoying cruising again.
Plenty of cheapish ex-racebikes around. Most already set-up and come with spares.
See Ya out there.
Come say hello.
JACKO

Yup the need for speed is not there- I still have a quest for good technique though.

Now the need for another track day is there...

[CookMySock]

riding anywhere close to the way that I can on a track will get me killed almost instantly. So road riding is almost ruined for me as a speed buzz.The speeding on the road thing ends one day anyway, so it might as earlier rather than later. There's just way too much crap on the road to race around on it.

I've only done one track day ever, and I'm amazed what I learned on it. I had no formal tuition/support on the day except the linesman, and one person who said "you're doing alright!", but it's notable how different I feel on my bike now.

The only thing that worried me is, by the end of the day I was basically racing everyone.. How long would that have lasted? :blink:


Steve

[R-Soul]

The only thing that worried me is, by the end of the day I was basically racing everyone.. How long would that have lasted? :blink:


Is't that the point- pushing your personal boundaries in a relatively safe environment? That is after all what a track day is about, no?

[CookMySock]

Is't that the point- pushing your personal boundaries in a relatively safe environment? That is after all what a track day is about, no?My personal boundaries were becoming secondary to some universal power that I did not fully understand. Oh I believed it, and you know I wanted it to be my new god, but I couldn't get that image of plastic on pavement out of my head. "Sensible" kicked in. Headshakes, severe wriggling under heavy braking, slip and deep dive into turns, arse getting light during braking - all ignored.

I need a bike I can drop.

Steve

[sinfull]

I need a bike I can drop.

Steve Any bike will do lol
Sounds more like your suspension is dubious to say the least !

[Katman]

Just remember that the only way that skills learned on a trackday should be transferable to the road is as a means to get you out of danger - not as a means to place yourself in danger.

[CookMySock]

Sounds more like your suspension is dubious to say the least !Yeah its a cheap whorean one.


Just remember that the only way that skills learned on a trackday should be transferable to the road is as a means to get you out of danger - not as a means to place yourself in danger.Yeah thats the whole point. Lots of people posting here mention that the track slows them down on the road, and correspondingly gives them a greater feeling of being in command of the bike.

Steve

[Voltaire]

The speeding on the road thing ends one day anyway, so it might as earlier rather than later. There's just way too much crap on the road to race around on it.

I've only done one track day ever, and I'm amazed what I learned on it. I had no formal tuition/support on the day except the linesman, and one person who said "you're doing alright!", but it's notable how different I feel on my bike now.

The only thing that worried me is, by the end of the day I was basically racing everyone.. How long would that have lasted? :blink:


Steve

Its hard to imagine someone like you learning anything...apart form doing a swirly cone.

" lots of references to people who agreed with me"

[rapid van cleef]

After doing 2 track days, I now find road riding very dull. the shite on the roads and dangers of other road users etc etc really spoil it for me now, so I shall mostly be doing track days from now on I reckon.

Voltaire.........whats with the references to DB and ice cream? i dont understand?

[sinfull]

Voltaire.........whats with the references to DB and ice cream? i dont understand? lick lick !

I did that with track days, road riding bored me so made a deal with the Mrs where we stopped riding on the road and i stripped the bike down for track only ! Saved a good couple of hundy a week by not going out and that paid for two to three track days a month over the summer period, Was great till i bought another road bike lol, Couldn't spring me a loan could ya lol

[Sentox]

I'm actually enjoying road riding a little more since the track day. Before it I was basically always stressed about being too slow; now I'm actually relaxed again, like when I first started riding. Still, if I had to give up street riding for the track, I'd do it in a heartbeat :laugh:

[BoristheBiter]

I had my first track day at Manfield as well (last year).
I have never looked back as i have now have a few track days under my belt.
It has helped my riding and as Sentax said "if I had to give up street riding for the track, I'd do it in a heartbeat".
just need to find a sponser.

[CookMySock]

Voltaire.........whats with the references to DB and ice cream? i dont understand?It's an intentional jibe that he thinks is derogatory. What he doesn't realise, is we find it quite amusing.. us laughing at him, not the other way around.

Steve

[Katman]

It's an intentional jibe that he thinks is derogatory. What he doesn't realise, is we find it quite amusing.. us laughing at him, not the other way around.

Steve

Cool. Does that mean that no-one gets infractions anymore, Mr Whippy?

[CookMySock]

Cool. Does that mean that no-one gets infractions anymore, Mr Whippy?I would say "it's up to you" but it's not is it? It's up to me. :killingme

Steve

[BoristheBiter]

No its up to the administrator.
You're just the arse that moans about it