Why are there no track days in the South Island?

[ducobsessed]

yes, there are test days, and the very occasional 'advanced riding' days, but why oh why are there no organized track days?

do we not have the population? has there been companies proving this in the past without success? or has no one pulled themselves together and gone and done it?

[racefactory]

What's wrong with a test day?

[puddytat]

Training/trackday @ Ruapuna on the 13th March
Have a go day, April 16th @ Ruapuna
HAGD 14th May @ Ruapuna
Thats according to the little calender Ive got, but you might want to check out
www.motorcyclingcanterbury.org.nz

[NighthawkNZ]

Ruapun, Levels, and Teratonga all have track days, usually run by various clubs through out the year... best bet is to join a club that is into racing and has them and they will be in contact with other clubs that has them as well... Yah just gotta know where to look I guess

The OMCC
http://www.otagomotorcycleclub.org.nz/events/levels-have-a-go


and as puddytat said
Have a go day, 16th April at Ruapuna
Have a go day 14th May at Ruapuna

[Grumph]

I see you're in ChCh - are two days a week at ruapuna not sufficient for you ?

Timaru is not quite so readily available due to the terms of use of the track.

It would appear that in the SI we are not prepared to pay a middleman organiser when we have tracks available at very reasonable cost and clubs doing have a go days on a regular basis.

[FROSTY]

yes, there are test days, and the very occasional 'advanced riding' days, but why oh why are there no organized track days?

do we not have the population? has there been companies proving this in the past without success? or has no one pulled themselves together and gone and done it?
You have identified a hole in the market--why not organise a track day

[ducobsessed]

thanks for the comments all.

for sure the test days are good and cheap. however, they can be intimidating for track noobs. very difficult for a rider on a ninja 250 whose never been to a track before cutting it with guys doing mid 30's at ruapuna or worse, cars doing 14's. in england there has been a recent backlash to the 'tire warming' culture at track days and events are becoming popular where riders can only circulate on what they roder to the track

on a test day you don't get insurance, immediate medical, lines assistance, catering, fuel/tire service, etc but more importantly the opportunity to run with guys of similar pace.

finally, test days are not on the weekend

have a go days are better but they can be very disorganised. props to the clubs and i am glad they do them but i think they could be better controlled. guys 'borrowing' a vest, running in all groups then crashing 'cuz he was buggered at the end of the day is not good. they are cheap mind you :)

@FROSTY : thanks mate, i wonder if there is the population here to make it possible to break even?

[Nonbeliever]

I went to a "have a go day" at ruapuna with a mate a couple years back when I was in town. What a joke.
It was a day for club riders subsidized by joe public more like.
I was under the impression these days were for road riders , not club racers to boost their overinflated egos to go out and "carve up" some roadies.
I think their was 6 classes? and only 3 of those were for roadbikes (alot of racebikes in there too!) and they only got maybe 3 sessions for the day! the club guys would go out in any group they wanted.
There was even a very bad crash caused imo by a race bike, and a motard racer in the roadbike class.
Blood on your hands motorcycling canterbury.

[FROSTY]

thanks for the comments all.

for sure the test days are good and cheap. however, they can be intimidating for track noobs. very difficult for a rider on a ninja 250 whose never been to a track before cutting it with guys doing mid 30's at ruapuna or worse, cars doing 14's. in england there has been a recent backlash to the 'tire warming' culture at track days and events are becoming popular where riders can only circulate on what they roder to the track

on a test day you don't get insurance, immediate medical, lines assistance, catering, fuel/tire service, etc but more importantly the opportunity to run with guys of similar pace.

finally, test days are not on the weekend

have a go days are better but they can be very disorganised. props to the clubs and i am glad they do them but i think they could be better controlled. guys 'borrowing' a vest, running in all groups then crashing 'cuz he was buggered at the end of the day is not good. they are cheap mind you :)

@FROSTY : thanks mate, i wonder if there is the population here to make it possible to break even?
I wondered that about 5 years agowhen I ran the first KB trackday. its pretty easy maths. -add up track hire,staff wages etc and then figure out how many riders you need to cover that much at say $100 per rider

[Kickaha]

I went to a "have a go day" at ruapuna with a mate a couple years back when I was in town. What a joke.
It was a day for club riders subsidized by joe public more like.
I was under the impression these days were for road riders , not club racers to boost their overinflated egos to go out and "carve up" some roadies.
I think their was 6 classes? and only 3 of those were for roadbikes (alot of racebikes in there too!) and they only got maybe 3 sessions for the day! the club guys would go out in any group they wanted.
There was even a very bad crash caused imo by a race bike, and a motard racer in the roadbike class.
Blood on your hands motorcycling canterbury.

Sounds like you're full of it

They run one class for MNZ licenced riders and the rest are split in three groups (not 6) and they may also run a class for learner/SS150 riders

The club guys don't get to go out in any class they want unless they are helping with training and if they do they are wearing hi vis vest to identify them

I've seen club guys pulled out of the A, B, C groups by the club because they weren't meant to be there

What roadbike class did the crash happen in? was the rider a MNZ licence holder or had he borrowed a mates race bike? because plenty of them do

I've talked mates into doing these days and their main complaint was to much riding, two of them fucked off part way through the day as they were so rooted

Did you bother raising any of your concerns with the club?

[schrodingers cat]

The 2 test days per week are very assessible if you can get time off work but can be quite intimidating getting dive bombed by the serious guys who are out there all the time. I'm sure they get sick of passing me every 4 laps too

Give Llyod a call at the Canterbury Car Club office 349 6003
What you will find is that the track is at about 97% useage so getting a weekend slot isn't that easy. Getting a weekend slot where it doesn't rain is even harder...

'B' track is often under-utilised and is a fun little series of corners so that is a possibility

Also during daylight savings a twilight session is possible.

If you choose to organise such a thing my advice is to get a non refundable 50% deposit up front and make sure you are financially rewarded for taking the risk.
Money talks, bullshit walks

[schrodingers cat]

cars doing 14's.

I don't think a superkart can do a 14 at Ruapuna.

There is the occasional toy in the 18 - 22 brcket but not many and not driven by dickheads.

It is VERY rare on a test day to have cars and bikes on track together. If there is one bike and 2 cars SOMETIMES it happens but since bikes use the dipper and cars, as a rule, don't then sessions are the order of the day.

The regulars at the track work amongst themselves if numbers are low on the day.

[Kickaha]

I don't think a superkart can do a 14 at Ruapuna.

There is the occasional toy in the 18 - 22 brcket but not many and not driven by dickheads.

Nothing has ever done a 14 at Ruapuna

The fastest Superkart has run around 1.28 using the dipper without they'd probably be around 1.20 flat

The outright record is Daniel Gaunt in a 301 DALLARA SPEISS HOLDEN, 25/01/2004 at 1.18.099 this was not including the dipper

It has to be a pretty quick car to get into the 1.20 bracket and that wouldn't be using the dipper either

http://www.canterburycarclub.co.nz/Track/Lap%20Records.php

[schrodingers cat]

Nothing has ever done a 14 at Ruapuna

The fastest Superkart has run around 1.28 using the dipper without they'd probably be around 1.20 flat

The outright record is Daniel Gaunt in a 301 DALLARA SPEISS HOLDEN, 25/01/2004 at 1.18.099 this was not including the dipper

It has to be a pretty quick car to get into the 1.20 bracket and that wouldn't be using the dipper

http://www.canterburycarclub.co.nz/Track/Lap%20Records.php

TraNZam's could do 20's. F5000 can do 18's. TRS dip into the 19's. There are a couple of toys around (Mugen Reynard F3000 and a Lola LPM Le Mans car) that could go faster driven properly but are not able to race as they are too fast for the track licence.

[Kickaha]

TraNZam's could do 20's. F5000 can do 18's. TRS dip into the 19's. There are a couple of toys around (Mugen Reynard F3000 and a Lola LPM Le Mans car) that could go faster driven properly but are not able to race as they are too fast for the track licence.

All "proper" race cars though

Actually now I properly checked that link I posted the outright record is actually Scott Dixon in a Formula Holden 1.15.810

When they ran the Drink drive 500 a few years back both bikes and Cars used the same track configuration, on day one the fastest car which was a TraNZam or OSCAR was something like a couple of hundredth of a second faster than the quickest bike

Tim Gibbes put $100 up for the bike that beat it , dunno if it was claimed or not

[schrodingers cat]

All "proper" race cars though

Actually now I properly checked that link I posted the outright record is actually Scott Dixon in a Formula Holden 1.15.810

When they ran the Drink drive 500 a few years back both bikes and Cars used the same track configuration, on day one the fastest car which was a TraNZam or OSCAR was something like a couple of hundredth of a second faster than the quickest bike

Tim Gibbes put $100 up for the bike that beat it , dunno if it was claimed or not

What's the outright lap record at Pukekohe? And how does that compare to a bike.
I saw a TRS car and Andrew Stroud do a one lap shootout a few years ago. The car was fastest on a 55 something.
Kayne Scott drove a Viper Trans Am car to a 54.3 recently. That's moving.

[Nonbeliever]

Sounds like you're full of it

They run one class for MNZ licenced riders and the rest are split in three groups (not 6) and they may also run a class for learner/SS150 riders

The club guys don't get to go out in any class they want unless they are helping with training and if they do they are wearing hi vis vest to identify them

I've seen club guys pulled out of the A, B, C groups by the club because they weren't meant to be there

What roadbike class did the crash happen in? was the rider a MNZ licence holder or had he borrowed a mates race bike? because plenty of them do

I've talked mates into doing these days and their main complaint was to much riding, two of them fucked off part way through the day as they were so rooted

Did you bother raising any of your concerns with the club?

sounds like you know everything thats ever happened at ruapuna??
not on this day pal.
it was a "free for all".
It was an accident waiting to happen.
My buddy was in the fast class, not sure if it was a b or c and he said (and I could see from the pit wall) that the cocks in the hivis vests were just out there for no one but themselves.
Real nice aye, you're out there having some fun on your pride and joy roadbike and some hero on his R1 racebike jams it up the inside if you through the dipper without any regard for you. And thats "training"?? LOL good onya
when you get clubguys running high 30's in a roadbike group thats training for himself, no one else.
I dont know who was to blame for the accident but when you have a racebike, a motard and a roadbike in a thousand bits on the track the ultimately mcc is to blame for letting the wrong bikes out there amongst the roadbikes.

[HenryDorsetCase]

thanks for the comments all.

for sure the test days are good and cheap. however, they can be intimidating for track noobs. very difficult for a rider on a ninja 250 whose never been to a track before cutting it with guys doing mid 30's at ruapuna or worse, cars doing 14's. in england there has been a recent backlash to the 'tire warming' culture at track days and events are becoming popular where riders can only circulate on what they roder to the track

on a test day you don't get insurance, immediate medical, lines assistance, catering, fuel/tire service, etc but more importantly the opportunity to run with guys of similar pace.

finally, test days are not on the weekend

have a go days are better but they can be very disorganised. props to the clubs and i am glad they do them but i think they could be better controlled. guys 'borrowing' a vest, running in all groups then crashing 'cuz he was buggered at the end of the day is not good. they are cheap mind you :)

@FROSTY : thanks mate, i wonder if there is the population here to make it possible to break even?

None of the HAGD I have attended have been disorganised. The issue is that they were sponsored by Sportzone Suzuki here, who just last week shut their doors (makes me sad, that). The days are organised by MCC (motorcycling Canterbury) so presumably will continue, but will need another sponsor. I intend to do the March one and the April one: I will also probably have a spare slot on my trailer, tools and stuff as well. Sing out closer to the time because I am happy to help you out on the day. (Not that i am fast, or clever, Ive just done a few before).

Check the gear standard too: have you got decent gear to wear?

[HenryDorsetCase]

I went to a "have a go day" at ruapuna with a mate a couple years back when I was in town. What a joke.
It was a day for club riders subsidized by joe public more like.
I was under the impression these days were for road riders , not club racers to boost their overinflated egos to go out and "carve up" some roadies.
I think their was 6 classes? and only 3 of those were for roadbikes (alot of racebikes in there too!) and they only got maybe 3 sessions for the day! the club guys would go out in any group they wanted.
There was even a very bad crash caused imo by a race bike, and a motard racer in the roadbike class.
Blood on your hands motorcycling canterbury.

bollocks. Are you sure you went out with the right group for your skillset? A lot of guys (me included) have trackday bikes which are ex-racebikes, but we are by no means racers. (Its just a LOT cheaper to crash your trackbike than your roadbike, I can tell you that from experience....)

[HenryDorsetCase]

sounds like you know everything thats ever happened at ruapuna??
not on this day pal.
it was a "free for all".
It was an accident waiting to happen.
My buddy was in the fast class, not sure if it was a b or c and he said (and I could see from the pit wall) that the cocks in the hivis vests were just out there for no one but themselves.
Real nice aye, you're out there having some fun on your pride and joy roadbike and some hero on his R1 racebike jams it up the inside if you through the dipper without any regard for you. And thats "training"?? LOL good onya
when you get clubguys running high 30's in a roadbike group thats training for himself, no one else.
I dont know who was to blame for the accident but when you have a racebike, a motard and a roadbike in a thousand bits on the track the ultimately mcc is to blame for letting the wrong bikes out there amongst the roadbikes.

I have concluded you are an idiot.

[Nonbeliever]

bollocks. Are you sure you went out with the right group for your skillset? )

read my post henrybasketcase, it wasnt me out there.

Ive concluded you can't read.
go back to school, boy

[Drew]

Real nice aye, you're out there having some fun on your pride and joy roadbike and some hero on his R1 racebike jams it up the inside if you through the dipper without any regard for you. And thats "training"?? LOL good onya Yip, it's learning how to be overtaken, consider your mate fuckin TRAINED!

when you get clubguys running high 30's in a roadbike group thats training for himself, no one else.
High thirties? My ex missus ran high thirties round there ya fuckin plonker!

[Nonbeliever]

Yip, it's learning how to be overtaken, consider your mate fuckin TRAINED!High thirties? My ex missus ran high thirties round there ya fuckin plonker!

Ive obviously hit a nerve with you havent I?
get your sidecar chip off your wee shoulder I suggest.

High 30's on the full circuit with 30 slower (road)bikes (read traffic) ain't bad going. And if your ex missus could do that then she could probably kick your ass, probably why she dumped you

[Drew]

Ive obviously hit a nerve with you havent I?
get your sidecar chip off your wee shoulder I suggest.

High 30's on the full circuit with 30 slower (road)bikes (read traffic) ain't bad going. And if your ex missus could do that then she could probably kick your ass, probably why she dumped you

LOL, who is hitting the nerve of whom I wonder.

[Grubber]

Core blimey...i can smell the testosterone from ere!

[HenryDorsetCase]

read my post henrybasketcase, it wasnt me out there.

Ive concluded you can't read.
go back to school, boy

fair call.

but you're still an idiot.

[Kickaha]

sounds like you know everything thats ever happened at ruapuna??
Well the first have a go day i attended was about 1991 and I've been to a lot of them since as a street rider, a club rider and once even tried the training bit so I reckon I'd have more idea than some knob who turns up occasionally


My buddy was in the fast class, not sure if it was a b or c and he said (and I could see from the pit wall) that the cocks in the hivis vests were just out there for no one but themselves.
Fast class is passing anywhere, but if you had any concerns with the way the cocks in hi vis were riding you should have found a steward and taken it up with him

Real nice aye, you're out there having some fun on your pride and joy roadbike and some hero on his R1 racebike jams it up the inside if you through the dipper without any regard for you. And thats "training"?? LOL good onya
Training? these aren't training days they are simply for people to "have a go" on the track,training is available if you ask for it though

I dont know who was to blame for the accident but when you have a racebike, a motard and a roadbike in a thousand bits on the track the ultimately mcc is to blame for letting the wrong bikes out there amongst the roadbikes.
The people who enter these days choose what class they will go in and different passing rules apply to each class nothing to do with letting the wrong bikes out together, ultimately the guy who caused the crash is to blame

[helenoftroy]

I have concluded you are an idiot.
haahaa !so have I!

Well the first have a go day i attended was about 1991 and I've been to a lot of them since as a street rider, a club rider and once even tried the training bit so I reckon I'd have more idea than some knob who turns up occasionally

Fast class is passing anywhere, but if you had any concerns with the way the cocks in hi vis were riding you should have found a steward and taken it up with him

Training? these aren't training days they are simply for people to "have a go" on the track,training is available if you ask for it though

The people who enter these days choose what class they will go in and different passing rules apply to each class nothing to do with letting the wrong bikes out together, ultimately the guy who caused the crash is to blame
Kickaha knows exactly what hes talking about...
concur with everything he says:niceone:

sounds like you know everything thats ever happened at ruapuna??
not on this day pal.
it was a "free for all".
It was an accident waiting to happen.
My buddy was in the fast class, not sure if it was a b or c and he said (and I could see from the pit wall) that the cocks in the hivis vests were just out there for no one but themselves.
Real nice aye, you're out there having some fun on your pride and joy roadbike and some hero on his R1 racebike jams it up the inside if you through the dipper without any regard for you. And thats "training"?? LOL good onya
when you get clubguys running high 30's in a roadbike group thats training for himself, no one else.
I dont know who was to blame for the accident but when you have a racebike, a motard and a roadbike in a thousand bits on the track the ultimately mcc is to blame for letting the wrong bikes out there amongst the roadbikes.

Thank God you were a spectator & not out on the track with us....:bs:

[puddytat]

Listen to the likes of Kick, Helen

MCC run awesome trackdays & you wont find a cheaper or better run trackday anywhere.:yes::rockon:
Just get the fuck out there on the day & have a ball, C class will probably be wot your out in & you'll all be in the same boat & slowing each other up everywhere...:scooter:
As HDC said, make sure yourve got the right gear.
Its a great time & I think youll need to worry about getting youself around more than someone taking you out.

[Nonbeliever]

Well the first have a go day i attended was about 1991 and I've been to a lot of them since as a street rider, a club rider and once even tried the training bit


you're my hero :love:

[Nonbeliever]

fair call.

but you're still an idiot.



Ive been called alot worse,

good onya basketcase

[Nonbeliever]

LOL, who is hitting the nerve of whom I wonder.

LOL not me champ.

Like water off a ducks back fella

[puddytat]

Maybe some people are just whinging pussies & maybe shouldnt be out there if they get so surpised when someone passes them that they fall off . Or use it as an excuse to whimp out & not enjoy themselves 'cause they realise that they aint nowhere as good on a bike ,as they thought they were......:yes:
For fucks sake man.

[onearmedbandit]

I have attended the HAGD's, and have enjoyed them. However I get more track time on test days so that's where my money will go.

In saying that however, the last HAGD I attended (which was called a 'training day', which I was told by the staff at sportzone was just another name for the HAGD to avoid legal issues(?)) I put my g/f out in 'C' class as she had never ridden the track before. Unfortunately for her she couldn't really enjoy herself too much as there were riders in 'C' group who were just in there to be the fastest. Some of them should've been in 'B', some even in 'A'. I just couldn't understand how pathetic some riders are that they need to stroke their ego's by being the fastest in the beginners class. She was content to just ride around to get track knowledge and didn't want me to make a fuss of it, but still it dampened her day.

And these guys were obviously in the wrong class, and passing on bends, which is not allowed in C class.

[imdying]

why are there no organized track days?Why pay more for less? If I want training, I'll pay a racer to coach me on a test day, or take CSS... other than that, I want track time, and the test days give me the most for next to no outlay.


however, they can be intimidating for track noobs.Only for 20 minutes. After the first session the reality hits home (that it doesn't matter, and they'll see the faster riders only infrequently) and they're fine.


on a test day you don't get insuranceTrack days insure road bikes?


lines assistanceThe cones are generally out.

cateringPie shop up the road.

fuel/tire serviceYou can buy race gas on site, credit card or cash only IIRC?

but more importantly the opportunity to run with guys of similar pace.Better off doing your own thing.

test days are not on the weekendAnd that's the number one reason why they're so bloody good... dedicated keen indivuduals get out there, show off fuckwits do not.


sounds like you know everything thats ever happened at ruapuna??You're a well know liar, so I expect your posts will be ridiculed and taken with a grain of salt.


but if you had any concerns with the way the cocks in hi vis were riding you should have found a steward and taken it up with himEasier just to tell lies and have a whinge years after when it's impossible to prove one way or the other. I'd bet he has no photos, no video, no evidence whatsoever.

[HenryDorsetCase]

I have attended the HAGD's, and have enjoyed them. However I get more track time on test days so that's where my money will go.

In saying that however, the last HAGD I attended (which was called a 'training day', which I was told by the staff at sportzone was just another name for the HAGD to avoid legal issues(?)) I put my g/f out in 'C' class as she had never ridden the track before. Unfortunately for her she couldn't really enjoy herself too much as there were riders in 'C' group who were just in there to be the fastest. Some of them should've been in 'B', some even in 'A'. I just couldn't understand how pathetic some riders are that they need to stroke their ego's by being the fastest in the beginners class. She was content to just ride around to get track knowledge and didn't want me to make a fuss of it, but still it dampened her day.

And these guys were obviously in the wrong class, and passing on bends, which is not allowed in C class.

mincing up to the marshalls and shoulder tapping them and getting the offending riders bumped to the next group is the plan there.

[Nonbeliever]

You're a well know liar, so I expect your posts will be ridiculed and taken with a grain of salt.

Easier just to tell lies and have a whinge years after when it's impossible to prove one way or the other. I'd bet he has no photos, no video, no evidence whatsoever.


liar ?? what about??

photos, evidence etc who do you think I am ? sherlock holmes?? LOL
twat

[imdying]

Credibility zero.

[onearmedbandit]

mincing up to the marshalls and shoulder tapping them and getting the offending riders bumped to the next group is the plan there.

In my post I alluded to the fact I did want to do something about it, but my g/f didn't want any fuss created. However, as a paying customer, and having heard the rules laid out in the briefing in the morning, I would have figured that it wasn't the punters responsibility to ensure the day was run correctly.

Don't get me wrong here, for the most part the days are run very well, and I know the marshalls can't be everywhere at once, but I'll stick with the test days instead.

[Nonbeliever]

Credibility zero.

thats rich coming from you