Why do track day virgins stay that way?

[saltydog]

It just seems the mates that have never been to one just will never get there. "na fuck that", or "na its just not my scene" but yet will do insane speeds and corners on the road. If anything I'm sure a track day makes us more aware of all the added dangers while on the road....but "na fuck that" is always the answer. Do they need more ball or are they afraid of being 'owned'?
Oh well, more spaces for me.

[rapid van cleef]

i see your in whakatane! you heading to any trackdays coming up? I dont ride a lot on the roads, but do like to get out for an hour or two when the weathers good. i much prefer riding on the track( not that im all that, far from it) do you go to taupo/ moto tt days?

[SMOKEU]

People are too scared they're going to get pwned.

[TIBLE_90]

could also be that they see a trackday as being lots of trouble. ie they look at the costs involved, then actually having to go to a trackday and meet all the requirements (leather suit or zip together etc) and weigh that against just being able to get on their bike and zip off. ;). However, I do agree that if people want to race around on the roads they should go to a trackday instead.

[onearmedbandit]

Because they are scared of being slower than they thought.
Because they can't get insurance for their bike on the track.
Because they can't get the day off work for track days.
Because they enjoying riding to a destination rather than round and round and round the same corners.
Because they don't have the appropriate gear.
Because they enjoy going for short blasts rather than spending all day out at the track.
Because they don't want to stand around for 3/4 of the day waiting to ride.
Because they....well whatever.

I love going out to the track, prefer to go out on practice days though as you get more track time, but equally so love riding on the road. I can however understand that there are some out there that the track holds no interest for them for whatever reason.

[unstuck]

What he said.:msn-wink:

[Corse1]

I think no matter how much people are told how good track days are for improving riding skills and actually finding out the limits of your skill in a safer environment than the road there is still the apprehension associated with actually being on a race track amongst other riders. Even seasoned track day riders feel this but they know once you are out there that the feeling goes pretty quickly and total enjoyment follows soon after. you just have to get the first one under your belt. Money and gear aside that is.
I also think that track day novices can be "owned" very easily by fast group riders going out in the slower groups to get more track time which I think should be policed by the organisers a lot better.

It doesn't help when you go to a track day (couple of weeks ago) for the afternoon and see about 5 crashes and someone airlifted to hospital with a smashed pelvis:no:

Also if a track day is not full you can usually pay half and get the afternoon in:niceone: Ive been trying to get a couple of mates to get out on the track for a few years now and its a wasted effort. Aint never going to happen.

On insurance, I can get track day cover by just notifying the insurer. My excess goes from $500 to $2000 as the only change for the day. Pretty happy with that.

[HenryDorsetCase]

It just seems the mates that have never been to one just will never get there. "na fuck that", or "na its just not my scene" but yet will do insane speeds and corners on the road. If anything I'm sure a track day makes us more aware of all the added dangers while on the road....but "na fuck that" is always the answer. Do they need more ball or are they afraid of being 'owned'?
Oh well, more spaces for me.

I've never understood that either. Maybe a lot of them dont have proper gear for the track? (i.e. leathers) some might be worried about insurance? Before I did my first one I was a bit worried about being the slowest and holding everyone up. Now I have done a few I AM the slowest and DO hold everyone up, but whatever. they need to practise their passing anyway.

The biggest lesson I learnt from a trackday was "If you ride your streetbike there, its best not to deck it because then you have to ride a bent bike home"

I did the Hamptons one at Ruapuna yesterday (it was great: not many people, laid back, friendly atmos, Aaron Slight and Ryan Hampton in attendance) and a lot of the people in the less experienced groups were in Cordura on touring bikes and sport touring bikes.

the problem is, once you've done one or several, going hard on the road is an unattractive proposition.

[george formby]

I work six days a week, I'm skint & the nearest track is far, far away. Having said that, given the chance I would happily set the slowest lap ever & be happy as Larry for the opportunity to ride with nothing coming in the opposite direction.

I'm as slow as a wet weekend on the road anyway, so nothing to prove.:laugh:

[ellipsis]

....different strokes for different blokes....I have friends who couldn't give a stuff about the sport, yet know they could probably outride a lot of club-riders...and racers who wont even contemplate going near a street race...think we're crazy....yet piss all over you on a track....thems the ways peoples is...

[roogazza]

....different strokes for different blokes....I have friends who couldn't give a stuff about the sport, yet know they could outride a lot of club-riders.....
.thems the ways peoples is...

ain't that the troof.

[AllanB]

1. I'm usually so tired by the weekend that I can't be stuffed sliding over on the seat and hanging off for corners. So road riding is just fine I can stay planed and buzz up on a coffee for the return trip. Do they serve decent coffee at track days?

2. I'm pretty anal about by bike and I'd get upset if I actually ground off a hero knob on a footpeg ........

3. If I started doing track days I might actually enjoy them and have to justify even more $ being diverted from the family towards my motorcycling ....

[SVboy]

1. I'm usually so tired by the weekend that I can't be stuffed sliding over on the seat and hanging off for corners. So road riding is just fine I can stay planed and buzz up on a coffee for the return trip. Do they serve decent coffee at track days?

2. I'm pretty anal about by bike and I'd get upset if I actually ground off a hero knob on a footpeg ........

3. If I started doing track days I might actually enjoy them and have to justify even more $ being diverted from the family towards my motorcycling ....

Number three!!!!

[Premature Accelerato]

I'm totally addicted to trackdays now, should have started 30 years ago. Got my brother in to it and now we have brought an old gixxer to thrash around. Doesnt matter if we bin it, second hand parts are reasonably cheap. It has improved my riding skills and has taken away the idiotic urge to behave like a cretin on the road.

[Genie]

I can't speak for those fella's you know that cant' be arsed but me, I'm still virginal due to the fact that duct taping my children and leaving them home alone for a couple of days is illegal and I have to feed them so my money is spent.

Now, should some lovely like to build me a nice track within an hour of my driveway I'd be doing a trackday at least four times a year. From feedback of some track day junkies the experience is amazing. The skills one learns are life saving....one day:niceone:

[SVboy]

I'm totally addicted to trackdays now, should have started 30 years ago. Got my brother in to it and now we have brought an old gixxer to thrash around. Doesnt matter if we bin it, second hand parts are reasonably cheap. It has improved my riding skills and has taken away the idiotic urge to behave like a cretin on the road.

So agree with all this quote...................apart from that last bit sometimes:devil2:

[saltydog]

I'm still virginal due to the fact that duct taping my children and leaving them home alone for a couple of days is illegal and I have to feed them so my money is spent.

This one takes the cake but yeah all of you are right with what you are saying.....perhaps its just that initional step?!
I was there 2 weeks ago (moto TT) when the wirlybird came and picked up the girl with the broken pelvis (10m! highside), it was a bit disconcerning for sure, but par for the course I guess. At least the ambo's were right here.

[FROSTY]

One reason barely touched on is that some guys like to be legends in their own world. Usually a group of freinds who aren't silly enough to ride on the road at silly speeds. The hero is worried that if they rode with people who are genuinely fast where there are no excuses they will be found out as really not being that fast at all. --Er well anyways that was my reason anyways.:innocent: Then way back in 1984 on a XJ650 I did my first laps of a track and found out just how slow I really was. ---Hmm 25 years later and raced trackdayed etc and still I'm as slow as a wet week

[Deano]

Yep. I can think of a few road warriors that are only fast on one piece of road.

And I know some peeps that don't race and would do exceptionally well. A lot better than many club racers.....easily.

I didn't go to a track day until I was about 30 y/o. Wished I had known about them sooner. Nowadays I would rather give up road riding than racing if I had to choose.

[avgas]

....different strokes for different blokes....I have friends who couldn't give a stuff about the sport, yet know they could probably outride a lot of club-riders...and racers who wont even contemplate going near a street race...think we're crazy....yet piss all over you on a track....thems the ways peoples is...
Pretty much what he said.
To me there is something simple about jumping on the bike and going for a blat. Rather than checking everything 10 times and taking it to a track.

Done a few track days and found them not really to my liking. Felt kinda weird actually. To be riding around and around and not really going anywhere, always stopping at the same place. Most tracks are quite small also, with very little "road feel". No trees or walls to crash into - kinda feels like playing xbox.

Perhaps that is part of the answer. Do you go for a ride to a destination/changes in road/changes in scenery, or do you not mind if you stop in exactly the same place, passing the exactly same thing every time? Each time trying to go faster.

I would love to get back into hillclimbs etc where things are a 1-shot situation and the scenery is less track like. But then it comes down to budget and my lack of ability to get me, bike and my clothing up to spec.

Easier to just have things as they are, and when I want jump on the bike and go for a ride.
Out of interest I found with cars I enjoyed street racing and normal driving on open road in comparison to drags and circuit stuff I did. Wasn't the change in competition - was more the environment. Seemed riskier on the road.

[caspernz]

Trackdays aren't for everyone. It's that simple. You can try and analyze the bejeesus out of it why some folks go and some don't, but it's about as sophisticated as the Ford vs Holden debate.

Me? Yep done quite a few trackdays. Truth be told it bores me to tears. For me biking is about setting out on a fine day, no agenda, go wherever I want at a relaxed pace, stop where I want, for as long as I want, take a few pics or have a yarn with a fellow biker....that's about it.

Each to their own. I mean, why do some guys love their Harleys and others prefer a sportsbike?

[Deano]

I would love to get back into hillclimbs etc where things are a 1-shot situation and the scenery is less track like. But then it comes down to budget and my lack of ability to get me, bike and my clothing up to spec.
.

I think I've mentioned it to you before but www.cliffhanger.org.nz have an excellent hillclimb.

[tigertim20]

It just seems the mates that have never been to one just will never get there. "na fuck that", or "na its just not my scene" but yet will do insane speeds and corners on the road. If anything I'm sure a track day makes us more aware of all the added dangers while on the road....but "na fuck that" is always the answer. Do they need more ball or are they afraid of being 'owned'?
Oh well, more spaces for me.

for most of them, its fear of the unknown, and fear that, theyll get to the track, and look like an idiot.
I consider myself a fast road rider, but the track just isnt the same thing at all, you have to re-learn a bunch of things you do differently on the road.

Some of those who can ride fast on the road think 'im fast on the road, so id be fast on the track, its no different', but fail to realise how wrong that assumption is.
put simply, they think they know better.

[martybabe]

I like the thought of pushing my bike and riding skills to the limit but the thought of throwing my pride and joy down the tarmac fills me with dread. On the road I ride cautiously and as safe as possible but given free reign to go mental, I think I would, there's a pent up wannabe racer in all of us I think and I can't risk trashing my bike or old body riding beyond my limits.

Now a track day with bike included might be more atractive :shifty:

[Blinkwing]

Can't afford it, plus don't exactly have the proper bike/gear for trackdays.

[Kickaha]

Can't afford it, plus don't exactly have the proper bike/gear for trackdays.

Any bike is a "proper" bike for track days

[Hellzie]

I'm going to pop my cherry on the 11th at Pukekohe. Super excited! :wings:

[DrunkenMistake]

Because they can't get insurance for their bike on the track.
Because they can't get the day off work for track days.
Because they enjoying riding to a destination rather than round and round and round the same corners.
Because they don't have the appropriate gear.
Because they don't want to stand around for 3/4 of the day waiting to ride.


Pretty much nailed all my reasons, Ill get there one day though haha :laugh:

[Mom]

Do they need more ball or are they afraid of being 'owned'?


Convince me I should change my mind. The above comment reinforces one of the reasons I wont do a trackday, I have many.

Fill your boots...

Oh, for the record, I dont do do insane speeds and corners on the road, so I am really keen to hear your thoughts on why I should take you on, on the track.

[Flip]

Any bike is a "proper" bike for track days

Ho ho ha ha.

Even my Harley.................

251436

No power, no brakes, fuck all ground clearance, crap gear, open face helm and two up.

[Kickaha]

Ho ho ha ha.

Even my harley.................

251436

Amatuer, I've seen someone on a full dresser smoking a pipe at Ruapuna

[tigertim20]

Can't afford it, plus don't exactly have the proper bike/gear for trackdays.

the first trackday I went to had everything. cbr mc22s, vfr 400s, r1s/gixxer thous
Also several harleys, one an 883, a 1200, and a couple later bigger ones. there was an old xr600 with road/trail tyres, the list goes on.
no such thing as 'wrong bike' for a trackday.

[Flip]

Amatuer, I've seen someone on a full dresser smoking a pipe at Ruapuna

I don't smoke sorry.

[Flip]

the first trackday I went to had everything. cbr mc22s, vfr 400s, r1s/gixxer thous
Also several harleys, one an 883, a 1200, and a couple later bigger ones. there was an old xr600 with road/trail tyres, the list goes on.
no such thing as 'wrong bike' for a trackday.

Yes there is.........

Because most of Rupuna is a left hand track.

[Voltaire]

Did my first trackday a few weeks back....number 3 tomorrow and another on Dec 11...only waited 50 years.....and using a 50 hp Triumph Thruxton.... like a lot of things you are hesitant until you do it and then its all good. I'd recommend the California Superbike School whether you have a sports bike or a cruiser.

If you become a member of the AMCC you can do trackdays for around $120.00 at Puke, good fun and great people.
I felt a lot safer redlining the Triumph down the back straight of Pukekohe than on my daily commute to Highbrook.

In the group I started off in at the ART day, there was all sorts from learners on 150's to me who has been riding for 20 years plus to superbikes.:niceone:

[avgas]

Convince me I should change my mind. The above comment reinforces one of the reasons I wont do a trackday, I have many.
Fill your boots...
Oh, for the record, I dont do do insane speeds and corners on the road, so I am really keen to hear your thoughts on why I should take you on, on the track.
There is that isn't there.
Race tracks seem to attract the biggest wankers/egos out there.

I even stopped watching a lot of the track racing due to some of the wankers you meet there. Its almost the complete opposite of the cold kiwi. Thank god Paeroa still pulls a diverse crowd.

[avgas]

I think I've mentioned it to you before but www.cliffhanger.org.nz (http://www.cliffhanger.org.nz) have an excellent hillclimb.

Yeah it does look pretty sweet. But right now priorities are....
a) house
b) baby
c) furniture
d) leathers

So looks like I will be waiting a while. Even the bike has fucked tyres right now. Hopefully I get new ones for xmas.

[HenryDorsetCase]

Convince me I should change my mind. The above comment reinforces one of the reasons I wont do a trackday, I have many.

Fill your boots...

Oh, for the record, I dont do do insane speeds and corners on the road, so I am really keen to hear your thoughts on why I should take you on, on the track.

thats your problem. If you want to, as you put it, take someone on, then you need to go racing.

If you want to have a fun day out with or without a bunch of friends, and ride quicker than you normally would in an environment that it is safe to do so. then a trackday is the place for you. All the ones Ive been to have a bunch of different groups to cater for different riders and levels of experience.

and if you behave like a twat and go mental, you will be kicked out because you're unsafe: you are a danger to others.

I havent seen that many bikes wadded like a used tissue on a trackday. I can think of the guy who highsided an R1 (ouch) and a motard that dropped its guts. and my own lowside when I ran out of talent at Levels, but honestly, its miniscule especially compared to the speeds involved and number of laps completed.

Heres a list of some reasons why I think trackdays rule:


No one makes you walk home if you go faster than 140 kph.
Somedays you can go FASTER than 140kph with a knee down. usually without following it with the rest of your body.
My bike can do THAT?
I can do THAT?
Non competitive (by definition)
usually (or at least often) there is free food.
you can ogle some really nice bikes
you can talk shit with like minded individuals who are generally very friendly
usually there are gear displays and stuff you can go "Ooooh. Ahhhhh" over.
you can see up close and personal how fast some people actually are (this is why I fell off at a trackday).
if it all turns horribly pearshaped there is an ambulance nearby, and you are unlikely to hit anything large and stationary. or be hit by someone coming the other way.




Seriously, I can see why some people dont get it, and its not like I will be giving up road riding. but trackdays are bloody good fun. Plus I am now all set up for it which makes it easier. I have a checklist....

[HenryDorsetCase]

Ho ho ha ha.

Even my Harley.................

251436

No power, no brakes, fuck all ground clearance, crap gear, open face helm and two up.

thats fantastic!

there was a guy on a VMAX at the one I went to earlier this month, fuck it was cool: sounded like a Spitfire!

[ducatilover]

I want to get out there.
My leathers aren't 3/4 zip together.
My boots are poo.
My bike's a pile of garage dust.

When these minor issues are sorted, I'll be out there having a giggle and possibly going very slow. :niceone:
I just want to give something new a try and I have a potentially great little bike.

[GrayWolf]

Quote Originally Posted by saltydog View Post
It just seems the mates that have never been to one just will never get there. "na fuck that", or "na its just not my scene" but yet will do insane speeds and corners on the road. If anything I'm sure a track day makes us more aware of all the added dangers while on the road....but "na fuck that" is always the answer. Do they need more ball or are they afraid of being 'owned'?
Oh well, more spaces for me.


for most of them, its fear of the unknown, and fear that, theyll get to the track, and look like an idiot.
I consider myself a fast road rider, but the track just isnt the same thing at all, you have to re-learn a bunch of things you do differently on the road.

Some of those who can ride fast on the road think 'im fast on the road, so id be fast on the track, its no different', but fail to realise how wrong that assumption is.
put simply, they think they know better.

There are so many reasons to argue for and against... and as for being 'owned'? Who gives a shit if you want to push the envelope?
Track days may teach certain skills.. HOWEVER lets also look at some realities...
The track..
'road surface' is completely different to the highways, cambers, construction, and not forgetting the abscence of cow/sheep shit, ditches, wire fences
AND oncoming vehicles. You are all travelling the same direction, the 'racing line' IS NOT the safe line through corners on the road. If you bin on the track? the surfaces, sand pits, and lack of curbs etc result in a lower likelyhood of severe injury. Sports bikes are set up for the track far better than the road in reality. They are often twitchy and can be readily 'upset' by uneven road surfaces. On the other side of the coin, bikes like my ZZR although still quite 'quick' are not light or set up in suspension to flick rapidly through corners.. So I will use a different 'style' to a sprot bike rider.
I will not disagree track days teach skills, but racing skills are NOT road skills... and even Valantino Rossi as the latest racer admits that.

The road
requires a completely different skill set.. you have to accomodate for oncoming traffic through bends, to the extent of anticipating intrusion on your lane of the road. Your lines through corners will be different, your approach has to accomodate, road surface, camber and the amount of vision through each corner. Again, completely different to the line of vision on a track. Do I ride fast on the road? Yes sometimes, but the only reason I would want to learn racing skills would be to push my riding ability past the 80% limit I may set myself, towards 90% plus of total ability of bike and rider. I have no ego issue with another rider being 'faster' than I am... or on the times I am a faster rider than others in a group.

As someone else pointed out,,, the attitude that I am scared of being 'owned' on a track day? Is precisely a valid reason to not do them....
If you are serious about really improving your riding ability on the road? Do the IAM course and test... That will benifit you far more highly than any racing skills on the highways.

[Kickaha]

Because most of Rupuna is a left hand track.
You just need a heavier dog

thats fantastic!
there was a guy on a VMAX at the one I went to earlier this month, fuck it was cool: sounded like a Spitfire!
I can remember a Rocket three at one, although it was ridden by a guy who races

Do they need more ball or are they afraid of being 'owned'?

Normally the latter

[FROSTY]

Convince me I should change my mind. The above comment reinforces one of the reasons I wont do a trackday, I have many.

Fill your boots...

Oh, for the record, I dont do do insane speeds and corners on the road, so I am really keen to hear your thoughts on why I should take you on, on the track.
One suggestion for you is that in the slower groups (not the "fast" groups) I have seen a real desire amongst the riders to learn improved rider skills in a safe enviroment.
These people like you have no desire to race or to set the land speed record.
But they all want to practice aspects of their riding and improve their riding skills in a safe enviroment.
For these people its not about getting their jollies by dragging their knee round every corner,Hauling up to a hairpin from mega speed or dragging their footpegs on the ground
What it does do is allow them to learn those skills in an "low cost" enviroment.(ie the cost of getting it wrong is relatively small)
One lady told me she had no idea she could brake so hard and she avoided an accident because she had learned how.
One chap made a mistake entering a corner and was able to lean the bike a lot further than he normally would
THAT IMO would be your reason for doing a training type track day.

[DEATH_INC.]

I was there 2 weeks ago (moto TT) when the wirlybird came and picked up the girl with the broken pelvis (10m! highside), it was a bit disconcerning for sure, but par for the course I guess. At least the ambo's were right here.
In the 5 or so years she's been doing trackdays, this was only her second ever off. She walked away from the other unharmed.
Prior to doing trackdays she had a road crash that busted her pelvis badly also...

[tbs]

I took my little Ninja to the track so I could find out what the bike would do without all the risks associated with riding on the road.
I got to play with cornering techniques and practice entering turns faster and faster, work on my throttle control, sight lines, braking.... all that stuff until I started to really feel comfortable on the bike and felt like I had a reasonable grasp of the performance envelope of my machine. Which made it much easier to concentrate on all the other techniques needed for the road without having to worry about whether the front of the bike was going to stick... or whatever. Going round and round the same corners again and again was the key. Mucked up my site line on that turn and ran wide? No problem... look further through the turn next lap.... hey that worked a treat... tighter line with better exit speed and no temptation to chop the throttle. Cool. I'm learning.

It's the very absence of certain risk factors that make the track a great place to learn. Then when you take your skills to the road there a bunch of good habits that are now second nature, which means dealing with the others is that much easier.

NOW
Now I take my gixxer to the track because it's the only place I can legally get the bike into its performance envelope, or to hear that chill inducing induction howl up near the redline. Even redlining it in 1st gear would put me into fines and demerits territory. And personally I like to see the speedo reading up over 200, I like to feel the thunk and scrape of my knee touching down, and I like to see that gooey melted rubber balling up on the edges of the tires, but with a healthy respect for the law, and a wife and two young kids at home, I'm not about to try achieving any of those things on the road.

b.

[The Singing Chef]

I think track days are great to do. Mainly because you have a safer environment to test and practice your skills on, I learnt about sets and how the bike is upset in the transition between and not as stable, I have worked on body positioning to get the most amount of lean my bike will give, which isn't much. I have learnt to set myself up for a corner early so that you are ready to start the next transition.

I got to test how well the brakes work from high speed to low speed, weighting the pegs and how that affects the stability of the bike in corners, etc...

My belief is that all riding is good riding, no matter what it is (scooters not included) because it gives you a large variety of skill sets that will come in handy. My goal is to try all the aspects of riding, such as dirt, road, track, drags and the list goes on. The skills learnt from dirt biking could have potentially saved me when I hit massive slick of diesel through a corner mid-lean. Instead of weighting the inside peg I should have used the outside but it wasn't habit for me to do that so I slid off at 80k.

[NordieBoy]

Unless there's a river crossing and a couple of logs to get over, why bother?

[Deano]

Unless there's a river crossing and a couple of logs to get over, why bother?

At Manfeild there's a fence to fly over and a muddy paddock full of cattle to play in - just ask Drew !

[NordieBoy]

At Manfeild there's a fence to fly over and a muddy paddock full of cattle to play in - just ask Drew !

Sounds promising.

Any forestry gates to get around?

[DEATH_INC.]

Sounds promising.

Any forestry gates to get around?
Gates are for pussies, you have to go OVER the fence...

[Deano]

Gates are for pussies, you have to go OVER the fence...

What is a standard farm fence ? 1200 high ?

No ramp either. Ramps are for pussies.

[vifferman]

OK, I'm not a total trackday virgin - I went to one demo day, and absolutely loved it. However (but!) I haven't yet done a 'proper' track day, for a variety of reasons:

I don't have leather pants any more, just Spidi Gran Turismo
There's a BIG excess if I bin it
I haven't done a weekend ride 'just for fun' in like, forever. All my riding in the last few years has been just communtering. Yawn....
My weekends are full up with exciting things like erections (retaining walls, stuff like that)

But I'm open to convincing, arm-twisting, etc....

[Voltaire]

I had a 2000 Ducati 900ss that probably would have been ideal for the track, but I never went to one. Now I have a Triumph Thruxton which is less powerful and slower and have been to two levels of the Cali Superbike School and an Art day at Puke. I get passed a lot on the straights but on level 2 could hold on in the corners.
Does it translate to the road? Obviously no everything but you certainly find out what your bike can yourself can do. I don't think I'll be scraping the rearsets on the road but its nice to know I can go that far safely.
I was never that interested in going to the track until I had a go on bucket racer....now thats fun.

[SPP]

... Now I have a Triumph Thruxton which is less powerful and slower and have been to two levels of the Cali Superbike School ...

like this (http://www.supersnaps.co.nz/#/gallery/white-group-25-11-2011/2011-11-25-00096w/) one?

[Voltaire]

like this (http://www.supersnaps.co.nz/#/gallery/white-group-25-11-2011/2011-11-25-00096w/) one?

Yeah that's me... :woohoo: ( beats going to work).

[SPP]

Yeah that's me... :woohoo: ( beats going to work).

it sure does. I was in your class that day, blk R6/ red suit

[Drew]

At Manfeild there's a fence to fly over and a muddy paddock full of cattle to play in - just ask Drew !


Sounds promising.

Any forestry gates to get around?What ya need to do is hit turn 8 on manfield long track, at the top of third gear on a wanked superbike, lose the front at full lean mid turn. When the bike hits the dirt it needs to get a good tumble on. When it digs in real good it'll get some good air. If you've followed my instructions carefully, the next time you look your bike won't be crumpled in the quite tall wall as you'd expect. Hop over said wall and you'll find your bike lying in a cow paddock near some very surprised looking cows, (one can only assume the look was one of surprise on the cows faces, they're not the most expressive animal).

After all this you get to try and ride your slick shod Gixxer thou through the mud and out of the paddock.

Enjoy


Gates are for pussies, you have to go OVER the fence...I'd rather have used the gate. That way I wouldn't have been anywhere near as far through the mud as I was.

[scumdog]

Because they are scared of being slower than they thought.
Because they can't get insurance for their bike on the track.
Because they can't get the day off work for track days.
Because they enjoying riding to a destination rather than round and round and round the same corners.
Because they don't have the appropriate gear.
Because they enjoy going for short blasts rather than spending all day out at the track.
Because they don't want to stand around for 3/4 of the day waiting to ride.
Because they....well whatever.



Sound like a lot of my reasons.

Plus add:
Because I'm so unco,
Because I get hurt when I fall over
Because I spend enough time working on my mechanical dollar-suckers without 'creating' more work for myself...

etc
etcl

[MD]

Because they are scared of being slower than they thought.
Because they can't get insurance for their bike on the track.
Because they can't get the day off work for track days.
Because they enjoying riding to a destination rather than round and round and round the same corners.
Because they don't have the appropriate gear.
Because they enjoy going for short blasts rather than spending all day out at the track.
Because they don't want to stand around for 3/4 of the day waiting to ride.
Because they....well whatever.

I love going out to the track, prefer to go out on practice days though as you get more track time, but equally so love riding on the road. I can however understand that there are some out there that the track holds no interest for them for whatever reason.

You missed out the most important one;

Because they don't have to

[Little Miss Trouble]

I had my first time out on track on Saturday doing Level 1 of California Superbike School. The first couple of laps were the most nerve-racking, after that I was so busy learning and having fun that the nerves disappeared completely.


Definitely finding the money for level 2 in February :wings:

[DrunkenMistake]

Just realised how oxymoron the thread title is..

:laugh:

[Hellzie]

Cherry successfully popped and I can't get the grin off my face. Track day virgins only stay that way either because they don't know what they're missing or noone has told them how much fun it is. Amazing day at the ART day today. LOOOOOVED IT!!!!! Can't wait for the next one, I'm absolutely hooked. :banana:

[GPXchick]

I'm totally addicted to trackdays now, should have started 30 years ago. Got my brother in to it and now we have brought an old gixxer to thrash around. Doesnt matter if we bin it, second hand parts are reasonably cheap. It has improved my riding skills and has taken away the idiotic urge to behave like a cretin on the road.

Us too my husband and i have attended to ART track days at PUKE its a fantastic way to release some steam, not worry about coppers and tickets. And you actually learn some great VALUBLE info that nakes your riding BETTER. Fun people, great lunch included. BRILLIANT DAY. Bring on Jan 15th

[PeteJ]

And a PS about the ART days:

We're constantly thinking as instructors of how relevant this stuff is to most folks' road riding.

Contrary to the assertion earlier on this thread that track technique is nothing like road technique, there're a helluva lot of similarities.

Simple example: a good racing line (late apex) is pretty similar to a good road line. (Simple misunderstanding: there is such a thing as the racing line.)

The most important thing in each discipline, however, is to get your machine handling abilities to the level where you don't have to think about them, but instead can concentrate and think about what's going on around you, confident in the knowledge that your bike will do whatever you need it to.

[jrandom]

a good racing line (late apex)

Have you actually ever raced?

[ducatilover]

a good racing line (late apex) is pretty similar to a good road line.
I thought you'd want a fairly early apex to get drive out of a corner on the track and to defend your line?
Later apex on the road if you have less visibility?