Track Days

[bikerboy]

When is the next track day?

How much time do I have to sort out a bike or are they finished for the winter?:beer:

[Hoon]

Are you talking Pukekohe?  The next one is tomorrow.  There is a list of dates in the sticky thread above this one!

Or are you talking about TrackTime events?

[bikerboy]

:Oops: I guess I mean anytime the public can get on the track to ride. Is puke running all year long, What is the difference between track time and puke? Sorry I know nothing about this but an eager to learn:cool:

[bluninja]

Track time is an all day track event run by Vince Sharpe (racer and ex tyre tester). It costs more than a practice day, but you have the full set of safety bales out, people to guide you round to learn the track, and advice in plenty in the paddock. There are no cars out on the track (other than safety/recovery vehicle etc) and it is fully marshalled. Plus I think lunch is provided.

Practice days are open to all vehicles. There are fewer marshalls (if any), and the bales aren't in place. But they only cost $60, and the track has much fewer bikes going round. I think that's about it.

TTFN

 

[Coldkiwi]

it was $80 when the last lot of us went out in April. do they have winter rates? :)

you'll probably get more practice in on a test day because there's lots less vehicles but you get expert advice etc.and added safety at trackday.

Tell when ya going out  guys... i'd be quite happy to sit there all day and listen to a 996 and RSV-R tear ass past me :niceone:

[bluninja]

CK, you haven't seen my riding. You'd probably have to slow down to hear me go past.....:(  However I'm racing at Manfield every month until October (plus 2 rounds at Taupo) so I don't think test days will be on the cards, just gentle road riding on the RSVR and a bit of a thrash on the track on the SV for the races.

TTFN

[SpankMe]

As soon as my bike is ridden in, I will be orginizing another trip to a Puke Open Day. :niceone:

[Kwaka-Kid]

good stuff! and take ur time mate, im estimating another month before the unvaling of the RVF400 :) - it wont be far from standerd.. but it will be my yardstick for futher improvement + getting used to the bike.. and one thing.. it will prolly be on BRAND new tyres after my last experience.. but with out being road legal at all.. how do i run new tyres in? i was told that they are slippery for the first X k's ? is this true? out of the *counts* 9 bikes ive owned.. ive only ever had ONE brand new tyre (4 of those bikes were dirt) and that was a brand new rear tyre for my 1982 XR250.. damn that dug good :D  so yeah.. and the other bikes ive ridden like dads all have 10+year old tyres :P.   advice?

[SpankMe]

Yes, carefull riding is required for the first 100k on new tyres.

[Kwaka-Kid]

hmm few problems.. a) how do i do that when its race only? anywhere i can do this apart from paying $80 for open day @ pukekohe? :(  b) how do u wear passed slippery stuff right on edge of tyre? fall off? c) any tips/tricks? a burnout or 5? and finally d) HOW THE F*** DO I RIDE CAREFULLY? :P hahah no kidding, i ride like a friggin nana compared to you guys *idles wkid_ones skill to scrape nearly anything on side of bike!* :P   far out. stuff knows why im gunna race when by the sounds of things all u dudes could beat my rvf400 when riding Suzuki FJ50's! :P

can people give me a yardstick here... times etc for entry level F3 riders? i know crap all except on my stock standerd 1989 Kawasaki ZXR400, 50,000k's top speed 190 @ end of backstreight, was getting fastest time of 1:25 once, and more or less between that and 1:30 (85-90 seconds for those of you who cant convert :)) :argh:

[SPman]

You could just scrub the tyres in on the track - you'll be getting to know your bike for the first session or two anyway - so saying your scrubbing in tyres gives you an excuse for taking it easy for a bit...:cool:

[750Y]

bikerboy:it is $80 for a controlled vehicle testing day. there's no ambo, You must alternate with cars sessions and it's 20 mins on/off all day. generally You can get in a couple hundred k on the track over the day, unless you're silly enough to go on the saturday before a major motorracing event on sunday, then You've got to alternate with 4 classes of car AND trucks.(i did that once) & didn't even get through a tank of gas.
kwaka-kid: You could scrub your tyres in within 2 20 min sessions if You stuck to a 50-75% effort 1st, then the second session you could start giving it more & by the end You'd basically be sweet. so by lunchtime you'd be good to go hard.
I turned up saturday only to find out i was a day late. I walked it in the rain anyway which was cool. and very interesting.

[Kwaka-Kid]

kool! yeah my last gf used to run on pukekohe or somthing in weekends when bored or somthing, weirdos :P haha

but hey i was just wondering guys, is it worth me thinking/trying to go about, or whatever.. sponsorship? okay i know i havnt done a season even yet or anything, and cant make all races with my jobs and stuff, but i want to get out there and do at least 90% of north island clubman events, is it even worth trying to look for someone? im not talking pay for everything.. i just mean like a good bike shop to take say 50% off tyres or even less or somthing, as they seem to be the biggest cost... any ideas people?

[babyB]

just ask around...the worst that could happen is they say no, u might also get lucky.

at this level well i think ya get yourself a dam good dedicated pit crue together...they chip-in for the chance of the odd ride...

 

 

[wkid_one]

I've never had a drama scrubbing tyres in - be careful for the first bit but be guided by your bum.  Scrubbing the edges is easy - once you have the middles scrubbed just progressively lean further.  Remember at Puke tho - if you tyres are going to give - they will usually give on the left side as this stays the coolest.

It is more a factor of heat than the preservative on the tyres - make sure your tyres are warm - the first few times you ride them you will sweat the preservative out and off the tyres.

Just ride normally......and don't push.  Burnouts are a waste of time as it only scrubs the centres in - and what use is that.

[Kwaka-Kid]

hmm, i dont really have any good mates as motorcyclists/mechanics @ that, old man said hed always be there and hes a good bike mechanic, but i need more hten just 1, and he wont help with funding just with free workshop @ home + any parts in it i get, and fairings etc, so i spose thats a bit already.  Is anyone here sponserd in ANY way? far out jsut anything would help! e.g mt eden motorcycles kindly saying i can buy everything/anythnig @ half price :P because they are so kool and all! (hope mike is reading this :P hehehe) or jsut 20% off, anything darn it! and ill put the biggest damn stricker of ur company i got if you help me in any way :)

[Dave]

It has nothing to do with motorcycles!
We have been campaigning for 3 years now and are starting to get good support now.The companies that will sponsor you are using money from their advertising budget.They are not in business to give money away,If they spend $1 with you,they want to see at least $1 extra in sales.If they spend $1000, then they expect $1000 or more in sales.Do what you can to get them exposed.If you get your name and photo in every shop/magazine/sports program,then they will see that.
Under promise and over deliver-try to build with them each year,and give them more for their money than they expect.
KEEP IN TOUCH, talk to them every 30 Days,even if you dont do anything,let them know whats planned/testing/training/improving the bike,Whatever.Always try to be fresh in their mind.
All of these companies have people asking them daily for sponsorship-make sure you stand out.

[bluninja]

Good stuff Dave. So that's how you do it. :D

KK you could always setup your own business and sponsor yourself. That way the money you would have paid in tax goes into your marketing fund and pays for your motorcycling.....of course your business has to be profitable for this to work:confused:

I know one rider just starting out bought a bike with race fairings that had an old sponsors name on it. He called them, told them about himself and what he was doing and they agreed to spot him for a set of tyres. When you contact a potential sponsor remeber they are tuned into radio WIIFM (What's In It For Me). It's your job to discover what's in it for them and communicate that to them.

TTFN

[Kwaka-Kid]

hmm thanks for that guys, so anyone here own their own business and prepared to sponsor ? - i will almost garantee that @ some stage during the year the bike will be all over the news, only it might be so smashed up you cant read your logo :P haha nah!   hmm spose, well where to start is the question? any certain types of businesses etc? + i should prolly really get out there first right? and see how well i do and then come ot them? + im only going to race clubmans, so does anyone in clubmans have sponsorship?