Proposal: Track day "club"

[The Stranger:Me]

The only risk is if you don't have any friends.

I'm sure I can get BRU along. They all love me.

[BoristheBiter]

The only risk is if you don't have any friends.

Well i'm fucked then.
but maybe it will be like a corporate box at the rugby suddenly everyone is your friend.

[Bikemad]

yep totally support the concept...........just not sure i could round up 3 mates with bikes interested enough..............like stranger said...........hard to beat $90 for an empty track at puke control days

[Metastable]

Up here we have a group like this. They go by the name TGIM Thank God It's Monday. , because that's when they do their private trackdays. I have ridden with them a couple of times. It works out very well and to be honest you never get everyone out there at the same time, so you can probably have quite a few more than 30 people.

If riders know it is an "open track", then they are not all in a hurry to get out when they get to the track for their first session. They do take a break so the marshals can have some lunch. With these guys it is by invitation only, so like you are thinking, there are a core bunch of guys and then they put out the word about the trackday. Also, newbies are not encouraged. Intermediates and Advanced riders only. They don't care so much about your speed, but they do want you to hold your line.

Also, Tech inspection kinda goes like this. You partner up and you tech each other's bikes and then one of the guys will come around and do a quick check as well. They are great fun. Just make sure you have plenty of fuel, because you will burn off a couple of tanks at least! Also, pace yourself and hydrate, because you can get carried away and get too tired if you stay out for too long. They usually only do a couple of days per year.
Check it out here: http://www.trackday.ca/ I think your payment arrangement is a better idea, than what TGIM has set up, since they are more likely to get burned if not enough people show up.

Hopefully this post can give you some ideas to help you out. If I were down there, I'd sign up.... sorry man.... the way it is now, the commute to the track would be a b!tch.

[J-rod]

Mate, much respect for coming up with this idea!!

As a club member, would we be committing to entry to every event? i.e. say it was agreed that there would be 6 events throughout the year, are we then committing to $500.00 x 6 events. Myself and a couple of my friends are regulars to HD's, Taupo and Puke and i'm sure we'd be interested in some form of membership (we'd probably just split the lot).. but for those people who have insurance, would we look at trying to get some compliance to cover them?

Also, what I like about trackdays is the lack of competition... I get out, go at my pace, try to get better. What type of vibe are you looking for?

[Mental Trousers]

The way I read it things are still voluntary and you can choose to be in or not. First thing that has to happen is 10 people agree on a date and pay up. Until then nobody is committed to anything.

[FROSTY:Me]

Mate, much respect for coming up with this idea!!

As a club member, would we be committing to entry to every event? i.e. say it was agreed that there would be 6 events throughout the year, are we then committing to $500.00 x 6 events. Myself and a couple of my friends are regulars to HD's, Taupo and Puke and i'm sure we'd be interested in some form of membership (we'd probably just split the lot).. but for those people who have insurance, would we look at trying to get some compliance to cover them?

Also, what I like about trackdays is the lack of competition... I get out, go at my pace, try to get better. What type of vibe are you looking for?

Initially Im asking for 9 people (and me) to front with $500 for a one off event.
Those 9 people would get first option to sighn up a second/third /fourth time -so theres no obligation to stay in the club but clearly its preferable.

With the couple I've already run the way it works it everybody basicly does their own thing.
Because its a small group noone really trips over anyone elses groove.
You'll get billy Dashing out for 3 fast laps and back in to twiddle with his clickers.
Youll bet bob n ben out goin round n round at med pace
You'll get joe and frank havin a ding dong battle for a few laps.
You might get a track day virgin followed by frosty
It works because EVERYBODY respects everybody elses space and because you've got all day you're relaxed about passing

[TuckerBag]

I really like the idea of the formation of a "Track Day Motorcycle Club", but I think it should be possible to get 60 or 80 riders to commit at about $100 each, (via this forum perhaps), to hiring a certain track on a certain day. Rather than have just a few people bear the brunt. Especially if it rains on the day!!

I did a little spreadsheet a few weeks ago just thinking about it. See attachment.
The $184 you have to pay for a track day at Hampton Downs does not sit all that well with me.
I'm going to give this a lot more thought, and continue to watch this thread for ideas.

[Mental Trousers]

Good luck getting 60 (FROSTY couldn't get the 20 needed at the cut off date and had to cancel the last one) to commit weeks in advance. Bikers are farken shocking when it comes to actually fronting up. The good thing about having a core of 10 people is they each get 3 people to recoup their money from. It's not inconceivable that someone might charge the other 3 more than $125.00 and paying the balance, making for a cheap track day for that person (3x $135 = $405.00 with $95 left to pay).

It's much easier for 10 people to get 3 mates each than it is for 1 person to get 40.

Different speed groups suck arse btw. With 40 people there is absolutely no need for groups.

[TuckerBag]

For the record, the St Johns ambulance guys in Hamilton got back to me.
It costs $500 + gst for a "paramedic" grade ambulance officer for a day, say 8:30 to 4:30. ($562.50)
Apparently St Johns provide paramedic grade ambulance officers for the Honda Ride days, the guy told me.
Always nice to have an ambulance present, huh.

[FROSTY:Me]

um tuckerbag sorry to seem to be raining on ya parade but I did the whole full on track day thing quite well a few years back trouble was that Inevitably theres a bunch of people behind the scenes busting their butts making it all happen.
If you want to go down that track I'm happy to offer advice to you -For me It stopped being fun and became pretty much a job.
The main issue I had in all honesty centered around money.
EVERYBODY thinks they are "special" and so can pay at the last minute. then there are those that despite it being clear that entry is non refundable want me to refund their payment if their life circumstances change. Then theres the whole--Ohh I won't go if XXX is there etc.
--Mon this is NOT a moan just thats the way it is with big groups.
Nowadays theres a fair few track day organisers that have well and truely picked up where I left off and doing a great job

The other thing is the "product" im keener to promote now is more the "boutique" trackday concept.
A few folks have realised that the entry fee is only a portion of the cost of a trackday and they want maximum bang for buck.
I love doing trackdays and this select/small group senario I hope might work so its only 9 people dipping into pocket for $5500

[MotoGirl]

The other thing is the "product" im keener to promote now is more the "boutique" trackday concept.
A few folks have realised that the entry fee is only a portion of the cost of a trackday and they want maximum bang for buck.
I love doing trackdays and this select/small group senario I hope might work so its only 9 people dipping into pocket for $5500

Your boutique track day is exactly why we sign up! It makes us feel all exclusive-like.
Cajun and I are super keen to do more of these so you could definitely put us down for 1 of your 10 members.

[FROSTY:Me]

ok Ive changed the first post --could those prepared to step up contact me