Track day crashes!

[300weatherby]

Road riders on track are scary as fuck, need to give them as wide a berth as possible, not alot different to driving in places like Vietnam, only difference is they are more or less headed in roughly the same direction......

[sil3nt]

I got a bike that im building up at the moment that im considering taking to one of those days in a couple of months to see how it runs.

Your post and description makes it sound shady as fuck. Actually most of these posts track days shining in a bad light. Would be pretty hesitant to sign up for one now. I ride with p.dath quite a bit and he speaks very highly of AMCC ART Days so if I ever decided to take a bike to the track (Circut) I would probably go with them. Soulds like the most newb friendly option

I don't know if they still have them with Puke now no longer being a motorcycle track. Good idea for testing a bike or car but as there are no staff around the track or St Johns or barriers.
I started off in level 1 ( as you have to) at the ART days and there were a couple of guys tagging along keeping out of the way doing a bit of testing.

At the Barry Sheene my mate got pinged by MNZ for crossing the yellow pit lines, the bike he was trying to pass just kept drifting right, my old BMW only gets up to 165 kmph up that hill and that wall sure looks close so I like to keep to the right..... probably not the ideal place for a pit exit....just saying.

They had an open test day on Saturday at pukekohe. Everything from FXR150s to 200hp superbikes.

Here is a video from the day:

[Grubber]

A couple weeks after I stepped up from the KLX300 to the Z1000 I did a playday track day at hampton downs. I went in the medium group. I was probably second or third slowest in my group. I got overtaken under, and around and down straights, I just kept calm and held my line, no dramas. I only ever overtook on corner exit/straights (I overtook a lot less than got overtaken haha).

Never felt unsafe, just focused on my lines and riding.

And this is exactly what you should have been doing too! well done. glad you enjoyed it!

[vinducati]

I have done many Playday on track, they are well run and they keep an eye on silly riding.
I am also quite happy to pull into the pits and talk to them if I see someone being a twit.
I would only suggest they have more marshalls.

The ART are very well run and you pay more, because of the number of marshalls , trainers etc.

The Superbike School Ride days were the best, but heaps of people didn't want to pay.
It is a shame that people want it cheap cause that can mean less policing of riding, and that means people can get hurt of worse.

As for trackdays being dangerous, well, motorcycles are dangerous. I feel a lot safer there than riding up Highway16 or the Coro Loop.

[jasonu]

You need to be prepared to pay a lot more for the track day then

How much does HD charge for a track/play day such as this?

[jasonu]

Often mixed cars and bikes, but separate sessions. .

Ever since Scott Dixon ran over a guy (forget his name) on an Anglo American Harley at Puke and knocked one of his legs off.

[Mort]

How much does HD charge for a track/play day such as this?

$150

I was at that Pukehoe day. It was my first ride there. It was test day for sure with just one bike group. There was a very wide range of bikes and riders of different ability. I also noticed a couple of riders who were quick but made it their business to carve up anyone on their way. Their riding bordered on dangerous (Puke is dangerous enough). idiots. The sessions were pretty much unregulated from what I could see so I'd advise novices/medium riders to avoid those test days and spend a bit more on a proper controlled track day like Playdays...

[sil3nt]

Ever since Scott Dixon ran over a guy (forget his name) on an Anglo American Harley at Puke and knocked one of his legs off.

First I have heard of this

[Grubber]

$150

I was at that Pukehoe day. It was my first ride there. It was test day for sure with just one bike group. There was a very wide range of bikes and riders of different ability. I also noticed a couple of riders who were quick but made it their business to carve up anyone on their way. Their riding bordered on dangerous (Puke is dangerous enough). idiots. The sessions were pretty much unregulated from what I could see so I'd advise novices/medium riders to avoid those test days and spend a bit more on a proper controlled track day like Playdays...

Yea i have found the same at Puke. Tend to be a couple of lose goose's about on those days. Keep ya nose clean and i's all good usually though.
It seems the general consensus is that you take your chances on the track days. what ever will be will be.
If you keep your lines properly you generally will be safe enough.
this is what i find anyway.
Figure it's always going to be a bit of a lottery but once you get a couple under your belt you usually get it all under control fairly well.

[AndyR1]

I believe it was the fast right hander over the hill (last corner). What annoyed me about that incident is that tried to sneak up the inside was breaking the rules of the day but the organisers didn't seem to care. (all this from memory though - could be entirely wrong)

Oh yeah, overtaking in the inside is so easy because they are faster in and blocking your way through the turn because they are coming out slower too

I also dropped a few emails to Gary asking if the marshals are just blind not seeing these kind of things? They are supposed to be the referees in a fun-trackday.

I prefer to back off and let these morons overtake inside so if they are loosing their front or rear they are alone

[Mort]

You have to be honest with yourself accoding to your ability/speed. Are you fast enough to go in the fast group or are you being passed everywhere ? If not keeping up move down. Do you pass everyone on the Novice or medium group ?... move up. The groups are there for a reason. To keep every one save from big speed differences.... But there is also a matter of track etiquette. Do un to others etc..... Trackdays are not race days.

[Grubber]

Its not the ability of the expert riders that is being questioned here but the mix with lesser riders and lesser/smaller bikes on the track at the same time. If you think the risk is worth it
good luck but other comentaters do think differently.

Thats funny, as i haven't seen too much adversity to be honest, well other than your 5 cents worth of coarse and that doesn't really interest me as you haven't been involved in tracks means you are of no value to this conversation.

[Grubber]

You have to be honest with yourself accoding to your ability/speed. Are you fast enough to go in the fast group or are you being passed everywhere ? If not keeping up move down. Do you pass everyone on the Novice or medium group ?... move up. The groups are there for a reason. To keep every one save from big speed differences.... But there is also a matter of track etiquette. Do un to others etc..... Trackdays are not race days.

In a nut shell this is the the scenario that should be taking place. I think to a degree it does happen to be honest. Doesn't matter what recreation we partake in there is always an element of people that just don't want to fit really. Law of human nature i think.

[malcy25]

Ever since Scott Dixon ran over a guy (forget his name) on an Anglo American Harley at Puke and knocked one of his legs off.

Jason, wasn't Scott, was someone else's son of a famous NZ car racer name will come. Was Terry Eva on the bike.

[NAR RG500]

I think the big problem is the speed difference of the bikes, I was in that group and I have to do my passing in the corners as the VFR is too slow to pass 600's and bigger on the straights. A common thing to happen is passing a 1000cc bike around the outside at turn six only for him to blow past me on the straight again around where the incident happened. I stay mid track over the curve at the top just to allow the faster straight line bikes to pass on the inside. That's my way of trying to stay safe.

People take some random lines in those groups so you have to treat everyone totally differently.

I can imagine people getting taken out from varying lines. It's all good if everyone is a similar speed on the straight but not when someones going 80k faster than the next guy.