NZ Track days could be better

[chris]

I live almost 5 hours from Taupo and last time I went I arrived at 10:30.. I missed track time but I didn’t expect the entire event to wait until I got there. The way to go for me is to travel the night before and stay over (Camping is Cheap !!!). Where you live and how far away from the track you are is NOT a matter for the event, the TDO or other riders.

And I wouldn't have to expect to hang around at signing on for three hours waiting for you to turn up for your personal safety briefing.

Our riders briefings start at 9.15am with the first group on track at as close to 9.30am as possible. We stop for lunch at 12.30pm and resume at 1.00pm (approximate) before flagging of the last session at around 4.15pm. We run four groups and every group gets five twenty minute sessions in that time. Is one hour and fourty minutes not enough? To achieve this we have the first bike of the next session on track before the last bike of the previous session is off the track (unless there is a bike to be recovered).

Pit garages. The circuit (Taupo) charges seperately for them. It is their policy and a policy that they are entitled to enforce. I would love to have 5 garages included in the cost of hire and let everyone use them, but they're not, so we don't. And you know what? I don't get asked about the availability of garages.

[Mort]

Hey Chris.... cut the attitude. I made a suggestion that is all. Perhaps its one which could work.

[chris]

Hey Chris.... cut the attitude. I made a suggestion that is all. Perhaps its one which could work.

What attitude? I've made a couple of points on our track day format in answer to some of your points. I encourage feedback and get lots, but, I never get asked about the availability of pit garages. Perhaps most Suzuki owners are hard buggers who don't mind a bit of cold wind or rain...

[Mort]

Ok - I apologise Chris.

What group are you from (Suzuki owners club ?)

[chris]

My day job is Kiwi Rider mag. In my spare time, (not much) together with four others, we run Suzuki owner track days as well as other motorcycle related events, either on or off road.

[Mort]

Cool - I'd have thought there was an article in this subject somewhere... "UK vs NZ trackday scene comparison" etc... but I bet you get people saying that all the time.

[chris]

Cool - I'd have thought there was an article in this subject somewhere... "UK vs NZ trackday scene comparison"

In all honesty, why? I'm not sure why a track day regular in NZ would want to know how a UK track day works. We put a report in Kiwi Rider after every Suzuki track day.
The UK is a different market with a significantly larger motorcycle riding population; a large percentage of which see a motorcycle as a disposable income item. Brands Hatch, Donington, Silverstone, Thruxton, Oulton Park, Mallory Park, Cadwell, Croft all have one thing in common; tens of thousands of motorcyclists are most likely within an hours ride of all of them. It's three hours to Taupo minimum and at least double that to Manfeild from Auckland. So factor in fuel costs and the likelihood that most will stop over a night either before or after a track day the costs start to rise so most will see coughing up an extra $50 for a garage space as a luxury.
But, if I get enough requests, I'll do something about garages with the proviso that I'd have to get the riders to fill them. No point in taking $50 off someone for a spot in a garage when they book a track day only to tell them on the day that they are now gonna have to pay $200 because nobody else wants the space.

[Beemer]

Beemer - I think that is bloody unfair. At no time did I ever criticise any TDO or say a bad job was being done.. (I don't even know who you are or what track you are talking about !!!) By raising these points I am "putting my hand up" and I would do whatever possible to improve the track day scene in NZ.

I'm sorry but I don't think I am being unfair. Yes, you may have raised some valid points and they have been responded to by others, but on the whole you seem to be saying "we do it much better back home" and THAT is unfair. The UK has a much larger population and you can't compare the two. As mentioned earlier, the majority of track days in NZ are not run as a business but more as a service to motorcyclists.

I am a member of the Central Districts Motorcycle Touring Club Inc, which holds at least one track day a year at Manfeild in Feilding. This year we are lucky enough to book two days and our second track day is on March 2.

By "putting your hand up" I meant actually stepping forward and offering to help at a track day rather than just stating your views. Yes, stating your views is the first step, but I bet you would soon realise that a lot of the things you mention cost money and are not feasible here in NZ.

As for the garages, as Chris said, they are not part of the track hire and if you really want a garage, you have to pay for it. Including it in the price of the track day would never work unless you had enough garages for everyone and I doubt any track here has 150 garages, which is how many people we have attending our track days. Yes, people share, but not everyone plays nicely so that could lead to fights!

[Mort]

OK, so the UK has a much more evolved track day scene where as the NZ scene (by the admission of many here) is evolving. My comments were intended to assist in the evolution by describing how things work elsewhere.

Also, Beemer, I don't think I need to physically help organise a track day in order to comment on it. If I had a track on my doorstep (which I don't) I would be interested though.

With regard to garages, UK tracks have never charged for them as an extra. The fact that NZ tracks charge (a lot !!) here IS worthy of comment. The garage charges clearly don't work for the customers or the track so why not open them up or lower the charges to a point where they are affordable. I think that is a valid question for TDO's and track owners. As it stands, it is a rip off if you did but know it.