 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Trackdays - Get the Maximum Enjoyment from Your Time on the Track
Many motorcyclists want to take their bikes onto the track and trackdays are the ideal environment. If you have never been on a track before the experience can feel daunting so here are a number of tips to help make your trackday enjoyable. Use a van or a trailer to get your bike to the track This has a number of advantages. If the worst happens and the bike gets damaged you can get it home without waiting for a recovery service. You can prepare the bike the night before by removing anything that can be damaged in a spill. Removal is far better than taping something up. If cost is an issue hire a van with a friend or two. One advantage that is often overlooked is what happens after a trackday. You've been out on the track for 8 sessions, you're tired (trust me, you will be!!), your leathers are soaked with sweat, your tyres are way past their best, you have to ride home and your perception of speed is screwed up. It's a recipe for disaster. With a van or trailer you can get changed into fresh clothes load the bike up and unwind with some good sounds. If it's a hot track day you can change out of your leathers between sessions. Food Don't eat junk food and drink Coke or other fizzy drinks: the sugar levels dull your concentration. If you don't believe me have a look at the first session after lunch at your next trackday. Drink bottled water and eat fruit or pasta. The 3 Sessions to be aware of!! There are 3 sessions you have to take extra care in. I would advise you to run at 75% in these sessions for various reasons: 1. The first session of the day You are new to the track. Even if you have been around it before and it's dry, the grip levels will be different from last time and heavy rain might have washed some of the rubber deposits away. The track will be colder than before and other riders may not have ridden the track before. If you have done any work on your bike you will surely discover that you failed to tighten a caliper bolt in the first few laps. 2. The first session after lunch Tyres have cooled, concentration levels are lower. Use this session to get back into the groove and gradually build your speed up again. 3. The last session of the day Simple bit of advice here, don't go out in the last session: confidence is up and will invariably exceed ability, tiredness will start to play a part and tyres wil be nearing the end of their life. It's just not worth it. Pack up when you are ahead. Find someone slightly faster than you Once you have settled into a rhythm, know the track and are confident with your bike's handling and braking, find someone who is about 5-10 % quicker than you. Follow their lines, use their braking points and soon you will find that extra bit of speed. Pick your group wisely Fast Group: lots of fast road riders and racers, this is probably the safest group of the lot as fast riders know what they are doing. If you aren't sure whether you should go intermediate or fast, pick the fast group: you can always ask to go down a group later. Intermediate Group: Try to avoid this group like the plague, its got fast guys who don't like to finish mid pack, slow guys who don't want to go in the slow group. The broad spread of riders is a recipe for disaster. Slow Group: this is the ideal group for Novices and people who want to build their confidence. You won't be the slowest rider here, you are not expected to ride like a GP god and apart form a few intermediate riders who like to lap people and so choose this group you will be given lots of room. Once you have lapped 3/4 of the field and are confident of your ability then its time to move up. Take some lap time of riders in the other groups from the front, middle and back of the group, compare them with your lap times and if you can make it in the fast group, do it! Mark Thompson has spent the past 20 years racing motorcycles and managing race teams and riders. He now runs the Trackbikes website.
MORE RESOURCES:
Google News |
 |
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
Motorcycle Suspension Setup: Getting to Grips with a Black Art Suspension Set-up: The basicsWhether you are a road rider or a racer correct suspension setup is the key to fast smooth riding and consistent lap times. To get the best out of your bike it needs to be set up for the conditions in which you will be riding. Motorcycle Helmets - Mind Your Head! To most riders, motorcycle helmets do not fit into their dream accessory. They feel helmets are restrictive and unnecessary and do not add to their aesthetic appeal. How Do You Make Your Harley Davidson Look And Feel Like An Extension Of Yourself! How do you make your Harley Davidson look and feel like an extension of yourself!Do you think maybe it's time to do a little customizing for that old girl of yours? Ask yourself this first.Why do we customize and add accessories to our Harley?Well, for me it's simple!We want to stand out above all else! The last thing we want is to look like every Tom, Dick, and Harry out there on the road!You may have different reasons. Do You Need a Part for Your Harley Davidson Motorcycle? Need a Harley Davidson Part for your ride?Where do you get a good quality Harley Davidson Part? Can I use an aftermarket part?These questions are not easy to answer. It depends a lot on your situation, part you're looking for, and the money you want to spend. Avoiding Excessive or Uneven Front Tire Wear All rubber tires wear down over time, whether they're on a motorcycle or automobile. However, you want to watch out for uneven or excessive wear, both of which can cause serious problems for motorcycle riders. People Are Crazy... and Everyone Is A Racer ?And everyone is a racer. If you doubt that, you've obviously never driven in New York City during rush hour. Trackdays - Get the Maximum Enjoyment from Your Time on the Track Many motorcyclists want to take their bikes onto the track and trackdays are the ideal environment. If you have never been on a track before the experience can feel daunting so here are a number of tips to help make your trackday enjoyable. 0 to 60 in 4.5 Seconds Speeding is illegal, yet we sell racing motorcycles and cars which are so powerful and look so intimidating that a police man could write the owner a ticket even if it were parked. Take today's crotch rocket, nearly all of these motorcycles can barely get out of second or third gear going sixty miles per hour. Liquid Cooled Minimotos (PocketBikes), How Fast Are They and Are They Affordable? As the latest craze of Minimoto Madness continues in the United Kingdom. The demand for pocket bikes means that the consumer is now looking for more better quality products which are not only affordable for the average earner but also produce great horsepower and fast speeds. Know Your Mini Moto The Mini Moto is a small scale replica of the World Super Bikes used by the likes of Valentino Rossi and ex champion Carl Fogarty. The Mini Moto comes equipped with either a two stroke air or water cooled engine which are, depending on the model, capable of speeds of up to 60Mph. Minimoto Dirt Bikes, Miniture Motards - The Next Step Up from Battery Powered Toys As your child grows out of their little bicycle and wants more than a battery powered car to get them 'cruising' along. It can be a head scratching thought as what would be the next step up. The Motorcycle Helmet You Want May Not Be As Safe As You Think! Choosing the right Motorcycle helmet can make a difference?.?. Ride Hard - Hydrate Harder This summer is showing all of the signs of being a hot one. Temps have already been hitting the 100's here in the Midwest. Kids Like to Ride Motorcycles Too Roaring up on a motorcycle has a strong draw for all of us who have adopted the biker lifestyle. This draw often hits our children too. Necessity of Motorcycle Parts If you are one of the many people who consider your bike as invaluable as your family, then we know you're head over heels. We may be judged heavily for this perception but you might even be willing to dump your partner just so you could spend time riding and caring for your bike? though, we hope you are not that obsessed. Motorcycle Tires - Why Should You Care? One of the most important parts of any vehicle is its tires. Not only are the tires subject to a large amount of wear and tear, but also their durability depends largely upon how you maintain them. It's One Thing for People to Buy Your Product or Service, but It's Another for Them to Tattoo Your William Harley and Arthur Davidson, both in their early twenties, built their first motorcycle in 1903. During their first year, the company's entire output was only 1 motorbike; however, by 1910, the company had sold 3,200. Suzuki Motorcycles - From Fine Loom Manufacturers to Major Motorcycle Company Started in a small warehouse by Michio Suzuki back in 1909, Suzuki aimed at making better looms for the Japanese silk industry. It was only thirty years after its existence that the company started thinking of diversifying into cars, motorcycles and related machinery. Yamaha Motorcycles - Creativity and Spirit of Challenge "If you are going to do something, be the best" Ginichi Kawakami, Yamaha Motor Company First President.Yamaha Motorcycles, under this motto, employing all its creativity, and with a very strong spirit of challenge, became what it is now: one of the biggest players in the worldwide motorcycling scene. Motorcycle Parts - OEM or Aftermarket ? This is always a difficult one to answer when shopping for motorcycle parts and I firmly believe that each one of us must decide what's best for our bikes AFTER carefully evaluating each of the possibilities.For me?Well.
|
|
|
 |
 |
