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Track day riding gear

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Yep... Had a blast!

My "Mentor" was new to the track, so I gained most of my track knowledge from Aaron (@2WheelNut's Mentor).

Great seeing you out there Jarret!

Also... We picked up a consolation prize while we were packing up for the day. @Jarrett... Did you get your free helmet too? 😉
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Had a fun time, the 1.3 is a LOT of work to ride, but enjoyed the day (despite the heat). It was a fun little track, wasn't sure how I'd feel about it on the bigger bike, but I actually liked it once I was able to pick up the pace a little bit at the end of the day - but incoming speed was making big differences in line choices, would have been great to tag along with Aaron or one of the other fast guys familiar with that track, but I was too worn out at the end of the day to jump out in the faster group (was mentoring in the LTR group all day).
 
@Honey Badger, wished we could have met up! Didn't realize you were there.

We were just across from Tech...
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Here's my review of the 1.3 and 3:16 Track days:

Cresson 1.3:
Great technical track... We didn't get above 100 more than about 3 times... It's short too, so it's a lot of work. Pushing a big bike around it would be a lot of work... but there were plenty of them out there. Some funky run off areas but the track walk in the morning was extremely informative and beneficial.

Late apex corners that draw you in and you can easily overcook them if you aren't braking way too early. A lot more passing opportunities than I thought there would be.

Track is typical of most Texas tracks... Seams are everywhere, including right on the race line in some areas so, line adjustments are necessary. Multiple line options in many corners too. Track surface was in good shape overall and plenty sticky.

3:16 Track Days:
Cool format... Different, which was refreshing, but... you really need to plan well for the 1hr sessions. It was a bit much in the heat. However, the track day organizers were awesome. It was expensive, but can't fault their service. The organizer and his wife checked in on us multiple times throughout the day, and helped keep us hydrated. Real personalized service.

It was also nice that the advanced group didn't go first. Usually, at most track days, we are rushing to get setup and suited up before the first session that usually occurs right after the morning meeting. However this morning was very relaxed and all groups were ready to go without feeling rushed.

The "Mentor" match up is a crap shoot. Dave (@2WheelNut) won the lotto on that one. 😉 But it did help us find and connect the lines on a track we've never been to. My "Mentor" had never been to this track so I gleaned most of my useful track info by sideling up to Dave when Aaron was talking to him, and following them on track.

No crashes, no mechanicals, and no ER visits for us, so I'll chalk that up as a win! Ironically... Most crashes seemed to be from "mentors/instructors".

Dave and I swapped best times, but his second to the last session was awesome while he worked one-on-one with his instructor. But... I'm only 0.4 off of him, so... I'll take it. 😉
 
I was in the RiderzLaw canopy right by the track entrance/exit. Track was plenty grippy but the seams were pretty bad...sketched me out a couple times when I'd catch one a little wrong. I was enjoying the elevation changes though - I always loved Sonoma and Laguna for that, looking forward to getting out to Barber in October, pretty excited to go ride that track.

One of the guys who crashed (twice I think) was on a borrowed bike - used to a fully set up and prepped race bike and was borrowing a completely stock (same model bike) and just kept asking a bit much of the stock set up (ninja 400 so stock vs a race prepped bike are totally different worlds).
 
Honey Badger said:
Had a fun time, the 1.3 is a LOT of work to ride, but enjoyed the day (despite the heat). It was a fun little track, wasn't sure how I'd feel about it on the bigger bike, but I actually liked it once I was able to pick up the pace a little bit at the end of the day - but incoming speed was making big differences in line choices, would have been great to tag along with Aaron or one of the other fast guys familiar with that track, but I was too worn out at the end of the day to jump out in the faster group (was mentoring in the LTR group all day).
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This... "incoming speed was making big differences in line choices"

Never having been on the 1.3 and following a really fast guy around to learn lines, they really didn't make sense at first as I was going too slow. As the day progressed and I settled in, I got up to speed and then the lines Aaron was showing me made sense. I can see how it would change a lot during the day with you being in the LTR group as I'm sure the speeds were slower and you'd be mentoring someone at one pace and then you might get some open track where you could flow and the corner would need a different line. This happens some at all tracks....but entry speed seems to be more of a factor in line selection on the Cresson 1.3 than just about any track I've ever ridden.

I spent a lot of the day realizing I could brake later and deeper than I thought I could and I'd be coasting to the tip in. Coming in at a faster speed actually made the corner easier but I was fighting a mental battle all day about how late I could brake. Most of my advances in the day came when I was sure I had over cooked the corner and went too fast and then I realized I hadn't and that it was actually what I should be doing on that corner.

Agree also about it being a LOT of work to ride. There's literally no rest sections of any significance and even the straightaway has a slight curve to it and is so short that you probably cover it in 5 seconds. You have to learn to breath in the corners as it seems you're constantly turning. I was pretty exhausted by the end of the day. But it was also really fun.
 
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2WheelNut said:
....but entry speed seems to be more of a factor in line selection on the Cresson 1.3 than just about any track I've ever ridden....
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I would definitely agree with this statement. Most tracks I've been on, at a slower pace I could still pick out pretty close to the proper line on pretty much every corner - maybe one or two where it might make a slight difference, but generally nothing too dramatic.

This track it made for some dramatic differences and definitely altered what was best - and that was just trying to figure it out on my own (which I've proven I'm not bad at, but there are occasions where track knowledge can help - and I'm pretty sure it would have helped a lot here)!
 
Jarrett said:
This you, Dave? Seemed like a good one.
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Thanks. Yes that's me. Need to get my head to the inside more. Didn't realize I was that straight.

I was fighting to see all day. Have a compressed disk in my neck and I've lost some weight and apparently shrunk my head making my helmet slightly loose.

Between the helmet moving on me, the suit hitting the back of my helmet and my stiff neck, I spent a lot of time just trying to get in a position to see and forgot to move my head inside on the corners.

Bob let me use his smaller helmet on the last session and it was way better. Nothing like a picture to let you know what you are really doing out there.
 
Jarrett said:
I only found a couple I liked of me. The only discernible improvement I could see from the last track day was that my feet were a little higher on the pegs :)
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And out of all of those pics, I could only find one where my mentor was with me. It really was luck of the draw on that deal. I don't feel like I got much mentoring from mine:

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Your feet being back is a big improvement. You're getting there. I think you're being a bit conservative because you're riding a nice bike and don't want to risk going down. That's not bad at all, just means you'll progress a bit slower pace than someone willing to find the edges of traction and performance and take a bit more risk. Typically risk reward equation....you find the balance that works for you and as long as it's still fun....keep doing it.
 
Jarrett said:
Did my 4th track day to with Sport Rider Coaching at Eagle Canyon Raceway. That track is a complete blast. The new pavement is awesome.

Jim Dugger puts on a cool track event. Best place to go for a first track event. Ask for Lindsey if you are doing your first track day, she is awesome.
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Dugger is a good teacher. I've heard consistently good stuff about him.

Glad new track is good.
 
I had over 30K miles of riding experience before doing my first track day. I'd read numerous books, watched videos, and applied what I was learning and seeing good results. I remember the track sessions I did and thinking I hadn't really gotten much out of them because we hadn't covered anything I didn't already know. Nonetheless, shortly after doing them I made a trip to Arkansas and was amazed at how much smoother and more relaxed I was on the bike :shrug: I wasn't really doing anything different in terms of lines through corners, body position, when I was on the brakes or gas, etc,... Maybe it was just some kind of confidence thing? I've had a similar experience with riding adventure bikes off the pavement. It has to be a mental thing. But it does make a difference!

You comment about tires made me laugh because I came to that same conclusion in a hurry and that was part of why I stopped doing the trackdays. I knew I'd never be able to afford all the tires and the inevitable dedicated track bike so I wouldn't have to worry about crashing my nice bike :-P
 
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