• Welcome to the Two Wheeled Texans community! Feel free to hang out and lurk as long as you like. However, we would like to encourage you to register so that you can join the community and use the numerous features on the site. After registering, don't forget to post up an introduction!

Track day riding gear

Forums New posts
Trophy club used to be Marshall Creek. It is a tiny OHV area on the southwest side of Grapevine lake. You must have the state OHV sticker on any bike you bring. the trails are non-technical but rutted up near the lake and sandy whoops on the higher ground. They have a motocross track in the center and you will see everything in about 20 minutes.
 
Jarrett said:
I didn't realize it was such an egregious offense. Once I caught sight of his front tire in my peripheral vision, I eased over a fuzz and let him through, he waved as if to apologize for disturbing my line. Seemed fine to me at the time.

I used to race jet skis a bit. Passing on the inside at the buoys was commonplace, so it didn't spook me too much.

I can imagine it would get quite frustrating to be on a slower motorcycle that's incapable of passing on the straights, but not being allowed to pass in the corners by rule. But its not a race, I guess. I was just out there trying to improve my lines.
Click to expand...
Yeah...it's dangerous in the lower levels for 2 reasons. 1.) The guy passing on the inside might have just over cooked the corner and can't hold the line in which case they could take out the outside bike they are passing. 2.) A new rider that is developing skill may not have the ability to adjust their line and brake if they are the recipient of a block pass. Some new riders "get lost" in the turn if they miss their turn in mark and then can crash trying to get back on line too quickly or drifting too wide / deep into the corner where the traction isn't as good.

As far as getting stuck, it's really not hard to pass on the outside if you're actually faster and it's really fun to do as well. There is nothing better than riding around the outside of a liter bike that just passed you on the straight on a 250 because the liter bike guy can't turn. You can usually pass on the outside in all groups after lunch.

Funny story.... GLFLyer, Myself and another buddy went to Hallett, OK a few years back. Hallett requires all riders to register for their beginner group and go through their beginner class on the first visit unless you are a licensed racer. We were at the point of riding advanced at the Texas tracks but they wanted us to ride in the beginner group until an instructor said we were ok to move up. First session was the round robin, no passing. Second session was outside passing only. LOL....in a 20 minute session, we lapped everyone on the outside. We had a 3 man train riding around the outside of people on most corners. We felt like gods. It was kind of a jerk thing to do but honestly was one of the most fun track sessions I've ever had. After the session, they called us to the office and re-assigned us to the advanced group. Best part was that after the round robin and before the session where we passed everyone, I asked the instructor if we could move up and he told me no. He was pretty condescending and asked if I really thought I had learned the track well enough after a round robin to go ride advanced. I said, yes...but I guess you need to verify that so just evaluate us as we ride and after the session you can let us know if you think we should move up. Anyway... passing on the outside can be fun after you get fast.
 
Toss the cloth suit for the track. Same with the flip helmet. Get a back protector since most of the suits that cost less than $1000 have a built in thin cushion as a back protector. Stay in a level until you are passing at least half of the other bikes. I suggest going up a class as soon as you are able. It's a human's natural tendency to copy what others are doing and it's better to copy fast people. Do everything right and speed will come without trying. On the race track, practice does not make perfect. If you practice something the wrong way, you will end up doing it perfectly wrong and bad track habits are hard to break. Don't be shy when it comes time to grab an instructor for some one on one track time together.
 
Tires!! I did about 10 track days a year with Lone Star Track Days and I used 4 sets of tires a year. I used street tires, Pilot Powers at the time, and could usually do 3 track days and some street miles that would usually total about 800 miles. Tires are way cheaper than body work and hospital rooms.
 
Jarrett said:
Do you have a link for that place? Haven't heard of it
Click to expand...

https://www.trophyclub.org/475/Trophy-Club-Park TC also has a Facebook page which is updated regularly.

TC's convenience is its top quality. At race pace we could cut a lap in 12-13 minutes. The main XC course has a specified direction, but some areas are unmarked, so keep your head on a swivel. This is where the e-bike pays big dividends, as you can hear other bikes and be cognizant of their location.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Btweaver13 said:
https://www.trophyclub.org/475/Trophy-Club-Park TC also has a Facebook page which is updated regularly.

TC's convenience is its top quality. At race pace we could cut a lap in 12-13 minutes. The main XC course has a specified direction, but some areas are unmarked, so keep your head on a swivel. This is where the e-bike pays big dividends, as you can hear other bikes and be cognizant of their location.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Pretty sure you need a Tx OHV permit out there. The ranger used to patrol fairly regularly.

Sent from my SM-G973U using Tapatalk
 
Jarrett said:
I can imagine it would get quite frustrating to be on a slower motorcycle that's incapable of passing on the straights, but not being allowed to pass in the corners by rule.
Click to expand...

This exact thing happened to me. I was doing a Lonestar Trackday event (not sure they are still around). I had a guy on a CBR 1100 Blackbird that could not corner to save his life, but he could leave me behind coming out of the corners, so I could not get around him on my VFR 800. After a lap or two of this, I just pulled into pit lane, waited about 30-45 seconds, then went back out. Unfortunately, it did not take long to catch back up to him. At the time and for this organization there was NO passing in corners for the Novice group, inside or outside.
 
Yeeha! Stephen said:
Yep. And a big reason many riders never come back for more track days.
I hear it a lot from many street riders.
Click to expand...
Wow, thanks for the judgement from a total stranger.

If someone decides track days aren't for them after one session where someone safely rides around the outside of them, then they probably aren't going to be people that would really ever have much fun on a track.



Sent from my SM-G973U using Tapatalk
 
2WheelNut said:
Wow, thanks for the judgement from a total stranger.

...after one session where someone safely rides around the outside of them, then they probably aren't going to be people that would really ever have much fun on a track...



Sent from my SM-G973U using Tapatalk
Click to expand...

And you made my point exactly. You are a stranger and many "novices" don't know your skills.

Not a judgment, but an observation/impression. You may be perfectly on top of your game as an advanced rider circling the novices. But they don't see it that way.
It's intimidating and creates an uneasy atmosphere to someone new to track riding. Not everyone has the intentions of being the top notch-go around the outside rider. Maybe just improve a few street skills is the aim. What you did may have scared someone off in the future.

I'm glad you seem to be a safe rider, but as an event coordinator, I hear the concerns before and the complaints afterward when trying to arrange a club/group ride at the track day.

I'm sorry you are offended, but how about seeing it from the other side.
 
Yeeha! Stephen said:
And you made my point exactly. You are a stranger and many "novices" don't know your skills.

Not a judgment, but an observation/impression. You may be perfectly on top of your game as an advanced rider circling the novices. But they don't see it that way.
It's intimidating and creates an uneasy atmosphere to someone new to track riding. Not everyone has the intentions of being the top notch-go around the outside rider. Maybe just improve a few street skills is the aim. What you did may have scared someone off in the future.

I'm glad you seem to be a safe rider, but as an event coordinator, I hear the concerns before and the complaints afterward when trying to arrange a club/group ride at the track day.

I'm sorry you are offended, but how about seeing it from the other side.
Click to expand...
I remember what it was like to be a novice. I did my first track day completely solo and with a bike I'd only had a couple of weeks and rented leathers.

You're scared and exhilarated at the same time. You think you are flying and someone passes you and you wonder how it's possible to go that fast. Are they crazy or just that good? And is it even possible to be that good and safe at the same time?.

Even so...I also knew it was about skill development and people were going to be at different levels. As such, being passed was part of it and I never was worried about someone passing me on the outside even if I thought they might be riding over their heads as I knew that if they lost it on the outside, it wouldn't affect me. Honestly, I was more interested in developing the skill they had to do it than in being upset about it.

Back to this incident. Hallett is less than a 2 minute lap. If you are 20 seconds a lap faster, you'll lap the field in 6 laps. Yes, we lapped the field and made a point, but it's not like we were twice as fast or anything. For most of those people, we passed them one time with plenty of room on the outside.

If we had held back and not passed, we might have been forced to ride with them a other session. I think we actually minimized the situation by making the point and then moving on.

As an organizer, you have to balance the situation where riders tell you they are fast but aren't and can't / shouldn't move up and riders that really should move up. They only way to know is to see them ride. I feel we did the organizers a favor by making the decision clear.

Ps...Connie up at Hallett is pretty great. That day was the start of a lot of good times with that organization. Just wish it was closer to us.

Sent from my SM-G973U using Tapatalk
 
Dan9571 said:
I'm signed up for the RideSmart Track day at COTA on August 28th. It gave me the option for free leathers and boots rental for first time newbies when I checked out. This will be my first time on a track and I'm pretty excited about it.
Click to expand...

Focus on technique, not speed, and you will learn a LOT! Good technique will help you relax. When you relax, you ride smoother and better. THEN you will go faster and faster as a result. If you focus on fast first, you will be scaring yourself, not relaxing, not riding well, creating bad habits to cope with scaring yourself, and will likely reach an earlier plateau of riding skills than if you do it the other way.
 
Start praying for cool weather! The few trackdays I did were in August at the former Texas World Speedway South of College Station. It was around 108 F on the track. I only rode in the morning for the first trackday and then worked corners in the afternoon. By the time the radio call came in that we were done for the day, I was feeling pretty bad from heat exhaustion just from standing out there waving flags! If it is hot, like 85+, be EXTRA sure to stay WELL hydrated!! You will be amazed at how much energy you expend riding on the track even if you aren't trying to be the next Rossi or Marquez ;-)
 
Tourmeister said:
To a point... then it means slick tires ;-)
Click to expand...

Yeah...it can get too hot to where it starts to melt the tires.

I guess it depends on the tires and the track. Cresson has good grip in hot weather. As a novice, with good street tires, he should be fine.....although I suspect his tires will show definite heat and melting in the afternoon sessions. It will be good for a picture or two...his tires will look like he was crazy fast. :)

Jarrett....the good and bad about ridesmart is the classroom. Sometimes going to class kind of sucks....but..... it's air conditioned, out of the sun, and there is plenty of cold water in the coolers. It's honestly not a bad place to be between sessions on a hot day.

When you get to level 3 and you don't go to class anymore........you HAVE to have a good canopy, fan and other stuff to survive and even then you are sitting in a blow dryer all day and dehydration is hard to hold off.
 
As a cyclist you know to start hyper-hydrating today. With outside air hitting 100+ the track temps will be north of 150. It's gonna be brutal, especially in racing gear, which as you've seen is no picnic to adorn. Your heart rate can spike just shucking yourself out of leathers, so head for shade/indoors before attempting those gymnastics.

Of course, all that water consumption will likely lead to frequent bathroom breaks. Hopefully your gear is appropriately equipped.
 
I treat my race suit with sweat....

Serious advice....find shade and hydrate constantly but listen to your body if it's telling you it's too hot. You'll literally be doing 20 minute sessions in front of a blow dryer.

If you start to feel too hot in a session, exit and go find shade and AC. This isn't the day to get all the value you can out of you $170 registration at the expense of overheating yourself.

Heat stroke symptoms at speed are not good...

You'll still have a great time...just saying the biggest danger you'll face in the day is the heat, not the track.

Sent from my SM-G973U using Tapatalk
 
Jarrett said:
Yeah, I'm not sure how many track sessions I'll do Saturday. Just going to feel it out and not push myself in the heat.

I've got more track days coming up, hopefully in cooler weather.
Click to expand...
Perfect. Pretty much what I was saying in my post.

Good plan.

Sent from my SM-G973U using Tapatalk
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top