Everyone who has ridden a bike has thought at some point , “what if I could go as fast as I like along here without being knicked or a Ford Focus pulling out in front of me?” Come on admit it! Wouldn’t it be great to see just how quick your bike is (and how slick a rider you really are).Well there is a way, it’s not expensive and, like many things in life, you should try it once.. who knows, you may enjoy it!!
Track days are for out and out sportsbike riders on top of the range, race prepped machines aren’t they? Don’t you need flashy one-piece leathers, tyre warmers and nerves of steel? Well not necessarily, (except maybe for the last bit), a track day can be done on any machine, within reason, all you need is zip together leathers and an ACU approved lid.
We decided to try a novice only track day, run purely by MotorSportVision, to see if it really was up to the billing, having heard of similar events that were obviously being used as cheap track time by experienced riders. This has resulted in putting off potential new riders as they feel they have been in out of their depth... not fun on a race track.
The first lesson is to pick the operator carefully, some events are organised well and others are knocked together to make a few quid quickly. Speak to the organiser, find out their experience, make sure it’s a genuine novice day. It’s going to cost you around £50-£100, not a fortune but you want an enjoyable and memorable day for that.
MotorSportVision defined a novice as having had three or fewer track outings. The participants were then divided into further groups which included a genuine novice section. An obvious advantage for all of us as we were a bit nervous anyway and didn’t relish the thought of being in with a load of Bayliss wannabes.
Make sure you check out the organisers before booking. Maybe speak to some mates who have done track days previously and get some feedback.
The day starts early, all riders need to book in, present their licences, sign disclaimers and be briefed. Silencers were tested for noise, bear in mind that there are still decibel restrictions on race tracks. The riders are divided into groups depending on experience, it is explained that there is the opportunity to change groups if you don’t feel comfortable.
After all riders are booked in and tagged to show what group each is in, there is a safety briefing. This is fairly basic explaining how the marshals’ flag system works, safety procedures in case of an incident, how the sessions work and that if you ride like a complete knob you will be kicked out!
It soon becomes apparent that not only are you dependant on your ability and your bike’s, but to a great extent, the others in your group. It is well worth noting that your machine is unlikely to be insured for track use under most policies. The advantage of this is that it gives you an incentive to exercise some restraint and not throw your bike down the track!
We were divided into three groups, giving us one session of around fifteen minutes per hour. Each session started at the same time past the hour making it easy to plan the day, with one group preparing to go on track as the previous lot were lapping. The morning consisted of four sessions and the afternoon three.
During the course of the day there were extra briefings for those who wanted to learn more about the track and riding techniques. Also on hand were several qualified instructors available for one to one instruction, at an extra cost, as part of each session. First up was a sighting lap following an instructor, noting the braking and turning in points which were handily marked with cones. No turning back now!
I am sure Toseland and his pals are pretty nervous on the grid, but the first lap of the first session is quite daunting. You don’t want to fall off, knock someone else off, or worse, be too slow and look a right plonker. We were also warned strongly about the dangers of cold tyres, by far the most common cause of spills. The first couple of laps were cautious to say the least, Brands and, I imagine, all other tracks look a lot flatter on the TV. Even at relatively low speeds, the corners come up really quickly, but the surface is far from smooth, with a fair few bumps along the way. This a part of the challenge, adapting to the circuit and anticipating your next line, braking point and exit.
As you start the first session, the marshals turn your mirrors inwards so they are of no use, quite unnerving until you become accustomed to it. It’s the responsibility of the following rider to pick a way past so you can concentrate on what’s in front. After a couple of laps, the nerves wear off and it becomes fun, starting to push yourself a little more and smoothing out your lines.
The end of the first session is greeted with a mixture of relief that you survived and disappointment that the laps have gone so quickly, just as you were getting into it. It is totally different from road riding as concentration has to be a hundred percent all session. It dawns on you slowly as the day goes on just how tiring this type of riding is and that’s without even competing against anyone (well, technically anyway, there’s always someone you want to stay ahead of!).
Chatting to some of the other riders at lunchtime, it became apparent that we all wanted to test ourselves and machines at least the once, just so we knew what it felt like and how we coped. In these safety conscious days, the attraction is obvious. Alton Towers may give us a buzz, but we all know, barring freak accidents, there is more danger of throwing up than being injured. Bike racing however is real, it’s down to the rider, and those around us. Not many can push a modern bike and tyres to the limit, so it’s in the hands of the individual.
And the bikes...we did the day on a Suzuki GS500F and a Triumph Tiger, however there was a large cross section of machinery with the inevitable bias towards sports bikes, after all that’s what they are made for. Turn up on what you ride to work. We were told of a track day regular who uses a Triumph Rocket!! If you can ride the south east’s roads you can manage a track.
Provided you do your research properly, you will have a challenging, rewarding and memorable day for less cost than a family outing to Alton Towers and a hell of a lot more fun. Track days will improve your road riding and machine control. It also gave us huge respect for those who compete at both club level and professionally.
Many thanks to MotorSportVision based at Brands Hatch, for a superbly organised day
I want to go faster, I want to go faster..
