Aug 08 2010

Going to a trackday or race school Posted 1 years 284 days ago ago by sooz     0 Comments

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It's never too soon or too late to get on the track. Find a date using biketrackdays and uktrackdays and get out there!

Don't be afraid of it - you'll be amazed at how much it will improve your road riding skills

 

You are not the only new person

The main thing you need to appreciate to start with is the fact that you are not the only person new to this. Just because you are female does not mean you are the newest, slowest, most nervous or shortest. However, without any doubt you'll be the prettiest. Blokes will not be viewing you in the usual "bloomin' lady drivers" way - no, they will be awed by the fact that you actually turned up in the first place and plan to get out there with them.

 

You will not be the only female there

Granted, on a quiet day the other girls may be there as support for their partners, or on a really quiet day there'll be some tea ladies in the cafe. But most of the time there will be other ladies at the track, even some racers there for a practice session. You should approach these women without fail. I will always chat to the other girls if they're out on track. It's not a "solidarity sisters" thing, it's all a part of getting to know more about the sport and what women are capable of. If it makes you feel more comfortable you could ask if you can shadow one of them for a few laps to develop your confidence. People are ALWAYS flattered to be asked to do this.

 

You can go on your own

If you're like me, then you'll want to do your first track on your own. That's just because I've got a nasty competitive streak and didn't want to be shown up by my piss-taking mates.

If you do go with friends, make sure they're not going to pressure you. If you think they may do then DO NOT GO WITH THEM! This will be the worst thing you can do as it will make you nervous and you might push yourself into taking risks.

 

Go to a Ladies Day

This gets around most of the problems outlined above. You'll all be in the same boat unless you happen to have a few likeminded female friends with time and cash to spare - in which case you have a ready-made gang you lucky ladies! Ladies days are offered on track days only at the moment and tend to be few and far between. We'll highlight any that come up. We'll tell you about any in the events section or the forum.

 

Am I going to crash?

This is the one biggest question that ALL people worry about before going to their first track. You are very unlikely to crash on your first track day. You will be taking care, going quite slowly and listening to all the instruction you have received. The only way you might crash is if you ignore all the advice and go beyond your abilities. This is SO unlikely that you should not focus on this element or it might detract from your enjoyment.

 

Go to a Race School or get tuition at a Track Day

What's the difference between a Race School and a Track Day?

 

On a Track Day you arrive on your own bike, ride round the track all day then ride home (unless you own a van or a trailer). A Track Day usually comprises 3 groups of different levels who go out for 20 minute sessions once every hour. You turn up at or before 8am, and the sessions will run from about 9am until 5pm with an hour or so for lunch. So you're likely to get about 7 x 20 minute sessions, or 2½ hours of track time. It may not sound much but you'll be wishing you'd done more squat thrusts at the gym by midday, and by 3pm you'll be looking at your watch wondering if you're being "a girl" for sitting out for one session. Many men will be faking old war wounds by this stage so you won't be alone if you do... however I recommend you persevere and make the most of the day. Different organisers have varying levels of professionalism, safety and available instruction. A track day can cost anything from £75 to £200.

You could also attend a Track Evening. These normally follow a full open Track Day. They will run from around 5pm until 8pm.

 

A Race School is a much more organised affair and the best bit is that you get to ride someone else's bike! This is a must if you haven't tried it before and are worried about the cost of dropping your pride and joy. The two big disadvantages of a Race Day are the cost and the amount of track time. These are usually more than made up for by the excellent tuition, classroom sessions, one-on-one sessions and that wonderful feeling that if you do "come a cropper" then hell, it's not your bike. Perhaps unsurprisingly, If you bin a bike they won't let you back on to wreck another one. The amount of track time you get at a Race School varies between schools but may be as little as 45 minutes. So some schools are NOT worth the cost. Check out how much track time you will have and whether you will have one-on-one tuition when you phone up to book.

 

Get some tuition

If the track day offers free tuition then sign up for the maximum you can get. If you can get tuition for your first session then do.

Most trackday companies offer free tuition, or you can get dedicated one-on-one tuition at an additional cost. Paying for dedicated one-on-one works out to about ½ the cost of a Race School but has all the time on track benefit of a Track Day. If there are instructors around then just go and grab them. Chances are they're a bit bored and waiting around to help YOU.

 

What to do before a Track Day

You must make sure that both your bike and you are ready. Some essential preparations are:

Tyres: Track days are very tough on tyres and you will get through a serious amount of rubber even if you don't push hard. If your tyres are nearing the end of their life then get them replaced before your track day. Don't worry too much about bedding them in - you can do this on the first couple of sessions - just BE CAREFUL as you would bedding tyres in on the road. You don't need to buy special track tyres, but take advice from your tyre supplier and get something a little softer (or "stickier") than the norm if you can afford to splash out. Just be warned that these won't be as reliable in the wet or on white lines and manhole covers, so take care when you get back on the road. Your tyres will heat up a great deal during the course of the day and are like to bubble and turn blue. Don't worry, this is normal, and also pretty darned cool.

 

Tyre pressure: This will ideally need to be lower than that for standard road use. Drop each tyre by a couple of PSI using hand-held pressure gauge (you're best using a cheap one from Halfords rather than at a petrol station as the latter can be unreliable). You can do this when you get to track, and you can also ask the organisers for advice on what tyre pressures to use.

 

Oil: Top up your oil level the night before. The engine will be worked harder than it ever has been and will burn oil rapidly. Check it the next day before you get back onto the road too.

 

Leathers: You will need a one piece suit or a zip-together two piece suit as a minimum. Make sure your suit has adequate armour and preferably wear a back protector. Some suits have back protectors built in - you'll know if it does because it'll stick into your bum and neck when you sit down, and your back will be permanently sweaty. These are negatives which you should put up with to protect such a valuable body part.

 

Gloves: Cheap summer gloves are not enough. Make sure they have Kevlar protection and strong seams. We'll have recommendations soon, but in the meantime use MCN, Ride or other bike press for advice on good gloves.

 

Sliders: Wear sliders - you will need them if you follow instruction. Do not take "sparkies" (titanium spiked sliders) - top tracks won't allow them and it's not worth the hassle of taking them. I've been running round the pitlane at Brands trying to swap sparkies for plain ones before, and people are strangely reluctant to lend out their fresh ones even if you're fully intending to make them look like track heroes by bedding them in!

 

Earplugs: If you don't want tinnitus and hearing loss over time then you should always wear these when you are on your bike. Being on a track is no exception.

 

Modifying your bike

I'm not saying you're going to crash... but it's better to get some protection just in case.

Get some crash bungs on if you can. If they're good they will protect your expensive engine from minor damage. If they're bad they'll come off and probably embed themselves into your thigh for good measure. Do not buy bungs with nylon screws or thin bodies - these are about as protective as a chocolate fireguard. Go for good solid bungs with thick bolts for fastening directly to the frame. On some bikes this involves cutting a hole in the fairing so you will have to weigh up the risk yourself.

You can get yourself a track body kit, though this is usually an option if you intend to frequent the tracks on a regular basis. However a few bits of plastic picked up on Ebay may save you in the long run, and it's another cost saver if you are unlucky enough to bin it.

 

Get a track bike

Admittedly this is a bit drastic, and certainly not recommended for your first venture, but you may be able to beg one from a friend, hire one, or make some modifications to your own road bike to minimise the cost if you should take a dive.

 

Are loud cans OK?

Many circuits, such as Donington, have become more stringent where decibels are concerned. And who can blame those poor locals suffering from tinnitus, bless 'em? I know may people who have been kicked off a circuit or not allowed on because of their race cans over the last couple of years. the tracks have a decibel monitor at a fixed point, so if you can identify that and crank it back a bit whilst going past then you may get away with it.... but is it really worth risking the cost and time you've put to one side? If your exhaust can be heard 3 villages away then you're not going to be allowed on, and maybe it's time you became a more thoughtful member of the community anyway. The safest thing to do is go on with a road can, however rubbish it may sound. Check with the organiser first to see what the rules are for that day.

 

Which Group should you join?

It may seem obvious, but on your first track day always go for the "Beginners" session, which may also be called the "Slow Group". Some discerning organisers will not let you progress to another group unless you have completed at least one track or race day. The main thing is not to go into a group beyond your level, otherwise other members of the Group will get mighty peeved at you getting in their way in the corners. This should not happen in the Beginners Group, or if it does, then the "injured" party should move up a group.

 

Overtaking

You should NEVER worry about what another rider is going to do unless they are just in front of you or you spot them passing you. If a rider passes you then it is their responsibility to do it safely and without putting you at risk, however, you are best to be cautious if you see someone coming up beside you - they may be just as inexperienced as you or they may be nutters playing around with the newbies. The latter should be reported to the organisers as they are bastards who need a good slapping - they do exist but fortunately they are rare beasts.

If you are in the position of overtaking a slower rider (and it will happen!), then try to do it on a straight and make sure you leave them plenty of space. Undertaking on a corner in the racing line is called "cutting up" and is not very nice. Don't do it.

 

The Briefing

All Race Schools and Track Days have a briefing before you are allowed to go out onto the track. In the Briefing you will learn what all the flags mean, how you have "sighting laps" to warm your tyres up and get a feel for the track, and what to do in an emergency. Listen very carefully and try to get near to the front so you don't miss anything.

 

Am I going to pull?

Probably not, but then blokes get all shirty when girls trounce them round the track - it dents their pride. In fact I managed to lose a boyfriend at a track once by crashing and taking him and his Fireblade out... but don't read anything into that - I can push too hard - I really should follow my own advice...

If you have a partner and you're worried that blokes are going to letch all over you, then don't. They'll be interested in you as a bit of a novelty, although girls on track days are rising in number. Generally the blokes will be more worried about beating their mates and not looking like complete pansies than chatting you up. Unless you're a Page 3 model. In which case you'll know how to deal with it without my advice!

 

On the day

Drink lots of water - you will be working very hard and will suffer from fatigue far more quickly if you don't glug loads. Isotonic drinks are worth a go, but as a minimum take a few bottles of mineral water.

Don't overeat at lunchtime - eat a banana and perhaps a small sandwich. The first session of the afternoon is when your body is at its most tired and you are probably at your most confident - a bad combination. If you have a large meal your body will be working at digesting it rather than giving you the energy you need to stay alert on track.

Breathe. Trust me, it's easy to forgot to do this but it's most important to make sure you stay relaxed on the bike.

Do the 'Funky Chicken'! This involves the flapping of your arms chicken-stylee mid-corner. Now I'm not talking full on 'I feel like chicken tonight' antics, but on the odd occasion when you've made your turn in, and you're actually going round the corner then just focus on a doing a few flaps of your arms. What will this do you may ask? Well, it'll help to focus your mind on relaxing, will also physically relax your upper body making track riding much more comfortable and enjoyable and finally will make your cornering far more successful.

 

Do I need tyre wamers?

No. Definitely not. Tyre warmers are for racers and fanatical track dayers. You will need to make sure you warm your tyres up for 3 laps before you get on the pace. You may feel that this detracts from your time on track, but track day sessions are 15 or 20 mins long - this may sound short but it is in fact VERY tiring. You'll be glad you took it easy for 3 laps when you're looking out for the finish flag after 10 mins!

 

Don't forget

If in doubt, just flutter your eyelashes and someone will come running... works every time

 

Check out biketrackdays and uktrackdays for dates and venues.

 

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