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. Bikegirl
does organise a Ladies biased track day once or twice a year
in conjuction with a trackday company, and we'll tell you
about any others on the events section of the home page 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?
Not in my experience, 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. |
| |
