First Track Day

[JohnE1000]

I am going to attend my first track day this Saturday. It will be in Carolina Motor Sport (CMS) in Kershaw, SC, and it is organized by NESBA. I will be riding my Kat there; about 65 miles each way.

Do you guys have tips or pointers for me on what to take with me, what to eat the night before, how to prepare the bike, ...etc?

[Anonymous]

eat a good meal the nite before get up first thing take a good pre trackday dump trust me on this beats the hell out of trying to get out of your leathers at the track. leave the house earliy enough to find a sit down breakfast place close to the track eat a small to medium size breakfast dont wanna be crunch in a ball with a super full gut : as far as bike prep im sure you gonan have to tape off the head light and tail lights turn signals and cover the speedo with tape also so you cant see how fast your going sometimes the increased speed on teh track freaks first timers out. other then that take it easy its your first time your not gonna drag knee it take 2 to 3 trackdays to do that listen to the instructors watch some of the more advanced guys ask questions not such thing as a stupid question speacailly if you dont know ..... and most of all have fun

[BearKat]

Sin has it all right... you might want to check with the NESBA and make sure your able to do what they require in their tech inspection (some organizations vary) A few extra things from me for prep:

1. Stretch - Nothing like getting out there and getting use to the track and the bike and having a leg cramp.

2. Drink Water - This track riding thing is a work out let me tell you.

3. Relax - Get use to the track and not having to worry about things you normally do on the street. Stay loose out there. There will most likely be a lot of information to process out there, Race Lines, Visuals, Gear selection, breaking, passing, throttle control, body position, etc. Just stay focused and relax. The slower more in-tuned rider at the start of the day will more than likely become the faster rider by the end.

4. Ask questions - It looks to me like they will have control riders out there with you in your group. They will follow you and watch, but unless you are a danger to yourself or others they are not likely going to come over and give you pointers. But if you talk to them before the session they will most likely meet back up with you and be able to talk about things.

5. Pictures or Video - If they have a photog out there get the pics or at least look at them. No better instructor than a picture or a video.

This has been Bearkat's Trackday tips...Hope you have fun dude!

[The CyberPoet]

Do any maintenance & upgrades you need to do well before you head for the track -- the last thing you want to do is find out a few miles before the gate that something is defective or that new mod is uncomfortable or not working for you.

Hydrate well during the breaks. If you don't ride regularly (i.e - if the 85 miles won't simply be a stroll in the park), pop a couple asprin before you set off and eat a banana. It'll help keep you from cramping.

Pick the brains of the instructors. Don't be shy. They are your employees that day and you paid for the right to excellent instruction -- use it.

Make sure all your gear is up to whatever specs they require. Don't show up hoping you can get through with a set of high-tops if they require boots.

Seriously consider getting an one-day travel & emergency medical policy from someone like InsureMyTrip.com -- under $15 worth of coverage can provide you a million dollars of medical & emergency evacuation coverage (helicopters taint cheap), which you probably will never need, but provides a great deal of peace of mind. Especially if some other squid ends up running you over.

Follow all their safety precautions to the letter. The rules are there for your protection.

Check your tire pressure the morning of the event before you ride out. If you are riding to the event the same morning you are planning on taking part (as verses to crashing in hotel closeby that night), run your tire pressure a bit high for the trip in, then drop the pressure once you arrive.

Cheers,
=-= The CyberPoet

[Flip]

Go fast.

[meanstrk]

I just did a track day at Kershaw a couple weeks ago. For the first couple sessions just learn the track. Turn one is a decent left turn, 2, 3, and 4 are and excellent couple turns to string together. Learn the proper line and you can rip through there. 5, 6, and 7 and basically one turn and if you take it wide instead of triple appexing, you can rip through it. Easy as hell to get knee down through there also. Punch it off 7 towards 8. You can take 8 faster than you think and 9 and 10 are wide open high speed spots. 11 is a tight, almost hairpin left. 12 be very carefull of since if you get into it at the wrong angle you will hit ripples in the track which will really upset the front end. Take some time to figure that one out. 13 has a bad patch on the exit and 14 can be a bit bumpy as well. Pin the throttle down the front stretch back to #1 and have a great time!

This track sucks for spectators, so don't expect anyone but the track photographer to get any pics worth a damn.

Hydrate before you go and in between sessions.

Ask the pace riders to show you decent lines, but listen to them and do what they show you. If you gaff them off they will just leave you.

Have fun!

[JohnE1000]

Thanks guys for the valuable Info.
I will let you know how it will go on Sat.

[tzortn]

You may want to check this out as well: http://www.squidbusters.com/sb/article.php?a=29