Track Day Info

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strester

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I am thinking of doing a track day here in Texas. I wanted to know what I may need to take with me or advise on eqip. I have looked on line to see the reqired equip. Just wanted to hear from others what they did not take and wish they had.

Thanks for any info..
 
Hi,

I have just done 2 track sessions on my FZ1-n.

One last Monday night at Brands hatch Indy Circuit evening session (pissed down but good fun) and one at Snetterton 300 Sunday (today..great weather, great track, great bike, Not exactly knee down but great fun)...



Both times I rode there, did the track day and rode back.

All I took was a rucksack with:-

Visor cleaner + Cloth
Adjustable Spanner (for taking off my wing mirrors) (two spare cloths to wrap mirrors in and put in bag)
Flat head screw driver (for taking off number plate)
Tyre pressure gauge and mini pump (to deflate tyre for track day 30lb rear 32lb front and to reflate back to normal for trip home)
Insulation tape that i put on lights (although i did this Last Monday but did not bother today)

Don't worry about taking loads of stuff...just get out there and have fun.

Great experience.
 
Last edited:
strester said:
I am thinking of doing a track day here in Texas. I wanted to know what I may need to take with me or advise on eqip. I have looked on line to see the reqired equip. Just wanted to hear from others what they did not take and wish they had.

Thanks for any info..
Click to expand...


Where are you racing?
I'm going to try to do a track day at Texas Motor Sports Ranch in Cresson.
Several guys race in Austin & Houston.
 
Track Day Guide

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I wrote this awhile back for HSN, I thought it might do some good here:

This is a guide to getting your bike set up for a track day. It is by no means the be all end all, just my observations / check list over the years.

Track Day Prep
1st rule: Always try to have your bike prepped and ready to go at least 2 days in advance of the event. That way if you need something, you'll have time to get it.
Tires: Check overall condition; they shouldn't be "squared off", no dry rot, plugs, patches, or cuts. wear should be above the trad wear indicator.

Check the pressure. Most bikes work well on the track with 30-32 psi. front, and 28-30 psi. rear, cold. What you are looking for is a 4-6 psi. "grow" in pressure after you come off the track. If you get more than 6 psi., raise the pressure a pound or two. If you're getting less than that lower it.

Get a good quality tire gauge, not a .99 cent one from Walmart. A good $5.00 pencil gauge that has a 1-2% accuracy is fine. I don't like digital gauges. Some of the dial gauges are good. What you want is consistency, i.e. you want it to read the same pressure every time.
If you have a gauge and want it checked, I have a calibrated pressure checker to test it with.
It may seem like a little overkill, but tires are one of the most important aspects of your bike, especially at the track.


Brakes; Check pad wear, I like a maximum of 50% of pad wear.
After that the stopping power is significantly diminished.
Check your brake fluid. If it's dark or you've done a couple of track days, flush and bleed it. I like going back with Motul RBF DOT 4, it's got an extremely high boiling point and works very well.

The 2 main reasons for brake fade are; old fluid / worn pads.


Chain & sprockets; check your chain for proper tension and for tight spots, look at the sprockets for wear on the teeth. As far as tension, I recommend 1-1/4" to 1-1/2" total up and down movement. If you have any doubt, sit on the bike and have a buddy check it. It should still have a little slack in it when it's fully loaded.
While you're down there give it a good cleaning / lube.


Forks / shock; make sure there are no leaks, and set up sag / rebound / compression if you have those adjustments. If you're unfamiliar with making those adjustments, have a professional do them for you.
We charge $30.00, and it's the best bang you'll get for the buck.


Engine oil and filter; if you've got over 1500 or so miles, change them.
Your motor will be spending a lot of time at high rpm; oil is cheap, motors aren't.
While you're there, safety wire the plug and the filter. Although it's not required by most track day organizations, it's highly recommended.


Check your engine coolant level and top it off if necessary. Be careful not to overfill it though, antifreeze puking out of your reservoir bottle onto the track surface is guaranteed to make you lots of friends back in the paddock.


Fuel; fill your tank, bring two 5 gallon cans too. You may not use it all but it's better than running out.


Lights / turn signals etc.; remove or tape up your turn signals, tape up your taillight and headlight, remove the fuses or unplug the wiring. Most bikes have a plug in the tail section for the taillights. I use blue painters masking tape to tape my lights with. You can get it at most auto parts stores or Sears Hardware / Home Depot.

Remove your mirrors. You can fasten the upper back down with bolts and washers, zip ties, or mirror block off plates.

It's not required, but I recommend removing your lic. plate. It's one less sharp thing to bump into if you go down, and if it comes off, you'll be spared the experience of searching for it in the grass.

Chassis, fairing bolts; Grab a handful of allen wrenches and sockets and check your bike to make sure everything is tight; there's nothing quite like going into turn one with your shifter dangling because the bolt backed out.


Get to the track early, bring food, refreshments, Advil or something similar, chairs, a fan, change of clothes, tools (if you have them), leathers, boots, back protector, gloves and helmet, extra shield and ear plugs. If you don't have leathers or boots you can rent them here:

Welcome to Trackleather.com.

If you have any questions, or need some help, don't be afraid to ask, there are a lot of people who are more than willing to lend a hand.

Enjoy the day, don't try to push too hard and it will actually come easier. Remember, no one ever won a track day.

When you get home, untape your bike. The next day,(or as soon as you get a chance) wash it and check all your bolts and fasteners again, stuff tends to rattle loose after extended high rpm operation.

Like I said in the beginning, this isn't the be all end all, just my system that has worked for me. I hope it helps.

Patrick
Click to expand...

You may have to be a member. Here it is......
 
Hi,I rode only on eurotracks but I think that Usa norms are not so different from Euro:
integral Helmet,bike's boots and gloves(better racing but not necessary)leather suit(some tracks doesn't accept people with 2 pieces suit so look at the rules of the place where you go),back protector. This is what is required by track organization and absolutly necessary to can ride in.

Than,under the suite wear cotton or technical perspirant tissue because a texas summer day will makes you so wet under the suit..for the same reason don't leave a good quantity of liquid(water and reintegrator drink)to recover the right body liquid level and eat small quantity of good quality carbohydrates on 2/3 hours's intervals.

The bike moust be fit a good tires set,better new that after the track will be work well on road but if is your first time an 80%set is enough..no tires coming from long hiways sessions because can be squared on the center. Generally the pressure must be lower than road one..on a hot summer day,1.8rear and 2.1front works well on the great parts of tire's mark but on track you always find a tire's technical that can advise you for the better choice. A personal pressure monitor can be useful. One or two warm map laps to find the right exercise temp of tires,brakes and fluids are necessary and useful to the rider to feel the bike..don't do slalom to find tires temp:eek:ther riders can coming fast and it can be very dangerous.
Look at the brakes before going: good pads conditions and clean discs. Rubber's stock tubes are not ideal on track but for the first time probably will be not a problem.

Remember stuff to clean the helmet screen from insects after every runs.
A camping chair,a beach umbrella and a carpet will makes more comfortable stay under the sun to recover waiting for a new run. There is always a bar on track's hospitality space but a thermic box for food and drink is a smart and cheaper choice;-)

You can't imagine how much I envy you!Enjoy on track! Is a wonderfull experience!
 
The tips guide Hail posted is very good. You should be able to contact the host of the event for any specific needs they may have. The trackday club I have been using allows a more street orientated setup for beginner and intermediate such as not requiring safety wire and you can run regular anti freeze. In advanced you are required a race bike set up safety wiring and no glycol based coolant's.

Make sure you are hydrated before getting to the track. Start drinking a lot of water now. Shade, shade, shade bring some kind of shade with you. Now very important long sleeve under armor or a under suite. I made the mistake of wearing a short sleeve cotton shirt. I needed help getting the top of my leathers off. You can't believe how hard it is to get them off when your covered in sweat yuk.

Ride smart not every one there will. Take you time getting comfortable and get some coaching if possible.

Please post some cool pictures:)



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
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