First Day at the track!!

[herooo]

I'm going to a riding / track school this weekend. Really excited, and equally nervous!...but I can't wait.


Any suggestions?  What was your first time (on the track...) like.  What should I watch for, tips, etc..

Also, almost all of the other bikes are going to be 600's, and apparently on Sunday afternoon we get to race.  Pointers?

Attached is the picture of the track, but I don't know the distance.  It is the Shubinacidie track in Nova Scotia


Suspension / Tire Pressure.....

What sort of settings would you recommend for the suspension.  Everything is pretty much set at a neutral position right now (1/2 way)

....What tire pressure should I be running.  It is supposed to be a warm week-end, but not hot.  I wieght 205, and have a set of Michelien Pilot Powers with about 1000 miles on them.

Did I mention I am scared like a little girl ( or boy, PC) and I can't wait?!!!!

 

 

 

[PACIFICBUSA]

Take your time, ride at your own pace.

Tire pressure...run it a little lower so yo ucan have a little more contact patch, but not too low to where the tire is gonna start to flex bad...

Suspension, follow the Jinkster set-up

Have fun, ride within your limits and eventually, you'll improve. You'll learn most of what you need to from the instructors there. Pay very close attention to them.



And lastly, REPRESENT!

 

[shenoyp]

Have fun and be safe mate...

 

[stkr00]

Sorry...I don't have much time to reply right now, but here's some quick tips...

[/list]
[*]Ride your own ride. Don't get caught up in trying to follow everyone else and keep up. If you are having problems, then slow down and regroup your thoughts. If you can't do things while going slower, you will never do them while going faster. Leave your ego at the door.
[*]Tire pressures: Try running about 31psi front/30psi rear. This will make your steering feel heavy while at parking lot speeds, but on the track, you will not notice. The lower pressure allows the tires to heat up more and gives you a larger contact patch on the track.
[*]Bring extra fuel. On the street I averaged about 34 mpg, but on the track I was averaging only 18 mpg. An extra 5 gallons should be plenty.
[*]Stay hydrated. Start drinking as much water as possible at least a day, or two in advance. A sports drink in the morning, then alternate with water betten track sessions. You will sweat WAY more than you think.
[*]Best tip for suspension...Send JINKSTER a PM or e-mail and ask about the settings for YOUR weight. He gave me some settings for my Busa, and it made a world of difference on the track.
[*]Try to relax and have fun.

[/list]

Good Luck with the school

 

[stkr00]

Oh...about being scared, and the other bikes being "600's"...

Fear is a good thing. It keeps you alert to the dangers of the track. Don't forget that even though it is a school...This is a VERY dangerous sport you're entering into, but if you apply what they teach you, and try to unlearn any bad habits, then you should be fine.

Those 600's will NOT be as easy to beat as you think. The will handle much better than the Busa in the corners. Not to say the Busa won't handle...it will

Just be carefull if you're following a 600 into a turn...they will carry a lot more speed through the turn which might be too much for your traction limits.

Honestly...your fears will subside after the first session or two on the track. If you like twisties, and high speed, you will be grinning like the first day you rode the Busa.

In the mock race...usually, the only requirement is to finish WITHOUT crashing or going off the track, so there is no need to risk losing it just for one or two positions.

Have fun

 

[WWJD]

see above.

and/or drop 8-10 PSI from your NORMAL psi. IF YOU DON'T LOWER YOUR PSI YOU MAY NOT HEAT UP YOUR TIRES ENOUGH TO STICK TO THE TRACK!!!! That's just how it's done
If you get the chance, tke it easy on the first two laps to heat up your tires, get used to the new PSI, and stick to the track better.
two words: Morning Dew
if your suspension is at factory, and you have no time, just crank everything tigher 3-4 clicks.
You WILL NOT beat 600s on the track. Sure you can hammer on the straits but then your backlog everyone in corners leading to an unfun day for everyone. Show your "Respectable Busa" mantality and humbleness and let the better riders pass.
It IS a very heavy bike so watch your braking distance into corners. If you can, get your breaks bled before you go.

I would not recommend 'racing' since 'competition' will push you past your known limits and that would be very bad on a FIRST track day.

"That's all I have ta say bout that."

except we demand pics!!!!

PS I was SO NERVOUS when we rolled into the lane to enter the track... leg shaking nervous [I don't know why cuz I was so excited to!] then out onto the track was HEAVEN! I will never be able to experience that feeling again like that. Enjoy it!



<!--EDIT|WWJD
Reason for Edit: None given...|1124284545 -->

 

[MidnightBusainSD]

well they pretty much covered it all just whoreing is all i'm doing lol i was at my first Track day with WWJD was aweome you will have a blast

 

[pure_ego]

yeah... what they said... normally I run 30psi front/rear at the track..

learn the track before you start trying to rip it... don't follow anybody else.. especially the lighter bikes.. you'll just get in trouble when they hit the brakes at the 2nd marker... and you needed to hit the binders at about 5...

have fun! It's a blast, and you'll be hooked.

 

[IG.]

I've been doing track days on Katana 600, and then on Hayabusa. To add what wasn't said.

Get a good night sleep. Not having enough sleep the night prior will make you tired pretty fast.

Stay relaxed. If you get tense, something is wrong. Slow down. Be the slowest, but stay relaxed - only then can you listen to the bike, and not get tired.

If someone "shows you the tire" (tries to pass you), let them pass you. To make sure - wave them through.

Smoooothness! Start braking smoothly, release the brake smoothly. Add throttle smoothly, and let go of the throttle smoothly.

If the rear starts sliding - DON'T SHUT THE THROTTLE!!! - just hold it, or start closing it very very slowly. On the next lap, be a little bit less aggressive with the throttle in the same place.

I personally prefer having 30 - 32 front, and 32 - 34 rear just to have more traction on the front. Rear slide can be dealt with, and it helps to turn the bike more. However, the front sliding a little widens the line, and is harder to control.

Listen to your 6th sense. If something doesn't feel right, don't do it.

Enjoy and have fun - that's the objective!
__                                      
Igor
<span style='font-size:17pt;line-height:100%'><span style='color:darkred'>HumpMod.com</span> <span style='color:darkred'>- The easy way</span></span>

 

[herooo]

Hey, thanks for all the advice.

I am really surprised by the low tire pressures. I'll bring an air pig with me and play with those throughout the week-end.

Don't know why the track image didn't come up, will try again.

As for the 600's, I was pretty sure I would be having a hard time keeping up in the corners. I just sold a 600 ninja which compared to the busa felt like a bicycle in the city.

I just added brake pads front and back this week in preparation, and bled out the front resovior a bit.  Steel brake lines in front.  The difference from a few days ago is amazing, and there is a lot more feel and control.

Working on the smoothness thing, but usually find that I have braked to much in anticipation of a corner, and have to get back on the throttle before the 1/2 waymark through the turn.   I find that there is a  "lash"  effect that accompanies this, especially when in 2nd.  A bit disconcerting.

I have been working really hard this last week to be smooth on the street.  I have been "pretending" I have a passanger on who wouldn't need to hang on to anything to stay comfortable.  A pet egg effect if you like...lol

 

[stkr00]

Oh...That carousel looks SWEEEET!

(long left hander to your left

)

Lot's of good advice here.

WWJD is the one that got me hooked on the track. Whenever I start missing my Busa, I blame him for everything.

So far I don't regret my decisions though.

I just got through with a Track Day this weekend, but I'm waiting to post once I get some more pictures to add in.

One preview hint to the post: I'm glad I didn't paint the bike yet

.......you'll have to wait for the rest of the story......

 

[WWJD]

yeah that tire pressure thing is dangerously understated in my humble opinion. if you ask yourself how do the fastest track riders rail around corners at 90-100, knee/elbo/hand draggin, bike leaned over scraping parts and ALL THAT SIDEWAYS FORCE not sliding out? Lower Tire Pressure. Low pressure does 2 things 1) forces the tire to heat up more because of how it's bending the trend up so much - there's a name for that tha eludes me at this moment, heat makes the tire rubber more gooey/sticky and this is by design. 2) produces a LARGER surface contact patch effectively doubling how much tire you have touching the ground - keeping you from sliding = railing around corners at high speed

Looks like a fun track! [aren't they all?] where is that at?

lots of great info here - might seem like a lot but read it a few times and it will stick. I still say track riding is 10 times the fun of street riding

 

[WWJD]

One preview hint to the post: I'm glad I didn't paint the bike yet

.... uh oh!!!! .....

 

[herooo]

The Track is in Shubenacidie, Nova Scotia, Canada.

And yes, there is a lot of good advice.  



I love this board.    I would have never thought to bring gas.....lol

Going to put the bike on a trailer, tools, food, water, gas, etc...

Thanks!!

 

[herooo]

Hey, what do you guys usually run for street PSI?

 

[Tejas Busa]

nice looking track..... good luck....

 

[Big O]

I tell myself, "smooth, not fast" and the fast part will come to you.

Don't look back to see if someone is behind you, (since you won't have mirrors). You'll hear someone stuck behind you and you can let them pass when you get to a straightaway.

Check your oil!

 

[WWJD]

Hey, what do you guys usually run for street PSI?

street PSI:
42 [stock] for long distance touring and top end runs
36 regular tooling around town and hammering the back roads

I can't recommend "track" PSI on streets because of the wide variety of surfaces, bumps, ruts, grooves etc - ya need SOME support there. Tracks are MOSTLY smoother overall

drag strip and stunters: 10 PSI

 

[justintime2]

I posted to this yesterday and don't see it now so not sure whats going on there. Anyways, lots of good advice but I would add one thing, confidence. It's good to listen to your inner self and what's going on but don't be to afraid to take some chances and be confident doing it. Lack of confidence will hasten your crash in a corner faster than anything else, IMO. If you are not confident about what you are doing you are more likely to 'pull the wrong lever' so to speak and do it at the wrong time.

If you go into the track day fully prepared to wreck your bike, which you should for a number of reasons, then that mental hurdle will not be cashing in on your attention span. Track day PSI for us was 30 F&R. A 5 gal. can of gas will be plenty for you. You will have fun!

 

[herooo]

I'm fully prepared to crash it...the wife on the other hand isn't so enthusiastic about the prospect of "having" to get a new one....


Great advice guys, thanks.

two more days....I can't wait.