I was wondering if you guys could give me your opinions. I'm thinking of doing a track day next year and it will be my first one, I hear that you can hire track bikes which sounds great as I hate the thought of chucking my baby down the track due too inexperience. What would/did you guys do? Pro's and cons of both would be great.
if you were thinking of doing more than 1 it would be a good idea to buy an old cbr600f for about 1k and go and thrash that around untill you feel confident enough to do 1 on the blade then just sell it on as it wont have lost much value
My first was with Focused Events and hired a bike. It was more cost effective taking into account the ride from Cornwall to Donington, fuel tyre wear thrash the bike more fuel ride home more fuel, fek'd tyres etc etc. Plus the obvious of not binning the p&j, I thought it was worth it. A friend of mine has a CBR6 that he's done many a track day on and has binned it once or twice, the second time putting the bike off the road/track for a while whilst trying to get it sorted. So, swings and roundabouts. I think you do have to be pushing the limits quite hard to loose it on track, unless it's wet of course or your a nob (that's jinxed it) So work out the costs and see which way works out best for you. The bonus of using your own bike is having cool looking melted tyres to show off.
I was asking the same thing 18 months ago when thinking of my first track day. I went own bike and novice group and glad I did. Best thing I done. You know your bike and how it works for you. A hire bike u will not be used to
Track day, has to be your own bike i think... Take it easy and dont drop it.. I would be up for joing you for this... When are you thinking? and what track?
What track did you go to..how much time do you get to ride on track with the novice session.. Martin some more info here i was watching: http://1000rr.co.uk/trackdays/4936.htm#post87937
I went to Pembrey for my first track day. cracking track and had 3-4 20 min morning sessions and 3 afternoon sessions and was more than enough. I went with focused events. Second and 3rd was at Anglesey and even more amazing circuit. OK 6 hours to get there in traffic on a Fri night and 4 hours home but worth it. again about the same amount of time on track with No Limits. I loved both but found No limits to be the best TD organizers out of the 2 I did. Also remember I only had my blade for 4 months before I did Pembrey
Also I did alot of checking other peoples vids online for Pembrey but did not bother for Anglesey and found not knowing or seeing others vids seemed to be a better idea of the track. only read a few write up's and circuit guides
I would second this and say that No limits seem to offer the best value for money from a trackday. I would try it on your own bike to start with. Start in the novice category and see how you go, you can always change if you feel happy with it.
Use your own bike mate, as already said you will be used to it much more than a hire bike. Your in good hands on a track day, no dogs, horses or OAP's to worry about in the middle of the road and everyone going the same way. When I did my first track day I felt a little uneasy about possibly chucking it down the road, but you could do the same thing on a public road so no difference really. Just get out there in the novice group and take it easy till you get more experience and progress into intermediate. Have fun when you do it, the buzz from doing a track day is brilliant!
and did you not find it was so much easier to ride on track than on the road. Ok things may happen but so many things you have to think of when on the road that you don't have to worry about on track
Yes I find the track a lot easier, there is certainly a lot more things to lookout for when on the main roads.
Cheers for the helpful advise guys, most of you seem to favour taking your own bike my only fears are trashing it! From what I can work out the basic costs of hire are 200-300 quid I have not looked into hire too much I presume you have to pay premiums if you did trash it etc
Hire bikes are expensive and the deposit you lose if you damage it is eye watering. Don't worry about it. You don't worry about taking it out on the roads on a Sunday afternoon. Why should riding round a wide open track, on good tarmac, with no on coming traffic, only other bikes going the same way as you, no junctions, no horse shit, no diesel, no dead hedgehogs etc. be any more risky ? The only risk is if you get carried away and ride beyond your abilities.
Very true thanks for that I will be going with my brother and it will be his first track day too, I suppose as lonely as we don't do our normal competitive thing we should be fine
Enjoy yourself Then look forward to a life of poverty, trackdays are more addictive than coke and whores !
