When should you hit the track??
 

As I've stated many times I am a very new rider. Jeeps has told me that before long he wants to take me to do a track day. I trust him completely(he's one of the best amature riders I've ever seen) and would never put me in harms way, but I am asking for other opions to get see what the "average" rider thinks.
When is a good time for a "beginer" to try out the track? Does it help you gain street skill? How experienced were you before you hit the track?

It is my belief that you should at the very least have an inherent understanding of riding a motorcycle. Meaning, there are enough things to think about - you shouldn't have to think about how to shift.

Some of the best track experiences that I've witnessed have been those without a lot of experience on the street.

track days are awesome. more than likely you will be placed in the beginners group because you have never been to a track. they have experienced riders teaching the classes, listen, learn, go out and have fun.

you will learn more in one day at the track than you will in months on the street.

What she said plus a long day of sitting around in the hot sun followed by short burst of off the wall pants shitting fun.

I went from MSF to track directly. But I'm not normal.

go when you're comfortable. If you have doubt, don't go. But don't be cocky about it either. Like M said, you should be comfortable on the bike, not have to 'think' about the basics. And not be scared of speed. Respect it but no fear. Fear will make you hesitate on the track and there is no room for hesitation.

When you feel like you are comfortable enough to control panic. Fight, flight or freeze will get you or someone else hurt. When you can put panic reaction into a compartment and your mind and body can ride through it you will be OK. Once you realize that every fiber in your being wanted to stand the bike up and nail the brake, but instead you made yourself bend it in and make the turn, in spite of yourself, you are ready to expand your capabilities. Until that light comes on, you may be just be setting yourself up for trouble.

MSF first, good track school second, then track day it up. Beginners should get a chance to learn in a controlled environment how to operate that machine before they are forced into traffic and congested areas. Earlier the better to learn the bikes capabilities and build confidence in the riders abilities!

it's at a race track but it doesn't mean that you have to race.

the instructors will help you by giving you advice and slowing down and letting you follow them around the track.

as with anytime you ride your bike. ride your own ride. don't let anyone push you past what you feel comfortable doing.

What Azoom said! I have heard from many instructors that they prefer riders that havent had a chance to learn many bad habits on the street. As long as you are comfortable on your bike, and you know what you are supposed to be doing to keep that bike up and moving, you are good to go. And I know Jeeps wouldnt put you in harms way. If he thinks you would like it and you want to do it, GO FOR IT!!

While I had ridden for abut a year before my first track day, I never had any clue until I got out there how much more I could learn and do with my bike, and after I did a track day I was 150% more confident in my skills and bike and so much a better rider for it. It taught me skills on my bike that I could carry onto the street to make me safer, wiser and more prepared to handle surprises. And I no longer feel a need to break my neck or push myself on the street, I save my need for pushing the limits to the track.

Thanks guys!!! I knew I would get good information from all of you. I am excited about learning a new aspect of riding. I by no means think that I am ready to jump out there with the "big boys" but would love to learn from an experienced instructor. Keep the comments comming!

It will be a bit before I am able to hit the track. Being laid off sucks!!!! I will keep you posted when it happens.

FWIW, you don't ever want to *hit* the track :wink:

Check with your local trackday orgs - most offer a volunteer/ride program.

The track day organization itself has a lot to do with it, as does the rider themselves.

The org that I work for is VERY newbie friendly. We spend a lot of time "catering" to the first-timer, walking them through everything that they're going to do that day, making sure they understand all the rules etc, spending extra time with those that need it, etc.... As long as ALL basic controls (throttle, clutch, brakes, shifting and turning) are feeling "second nature" so that you don't have to conciously think "Okay... where are the front brakes again? Where's the clutch? Where's the shift lever?", and you are able to safely pilot a motorcycle under normal riding conditions, that's typically enough.

As far as MY personal experience, I started riding with that same organization 3 months after I started riding & I only had 5k miles of riding experience.... and that was PLENTY of experience for me. (I even scuffed a puck a few times that day :p)

It's a good idea to have all the basics down to where they're 2nd nature to you. As Azoom said, you want to focus on braking, shifting and corner set up and not worry about the little things. And don't worry about being the slowest on the track. Just HOLD YOUR LINES and all will be good. You want to be predictable out there, so other riders trying to pass don't have to worry about you going wide all of a sudden and washing them out. And TAKE A SCHOOL AT YOUR 1ST TRACK DAY!

We generally recommend a year, and at least 3,000 miles of riding experience before riding on the track. For your first track experience, try to find an organization with classroom and on-track novice instruction, and small groups so you get a lot of one-on-one instruction. If you're not sure whether you're ready, see if you can do a two-up ride w/a friend at a track day. You'll have to have the equipment (leathers, helmet, boots, gloves) but it will give you an idea as to whether you really want to get out there.

If you find a track day organization that'll let you jump on the back of your friend's bike and go out onto a live track, I'll eat a boiled brick. There's no way in HELL any track day organization run by someone in their right mind would let you do that.

With that said, there ARE track day organizations that'll give rides on the back of a QUALIFIED INSTRUCTOR'S bike. Cornerspeed and Tony's Track Days are two examples of that.

The one drewpy uses allows it.
I think the bike/driver have to be in advanced, and you have to run in novice when 2 up IIRC.
I know he was talking about taking PC out for one sometime.

wow... Guess I'll go boil a brick :P

On the grand scheme of things, my TD experience outside the org that I work for is pretty limited... but I'd imagine that's some pretty friggin serious liability right there. Just think of the legal ramifications if something were to happen. I can't imagine the insurance companies would look too favorably upon the TD organizer letting an unqualified rider out on the track w/ a passenger. There must be some hefty restrictions in place for them to allow that.

I dunno, duc.... My ex girlfriend was able to do that (though not comfortably) & there was no way in hell was she ready for the track.

But yeah, I get what you're sayin... don't need much other than having the basic riding motorskills down pat.

I'm sorry, but if I was at the track and knew that someone in my session had just picked up a bike/taken an msf a few days before, I would want to stay pretty far away from that person.

As soon as you are comfortable on the bike at speed and are able to properly apply brakes/clutch and are comfortable shifting. That's a good time to go.

Basic skills should be a requirement. Learning these on the track is a waste of your time and money and a danger to the rest of the riders learning. If you can't properly brake, you could smack someone good.

first timers end up in the beginners class anyway, if that's you in your avatar, I don't think they will be in your class. ;)

hell, the last time I went to the track the intermediates were running so fast that I dropped down to the beginners class so I wouldn't be in their way. I was just out for fun and get some confidence back, not to race.

Well, NESBA kept fucking up my account so that everytime I went there I would have to start out in beginner and waste a whole fucking day trying to get a CR to follow and bump me... So mixing is of course possible.

I totally agree riders should get out to the track early on, once you have a good feel of riding in general.. I may have been mistakenly thinking someone was saying as soon as you pass your msf head to the track.

that sucks they couldn't get you in the right class to begin with. hope you have it straightened out for this year.

Asap!

Depends on the state and track org. Its kinda weird though. The states that you can't ride year long nor have good riding roads have a wide variety of riders. There are people who never got to the edges of the tires AND you have people that ride the track twice a month and are fast. This can be dangerous though, even in the street group.

Being in CA and riding canyons all the time the riders even in the street groups are surprisingly good...moreso on the weekdays.

To answer your question I wouldn't ride the track unless you've had at least 1 year of riding and some good road practice. You should be honing in on your skills on a track, not learning how to ride the bike. Learning how to ride the bike is going to hamper other riders safety IMO.

It was toward the end of my 2nd season of riding when I hit the track. I had my 600 just 6 weeks and barely broke in. It was the best thing I could have done. It helped me gain confidence on my new bike and learn its capabilities in a safer environment.

Don't worry about the speed, just do the drills.

Also, once you go to the track - you WILL BE addicted!

I made this post a while back on the local forum: link. I think there's a copy on here, but I'm too lazy to search for it.

Also, see my big book of links here.

Everything was pretty much covered by the rest of the conversations, I just thought chime in. Now, back to sleep, more racing tomorrow.