how to be a track guy? | GTAMotorcycle.com

how to be a track guy?

rescue

Well-known member
This year decided to do some trackdays but never did....this winter i want to get setup and be ready 100% for next year.
I dont want to race but rather take my bike/ a track bike pay my entrance fee and just ride all day.
I can only go on the week days and live in oakville
to get started what do i need

- can i take my street bike on the track
-can i buy a salvage from the states and beat that at the track with out mods
-have full leather with tears...is that acceptable
-are there any schools that allow you to use your own bike

thanks for any replies
 
Just read the sticky threads in this forum. A lot of good information.
 
Yes. Minor mods. Fuses tape coolant
Yes. As long as it passes tech inspection
Umm no

Read the sticky as suggested.
 
Responses below:

This year decided to do some trackdays but never did....this winter i want to get setup and be ready 100% for next year.
I dont want to race but rather take my bike/ a track bike pay my entrance fee and just ride all day.
I can only go on the week days and live in oakville
to get started what do i need

- can i take my street bike on the track
Sure why not, for track days you just have to replace coolant with water and remove and/or tape over all your glass/plastic bits. Most trackday organizers will list what they require on their website (check out pro6, GPbikes and DOCC. Also SOAR runs a track day on thursdays before their race weekend. DOCC has a pretty relaxed paced noob group and GP bikes track days don't even require coolant change over...it very much seems like it's geared towards street riders who just want to try the track). if you like track days and really want to keep doing them, i would look at getting a track only bike...why mangle a perfectly good street bike.

-can i buy a salvage from the states and beat that at the track with out mods
Yep. Make sure it's mechanically sound and not a hazard to yourself or others out there (everything securley fastened and working properly, not pissing fluids). Most supersports are fast out of the box, don't bother monkeying with mods till you find out what it is you actually want to change after riding it.

-have full leather with tears...is that acceptable
scuffs are ok, tears and holes probably are not. trackside cuts (drew & sunny) and/or john bickle can take care of you in terms of making sure ur suit is good to go in that regard. both are awesome people.

-are there any schools that allow you to use your own bike
FAST does give you the option of using your own bike, racer5 provides bikes. Full disclosure, i've done both and while I have nothing but positive comments for FAST, Fawaz's racer5 operation is pretty polished as well. Did a bunch of stuff with them this year and it's a great "one-stop shop" for anything that might be required for track/race stuff. Might be worth starting there and seeing how you like it? I'm not sure what your previous riding experience is.


thanks for any replies


There's a metric ****-ton of track days available on weekdays too, so you're lucky you can only go on weekdays lol.
Happy to answer any questions, but i'm sure others with more experience will chime in shortly.

The stickies at the top of this forum also have a ton of good info.
 
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thanks man ....
i want to first takeout my bike to see the limits and get comfortable on it...then get a used ss and do the dirty.
i inherited a track suit but it has some holes and tears...wondering is i can patch with leather, eventually just getting one once im setup to go regularly.
 
thanks man ....
i want to first takeout my bike to see the limits and get comfortable on it...then get a used ss and do the dirty.
i inherited a track suit but it has some holes and tears...wondering is i can patch with leather, eventually just getting one once im setup to go regularly.

Have heard that Trackside Cuts does good work.

A bunch of Kitchener-Waterloo guys go to a Mennonite harness maker to get stuff repaired. Applying several patches, stitching, glueing etc, cost me $27.
 
thanks man ....
i want to first takeout my bike to see the limits and get comfortable on it...then get a used ss and do the dirty.
i inherited a track suit but it has some holes and tears...wondering is i can patch with leather, eventually just getting one once im setup to go regularly.
Just to add mine $0.02...
Try Racer5 school - there's still September and October classes. They give you tiny-funny CBR125 (first day you gonna hate it) - and you gonna get yourself comfortable on the track, so... once you gonna take out your bike - you gonna know what to do8)
 
thanks man ....
i want to first takeout my bike to see the limits and get comfortable on it...then get a used ss and do the dirty.
i inherited a track suit but it has some holes and tears...wondering is i can patch with leather, eventually just getting one once im setup to go regularly.
Honestly, just take your street bike to try it. All you need is some balls and than you don't need no fancy track school to just get your feet wet. There is plenty of friendly people at the track to help you out if you need help.

Some of the coolest, friendliest people I've met at track days.
 
Honestly, just take your street bike to try it. All you need is some balls and than you don't need no fancy track school to just get your feet wet. There is plenty of friendly people at the track to help you out if you need help.

Some of the coolest, friendliest people I've met at track days.

A lot of people do this but I've always advised against it. I figure the cost of renting (or doing a course) is about $500 to $600. How long would it take to do $600 worth of damage to a fully faired street bike?

Your first day at the track you probably run the highest risk of crashing. So unless you can afford to bin your bike then I'd advise a school on rented bike or renting a bike for the trackday.

Just my opinion.
 
Guys With Bikes (GYB) runs an "intro to track" day at TMP/Cayuga. I wouldn't really call it a school, the classroom part is like 30 mins, then it's ride YOUR bike all day while instructors follow you around and teach you the lines, etc.

http://www.torontomotorsportspark.com/raceway/track_school_intro.html

I took it, was super impressed, taught me lots, probably would have died a few times on the track without it!!

Here is TMP:

Toronto_Motorsports_Park_TMP_Cayuga_Track_Circuit%  20Layout_Map%20Diagram_high_res.png.png


And onboard video from my bike yesturday (thursday sept 20th) for four sessions (two green LOL! two yellow):

[video=youtube;oHPGnl7vpB0]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oHPGnl7vpB0[/video]

-Jamie M.
 
racer5 is a great option at a reasonable price. And if you total the bike, the deductible is low. Fawaz runs a great track day. Don't bring any ride to the track your not ready to part with, or you'll be worrying about crashing, not focusing on riding. The aforementioned stickies are a great start.

just be warned, its a drug, once you start, street riding will never be the same again. Ride your own speed, a track day is not a race, and watch those cold tires, the first lap is always tricky (without warmers)
 
I kinda agree with roasted. First day out would be cruise on the track and slowly build confidence. With a family I don't have the time for classes. I have an older bike and not concerned about damage.
i learn better by trial and error.
Man even take a salvage bike from the states for $2000 and your still ahead of the game.
 
I kinda agree with roasted. First day out would be cruise on the track and slowly build confidence. With a family I don't have the time for classes. I have an older bike and not concerned about damage.
i learn better by trial and error.
Man even take a salvage bike from the states for $2000 and your still ahead of the game.

You will have more fun once you learn how to ride the track properly. If you're planning to just "cruise on the track", you can still cause yourself to crash, or even worse cause someone to crash into you because of unpredictable/wrong lines. Learning by trial and error will cost you more in the long run either by damaging your bike, losing limbs, or losing your life. You can definitely tell someone who's taken a course vs hasnt taken a course apart easily on the track, especially when they almost cause you and 3 other people to almost crash.

My suggestion is to take a course. You do have time for a course, it is basically a trackday with instruction in between your sessions.
 
You will have more fun once you learn how to ride the track properly.

My suggestion is to take a course. You do have time for a course, it is basically a trackday with instruction in between your sessions.
^^ that.

-Jamie M.
 
meh, whatever..................
 
It was 10 yrs from my completion of Stage 3 FAST school to my first trackday, whichhappened to be at TMP on a borrowed bike.
As soon as I found out no passing in green I signed up for yellow instead.
Was lapping consistent 1:26 by day's end, passing everything in yellow.....and I am very certain that most of what I learned at FAST had become part of my standard riding practise. And knowing track etiquette and how to negotiate traffic was also very important.

Take a school. You will get alot more out of your track time instead of just riding around aimlessly, possibly unsafely, being a nuissance to other riders, and making yourself a rolling roadblock in the process.
 
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