Track Days for Beginners

Was thinking today (didn't happen for the rest of the year, so I thought I
should get some in) after reading the "Ride day virgin" article in Tee Dub,
that what there really needs to be, is beginners ride days.

My thoughts are that it would be 2 sessions out of a real ride day (run a
couple of times a year, as it wouldn't be _exceptionally_ popular).

Before the first of the 2 sessions you have a theory session about ride-day
ettiquette (like pointing out that it's not a race, and there are no prizes
for knocking the most other riders off on your way to the finish line) and
about a few simple dos and don'ts, then they could help you set up your bike
(removing and/or taping mirrors, checking tire pressures, etc) for a couple
of minutes.

First session would be a 15 or so minute session, with no passing allowed
except on select straights, and then always on a particular side (say the
RHS, to keep in line with the road).

Between the first and second session, another theory, talking about what it
was like, a few more pointers, etc etc.

And then another 15 minutes session, similar rules to the first one.

My thoery is that it would let people experience a ride-day without being
worried about being too slow, or about having people knock them off, or
things like that.

I'm considering putting my idea to a couple of ride-day places, and possibly
also someone like Stay-Upright, but I figured the aus.moto community could
be my sounding board first.

Thoughts?

 

Whilst I think your idea is an excellent one, with significant
merit, I wouldn't trundle me and my learnerbike all the way out
to Eastern Creek for just half an hour of action, specially since
I've gotta fiddle about with removing racks, rego and number
plates, borrowing a trailer, dragging the bike out there with a
car, blah-di-blah. Cost/benefit curve just doesn't work.

That said, if you made it an actual learner's day (where
'learner' == people new to the track, not necessarily (and
probably shouldn't be) actual learner-riders in an RTA sense),
then I'd be there with bells on.

I think if you teamed up with a group like GRO, where a
substantial portion of their membership probably wouldn't
be entirely comfy with doing a regular track day, then your
even probably *would* be exceptionally popular.

[...]

All good, I like it...

Mayhaps make it a bit longer. Something I noted with the RTA's
learnerbike school (and other training/practice sessions in
all kinds of non-riding/driving contexts) is that instructors
often don't allow enough time for practice to sink in...

There's nothing worse than being called in after 15 minutes
when you were *just* starting to find your groove. A few more
laps would be a bit more beneficial.

I guess that lots of trainers (and I'm talking commercial IT
training, university instruction, you name it) are working to
timetables, and the 'practice' sessions are what tend to suffer
when they're running behind.


I haven't done eastern creek or oran park, so I dunno what a
good timeframe for practice is. Maybe your 15 minutes is fine,
but I encourage you to take a close look at it, and make well
sure you're not calling folks in just as they're getting the
hang of it. They need to get comfy with whatever you expect them
to learn, then do it a couple more times for it to sink right
in.

No passing, etc... all good.

Yup, back to review last experience, and build on it. All good
training methodology, regardless of what you're teaching.

Probably longer. After having sat through the second classroom
session, I wanna go back out, recap and improve on the original
session with whatever tips I picked up in the second classroom,
and *then* move on to the new stuff that was introduced at the
second classroom.

It's a pretty sound theory in my view.

Yah. Talk to 'Girls Ride Out' folks, there's a nice big target
audience right there.

Thoughts up there already. My main 'issue' is that it wouldn't be
worth my effort to get out there if all I'm gonna get is 30 minutes
of time on the bike. If, on the other hand, you came up with a
format that gets the 'learners' out there for a similar amount of
time that any more experienced rider might get on a regular track
day, then you've got me.

Note that the amount of time probably doesn't need to be a full
regular track-day equivalent, 'cos the learners are gonna get tired
quicker, and won't want that much time out. At the same time, it's
gotta be worth the effort it takes to get out there.

(Just the perception that the learners were being slotted in
for a couple of 'token' outings in between the big kids might
well be enough to discourage some from showing up at all.
Just a thought.)

Overall, I think it's a brilliant idea. I say, expand on it.
Make a day of it. Insert more classroom sessions, if you
think they'd be usefull.

Just one more: set up and make very well publicised, very
strictly enforced, a 'strictly no dickheads' policy. Don't
be afraid to take the first guy to do something stupid, give
him his money back in cash on the spot, and show him the
gate. (giving the refund has strong legal and psychological
benefits - even tho you're not obliged to)


Yah, anyway. Is good. Do it. I'm there!

G

 

What?
How much more sanitised do we have to be?
Surely you jest? My thoughts are that if you need this kind of thing then
you really do need to sit down and have a good hard think about if the track
is really where you want to be.
Motorcycling used to be about independence, experience, adventure and self
reliance amongst other things.
Now its just a marketing exercise.

FatBoyCrash

 

What?

I think you've missed the point. It's all good for motorcycling to be all
about rebelling, and independance, and all that sort of thing for the people
who want it to be that way. What I'm getting it, is that there are a _LOT_
of people out there, who wouldn't do a track day, because they don't know
enough of what goes on there to be able to just rock up and go.

This is about letting more people experience ride days. Starting off slow,
so they know what it's all about first.

 

I think if you teamed up with a group like GRO, where a

Thanks. This is a good idea.

Good point. I just picked 15 minutes out of the air, 'cause it seemed like a
good number.

This one is a very good point. If it was coupled, instead, alongside and
advanced riding course day, then that may be a better scenario (both would
have longer track sessions than a full-on ride day, and both would have nice
long "off track" componants.

I think this one is a good idea too.

 

To me it sounded like a superbikeschool level 1 might be just what's in
Ordnung for the OP.

j

 

James Mayfield wrote:

Isn't what you're suggesting basically what the professional rider training
organisations already offer in various forms?

Nev..
'03 ZX12R
'02 CBR1100XX

 

In aus.motorcycles on Tue, 30 Dec 2003 17:25:26 +1100

THere are.

Stay Upright Advanced and Cornering And Braking. Hart higher levels.
Superbike School level 1.

Zebee

 

Why do you need to do all this?

Why not ride out there, like lots of track day punters?

Standard trackday session is 15-20mins, but you get 7 or so during the
day.



boky

 

<snip>

..............to a couple of ride-day places, and possibly

Well, I can't comment for the likes of the Circuit Breakers days, but,
the ride days run by MotoConcepts are actually pretty much first-timer
friendly.

The riders briefing covers all the dos and don'ts.

First timers are encouraged to make themselves known to the marshals,
who seem quite happy to show them the ropes and help them find their way
around the track.

regards,
CrazyCam

 

My healthy distrust for insurance companies makes me
think this way It's been my experience that they
have very long memories. I can see a legitimate claim
for an accident five years later being knocked back because
"We saw you at a track day in 2003, are you sure you didn't
really break this bike on a track somewhere?"

Fair enuff. As I said, I dunno what timeframe actually works
well for any given circuit, but I figure it's not a good thing
to be pulling learnerfolks in just as they're getting the hang
of it.

G

 

Isn't what you're suggesting basically what the professional rider
training

Yes and no. All the ones offered by the schools are all about improving your
skills in this that or the other. This is purely about getting the
confidence required to go to a "real" rideday. (And also to see if ride days
are for you at all.)

 

That's not a healthy distrust, that's an unhealthy persecution complex. I can
see you're going to fit in just fine around here.

Nev..
'03 ZX12R
'02 CBR1100XX

 

So put tape over your rego plate. Sheesh, you newbies...

 

I would be interested in such a track day for learners, having just got my L
plates!

Have been to a motoconcepts (think it was) track day with a mate just
watching (he rode) and even though the marshals might be friendly to slow
learner riders, I have reservations about going out even with the slowest
class as Im sure everybody will get the shits with this damn learner on a
250cc doing half the speed as everybody else and I think it would be pretty
intimidating having motorbikes passing me at high speed all around the
track, and queing up behind me when they cant pass due to a corner (and the
overtaking on corners rule)

Keep in mind I only have about 2 or 3 weeks experience on a road bike - and
im sure there are other learner riders out there that would love a track
day, and feel the same way I do.

I think its a great idea.

 

So don't go booking trackdays just yet. Patience, young Jedi...

In which case, I dare say you might just plain not be ready for the track.

Again, book a Stay Upright Advanced Training course; it's conducted on a
racetrack, there'll be bugger-all other people on the track at any one time,
and few of them are likely to be speed merchants... you'll get to learn some
new skills, get a taste of what riding on the track feels like,_and_spend
almost as much time out on the track as you would if you'd done a trackday.

I did one about a year ago as a ploy to get out of some speeding fines, and,
even though I'd, by then, done something like 15 trackdays, I had heaps of
fun.

 

Well obviously, duh! But where does the pick from the
NRMA park?

G

 

I'm not paranoid, they really *are* out to get me!

Oh good! But it's harsh week, you're supposed to tell me
to goandgetfucked.

G

 

*reads all the posts by GB*
Not allowed to go out this new years eve huh?

oh yes, happy new years to y'all

Mike.S

 

Crowds. I don't do crowds!

G