Track Day Prep

Hawk Joined: Jul 30, 2013 Posts: 302 Location: Chicago

First track day one month from tomorrow (Monday).

Never done one before.

Besides purchasing the required protective gear, what else do I want to do for sure to prep the bike?

I'm assuming I'd do all of this a week or a few days before the day of event:

Oil/filter change
Clean/lube chain
Change fork oil
Check tire pressure
Charge battery(?)
Bleed brakes
New brake pads(?)(mine currently still have enough meat on them to get me through this season of street riding)
Wash her so she looks nice and pretty

Do you bring a backpack with a few tools in it?

They are providing coffee in the morning and sandwiches at lunch time.

Here is the track, looks like lots of fun..

http://www.autobahncc.com/

Posted: Sun Jul 13, 2014 11:29 pm

Check the track rules. Some tracks require the glass / lenses to be taped, and things like drain plugs to be safety wired.

Hawk Joined: Jul 30, 2013 Posts: 302 Location: Chicago

petrat wrote:

Check the track rules. Some tracks require the glass / lenses to be taped, and things like drain plugs to be safety wired.

Ah yes, turn signals, brake lights, headlight, mirrors must be taped. Tach and Speedo too.. They said they'd have guys there to help with that in the morning as lots of the guys ride their bikes to the track, because of course on the ride down you need your lights.. I was thinking of bringing a phillps screwdriver so I can pull the fuses in the handlebar for the lights...

Why do they make you tape off your tach and speedo? They don't even want you to take your eyes off the track for half a second to look down at your instruments?

Do pros have gauges on their bikes? Seems to me that would be a thing a pro would want, but what do I know? I also assume someone with a lot of experience will say you don't need gauges, because you just 'feel' the bike instead of using gauges..

Posted: Sun Jul 13, 2014 11:47 pm

+1 on pulling fuses - I trailer mine and actually pull the signals all together.

+1 on taping any distractions - you're there to learn body position etc. they will likely limit you to 2nd and 3rd gear only on your first track day and send you out with only like skilled riders with rider/coaches. It's about learning to manager inputs and not necessarily about tearing up the track right away.

Bring water/Gatorade - you will get dehydrated.

Bring an open mind and have a blast!

Posted: Mon Jul 14, 2014 6:37 pm

Bring gas, you can expect 15 mpg at the track, reserve in 70 or 80 miles Very Happy

Toddk

Hawk Joined: Dec 16, 2007 Posts: 371 Location: warwick,uk

Tyres need to be on good condition . . Half worn is not good . . The stickier the better . . You'll probably want to drop your tyre pressures too . . I usually drop mine about 5psi when cold .. . .I've never had to tape up the clocks on a UK track day . . You do feel when its time to change gear without looking at the tacho . . Most importantly . . Try to relax and have fun 😃

Posted: Wed Jul 16, 2014 12:26 pm

Try clear tape on the tach and a second colour over the head light for a number to ID you on the track.

Have someone take pics or a video, it's great feed back for body position on the bike. It takes a while to get comfortable climbing around the bike. Have a look at Freddy Spensor race pics from behind to get sense of how much you can move.

Don't worry about the speedo, you can determine you speed after if you know the rpm and gear.

The tire pressure should be checked after the lapping session. The mfg can suggest the temp range when hot.

Don't forget to post some pics here, you will have a blast.

Jim

Hawk Joined: Jul 30, 2013 Posts: 302 Location: Chicago

Thanks guys.

Found out they do have gas at the track, for the low low price of $8/gallon! Shocked

I'll bring a tire pressure gauge.

I'll also use the Carbtune a day or two before as well.

They hire a photographer who will post images on his site for sale a month or so later. I have a friend with a GoPro but I think he said he'll be out of town that day so not sure if he'll let me borrow it.

Next up before all the maintenance is a trip to Cycle Gear for my first set of armor.

Posted: Thu Jul 17, 2014 5:40 pm

Relax.. Don't get all worked up over this.. It's all about having a great time.. Just pace yourself during your first couple of sessions. It will take a few laps to memorize the track..

Don't worry about the the bikes behind you. They will be on modern faster bikes and it is up to them, to make a clean safe pass.

As for bike prep, I use masking tape and cover up the headlight, taillight, turn signal and cover up the speedometer. I don't tape up my tach.
Remove the mirrors.
Pull the fuses for the brake light, turn signal and headlight.
Oil change not necessary, unless your due for one.
Lube and adjust your chain.
Replace the Fork oil? I would say so if you have not since the purchase. This way, you will know it's fresh and you have the correct amount.
Charge the battery? Why? Your charging system is working. And with the fuses pulled for the lights, there won't be much of a demand.
Bleed the brakes if it feels spongy..
New brake pads? If yours is working fine, just leave them. But the "HH" compounds work the best..

Tools? Hell yes.. You never know what might come loose or needs adjusting... Since you will be riding the bike to the track, you will be limited to what you can carry.
REMOVE the center stand when you get to the track.
Bring extra quart of oil. Bring a tire pressure gauge. Bring a 12V air compressor with you. This way you can add air to the tires and your forks. If you are running stock original forks springs, you will need air in them. If you cannot, there will be someone there with a compressor.
Gas? You have no choice but to pay the on-site.

Riding gear, I wear a Two-Piece AGV with internal armor, Real motorcycle riding boots and a full gauntlet type gloves. I wear earplugs.

This is NOT racing.. It's riding as fast as you and your bike want to go on pavement without the worry of getting a ticket or a car pulling out in front of you.

That Autobahn Track looks like a lot of fun.. I know you will have a great time.

Hawk Joined: Jul 30, 2013 Posts: 302 Location: Chicago

Scored a Daniese Shotgun jacket gently used from another guy in the neighborhood that will be riding down to the track with me. He recently upgraded his armor and sold me this. It just so happens that he and I are the exact same jacket size.

Daniese Shotgun Textile jacket

Also these pants

Daniese New Drake Air pants

Sedici gloves that fit me better than any other glove in there, so it was an easy choice. Many of the online review say the stitching falls apart quick. I know its the house Cycle Gear brand, but they really did fit me better than any others.

Sedici Ultimo Race Leather gloves

And a pair of Bilt boots. I also feel a little stupid about this purchase. I am a size 13 though and they didn't have many choices and again, these felt pretty good. Many online reviews also state the soles will peel away from the leather quickly. We'll see how that works out.

Bilt Speed Racer Waterproof boots

I *guess* its nice that Cycle Gear says you can bring anything back, and they'll give you a new one. But the Cycle Gear is an hour from me and that could turn into an annoying errand should it be necessary often.

Posted: Sat Aug 09, 2014 2:42 am

jacksondee wrote:

Scored a Daniese Shotgun jacket gently used from another guy in the neighborhood that will be riding down to the track with me. He recently upgraded his armor and sold me this. It just so happens that he and I are the exact same jacket size.

Daniese Shotgun Textile jacket

Also these pants

Daniese New Drake Air pants

Will the jacket zip up to the pants? I know most Track Day Organizers around here, want a full circumference zipper, that ties the jacket to the pants.. May want to verify that..

Hawk Joined: Jul 30, 2013 Posts: 302 Location: Chicago

melchiro wrote:

Will the jacket zip up to the pants? I know most Track Day Organizers around here, want a full circumference zipper, that ties the jacket to the pants.. May want to verify that..

Thanks Mel. Yes they do zip together in the back. Nice stuff. Fits just about perfect. He let me sit on his bike while I was trying them on. The cuffs of the pants sneak up 3 or 4 inches above my ankles. But in this position, the knee pads are in a perfect line.

It was explained to me by dude at Cycle Gear, that track pants work like that. They will be a few inches above your ankles, and then the boots cover the rest. I don't know if he was lying to me but I don't think he was, I didn't even buy the pants from Cycle Gear but the salesman told me they are supposed to be a little short.

The jacket is very comfortable and when zipped into the pants and sitting on the bike, everything feels very good.

Hawk Joined: Jul 30, 2013 Posts: 302 Location: Chicago

Oh PS the jacket does not come with a back guard. You have to purchase separately. It does have CE approved shoulder and elbow guards though.

Hawk Joined: Jul 30, 2013 Posts: 302 Location: Chicago

Just got home....

That was the most amazing time ever.

I didn't even really take any pictures because it was just too much damn fun running around looking at bikes meeting and talking to people. Talking to the instructors in the paddock in between runs and learning how to negotiate turns and blip the throttle and brake appropirately.

Some of what they were talking about didn't apply to me I think- upshifting without using the clutch in between throttle blips...

They did have some cafe racer and those guys were ripping it in the advance group. CR33s on their bikes of course..

The first two runs were fun, learning the track and lines. The third run pissed me off because EVERYONE was passing me on even the smallest straights...

The fourth run we did one lap with the instructor, then they let us rip. I decided "fuck it" and really started leaning into the turns sticking the knee out, getting my shoulders off center of the bike really into the turn, pressing back on the handlebars hard keeping the bike upright but my body into the turn, pressing the bottom of my foot into the outer edge of the foot peg, leaning the opposite inner thigh into the gas tank- holy shit! Don't wanna toot my own horn but I've always felt comfortable on the bike... I got to the pit first on purpose so I could be in front. I did two laps where dudes didn't even pass me in the straights. Balls out, fast as I could into the turn leaning as hard as I could. I scraped the boots a few times, scraped the foot pegs a few times (which the instructor said is bad, said that means I didn't lean enough) and I was so clean (at least I think I was) into the turns and handled them so fast, all the dudes on the Monsters and CBRs and GSXRs and R6s couldn't keep up, because they didn't have the balls to handle the turns... Eventually they passed me though.

They'd pass me, but I'd come out of the next turn tighterb to the inside... If I had more HP, I would have burned them right out of the turn every time. What a bitch to only have 72 HP! I'm telling you these pretty boys on their crotch rockets who would slow down and take every turn at 30mph, and make me slow down to a freaking stand still behind them waiting to turn, just so they could come out of it and rip their bikes down the straight... What a bitch! We were doing a thing in the novice group where you were only allowed to pass in the straight, so that was my reality today. Waiting for every pretty boy with their $1000 full suit on and their brand new Italian or British STOCK crotch rocket to take turns at 30mph, then rip down the straight in front of me, and get into the paddock thinking they were soooooo cool because they were in front of me....

I ran into the grass twice but didn't spill. I ran into the red and white stripes around the turns twice but didn't spill.. Got my confidence up. So much fun and now I want to sell my 750 and get a freaking Superhawk! But I won't.

Last run of the day, 7th 20 minute run, I was in front out of the pit again and didn't get passed for 4 laps! (except by the instructors who were absolutely ripping up and down the track) Then eventually the pretty boys on the Panigale's caught up to me in the straight. Felt really good. Also should say, by the 7th run, I was exhausted. Mentally almost more so than physically. I was almost forgetting which way to lean and which hand grip to hold the very edge of, etc.. Half the last 20 minutes session was me keeping the fools at bay, the other half was me just enjoying hitting 80mph on the straight and practicing clean lines.

I don't even know what to do now. Still riding high on adrenaline. It was also a 1.5 hour trip there and back, and 6 of us rode down together, so we did the "asshole motorcyclists on the highway" thing and rode down and back at like 90mph weaving in and out of traffic both ways. This statement may piss off some of you but its what happened, and it was fun as hell. 15 hours of motorcycling today and now I'm in even more deep. The wife has to let me buy a Superhawk or a CBR, right???

Posted: Tue Aug 12, 2014 1:24 am

Yea. Right. Laughing

Sounds like a blast. If you tell the wife you had that much fun "why do you need another bike?" At least in my experience. Good luck tho dude.

Hawk Joined: Jul 30, 2013 Posts: 302 Location: Chicago

I was in the novice group all 7 runs. If had jumped up one to the intermediate group I most likely would have been embarrassed hard in the turns that I am so confident I was handling properly..

The advanced group was just ridiculous... They must have been going at least 120 in the straights... Leaning in and out of turns like they were doing it with their eyes closed like kung-fu masters or something. I've sen it on TV plenty of times, but actually beeing there and seeing these guys turn, just ridiculous..

Hawk Joined: Jul 30, 2013 Posts: 302 Location: Chicago

Posted: Mon Sep 08, 2014 8:58 am

Looks like it was a fun day. Who took your on track photos? Track photographer? Whoever it was had great access! Great shots! On my track day my wife had to shoot through a chain link fence with a telephoto lens. Only problem was that soon after that first track day she announced she wanted to get a license and get her own bike!

How did your tires hold up? There is a tremendous difference in the feel of modern Hi performance rubber and whats available for our old rims in my opinion. I rode a new bike and making the adjustment from the "F" took a little getting used to.

Hawk Joined: Jul 30, 2013 Posts: 302 Location: Chicago

Yes it was a track photographer. She and 2 other members of her team were positioned around the track the whole day. They sent 1600 total photos. The cost of this was included in the entry fee to the track.

As far as tires, I don't know man, I've never done this before. After I taped everything off and pulled my fuses, I went to tech to get my bike checked out. HE gave me the thumbs up and told me to get going. I was like "Hey man, what about my tire pressure?" All the crotch rockets were having their tires pressure lowered a bit. They said rule of thumb was 30/30psi. Our bikes, or at least my 750 says 28/32 in the manual if I recall correctly.. He responded to my question about lowering my tire pressure like this, "Um... Those are just regular street tires and um... its an old bike... I don't know, I think you'll be fine.."

He had no idea what to do about it.

They seemed to hold up fine. The are crappy street tires, some generic brand, new on the bike at the beginning of last season.

Does anyone have a suggestion for next time? Whats a good rule of thumb for our bike with stock tires? Take the pressure down 2psi per tire?

Posted: Tue Sep 09, 2014 2:59 pm

I'm glad that you had a blast.

Get some rear sets and you won't be dragging your pegs. Ditch those drag style handlebars. Get some BT45 tires they work great on the track and on the street. I would stop worrying about the guys on the new Duc's passing you on the straights. I actually prefer it when they do pass me. This allows me to show them how slow they are breaking into the turn and going through the turn. IMO its more fun to pass them in the corners.
There must be a tire guy selling tires at the track? If he's any good, he should be able to tell you suggested tire pressures for the track on that particular day. Tire pressure on a track is KEY. The pressure builds much more when your are pushing on the bike. You may start with a bit lower so that by a couple of laps the tire is where you want it.

Peace, Jim

Hawk Joined: Jul 30, 2013 Posts: 302 Location: Chicago

Very cool, thanks for that.

What's a better handlebar? That's just a $19.99 piece of Emgo crap I got because the PO had installed a royal blue drag bar. Puke!

Posted: Tue Sep 09, 2014 5:26 pm

Try a set of pro tapers. That's what I have on mine. They give you a lot more leverage and control over the bike

Posted: Tue Sep 09, 2014 5:31 pm

On bias ply tires you want a percentage increase 10% in the front 15% in the rear, start at 30 front 32 rear

Radials just the opposite Front 32 front 30 rear

Bridgestone BT45's are great tires

Toddk

Hawk Joined: Jul 30, 2013 Posts: 302 Location: Chicago

Good stuff. Thanks everyone.

Exact same size tires as FSM suggests? Or up one size or thickness?

Posted: Tue Sep 09, 2014 7:02 pm

Next time out you should bring an accurate tire gauge. Record you base setting, after completing a session check the pressure, it should be higher. Now look at the tire wear.

I know riders that don't ride hard enough to warm up the tires.

Have a read here on tires:
http://biketrackdayshub.com/motorcycle-tyre-wear-guide

Hawk Joined: Jul 30, 2013 Posts: 302 Location: Chicago

Anyone have a suggestion as to which set of Pro Tapers they like best?

Can/should I bump up tire size? I hope to go back to the track in 2 weeks. Want to have them on hand before the day.

Does anyone do tires at home without the big rim spinner thing? I think I've seen YouTube videos of how to do them at home without the rim spinner...

Posted: Wed Sep 10, 2014 11:12 am

jacksondee wrote:

Anyone have a suggestion as to which set of Pro Tapers they like best?

Can/should I bump up tire size? I hope to go back to the track in 2 weeks. Want to have them on hand before the day.

Does anyone do tires at home without the big rim spinner thing? I think I've seen YouTube videos of how to do them at home without the rim spinner...

Don't know what the spinner thing is, but I use tire levers (Harbor freight has cheap long ones) to do MC tires, lawn tractor tires, and accessory cart tires. I have Tire spoons with a rounder more blunt edge , but the long ones come in handy as well.

You do need to balance MC tires afterward and Harbor freight Has a balancer there as well. Motion Pro sells a nice rim guard to prevent scratching up the rims , but I've always uses swatches of leather from old boots or a jacket to fit between the levers and the rims.

If you use wide tires on the stock 2.15" rims, the tread profile gets pinched. IMO, the rear tire profile on the sides of the tire changes more going from size 120 up to 130.

Posted: Wed Sep 10, 2014 2:29 pm

The tires can also be balanced with beads.

130 is likely the max tire size, I had Metzler And you could ride to the edge of the tread on the track. Usually something started dragging, pegs or header.

The rear sets need to be raised moving them back doesn't really help to add more weight to the front

http://www.counteractbalancing.com/#/motorcycle/

Posted: Thu Sep 11, 2014 7:42 pm

You mentioned Superhawks. This is from the Superhawk forum a few years ago. If you're off to another trackday some time, it could be helpful. I've edited out most of the VTR-specific stuff now.

TRACKDAY TIPS
(A series of PJay posts from the USA Honda SuperHawk discussion forum)

First post

This is just from my experience, and some comments do not fit widespread beliefs on this and other forums, particularly about suitability of standard machines. Flame away if you like.

Background:

I instruct at Auckland M/C Club Advanced Training Days at Pukekohe - of which we're presently running about 5 or 6 a year. I've been instructing at this level for over 25 years; have won a couple of championships; still race in NZ and Australia when I can; and am a very, very long way from knowing it all.

At these training days, run for racers as well as road riders, I ride my own VTR1000 and also my post classic race CB1100F.

Set-up:

Tyres (yeah, yeah, NZ spelling...) 32 psi front and 34 psi rear cold (ie about 5-6 less than I run them on the street). Varies according to what specific tyres you have. Suspension: static sag set to 20mm, damping set (if you can) at about 2/3 of max, maybe a bit more. NB standard CB-F stuff isn't too bad if you ride smoothly. The tarck is a lot easier than the road for suspension jarring and thus performance. I weigh 95kg (200lb).

Riding:

We run for the slow novice, fast novice, and medium groups the "no passing on the inside" rules. Fast group is race rules ie pass wherever you like, but the safety of the passing manoeuvre is up to the overtaking rider.

Some general ideas:

1. Concentrate on smoothness. The speed will follow. You go slower by trying to go fast. If you have never been on the track before, try doing your first session without using the brakes at all. That way you can concentrate on smoothness and cornering lines.

2. Cornering lines are the start and end. Go into corners deep and wide. That way you get power back on as soon as possible, and also preserve maximum opportunity to get around other people. The biggest rate of crashes is people going in on approach too close to the inside of the corner and consequently running off track halfway through or on the way out.

3. You have never crashed until you're off the bike. The next biggest trend in crashes is guys running out of balls. You think you're going to run off the track: so, try turning it a bit harder, and be amazed that you make the corner. Another way of expressing this is: if you think you're going to crash, you will crash. (Applies in general terms as well as at specific places...).

4. Ride your own ride. Most other people (apart from the instructors ahem ahem) will know less than you do. So do not watch them. Besides, if someone you're watching runs off the track, you will, too, just because you are watching them.

5. Cornering exit speed gives you your straightline speed. That's why it is important to get power on early through corners.

VTR specifics: (Some of these are more or less relevant, so I've left them in).

1.....(about the V-twin motor)

2. It has reasonaby good front brakes. Use them hard. If you're not on the gas, you're on the brakes. If you're on the brakes, you're on them hard. Easy (but remember the smoothness). Note: if you're using your front brakes good and hard, the rear brake will be pretty much irrelevant, as (a) there will be little weight keeping the rear wheel on the ground, and (b) engine braking as you change down will be enough to supply rear wheel retarding anyway. (As a point of interest, after my VTR had done 4 track days and 11,600km, it'd not quite worn out the standard front brake pads it came with new. I just seldom brake at all hard on the street.)

3. The machine will suck fuel like you would not believe. Get someone to bring spare fuel for you if possible.

4. If you're not grinding the hero knobs on the footrests, or if you still have chicken strips on the sides of your tyres, don't worry about hanging off or even sticking your knee down far. It's just something else to think of. And the sparks flying off the hero knobs are cool in photos.

5. It's meant to be fun. If you're not having fun, slow down until you are.

And here are a few more ideas, all along the theme of being calm and relaxed:

1. Any bike being ridden hard on the track will move about a bit as the tyres squirm. Don't worry - and in particular, don't hold the bars in a tight deathgrip. The machine will sort itself out, because it's designed to. (Lotsa folk mistake tyre squirming for frame twisting.)

2. Try to relax. If you end up fighting the machine, you will end up on your ear on the ground.

3. If you have a steering damper fitted, loosen it right off to start with and experiment with your riding technique. On a road machine, in my opinion, the only thing a steering damper achieves is to slow the bike's own reactions, making eg tank slappers worse. Basically if you have a stability problem that only a damper will sort, then the machine is not set up right, or maybe has poorly repaired crash damage.

4. If your machine weaves along straights, it's probably tyre wear. A little bit of weaving under hard acceleration out of corners can be expected; NB this is not a tankslapper.

5. Concentrating on riding smoothly will help the relaxing, and the relaxing will help your concentration.

6. Sidelight on the concentration thing: one of the aspects I love about track riding is that I get to concentrate on that 100%, and so for those brief periods of time all my worries for the other parts of my life vanish.

7. Do not depend/rely on "reactions" and "fast reaction time". Think and plan. Then you will not do anything too suddenly, which (not being smooth) then upsets the stability of your machine.

8. There is no real need to get too analytical and formulaic about it. Good example: Peter Williams, Norton development and race rider of the 60's and 70's commented in his column in the May 2008 "Classic Bike" magazine that neither he nor any of the top riders he raced against ever used braking markers on the track. It may be that the "braking markers" thing is as much an invention of journalists as is the idea that any corner has only one perfect line. I've tried to use markers and always forgotten 'em, myself.

Second post (Note: this and subsequent posts took up points others asked about)

OK, picking up on a couple of the points:

Tyre pressures - yes, 2 reasons for running lower than on the street. One is, indeed, that you will be riding harder all the time and the tyres will get and keep heat in, thus raising the pressure a few psi anyway. The other reason is that the lower initial pressures promote some flexing in the tyre carcass, which heats the tyre and makes the tread stickier.

(Aside: tyre warmers - for most trackday riders, tyre warmers will not actually make the tyres all that much stickier for the whole of the session, but save plenty of the wear you get as they heat from cold only by riding on them. Tyre warmers serve another purpose in that by keeping the tires hot, you prevent heat cycling of the tyre. This hot/cold cycling of tyres rapidly breaks down the rubber, and significantly hardens it. The less cycling the more pliable the tyre, the more pliable the tyre the better the grip.
So, for most folk, tyre warmers save you money but do not necessarily make the machine work better on track after about the first lap or so.)

Next, yes, if you've not ridden at trackday before, be amazed at how much faster than you some people are. Then watch how smooth the truly fast ones are, even when their bikes are moving about a bit. See their lines, see their braking.

Next, however fast you are, there's always someone faster.

Next: one on one. What we try to do is observe one rider at a time by following them on track to get into their pace and habits. Then we might signal them to follow us, at their pace but on our lines. I tend to ride three sessions out of four, then spend the 4th going around the pits talking to the riders I have been observing. But, yes, ask, ask, ask.

And finally for this post: good points above about choosing sections of the track at a time to concentrate on. It helps you analyze what you're doing. But rhythm and flow are really important. The way you do each corner will affect the way you do the next ones. Ideally you want to get to the state where the whole circuit is one easy flow to ride, so you don't want experimenting in one section of the track to be a fully isolated thing.

Third post

I tend to forget that, when I write, I am not doing the hand gestures and body movements I do when I am telling people in discussion about smoothness.

Yeah, no jerkiness, no sudden movements. A couple of examples: (a) it's a good idea to do clutchless gear changes up the gears, but use the clutch for downchanges - keeps maximum smoothness both ways; (b) if you're watching and planning, you won't need to change line in a hurry in a corner to avoid someone else who has got into strife (not always... ); (c) if you are shifting your weight from side to side of the machine, try a fast glide, as it were, not a jump.

[Later edit; just thought of this, arising from the post immediately above, though it is one of the more advanced ideas I was aiming to avoid in this thread] Weight on the outside footrest to keep the rear inward and the front steering out a bit, weight on the inside footrest to kick the rear to the outside of the turn a bit. It's a direct parallel with the MX and trials technique of keeping your weight on the downhill facing footrest to keep your bike gripping as you go along the side of a hill.

Fourth post

For clutchless upshifts, I've always rolled off the throttle a bit ie just done the same as when I use the clutch, but without pulling in the clutch lever. It is faster, and obviously is a bit easier on the clutch.

On drag bikes I've raced (and now on my CB1100F racer), we have ignition cutouts that let you hold the throttle wide full open when changing up, but without that you'd have problems, I think, as you need to let some load off the gears to do a change.

(If your clutch is worn, disengaging it on hard upchanges will promote slipping as it engages again.)

BTW to anyone for whom it was not already clear: the chassis/suspension settings and tyre pressures I mentioned in the first post are my starting points. They do need to vary according to ambient temperature, bumpiness or smoothness of the track, type of seal surface etc. You can tell a lot by reading the way your tyres wear, just as you can tell a lot of what your engine is doing by reading the spark plugs.

Fifth post

Some more simple ideas that work, this time for yourself:

1. If you're feeling like crap, it won't help. Don't get on the booze the night before.

2. Staying hydrated is good. It helps keep you alert. And also, because you're out in the wind and weather all day, that dehydrates you and gives you a crushing headache at the end of the day if you don't drink enough water.

3. But....piddle it out. If you crash with a very full bladder, your bladder will burst and there are all sorts of horrendous complications from that, I have been told.

4. Just as with playing any other sport, nutrition is important. Bananas for carbohydrates, other fruit, and in summary eating enough food during the day. It is easy in the excitement to fail to eat. That will reduce your energy and attentiveness.

5. Try to do nothing at the last minute eg machine preparation, getting to the track. Mistakes happen when you are in a rush, and then you don't have time to fix them. You want to be alert and excited, yes, but within a calm frame of mind.

6. Lotsa people would be very wise to tape over their speedometers. I have seen folk shit yellow when they looked at their speedos, suddenly cease accelerating, and nearly cause crashes. Besides, the machine's own speedometer will not be tremendously accurate at top straightline speeds. And you have better things to do in corners than check your measured speed.

Hawk Joined: Jul 30, 2013 Posts: 302 Location: Chicago

Thanks for that PJay.

I booked one more day before the end of the season. Had to get it out of my system..

Grattan Raceway in MI just outside of Grand Rapids. 3.5 hour drive from Chicago. The wife will come with, we'll trailer the bike up there and bring the dog, and stop at Founder's Brewery the day before for dinner. That's what I'm talking about..

Check out description of this track:

Grattan Raceway is a 2.0 mile long winding, hilly road course with 10 very challenging corners. Uphill, downhill ascending and descending radius turns, Monza bowl, esses, a hidden apex hairpin, and even a downhill reverse camber corner, combined with a 3,200 foot straight makes for a very FUN course.