Advice for First Timers

First Timers, novices, beginners, call it what you like but even the fastest hairiest hardened trackdayer has been here! We have all been where you are right now!!! Sweaty palms and more than a few visits to the loo…….well below are a few pointers which will hopefully help you out a little. Some of them seem very basic, but on your first time it’s quite often the small things that can really ruin your day, if you haven’t thought about them.

Soooo, where to start? well I guess the bike’s as good a place as any.

The Bike

Before you get to the track check over the basics:

Tyres: Are they going to last a day/evening on track? You will use a lot more rubber than on the road. Are they in good condition? Have you had a puncture 'repaired'? You are going to be putting your tyre through a heck of a lot more punishment than on the road, so get it changed! If they are down to the canvas…..get them changed!! Simple rule: - you need good condition rubber!

Brakes: Bit of a no brainer! Check your pad wear, again you are going to be braking much harder than on the road, if they are down to the limit, change them! Make sure no fluid is leaking anywhere.

Suspension: On standard road setup its probably a bit on the soft side, so increase your rebound damping and preload a couple of clicks, don’t go crazy and wind it up tight! It’s a good idea to write down what you have done to your suspension too, and then you can adjust it with some points of reference, once you have tried the new settings. At somewhere like Cadwell, or circuits with hills and bumpier surfaces it would also be good to up your compression damping on the rear, this will give you more feedback from the tyres, and let you know sooner that they are going to let go, giving you a little more time to react and save the situation! If it’s a wet day, and the suspension is working well on road settings, leave them there! This will give you more grip in the wet than if you set your bike up for a dry track.

General Maintenance: Check all fluid levels and change/top up as necessary. Make sure nothing is leaking! Make sure nothing is falling off or loose. Check chain adjustment.

At the Track

Tyres: Let out a few pounds of pressure in front and back. Check with the tyre guys on site or the instructors as to how much. When the day is done check your tyres to make sure they have enough life left in ‘em to get you home!

Brakes: Again, at the end of the day check your pad wear!

Suspension: Put it back to your road settings at the end of the day.

Mirrors: Take them off or fold them in. They will be a distraction and you need to focus on what’s in front of you! Tape up lights and indicators.

Speedo: Yes yes we all want to know just how fast we did down the straight but you may find yourself in the straw bales at the end of it if you are looking down at your speedo! Tape it over to avoid the temptation!!

Fuel: Try and arrive with a full tank, you will use about double what you would under normal road conditions. If you have some mates coming in a car or you bring your bike in a van, bring a can or two of fuel. A lot of times the circuit petrol stations are unavailable.

Of course the above is merely the real basic things and you may want to prep your bike a lot more, that’s great, but if you aren’t sure then the above checks will help you enormously and put your mind at ease that at least the bike is gonna make it!

Now what about YOU?

Safety stuff: An ACU approved helmet, a full set of leathers ( 2 piece leathers are fine but they must zip all the way around) a good pair of gloves and a decent pair of boots. No titanium ‘sparky’ sliders.

Mental preparation: Remember its still you, not Casey Stoner! You don’t have to prove anything! Don’t put undue pressure on yourself to go fast or ‘get your knee down’, both of these will come with practice, they won’t come if you overdo it and bin it on lap 1!

Beware the red mist……

Remember to breathe!! Simple advice, but in the heat of a quick track session it’s very easy to forget the most basic of elements!

Study a circuit diagram if you don’t know the track, find out where the pit lane exits and enters, find out where any potential tricky bits are.

Get to the track in plenty of time: There’s nothing worse than arriving late and stressing about missing the first session. It pays to try and get noise tested first, then sign on and grab a calming cuppa before the safety brief. For an evening session, try and get to the track no later than 4pm if possible. There is plenty of time then to sign on and get noise tested before the safety briefing. On a daytime event you would normally need to be trackside by 7.30am.

Instruction: Don’t be afraid to ask for help! The instructors are a friendly bunch and are there to help YOU!

Do all the above and you will have a great time, and won’t want to leave!

I hope that this has helped a little, NOW GO DO IT!!