Track Days...How's It Work

[PolishPete]

I've been trying to figure this out for a while...not much in info that I found.  How do track days work, specifically at RA or BHF.  I'd like to try the SV out before I take the learning curves, so how would I go about doing this??  Thanks.

[K3 Chris Onwiler]

I would suggest Sportbike Track Time.  I work as a coach with STT, so I'm very familier with their program. Most track day orgs don't give much instruction.  In the Novice Group, STT gives an intensely structured experience, with focus on riding technique.  Your day will include six 20-minute classroom sessions, and seven to nine 20-minute track sessions.  This is at no extra charge over what the Intermediate or Advanced riders pay, and I personally think that it blows away many "Riding Schools," for the amount of instruction and attention that the students get.  An STT day runs around $200.

[Super Dave]

If Blackhawk is close to you, Blackhawk is having it's own track day on October 14th.  It's not a program that is based on volume, so there won't be tons of riders there.  You're gonna look at $165 for a price.  

Groups are based on lap times rather than somewhat arbitrary classifications that can have wide variations of lap times.

[Burt Munro]

Link to the Track Day at Blackhawk that Dave mentioned...............

http://blackhawkfarms.com//bhf/product_info.php?products_id=163

Looks like it includes a souvenir DVD from Motovid
and lunch is provided.

[cleezmo]

NESBA runs quite a few track days in your area also. I've done track days with both STT and NESBA, and had good experiences with both. Seems like NESBA is a bit more thorough when taking the bike through tech. They also have some beginner instruction, but I can't compare it to STT, as I'm in the Advanced groups for both orgs.

I would definetely recommend doing a track day or two before you go race, just to get some seat time and get comfortable on the bike. But if you want to go racing, don't spend an entire season doing track days - racing is the only way you'll really push yourself to develop your skills - at a track day you can spend all day creating bad habits if you're not careful.

As far as your question of how they work - generally there are 3 groups - Advances, Intermediate, and Beginner. The day consists of rotating 20 minute sessions each hour - A, I, B, A I B, etc. If the Beginner groups  have class, it's while the I and A groups are on track.