Best Path for Starting?

[jerdman852]

Hi All,
New here, and would appreciate some advice.  I recently bought a GSXR600, with the intention of roadracing, no street riding anymore.... Do you feel it would be wise to take a race school, such as Learning Curves, then do some track days, before competing? Or, do the track days, then a school. In other words, would the school first be 'jumping the gun'; should I just get some laps in first?
I'm very familiar with a racing enviroment, as I have raced MX, and Supermoto (some), for 20+ yrs, but want to learn roadracing the right way. Safety is my #1 concern.
Thanks in advance for advice on this question, or any other words of wisdom you can give a (once again) green horn!

[r1owner]

I never took a track day before I raced.  I personally wouldn't "waste" the money doing trackdays if you really want to race.

If you want to be ultra competitive when you start, then I guess doing a year or two of nothing but trackdays will get you there.

[chaplain220]

JE, welcome, I hope yer slow, it'll help my points 8).  Anyhow, I jumped right into race school without track days, key is, get saddle time in the track environment, the race school will give you the foundation to get the most out of track days, then you can enter the races when ya feel ready.  You chose a great bike, get good gear, and talk to folks at the track for good advice.  Art.   

[cbirk]

I didn't do trackdays either.  I think running track days is beneficial but not necessary. Learning Curves was the first time I was ever on the track. I took it  in the fall on my R1 street bike and then sold the R1 over the off season to buy a R6 race bike.  I went straight to racing with about 25 miles experience on the bike.   I'm not a seasoned vet but this is just my experience. 

[dicatirider944]

Learning curves was the first time I was on a track as well.  This is the way I would recommend also.  It's a safe environment and they step you up through out the day.  I would just stick away from racing mixed class races, by this I mean Am/Ex races your first couple of races.  My second race was a combined race, you don't need to worry about experts taking you out, but the first time I was lapped by an expert was a little bit of a shocker.  It was a clean pass but there was about 8" from his rear tire and my front tire in the carousel.  It will just catch you off guard.

Just my $.02

[Sig]

I think it depends on how comfortable you are on the bike. I would say be comfortable on the bike, then do at least one track day to be adjusted to the track atmosphere. After you are comfortable with that go take your school of choice and you can focus on what they are saying and teaching you and not just adjusting to the fact that you don't have to right on the right side of the track. :)

[Super Dave]

I'm very familiar with a racing enviroment, as I have raced MX, and Supermoto (some), for 20+ yrs, but want to learn roadracing the right way. Safety is my #1 concern.
Thanks in advance for advice on this question, or any other words of wisdom you can give a (once again) green horn!

Ok, where are you from?  I'll start there.

[Jeff]

With safety being your primary concern, I would definitely recommend *SCHOOLS*....  Not necessarily track days, but racer educating schools.  They're all over the place, Keith Code, Freddie Spencer, Jeff Wood, etc etc etc...  There are tons of them.  Ask around before you attend one to make sure you're going to get what you need out of it.

Track days are a great way to learn a track, but if you don't know what you're doing to start with all you're going to do is learn bad habits (and perfect them!).  Start out on the right foot and take the schools...

Just my $.02.

Not the cheapest method, but it will likely be the most beneficial.

[Ducmarc]

you have to take a school of some sort to get a license anyway so do that first it may also help to race at the track you went to school at that way you will already know the race line and won't be lost looking for pit in and pit out. the good thing about track days there is a lot less pressure while your trying to learn the track.+if you screw up no one knows who you are  Marc

[yetidave]

This is my first year racing but I've been track riding for years. I coach with TPM, and put in thousands of track miles before ever racing. I can see clear advantages and disadvantages to going this route. I'm sitting third in the points in three classes, have one win, a couple of seconds, and a bunch of thirds. I'm very comfortable at speed on the track and my coaching has given me kind of a sixth sense about what the guy in front of me is going to do three turns before he does it (survival tool when coaching). The flip side of that coin is that I'm pretty timid about making passes because I've been conditioned to make nothing but "friendly" passes. So unless I'm gridded toward the front, or get a killer start, I'm pretty much dead in the water after lap one.

[251am]

Do you feel it would be wise to take a race school, such as Learning Curves, then do some track days, before competing? Or, do the track days, then a school.

  Do some trackdays, 2 or 3, then just go get your licese with Learning Curves. Their licensing clinic will give you an idea that very weekend whether you are ready or not, and you actually have that option to race on Sunday if you want to.
I'm partial to Keith Code for schools. However, you have some supermoto background, so it's not like you're a complete newb. Look me up if you want some free direction/advice. I'm usually pit up on the front row, near pit out area at the silo for Blackhawk Farms.   

[Ducmarc]

+1yetidave I trackdayed for 3 years sold tires at the track one year so was there every weekend. the worst habbit i have is passing this year i had it conqured then crashed out for the season after 3 wins and leading in points in the old farts class get to start over next year.