Hi Biot, sorry for delay in response. I guess it is just me and you then? First track day I have done on the 'Strada and have only done 2 other track days a few years ago and not at Oulton so have put myself where I belong in the Novice Group. I have a red Sports so say hello if you see me wandering around looking lost. I am busy trying to find out tyre pressures for Pilot Road 3's. Come up with 32/33. Also busy trying to figure out how to use my laptimer-can't see where it records over an hour a lap anywhere!!!Any tips will be welcome. Dennis TN
The idea is that you ride your bike to and from the track. No vans, tyre warmers etc. It is an opportunity to ride your road bike on a track, not an untimed race.
Why did these come about? Did someone complain that people who turned up with bikes in vans and had tyre warmers were going far to fast on a race track. If you want it a little more sedate and with some questionable lines then surely that's what novice groups are for?
Maybe they think that circulating with a bunch of wanabe racers is too intense an environment to be enjoyable ? Maybe they just want to experience closer to the full performance of their bike in a relatively safe environment without some lunatic binning it alongside them ? If people want to go as fast as possible why don't they go racing ?
A few more open pitlane type trackdays for ACU licence holders would take some of the racers away from conventional trackdays otherwise the only option is a trackday to get some laps in before the races if they're in the running for a decent position over the season and desperate for the points. It doesn't help when you get the big fish in little pond glory hunters going out in the novice group because the don't like the idea of not looking as fast if they're out in either the inters or the fast group
I 100% guarantee that these reclaim the track trackdays will have an element of wannabe racers but of very limited experience/skills. You just know that Gary from Wigan on his Gixxer will be turning up with Scouse Jimmy on his Fireblade complete with iridium visors, cheap end cans and on shite tyres thinking they are Valentino Rossi. I'll take my chances with the more experienced guys with tyre warmers and properly set up bikes thanks. Who are not really glory hunters and can safely pass the slower riders
not all of the 'racers' who could not get into fast cos it was full , and hence crammed themselves/got 'accepted' into novices , have been safe in passing slower, true, novices, in my (limited) experience/observation. some no doubt are, but some are not as they see the novices as obstacles or targets, sometimes.
Does anyone really see novice riders as 'targets'? I've heard this mentioned a couple of times and I don't really understand what it means. Target in what sense? Someone to aim for? To hit? To beat? To aspire to? The track riders I know would give a novice a VERY wide berth, it's not easy to predict where they'd brake, turn in, run wide etc. So if a more experienced rider was only thinking of him/herself, the last thing they'd be doing is 'targeting' novices. But we're all bikers anyway, why would any of us deliberately pick on less experienced riders? Everyone was a novice once (some of us still are :biggrin.
I don't think its 'picking on', as such Kenoir. its more a case of faster riders being in a group that was possibly not their choice and dealing with the other riders in a sensible manner. Its not a race, so there should be some lattitude as to where and how a faster rider overtakes a slower one. Unfortunately some don't see it this way. Things like the Rapid training days are well organised and they don't put up with any crap. Might cost a bit more, but its worth it to ride with a sensible bunch imo. the nutters on cheap bikes is also a problem as Mr C said. Experienced that on car track days where a young guy in a mk1 golf GTI punted a 993RS porsche off the track when he couldn't stop for the bend.
I think that if you book a trackday then by its very nature its going to be dangerous. 30 riders of 99% you don't know from Adam in a group on a track all of varying skills and standard of equipment is hardly like a game a of bowls. So whether its reclaim the track or an ACU day then the risk is still the same IMO risk is higher in the reclaim day. No one said its a race and I for one don't treat a trackday as a race, although its always nice to have a ding dong with someone. As for slower riders I always give a wide birth and even more so in or approaching a corner
Just asked if anyone was going, that's all Anyway despite the rain and several people stacking it in front of me due to (wet track/too much throttle and or brake) I had a fun time. MPR3's were great and I rode back home afterwards; a 368 mile round trip. Good to see you there Menace; hope you had fun and got home o.k.?
Great Day Yes thanks for that. I had a great day and safe ride home. A well organised day and whilst there were still a number of crashes they seemed mainly to be own goals. I feel comfortable knowing that the money I spent on the day will help to keep Oulton Park running and allow the 'Track Gods' to do their own thing. I am not too concerned if a group of Honda C90 riders hire the track as long as it is in use. First time at Oulton and thought it was a great track. Menace
The problem you are decsribing is whats called the male 6". The less experienced you are, the closer every other bike feels ie a 10ft pass is like a 3ft, a 6ft is a clip your bars pass. When you gain experience and realsise its what youbare doing, notthers, thats crucial all of a sudden it becomes the ladies 6" rule ;-) when 3' is a mile off and is genuinely 3ft! Lol
I hardly think Oulton Park will go under should Bike mag stop reclaiming the track!. On another note what are they actually reclaiming it from? Have people been misusing it?
Yes, some crazy f**kers have been going waaay too fast, almost treating it as if it were a race track FFS!
The Bike mag track days are meant for people who ride to the track and hopefully back home again. Track bike heroes have plenty of events to go on. I'm no way fast enough to fly round with people who if they bin it can stick it in their van/trailer/bus and go home. Mate I do it with has done a few non Bike mag days at Oulton and he's had a few close shaves with people who think they're in a G.P. and he's a lot quicker than me. If I drop my Mutley then it's sell a kidney time to fix it; as opposed to track bike dude who can buy new cheap pattern stuff for his. There's enough space for us all I feel.
Tbh thats a myth. None wants to chuck their bike down the road, as they may not be driving home after and it still costs money. Most race bikes cost more than the same road bike just dont have the expensive plastics Maybe that they are just generally slower because of who they attract, like the old DSC days or even Ducati only days which are normally a little slower as most are riding pride and joy (although you will see lots in track trim) Sounds like you had a blast
