It’s all good mate. I do understand your point. Differential in speed is nearly always a bad thing at large. I actually think they’ve got a little bit better this year as the costs have gone up it’s kept some of the bell ends away (1000cc club types that bin it on the sighting laps). I don’t know what the answer is. I’ve seen A lot of TD riders cause many an accident. Racers acting like it’s a race. Difficult isn’t it…. And not all racers are created equal either. There’s some TD riders around that wouldn’t embarrass themselves in newcomer and maybe even club. fast group one day is not fast group on another. And if bsb is coming to town… yeah, not good. riders booking the wrong group… there’s no excuse for this in my opinion. It just shouldn’t happen. That IS the TD organisers problem imo. I’ve felt a little animosity on the evening ones I jump on. And I genuinely think I’m pretty courteous as a rider. Especially a 600 rider (the only place I can overtake is on the brakes / in the bends) ha
Spot on there @Advikaz - Think the "riders in wrong group" thing is one of the biggest issues these days. The amount of people who think they can ride fast on the road and should not be in novice despite never riding on track is quite scary. Silverstone do there best, but there was one person last year who we deemed back of novice group pace but refused to move down a group despite being asked twice nicely by the instructors between sessions. (It was dangerous, coming down the small straight at 100+ and they were braking at the imaginary 400 board which is about 250 too early if not more) so they black flagged them on the first lap out after lunch and apparently when told move down or go home - they went home - losing half a day at Silverstone due to ego, says it all. I was asked to move down a group a few years ago when I had some fuelling issues/carb problems so no top end of the revs on the R6 and moved down soon as asked. Meant I still got to ride and wasnt a mobile chicane so Ive done it when called for. If people were just honest with themselves, would make everyone else's track days allot safer.
I have found it pretty good the year. Apart from Donny Ducati day. Started in inters and the difference in speeds and abilities was horrendous. I moved up to fast group purely because it felt safer.
I'm more than happy to be in novice group. I only want to do them for fun. I'm not racing anyone and neither do I want to be disrespectful to anyone else. The differential in speed I understand, even as a novice. Day 1 of my 1st track day I was the mobile chicane. This year it was someone elses turn on a V4SF. Everyone starts somewhere. 30yrs ago, when i was fit and marginally stupider I'dve been chucking it in. Now my eagerness is tempered by injury and the cost of repairs. Plus, you have to learn the track. That takes laps, mistakes and patience. Ive found my euro days to be filled with really chilled and respectful people. Helpful too. No ego's. Altho there was a slow person of a v4r last yr. But they paid their money and have as much right as I had to be there. Everyone starts somewhere. Tbf I'dve been bricking it on what looked like a 50k+ v4r. I was on my meagre 1299. I'm doing slow and steady 2.03 at Almeria. Last year it was a glacial 2.12. Next year I hope to dip below the 2's. It's all about building confidence. I need to hang off more basically and carry more speed into the blind 4,5,6 and get on throttle quicker onto back straight. Domino on order.
Well...... It's interesting because how many road bikes do you see on ANY trackday now? Maybe a 6-12? out of over 100 bikes on track? I think at Snetterton last time I was there, there were 4 road bikes and they were in Novice. I was watching a old Video of bikeworld testing the various 675's at Brands on a MSV trackday and in fast group most of the bikes he was with ere all lights and number plates road bikes, infact he stood out more for being on a track bike in fast group!!! that was filmed in 2013.... so in 10 years, there has been a total shift, which I also think has contributed to the change in attitudes... people just don't think the same when flying around on a ratty trackbike that's scuffed up.
I stopped doing track days around 15 years ago and back then it was about 50/50 track bike road bike mix. Just found some prices of them now, gone up a bit since I did them, I’d do 3 in a week some weeks!
Would agree mate, it used to be a case that you’d try not to crash your road bike. Now people buy track slags so it doesn’t matter if they crash them
Very much this, my 959 is still in road trim from first glance and on the open pit lane at Snetty on Monday I reckon there was 5 road bikes in total for the day (Though being in the build up to BSB there was probably 30-40 superstock spec machines there too) so possibly pushed up the number of track only bikes a bit
My 1299 is a road bike, but I shove track bodywork on it, remove mirrors etc and tape up the lights. I'd rather I didnt fall off it mind.
Agree with @bootsam my bikes a track bike but I would be gutted if I crashed and would likely wallow in self pity for a significant amount of time after!!
I'm tempted to do one of these novice only days. Would it ok to year a 2 piece, leather jacket and trousers that zip round the back of the waist? Or does it have to be a 1 piece suit?
Oh just seen this on the booking site: As with all our bike track days riders must have a fully unrestricted bike licence, be wearing either one piece leathers or two piece that zip ‘all’ the way round. Proper bike boots, leather gloves and a ful length back protector. Oh well, can't be doing with the expense of another leather suit this year
