Anyone know what the limit is for numbers of bikes on circuit? Does it vary by track, i.e. worked out on a bikes per mile of track length type situation? Reason I ask is that in March, Snetterton inters just seemed ridiculously busy, and yesterday I was helping a mate at Donnington and I went down and counted 60 Riders in the Inters group, that's a LOT isn't it? I had it in my head that most of the time the operators were restricted to around 40 per group.
To my knowledge, having been on track in a group of up to 80 riders at Silverstone on the GP circuit, whatever the provider thinks they can get away with. FE and NL have had 60 riders per group on most of the days I have done with them in the past. Open pit lane and restricted numbers, usually comes with a premium. I’ll be 1 of 45 riders at Almeria next month, bike transport, 5 nights D,B&B, 4 days open pit lane, 10am to 5:30 pm with a hour for lunch, private hospital health insurance and Carnet, £1500. Andy
I seemed the numbers per group increased post lockdown.... Could be wrong. Large groups o the smaller UK circuits aint good IMO.
2nd June? If so, I'll say Hi. I'll be in the slow group... Note: I'm as irritating in real life as I am on tinterwebs
Numbers were in the rise and standards on the decline years ago which was what prompted me to give up. Tracks increase prices so TDO’s pass on that cost or increase numbers to get the cost back. Likewise if there are 60 places in an inters session and 100 people sign on in inters thats 40 riders in the wrong group. Bigger groups, mixed abilities and some suspect condition machines means more and more red flags and less track time.
If it’s an NL day. Brands indy is limited to about 600 bikes on circuit at any given time Jokes aside, U.K. trackdays have got shitter and shitter over the years. The last few have been so shockingly shit I decided to hang up my leathers. I’ve got a pic somewhere of snet last year I think where you can’t even see the end of the queue of bikes down the pit lane. It’s a joke considering the costs. Trackday riders blame the racers, racers blame the trackday riders, both blame the 1000cc club because well.. any day with them on it is horrific . You’ve then also got organisers taking little to no responsibility for the days THEY run. It’s fucked. Perhaps it’s a good thing to lower the numbers ultimately but I feel like trackdays are going to decline a fair bit over the next months and few years with how the world is and the costs of literally everything going up. i know so many people who’ve flogged their bikes now or are thinking about giving up. The price of tyres is a big issue as well, especially so if you’re quick at £400+ a set and doing a rear a day. Race weekends are even more so an issue. I used to do atleast 2 sets a weekend at about 260/280 a set in 2019. Now those same tyres are £400, eek. I worked out what a trackday was costing me last year and that if I did two a month not including the time off work but otherwise all inclusive I could comfortably pay another mortgage in the south east. All that to sit in endless red flags. Nuts. I tend to crash when I stretch tyres so I’d usually have a new set or atleast a new rear, especially on a 1000 because the rears just don’t last. So you’re looking at what?!? 6-800? A day all in? Granted I have to travel fairly far. And I run a decent van etc etc. And yes you can do it cheaper but my calculations are not wildly out compared to others I speak to. Even if you call it half of the top figure. It’s still out of reach for most people realistically to do even on a half regular basis. Who wants a hobby you can only do once in a blue moon? It’s a lot of overhead to have just sitting around. The end to end costs IF you actually look at them are proper nutty. When you’ve got people who earn three times as much as you who doesn’t earn badly anyway saying that it’s gone too far, it’s gone too far. I’m in a trackday WhatsApp group with a lot of current and ex racers. There’s more that haven’t got bikes anymore than have now by a comfortable margin. Most stating that it’s just not making sense anymore bang for buck.
You will never get an adequate response from tracks or TDOs regarding numbers on track. After a few track days you get an instinct for the people who are a danger to themselves and others. You can however make your own mind up by using your eyes and judgement.
I agree, 10,15 years ago it would be a packed out day if you got 40 riders per group! And you could jump on a day a few days before no problem,now you have to book up immediately months ahead!same with racing really,if you don’t jump on the day regs are out forget it! Costs are out of control! I remember not so long ago doing silverstone gp for £130,noisy donny for £100 etc etc!! I have never been more serious regarding packing it all in,it’s unfortunate for my lads as obviously they’ve not been doing it for long so they’ve got the bug,I’m doing Porto with them in a few weeks and I will seriously be evaluating when I get back! The cost,large groups is one of the reasons but a small part of it the main reason for me is the general standard of riding,it’s absolutely shocking it truly is! It seems like people just don’t give a shit any more and I don’t get it! Same with road riding really I just can’t be arsed any more!
I am diversifying this year into https://bikersdays.com/en/ for Valencia and https://www.rehmracedays.de/en/race-days/calendar.html for Mugello & Red Bull Ring. They have live, public timing per session & group changes every midday. No arguments. They take alcohol & drugs very seriously. You get sent home for second "no respect" incident. Judging by the amazing kit people turn up with (bikes and full race workshops), participants are very serious. Very strict numbers control. Let you know how I get on.
Agree whole heartedly but too few riders are prepared to stump up the increased cost. When I retired 5 years ago, I budgeted about £1000/rider, all in for a Spanish track excursion, that has now risen to £2000/rider and no longer includes a hire car, the cost of which has gone through the roof. Andy
Thanks for the replies, I should have said. I DON'T want this to turn into a UK Versus EURO debate, because honestly I go with Farside which is a not for profit, we did Jerez in September and I bike shared with my mate and we each paid £600 all in, in a really nice hotel, if we both took a bike it would have been £1100 each. I still think £1100 is great value for 3 days open pitlane in Jerez, and he only ever takes 45-50 bikes tops, BUT..... and it's a BIG but, I've got a 5 year old daughter and it's just not so easy to up sticks and do a week away on the bike. So turning attention back to UK days, my plan is to just see how it goes this year, I have a van now, and I am minimizing cost where I can so I'll use Supercorsa SP tyres because they are still plenty good enough for me and £170 for a rear instead of £240 if I get a Supercorsa SP, and I'll probably only do one at Donnington and the rest at Snetterton, as it's £130 there. even so... I've got Donnington booked for May 31st, it will cost me: £219 Fee £50 Diesel £30 Petrol £175 Rear Tyre =£474 And then Snetterton on June 14th, will be: £129 Fee £75 Diesel £30 Petrol £175 Rear Tyre (Maybe) = £409 so I would have only done two days, and I'll then need a new pair of tyres as it's my road bike, and an oil change. It can just about be justified if it's amazing track time, but I guess that's the point of this thread, it's starting not to be. In the back of my mind is selling the R1 and finally just making the jump to something like a Thruxton RS which will do everything I want and doesn't matter so much if I only ride a bit.
So one day at a UK track is about 400 or three days at Jerez is 1100....I think I know what I prefer. I have now bought a race van, so driving to Italy & Spain, taking holiday, flying wife home and going track riding. No bike transport (240), no hotel (240) and no fuel can "deposit"....ten quid
What’s missed off that is time to drop off and collect plus fuel cost I suspect. Which could be another £100-£600 depending on how far and if you get paid by the day
Yes of course, forgot that weekend before, weekend after rigmarole, another tank of gas and a lot of chores waiting at home that need to be done
