Whats needed for a track day?

I just want to add that its along way from my brain to my right foot, it's like the retarded evil twin to my shifting with perfection left foot. I started racing in 98 and rarely touched my rear brake till 2000 at mid ohio when I met Jeff Maloney from GP Tech. I saw the thumb brake and instantly knew it was for me. A lil coaching from Jeff and I started to rely on it while exiting turns. Hard on gas = hard on thumb brake. I've only been high sided once in my 6 yrs racing.

I then started using it to set the suspension entering turns. At braking point press thumb, squeeze front brake, scrub speed, lean in as you let go of the brakes, instantly start to roll on the throttle, start pressing the thumb as your rolling on the gas, when pointed properly exiting the turn let go of the thumb and go full throttle... Repete as needed for 12 to 15 laps.

Enjoy pats on the back and ego stroking from spectators and friends. :-)
 
mracer29 said:
I then started using it to set the suspension entering turns. At braking point press thumb, squeeze front brake, scrub speed, lean in as you let go of the brakes, instantly start to roll on the throttle, start pressing the thumb as your rolling on the gas, when pointed properly exiting the turn let go of the thumb and go full throttle... Repete as needed for 12 to 15 laps.
Click to expand...
Wow can I slice that into sections and and start on one :banghead:
 
Yeah I know just saying its alot to think about and then I read alot of track guys say don't think too much that's when you mess up. How are you not suppose to think too much when you got all that going on lol:banghead:
 
black diamond busa said:
Yeah I know just saying its alot to think about and then I read alot of track guys say don't think too much that's when you mess up. How are you not suppose to think too much when you got all that going on lol:banghead:
Click to expand...

With practice it all becomes natural, work on one skill a time that's why you start with the front brakes then move to the rear brakes
 
Trackdays are certainly addicting. My 14K helicopter ride kind of cured the addiction though. Careflight now has a membership program for 49 bucks a year. Join it. Was level 4 on my 750 and lowsided. Guy behind me ran over my head! Kinda sucked...
 
jaschil69 said:
Trackdays are certainly addicting. My 14K helicopter ride kind of cured the addiction though. Careflight now has a membership program for 49 bucks a year. Join it. Was level 4 on my 750 and lowsided. Guy behind me ran over my head! Kinda sucked...
Click to expand...

Ouch! And double ouch!!
 
mracer29 said:
Ouch! And double ouch!!
Click to expand...

Good thing is that you can get out there and not worry about cars or police. Most tracks have a good runoff area if you freak in the corner. Just take your time and you will have a great time. Nice to get out there at around 5 in the morning and get setup for the day.
 
Frog/RoosterRider/Tim, good luck with the track riding adventures! You can usually find high quality leathers for less than $500 if you look for sales and closeouts.

jaschil69 said:
Trackdays are certainly addicting. My 14K helicopter ride kind of cured the addiction though. Careflight now has a membership program for 49 bucks a year. Join it. Was level 4 on my 750 and lowsided. Guy behind me ran over my head! Kinda sucked...
Click to expand...

Man, people get killed in crashes like that. I'm glad you got through it.

My wife and I have a membership with Med-Trans Air Medical Transport. $55/year for the two of us.

They have flight crews all over this area, so we are covered pretty much anywhere we ride.
 
mracer29 said:
I just want to add that its along way from my brain to my right foot, it's like the retarded evil twin to my shifting with perfection left foot. I started racing in 98 and rarely touched my rear brake till 2000 at mid ohio when I met Jeff Maloney from GP Tech. I saw the thumb brake and instantly knew it was for me. A lil coaching from Jeff and I started to rely on it while exiting turns. Hard on gas = hard on thumb brake. I've only been high sided once in my 6 yrs racing.

I then started using it to set the suspension entering turns. At braking point press thumb, squeeze front brake, scrub speed, lean in as you let go of the brakes, instantly start to roll on the throttle, start pressing the thumb as your rolling on the gas, when pointed properly exiting the turn let go of the thumb and go full throttle... Repete as needed for 12 to 15 laps.

Enjoy pats on the back and ego stroking from spectators and friends. :-)
Click to expand...

Interesting. Ok, Black Diamond, Turn off your eyes and ears because I'm gonna ask about some really advanced race-class stuff which has ZERO applicablity on your first trackday...again, stay away from the rear brake, and spend your available attention on body position, braking markers, line and apex identification, etc...It's a LOT OF FUN.

Mracer: I am going to assume that the thumb brake comes in hand because you have a)better control and b) not as likely to stomp it as hard as you might with your foot at exactly the wrong moment. Questions:

1. Can you lock the rear with your thumb alone? Or does it just provide enough braking to settle the rear? Gotta be more sensitive than your foot when you are moving around on your bike...

2. I understand, with the PROPER APPLICATION and LOT's OF PRACTICE, how you could help settle the rear and aid in trail braking, but I'm not sure why you use it on climbout/exit....so if you do break the rear lose on climbout, it won't spin up as easily? Wouldn't a properly applied throttle hand- in the right gear and up near the red-line- do the same thing?

3. How many seconds you think it improved your lap times (but PM me the answer I don't want Twobrother and Tiller looking into this) :moon:

Not meaning to jack the thread, but some interesting theory discussion going on here.
 
Ive read everything and understood none of it, so me and my rear brake are all ready for some sweet laps! :lol:

Great info guys, now I REALLY wanna do some.laps. :thumbsup:
 
Rooster Rider007 said:
Ive read everything and understood none of it, so me and my rear brake are all ready for some sweet laps! :lol:

Great info guys, now I REALLY wanna do some.laps. :thumbsup:
Click to expand...

Are you sure your brakes are ready? Have they been checked out recently? :laugh:
 
Flicka said:
Are you sure your brakes are ready? Have they been checked out recently? :laugh:
Click to expand...

Nope! I gotta fly shawn and earlybird up to NY to check em, I changed the wheels so I'm sure I left 3 or 4 parts out. :lol:
 
skydivr said:
Interesting. Ok, Black Diamond, Turn off your eyes and ears because I'm gonna ask about some really advanced race-class stuff which has ZERO applicablity on your first trackday...again, stay away from the rear brake, and spend your available attention on body position, braking markers, line and apex identification, etc...It's a LOT OF FUN.

Mracer: I am going to assume that the thumb brake comes in hand because you have a)better control and b) not as likely to stomp it as hard as you might with your foot at exactly the wrong moment. Questions:

1. Can you lock the rear with your thumb alone? Or does it just provide enough braking to settle the rear? Gotta be more sensitive than your foot when you are moving around on your bike...

2. I understand, with the PROPER APPLICATION and LOT's OF PRACTICE, how you could help settle the rear and aid in trail braking, but I'm not sure why you use it on climbout/exit....so if you do break the rear lose on climbout, it won't spin up as easily? Wouldn't a properly applied throttle hand- in the right gear and up near the red-line- do the same thing?

3. How many seconds you think it improved your lap times (but PM me the answer I don't want Twobrother and Tiller looking into this) :moon:

Not meaning to jack the thread, but some interesting theory discussion going on here.
Click to expand...

Answers
1. No it won't lock the rear wheel unless clutch is in and using front brake. It only has enough pressure to feel drag and settle suspension. Yes tons of feel and control.

2. The only way u know how hard u can throttle is to break the rear tire loose, when that happens you will either low side, high side, or pull some super drifting skills out of you a**. Using the thumb seemed to keep that tire from braking loose. I was once exiting the carousel turn and broke the rear wheel loose, before I knew it :-) butt was trying to out run my body, then suddenly SNAP! It caught grip and I was hanging off the seat by my boot and the bars. I managed to remount the bike and continue. I never wanted that to happen again.

3. Comparing laps times is hard through my 6 yrs racing my lap times continually got better untill I hit the 1min 12s on a 2 mile 13 turn track. Then I retired.
 
Here's a link to a vid I took on my last track day. My bike looking backwards.


On my pretty much stock 07 GSXR 750 daily rider (NO THUMB BRAKE) around 48 seconds in is the carousel turn. In the video I'm in 3rd gear at the time, no where close to rev limiter. I certainly couldn't have been in second cause I would have had no rpms left for power.

Disregard imprinted date and time*
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Honestly, for you,, you need a big set of balls! :laugh::laugh::laugh::laugh:
 
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