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Red Herring · 12-03-12, 09:20 AM

Reasonable ride from Swindon to Brands, so you either need a very early start or go over the evening before and do a Travel Lodge or similar. This may sound expensive but if you can find a mate to share then it helps considerably and don't underestimate how tiring your first track day is going to be so in my mind it's money well spent.
On the subject of mates do try and bring someone along with you. There will be no shortage of people there who will help you with the days running, but they will all be going their separate ways come the end of the day and if you do have some kind of issue that might prevent you from riding home it's good to have someone around you can rely on....

Anyway, enough doom and gloom, Brands is a brilliant track steeped in history but don't let that get to you! Make sure your bike is in the best possible condition you can afford to get it in, in particular brakes and tyres. If you have any spare cash to spend use it here, not on exhausts, dyno runs or go fast stickers. You can do the day on squared of tyres, but you won't enjoy it! Do take all day to get up to speed, your last lap is the important one, and you don't want it to also be your first..... Don't get egged on by anyone else, they won't be paying for your bike and just because they have a "slower" bike doesn't mean they will be a slower rider. On that note stay away from everybody else, especially on your first few sessions. The novice group is in my eye the most dangerous one out there because everybody is on different lines and braking at different points. Treat everybody as you would on the road......

Don't set yourself any other objective than staying safe. Getting faster, scraping your knee, going to the edge of the tyre, will all happen if you stay on the bike and ride smoothly, you don't need to do anything else. As soon as things start to feel "quick" then the chances are you are out of your comfort zone. Work on your comfort zone, nothing else.

Don't forget to fill up before you get to the circuit. If you get a clear day with no red flags you'll do a tank in the morning easy. Petrol is just up the road from the circuit, out the gate, turn left, about a mile. Don't forget to uncover/put you number plate back on when topping up at lunch time (never understood people covering them up, do you really think insurance companies are that ignorant?)

Tyre pressures, leave them at your road setting for the first session, despite what the organizers will tell you. You're not going to go fast enough first time out to make any difference and the last thing you need is the bike feeling "strange". (maybe just let a couple out of the back if you're one of those riders that likes 42 in there normally) If you do end up going faster (and why shouldn't you) then you will need to drop them a bit. If you can take a decent gauge with you and check them immediately after each session then you want to be aiming around 32 to 34 hot front and rear but don't try and go that low straight away. Don't forget to pump them up again before riding all the way home......

Above all else drink plenty (water that is) and have fun.

12-03-12, 09:20 AM	#3
Red Herring Member Mega Poster Join Date: Dec 2007 Posts: 2,708	Re: Losing my virginity with trackdays.co.uk Reasonable ride from Swindon to Brands, so you either need a very early start or go over the evening before and do a Travel Lodge or similar. This may sound expensive but if you can find a mate to share then it helps considerably and don't underestimate how tiring your first track day is going to be so in my mind it's money well spent. On the subject of mates do try and bring someone along with you. There will be no shortage of people there who will help you with the days running, but they will all be going their separate ways come the end of the day and if you do have some kind of issue that might prevent you from riding home it's good to have someone around you can rely on.... Anyway, enough doom and gloom, Brands is a brilliant track steeped in history but don't let that get to you! Make sure your bike is in the best possible condition you can afford to get it in, in particular brakes and tyres. If you have any spare cash to spend use it here, not on exhausts, dyno runs or go fast stickers. You can do the day on squared of tyres, but you won't enjoy it! Do take all day to get up to speed, your last lap is the important one, and you don't want it to also be your first..... Don't get egged on by anyone else, they won't be paying for your bike and just because they have a "slower" bike doesn't mean they will be a slower rider. On that note stay away from everybody else, especially on your first few sessions. The novice group is in my eye the most dangerous one out there because everybody is on different lines and braking at different points. Treat everybody as you would on the road...... Don't set yourself any other objective than staying safe. Getting faster, scraping your knee, going to the edge of the tyre, will all happen if you stay on the bike and ride smoothly, you don't need to do anything else. As soon as things start to feel "quick" then the chances are you are out of your comfort zone. Work on your comfort zone, nothing else. Don't forget to fill up before you get to the circuit. If you get a clear day with no red flags you'll do a tank in the morning easy. Petrol is just up the road from the circuit, out the gate, turn left, about a mile. Don't forget to uncover/put you number plate back on when topping up at lunch time (never understood people covering them up, do you really think insurance companies are that ignorant?) Tyre pressures, leave them at your road setting for the first session, despite what the organizers will tell you. You're not going to go fast enough first time out to make any difference and the last thing you need is the bike feeling "strange". (maybe just let a couple out of the back if you're one of those riders that likes 42 in there normally) If you do end up going faster (and why shouldn't you) then you will need to drop them a bit. If you can take a decent gauge with you and check them immediately after each session then you want to be aiming around 32 to 34 hot front and rear but don't try and go that low straight away. Don't forget to pump them up again before riding all the way home...... Above all else drink plenty (water that is) and have fun.