First track day, novice or inters ?

what group should i go in for my first track day, id class my self and a few who i ride with would agree as fairly fast/fast on the road and having watched a few track day videos of the novice group and it looks to be a very very slow

what i want to know is, would i be best to go in novice group and see how i get on (would they move me to inters if im quick enough ?) or should i just go in inters ?

PS im thinking about silverstone (as i work there and fancy going round)

any advice would been good, also what's the best way to go about tyres ? fit more sport orientated or stick with what i know with sports touring ?

will be using the FZ1n


thanks

That's a quick bike you've got there and Silverstone is a very wide track so it could be forgiving or it could be really dangerous because you're going to carry some real high speed into some of them corners.

The thing is about trackdays and it's easy to get focused on relative speed and pace, is that it's to be enjoyed, and it is very different from road riding (at least my road riding). First trackday just enjoy it. Don't worry about pace just learn the lines, relearn them and relearn them as you get a bit quicker each time. Go out determined not to be the one to crash (there will be crashes).

I have a mate, a "fast road rider" who froze on the track, couldn't handle the noise, atmosphere or there being faster bikes buzzing past him. He bottled it big time.

Tyres? Dunno what you have but a think about a pro riding your bike and your tyres, he'll blitz you easy. If you ride well you won't out perform your tyres.

Go in novices, try to enjoy it, plenty of time to move up as you do more.

My 2p worth. Good luck (Doningtons better )

Edit: oh yeah some novices are real slow but the videos always make it seem slower than it is.

[jambo]

I would say go novice. I've never been at a track day where you couldn't move groups during the day, I've had friends move both ways.

Starting in novice does one very important thing, it takes the pressure off. You've got to get used to flags, where the marshal posts are, where the track goes, and getting your lines right. In novice group you can do that without also making sure you do it at a quick pace.

The difference in pace between each group may not be as much as you'd think, I did probably 3 novice days before moving to inters, and moved when I felt I was happy to. The pace of each group depends on the day. I've been in inters days that weren't far off novice, I've also gridded up and been one of the only bikes in inters without race numbers & lock-wire.

If you find you're significantly faster than the others in your group, have a chat to the organisers and see about moving up, or just grid up good and early, so you're not held up by slower bikes

Jambo

Cheers both , great posts I think ill try novice and see how it goes, now I just have to save up get some new leathers so they actually zip together and ill think about booking on one

[maviczap]

Given your track record (see what I did there ) novice group, you can still go as fast as you want and crash like a novice.

Just go to enjoy it, just because you're in the novices, doesn't mean you can't have the same fun as i you were in the inters

First one should be novice, there is to many bad habbits from road riding that needs to be picked away before you think about going so fast you start pushing your own limits, don't worry, it won't be the limit of your bike you will be pushing. Unless you are a kneescraping-faster-then-your-own-shadow rider on the road, if you are you should stop riding on the road before you become a number in someones statistic and buy a trackday bike and win some club championship Meet up early, don't stress, ask if in doubt, remember most people is helpful, they where beginners once themselfs, and stay clear of the few people that think the rules don't count for them. Don't be afraid to tell the stuart/marshall about idiot riding, it's not the schoolyard, a stupid rider is just a accident waiting, and in high speed fun end results could end bad. Fluids, salt, energy rich food. And if you have a camping chair, bring it, it's good to have rest. I think that's worth atleast £0.50

Go novice, its not just about speed. You need to learn the track, be nice and smooth, be able to overtake without taking someone out, etc. There will be some slow riders so you can practice passing. If you go straight in faster groups you may get dragged out of your comfort zone by lads who have done 20 or more trackdays who know the lines and could also hit you from behind if your lines aren't predictable. Inters can be very quick sometimes! And erratic at times which isn't what you need first time out. If you pick it up and are comfortable then mention it to organisers so they can watch you for a session and decide if you are ready to move up? No shame being in 'slow' group, you're there to learn with no pressure. Just remember you're they to have fun not show everyone how 'fast' you are

cheers for the advice so far, very interesting opinions and advice

PS maviczap..... fackkk oooofff

[maviczap]

Originally Posted by barwel1992

cheers for the advice so far, very interesting opinions and advice

PS maviczap..... fackkk oooofff

Lol

Enjoy it mate, once you've done your first you'll understand what we're on about

[yorkie_chris]

Find a mate who races that and will slow down a bit for you, nothing like hanging on the coat tails of someone who knows what they're doing.