Novice track sessions
 

Ive only been riding a couple of months but my mind keeps wandering to thoughts of doing a track session and i know that you are the guys to ask. Obviously i'm a novice - i've never been above 90mph (cos i'm yellow :-))and still a bit slow around the bends, but everyone keeps telling me that it would improve my riding skills and give me more confidence to find out what both the bike and i are capable of.
So i was wondering, can anyone recommend a good novice circuit/session/event where i wont feel completely overwhelmed and also where some training could be given first. I often look at the days you guys are having but feel they would probably be well out of my league, after all, theres novice and theres my kinda novice :-)
Thank-yoooo!!!

Re: Novice track sessions
 

MSV have a novice only day start of september at Snetterton. i did one not long ago there after only riding for a few months and thought it was great fun, I was nervous as hell when i got there but once out on track felt fine, you'll be surprised how well your SV holds it own against 'quicker' bikes. even thinking about doing it again myself and dragging along a few track day virgins from work

Re: Novice track sessions
 

I would be worried about binning the bike on a trackday, thats what would put me off.
Or...do you not get even close to the limit of the sv for that to be a problem?

Re: Novice track sessions
 

There is no obligation to ride absolutely balls out and fall off.

Re: Novice track sessions
 

Wouldnt you look a bit boring and out of place?

Re: Novice track sessions
 

Ride for you'reself, always.
Won't have a problem that way.

When you try to keep up with more experienced riders, that's when accidents happen.

Re: Novice track sessions
 

I've no track experience, but on the road you get some nuggets going "flat out" to them, then other people taking it in their own time.

Go along for a laugh and don't worry how you look!

Re: Novice track sessions
 

I tried my best and couldn't drop it, lot of back end skids which I got used to and a very near highside. Others are a concern though, aslong as you stay in control yourself-if not, that's your main priority right there. I had crash bungs (for the road anyway) on and removed my lowers just incase.

Kellyjo - I think you'd benefit massively. you don't have to go fast - I didn't. it was the cornering I was there for. Technique, finding limits etc.
Take it slow and progress through day, I went at snails pace learning the track/bike/tyres/meself then went for it a fair bit on the last session (risky but it was fun).

Re: Novice track sessions
 

Find a track near you and do it as soon as you can. You'll kick yourself for not doing it sooner. Some circuits offer evening sessions if you want to try it without the big financial outlay. If you want to, treat it as a day on some brilliantly surfaced roads, with everyone going in the same direction on bikes, so no cars buses and the like, and some lovely helpful people there to wave flags at you if the road gets a bit slippery. This means that if you want to (and you probably won't) you can ride at the pace you normally do on the road and just use it as a chance to practice a variety of corners

Ride at your own pace, don't worry how you look, and all track days that I know of offer instruction on the day. Novice track sessions and track days are just that: they are for novices. This includes you even if you've only just passed your test the day before and get your new bike what you have never ridden delivered to the track!

Alternatively there are a few people offering circuit based training, such as... erm... Circuit Based Training and the California Superbike School. They tend to be pricier though. There's also the Ron Haslam Race School, but having done it I'd say do a few track days first, then decide if you want to do something that focused on going quick, coz it's £300 or so.

Hope that helps.

Re: Novice track sessions
 

I did the Craig Jones Bike Skills Academy at Silverstone last Monday with a couple of others from this forum.

The day was focussed on confidence and included slaloms etc which built my tyre confidence. The day also included sessions on the Grand Prix circuit which was in the form of a few sighting laps and then 2x 20min 'do what you want' sessions.

We were mixed in with the novice group on track who were doing a Focused Events track day which was running parallel to the academy. The on-track pace wasn't really dictated to you as the track is so wide if anyone is quicker they can easily go round you. I actually found myself being quicker than others who were on the actual track day and from what I experienced the novice pace is really quite slow overall. We didn't really have any on-track instruction other than following Micheal Rutter around...! :) Personally though, you can feel where you need to go for each corner, and with Silverstone being so wide it doesn't matter if you go off line, there is still yards of tarmac!

This was my first ever experience of track riding and must say that the confidence I had through the corners was very good after the intial shock of going out on track for the first time. The amount of grip and the uniform surface is brilliant to experience!

I'd recommend doing this course as it involves a bit of everything and was only £100. It only runs a handfull of times per year though!

http://www.bikeskillsacademy.com/

EDIT: FYI...it says you need to be over 25 but as long as you email them before booking you can be any age. I'm only 20.

Re: Novice track sessions
 

Hi Kellyjo, I think you would enjoy and benefit from a trackday, just learn the track and go at your own pace and you will soon be riding quicker as the day goes on, and you will find how quick you can go without going out of your own comfort zone.

I went for a rideout on Wednesday night with Dave numbers after he had done the RAF Leeming trackday and I noticed his riding style has changed slightly and he was moving his weight around on the bike when lining up for corners and it has made his riding a lot smoother.

Re: Novice track sessions
 

Hell no. I dont go on a trackday to show off to anyone. Last trackday, i got overtaken by pretty much everybdy in my group, the inters, including the girls.

Seriously Kellyjo, its a great chance to safely push yourself and your bike to the limits that you feel safe to go to.

Trackdays are not a race but a safe enviroment to get familair with your bike. Dont listen to the heros who go to get rid of their chicken strips or fools like me who spend the whole day attempting the elusive knee down. Its for you to enjoy at your own pace. The safety comes from the fact that if you do drop it then at least you dont have a bus/truck/van/coming the other way to squish you.

Re: Novice track sessions
 

Yeah book yourself on one and tape up the speedo, I went in the novices and got overtaken many times, but it taught me about the limits of my ability, my bike and I had a great day with all the org'ers. Sid Squid gave me some excellent advice and just reassured me when I was getting nervous and it really helped.

I enjoyed it so much I am doing another on Thursday with another org'er.

Re: Novice track sessions
 

Based on what people were saying about the bike skills day down at Silverstone, I'm debating doing that on the 14th of Sept so I can get more used to the new steed.

Re: Novice track sessions
 

Aplogies for the thread hijack Kelly!

@ Orose.

I'd recommend it as it was very good at confidence building. They even teach you how to do stoppies on your own machine which for me was nice as I learnt the limits of the SV brakes.

Only thing I will warn you of is that some people did drop their bikes during the slalom course! Don't think anyone dropped on the stoppies as the guys are next to you to hold you up.

Re: Novice track sessions
 

Do you think you are going to bin it every time you go out on your favourite bit of road?

No? So why on a trackday?

You are *very* *very* unlikely to fall off on your first trackday unless you are being a tit.

Druid

Re: Novice track sessions
 

Thats why I thought I'd throw it into the mix - I suspected kelly was after a confidence building exercise. Doing slow speed stuff certainly built mine up, although I haven't tried to do a U-turn on the trumpet yet - could do it feet-up on the GSXR and the SV though without hassle.

Re: Novice track sessions
 

It might not be a race as everbody says, BUT it don't mean people don't go as fast as they can or THINK they can, if your not going to push it then what's the point. you will go faster then you have been befor, the good thing is when you go too fast into a corner you can run wide with no harm done, it will be good do it.:D

Re: Novice track sessions
 

Well said spiderman, it's *not* a race, there are no prises for being fastest and certainly none for not warming your tyres up, binning it at the old hairpin on the out lap and breaking your collarbone[1]...<ahem> Well unless you count morphine and a trip to Louth hospital to be a prise!

But seriously, *ALWAYS* go at *your* pace, do not be dragged in to going faster than you are happy with, ride normally and you'll be fine. No one cares if you are the fastest or for that matter the slowest, there will *always* be someone faster than you and likely people slower than you too[2].

Druid

[1] Helpfull hint: Louth barmaids aren't interested unless you have metalwork. ;-)
[2] Well unless you are Rossi or Clarkson ;-)

Re: Novice track sessions
 

the trackday i did at Snett only had the one person have a major off and he was on his own track bike in the first session. As for being to slow you'll find that there is quite a few peolple going slow on quick bikes. I was regulary going past a Ducati 1098 on my SV just because he was really nervous about dropping his pride and joy. One plus thing with doing a trackday on your SV is that even being flat out down the staight means your getting to the braking point at around 125/130 mph max, the main thing i left the track with was a lot more confindence on the brakes, if you brake to late on a track you've got plenty of run off area, theres no way I would have ever tried braking as hard or late as i was on the road i think your SV will suprise you and possibly 1 or 2 other riders there.

Re: Novice track sessions
 

kelly me and leeds matt are going to do an uber newbies track day where alot of us from here all in the same boat (if youve done more than 3 track days you aint invited) are going to do it together without the pressure assoicated with normal td's when weve sorted it i can give ya a shout if ya want

Re: Novice track sessions
 

Yes please! Any idea where you will be doing it? x

Re: Novice track sessions
 

as soon as i can sit on a bike again lol end sept start oct time

Re: Novice track sessions
 

Novice trackday sessions are great, since they're for... well... novices. Especially if it's well run and they're booting the idiots out into the right groups (there are always tools who book into a lower group than they should, because they want to overtake people). Just ride for yourself, and keep a wee weather eye out for other people too since there's quite likely to be a few people struggling a bit.

As Sid Squid says, it's just riding a bike, no different to riding on the road. If you build it up to be a big thing, it'll likely freak you out or you'll jump in too deep and be like the guy from 1:42 in this vid...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dGJAyWeCSAc

and bin it in the first lap of the first session :-({|=

Also, as you can see from that vid it's quite alright to be slow and crap, I was not long back on the bike after having my leg reattached and to be quite honest crapping myself and about as fast as mould... I think I got lapped by everyone.

Re: Novice track sessions
 

Kellyjo.
I'm in the same situation as you, but have booked myself on this:
http://forums.sv650.org/showthread.php?t=135642

I have never been on a trackday before and am really nervous of binning it, but I think it will be a massive learning experience ( doing the td NOT binning it!!)
There are a few orgers doing this at a great track with some great people.
I have spoken to the organisers, as they say they specialize in novice trackdays. They are happy to do a few sessions with an instructer on a one to one basis, at no extra cost either :D
They did say at an extra charge they would give one to one tuition every session as well.


Do it!

No pressure;)

Re: Novice track sessions
 

I get your point, but on a trackday i probably would want to go a bit faster and quicker round corners than i normally would on the road.
I think i would be ok once there.
Phil

Re: Novice track sessions
 

Come join me on the Brands novice track evening next tuesday :D

Re: Novice track sessions
 

You are based very near to Rockingham. Its a great track for the SV - no big long streights and loads of tight bends. I did my first track day there last year and would recommend it.

Re: Novice track sessions
 

I did Pembrey as my first. I think its one of the best first tracks to do- Not loads of corners to learn, Nice and flat but not boring!

Really really good i found.

People are right tho, it really will help your riding :D

Re: Novice track sessions
 

Any idea what you do if you don't own zip together leathers/full suit? I only have HG textile trousers + leather jacket.. Can you hire a suit at the day?

Re: Novice track sessions
 

Would have loved two but 2 problems:

1 - kids arent back to school til thursday and
2- as per Rossinio, i have realised that my leathers arent acceptable, they only have a 6" zip at the back, so before i do anything im gonna have to find a kind soul to put in a longer zip cos theres no way i can afford new ones :-(, humph!!

Re: Novice track sessions
 

Thursday 10th Sep Novice only at snetterton £89 for the day

Re: Novice track sessions
 

It's no different to binning your precious SV on the road, only there's no lamposts, kerbs or oncoming cars in the way. The best thing about binning at a trackday is there are two people waiting especially for you to do it... in a nice clean and brightly coloured ambulance. You don't get that luxury on the road.

Do you ride like a wuss all the time, or do you actually enjoy riding your bike with no permanent fear of damaging the paint? Without pushing the envelope a little every time, you never improve upon your skills.

Re: Novice track sessions
 

Compared to some i probably do ride a bit wussie.
I do push a tiny bit more every time i go out, but none of my mates are into bikes or the ones that are havent got a license yet.
So, i havent even done pack riding or ride out with anyone to see how i compare to others.
But said that, my riding has improved a lot, but i still have a long way to go.
But i have no desire to push the bike or any other to the absolute limit, i get pleasure from riding at a reasonable pace (for me) so its not my ultimate goal to get my knee down on every corner all the time.
Binning the bike on the road or track is the last thing i want, if i had paid £1500 for my bike it wouldnt bother me so much.
Same with my cars, i look after them as best i can.
Phil

Re: Novice track sessions
 

Loz isnt callin your ridin wussie. The point i think he is getting at is that track days arent about getting your knee down on every corner its about improving your confidence. It means that if you have a possitive track day experience that you will come away and enjoy riding more. So that your days of bimbling around the countryside are much more fun cus your worrying less about actually riding the bike an enjoying where you are and a nice sunny day

Re: Novice track sessions
 

Let me know if you guys do book a novice only track day, I'd be interested

Re: Novice track sessions
 

deffinately interested.. restricted bike shuoldnt be an issue.... just want to do it to get smooth and get used to leaning the bike more

Re: Novice track sessions
 

I'm trying to get a mass .org one booked but a bit snowed under at the mo
keep an eye on the penine massive/trackday session.

Re: Novice track sessions
 

there is a track day in september sometime for £79 or £89 i may pop along to it

Re: Novice track sessions
 

Unfortunately I can't make the one on the 22nd September (Cadwell), there's something I can't get out of at work