BRANDS 21st AUGUST

[airwolf]

My first track day. Taking the 848 because I want to get a feel of what my bike can do.

I'm riding up there with 3 others from work. Do i need a friend to take fuel cans with him?

Any advice on my first day?

[Sorted]

Originally Posted by airwolf

My first track day. Taking the 848 because I want to get a feel of what my bike can do.

I'm riding up there with 3 others from work. Do i need a friend to take fuel cans with him?

Any advice on my first day?

Jerry cans a good idea but not essential as there is a garage 0.5mile from the tracks main entrance. Good idea to fill up before you go in.
Still best to take your own to save the hassle though. You will probably use 3 tank fulls and do 7 x 20min sessions (4 in the morning and 3 in the afternoon). Approx. 110mls on the track!!
If you want to be sure of a pit garage you need to get there by 0730'ish and its about 1hr 20mins from you
Don't forget to adjust your tyre pressures (around 30/31psi front and 30/29 rear depending on tempr. of the day etc).

Noise testing starts at 0800 and you need to be under 105Db (should be ok) my 1098s with Termignoni's is 104.5Db and they ask you to rev to around 5,500 I think, so go to 5k instead LOL.
I am assuming you are on the Indy and not GP Circuit???

Have fun and ENJOY! It's a great circuit but I usually miss out the last session of the day cuz you're usually knackered and thats when accidents happen. If you haven't got tyre warmers, allow yourself at least 2 laps before giving it too much welly.
Cheers
Alan

[dikadams]

Originally Posted by airwolf

My first track day. Taking the 848 because I want to get a feel of what my bike can do.

I'm riding up there with 3 others from work. Do i need a friend to take fuel cans with him?

Any advice on my first day?

Don't want to sound negative airwolf, but if you can, beg or borrow a lift with your bike to the track, because, if any thing goes wrong , you have somebody to drive you back home...I know ... happened to me once..wasn't badly hurt , but I couldn't have ridden home ... but whatever have a good day ....
dik...

[Fireman]

Originally Posted by airwolf

My first track day. Taking the 848 because I want to get a feel of what my bike can do.

I'm riding up there with 3 others from work. Do i need a friend to take fuel cans with him?

Any advice on my first day?

Hi,

Good to hear you are doing a trackday. If I'd known you were at Brands couple of weeks ago, I could have booked and offered you a lift in the van.

Don't take this the wrong way, but my advice is book a one to one instructor for your first session or two. He/she will show you the lines, braking points etc. Well worth it, I assure you.

Tape over your speedo. You can't fly a bike on instruments and if you are looking at how fast you are going you will probably miss a braking point and corner!

Remove mirrors or as a minimum tape them over. You need to look ahead and don't worry what is going on behind you - see above note on speedo.

Build up slowly in the morning and concentrate on getting the circuit right, until you can put a smooth accurate lap together. Don't eat a big meal at lunchtime and take the session after lunch steady. And if you feel tired by the last session don't go out. Drink lots, you wll get dehydrated quite quickly.

If you build up steadily throughout the day the speed will come and you will surprise yourself.

I assume you are in novices. You will find there will be about 25% of first timers - often identified by high vis bibs. Don't follow them, or anyone else for that matter excepting your instructor. There will be some fast boys in the novice group. They know they are Inters, but like to show off. Don't let them phase you, even if you get cut up.
Leave yourself some room in corners. Novice rider's are unpredictable. Lines could be wrong and they may brake or change direction mid bend. It is dangerous if you target fix on a slower rider ahead. Be aware of them, but look where you want to be, look through corners and where you want to end up. You usually end up there. I.e. fix on another rider and he goes into the gravel, you will probably follow! Basically do your own thing.

If you are going to overtake, do it in the braking zone or as you drive out of the corner.

Follow the warming tyre advice every session, it is what catches most people out and Brands has plenty of low and highside opportunities for the unwary or over excited.

Most importantly have fun.

Regards

Peter

[JerryXt]

good advice above. But, tyre pressures quoted are measured COLD!!!! Don't get to the track and then set your pressures. Leave the tyres to cool then set the temp.

Don't give it to much through Clearways / Clark cos there's ripples on the outside that can make the bike highside - usually catches at least one person per day.

And look at the track, not the gravel!

[Strada916]

Originally Posted by Sorted

Have fun and ENJOY! It's a great circuit but I usually miss out the last session of the day cuz you're usually knackered and thats when accidents happen.
Alan

Very good advice. I had the same from a friend when I did my first trackday.

I did my second on Monday evening at Brands.

I missed the last session, and guess what, there were crashes in the last session for both groups.

See my full report here:
Brands Eve, 18th August.

[BaggaZee]

Alternatively, you can just relax and get on with having a good time. Obviously if you feel knackered, give it a miss but I went out in the last session because I was having so much fun, no one crashed and the track was much emptier!
Good advice on the instructor, £25 for a session and he advised which of the free classroom sessions to attend between track sessions. In my case it was body positioning & it made a big difference (even though I thought I already had this sussed)!

Ooooh I'm jealous, have a fantastic time!

...and don't forget to put your numberplate back on before leaving the track. Ahem.

[Strada916]

Originally Posted by BaggaZee

...and don't forget to put your numberplate back on before leaving the track. Ahem.

Been there, got the t-shirt