First Track Day - Couple of Questions

T

Tyraxus

New Member
Greets!

I'm looking at doing my first trackday at Putnam over the weekend of Sept. 5th & 6th (probably just one day) and I've got some questions.

I'm a big guy (6'1" ~245 lbs) and hear that the sizes of the leathers varies from brand to brand. If the suit I reserve is just too small can I expect there will be other various sizes available at the time of the event? What about boots and gloves? I plan on getting some leathers but would like to wait until I know exactly what I want and how I need it to fit.

I e-mailed parts@nesba.com a few days ago but haven't received a response - how long should I wait? Is there a phone number I can call?

Also, I read something about your first day is free for a new member, is that true? Sounds about right since this could easily become an addiction.

Apologies if these have already been covered but I didn't see much when I searched.

Anyway, I'm very excited and a little nervous - expect more posts from me soon :)

Peace!
 
Big_J_29

Big_J_29

New Member
I cannot answer the question as for as the Suit but I can help you with the Track Day. The whole day is not free, It is the first two sessions of the day that are. When you go to sign up for the day you will register then as Begginer Intro, you do have the option after the First two sessions to pay for the reemainder of the day and Continue Riding. Hope this helps.
 
dfaldridge

dfaldridge

New Member
Get up with Chris Moon or Derick, they can help you with leathers and sizing you I'm sure. Are you going to do the intro or jump in and Join and do the whole day?
 
dfaldridge

dfaldridge

New Member
Leathers shouldn't be an issue, I'm 6'4'' and around 240lbs. Just make sure they fit if and when you buy them, cause you'll have them awhile. Also get them in the colors you like cause they arn't cheap if you get good ones and I would go ahead and get the one piece suit. Just my personal opinion.
 
HighWay

HighWay

New Member
Do yourself a favor and sign up for the whole day. It will save you the hassle of doing it at the track because you will want to stay.
 
Hambone

Hambone

New Member
Check the information on the web site. The first two sessions (15-20 minutes) are free. There is minimal bike preparation required. I don't think that full leathers are required, just some full riding gear (textile stuff should be ok). However, I have heard of people trying it out and then getting very excited about doing track days. My feeling is that it is best to go ahead and join the club, get the best gear that you can afford (because you only get one ass and you will want to protect it at any cost) and sign up for the full day. I haven't heard of a single person that has regretted doing that. It's going to be a good time and you won't want to miss out on it.
 
Big_J_29

Big_J_29

New Member
:agree:

My First day was at VIR Last month on the Patriot Course, I did the two freebies, I deffinatley wanted to do the rest of the day, However at the time I had a goobered foot and was unable to. I will tell you this without a doubt, YOU WILL WANT to do the rest of the day. Like others have said invest in a Good set of leathers, Boots, Good Full Gauntlet Gloves and a Great Helmet. One thing I learned as well get some Under Armour to wear under the leathers it helps get rid of sweat and also helps you to get out of the leathers when you are sweaty. Hope this helps and Welcome to the Insanity, Trust me when I say it is the most fun you will have with clothes on.
 
B

beac83

Member
Tyraxus,
Welcome to NESBA! I'll be at Putnam that weekend as well. Come by in the paddock and say hi. I ride #83, and for the moment, it's blue and red.

For the suit sizing, you can check out sizing charts on some web sites like sportbiketrackgear.com or any other site that sells Tecnic suits. That should give you an idea of what size to rent.

If you've signed up for Novice, you attend the Riders Meeting, the Beginners meeting, and get the first two morning sessions on the track at no charge. If you've bought a new Yamaha sportbike from a dealer, they come with free 1yr membership and a free track day. I'm not sure which path you are on.

In either case, come on out and have fun! Don't be shy, ask questions and talk with folks. You'll find that we are a pretty welcoming group. See you at Putnam.
 
Trent1098S

Trent1098S

New Member
Welcome to NESBA! You'll either have a blast or think the whole lot of us are totally off our rockers. I'll be back at Putnam that weekend as well, my first time this year.. so stop by and say hey if you get a chance! I ride a white & red Ducati 1098S, #501.

PS If you can swing both days, don't be afraid of signing up for both. If you just did one, you'll be kicking yourself ... to say that it's a lot of fun is an understatement of epic proportions...
 
R

RandyO

New Member
Hi and welcome to the addiction :) (sorry this reply is a bit long winded but having just started doing track days myself this year, it is pretty fresh)

40 years of bikes and this is a new breath of life to riding for me.. I pit next to Steward at Putnam and we sort of help each other out as much as we can.. I have a Hayabusa (so far the only Busa I have seen here) and he rides an really nice R1 Stop by, will try to help you out a bit if we can..

I would certainly plan on wanting to ride the full day.. as far as riding both days? unless you are in pretty darn good physical shape? probably one full day will be plenty for you to get started.. Pushing yourself too hard could have bad results... pace yourself..

prep is pretty basic for the "B" group.. no lights, no mirrors, no exposed light lenses.. I have plenty of tape if you end up short.. I also learned to NOT fill the bike up with gasoline.. I only keep about 1.5 gallon in the tank and reload after each session.. The Busa takes a lot of effort to ride fast.. every little bit helps. I bring 5G's of gas..

Depending on the tires you run, starting tire pressure is pretty different..

I run 30/30 cold.. they are at 36/36 at the end of session right off the track.. (your results will vary depending on bike, tires, riding style etc..) Point being, you do not go on the track with 40psi in your tires.. Ask around I am sure someone has a good starting point for your combo..

I can not say enough good stuff about Turn One Racing and the help they gave me.. Stop and say hi to them..

Other things I have learned...

bring plenty of water and maybe some juice for some energy boost.. this is pretty physical (especially on a 550# bike) Sport drinks are fine but you need to do at least 50% water

Under Armor or the like.. as posted above, it gets pretty warm and this wicks the moisture away nicely.. your leathers can get pretty uncomfortable if you soak them in sweat..

Lawn chairs and awning.. need to recoup after these sessions, if you do not have an awning, I am sure we can squeeze another lawn chair in under cover.. if you get tired? get off the track, ask any snow skier when they get hurt.. end of day and tired

Food.. Putnam has a great burger or chicken sandwich..

Lastly, this is for fun.. the first few sessions are pretty hectic feeling.. you get done with the riders meeting and the "B" group meeting just in time to run back to your pit, suit up and get out on the track.. Make sure your bike is "ready to go" before going to the riders meeting.. Would not hurt to already have your gear on when you go to the meeting.. This way you can just stroll back to the pit, hop on your bike and head out.. trying to get suited "in a hurry" stinks...

Would be nice if they timed this a bit looser so that the B guys were not so rushed the first session...

IF you feel rushed..

Stop and take your time.. relax and keep in mind you need to just learn the track first and try to remember everything Marshall tells you at the meeting upstairs.. If you are feeling rushed, physically stop for a second and gather your thoughts.. this is pretty overwhelming at first but gets a lot easier by the end of the day.. If you are 5 minutes late getting on the track? not a big deal.. you will get plenty of time out there..

Good luck and look forward to seeing you out there..

Randy
 
B

birddog

New Member
Another Newbie at Putnam

Tyraxus,

I will do my first track day at Putnam this September also. I signed up for the 5th. I want to see how I feel after the first day before I sign up for the second. I know it may be sold out, but I don't want to be a hazard to myself or anyone else out there by over doing it. You are asking the same questions that I have. Thanks to those that responded, most have been answered.

I also emailed the parts store to rent a set of leathers last week. No response yet. I'm not ready to buy a $1K set of leathers until I'm fully hooked. Hopefully we will get responses.

I signed up as #33. I hope it does not duplicate anyone else's. I will be on a silver '01 CBR600Fi.

Although the novice group does not need to remove the kickstand, I am interested in getting a stand. Any thoughts on brands or where to purchase?

I'm looking forward to the track and meeting everyone's addiction.:D

Brian
 
Trent1098S

Trent1098S

New Member
Yeah NESBA don't really keep or publish a list of #'s.. Wink keeps a list updated on Chicagolandsportbikes for area rider #'s, you may want to check there. Here's a link.. as you can see, even in that smaller area there's some duplication:

Bike #'s

As far as I'm aware, you can change your # in the profile of this site at any time.
 
Trent1098S

Trent1098S

New Member
PS you could also do what I did when I joined, and check Matt's photos posted on Smugmug. The photos are listed by Bike # and it allows you to see if what you want is already taken. There's some good reasons to having a number to yourself; corner workers and track marshall can call your #, CR's will look for your # on the track to talk to you after for advice, etc. Also, any photos are sorted by # when Matt or Gron4 puts them online.

Have fun at Putnam. That weekend may be up in the air for me this year. (I guess THAT is a bad choice of words... ugh).
 
R

RandyO

New Member
birddog;78453 wrote: Tyraxus,



Although the novice group does not need to remove the kickstand, I am interested in getting a stand. Any thoughts on brands or where to purchase?
Click to expand...
I have used 3 brands of stands on various bikes

Redline Stands- great bang for the buck and Ian (owner) is great to work with

T-Rex Racing- another decent stand for the money.. I have done a couple group buys on these.. a more economical solution..

and last but not least

PitBull -- great products but you pay for them.. I am hooked on the rear axle trailer restraint..
 
B

birddog

New Member
RandyO and Trent,

Thanks for the # update. I will check Smugmug for alternatives. The Chicagoland site did not have #33 taken.

Will there be a vendor at Putnam that sells the redline stands, or any vendors at all? If not, I will order online.

I have not heard from the parts store @ NESBA about the leather rentals yet. Do they rent the whole enchilada? (Gloves, Suit, Boots, am I forgetting anything?)

I will try to call them again today.

Brian
 
Wink

Wink

New Member
Use any 2 or 3 digit number you want. ALL numbers are in use by someone. Don't worry about it. Notice on the CLSB site, there are quite a few duplicates.

With regards to getting set for your first time, read the following:

Typical Track Day: http://www.nesba.com/Info/Typical.htm
Riding Groups: http://www.nesba.com/Info/RidingClass.htm
NESBA Manual: http://www.nesba.com/Info/Downloads/manual.pdf
NESBA FAQ: http://www.nesba.com/Info/Downloads/faq.pdf

Great info here on the site. A simplified explanation of much of this can be found at http://www.apexjunkie.com

The BEST thing that you can do is make sure that you GO with an experienced NESBA rider, and that you PIT with them. This will make your day go far easier. If you can't do that, try to ask your pit neighbors for some help, and tell them that it is your first time and you need to know what to do. I'll be at Putnam, feel free to pit near us if you want. I have a white 32' trailer, easy to find.

The first day can be overwhelming, but it makes a lot of sense, and once you get used to it, it just flows naturally.

Have a great time!!
 
ZLTFUL

ZLTFUL

New Member
Just use 946. Nobody cool uses that number yet. :saythat:

One thing that can't be reiterated enough is go and have fun. You will forget stuff the first day. Everyone does.
NESBiAns are some of the most approachable people on the planet. Don't hesitate to ask any of the control riders, admin staff or other riders in the paddock if you have a question on "game day".
Don't forget to relax. You are going to be puckered tighter than a fish's bumhole the first session. You don't need to be. The first session is a parade. Just get a feel for being on the bike in the morning. Don't push it. You don't need to. No one is going to pass you anyway.

Did I mention the fun part? You will have a blast. This thread is full of good advice. Just relax, enjoy yourself and remember that the winner at a trackday is the person that loads their bike in the same condition that they unloaded in. (Sorry for stealing your line Tom...maybe you need to copyright it!).
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top