New to N2 and Track Days...

LowSparkChris

New Member
Hi Chris, welcome and don't hesitate you will love it! As for size, I think I'm in that bigger dude category at 5' 11" and about 230 I went back and forth on the suit and settled on a one-piece after fighting with the waist zippers on the two-piece. Plus the suit now is dedicated to track days and I use the pants and jacket for the street.

Picture attached if it works, I've only been on a forum for a short time. That's a sedici US size 50 and it could be a little smaller, but I'm leaving room for a back protector that I plan to have for my next track day. Which is my fourth for the year, so it IS addictive. :)

Also, that photo is from Raul at HighSide Photo taken at my last track day with N2 at CMP.

Very good info...we are similar in size...so this helps. I can't wait to get it all moving...it's gonna be a LONG winter
 

HondaGalToo

Control Rider
Welcome! Check out our Riders' Manual - good info on gear and tech requirements: https://www.n2td.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/N2-Riders-Manual-2019.pdf

Yes, all first-time track riders start out in Novice. You need to learn the race line so you know where on the track you belong. Being predictable is key. First time track riders are assigned a CR (Control Rider), about 3-4 per CR. You're with the CR for the first two sessions. They'll lead you, show you where you belong on the track, and answer any questions. Additionally, there is a Novice meeting after the general meeting to go over important information. There's another optional meeting at lunch where we discuss topics including body position, controls, and so on. The CRs are there for you; we all do this as volunteers because we love the sport and we were helped when we were starting out.

Any other questions, post up! Everyone is friendly and willing to help. Be prepared to learn a lot (you'll learn more on the track in one season than in years on the street) and you'll have a ton of fun!
 

HondaGalToo

Control Rider
I most certainly won't skimp on protection. I'm a bigger dude (not height wise but in the mid-section) so I'm not sure if a one-piece or two piece race suit will fit me better. My guess is a two piece will work better for me. I already have my eye on a few suits. I am budgeting for about $1,200 - $1,400 all in for suit, gloves and boots.
If you get a 2 piece suit, we require a full-circumference zipper. The short zipper that just goes across the back is unacceptable.
 

LowSparkChris

New Member
Another question...in reading about a typical track day the website says, "ON THE TRACK - Pending weather and safety conditions, you can expect about seven to nine 20-minute track sessions per event."

Does this mean that each rider, regardless of novice, intermediate, etc. will get 7 to 9 sessions in per track day? Does it vary by class? How much time does each rider have between sessions?
 

TimTheAsian

Fresh off the Boat
Staff member
Control Rider
Another question...in reading about a typical track day the website says, "ON THE TRACK - Pending weather and safety conditions, you can expect about seven to nine 20-minute track sessions per event."

Does this mean that each rider, regardless of novice, intermediate, etc. will get 7 to 9 sessions in per track day? Does it vary by class? How much time does each rider have between sessions?

Here is the order starting at 9AM: Advanced, Intermediate, Novice. 20 min sessions in a round-robin format until lunch that usually kicks off at 12-1pm weather depending. We sometimes move lunch up or back depending on weather and what will get members the most track time as possible. You can expect to have 40 min in between sessions.
 

Otto Man

John
Control Rider
I must say those 40mins go by quick.

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No kidding. I'll never forget my first track weekend at VIR. I thought "20 minutes at a time doesn't sound like a whole lot." First session thoughts: Holy crap I thought I was a good rider but it's clear I'm not shit! Ok I'm ready to go back out. Let's do this."

Thumb twiddle for the 2nd session.

Pass out in my lawn chair during lunch because I was already mentally and physically drained from going the fastest I'd ever gone, but I was ready for those afternoon sessions! After the first after noon session, I blinked, and it was time for me to go out again. "But it hasn't been 40 minutes yet! ....Oh wait"

The morning of day 2: Holy crap my body is BEAT! I gotta do this all over again? :rofl:
 

Slawson

Wannabe Racer
That's exactly how it goes altho i learned my lap times are better if i stay some what active during lunch hr. Usually bicycle around and meet people.

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LowSparkChris

New Member
That's exactly how it goes altho i learned my lap times are better if i stay some what active during lunch hr. Usually bicycle around and meet people.

Sent from my Moto Z (2) using Tapatalk

This sparks another question - how are lap times kept/tracked?
 

HondaGalToo

Control Rider
This sparks another question - how are lap times kept/tracked?
The org doesn't keep track of lap times. I think that would make it racing, which would come with a host of different insurance regulations.

If you want to track your laptimes, you'll need to purchase a laptimer. Most have switched to the GPS ones these days. I still have an old XT timer requiring a beacon, lol, although I haven't bothered to time myself in years.

For your first several times out, however, I would strongly discourage you from using a laptimer. As a new track rider, there are many, many much more important things to focus on other than speed. That actually should be your last point of focus initially.
 

LowSparkChris

New Member
The org doesn't keep track of lap times. I think that would make it racing, which would come with a host of different insurance regulations.

If you want to track your laptimes, you'll need to purchase a laptimer. Most have switched to the GPS ones these days. I still have an old XT timer requiring a beacon, lol, although I haven't bothered to time myself in years.

For your first several times out, however, I would strongly discourage you from using a laptimer. As a new track rider, there are many, many much more important things to focus on other than speed. That actually should be your last point of focus initially.

Solid advice for sure...I was curious if that was something that was done or not by N2. Your response poses yet ANOTHER question...because a track day isn't consider "racing", is an accident on your bike, if you are fully insured, covered by motorcycle insurance? Anyone have actual claims experience there?
 

Slawson

Wannabe Racer
The org doesn't keep track of lap times. I think that would make it racing, which would come with a host of different insurance regulations.

If you want to track your laptimes, you'll need to purchase a laptimer. Most have switched to the GPS ones these days. I still have an old XT timer requiring a beacon, lol, although I haven't bothered to time myself in years.

For your first several times out, however, I would strongly discourage you from using a laptimer. As a new track rider, there are many, many much more important things to focus on other than speed. That actually should be your last point of focus initially.
I agree time is last piece of the cake in my book. Know the track, body position, ect... I tracked my time at two track days just to see things i was trying through out the day makes a difference. Crazy part laps where i was slower in speed had faster times. So the rumor slower is faster is tru.

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TimTheAsian

Fresh off the Boat
Staff member
Control Rider
Solid advice for sure...I was curious if that was something that was done or not by N2. Your response poses yet ANOTHER question...because a track day isn't consider "racing", is an accident on your bike, if you are fully insured, covered by motorcycle insurance? Anyone have actual claims experience there?

Call your insurance company. Never mention race or timed event. If anything mention it as "rider training".
 

HondaGalToo

Control Rider
...because a track day isn't consider "racing", is an accident on your bike, if you are fully insured, covered by motorcycle insurance? Anyone have actual claims experience there?
Yup, as Tim said, call and ask if they cover rider training ON A CLOSED COURSE (don't say "racetrack"). Some used to, but most no longer do. It'll depend on your company/state. The motto is "don't bring anything to the track you wouldn't want to throw in the dumpster at the end of the day". Chances are good you WON'T crash. But it does happen.

Years ago, a friend claimed a bike crash on the track, honest about it being on a closed course but non-competitive. It was covered, but she found out later, by coincidence calling about something else, that they were planning on dropping her as a result of that claim. She was able to cancel instead of being dropped, making it easier to get insurance elsewhere. In NJ at least, motorcycle insurance isn't regulated like car insurance, so they can do whatever they damn well please. So, ask yourself if claiming that crash on the track is worth the risk of your rates going up, or being dropped by the company.

Also, bringing a bike to the track that is financed just isn't a sound decision, IMHO. Shit happens.

And, lastly, not that you would, but don't make shit up about it happening on the street. That's insurance fraud. I can't believe how many times I read of people wanting to do this. :rolleyes:

Off my soapbox now. :p
 

Aaron Meade

New Member
The difference between a track day and a race probably isn't going matter when a savvy claims adjuster decides to look into the details after a crash. I definitely would not take a financed bike onto the track.

This topic has me wondering about my long and short term disability coverage though. I need to look into that. When I used to race bicycles on the road, our US Cycling Federation license included some accident insurance that I thankfully never needed to use.
 

HondaGalToo

Control Rider
The difference between a track day and a race probably isn't going matter when a savvy claims adjuster decides to look into the details after a crash. I definitely would not take a financed bike onto the track.

This topic has me wondering about my long and short term disability coverage though. I need to look into that. When I used to race bicycles on the road, our US Cycling Federation license included some accident insurance that I thankfully never needed to use.
Another good point. Ensure your health insurance covers you. Some have exclusions for what they consider "risky activities".
Another thing possibly particular to NJ - motorcycle insurance, unlike auto insurance, doesn't cover personal injury. If they think it happened on the street, your health insurance may reject it, saying your MC insurance should pay.
 
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