Number one thing to improve NESBA

[cecilio64]

I too feel that the CR introductions are a great thing and make them all that much more accessible, but when you go out to hot pit and the same CRs are on their bikes and wearing helmets it's still hard to know who is who so you can find them afterwards and talk. I know that over time you get to know who is who, but when you are new and only have a few TDs in they all look the same. One of my first days I talked to a CR in the pits at Putnam and got some good advice. He said to follow him next session, when I went to line up I couldn't figure out which one he was. Sometimes after a session getting feed back from a CR I see them look at my bike and helmet to try and remember who I was out on the track. Is it possible to have names on their shirts. It would make it alot easier to tie together the CR at the riders meeting in shorts and orange NESBA hat whose name you remember but can't remember what bike color/number they ride. I have a hard enough time remembering names, much less what name goes with which color bike and number. Just my 2 cents worth.

 

[equipt31]

Agreed, didnt they do names on shirts last year for a few days? It would help a bit but I thought the changes we made this weekend were great.
I'm particularly surprised as many guys showed up for the 'optional' 2nd beginners meeting as they did. Great addition to the schedule.

 

[beac83]

I agree that it takes time to get to know your way around the paddock. There is so much to take in as a new rider.

Another suggestion is to strongly encourage tail numbers on bikes for members. When you are out on the track, you can't see numbers on the front of bikes (unless you are either a CR looking back, or doing the nono of looking back as a rider). Front numbers are for the corner workers, tail numbers are for fellow riders.

 

[Cyclenut88]

I have ridden with NESBA in the Southern Region for several years and agree the club is top notch.
About the $75 fee…NESBA offers many benefits other clubs do not. how many of us have benefitted from rain insurance on more than one occasion. When the weather is bad from the start, it is discouraging, but not loosing the money I threw down for the event greatly eased the pain. The club was able to pick up the tab for us.... small price to pay for this one benefit, not to mention crash insurance, PLENTY of CR support, etc…

One improvement I would like to see is slight changes in the group formats. This is something I have experienced riding with other organizations and at event practice sessions. I will say that at first, this format was not accepted very well, but by the end of the day, it was highly supported. We found that this very small change made several large improvements to the event and the bottom line is that all riders got more track time, without any extra burden on event staff, and with no change to the clubs revenues for the event.

Group rotation was changed from 3 groups to 4. Sessions ran just a few minutes shy of the normal 20 minutes. Group sizes were reduced opening the track for consistent lapping, and LESS RED FLAGS. We also noticed very few of us sat out any sessions as we normally do near the end of the day. Almost everyone ran all sessions, which all together equaled more QUALITY riding time.

The really nice thing about this format was that, depending on the turnout at any particular event, the 4th group can function as another Intermediate group, or can be used as a more structured beginner group. I would like to see this used particularly at events with heavy attendance.

Thanks for asking.....

B.

 

[awhicker]

I was thinking about it last night. You say you got plenty of compliments on our good behavior from Blackhawk employees, a lot of MW guys seem to enjoy Blackhawk. Is it possible to get exclusive rights there? STT has all these tracks that only ride with them. Let's get Blackhawk for us. I'm guessing you need to provide a promise to do so many days there, but I'm guessing if NESBA had exclusive rights to Blackhawk, you'd have more members.

Also, I was thinking about how taxing it must be some of the CR's, Directors, Turn One, etc to have trackdays every other weekend or more, is there a way to have more CR's on the team, if only to have some that are local to only one or two tracks?

If guys want to ride in the next few weeks, they pretty much have to go ride with another organization, which is really too bad. If NESBA could get Blackhawk, you could put other riders in that same position that ride with mainly other organizations. I bet you could get members that would stay with this group after trying it out.

Its probably an idea that isn't new and maybe its close to impossible. But you asked for ideas. : )

 

[dlockhart5x]

awhicker;67848 wrote: I was thinking about it last night. You say you got plenty of compliments on our good behavior from Blackhawk employees, a lot of MW guys seem to enjoy Blackhawk. Is it possible to get exclusive rights there? ?

If guys want to ride in the next few weeks, they pretty much have to go ride with another organization, which is really too bad.

I hate the exclusive track thing. It cuts both ways. I wish I could ride at Grattan with NESBA but can't. :nada:

As for place to ride with NESBA the next few weeks. We are pretty blessed here in the midwest. We can travel west to ride with the great folks in the MidCentral (they have some great tracks!) and we can travel east to the Mid Atlantic. Nelson and Beaver are not that far and those guys (staff) are pretty cool too. I like the road trips and new to me tracks keep this sport very, very interesting. This year my days will be spread over 6 tracks, and I am still learning them all.

 

[Trent1098S]

My wife asked me to add a request to the 'how to improve nesba' thread. She goes with me to all of the track days, and gets a bit anxious when there's a crash in a session I'm riding in. I found out tonight she also reads the forums while I'm at work (so I better stay on my best behavior!!!)

Her request is to announce the bike number of the crash on a red flag so she doesn't freak out the few minutes it takes for me to get back to the pits. That way she can either relax, or start heading to the appropriate place. She watched my crash at Putnam but didn't know it was me for about 15 minutes until my name got announced over the PA as I was being loaded up in to the bus for my ride to the ER. Think it still has her nervous.

Some red flags early on leave us all in the hot pit until it's cleared up, and that means she may not know anything for 20+ minutes.

Funny anecdote, on my crash in the rain this last Saturday, when I walked up without a bike, I told her "well, I crashed.." She thought I'd left it at Turn One to get worked on (which I did!), but didn't believe that I'd actually crashed.. probably because I have my Duc there so much anyway.

Dunno what you guys think about this. Dunno what *I* think about this. But I told her I'd pass it along. There's a lot of "support" folks in the paddock who sit on pins and needles whenever a red flag gets thrown while they're friend / loved one is out on the track.

Anyway my job's done.. passed it along. Thanks.

 

[Squegee]

I dont know if this was posted up already but although I know a lot of CR's (and I know one thing that was brought up was for CR's to be introduced) but even when I'm out there in I and I have a CR pass me, I cant see the bike number or who they are too well some times. I know on some of the CR shirts it says their last name but seems like more DONT than do. I think it would help a lot with knowing who is CRing you in a middle of session if they had a shirt with their last name printed on the back. (reorder shirts?? Especially being there is a lot more new CR's now)

 

[xlink]

Trent1098S;67942 wrote:

Her request is to announce the bike number of the crash on a red flag so she doesn't freak out the few minutes it takes for me to get back to the pits. That way she can either relax, or start heading to the appropriate place. .

all she needs is a radio (with the scan option)

 

[oldschool]

dlockhart5x;67857 wrote: I hate the exclusive track thing. It cuts both ways. I wish I could ride at Grattan with NESBA but can't. :nada:

As for place to ride with NESBA the next few weeks. We are pretty blessed here in the midwest. We can travel west to ride with the great folks in the MidCentral (they have some great tracks!) and we can travel east to the Mid Atlantic. Nelson and Beaver are not that far and those guys (staff) are pretty cool too. I like the road trips and new to me tracks keep this sport very, very interesting. This year my days will be spread over 6 tracks, and I am still learning them all.

:agree: The exclusive thing is just wrong. Were in this to have fun and that means riding different tracks. I like being able to try all of the tracks around the midwest and beyond. Had a great time at HPT this year and that was the first time on that track for me. I look forward to riding others and I hope to do it with NESBA.

 

[mx558]

who really cares what org. to ride in, just go ride all the tracks you can and have fun. I see plenty of Nesba CRs riding with different org. all the time

 

[liteitup]

mx558;68095 wrote: who really cares what org. to ride in

This thread is to make NESBA better, sooo yeah...

One thing to increase membership is to be at the top of search engines. I searched google using different terms (motorcycle track days, etc) and the best I could get NESBA to come up was on the third page. Its not that difficult to raise. Just a thought

 

[Buell36]

I know of 2 guys who were going to join me at Black Hawk but did not want to pay the membership fee.

 

[Andrei]

Buell36;68181 wrote: I know of 2 guys who were going to join me at Black Hawk but did not want to pay the membership fee.

Going back to this. Since membership fee is basically a form of insurance. For someone who does 2 track days a year, paying $75 may be an issue. the improvement here is to make it prorated to number of events used during the year. Members who attend regularly may end up paying more, which is fair since they are more likely to actually use the benefit membership brings.

 

[DB_ZX10r]

I don't think the membership fee is a major issue with people who are signing up for their 2nd or later year but do think it is an issue with a newbie. When a newbie sees NESBA at $75 and say STT at $35 and more or less both groups ride the same tracks, a newbie most likely doesn't know any differences between the two groups and will most likely opt for the $35 membership. And if that individual has an enjoyable time then they are more likely to continue with that group. Thus being a loss for NESBA.

 

[Gman97]

mx558;68095 wrote: who really cares what org. to ride in, just go ride all the tracks you can and have fun. I see plenty of Nesba CRs riding with different org. all the time

Umm, I care.

Yep, most Cr's who do ride from time to time, myself included, do it so we get a chance to ride for ourselfs plus it confirms all the awesomeness that is NESBA. Yes, their is a difference.

 

[DB_ZX10r]

Gman97;68230 wrote: Umm, I care.

Yep, most Cr's who do ride from time to time, myself included, do it so we get a chance to ride for ourselfs plus it confirms all the awesomeness that is NESBA. Yes, their is a difference.

Awesomeness, such a nice word isn't it??

 

[Gman97]

DB_ZX10r;68234 wrote: Awesomeness, such a nice word isn't it??

GWB has nothing on me. I'm a linguist extrodinaire

 

[awhicker]

we need race hoes at the track days. I mean hot girls that love men with motorcycles. And on that day, we should switch the stickers so that "A" means "B".

 

[ERB68]

awhicker;68528 wrote: we need race hoes at the track days. I mean hot girls that love men with motorcycles. And on that day, we should switch the stickers so that "A" means "B".

The gig would be up if they actually watch.

Skip a session and don't sit by the front straight. The speed difference it something to see.

Just dawned on me, that might be a good teaching tool. When you think your "givin her" and you sit out and watch similar pace people, it really shows you the difference between what you think you're doing and actually doing.

I guess it sounded better in my head. Video would do the same thing with missing a session.
Never mind.