A track day is what you make of it. There is no minimum or maximum speed restriction, you can go as slow or as fast as you like. If you are looking for racing techniques, you can find it there. If you are looking to improve your cornering techniques for street or track, you can find it there. If you are just looking to have the most fun you have ever had on your motorcycle, you will find it there. It's so much fun, sometimes I can't believe it's legal.
I want to dispel a few myths about track days
1) You do not need to modify your motorcycle for your first track day. You will want to remove the mirrors, but it is not mandatory. You must however, tape (blue painters tape is best), mirrors, headlight, taillight, and turn signals. Some companies ask you to replace the coolant with Water Wetter, but not usually on your first day. If you choose to do track days more regularly, you will need to start making some more modifications. More than likely, you will get addicted and do whatever you have to do to afford a track specific bike like the rest of us track day junkies. Be sure to pay attention to each track day provider's requirements prior to arriving at the track.
2) You do not have to wear leathers. You should wear motorcycle specific gear, which is made of a sturdy material and has body armor in the knees, shoulders and elbows. However, some track day providers allow you to wear two pairs of jeans instead of leather. Again, if you do track days more regularly, you will want to invest in good track specific gear. Full race leathers are formed to fit a rider's body while in riding position. Leathers are often equipped with body armor and a back protector, they come in a two piece style where the jacket and pants zip together, or a one piece style. They can be purchased used or new anywhere from $200-$2000, sometimes more.
3) Riding on the track is much safer than riding on the street. As I mentioned before, you can eliminate oncoming traffic, and debris .Occasionally things fall off motorcycles, but the corner workers quickly take care of the mess. With those hazards out of the way, the only thing you have to worry about is yourself. If you can control yourself and ride within your capability and your bikes capability, the track may be the safest place you visit all day. Many of the guys I race with have given up street riding all together because of the dangers on the street compared to riding on the track.
How do I get started?
There are several companies or track day providers who rent out a track on a specific date and sell you a piece of it for anywhere from $100-$200, sometimes more if it is a special event. SportbikeTracktime, and Nesba, are just of couple of the more popular ones in the Midwest. You can go on their websites, take a look at the dates and locations and register online. Another route would be to look up a track near you and look at their schedule, they will list the track day providers and offer a link to their site. Obviously, if it is your first second or third track day register for the novice level. Other options are intermediate and advanced.
How do track days work?
Show up to the track with enough time to unload your bike, organize your things and take part in the track walk. Once you check in, you will get a number to adhere to your bike as well as a sticker which indicates your group. N for novice, I for intermediate and A for advanced. The track walk is a great way to get a feel of the track as a track coach points out helpful bits of information about it.
Be sure to communicate your track riding experience or inexperience to the staff, because the novice level has sub groups. For instance, if you have never been on the track before, you will be in novice group 1, if you have some experience you may be in novice group 2 or 3 and so on. Novice group 1 takes the laps at a pretty slow comfortable pace. However, if you feel like you want a little more challenge or speed, you can just ask to be moved to novice groups 2 or 3. Sometimes, if there is room, you can even switch from novice to intermediate or intermediate to advanced if you think you want to move up.
The staff will also help you with taping your bike, as it will have to go through tech inspection. During tech inspection staff will check tires, chain, and all major controls and levers.
There will be a mandatory riders meeting before any sessions begin. During this meeting you will be made aware of all of the rules and regulations of the track. You will be shown the different flags that may be displayed while you are riding. For instance green flag to start a session, white flag to indicate last lap, yellow for caution and red to get off the track as soon as possible because of an emergency, etc. During the meeting there is a strong emphasis on safety, as is benefits everyone.
The novice group gets a lot of attention. Usually, there is an optional classroom portion included before and after each novice session. I highly recommend this. There is great information given during these talks.
An announcement will be made over the loud speaker as to which group is next to go out. It is usually a five minute warning. Each group will ride a 20-30 minute session. Each group will have at least one control rider to lead the group. A control rider is a member of the track provider's staff. The control rider wears a florescent vest and is situated in the front of the group. Sometimes there are multiple control riders in one group. They will identify themselves to you so you know who to stick with. The control rider will show you the correct lines to take around the track, and as your skills and techniques improve, he or she will offer you suggestions to improve your technique.
During a track day you can ride anywhere from 1 to 8 sessions, sometimes more. After a 20 minute session, it is nice to have the 40 minutes to rest while the other groups are completing their sessions. It gives you time to rehydrate, reflect on your last session, and think about your goals for your next one. Some companies include lunch with your fee, others may not, but here is time allotted for lunch.
At the end of the day you will be very tired. Hopefully you are able to transport your motorcycle by truck and or trailer. However if you ride your bike there, you may want to consider skipping the last few sessions of the day, so you will not be too tired to ride home.
If you live in or around Chicago, there are several tracks to consider
1) Autobahn Country Club in Joliet - about 1 hour-no traffic
2) Blackhawk Farms Raceway in Beloit near Rockford- about 2 hours
3) Gingerman Raceway in South Haven Michigan-about 2 ½ hours
4) Grattan Raceway in Belding Michigan-about 3 ½ hours
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Tags: Motorcycle Track Days
http://www.teamchicago.tv/home.htm
Team Chicago offers a racing track SCHOOL at a very low cost. Group 5 is for riders who want to try a track without scaring themselves or spending a lot of money. There is no racing on the day. Safety,Education, and Fun are the words that rule the day.
If you want some track experience to help you decide if track days and/or racing is something that you want to do, this is a pretty good place to start.